Kai Uchiha was a blessing in disguise. He never imagined he would awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan under such circumstances.
His Mangekyō pattern was unlike any seen before—resembling a distorted, triangular rhombus, unique in its own right.
For years, Kai had pondered what kind of emotional turmoil would push him past the threshold—the 'wall' that separated him from the next stage of his power. He had relatives within the Uchiha clan, but their bond was tenuous at best. He never truly connected with them.
It wasn't easy for someone with the mindset of a reincarnated soul to develop genuine emotional attachments. At least, Kai never did.
Furthermore, he had no close friends. Entering the Ninja Academy at five, he couldn't relate to children his age. By seven, he was thrust into the battlefield, "graduated" prematurely due to war. Even if he had wished to form bonds, he had no chance.
His first experience with war was jarring—watching comrades and enemies alike fall. At first, the deaths unsettled him. But as time passed, that discomfort faded. Now, he could suppress his emotions entirely, facing death with eerie composure.
For someone devoid of bonds, reaching the three-tomoe Sharingan through sheer illusion training was already an incredible feat. Yet, the absence of deep emotional ties also meant Kai was stuck, unable to evolve further.
He had unlocked the three-tomoe Sharingan at ten. Now thirteen, he had made no progress—until this moment.
Faced with imminent death at the hands of Minato Namikaze, something inside him shattered. His normally composed heart trembled violently. The sheer, unrelenting will to survive consumed him, and in that moment of desperation, his eyes changed.
The Mangekyō Sharingan—an ability he had long planned for, anticipated, and desired—finally awakened.
"It's ironic. Everyone else unlocks these eyes through the pain of losing loved ones… and I did it just because I didn't want to die. How pathetic."
Kai closed his eyes after revealing them to Aya Hyūga and Kenta Imai, ignoring their shock. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling an odd mix of triumph and frustration.
Yet, the newfound power left him conflicted. His Mangekyō abilities were… bizarre.
He didn't manifest anything familiar—no Kamui, no Tsukuyomi, no Amaterasu. Instead, he gained something unheard of.
The Mangekyō Sharingan's abilities are shaped by the user's deepest desires, the subconscious wishes of their heart. At the moment of his awakening, all Kai wanted was time—more time to react, to move, to live.
And so, his abilities reflected that.
His left eye granted him "Time Leap"—accelerating time for himself or his enemy.
His right eye granted him "Time Retrospect"—slowing time for himself or his opponent.
And when used together, his Mangekyō's true ability emerged—"Time Lock."
This technique could freeze time itself.
The potential of Time Lock was terrifying. If perfected, Kai could become an unstoppable force, a walking catastrophe. But his excitement was short-lived.
His eyes gave him immediate feedback: this ability has severe limitations.
The longer he stopped time, the greater the strain on his Mangekyō. The stronger his opponent, the more chakra and ocular power it consumed.
"Damn it… this is a trap."
Kai quickly realized that unless he had a near-limitless supply of chakra and endurance, Time Lock would only last for a second or two—just long enough to escape or land a critical strike, but not to control the battlefield indefinitely. Worse still, using it recklessly could leave him completely drained.
His first activation of Time Lock against Minato had left him unconscious. He had stopped Minato for a fraction of a second—just enough to dodge his attack—but the cost had been immense.
Even Time Leap and Time Retrospect weren't fully developed. The full power of Time Leap could theoretically accelerate someone's entire lifespan in an instant, aging them to death. Time Retrospect, if fully mastered, could rewind time itself.
But right now, both abilities were incomplete and consumed absurd amounts of chakra.
"Wait a second… why does this all feel so familiar?"
Kai frowned as he thought about his abilities.
Speed up. Slow down. Stop.
Wasn't this just… a playback controller?
His three powers combined mimicked a video player's functions—fast-forward, rewind, and pause.
If the full versions of his techniques could be unlocked, he'd practically have the ability to edit reality.
But as things stood, they were unfinished. His chakra reserves weren't high enough, and the strain on his eyes was immense.
The worst part? He had spent years strategizing on how to awaken his Mangekyō, only to find that it wasn't as omnipotent as he had hoped.
And in the grand scheme of things, a Mangekyō didn't make him invincible.
Compared to normal shinobi, he was now incredibly dangerous. But in the face of Kage-level opponents or even someone like Danzo—who had extensive knowledge on how to counter Uchiha techniques—his power alone wasn't enough.
If he wasn't careful, his newfound strength could just as easily become his downfall.
"Did you just awaken your Sharingan?"
Aya Hyūga's voice pulled him from his thoughts. She eyed him curiously.
"And it's already Mangekyō?"
"Something like that," Kai muttered, exhaling.
Aya tilted her head. "I thought Uchiha only unlocked their Sharingan through loss. Did you… lose someone?"
Kai's expression stiffened.
"No. I just didn't want to die."
Aya smirked. "So your ultimate power was unlocked by sheer fear? Wow, that's kind of pathetic."
Kai narrowed his eyes. "Shut up."