Forbidden Jutsu: Izanagi.
This was one of the ultimate ocular powers of the Uchiha Clan. By weaving the signs of Rabbit, Boar, and Sheep, the caster could bridge the gap between illusion and reality.
It allowed the user to negate any unfavorable event that occurred within a set timeframe—including their own death—turning it into a mere dream while retaining only the beneficial outcomes as reality. Having seen the likes of Madara, Obito, and Danzo wield this forbidden art, Ren Uchiha was well-acquainted with its terrifying nature.
However, a question nagged at his mind.
The prerequisite for this technique was at least a Three-Tomoe Sharingan under the Uchiha bloodline. Moreover, its use resulted in the permanent blindness of the eye that cast it. As of now, Ren's Sharingan had only evolved to the Two-Tomoe stage.
Why would the Great Elder, Setsuna Uchiha, have me learn this now?
If a situation became so dire that he was forced to use Izanagi with only Two-Tomoe, what would be the consequence? Would he simply go blind, or would he become trapped in the narrow crack between fantasy and reality—unable to distinguish dream from truth, sinking forever into a hallucination from which he could never escape?
Ren didn't have the answer.
Under the lead of Yashiro Uchiha, the two quickly made their way toward the Naka River.
The Naka River was a waterway that flowed through the heart of Konoha, cutting across the village from south to north. Beneath the wooden pier where Obito, and in the future, Itachi and Sasuke would practice the Great Fireball Technique, lay this very river. In ancient times, the Uchiha lived on one bank and the Senju on the other. It was here that Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju had first met.
They followed the river, passing through the bustling morning markets, walking past residential areas, and moving beyond the core Uchiha district located south of the Hokage Building. Eventually, they reached a vast, undeveloped forest on the southern edge of the village. This entire area, including the southern urban sectors and this forest, was Uchiha territory.
The Naka Shrine was situated here.
Inside the main hall, they passed seven wooden doors to the right, leading to the secret meeting place of the clan. However, Yashiro did not enter that room. Instead, he led Ren deeper inside, following a wooden staircase down into the basement of the shrine.
Yashiro lit the brazier in the secret chamber, the flames illuminating the room. Ren realized he had arrived at a place that looked hauntingly familiar. Looking at the stone tablet positioned at the front of the room, he knew exactly where he was.
This was the secret room where Madara had been manipulated by Black Zetsu, and where Sasuke and Orochimaru would summon the previous Hokage during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Yashiro, who had been walking with his back to Ren, suddenly turned around. He took a deep breath and spoke with heavy gravity.
"Kid... listen well."
"This place is the absolute secret inheritance ground of the Uchiha Clan."
"I don't know why the Great Elder allowed you here, nor do I know if someone as young as you can comprehend this. But... since the clan has chosen you to inherit this thousand-year legacy, you must accept this heavy weight of love! You now have the duty and responsibility to carry the clan on your shoulders. From now on, you must never stop moving forward!"
Yashiro pressed a hidden mechanism on the wall.
Rumble!
The stone wall groaned and rotated, revealing a massive bookshelf hidden behind it. It was packed with scrolls of all sizes—thick, thin, long, and short. At a quick glance, there had to be at least a thousand of them.
Ren's eyes widened in shock.
The scrolls were meticulously categorized by the five elements, secret arts, and specific uses, lining an entire high wall. And he could sense that there was even more space behind that wall.
Yashiro allowed himself a proud smirk as he watched Ren's reaction.
"What you see here is every ninjutsu and secret art the Uchiha have collected, created, or seized over the past thousand years. In all of Konoha, aside from the 'Scroll of Seals' and the specific secret arts of other major clans, every technique you can think of is here. We even possess the secret arts of smaller families like the Inuzuka and Kohaku; we simply consider them beneath our notice."
"And behind this bookshelf lie ten warehouses filled with various treasures, ninja tools, rare metals, and even chakra-conductive metal. There is enough here to fund the Uchiha in an all-out war against a Great Nation."
Ren blinked, instinctively activating his Sharingan to peer past the shelves. A brief glimpse revealed a warehouse wall made of solid, glittering gold—mountains of it stacked high.
No wonder the First and Second Hokage could power up like Super Saiyans in this room without the place collapsing, Ren thought. The walls are literally reinforced with gold and seals.
The value of what Ren was seeing could no longer be measured in millions. It explained why Setsuna Uchiha could casually offer 100 million ryo for a single head—to him, that was pocket change.
"Wait, Yashiro-senpai... what did you just say?"
Ren snapped out of his trance, his hand trembling as he pointed at the wall. "You said... I am supposed to inherit all of this?"
Yashiro shook his head at Ren's stunned expression. He looked at the boy with a calm, flat gaze.
"Yes. You inherit it. Even Fugaku Uchiha, the Captain of the Police Force who is held in such high regard, doesn't know this place exists. The Great Elder has hand-picked you to become the next Head of the Uchiha Clan."
Ren stood frozen, his mind unable to process the sheer scale of it. That golden wall alone was worth far more than 500 million ryo!
Yashiro narrowed his eyes, recalling the Great Elder's specific instructions.
"The Elder has authorized me to use these resources to help you complete your training. Your goal: to defeat Fugaku Uchiha in a fair fight and seize the title of Young Clan Head!"
Ren swallowed hard. Not to boast, but with Fugaku's current power level—before he eventually awakened his Mangekyō—Ren felt he could probably hang the man up and beat him with one hand tied behind his back. Fugaku's "teammate-death" power-up was still years away.
Yashiro paused, noticing Ren's dazed, gulping reaction. His expression turned cold.
"However... even if you have earned the recognition of many Uchiha, I still don't believe you are worth this kind of investment. You want the Forbidden Jutsu: Izanagi? You want to use these resources to master the S-Rank Secret Sword: Uchiha Style: Halo Dance? You want to become strong enough to crush Fugaku?"
Yashiro suddenly twisted the hidden switch, causing the golden wall and the scrolls to vanish back behind the illusory seals. He looked at Ren, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan spinning with an icy chill.
"You must first pass a... Inheritance Trial!"
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