"The reason Orochimaru let me in on some of his secrets is because he sees me as weak and believes I wouldn't dare betray him easily." Chao Yanqian chuckled lightly and continued, "But I'm not one to be trifled with. Though Orochimaru is powerful once the most gifted of the Sannin and the proud disciple of the Third Hokage. I have Tsunade behind me. I don't need to fear him at all."
"Then why are you telling me all this? Do you want to use the Uchiha clan to deal with Orochimaru?" Uchiha Chizuru asked, his face darkening.
"Of course not!" Chao Yanqian replied with a smile. "Besides, there's no direct evidence of what Orochimaru has done. It's only that the higher-ups in Konoha are jealous of your Uchiha clan. Do you really think the Uchiha can be suppressed by someone like Orochimaru?"
"Hmph!" Uchiha Chizuru snorted coldly, his expression growing grimmer.
Though Orochimaru was born a civilian ninja, he is undeniably one of the Sannin and a shinobi of Kage-level strength definitely not someone the Uchiha could afford to provoke now.
If the Uchiha were to use all their power, Orochimaru might not be able to stand against them. But within Konoha, Orochimaru is well-respected among civilian ninjas. If he makes a move, many will side with him.
The Uchiha clan's reputation in Konoha has always been poor. If they openly clash with Orochimaru now, they may be even more ostracized by the villagers in the future.
While the Uchiha are proud, they are not fools. Uchiha Chizuru reached the level of jōnin not just through strength, but also through insight. After all, ninja rank depends on overall capability, not just combat skills.
"Then what do you mean by telling me this?" Uchiha Chizuru asked.
Chao Yanqian leaned against a tree and spoke slowly, "I've collected all the evidence of Orochimaru's crimes. When the time comes, I'll expose him. He'll become a wanted criminal in the eyes of all. At that moment, I hope you ,someone who has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan will stand with me against him."
"Why should I help you?" Uchiha Chizuru asked coldly.
Chao Yanqian smiled at him. "Not for me think of it as avenging your Uchiha brethren."
"You say you want to expose Orochimaru? Don't make it sound so noble!" Uchiha Chizuru sneered. "You're just milking him for benefits. The moment he's of no use to you, you'll betray him."
Chao Yanqian smiled slightly, not denying it. "You're not entirely wrong."
In fact, Uchiha Chizuru's assessment was accurate. Chao Yanqian had no intention of exposing Orochimaru unless necessary. As long as Orochimaru remained safe, Chao Yanqian would continue working with him and assisting in his experiments.
But if Orochimaru were ever exposed, Chao Yanqian wouldn't hesitate to abandon him.
"Hmph! If I go back right now and report how Orochimaru has harmed our clan, he won't let you off easily!" Uchiha Chizuru threatened.
Chao Yanqian laughed. "If I feared Orochimaru, I wouldn't have told you all this."
He glanced at the contemplative Uchiha Chizuru and added, "So, what do you say? Will you cooperate with me? Of course, I won't ask for your help for free. If you've already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, I'm sure you'll come looking for me again."
Activating the Mangekyō Sharingan comes at a price the eyesight of the user begins to deteriorate. If Uchiha Chizuru were truly to awaken the Mangekyō, he would be forced to seek Chao Yanqian out to avoid being consumed by the darkness.
"The future can wait," Chizuru replied coldly. "Now tell me how to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. Don't you dare mislead me."
"Of course not," Chao Yanqian replied. "In the Second Hokage's notes, it's said that during the Warring States era, the Senju clan represented love, while the Uchiha represented power. Isn't that right?"
"Mm." Chizuru responded nonchalantly.
"But in truth, the Uchiha understood love more than the Senju ever did," Chao Yanqian said.
"What do you mean?" Chizuru asked, puzzled.
Chao Yanqian looked him in the eyes and spoke seriously: "When a Uchiha experiences deep love and then loses it, that love turns into powerful hatred. That hatred stimulates the brain to produce a special chakra. This chakra flows into the eyes and awakens the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"To know love... and then to lose it?" Chizuru murmured.
"Exactly," Chao Yanqian continued. "The deeper the love, the greater the pain upon its loss and the higher the chance of awakening the Mangekyō. The Second Hokage wrote in his notes: 'The Sharingan is a cursed eye. Every evolution brings pain.' Since you already possess the three-tomoe Sharingan, you should understand that."
Chizuru nodded slowly. Indeed, each evolution of his Sharingan had come during moments of deep loss or near death. Chao Yanqians words didn't seem like lies.
"No, wait!" Chizuru suddenly interjected. "In the Uchiha clan, there are others who've experienced love and loss. Why haven't they awakened the Mangekyō?"
Chao Yanqian explained, "You're overlooking something. The secret isn't just losing love it's knowing it. If someone never truly understands love, even losing it won't leave a deep enough mark to awaken the Mangekyō."
"Understanding love…?" Chizuru frowned.
"Love is complex and deeply personal. Some people are cold by nature. Others value bonds and loyalty deeply. To awaken the Mangekyō, you first have to know what real love is."
"Take your fellow clansman, Uchiha Obito. I know him well. Though not the most gifted, he had the qualifications to awaken the Mangekyō."
"Then what should I do?" Chizuru asked.
Chao Yanqian looked him in the eye and said in a low voice, "To unlock the Mangekyō's mystery, you must kill the person most important to you with your own hands. But only after you've truly understood love when that person means more to you than your own life."
"I feel like you're lying to me again," Chizuru suddenly glared coldly at Chao Yanqian.
"Hahaha!" Chao Yanqian chuckled. "Whether I'm lying or not, you'll figure it out yourself. Perhaps your clan already knows the secret to awakening the Mangekyō. Talk to them, confirm it. But remember: the key isn't losing love it's knowing love. Understand that."
"To know love, to lose love... and through that pain, awaken the Mangekyō," Chao Yanqian said gravely.