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"Mikoto, your Sharingan has evolved to two-tomoe!"
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Kushina exclaimed. Even Tsunade was surprised. Shin had actually done it.
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Mikoto, who had been in a daze, finally snapped back to reality, her face pale.
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"Mikoto, are you alright?" Shin asked cautiously.
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He knew she wasn''t in any real danger, but his method wasn''t exactly pleasant.
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But there was no easy way to force the Sharingan to evolve. Gain came with pain.
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"I''m fine," Mikoto said through gritted teeth, glaring at Shin.
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"Ahaha, that''s good."
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Shin chuckled nervously. Mikoto looked like she wanted to eat him alive. Was it just his imagination?
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Mikoto tried to calm her racing heart. She was still shaken.
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"Mikoto, I could probably help you awaken the three-tomoe Sharingan too. Maybe two more falls, and you''ll have it. Want to try?"
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Mikoto took a step back. No way. She couldn''t handle that again. She''d rather stick with the two-tomoe Sharingan.
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"No, thank you. I''ll awaken it on my own," she said quickly.
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"Is it really that scary?" Kushina asked.
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Mikoto looked at her. "You should try it, Kushina. Then you''ll know."
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"No, thank you."
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Kushina had watched Mikoto fall from the sky; just thinking about experiencing it herself made her shudder.
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Mikoto might have been terrified, but the results were worth it. Her Chakra had doubled, and with her two-tomoe Sharingan, she was now comparable to an elite Chunin.
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Shin was a bit disappointed that Mikoto refused, but he quickly moved on. He was about to go train when Tsunade stopped him.
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"Tsunade, what is it?" Shin asked.
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"You said Madara Uchiha doesn''t have the Mangekyō Sharingan, but the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. What''s that? An evolved form of the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
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She had forgotten about this earlier, but now she remembered.
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"Yes, the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan is an evolved form of the Mangekyō Sharingan. You didn''t know that?"
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Shin was surprised. The Senju and Uchiha were mortal enemies; how could she not know about Madara''s Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan?
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"Is it that strange that I don''t know?"The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
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Tsunade glared at him. "How do you know about it?"
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"I, uh... I just do." Shin didn''t know how to answer.
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Tsunade gave him a knowing look. She had known from the beginning that he had many secrets.
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But she wouldn''t pry. If he didn''t want to tell her, she wouldn''t ask.
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Changing the subject, she asked, "What''s the difference between the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan?"
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"The difference is huge. First, the ocular power. If the Mangekyō Sharingan''s ocular power is a river, the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan''s is an ocean."
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"The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan can use the Perfect Susanoo, while the Mangekyō Sharingan can''t due to insufficient ocular power."
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"Also, the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan can be used without limitations, while the Mangekyō Sharingan can''t. The ocular power it consumes doesn''t regenerate. Overuse leads to vision loss and eventually blindness."
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"What? You''re saying the Mangekyō Sharingan can cause blindness?!"
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Tsunade, Kushina, and Mikoto exclaimed in unison.
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"Don''t worry, I''m special. I won''t go blind," Shin reassured them, seeing the concern in their eyes.
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"Really?" Kushina looked at him skeptically. "Don''t lie to us."
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"I swear, if I''m lying, I''m a puppy."
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Kushina finally believed him.
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"Don''t worry, I have a way to evolve my Sharingan. I''m going to train now."
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Shin left to train. Mikoto checked the time and went to the kitchen to cook. Kushina and Tsunade were left staring at each other.
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Soon, Mikoto finished cooking and went to call Shin for dinner.
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"Smells delicious," Shin said as he entered, inhaling the aroma. Mikoto might be young, but she was a great cook.
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"Shin, I made this chicken soup for you. It''s to thank you for helping me awaken my two-tomoe Sharingan."
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"No need for thanks, Mikoto. We''re friends; we don''t need such formalities," Shin said with a smile.
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"Friends? What kind of friends?" Kushina interjected, glaring at Shin.
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"Teammates, of course. What else would we be?" Shin said innocently.
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"That soup smells amazing."
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Kushina reached for a bowl, but Mikoto swatted her hand away.
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"Kushina, this is for Shin. Only he can have it. It''s my way of thanking him. You have to finish it all, Shin," Mikoto said seriously.
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"Hmph, who cares? I don''t even want any," Kushina pouted.
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"Since it''s Mikoto''s kind gesture, I''ll finish it all," Shin said, taking the bowl from Mikoto.
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The aroma was enticing; it must be delicious.
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He blew on the soup to cool it down and took a sip. His face contorted. It was incredibly salty!
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"What''s wrong? Don''t you like it?" Mikoto asked with a smile.
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Shin looked at her. Was it just his imagination, or was her smile a bit creepy?
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Tsunade, eating quietly, glanced at Shin''s face and immediately knew something was wrong with the soup. No wonder Mikoto wouldn''t let them have any.
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"Mikoto, it''s a bit salty," Shin said with a wry smile. He understood now. This wasn''t gratitude; it was revenge.
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Mikoto was still holding a grudge for the way he had helped her awaken her Sharingan.
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"Salty? Just drink more water then," Mikoto said cheerfully.
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Shin stared at her. Was she a demon? This wasn''t the sweet Mikoto he knew.
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"Mikoto, I helped you awaken your Sharingan, and this is how you repay me?" Shin sighed dramatically.
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"You almost scared me to death!" Mikoto glared at him. She still had nightmares about that experience.
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"Ahem, it was all part of the process. And look, you have your two-tomoe Sharingan now."
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Shin coughed awkwardly. He had been a bit harsh.
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"Fine, I''ll finish the soup." He looked at Mikoto''s vengeful expression and sighed.
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"Don''t. I might have gone a bit overboard with the salt," Mikoto admitted, taking the soup away.
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"You''re too kind, Mikoto," Shin said with a grin.
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Mikoto blushed and glared at him playfully.
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Kushina watched their exchange, a pang of jealousy in her heart.