Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Itachi's Transcription Seal
Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Itachi's Transcription Seal
After leaving the Hokage's office, Akira first made his way to Konoha's hospital to check on Hinata.
Hinata's body was still feverish, but her spirit seemed slightly better than before. Her chakra reserves had also significantly increased.
Akira spent some time talking with her, sharing how much he had missed her during the past half month of separation.
Of course, during their conversation, Akira subtly brought up the incident regarding Toneri Otsutsuki's attack on Konoha.
Hinata only knew that a powerful enemy had attacked the village, but she was unaware of who it was or why they had come.
This was something that Akira found quite satisfactory. She didn't know that Toneri had come specifically for her, and that was a relief.
In fact, perhaps only two people in the entire Leaf Village-Sasuke and Fugaku-knew the true reason behind Toneri's attack.
Fugaku knew because Akira had confided the truth in him.
As for Sasuke, he knew because, in his timeline, he had already experienced Toneri's attempt to kidnap Hinata.
However, neither of them had told Hinata the reason behind the attack.
After spending some time at the hospital, Akira returned to the clan compound by evening. Konan had been staying at the house quietly without causing any commotion.
After being away from home for over two weeks, Akira took the time to catch up with his grandfather as well.
At fifteen years old, Akira listened as his grandfather spoke about how his health had been declining recently.
Akira accompanied his grandfather for several laps around the compound, allowing the elderly man to stretch his legs a bit.
Chakra is a fusion of spiritual energy and physical vitality, and as one ages, both the body and mind inevitably weaken.
In the original story, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, had also experienced a decline in strength as he grew older, and it was evident that Akira's grandfather was no different.
After a long walk and some heartfelt conversation, Akira returned to the clan compound with his grandfather once night had fallen.
Once home, Akira sought out Sasuke to ask him about Toneri's attack.
In fact, the moment Toneri Otsutsuki attacked Konoha, Sasuke had immediately sensed his presence.
After all, Sasuke's primary purpose in staying in this timeline was to guard against an attack by Urashiki Otsutsuki.
Thus, Sasuke had raised Konoha's defense to a level meant to counter super-kage-level threats.
The battle between Sasuke and Toneri was intense, but Sasuke's Rinnegan proved powerful. In the end, since Toneri had not activated his Tenseigan, he was no match for Sasuke and was ultimately driven away.
"That's the gist of what happened," Sasuke concluded, summarizing the incident involving Toneri's attack for Akira.
Akira nodded approvingly, acknowledging Sasuke's success in repelling Toneri.
"By the way, how did your mission to attack the Akatsuki go?" After wrapping up the discussion on Toneri, Sasuke inquired about the mission against the Akatsuki.
He knew that the current timeline was different from his own and was curious whether Konoha's current strength was enough to take on the Akatsuki alone.
Akira didn't hold back, briefly explaining the mission to Sasuke.
"So, Itachi is dead after all? And his eyes have been transplanted into me?" Upon hearing about Itachi's death, Sasuke's expression grew somber.
"This was his choice. Itachi sought his own path-he wanted redemption, but given the crimes he committed, there was no way for him to return to the Uchiha clan," Akira said. These words made Sasuke nod silently. He understood this sentiment deeply.
In his own timeline, even if he wanted to protect Konoha, he could only do so from the shadows.
After betraying the village, there was no realistic chance for him to return to Konoha either.
Leaving Akira and Sasuke's conversation aside, elsewhere that night, Sasuke lay in bed, restless and unable to sleep.
In fact, these past days, Sasuke had barely been able to sleep at all.
He had killed Itachi with his own hands, and Itachi's eyes had been transplanted into him- something that left Sasuke feeling deeply conflicted.
If Itachi had truly been so sinful, why hadn't he, with his near-blind Mangekyou Sharingan, tried to take Sasuke's eyes to gain the Eternal Mangekyou?
Yet, Itachi had never had such intentions. Why, then, did he stay behind to cover the Akatsuki's retreat, even at the cost of his own life?
Vaguely, Sasuke felt that things weren't as simple as they seemed. There had to be more that he wasn't seeing.
As Sasuke lay tossing and turning late into the night, lost in his chaotic thoughts, his eyes suddenly opened on their own.
The Mangekyou Sharingan's pattern appeared in his eyes, and Sasuke realized that he was seeing an entirely different vision. This was Itachi's transcription seal, something Itachi had left in Sasuke's eyes long ago.
Itachi had sealed certain memories within his eyes, and the condition for triggering this seal was Sasuke's return to Konoha, specifically the first night he slept in the village.
As the transcription seal activated, Sasuke was pulled into a genjutsu. In this state, Sasuke found himself witnessing numerous scenes from Itachi's perspective.
First was the Third Shinobi World War. Sasuke watched as a dying enemy shinobi was spared by Itachi. However, once the shinobi realized Itachi was from Konoha, he showed no
gratitude and attacked, forcing Itachi to
throat.
This was the first time Itachi began to question the nature of life, war, and peace.
Next, Sasuke saw Itachi mourning the death of his comrades. He watched as a young Sasuke, barely crawling, made his way into Itachi's arms, noticing tears dripping onto his body.
Looking up, a young Sasuke, in his childlike voice, asked Itachi what was wrong. Itachi's eyes, however, had already turned red-his Sharingan had activated. Then came Itachi's days at the Academy. Finding the curriculum too easy, Itachi sent a shadow clone to attend classes while he trained with Shisui at the training grounds.
It was clear that Shisui mentored Itachi like an elder brother, and the bond they shared was
profound.
Through this genjutsu, Sasuke witnessed Itachi's growth firsthand—a journey befitting the title of genius.
Within the Uchiha clan, Itachi and Shisui were regarded as the twin prodigies, the pride of the
Uchiha.
Through Itachi's perspective, Sasuke saw the clan's arrogance. Assigned to the Konoha Police Force, the Uchiha's duties naturally put them at odds with the village's civilians, and the tension between them grew worse.
The root of the issue was the Nine-Tails' attack. Many had seen the beast's eyes take on the Sharingan's pattern, unmistakable evidence that it had been under the control of the
Sharingan's power.
This led the villagers of Konoha to suspect the Uchiha as the ones behind the attack.
As these memories surfaced, Sasuke's own childhood recollections began to become clearer. Indeed, long ago, before the Uchiha rose to power, his fellow clan members had not been on good terms with the villagers.
The Uchiha were arrogant, considering themselves superior to everyone else.
At the time, Sasuke was only six or seven years old, so many of these events had been vague
and abstract to him.
Now, revisiting those moments through Itachi's memories, the fifteen-year-old Sasuke saw things clearly-the relationship between the Uchiha and the rest of Konoha was indeed
fragile and volatile.
Borrowing Itachi's perspective, Sasuke could see even deeper. More and more members of the
Uchiha were secretly planning a coup.
Itachi, at that time, was playing the role of a double agent, walking a dangerous path between
the Uchiha clan and Konoha's leadership.
The Uchiha wanted Itachi to monitor the village's leadership from within the Anbu.
Similarly, the village elders wanted Itachi to keep an eye on the Uchiha's movements.
Caught between the village and his clan, Itachi endured unimaginable torment. Throughout these visions, Sasuke noticed Itachi gradually becoming aware of Akira's
existence.
Akira's talent had naturally attracted Itachi's attention.
Initially, it was because Akira was Shisui's disciple.
But over the course of just one year, Akira went from unlocking the Sharingan after a fall to
passing the graduation exam on his very first day at the Academy. This caught Itachi's eye, and he began to pay more and more attention to Akira.
Amid the clan's growing calls for a coup, Itachi and Shisui often discussed how best to prevent
an internal conflict between the village and the Uchiha.
And then, things finally took a turn.
One day, while Itachi was home, he heard Akira calling for help. The message was simple:
Shisui was in danger.
Upon hearing that Shisui was in trouble, Itachi immediately followed Akira.
They quickly found Shisui, who was indeed in a fight against members of Danzo's Root.
More importantly, one of Shisui's Mangekyou Sharingan had been taken by Danzo. Through the genjutsu, Sasuke was now able to witness these events from Itachi's perspective
for the first time.
POWER STONE!!!
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to 50+ chapters at patreon.com/Emiko1.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om