In the village of the Uchiha clan, whispers lingered like ghosts in the shadows. Ash Uchiha, a young boy with striking blue eyes, walked alone, shoulders hunched, as if trying to shrink away from the judging stares of his clan members. He was different, an outcast among his own kind.
"Look, it's the freak with the blue eyes," one of the Uchiha children sneered as Ash passed by.
Laughter erupted from the group, cruel and mocking, echoing off the stone walls. Ash clenched his fists, feeling the familiar sting of rejection and humiliation. His parents had disowned him long ago, unable to bear the shame of having a son with such unnatural eyes.
Ignoring the taunts, Ash continued on his path until he reached a secluded spot near the edge of the compound. Sitting beneath the shade of a gnarled tree, he closed his eyes, trying to block out the hateful voices that echoed in his mind.
"Why can't I be like them?" he whispered to himself, the bitterness of his words tainted with the pain of loneliness.
But deep within him, a dormant power stirred, waiting to be unleashed. The years of pent-up rage and hatred bubbled to the surface, fueling a fire that burned brighter with each passing moment.
A group of bullies blocked his path, causing him to halt with a sense of resignation in his gaze. "What's the matter, freak? Ready to shed some tears?" the tallest among them, sneered, punctuating his words with mocking gestures.
"Maybe you should just leave," another bully jeered, egging the situation on.
"We don't want you here, so get lost!" A third bully stepped forward and shoved Ash roughly, sending him crashing to the ground.
The trio then proceeded to rain down kicks and stomps upon Ash's defenseless form, their aggression unchecked. To his dismay, no one from the Uchiha clan came to his aid, not even the adults. Instead, they stood by, tacitly endorsing the brutal lesson being taught to the outcast.
Among the crowd, a young Sasuke couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Ash. How could their own clan treat him so unjustly simply because of his blue eyes? He was still an Uchiha, after all. It didn't sit right with him. He was on the verge of stepping forward when Itachi, now a member of the ANBU, placed a firm hand on his shoulder, halting his advance. Sasuke glanced up at his older brother, disbelief etched on his features.
"But, Itachi..."
Itachi shook his head, his expression tinged with regret. "This doesn't concern us, Sasuke."
"But aren't we supposed to help anyone in need, no matter what?"
"I know."
"Then why aren't you helping him?!"
"Because if I do, they will exile me, Sasuke."
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock.
After what seemed like an eternity, the bullies finally grew tired and ceased their assault. Ash lay on the ground, battered and bruised, his clothes torn and cuts marring his skin. He emitted a weak groan of pain.
"This is your warning, freak. Leave!" the leader of the bullies spat, his voice dripping with malice.
"Or we won't be so lenient next time, loser!" another bully chimed in, the menace in his tone unmistakable.
As the bullies laughed raucously, Ash clenched his teeth in frustration, the anger evident even through his battered state. Itachi, observing from the sidelines, couldn't shake off a growing sense of unease as he sensed something ominous emanating from Ash's broken form. It felt unlike any chakra he had encountered before, powerful yet different in nature.
"What is this sensation?" Itachi narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the strange aura enveloping Ash. "It's not chakra... it's something else, something potent."
Suddenly, Ash rose to his feet with startling speed, clutching a kunai tightly in his hand. In a blur of motion that even Itachi's keen eyes struggled to follow, Ash lunged forward and struck one of the bullies with deadly precision.
The village erupted into a collective gasp of shock and horror as the bully leader fell backwards with a resounding thud, his eyes rolling back in his head. A pool of crimson liquid quickly formed around the fallen Uchiha.
It was his blood staining the ground.
The two remaining bullies staggered back a few steps, their bravado waning in the face of the sudden violence. "Y-You little freak! How dare you!" one of them spat, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear.
But Ash paid no heed to their empty threats. With a chilling calmness, he lifted the kunai towards his face and licked the fresh blood off the tip, a disturbing smirk twisting his lips. A surge of adrenaline coursed through his veins, mingling with the dark thrill of the moment.
The ominous energy surrounding Ash intensified, causing the two remaining bullies to instinctively step back as they heard him crackling with manic intensity. His gaze, now fixed on his new prey, bore into them with an intensity that sent shivers down their spines. The glow in his blue eyes intensified, flickering with an otherworldly light.
"You've treated me like a freak," Ash's voice echoed with a chilling edge, his words dripping with a newfound resolve. "So be it. Let this 'freak' show you the true meaning of fear."
With a sudden surge of power, Ash's pupils began to swirl until the newly awakened Mangekyō Sharingan emerged in both eyes, its design resembling lightning bolts crossed in an 'X' pattern. The sight was both mesmerizing and terrifying, a manifestation of the raw power now coursing through him.