Chapter 260: I Have a Path on the Sea

Nearly eighty years old, Uchiha Miao had a hint of surprise on his aged face; his eyes were obscured by drooping eyelids, with only tiny flickers of red light spilling out, giving him an air of natural, intimidating authority.

"That's not it, but our goal should both be the Mangekyo Sharingan of my eldest cousin, right!"

Uchiha Gin shook his head, indicating he had no intention of donating for the time being; after all, if Uchiha Madara himself was unwilling, no one could force him.

"Gin, Madara's vision has blurred to the point where he cannot see things within a few meters."

Upon hearing Uchiha Gin's reply, Uchiha Tajima first let out a sigh of relief, then adjusted his glasses and spoke slowly,

"So you still decided to give your eyes to Madara?"

Having skillfully pulled out a chair and sat down, Uchiha Gin looked at his uncle with a deep sense of helplessness in his eyes.

"That's right, even if I have to use unconventional means, I will transplant my Mangekyo to him."

Uchiha Tajima, already fifty-four this year, felt he was no longer of much use to the clan; a few years ago, he had completely handed over administrative duties to the two Uchiha Madara brothers, while he himself stayed home and lived a retired life.

However, seeing his excellent son facing the threat of blindness, Uchiha Tajima steeled his heart and decided that, no matter what, he would force his eyes onto Uchiha Madara to let him see the light again.

"Elder Miao, do you think it will work?"

Facing his uncle's determined mind, Uchiha Gin did not waste any more breath, but turned to ask the scientist Uchiha Miao on the side.

"I cannot guarantee success; after all, there has only been one precedent of a successful fusion."

Uchiha Miao shook his head. The data he had on hand was truly too scarce, and whether the successful case could be replicated was an unknown. When mentioning the precedent, his gaze rested on Uchiha Gin.

After all, the Uchiha Gin before him was the very test subject who had once participated in the birth of the Eternal Mangekyo.

"It will work!"

Faced with Uchiha Miao's hesitation, Uchiha Tajima appeared full of confidence, which piqued Uchiha Gin's curiosity. He didn't dawdle and directly pressed,

"Uncle, why are you so certain?"

After all, among the recorded Mangekyo in the Uchiha clan, only Xiao Guang had obtained the Eternal Mangekyo, and he had transplanted the eyes of someone like himself, who had no blood relation. How could his uncle believe that his own eyes could help his eldest cousin obtain the Eternal Mangekyo? It was simply too suspicious.

"Uh, since we are all family, I will no longer hide it."

Facing his nephew's questioning, Uchiha Tajima pondered for a moment, then raised his head and spoke.

"Our Uchiha clan has a stone tablet passed down for a thousand years. The secret language on it can only be deciphered by the Sharingan. Ordinary three-tomoe can only see the title, but my Mangekyo can see more content, including the method to awaken the Eternal Mangekyo."

Uchiha Gin's body stiffened upon hearing this, and a sense of unease arose in his heart, as if someone was lurking in the shadows nearby, coveting him.

Fine, fine, I almost forgot about this bird-brained stone tablet. According to the timeline, that tablet had already been altered beyond recognition by that "filial son," so what his uncle saw must be the content that Black Zetsu wanted his uncle to see.

"It seems there is someone even more anxious than us."

Uchiha Gin instantly understood the ins and outs of the matter. Nowadays, among those who wanted his eldest cousin to awaken the Eternal Mangekyo, none were more anxious than that "filial son" who was desperate to save his mother.

The reincarnation of Asura had already gathered all the conditions, but he hadn't expected a snag on the side of the reincarnation of Indra; Uchiha Madara's Eternal Mangekyo was long overdue, so that "filial son" couldn't show the later content on the stone tablet to his eldest cousin.

The Rinnegan is a long way off~

"The stone tablet records that the light blooming from the Mangekyo will gradually dim until blindness, unless one obtains the ocular power of another person whose light is also blooming, only then can it bloom permanently. The closer the blood relation, the higher the success rate."

Seeing Uchiha Gin lost in thought, Uchiha Tajima spilled the content he had seen like beans from a bag.

"Indeed, according to science, the closer the blood relation, the lower the rejection of organs."

Uchiha Miao nodded in agreement upon hearing this. He was a man who believed in science; if the level of technology developed high enough in the future, using artificial prosthetic eyes to utilize the Mangekyo would not be impossible.

"Fine, fine, then Uncle, how do you plan to act? Even if my eldest cousin is on the verge of blindness, you wouldn't be able to get close to him, right?"

It wasn't that Uchiha Gin looked down on Uchiha Tajima, but at over fifty years old, shaking and trembling all day, even if his eldest cousin were truly blind, he could still activate his Susanoo and hack him until he howled.

"That is why I want to transplant my eyes to him while Madara is receiving his routine check-up from Elder Miao."

So that was why his uncle had come to find Uchiha Miao.

"I think that is unwise."

Uchiha Gin immediately shook his head, rejecting Uchiha Tajima's plan.

"Why?"

"Uncle, do you not understand my eldest cousin's character? Unless it is his own will, even if you secretly transplant the Mangekyo to him, he would pluck them out on the spot to show you."

The Uchiha clan is born with a paranoid mindset, commonly known as being stubborn; they all look cunning, but in reality, they are incredibly simple-minded.

"Sigh, but how will we know if we don't try? What if..."

Uchiha Tajima sighed, his gray eyes filled with helplessness. He raised his son, so he naturally knew his son's temperament, but these were special times; for the future of the clan, he was willing to take the risk.

"Stop, don't try it. One try and he won't say a word, he'll pluck them out for you in a minute~"

Uchiha Gin raised his hand to stop Uchiha Tajima's next words, raised an eyebrow, and said with a strange expression,

"Actually, this matter isn't too difficult, it's just..."

"Don't mumble, spit it out if you have something to say!"

Seeing the teasing expression on Uchiha Gin's face, Uchiha Tajima grew angry and rebuked him.

At a time like this, he was still playing coy; was he even his real nephew?

"Uncle, do you still remember my profession?"

"A salted fish?"

"Tsk! Not the current one, think carefully, what did I serve as before?"

"A widow's water-carrier?"

"No!"

"Then I really can't think of it~"

"A director! Have you forgotten?"

"Huh?"

Reminded by Uchiha Gin, Uchiha Tajima finally remembered that the nephew before him had once directed a textbook-level cinematic masterpiece, successfully helping his two sons awaken the Mangekyo.

"You have a script again?"

Uchiha Tajima's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked.

"Guaranteed~"

Uchiha Gin squinted his eyes, nodded with a look of certainty, and gave Uchiha Tajima an OK gesture, indicating that he should leave it to him and that he would be satisfied.

"Tell me quickly!"

Having had his interest piqued, Uchiha Tajima demanded spoilers on the spot, and Uchiha Miao, who was nearby, also leaned his ear in, wanting to hear what clever method Uchiha Gin had.

"Ahem... the plot this time is very simple. Uncle, you take a stroll on the battlefield, I'll play that white-haired guy from the Senju family and stab you in the kidney. You pretend to be on the verge of death, and your dying wish is to entrust the Mangekyo to my eldest cousin, letting him lead the Uchiha to victory~"

Without playing coy like before, Uchiha Gin recounted the basic plot.

Although simple, it was very practical.

It's fine, small is also cute~

"I think it's doable. The plot rhythm is brisk, fits reality, is smooth and not melodramatic, and most importantly, it doesn't test acting skills."

Before Uchiha Tajima could comment, Uchiha Miao spoke up first, nodding as he shared his humble opinion.

"Uh, I think it's not bad either."

With his words stolen, Uchiha Tajima could only dryly say it was not bad, but then he frowned and asked,

"Then after I fake my death, how do I resurrect? I haven't learned the Yin Seal!"

"No need, just make the fake act real; dying is enough."

Uchiha Gin shook his head, and the words he spoke made the two old men present feel a chill run through their bodies; the way they looked at him was full of vigilance.

"Huh? Don't look at me with those eyes, I have my reasons for this too."

Seeing that he was about to be misunderstood again, Uchiha Gin hurriedly waved his hands and explained,

"Speak freely, I definitely won't beat you to death."

Uchiha Tajima rolled up his sleeves, preparing to teach his rebellious nephew a lesson.

"Ahem... Uncle, you should be able to understand the current situation, right?"

Uchiha Gin scratched his curly hair, looked at the skeptical Uchiha Tajima, and said slowly,

"Hashirama Senju's determination to unify the ninja world of the Land of Fire is obvious to all. Apart from the Uchiha clan, other resisting families have either been wiped out or have submitted, and my eldest cousin giving in is only a matter of time, right~"

After hearing Uchiha Gin's analysis, Uchiha Tajima clearly looked a bit uncomfortable. He naturally knew some of the inside story about the entanglement between Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju. The reason the two families could still fight for so many years was because his son wanted to suppress the other side.

But reality is cruel. Uchiha Madara's battle record has never been ideal. It is estimated that by the time he can't even scratch the opponent, his Dao heart will collapse, and the two families will shake hands and make peace.

"Impossible! Once Madara transplants my Mangekyo and becomes the Eternal Mangekyo, he will definitely win!"

Uchiha Tajima, unwilling to admit that his son was inferior to Hashirama Senju, retorted stubbornly.

"Huh? It's not like you haven't been knocked on the head by a Wood Golem~"

Uchiha Gin rolled his eyes, exposing Uchiha Tajima's old secrets.

"Since I can't beat him anyway, then why the hell should I fake my death!"

Uchiha Tajima, clearly lacking confidence, stiffened his neck and retorted with a flushed face.

"Sigh~ Uncle, speaking of why I insist on you faking your death, I have to mention my other plan."

Uchiha Gin's expression shifted from the previous teasing to a serious one. With his dead-fish eyes showing a look of earnestness, he looked at his most trusted uncle and spoke slowly,

"Uncle, I have a path on the sea. After it succeeds, the benefits you will receive are things you wouldn't even dare to imagine in your lifetime. I hope you can seize this opportunity~"

(End of chapter)