Chapter 30 Who is the second kaleidoscope? (Part 2...)

Yan Sheng stood there for a while to catch his breath.

The exhaustion that followed the fading of that fleeting power left my limbs feeling as if they had been hollowed out and then filled with lead; every breath felt like it was pulling at my lungs, sending a burning pain through them.

He slowly straightened up and looked around.

The commotion from the battle could not be concealed; in the distance, the sounds of voices and hurried footsteps could be heard, and people were closing in on this direction.

We must leave immediately.

He suppressed his physical discomfort, sheathed the dagger, then pulled up his collar to cover half his face, and with slightly unsteady steps, quickly disappeared into the shadows.

***

Despite the weakness and exhaustion spreading through his body, Yan Sheng left Taili Town.

He didn't leave through the main gate, but instead climbed over the city wall and out. He followed the woods and secluded paths back to the Uchiha clan's territory.

The speed was significantly reduced due to poor condition.

Just as he passed through a dense forest, still a dozen miles from the clan's territory, a figure as swift as the wind was approaching him at an extremely fast speed.

The figure was wearing the familiar dark Uchiha clan robes, with the clan crest of a fan prominently displayed on the back.

It was his second older brother, Uchiha Izuna.

Izuna clearly spotted Yan Sheng immediately, and his speed suddenly increased. In an instant, he landed in front of Yan Sheng, creating a gentle breeze.

His usual calm was replaced by worry and anxiety; his brows furrowed, and his gaze quickly swept over Yan Sheng's entire body.

"Yan Sheng!" Izuna's voice was slightly breathless from rushing along the road. "Why did you run out alone? You didn't even tell me! The clan couldn't find you anywhere. We had to ask around to find out that you actually ran off on a mission by yourself. Do you know how dangerous that is? Your body can't take any more of that!"

As he spoke, he noticed the paleness on his brother's face, which had not fully recovered, and the dust and blood still lingering on his body despite the clean-up.

Izuna's eyes sharpened, like a drawn sword, and his tone suddenly turned cold: "You're in trouble? Who did you fight? Are you hurt?"

Yan Sheng stopped and took a deep breath. Faced with Izuna's rapid and urgent questioning, he shook his head: "It was just a conflict with someone, but it's been resolved. However... the mission is not complete."

"An unexpected conflict?" Izuna, who wasn't concerned about the mission, only cared about his younger brother.

Taking a step forward, Izuna prepared to grab Yan Sheng's arm and examine him closely. "What kind of unexpected conflict could have left you so exhausted? You..." He keenly sensed that Yan Sheng's physical condition was far worse than usual.

Yan Sheng slightly turned his body to avoid Izuna's scrutiny and said calmly, "Just an ungrateful person blocking the way. By the way, Second Brother, what are you doing here?"

Seeing that his younger brother was avoiding the main issue, Izuna was full of doubts and worries, but seeing that he had no obvious external injuries except for being tired, and that this was not the place to talk, he had no choice but to suppress his urge to ask questions for the time being, and said helplessly, "What else could it be? When I found you were missing, I naturally came to look for you. Fortunately, I found the right direction by following the route from the mission location to the clan's territory - looking at you like this, don't be stubborn anymore, come back with me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and stood half a step ahead of Yan Sheng in a guard-like posture. His eyes scanned the surrounding shadows in the forest warily, and he was fully on guard, as if he regarded the "accidental conflict" that Yan Sheng mentioned as some kind of hostile attack against the Uchiha.

"Hmm," Yan Sheng responded softly, offering no objection.

He really needs to return to his tribe's territory as soon as possible to rest and sort out what has just happened.

The two brothers, one after the other, quickly disappeared at the end of the path hidden by trees, heading swiftly towards the Uchiha clan's territory.

The wind in the forest brushed against the brothers' clothes, leaving only the soft sound of their footsteps rustling through the fallen leaves.

Izuna always maintained a close distance that allowed him to support her at any time and protect her in a timely manner.

Yan Sheng followed silently behind, trying to regulate his breathing and suppress the waves of weakness that surged up within him.

After running for a while, Izuna's voice suddenly rang out. He turned his head to look at his younger brother, his brows furrowed tightly: "What exactly happened? Did some blind wandering ninja or some trash from a small clan see you alone and try to take advantage of you?"

In his mind, his younger brother was delicate and weak, and it was impossible for him to escape from even slightly powerful ninjas. Therefore, he believed that his younger brother was probably a low-level bully who only knew how to bully the weak and fear the strong.

As for whether he could be an ordinary person—even the weakest ninja would be a ninja, not someone who couldn't defeat an ordinary person.

Just thinking about how some scum dared to make a move on Yan Sheng made Izuna's anger rise, and his tone became increasingly hostile: "Tell me what that guy is like, and I'll go find him and crush him to death!"

Yan Sheng paused for a moment, then replied vaguely, "...He looks like an ordinary person, Second Brother. I'm fine, don't worry about him."

This vague answer clearly failed to satisfy Izuna, and instead confirmed his inner suspicions—he really was a low-class coward who only dared to launch sneak attacks!

He snorted coldly, a hint of undisguised malice flashing in his eyes: "That guy got lucky! And you too, you're absolutely not allowed to go out alone again, you hear me? What if you run into danger..."

The rest of the conversation dissipated into the air, but the lingering worry and fear were clearly discernible.

Yan Sheng responded softly, "Mm."

Seeing that his younger brother's face was frighteningly pale, Izuna couldn't bear to ask any more questions. His mind was filled with the thought of how to get him safely back to the clan and let him rest as soon as possible.

"Can you hold on? We're almost there." His tone softened involuntarily, and he even bent down slightly, ready to carry his younger brother on his back at any moment.

"Can."

Izuna sighed inwardly.

This stubbornness, I don't know if he inherited it from his father or mother... But then again, all three of them are actually quite stubborn.

***

After returning to Hui ethnicity, Yan Sheng first went to hand in his mission.

The elder looked up and saw Izuna and Yansheng walking side by side. His habitual smile froze slightly, especially when he met Izuna's cold eyes that could almost freeze the air. The elder's heart skipped a beat.

He glanced cautiously at Yan Sheng beside him; the boy's face was paler than usual.

broken!

The elder inwardly groaned. He shouldn't have been so soft-hearted as to give him the task! He thought it would be a simple assignment, but who would have thought... judging from the situation, something unexpected had definitely gone wrong!

If this little darling were to suffer any mishap outside, wouldn't his two older brothers be furious with him?

The elder forced a smile and said, "Young Master Yan Sheng, you're back... How did the mission go?"

Yan Sheng stepped forward and placed the quest scroll on the table: "The quest has failed; the target item could not be retrieved."

Upon hearing this, the elder felt a sense of relief.

It's just that the mission failed, as long as everyone is alright. He quickly waved his hand, intending to say something like "It's okay" or "Try again next time" to reassure them.

However, before he could speak, Izuna, standing beside Yan Sheng, coldly said, "Yan Sheng was ambushed by enemy ninjas during his mission and a direct confrontation ensued."

"This mission is classified as non-combat. Since the mission failed due to an unforeseen enemy attack, according to clan rules, it should not be counted towards the individual's failure rate, nor will it affect their ability to accept subsequent missions. Elder Yuzhi, am I correct?"

Uchiha Yuuji felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and his scalp tingled. He understood what Izuna meant.

It was not just stating the facts, but also telling him that this failure must be classified as "force majeure" and must not have any negative impact on Yan Sheng.

What frightened him even more was the prospect of being ambushed by enemy ninjas and engaging in direct combat.

Thank goodness! Thank goodness Izuna arrived in time! If he had been even a moment later... Uchiha Yuuji couldn't even imagine the consequences.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Lord Izuna is absolutely right!" Uchiha Yuji nodded hurriedly, his tone extremely urgent, as if he wanted to immediately stamp his conclusion, "Encountering an attack by enemy ninjas is an unavoidable event. There will be no record of mission failure. It is already a blessing that Young Master Yan Sheng has returned unharmed. Although the reward for this mission cannot be paid, the clan will provide additional compensation to appease the disturbance."

He handled everything incredibly quickly, completing all the formalities almost instantly, afraid that even a second's delay would incur Izuna's displeasure.

As for compensation, it will naturally come from his slush fund.

Upon hearing this, Izuna's icy expression softened slightly, but he still didn't give him a friendly look. He turned to Yan Sheng, his tone leaving no room for refusal: "Alright, the mission is resolved. Now, come with me to see Hisaji."

Yan Sheng didn't want to go: "Second brother, I'm just a little tired, I'll be fine after a rest."

"We must go." Izuna's attitude was unusually firm, leaving no room for negotiation. How could he possibly feel at ease after seeing Yan Sheng so weak?

Without giving Yan Sheng another chance to refuse, he turned around and led the way.

Yan Sheng watched Izuna's retreating figure, knowing he couldn't dissuade him, so he silently followed.

Medical clinic.

The faint scent of herbs permeated the air.

Uchiha Hisashi asked Michikatsu to sit down, a soft chakra glow emanating from his fingertips, and began to examine him carefully.

As the chakra flowed subtly, Hisashi's brows gradually furrowed.

There was a clear fracture in his ribs, and his internal organs also suffered varying degrees of concussion injuries. Although it wasn't fatal, it was by no means a minor matter—for Yan Sheng.

He looked up, about to report truthfully to Izuna who was staring intently at him, when a cold, piercing gaze suddenly fell upon him.

Hisashi abruptly stopped speaking, instinctively looking up to meet Yan Sheng's dark, calm eyes. The boy remained silent and expressionless, but his eyes clearly conveyed the command "Don't speak."

Jiuji: "..."

Um.

Should he listen to Young Master Yan Sheng or Lord Izuna?

On one side is the clan's second-in-command, a man of high status and ruthless methods, and on the other side is the young master, of equally noble status, who is now silently threatening him with his eyes... Jiu Si is caught in a dilemma.

His throat bobbed, and under Izuna's increasingly questioning and sharp gaze, he swallowed back the diagnosis that was on the tip of his tongue. He abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming nonchalant:

"...Uh, it's not a big problem. Young Master Yan Sheng is just a little exhausted and his chakra was overused, but it didn't cause any serious damage. He'll recover completely after a few days of rest."

Izuna's brows remained furrowed; he had clearly seen Hisashi's expression turn serious just now. "Really? Are you sure you've checked everything thoroughly?"

"Yes, yes!" Hisashi nodded quickly, trying to make his expression look natural and believable. "It's just a normal reaction after exhaustion. Rest is the best medicine. I will prescribe some mild medicine to replenish energy and nourish the body to help with recovery."

Izuna wanted to ask a few more questions, but a voice suddenly came from outside, urgent: "Lord Izuna! The clan head has urgent business to attend to, please come to the council hall immediately!"

Izuna's expression hardened. Madara's urgent summons must mean something important. He glanced at his calm younger brother, then at Hisashi, who stood respectfully with his head bowed.

"It's good that you're alright." He raised his hand and gently patted Yan Sheng's shoulder, his tone softening. "Go back and get some rest, take your medicine on time, and don't run around anymore. I'll come see you again after I've finished dealing with things."

Yan Sheng readily agreed, "Brother, go ahead and get busy. I'll get some rest."

Izuna glanced at Hisa suspiciously again before turning around and quickly following the clansman away.

The air in the medical room seemed to start flowing again.

Hisashi let out a long, silent sigh, raised his sleeve to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, and then looked at Yan Sheng, who was still sitting upright, with lingering fear. He opened his mouth, and a bellyful of questions and admonitions rolled around in his throat, but when he met those calm, unfathomable black eyes, he swallowed them all back.

“Young Master,” Hisashi hesitated, “your injuries… while not life-threatening, still require proper care. The fracture in your ribs needs to be warmed with chakra at least once a day, supplemented with bone-strengthening ointment; the internal injuries require oral herbal medicine and rest. You must absolutely avoid using chakra or engaging in combat.”

As he spoke, he deftly began preparing the medicine. Soon, several packets of medicine emitting a bitter smell and a small jar of dark green ointment were neatly placed on the low table in front of Yan Sheng.

"Thank you." Yan Sheng reached out and put the medicine away. The movement aggravated his injury, causing him to frown almost imperceptibly, but he quickly regained his expression.

***

Yan Sheng, carrying the medicine bag, slowly walked back to his courtyard next to the medical clinic.

As soon as I stepped into the courtyard, a small figure came into view.

Three-year-old Shi looked like a troubled little adult, holding her chubby face in her hands, elbows on her knees, sitting on the wooden floor under the eaves, her big, dark eyes gazing into the distance, her little brows furrowed tightly, it was hard to tell what was troubling her little head.

Hearing footsteps, she turned around abruptly. Seeing that it was Yan Sheng, her large, sorrowful eyes instantly lit up.

"Brother Yan Sheng!" she called out in a clear voice, scrambling to her feet and running to Yan Sheng like a cheerful little bird. "Where have you been?"

The little girl's voice carried an undisguised dependence and a hint of grievance.

Yan Sheng accepted the mission and left the clan's territory without informing anyone, including Shi.

Yan Sheng felt no remorse for this.

He stopped and looked down at Shi, who had run up to him and was looking up at him eagerly. His tone was flat and emotionless: "She went out for a while."

Shi tilted her head, about to ask where they went and why they didn't take her with them, when suddenly her little nose twitched a few times, and then her two delicate eyebrows furrowed together.

"Hmm..." She looked up, her eyes filled with worry, "It smells so bitter! Brother Yan Sheng, you smell of medicine! Are you injured?"

Yan Sheng was somewhat surprised, but his expression remained unchanged: "I take my medicine every day."

“I know you take medicine every day!” Shi shook her head. “I’m not talking about the smell! You smell different today! It’s especially bitter, and there’s also a… a chilly smell!”

Feeling cool? Are you referring to the bone-strengthening plaster?

Poetry possesses an innate, exceptionally keen sense of smell, capable of discerning extremely subtle differences in aroma. Yan Sheng's usual medicinal remedy was mildly bitter, but the aroma lingering around his clothes and even subtly emanating from his skin was a different, more pungent and bitter scent, a mixture of blood and certain herbs.

Dog nose.

Yan Sheng thought.

His expression remained calm. To change the subject, he raised his hand and gently flicked the little girl's smooth forehead with his fingertips, controlling the force just right so as not to hurt too much.

“Nonsense,” he said calmly, without a hint of deception. “It’s a new prescription from today, so the taste might be a little stronger.”

Shi covered her forehead where she had been flicked, blinking her big eyes at Yan Sheng, her little face still showing a look of doubt.

She felt that her brother looked particularly weak today, and his face was paler than usual, but his expression was too calm and his tone too matter-of-fact, so she couldn't find a point to refute him for a moment.

"Really?" she muttered softly.

"Hmm." Yan Sheng responded indifferently, not giving her a chance to investigate further, and walked into the house. "I'm tired and need to rest. You should go home early today."

Looking at Yan Sheng's aloof and upright figure, Shi, though still filled with many questions and worries, obediently released her grip on his clothes and didn't continue to cling to him. However, her large eyes were filled with clear concern.

She whispered to Yan Sheng's retreating figure, "Well... brother, you must get some rest. I'll come see you again tomorrow!"

Yan Sheng didn't turn around; he simply raised his hand and waved it casually as a response.

Shi stood alone in the courtyard, tilting his head and trying to sniff the lingering "unusual" bitterness in the air, then sighed like a little adult.

"The new prescription...it's really bitter," she murmured to herself, deciding to bring Yan Sheng the candied fruit she had been saving and couldn't bear to eat when she came tomorrow.

***

On the vast battlefield, smoke and dust filled the air, and deafening roars echoed continuously. Kunai and shuriken sliced ​​through the air with sharp whistles, while fire and water jutsu clashed violently, sending up plumes of white mist.

However, the center of the battlefield was an absolute no-go zone.

—A Wood Release giant, tens of meters tall, clashed fiercely with a Susanoo wrapped in blue chakra. Every clash shook the earth, and the scattered energy shockwaves ripped up the surrounding ground. Both the Uchiha and Senju clansmen instinctively moved away from this death zone.

Hashirama Senju stood atop the wooden dummy, his expression focused, controlling the wooden dragon in a fierce battle against Madara Uchiha's Susanoo. Madara Uchiha stood within the Susanoo, his crimson Mangekyou Sharingan burning with intense fighting spirit, his wild laughter echoing across the battlefield.

This has become the norm in the conflict between the two races; no one can interfere in their battles, nor does anyone dare to intervene.

In the heat of battle, Hashirama suddenly remembered something. During a lull in another violent collision, he manipulated the wooden dummy to retreat slightly. Taking advantage of a brief respite from the deafening roar, he lowered his voice and asked with a mixture of curiosity and inquiry, "Madara, in your clan... is there another Mangekyou Sharingan?"

Madara Uchiha's Susanoo slashed without the slightest hesitation. Upon hearing this, he merely snorted coldly, his voice coming through the chakra giant, carrying a hint of impatience: "Why are you suddenly asking this?"

As Hashirama skillfully maneuvered his wooden dragon to block Susanoo's giant blade, sending up shards of chakra, he continued to mutter under his breath, his tone tinged with sympathy for his younger brother: "It was last time, you know, Tobirama was out on an errand and happened to run into someone from your clan. That guy had the Mangekyou Sharingan, and he was incredibly ruthless. He beat my brother up terribly, and he had to escape with serious injuries. It took him a long time to recover."

"Impossible." Madara's answer was decisive and without the slightest hesitation. "I know all the Sharingan in the clan. As for the Mangekyou Sharingan, I currently only have this pair."

"Huh?" Hashirama was stunned for a moment, his movements as he manipulated the wooden dummy to defend were a beat slow, and he was almost hit by Susanoo's blade. He quickly focused his mind to parry, his voice filled with astonishment, "But Tobirama is very sure! He saw it with his own eyes, that unique pattern and the oppressive feeling, it is definitely the Mangekyou Sharingan! Could it be... someone from another branch of your clan? Or, someone who has been wandering outside and has not grown up in the clan's territory?"

He proposed various possibilities, after all, the power of the Kaleidoscope was extraordinary, and Tobirama could not possibly be mistaken.

"Absolutely impossible." Madara's tone turned cold and hard. "Hashirama, you've talked too much nonsense today!"

Before he could finish speaking, Madara Uchiha seemed offended by the topic, and his fighting spirit soared. The Susanoo's attack instantly became more ferocious and fierce, and the huge chakra blades slashed at the wooden doll like a storm, forcing Hashirama to concentrate on dealing with it.

"Hey! Wait, Madara! I was just asking..." Hashirama was flustered and didn't have time to ask any more questions.

"Enough talk! Fight seriously!" Madara roared, his crimson Mangekyou Sharingan flashing with the light of his ignited fury. "Or have you finally felt fear, Hashirama?"

"Who's afraid of you!" Hashirama's fighting spirit was completely ignited. He temporarily put aside his questions about "another kaleidoscope" and the huge wooden doll unleashed even greater power, colliding fiercely with the blue Susanoo once again!

"boom--!!!"

A terrifying shockwave swept out, flattening everything around it.

The two top experts of the era were once again immersed in their exhilarating duel.

***

The setting sun, like blood, painted the ravaged battlefield with a tragic hue. The air was thick with the pungent smell of gunpowder, blood, and earth.

Madara Uchiha stood at the edge of the battlefield, his crimson Mangekyou Sharingan slowly sweeping over his clansmen who were cleaning up the battlefield and collecting the corpses of their comrades. His handsome, cold face revealed little emotion, only a habitual indifference.

Afterwards, he handled the post-war matters in an orderly manner: taking stock of casualties, listening to reports from the leaders of each squad, arranging defensive shifts, and ensuring that the tribe's territory would not be taken advantage of during the post-war period of weakness.

Once the last instruction was given, the clansmen obeyed and left, leaving only the whistling wind in the surroundings. Ban's tall figure remained standing in the same spot.

As the clamor subsided, Hashirama's low voice, filled with curiosity and certainty, echoed with exceptional clarity in his mind:

"...Is there another Kaleidoscope in your clan?"

"It was last time, when Tobirama was out on an errand and happened to run into your clansmen... They were incredibly ruthless, they beat my brother horribly..."

"But Tobirama was absolutely certain! He saw it with his own eyes; the unique patterns and the oppressive feeling were definitely a kaleidoscope!"

Hashirama...wouldn't lie to him about something like this.

***

The complicated affairs after the war finally came to an end, and order was gradually restored in the tribal area.

Madara Uchiha sat alone in his study, the night already deep outside the window. Before him lay the clan genealogy and recent personnel transfer records, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table with a dull thud.

Hashirama's words were like a fine thorn, piercing his heart.

Could it be that someone in the clan has truly awakened the Kaleidoscope? If so, why was it kept secret?

Ban's brows furrowed tightly.

The power of the Mangekyou Sharingan is of paramount importance; it is both the foundation upon which the Uchiha clan stands in the ninja world and the key to achieving higher levels of personal power. The possessor should inform the clan head immediately to secure better resource allocation and protection, while also significantly enhancing the clan's prestige.

Concealing such power is illogical and unreasonable—unless the holder harbors ulterior motives or has ulterior motives.

Night had fallen, but Madara's actions were never delayed by time. He closed the register and ordered the clansmen on guard outside in a deep voice: "Pass down the order that all those who have awakened the Sharingan come to see me immediately in turn. There must be no mistakes, and no one should make a sound."

Soon, the first person, with a mixture of doubt and awe, entered the study.

"Chieftain." The visitor bowed respectfully.

Madara spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet room: "Open your Sharingan."

Although the newcomer was puzzled, he dared not disobey in the slightest and did as he was told. Instantly, three jet-black tomoe slowly rotated in the depths of his scarlet eyes.

Madara's deeper, more intricately patterned Mangekyou Sharingan swept over the other's eyes, confirming it was indeed him.

Under the pressure of Madara's powerful pupils, the newcomer subconsciously lowered his eyes slightly, not daring to look directly at him.

"That's enough, you can go now." Ban glanced at it once, then looked away and returned to the roster, his tone completely unchanged.

"Yes." The man was full of confusion, but dared not ask any more questions. He quickly withdrew his Sharingan, bowed, and stepped back.

Then came the second, the third...

Everyone summoned to awaken their Sharingan endured suffocating scrutiny under Madara's gaze through his Mangekyou Sharingan before quietly retreating with a belly full of doubts.

The method for examining spots is simple, direct, and even brutal, but it is extremely effective.

The form of the Sharingan is absolutely impossible to fake. A low-level Sharingan can never simulate a high-level form.

Just as a single tomoe cannot be disguised as a double tomoe, and a double tomoe cannot be disguised as a triple tomoe, the Mangekyou Sharingan, with its unique and complex pattern formed by the connection and fusion of tomoe, cannot be imitated even a fraction of its essence and power level.

Therefore, he doesn't need to ask or test; he only needs to confirm it with his own eyes.

One Uchiha after another entered and left the study, and the names on the list kept decreasing.

However, until the eyes of the last person on the list were checked, Ban still did not find the existence of a second pair of kaleidoscopes.

Once again, only Ban was left in the study. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tracing the edge of the roster, his eyes unfathomable.

None of them... So, who was it that severely injured Tobirama Senju with the Mangekyou Sharingan?

Is he really not in the clan?

Or perhaps he overlooked something?

On the other side.

Yan Sheng, who was leaning against the window reading by moonlight, suddenly sneezed softly without warning.

Achoo!

-----------------------

Author's note: I've never seen so much nutrient solution in a single day before. Thank you so much TT

—Double update again today! (Two chapters combined) Thank you so much for your support! I'll try my best! [starry eyes]

P.S. Izuna's kaleidoscope isn't open yet.