Two days later, arriving at Fugaku's home was a different feeling altogether. Not because it was in its own, slightly secluded part, having way greater walls than our little fence, creating a greater separation, but... simply because of knowing what will come to this place. Well, not exactly this place because the clan will be relocated and isolated only after the Kyuubi attack, if that ever happens... Which means... All of that future rests on me, and I have to do better so it will never come to fruition. And if I manage to achieve that, then that means the thought of a coup will also find no fertile grounds to grow.
I had to become someone who could influence not only Fugaku but also everyone else with power within the clan and deter them from self-destruction. While I was thinking about that, I realized I had stood at the front gate for a moment longer than necessary, so I began adjusting the strap of my bag and rolling my shoulders, regaining my calm as I walked inside.
"You must be Renjiro, yes?" A female voice greeted me when I did so, and I quickly bowed towards her.
"Yes, Mikoto-san. I came just as we agreed on." I said politely, glancing at the future mother of Itachi and Sasuke.
"No need to be so stiff!" She chuckled, patting my head. "Come, my husband has been expecting you."
Indeed, Fugaku was waiting for me in one of the inner rooms, seated at a low table with tea, going over reports of different squadrons from the previous night, if I had to guess. As I was led into the room, Mikoto closed the door behind me, and he finally looked up at me when we were left alone.
"Renjiro," he greeted, inclining his head slightly after looking at the watch on the right-hand wall. "You're punctual, good, I like that."
"I didn't want to be late," I replied, bowing properly once again, "But I didn't want to arrive way ahead of time either."
"If you do, I won't mind it," He gestured for me to sit with a smile, "We can squeeze more into our training sessions that way."
While I finally sat down, I quickly ran my eyes around the room, which was simple. Scroll racks lined the wall on my left, many sealed, some marked with the Uchiha fan, signaling that they were not to leave the hands of the clan. Behind him, a single window looked out onto a training yard beyond, while to the right were some cabinets, silverware, and the clock on the wall. A typical home office...
"Before we begin," Fugaku said, lifting his teacup, "understand this: what I teach you here are instructions that are NOT meant for outsiders. Even within the clan, access to certain knowledge is… restricted. This also includes your parents... Do you understand?"
"I understand," I said immediately, nodding my head.
"Mhm," He studied me for a second longer than I expected, before smiling a little, "Good, I believe you... So let us speak plainly." He spoke as he set the empty cup down, "The Sharingan itself is not merely a dojutsu, but it is a mirror of its wielder. It reflects the user's heart as much as it does the world, because it is a manifestation of our true self."
Of course, I kept my face neutral, but inside, I smiled. He was talking about the Mangekyō, even if he didn't realize I would know about it... Because the basic Sharingan is always the same, and what he says becomes reality only at that level. Which would also mean he... He has it. Damn.
"Most believe its power lies in what it sees," Fugaku continued, while I was having a revelation happening in my mind, "Be it movement, chakra flow, hand seals... But these are surface-level truths. It is what those without these eyes can understand about us, but it is also what we can get stuck with and become unable to see past the initial understanding. So, I'd like to ask you a question, Renjiro: What do you think the Sharingan does?"
"I think…" I began carefully, not wanting to reveal more than necessary, but it was time to present myself as a pretty smart guy, stand out, and start climbing the ladder of importance. "Having it... It forces awareness on us."
"Awareness?" Fugaku's fingers paused against the cup in his hand, "Do explain."
"When I activate it," I said slowly, taking time to show I was thinking about it, finding the proper words there and then, "it doesn't just sharpen what I see. It makes everything… clearer. I can see my opponents' intentions and notice their mistakes. From that, I could always extrapolate to observe my own faults... including my own hesitations. It made me aware of what I need to improve or do better." I smiled while looking at my hands because it was also the truth, "Plus, it's harder to lie to myself while using it."
That earned me a long pause and silence from his part. So much so that I was afraid I was overselling it, but... that was my honest thought about having the Sharingan.
"That is… perceptive, I have to admit," Fugaku said at last as he leaned back slightly. "The Sharingan heightens perception to the point where self-deception becomes both difficult or way too easy, depending on the user," he said, agreeing with my thoughts, "Maybe that is why we are so good with genjutsu, because we can deceive people much more easily." As he said that, he looked directly at me, making me almost flinch, but I held it back. "Sometimes, we can even manifest it into reality..."
"Turn... genjutsu into... reality?" I asked, not wanting to blurt out anything stupid, like Izanagi or Izanami, whichever it was... damn. I should have memorized it better while still alive in my old life! Damn it! No matter... But... Is he really going to drop that knowledge on me?! Yes, it can be activated with normal Sharingans, but... Argh... No. He won't tell me that, but he is sharing knowledge, to plant the seeds of future lessons, thinking I wouldn't get it yet. Sooooo... "I think," I said, before he could continue, "that's why our Sharingans respond to emotional shock."
"Oh?" He exhaled, raising an eyebrow, "You speak as if you've thought about this extensively," he said with a smile.
"I've had time," I replied with a sheepish smile of my own, "All my tomoe awakenings happened after an emotional outburst, so I don't need to be Hokage-level genius to put things together."
"Heh," He chortled as he reached into his sleeve and withdrew a small scroll, unrolling it just enough to reveal diagrams of the eye. It had all the tomoe placements, chakra pathways branching from the optic nerve into the brain, pretty detailed and... ancient-looking. "You are not wrong, though. The Sharingan accelerates cognitive processing," he explained, letting me examine the drawing. "It allows the brain to interpret motion and intent faster than a normal human nervous system should permit. In turn, it indeed reacts to our own emotional state... and subconscious wishes while forming it."
"It indeed reflects us..." I nodded again, muttering under my breath.
"But we, as humans, can't handle this intensified state indefinitely."
"That's why prolonged use causes strain," I added, acting as if I was catching on, "Not because of chakra cost alone, but because the brain overheats and may even shut down... and if the mind is not there... We could even die, yes?"
"You indeed have a smart head on your shoulders," He smiled at me, nodding approvingly. "Yes. Oversue can be deadly. Very much so..."
"I'm not at Minato's level though..." I shrugged, keeping my expression modest, "I am going about what I know and how it feels. After extended use, it's not that my eyes hurt, it's coming from... Well, it's somewhere behind them."
"Yes..." Fugaku exhaled through his nose, a bit of incredulity showing in his eyes, "You're describing the symptoms of neural fatigue," he explained. "It is the same phenomenon that leads to hemorrhaging in overuse cases and could cause serious injuries. I had seen it happen..."
"I thought so," I said quietly, as if my theories were just confirmed by Fugaku.
"Very few your age would reach that conclusion through experience alone," he said, his smile solidifying on his face, looking at me like I was a rough diamond that he could polish into something extraordinary. "Come. Let me see your eyes, activate it."
I did without hesitation, and after he took a deep look, I watched as he activated his own Sharingan. Of course, it wasn't a Mangekyō one, but a regular three-tomoe eye. Still, looking into them, the difference was immediate and oppressive, as it felt like I was standing before a storm with my own little fart in the wind as an answer. That one tomoe made this much of a difference, or was it because a Mangekyō was hiding behind them? I couldn't tell...
"Look," he instructed me, "Don't blink, just follow what I show you and observe it well."
The next moment, his chakra appeared, vast yet controlled, down to its most minute detail, layered like a fortress with a general directing the forces within it. Soon, I was not in the room but under his genjutsu, which showed me more than I could see, revealing things that weren't even there, yet I could perceive them. Every movement he made then had all his intentions stacked on top of one another, all the possibilities branching out, making it hard for me to decide what he would do next. I could feel it, but now I understood the difference between us more than ever before. I was seeing four possibilities, while he, in fact, had eight to choose from... Or even more...
"Your eyes are trying to read me already..." Fugaku said with a tinge of surprise, and aproovement, "You are even predicting how I would move my muscles while speaking to you... Expecting a fight?" He chortled, letting me slowly come out of the genjutsu, "Your eyes are powerful, kid, especially for your age."
"I try..." I swallowed, yet kept my eye on what he was showing me as we just sat there.
"But you must also realize that there is a difference between us, something that you can't overcome just yet. Don't force it, or it may hurt you. You see, many believe mastery comes from pushing the Sharingan further," he continued, giving me an honest lecture, "In truth, that is only part of it. True mastery comes from knowing when not to use it."
"Not... using it?" I asked, finally blinking, looking at him, instead of what he was showing me, "That's… That sounds difficult," I admitted.
"For us, Uchiha," Fugaku agreed, "it always is. This power is great, but if you want to master it, you must learn when to use it and when not. For example... Would you use it against Arai? If you were to fight him again."
"..." For a moment, I honestly thought about it, and the answer was simple... "No. I wouldn't. I wouldn't need to."
"Good." He nodded approvingly, "That is something many don't consider, Arai for one, wouldn't even think of it at all. He would use his Sharingan, no matter what... Instead of reserving it for when it's needed. Tell me," he said, taking a long breath, finally blinking his eyes ever so slowly... And for a glimpse, I could swear I saw his three tomoe spin, "What do you fear most about these eyes?"
I didn't answer immediately, taking the question seriously. What do I fear...? That we will die because of them, duh. But I can't say that out loud... Hm.
"I fear," I said, in the end, "that if I rely on them too much, I'll stop seeing people as people. That can manifest in two ways... That I start seeing them as nothing but patterns: Threats, tools, objectives.... To see family as outsiders. I don't want that to ever happen to me. On the other hand, I also don't want them to see me as different, like... Like, see me as a monster."
"That fear is very much true..." he said quietly, letting out a long sigh, "What you just said has destroyed more Uchiha than any enemy, believe me. Haaah... I now see it to be real..." He added suddenly, "You are indeed not arrogant, and it isn't a farce either," he concluded, as if telling it to himself, "I was a bit sceptical, but you aren't blind to the cost of power, because you already realized that nothing comes free in this world." While speaking, he reached for another scroll, and this one was sealed with the clan symbol. I watched with a gulp as he flicked it open with a finger, presenting it to me, "I will teach you control exercises designed to affect your perception, to see things happen in a much more... manageable time frame. Where seconds can become minutes." I wanted to ask if he was teaching me Tsukoyomi, but that's not something that can be taught, heh... But the concept was similar. Maybe some ancient Uchiha had something similar? And was then used to develop a Sharingan ability? Who knows... "Memorize it, but you cannot share it with others. Understand?"
"Yes," I bowed deeply, "Thank you."
"Don't thank me. This training," he added, "will also prepare you for future evolutions of the Sharingan."
My pulse spiked at once... What?! Are we really talking about Mangekyō?! Still... I somehow managed to keep my face blank, asking in a slightly confused tone.
"Evolutions?" I muttered, doing it extra carefully, to sound less excited than I actually was.
"In time," he smiled, "After you have proven you understand patience, I will tell you more."
No need to... I wanted to say, but held it back. I bet you a lot... that I know more than you do, hah!