Chapter 52: Gaiden of the Original Body: The Mangekyo Without Tomoe

The Kaguya clan members present stared in horror at the inextinguishable black flames, not daring to take another step forward. Such long-range physical damage was the ultimate counter to ninjas specializing in taijutsu.

Kaguya Sōsuke furrowed his brow as he stepped forward, first observing the raging black flames before turning his gaze to the young man standing on the opposite side, isolated by the fire.

"Those eyes of yours... the Mangekyō Sharingan?"

It was only then that Kaguya Sōsuke realized the eyes of the kid across from him were not ordinary three-tomoe Sharingan, but a pair of crimson eyes with a bizarre pattern.

As a clan with a long-standing heritage, the Kaguya clan possessed numerous records regarding the legendary eyes of the Uchiha clan. As a high-ranking member of his clan, Kaguya Sōsuke had naturally done his homework before coming here.

"To be honest, I really didn't want to use these eyes. They aren't cool at all."

Uchiha Gin shook his head, feeling the pupil power drain from his eyes like floodwaters opening their gates, leaving his entire body drained of strength.

Uchiha Gin's Mangekyō was not as ornate as the records described; the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan lived up to their name, being as dazzling as the patterns inside a kaleidoscope.

Yet his eyes went completely against the grain. The three tomoe that used to spin around the outer edge had vanished, replaced by a simple dot "·" right in the center of his crimson pupil. Uchiha Gin liked to call it the "Tomoe-less Sharingan."

Everyone in the research facility who first saw his Mangekyō had subconsciously assumed the boy lacked talent, having awakened a Sharingan without even a single tomoe.

"A brat playing tricks. Close in and fight him hand-to-hand; that way, he won't dare use this kind of Fire Release."

Understanding the indiscriminate nature of Fire Release, Kaguya Sōsuke immediately formulated a tactic. The Kaguya clansmen, who had never feared death, naturally showed no inclination to retreat easily.

"This is troublesome."

Watching the Kaguya clansmen accelerate as they charged toward him, Uchiha Gin thought to himself with a sinking heart. The only skill his Mangekyō possessed for dealing area-of-effect damage was Amaterasu.

Tsukuyomi, the technique carried by his other eye, was merely a single-target genjutsu, offering no advantage whatsoever against multiple enemies.

"Flame Release: Kagutsuchi!"

At that critical juncture, a familiar voice rang out. The black flames burning around Uchiha Gin suddenly came to life, rapidly expanding and wrapping around the Kaguya clansmen at astonishing speed.

A Kaguya clansmen who accidentally brushed against a speck of the black flame had no time to react before that trace of black flame rapidly expanded, enveloping him into a human torch. Within seconds, he was reduced to a wisp of smoke, leaving not even bones behind.

"Hikari! Why did you come out?"

Hearing the young girl's voice, Uchiha Gin naturally knew that the black flames possessing seemingly self-aware movement were the ability of the girl's Mangekyō Sharingan, Kagutsuchi.

"If I hadn't come out, you'd be in grave danger."

The young girl, who had rushed out from the inside to rescue Uchiha Gin, looked nervously at the fierce-looking strange enemies before her.

This was her first actual combat. Her pair of fair, petite hands were clenched tightly, sweat threatening to seep out from between her fingers.

A pair of Sharingan with a bizarre pattern looked anxiously at Uchiha Gin, as if awaiting his command.

Compared to the boy's rustic "Tomoe-less Sharingan," the girl's Mangekyō could be described as gorgeous. Three swallow-shaped shuriken were linked at their tails to form a stunning pattern, one that had made the boy envious for a long time.

"Don't be nervous. Just treat it like our training in the research facility."

Noticing the girl's nervous state, Uchiha Gin—also experiencing his first battle—knew he could not display any trace of panic, and immediately began directing the girl in combat.

"First, use Amaterasu to encircle them."

At Uchiha Gin's command, the girl poured her effort into driving the black flames to enclose Kaguya Sōsuke and the others in a tight ring.

"Now use that!"

Without the boy needing to name the technique, the two who had trained in coordination for so long moved in tacit understanding, driving their pupil power. The Kaguya clansmen, trapped within the Amaterasu black flames with no way out, suddenly noticed that the pure moonlight spilling past their feet had imperceptibly shifted to a faint crimson hue.

Everyone instinctively raised their heads, looking up in astonishment to see that the moon in the sky had transformed into a crimson full moon, upon which a pattern identical to the girl's pupil slowly emerged.

[Imprinted Tsukuyomi]

Every single member of the Kaguya clan felt a sharp pain pierce their minds as red marks, identical to the pattern on the moon, appeared on their bodies. As the patterns fully imprinted themselves, the previously restless Kaguya clansmen suddenly became deathly still, the light in each of their eyes flashing with a purplish-red radiance.

"Phew..."

Seeing that the imprints had been successfully planted, Uchiha Gin let out a long sigh of relief. He had witnessed the capability of the girl's Mangekyō, "Yatsakagi." Once marked, a person had no choice but to surrender to her control.

Now they just had to wait for Uchiha Tajima to rush back, given the massive commotion.

Relaxing, Uchiha Gin walked over to the girl and asked,

"Was it too taxing?"

Knowing it was the girl's first time controlling so many people, and worried she might not be able to bear the burden, Uchiha Gin asked out of concern. If she felt it was too difficult to maintain, he was prepared to step in and eliminate a portion of the enemies first to ease her pressure.

"No, I feel better than ever before."

The flushed, pretty face of the girl wore an expression of complete satisfaction as she shook her head. Her Yatsakagi not only allowed her to manipulate the marked targets, but also let her endlessly absorb chakra from those individuals.

Having over-indulged on her first time controlling so many people, the girl had absorbed her fill in one go, and her mental state at that moment could not possibly have been better.

Hearing the girl's explanation, Uchiha Gin dropped the subject. Remembering that his aunt was still inside, and seeing that the girl was in good condition, he asked,

"Is Auntie alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you both."

Before the girl could answer, Uchiha Tajima's wife emerged from the interior with three children.

Looking at the patterns in the eyes of the two youngsters—patterns completely distinct from a standard Sharingan—she, as the former clan head's daughter, naturally recognized them instantly as the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan.

"To think you two have such formidable strength at such a young age. The future of the Uchiha is in the hands of you two young lovebirds."

Uchiha Tajima's wife teased with a beaming smile.

"Aunty, what are you saying?"

Having his inner thoughts exposed, Uchiha Gin awkwardly scratched his head, while the girl beside him experienced a total mental short-circuit right on the spot.

"Young lovebirds..."

Muttering the unfamiliar phrase under her breath, a shy blush instantly flooded her entire face. Steam began to rise from the top of her head, and she nearly fainted on the spot.

"Don't tease her, Aunty. How much longer before Uncle gets back?"

Thick-skinned though Uchiha Gin might be, he no longer had the nerve to press the topic in front of the girl.

"Should be soon now!"

Uchiha Tajima's wife guessed, looking at the distant lights glowing in the distance.

"Hurry! Hino, you and I will head back first."

Sensing the unusual activity from the enemies, Uchiha Tajima had immediately taken Uchiha Hino and a small squad to rush back to the clan at top speed. The moment he passed through the main gate, he caught the heavy stench of blood, causing panic to instantly spike in his heart.

The squad tore furiously through the streets of the Uchiha compound, passing the corpses of numerous clansmen and unfamiliar outsiders along the way.

They had not gone far before encountering a Kaguya squad. Overwhelming them with sheer power, Uchiha Tajima and his men quickly wiped out the squad and continued forward according to clues, eliminating several other small groups of Kaguya clansmen along the route.

Having interrogated a captive via genjutsu to learn that their primary target—the strongest elder, Kaguya Sōsuke—was heading for his home, Uchiha Tajima was frantic as an ant on a hot pan. Unable to wait for his squad to finish securing the captives, he pulled Uchiha Hino and bolted ahead toward his residence.

Amidst the chaotic Uchiha compound, a pair of eyes coldly watched everything unfolding.

He saw the core forces of the Kaguya clan being controlled by Uchiha Gin and his companion, as well as Uchiha Tajima rushing toward them. A trace of resolute ruthlessness flashed through his cold gaze. Lowering his eyes to look at the jar in his hands, a bizarre smile crept across his aged face.

"The good show is about to begin."