Having hit the jackpot, Izayoi didn't rush to feel the changes brought by the Sage's Eye.
He first cleared his thoughts, focusing on treating Uchiha Sasuke.
Looking at Sasuke, whose eye sockets were slightly darkened—clearly having suffered these past few days—Izayoi's gaze held a trace of pity.
The world of Naruto didn't lack orphans with tragic fates, but those who had a happy family only to lose everything later? Izayoi could only recall two.
One was Nagato, and the other was Uchiha Sasuke.
Compared to Nagato, who had Yahiko, Konan, and Jiraiya, Sasuke—whose path was orchestrated by Uchiha Itachi—was undoubtedly more wretched.
From start to finish, he was either walking the road of revenge or, after learning the truth, had his budding revolutionary ideas immediately crushed by the one companion he trusted.
Then, to atone, he roamed the Shinobi world gathering intel on the Otsutsuki clan, rarely returning home for years.
If Izayoi didn't alter Uchiha Sasuke's fate, Sasuke would end up even worse than in the original story.
After all, in the original, before graduation, Sasuke was the most popular top student in the academy.
But now, Izayoi held the top spot, Hinata was second, and Sasuke could only vie for third.
After graduation, he'd face constant setbacks, watching the dead-last Uzumaki Naruto surpass him at breakneck speed.
"Should I give him a hand?"
Izayoi mused quietly to himself.
At that moment, Sasuke, who had fainted from the fall, stirred awake.
Seeing Sasuke's bloodshot eyes, Izayoi made up his mind and spoke, "You're in rough shape right now. Go rest up, and come find me again when you're fully recovered."
Sasuke didn't respond. He sat up, staring at his healed chest, where a faint scar remained.
His mind couldn't help but replay the earlier fight.
Whether it was Taijutsu or Ninjutsu, he was completely outmatched by Izayoi.
Those fluid attacks, supported by footwork that sustained such speed, were on an entirely different level.
And this scar, along with the green glow he saw upon waking, suggested Izayoi had also mastered Medical Ninjutsu.
Thinking of this, Sasuke felt a wave of frustration.
"I lost."
Sasuke wasn't one to deny defeat.
Like Uzumaki Naruto, he didn't resent Izayoi.
Though it was a no-rules duel, his sudden use of Ninjutsu earlier had been dangerous.
So, Sasuke cleanly admitted his loss.
"It was just a fluke on my part."
Izayoi patted Sasuke's shoulder, praising him sincerely, "You're pretty impressive yourself. I thought I was the only one in class who'd mastered a Five-Element Ninjutsu, but you've got it too. As expected of the Uchiha clan's genius."
With that, Izayoi stood and extended a hand to Sasuke, saying, "I got the upper hand today. Let's fight again next time."
Looking at Izayoi, who showed no arrogance and even praised him, Sasuke felt a sudden warmth in his heart.
Acknowledged at last, he gave his first smile since waking, grabbed Izayoi's hand, and said with a grin, "I won't lose next time!"
Pulling Sasuke up, Izayoi raised two fingers and teased, "Then you'd better train hard. I'm pretty strong, you know."
"Just you wait!"
Brimming with determination, Sasuke formed the Seal of Reconciliation with Izayoi.
This scene was reflected in a transparent crystal ball.
Witnessing it, Sarutobi Hiruzen, puffing on his pipe, smiled with satisfaction and said, "The new leaves are starting to sprout."
Sasuke was at his most vulnerable right now.
To prevent him from doing something reckless, and honoring his promise to Uchiha Itachi to look after him—while ensuring Itachi could focus on his role as a spy—Sarutobi Hiruzen would never neglect Sasuke.
The Anbu had been secretly watching him from the shadows.
When the two left the ninja academy for the abandoned training ground, the news reached Sarutobi Hiruzen's ears immediately.
Luckily, Izayoi hadn't muttered to himself, kept his head down when stunned, and avoided exaggerated or suspicious behavior.
Otherwise, he might have faced the Yamanaka clan's mind-reading techniques.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was no stranger to Izayoi.
This generation of students was exceptional, with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and heirs of major clans in the same class.
Izayoi, who outshone them all as the top student, had long caught Sarutobi's eye.
Over the past year, he'd noticed Izayoi had already mastered Shadow Clone Technique and low-level Wind Release, often training with the Hyuga clan's main branch heiress at the abandoned training ground.
Every era had its standout civilian geniuses.
Like Orochimaru, like Namikaze Minato, like the lesser-known Yakushi Kabuto…
Even Hatake Kakashi could be considered a civilian genius, given he lacked a Kekkei Genkai.
Compared to these civilian prodigies, Izayoi wasn't unique, nor even the best.
But his talent was enough to warrant focused nurturing.
If cultivated well, he'd at least become a versatile Jonin.
Master a forbidden technique, and he could even rise to an elite Jonin, a trump card in battle.
So, Izayoi had been on Sarutobi Hiruzen's watchlist for some time.
…
After parting with Uchiha Sasuke, Izayoi headed home, summoning a light screen only he could see.
In the entry column, the top spot, once held by the golden Kage-level Potential, was now replaced by Sage's Eye (Red), following Otsutsuki Bloodline (Red).
This entry hadn't yet brought noticeable changes.
But Izayoi was certain something unknown was shifting within him.
The Sage's Eye wasn't the true Sage's Eye: Rinnegan. It was an entry exclusive to Otsutsuki Indra, inherited from the Sage of the Six Paths' Yin Release Chakra and spiritual energy, representing the pinnacle of Yin power.
Moreover, this entry wasn't Indra's Chakra, meaning the ultimate Yin power Izayoi gained wasn't tainted by Indra's will but was pure Yin power derived from Otsutsuki Hagoromo.
Reincarnates needed recognition or gradual growth to tap into this power.
But Izayoi didn't. Like Otsutsuki Indra, his strength would surge rapidly.
In the coming years, his spiritual energy and Yin Release Chakra would skyrocket.
"Right now, I should qualify as a second Otsutsuki Indra, shouldn't I?"
Izayoi chuckled inwardly.
If he could see Otsutsuki Indra's talent entries, Izayoi was certain there'd be no Uchiha Bloodline, only a high-level Otsutsuki Bloodline.
It was this bloodline that let Indra wield infinite ocular power without needing eye transplants.
Realizing he, too, could cast Five-Element Ninjutsu without hand seals, Izayoi didn't need to guess—Indra's Otsutsuki Bloodline was definitely red-tier.
Anything above red seemed impossible.
Otherwise, Indra's Chakra reincarnates wouldn't need to unite opposites to awaken the Rinnegan; they could've gone straight from Sharingan to Rinnegan, like Otsutsuki Hagoromo.
Right now, Izayoi was essentially a second Otsutsuki Indra.
Only by raising his Otsutsuki Bloodline to a higher tier could he become a second Otsutsuki Hagoromo or Otsutsuki Hamura.
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