THE UCHIHA ASCENSION

The battlefield had taken a drastic turn since the arrival of Uchiha Kiyo. What had initially been an overwhelming advantage for Amegakure had now reversed, and it even seemed like Kiyo and his allies were beginning to counterattack.

Ryo, the Amegakure Jōnin leading the assault, had not anticipated such a dramatic shift. His confidence in a flawless victory was shattered, and his frustration was evident. He could no longer afford to hold back.

With a sudden burst of chakra, Ryo forcefully parried Kiyo's blade, leaping backward while rapidly forming hand seals to send a distress signal. Unlike the previous call for reinforcements from his Chūnin subordinates, Ryo's status as a Jōnin meant his request carried greater urgency, ensuring a faster and more substantial response.

However, this maneuver came at a cost. Kiyo seized the opening and unleashed a powerful strike, sending Ryo crashing into the ground with a heavy impact.

Seeing this, Kiyo immediately understood Ryo's intentions. His attack had been decisive, and even though Ryo had reinforced his body with chakra, the force behind the blow left him seriously wounded.

Yet, despite the injuries, Ryo had achieved his goal.

Not only had he successfully sent out the distress call, but he had also disrupted Kiyo's offensive momentum.

Now, both sides were momentarily separated, and Kiyo's previous advantage had been lost.

Recognizing the danger of close combat against Kiyo, Ryo adjusted his approach. He maintained his distance, avoiding direct confrontation while waiting for reinforcements.

Kiyo clicked his tongue in frustration.

"As expected of a Jōnin... even while injured, he still has enough skill and experience to avoid direct engagements."

Time was against them. Amegakure's reinforcements could arrive at any moment, and Kiyo understood that the faster this battle ended, the better.

Shifting his focus, he observed the other two battles.

Nawaki Senju was faring well, leveraging his mastery of ninjutsu and years of combat experience to maintain control of his fight. His opponent was being systematically overwhelmed, and it was only a matter of time before Nawaki secured victory.

Sarutobi Shō, however, was in dire straits.

He had been battling six Amegakure Chūnin for over half an hour, sustaining numerous injuries. His movements were sluggish, his defenses faltering. If this continued, his death was imminent.

Kiyo prepared to intervene with the Body Flicker Technique, but then a sudden thought struck him.

"This situation… it's perfect for awakening the Sharingan."

For some time now, Kiyo had sensed that his dōjutsu was on the verge of manifesting. His innate talent as a member of the Uchiha clan had placed him among the most gifted of his generation, and he knew that the conditions for awakening his eyes had nearly been met.

However, his willpower had always acted as a barrier. Whenever he experienced moments of emotional turmoil, he instinctively suppressed them, preventing the activation of his Sharingan.

But now, in this moment of life and death, he was ready to let go of that control.

If the rest of the Uchiha clan knew of his struggle—not to awaken the Sharingan, but to prevent it—they would surely be envious. While many Uchihas suffered greatly to awaken their eyes, Kiyo had merely been delaying the inevitable.

Contrary to popular belief, the Sharingan did not necessarily require the death of a loved one to awaken. Any intense psychological stimulus could trigger its emergence, though the loss of a close companion was among the most potent catalysts.

In truth, the Sharingan was activated through a sudden surge in spiritual energy, an epiphany-like state that caused a unique mutation in the user's chakra, altering the properties of their eyes.

Over the years, Kiyo had endured numerous intense experiences, each one bringing him closer to unlocking his dōjutsu. Now, with his strength and mastery of chakra control at their peak, he was confident in his ability to awaken and master his Sharingan at will.

He took a deep breath and released the mental barriers he had imposed on himself.

A strange sensation washed over him, as though an immense weight had been lifted.

To enhance the effect, he mentally amplified the urgency of the situation, forcing himself to vividly imagine what would happen if they were overwhelmed. He pictured Nawaki and Sarutobi Shō falling to the enemy, their corpses left behind in the rain-soaked battlefield.

His heartbeat accelerated. The tension in his mind grew.

Then—

A surge of chakra flooded his eyes.

A transformation began, and the shift in his vision was immediate.

Kiyo's world sharpened, the details of his surroundings becoming unnaturally clear. He could perceive the subtlest movements, the faintest fluctuations in chakra.

Ryo, standing across from him, sensed the change.

He watched in shock as Kiyo's black irises shifted into a deep crimson hue. A small black dot formed at the center of each eye, followed by a faint, circular outline.

Then, from that outline, a single black tomoe materialized, spinning briefly before stabilizing.

For a brief moment, a second tomoe flickered into existence—but it failed to fully manifest.

Kiyo's eyes settled into their new form: a single-tomoe Sharingan.

As he adjusted to his newfound vision, he was astounded by the difference.

"Unbelievable… I've barely awakened the Sharingan, and even with a single tomoe, my perception has skyrocketed. Everything seems slower, clearer. Ryo's movements—I can see them perfectly!"

Even without testing it in combat, Kiyo could tell that his reaction speed and overall combat effectiveness had increased by at least 20%.

"If a single tomoe grants this much of a boost… I can't even imagine the power of a three-tomoe Sharingan, let alone a Mangekyō Sharingan."

But the changes were not limited to his vision.

Kiyo, who had trained extensively in sensing and refining his chakra, could feel his body undergoing a subtle transformation. His physical abilities were improving, as though his very cells were being enhanced by his newly awakened dōjutsu.

His chakra reserves were also growing—slowly but steadily.

Ryo, still struggling to process what had just happened, stiffened as realization dawned upon him.

"Sharingan…!"

His voice was filled with disbelief.

A moment later, he regained his composure.

"...But it's only a single tomoe. It shouldn't boost his power too much."

Kiyo, now fully adapted to his new abilities, took a deep breath. He needed to act fast.

Sarutobi Shō was on the verge of death and required immediate medical attention. There was no time to waste.

Kiyo's crimson eyes locked onto Ryo, and a plan began to form in his mind.

The Amegakure Jōnin, despite his outward confidence, felt an unsettling chill run down his spine.

For the first time since the battle began… he felt true fear.