"Let's eat!" Uchiha Fugaku, always mindful of propriety, stood up to lead the way to the dining area. Ye Han and Itachi followed after him.
Fugaku glanced at Ye Han and noticed something unusual—Ye Han had activated his Sharingan. This made both Fugaku and Mikoto pause in surprise. After all, in the Uchiha clan, awakening the Sharingan at such a young age was exceedingly rare. Even Itachi hadn't done so yet.
After dinner, Ye Han excused himself and left. Fugaku also stood, ready to leave with him, but watched as Ye Han and Itachi's figures disappeared through the door. Mikoto remarked softly, "Ye Han reminds me so much of Mei—so much like how she was as a child. That same boldness. It was because of that very trait that Father took Mei out of the Uchiha compound all those years ago, trying to temper it. But in the end, it was also that boldness that helped her awaken her Sharingan."
"No matter what, to awaken his Sharingan so early proves Ye Han's talent is beyond question. The Uchiha clan might have a true prodigy on its hands," Fugaku added, his tone mixed with pride and contemplation.
Mikoto placed a hand on her stomach, as if thinking about the future. "Do you think he'll be alright?"
"With Ye Han's talent, I'm not worried. The problem isn't talent—it's guidance. If we can guide him well, his Sharingan will not become a curse."
---
Ye Han walked with Itachi to the edge of the Uchiha compound. Ye Han reassured him, "You don't need to see me off any farther. I know this area well." Itachi nodded and turned back.
A smile crept across Ye Han's face as he headed for his small house. He felt a burst of excitement—after all, today's visit to the Uchiha compound hadn't just been social. He'd gained valuable experience and earned points in his system for interacting with powerful shinobi.
He wasn't like some reckless spender; his points were precious. Every scroll, every upgrade from the system's shop had to be worth it. Today's spoils included a new ninjutsu scroll—an external Fire Release scroll. That alone made the trip worthwhile.
Once home, Ye Han eagerly opened his system's shop and browsed the bloodline options. As expected, most bloodline abilities cost a fortune. The cheapest bloodline limit required 100 shop points—far more than he could spare right now. But he knew: the sooner he invested, the sooner he could grow stronger.
He activated his Sharingan upgrade:
[-] You successfully activated the 'Two Tomoe Sharingan.' 10 points consumed.
He felt a surge of strange energy in his eyes. Racing to a mirror, he gazed at his reflection—there they were, two tomoe spinning in each eye. Relief flooded him. The system hadn't cheated him after all; it hadn't just upgraded one tomoe at a time. At least for now, it seemed fair.
Greedy for more power, Ye Han selected the option to upgrade to the three tomoe Sharingan:
[-] Activating 'Three Tomoe Sharingan' requires 100 points. Insufficient points. Please try again later.
"…Huh?" Ye Han blinked, confused. He tried again—same result.
"Figures! It's way harder to earn 100 points than I thought. I'll need to risk my life out there for that. No discounts, no sales, no daily specials like in a game store…"
He sighed. "I thought I was about to soar. Turns out, even getting three tomoe will take time… and the Mangekyo Sharingan? Probably 1000 points or more. Looks like I've got a long road ahead."
He glanced at the Wood Release option in the shop—5000 points. The system wasn't playing around. But despite his disappointment, Ye Han's resolve only deepened. "I'll earn it with my own hands. No shortcuts, no handouts."
---
Turning to his ninjutsu scroll from the Uchiha clan, Ye Han began studying it intently. If he couldn't rely on the system alone, he'd train harder.
The scroll broke down the fundamentals of the Sharingan: insight, replication, and genjutsu application. Ye Han absorbed every word, every diagram, mentally simulating the techniques. He couldn't help but feel grateful to Fugaku. No matter what the man's future held, Ye Han would remember this kindness.
At the end of the scroll were fire-style jutsu. Naturally—the Uchiha clan's specialty. The first technique detailed was:
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique (Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu)
Ye Han studied the hand signs carefully: Snake → Ram → Monkey → Boar → Horse → Tiger.
He practiced the seals over and over until his hands moved fluidly, completing them in about two seconds.
Night had fallen, but Ye Han's determination burned brighter than ever. He stepped outside, made the seals, and exhaled—
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A large, flaming sphere, about two meters in diameter, roared forth and exploded on the lake's surface, sending up a spray of steam.
Ye Han clenched his fists. "I'm not weak. I'll keep getting stronger."
Even Sasuke had to practice the Fireball Technique many times before mastering it, but Ye Han succeeded on his first try. That meant something.
He practiced again and again, until exhaustion overtook him. Finally, lying on the grass, he smiled up at the moonlight. "Even if this world is harsh… I'll carve out my place in it."