Uchiha Shrine

The Uchiha Shrine was the most mysterious place in the Uchiha Clan. Ryosuke had tried several times to sneak inside and take a look at the mysterious Stone Tablet, but none of his attempts had succeeded.

The place was guarded around the clock by elite members of the Uchiha Clan, all of whom had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Did Itachi really have a way to get inside? Or had Obito told him about the Stone Tablet yesterday?

Either way, Ryosuke wasn't going to miss this opportunity.

Not when it meant learning more about Itachi and the Stone Tablet.

Before long, Itachi made his way to the area around the shrine.

Contrary to Ryosuke's expectations, Itachi didn't use his status as the clan leader's son to enter the shrine. Instead, he hid behind a patch of grass and quietly observed the area.

It seemed Itachi's thoughts had already diverged from those of the Uchiha Clan.

It was hard to tell whether he was more influenced by the Third Hokage or Obito.

But none of that mattered now. Ryosuke suddenly felt that even if he couldn't prevent the Uchiha Clan Massacre, he might still be able to save Itachi from following the same tragic path as before.

Itachi suddenly summoned a crow from behind the grass, then sent it flying behind the shrine to make some noise.

When the two Uchiha guards heard it, one immediately went to investigate.

They seemed to have a well-practiced response for situations like this.

Even with only one guard left, it wasn't as if just anyone could slip past him.

Then Itachi transformed into his father, Uchiha Fugaku, and walked out into the open.

Ryosuke stared in shock. So that was how the Transformation Technique could be used. He also couldn't help admiring Itachi's courage.

He was only nine years old.

The remaining Uchiha guard saw "Uchiha Fugaku" and immediately lowered his head. "Clan leader, you're here. Everything is ready."

Ryosuke had his Sharingan activated. He couldn't hear what the guard was saying, but he could read his lips.

"Uchiha Fugaku" nodded, then entered the shrine.

Now Ryosuke had a problem.

He couldn't just transform into Fugaku and sneak in too, could he?

Wait, he had an idea.

Ryosuke's eyes lit up. He immediately transformed into the Uchiha guard who had gone to investigate, then circled around and approached from the side of the shrine.

"Did you find anything?"

"Nothing. Probably a stray cat or something."

"Your voice sounds strange."

"Ahaha, my throat's a little sore. I'll go inside and get some water."

Ryosuke tried to bluff his way past him.

"Wait."

The Uchiha guard activated his Sharingan.

"What are you doing? Don't you trust me?"

Ryosuke activated his Sharingan too.

"Go on in."

Seeing Ryosuke's Sharingan, the guard relaxed and said,

The Transformation Technique could change someone's appearance, but it couldn't reproduce their voice or certain distinctive traits.

The Sharingan was one such trait. Anyone outside the Uchiha Clan was unable to mimic it.

Ryosuke breathed a sigh of relief, then entered the shrine.

The shrine was much larger than he'd expected.

Inside stood two statues, one of Izanami and the other of Susanoo.

They were symbols of the Uchiha Clan, and many of its secret techniques were even named after them.

But apart from the statues, there was nothing else inside.

Ryosuke knew, however, that there was a basement beneath the shrine, and the Stone Tablet was down there.

Itachi should be in the basement now, too.

Ryosuke was in a bind again. If he went down as he was, Itachi would surely recognize him.

He'd have no way to explain himself then.

But when the other guard returned, his disguise would be exposed, and the other Uchiha might search the shrine.

He was well and truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.

After thinking it over, Ryosuke decided it would be better to face Itachi than the rest of the Uchiha.

So he found the basement entrance and went down.

The basement was very dim. The only light came from two candles on either side of the Stone Tablet, their flames flickering faintly.

A short figure stood in front of it.

Itachi had already dropped the Transformation Technique.

His expression was grave.

"Itachi, what are you doing here? How did you get in?"

Ryosuke still hoped he could scare Itachi away while pretending to be a guard.

But Itachi turned around, and Ryosuke saw the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes.

Ryosuke immediately felt his Transformation Technique disappear.

"It's you again. Did you follow me here? Are you interested in this, too?"

Itachi asked expressionlessly.

Ryosuke's mouth twitched.

They were almost the same age, but Itachi still put him under tremendous pressure.

Ryosuke had thought he understood everything about Itachi, but standing here in front of him, he still felt like the boy was an open book written in a language he couldn't read.

Ryosuke stepped over beside Itachi and glanced at the Stone Tablet.

It told the myth of Izanami and Susanoo.

It looked ordinary enough, but Ryosuke knew the inscription was encrypted. Only those with the Sharingan could see the "real" text.

Ryosuke activated his Sharingan, but to his embarrassment, nothing on the inscription changed.

It seemed that only the Three-Tomoe Sharingan could reveal the true inscription.

"What does it say?" Ryosuke asked Itachi.

"The Uchiha Clan's true secret. But it's of no use to you."

Itachi answered calmly.

Ryosuke understood at once.

The "true" inscription described how to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan: one had to witness the death of someone dear. Awakening the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan required transplanting the eyes of one's own sibling.

Though Ryosuke knew the inscription had been altered, he still felt a chill run through him.

After all, even Uchiha Madara and Itachi had been deceived by it, and it had directly led to the disaster at the heart of the Naruto world.

Now that Itachi had learned this so-called "truth," the Uchiha Clan's tragedy was probably impossible to prevent.

"My summon has disappeared. They'll realize something's wrong soon. We should leave."

Itachi spoke calmly to Ryosuke.

"Why are you telling me this? You could leave on your own."

Ryosuke asked, confused.

"Because I have a feeling that you and I are alike."

After saying that, Itachi made a hand sign and vanished.

Poof—he was a clone. Itachi had fooled him.

Only then did Ryosuke understand why Itachi had been so confident.

His Sharingan hadn't even detected the clone.

"Great. Now I have to figure out how to get out of here."

Footsteps were already echoing from above the basement.

Ryosuke hid in the shadow beside the stairs leading down into the basement.

The darkness didn't hinder the Sharingan, but at least it could buy him a split second.

And a split second was all he needed.

The basement door opened.

"Sonido!"

Ryosuke vanished on the spot.

Sonido, a technique comparable to the Body Flicker Technique, activated in an instant.