Ordinary ninja often can't withstand the side effects brought on by the Uchiha clan's Sharingan.
Not to mention ordinary ninja—even someone like Hatake Kakashi finds it hard to say whether having a Sharingan is more of a benefit or a burden.
And it's not just outsiders—even members of the Uchiha clan themselves can suffer serious consequences if they recklessly overuse the Sharingan after awakening it.
For all these reasons, when Yujin saw a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan, his first reaction wasn't greed, but mostly surprise and caution.
If this had happened before he became "White Zetsu-Man," he might not have stayed so calm in the face of Mangekyō Sharingan. But now that he's found a relatively stable path to power, there's no need to venture down another, far riskier one.
In theory, since Yujin can transform into a White Zetsu, it's possible he could tolerate the risks that come with using the Sharingan.
After all, White Zetsu organisms have shown excellent compatibility with things like the Sharingan or Hashirama cells.
But in his current situation, should Yujin really get involved with the Uchiha clan in a way that leaves no escape?
Even if he picked up the Sharingan for free, there's no guarantee he could avoid being tracked down by the Uchiha. No matter how stealthily he used those eyes, word would eventually get out.
If he just casually impersonated an Uchiha, they might not go all-out to investigate. But stealing a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan? That would be a different story.
The Uchiha are already mentally unstable as a group—Yujin had no intention of poking that hornet's nest.
Besides, his optic nerves clearly aren't built like those of the Uchiha. He can't just pop out new eyes and plug them in. He doesn't have the surgical skills for that kind of transplant either.
So whether from emotional instinct or rational judgment, Yujin had no intention of getting involved in the business of trafficking body parts.
Anyway, at this point, he wasn't particularly afraid of the Sharingan, nor did he have any desire to obtain it.
Which brought him to the real question: What should he do with this Uchiha ninja now?
Leaving her here would likely mean death—she was seriously injured, after all.
Yujin thought for a moment, then said:
"Treat her wounds. Follow the same protocol as the 'Tobirama Senju incident.'"
That time had been an "intrusion." This time, it was more like someone had "fallen from the sky." But really, there wasn't much difference.
No matter how you looked at it, a living Uchiha ninja was more valuable than a dead one.
Yujin figured that since they had managed to extract quite a bit from Tobirama Senju last time, now that it was the Uchiha's turn, he might as well apply the same treatment. No reason to show favoritism.
Even if the feud between the Uchiha and the Senju clans ran deep, what did that have to do with their small band of wandering ninja?
Yujin decided to simply do the right thing—treat himself like a battlefield Red Cross.
The only thing that worried him was the Uchiha ninja's mental state. As always, the emotional swings of Uchiha were notoriously extreme. What if she woke up and went on a rampage?
Especially a Mangekyō-wielding Uchiha—by definition, they were at least borderline obsessive.
Even if she didn't cause destruction, waking up and going into one of those infamous "manic laughter" fits would still be unbearable. Honestly, the way they laughed could be terrifying.
Prejudice or not, any sane person walking into a psychiatric ward would instinctively avoid the patients.
The camp's only two female members came over and, like hauling a dead pig, carried the fallen ninja aside before starting to treat her wounds.
Yujin scratched his head and reluctantly addressed the group:
"Take a short rest. We'll set out again in two hours."
He had realized that from a certain point in time, his luck and life experiences had taken a drastic turn—and now that he looked back, that change might not have been for the better.
He thought to himself: You really shouldn't get involved with the Ōtsutsuki in any way. Otherwise, all sorts of crazy things will start happening.
He used to be just a bottom-tier ninja, struggling to survive. But ever since he got entangled with White Zetsu, it's been Sarutobi this, Senju and Uchiha that. The level of people he's been dealing with had clearly shifted.
He was just a background character—a throwaway side actor—yet here he was, constantly brushing shoulders with the main cast. Keep that up long enough, and you're bound to get pulled into the plot.
Two hours passed quickly. After treating the Uchiha's external injuries, someone fashioned a makeshift stretcher, and they prepared to carry her along.
If this had just been about doing a good deed, Yujin could have left her behind. After her wounds were dressed, she likely would've survived on her own.
But under their current circumstances, any effort made had to come with a hope of return. They weren't in a position to perform selfless acts with no expectations. That kind of virtue was a luxury they couldn't afford right now.
Their departure from the forest had already been delayed several times. With the season and weather in mind, they were running out of time.
Once winter set in, resources in the mountains would become scarce, and the risk of hypothermia would spike. So even though today's "falling Uchiha" incident was an ominous sign, Yujin decided to stick to their original plan.
And sure enough, the decision proved to be the right one—by the day after they left camp, snow had already begun to fall lightly from the sky.
Unlike when they first entered the forest, everyone was now well-rested and full of energy, allowing them to move quickly.
Though they generally traveled at a normal pace through the forest—unlike mission-bound ninja who refuse to step down from the treetops—they still managed to reach the forest's edge by the evening of the second day.
During their time there, the forest had provided a safe haven. The brief camp life had created a deceptive sense of comfort, and now that they were leaving it behind, many of them felt reluctant and uneasy.
But there was no helping it—they couldn't live in the forest forever.
Besides, that sense of "safety" was an illusion. Sooner or later, war would find its way there too.
They reached the forest's edge. Yujin decided to make camp for the night—once they stepped back into the "real world," even a peaceful night's sleep might become a luxury.
They set up camp beside a stream. The group lit fires and cooked food. If one weren't paying close attention, it would be easy to mistake them for a traveling merchant caravan.
Yujin first arranged the night watch schedule, then returned to the center of the camp and sat on the ground.
He had been personally keeping an eye on the Uchiha ninja for the past two days without letting his guard down for a moment.
She had remained unconscious, running a high fever the entire time. All the others could offer was basic cooling treatment—but she turned out to be surprisingly resilient.
Yujin figured she'd probably wake up soon.
And sure enough, after the hustle and bustle of setting up camp and eating dinner, under the dim firelight of a gloomy night, the Uchiha ninja finally opened her eyes.
Yujin, who had been sitting nearby the whole time, immediately noticed.
But she didn't move—she just lay quietly on the stretcher, staring at the dark sky and the falling snow for a long moment before finally asking:
"What time is it now?"
Yujin misunderstood her meaning, so he gave an off-target reply: "You've been unconscious for about two days."
"No, I meant—what's the date? If possible, I'd like to know the month, day, and even the year."
Yujin blinked, thrown off by the question.
See? Uchiha really are mentally unstable.
He opened his mouth to reply, but then paused and froze.
After a brief silence, he finally said:
"The exact date… to be honest, I'm not really sure."
They'd been surviving in the wilderness for so long that he had completely lost track of the calendar.
But then it dawned on him—her question seemed to suggest something deeper.