Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique

Kakashi watched all of this closely.

He adjusted the forehead protector over his eye, watching Sasuke intently seek his brother's guidance on genjutsu through the screen. A flicker of curiosity appeared in his eyes.

He was actually extremely interested in the Sharingan as well.

After all, he had used the Sharingan transplanted into his left eye for so many years, yet he had only ever been able to use it superficially. He was nowhere near mastering it.

After the Third Shinobi World War ended, the Uchiha clan had refrained from forcibly reclaiming the Sharingan out of consideration for the Fourth Hokage and the hero Obito.

Only then had Kakashi been able to keep it all this time.

Because he was not an Uchiha, Kakashi lacked a systematic inheritance of knowledge regarding the Sharingan. Under normal circumstances, he did not even dare use it.

It consumed far too much chakra.

This was an opportunity.

Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest and watched with great interest as Itachi guided Sasuke.

He thought that if he could learn a few tricks from Itachi's explanation for controlling the Sharingan and conserving chakra, it would be immensely beneficial to him.

On the screen.

At the training ground, Itachi Uchiha had already begun teaching his younger brother the mysteries of genjutsu.

"Watch carefully."

He slightly raised his chin and gave Sasuke a reminder.

Before his words had even faded, Itachi suddenly closed his eyes, then snapped them open.

The three tomoe in his scarlet pupils spun rapidly, and an invisible spiritual energy abruptly spread outward from him.

Sasuke felt the scenery before him suddenly change. When he looked down, his shadow was eerily rising from the ground, transforming into several pitch-black chains that tightly bound his limbs!

Then, several enormous black stakes, dark as ink, rose behind him at some point. Like instruments of torture, they pierced through his arms and legs, pinning his entire body firmly in place!

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Sasuke had not even had time to react before he realized he could no longer move.

The sudden abnormality sent a chill through his heart, and cold sweat instantly drenched his back.

He knew this was most likely an illusion, yet he still felt an uncontrollable fear.

The sensation of being completely unable to move was simply too overwhelming!

Sasuke struggled with all his strength to break free, but it was like throwing a stone into the sea. It had no effect at all.

Sasuke's expression changed drastically as his eyes widened.

He tried hard to remind himself that this was only a genjutsu cast by Itachi, but the vicious chains and massive black stakes before his eyes were far too real. He was utterly shocked and unable to pull himself out of it for the moment.

Just as Sasuke trembled with fear, a warm, powerful hand suddenly pressed against his forehead.

"Release!"

Itachi's low voice sounded by his ear.

The next second, Sasuke shuddered violently. The chains and giant stakes binding him shattered like bubbles and vanished without a trace, while his stiff limbs regained their freedom.

A layer of cold sweat had already seeped across his back, and his chest rose and fell violently.

Sasuke took a deep breath, only then realizing that, in that instant, his mind had been completely controlled by Itachi.

"This is the Sharingan's genjutsu—Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique."

Itachi smiled as he explained, casually patting Sasuke's shoulder to comfort him. "Don't be nervous. I only let you experience its effects just now. I didn't actually hurt you."

Sasuke nodded, blushing slightly.

He knew he had lost his composure and shown weakness just now, and he could not help feeling secretly annoyed with himself.

"The Shackling Stakes Technique is an ocular technique that restrains opponents within an illusion," Itachi continued gently. "What I used just now was only the mildest level. If it were used against an enemy, the stakes within the illusion would directly pierce their limbs, making them feel excruciating pain and completely robbing them of their ability to fight."

He paused before solemnly reminding him, "Of course, genjutsu is highly effective against ordinary people or shinobi far weaker than yourself. But if you face an opponent with a Sharingan like ours, or someone with exceptionally powerful spiritual energy, genjutsu may not work in a single strike. If they see through it, they may even counterattack immediately."

Sasuke nodded solemnly, committing every word of Itachi's teaching to heart.

"Next, I'll teach you the trick behind this genjutsu." Seeing his younger brother's focused expression, Itachi could not help smiling in gratification. "Sharingan genjutsu primarily relies on the use of ocular power. Simply put, you channel chakra through your gaze directly into the opponent's brain, creating all kinds of false images. But to do that, the chakra's nature, distribution, and circulation all require great care..."

Itachi Uchiha spoke gently, explaining everything in meticulous detail.

Without the slightest impatience, he explained the principles and activation method of the Shackling Stakes Technique one by one.

From how to precisely control the flow of chakra within the pupils to how to seize an enemy's opening and implant a mental suggestion, he taught Sasuke everything without reservation.

After finishing his explanation, Itachi even had Sasuke try it on the spot.

Following Itachi's instructions, Sasuke focused all his attention and mobilized his ocular power.

However, he failed very quickly.

Seeing his younger brother somewhat dejected, Itachi smiled and comforted him. "Don't rush. Take it one step at a time."

Sasuke nodded and listened to Itachi's explanation even more attentively.

At that moment, Itachi's voice and manner were still as gentle and meticulous as they had been in his memories.

This scene...

It was exactly the same as before!

Sasuke could not help thinking to himself.

If only all of this were real...

Sasuke's nose stung slightly, and his eyes began to moisten on their own.

He blinked, unwilling to let the tears fall.

This is the Nii-san I remember...

[ Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Sasuke Uchiha detected! Emotion Points +500! ]

But... why?

Sasuke lowered his head, his chest heaving violently from the emotions he was suppressing.

Countless fragments of the past flashed rapidly through his mind.

In his memories, before that horrific incident occurred, Itachi had always been a gentle and considerate older brother.

Although Itachi had become increasingly busy in the period before the tragedy and often had no time to keep him company, he had still treated Sasuke with the same love and care as always. He had never shown the slightest sign of anything unusual.

Sasuke clearly remembered that morning when he left for the Ninja Academy. Itachi had stood at the doorway, smiling as he ruffled his hair and bid him farewell gently. "See you tonight, Sasuke."

But when Sasuke returned home after school, what awaited him was a nightmare.

The street where the clan lived was strangely quiet, and the air carried a faint scent of blood.

With a sense of foreboding rising in his heart, Sasuke raced home. He found the usually lively Uchiha Clan District strewn with the corpses of clan members!

Bright red blood covered the ground, and the family and friends he had once known were all lying dead on the spot...

The sight nearly caused young Sasuke to break down.

But intense fear and unease drove him to stagger toward his family home.

"Dad! Mom!"

Sasuke rushed through the gates of his home, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Yet what met his eyes were his parents' cold bodies lying silently on the ground, and the tall figure standing between them.

The Itachi Uchiha of that time slowly turned around.

Those unfamiliar, icy red eyes held not the slightest warmth as he looked down indifferently at his bewildered younger brother.

The next moment, his voice was as vicious as if it had risen from the depths of hell.

"Foolish little brother... If you want to kill me, then hate me with all your heart! Loathe me! And then... cling to your miserable life in ugliness!"

From that day onward, those words had been carved deeply into Sasuke's mind, becoming a nightmare he could never escape.

So many nights, he had awakened from nightmares with only those words filling his mind, yet he had never received even the slightest answer.

The more Sasuke thought about it, the more agonized he became. His fists clenched tightly.

His chest heaved violently, his breathing growing rapid and ragged. Countless questions and emotions nearly drowned him like a flood bursting through a dam.

His father's loving smile and his mother's gentle face flashed through his mind in an instant, then overlapped with his brother's face before him.

The grief and fury that had accumulated in Sasuke's heart for years suddenly erupted completely. He could no longer suppress them, and hot tears blurred his vision.

Countless times, he had wanted to ask Itachi why he had done such a thing?!

Today, Sasuke simply used the dream as an excuse and directly demanded an answer from Itachi. "I recently had a dream. I dreamed that you... you killed Father, killed everyone in the Uchiha clan! Why?! Why would you do something like that?!"

Hearing his younger brother's sudden words, the smile on Itachi's face froze instantly.

His pupils contracted sharply, and his face turned pale in an instant. He wore an incredulous expression. "Wha—"

He had never expected Sasuke to say something so terrifying. For a moment, he was stunned into silence, completely unable to understand why his younger brother would have such a dream.

"Answer me! Why?!!!"

[ Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Sasuke Uchiha detected! Emotion Points +1000! ]