The Shrine's Secret Stone Tablet, the Truth Behind the Clan's Downfall, and a Bloodstained Choice

The shrine in the old Uchiha grounds lay shrouded in twilight. The rotting wooden doors creaked as the wind battered them. Itachi's Sharingan glowed bloodred, its three Tomoe spinning rapidly as he fixed his gaze on three masked members of the Akatsuki. They wore black cloaks, and their masks bore the markings for "Wind," "Lightning," and "Earth." They were the elite squad that had once served under Kisame.

"Uchiha Itachi, give up," said the masked figure marked with "Wind." The voice had been altered, its mechanical chill ringing through the shrine. "Lord Obito gave his orders long ago. If you insist on investigating the stone tablet's secrets, you're to be killed on the spot."

The Kunai in Itachi's hand turned slightly as chakra gathered at his fingertips. "The answers I want are on that tablet. You can't stop me." Before the words had left his mouth, he vanished, leaving only an afterimage behind. His real body had already appeared deeper inside the shrine. But the masked figure marked with "Lightning" reacted swiftly, forming Hand Seals. "Lightning Release: Earth Flow!" Blue current spread along the ground and raced toward Itachi's feet.

Itachi sprang up from the ground, using it to propel himself, and cast a genjutsu at the same time. "Genjutsu: Murder of Crows!" Countless black crows burst from around him, blocking the three masked figures' vision. Taking advantage of the opening, he reached out and touched the dust-covered stone tablet. The moment his chakra flowed into it, the ancient writing blazed to life, its golden light illuminating the entire shrine.

"So that's how it is..." Itachi's pupils contracted sharply. The writing on the tablet cut through years of deception like a blade: the Uchiha Clan hadn't simply planned a rebellion. They had uncovered a secret deal between the Konoha High Command and Madara Uchiha. To cover up the truth, the High Command used the "rebellion" as an excuse to force Itachi to slaughter his own clan. And Obito had been the driving force behind the conspiracy. Exploiting Itachi's devotion to protecting his younger brother, Sasuke, he had made Itachi a "rogue ninja" who bore the blame for the massacre.

While Itachi was still reeling, the masked figure marked with "Earth" slipped behind him, a shinobi blade gathering Earth Release chakra. "Earth Release: Earth Flow Divide!" The ground suddenly split open, and the earth beneath Itachi collapsed. At the last moment, a streak of pale purple chakra shot through the air and pulled him out of the fissure. Su Ye appeared at the shrine entrance, his Rinne Sharingan gleaming coldly.

"Su Ye?" A flicker of surprise crossed Itachi's eyes. He hadn't expected Su Ye to arrive so quickly.

Without turning around, Su Ye formed a barrier of Rinnegan chakra around himself, blocking an attack from the "Wind"-marked figure. "You've seen the truth on the stone tablet?" His gaze fell on the tablet. The Rinne Sharingan easily broke through the seal on its writing, and all its secrets flooded into his mind.

When the three masked figures saw Su Ye, their expressions changed—though their masks hid their faces, their agitation was clear from their chakra. The figure marked with "Wind" made a snap decision. "Proceed with the second plan. Destroy the tablet!" All three formed Hand Seals at once, and chakra of three different natures converged at the shrine's center, forming a massive energy sphere that hurtled toward the tablet.

"Not a chance!" Su Ye and Itachi shouted in unison. Su Ye used Heavenly Hand Power to teleport the tablet behind himself, then unleashed Samsara: Banshō Ten'in, forcibly pulling the energy sphere toward him. Itachi summoned Susanoo. A pale red skeletal arm emerged from behind Su Ye, joining with his Rinnegan chakra to form a double barrier.

Boom! The energy sphere exploded against the barrier. The immense shock wave tore the shrine roof away, filling the air with dust. When it cleared, the three masked figures were gone. All that remained was a black slip of paper bearing the message: "Uchiha Itachi, we have your younger brother, Sasuke."

Itachi's body jolted, and a flash of panic crossed his Sharingan. "Sasuke!" He turned to rush out of the shrine, but Su Ye stopped him.

"Calm down." Su Ye's Rinne Sharingan turned slightly as he sensed the chakra fluctuations in the distance. "This is Obito's trap. He knows how much Sasuke matters to you and wants to lure you in." He paused, then continued, "Besides, I can sense Sasuke's chakra. He's safe and heading toward Konoha."

The tension in Itachi's body eased slightly, but the resolve in his eyes remained unchanged. "Trap or not, I have to go. Sasuke is my only weakness—and my reason to keep living." He looked at Su Ye, his voice edged with a plea. "Help me, Su Ye. I know you can fight Obito. If you'll protect Sasuke, I'll pay any price."

Su Ye fell silent for a moment, then turned his Rinne Sharingan toward the stone tablet. "Obito's target isn't just you. He wants the secrets on this tablet, too. He plans to use you and Sasuke to seize control of the Uchiha Clan's power and prepare to revive the Ten-Tails." He changed tack. "To save Sasuke, we have to work together. And Nagato is still waiting for us in Konoha. He knows more about Obito and Madara's schemes."

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the shrine. Naruto, Kakashi, and Han appeared in the doorway. Seeing Itachi, Naruto clenched his fists. "Uchiha Itachi! You..." Before he could finish, Kakashi stopped him.

Kakashi looked at Itachi's pale face and the lingering glow on the stone tablet, then spoke softly. "We've already seen the truth on the tablet through the perception Su Ye shared with us. Maybe it's time to put the past to rest."

Han stepped forward, steam chakra swirling around him. "If Obito's using Sasuke as bait, he's bound to have an ambush waiting. We should go together and watch each other's backs."

Itachi looked at the people before him, warmth flickering in his eyes. For years, he had carried the truth and the blame alone. Now, at last, he had companions who would fight by his side. He took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the Kunai. "Let's go meet Obito. This time, I won't let him control my fate."

The group raced toward the place indicated by the slip of paper Obito had left behind, the setting sun stretching their shadows long behind them. None of them noticed that after they left, the stone tablet deep inside the shrine began to glow faintly again. On its back, a line of hidden writing slowly appeared: "The day the Ten-Tails is revived will be the day the Shinobi World is destroyed. Only the union of the Rinne Sharingan and Uchiha blood can prevent the calamity."