Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 469 The New Kaleidoscope

On that desolate, ruined landscape, countless eerie black flames, like menacing demons, spread wantonly in every corner. They burned fiercely, as if determined to devour the land completely.

Each black flame emitted a chillingly high temperature, making the already unbearably hot battlefield feel like it was in a furnace. Even though raindrops occasionally fell from the sky, these insignificant raindrops were instantly evaporated upon contact with the black flames, having no effect whatsoever.

The black flames leaped and twisted, seemingly alive, sending chills down one's spine. The billowing heat they released made it difficult to breathe, as if the very air itself was on fire. Even the most seasoned warrior would find it hard to remain calm in such an environment.

At this moment, amidst the ruins ravaged by war, a suffocating atmosphere of smoke and death permeated the air. Uchiha Sasuke's back was pressed tightly against the cold, hard stone wall, as if it were his only support. He stood there straight, motionless like a statue, his gaze fixed firmly on Uchiha Itachi, who was slowly approaching him.

Although a hint of panic flickered deep in Sasuke's eyes, he struggled to remain calm. As a descendant of the Uchiha clan, he knew he couldn't show weakness at this moment. Even if his heart was filled with fear and unease, he had to uphold the last vestige of his clan's honor. So, he gritted his teeth, straightened his spine with all his might, and made himself appear indestructible.

As Itachi Uchiha pressed closer, the powerful Susanoo enveloping his body began to dissipate like smoke. He couldn't help but spit out mouthfuls of bright red blood, staining the ground beneath his feet. Yet, even so, Itachi's steps remained unwavering. Dragging his wounded and trembling body, he struggled to reach Sasuke.

Just as Sasuke was convinced that his brother was about to cruelly take his eyes, he suddenly heard Itachi Uchiha speak softly with a gentle smile, his voice barely audible: "Forgive me, Sasuke! This is the last time..." Then, Itachi trembled and extended a finger, a finger as gentle as it had been years ago when they were still at home. Back then, Sasuke would often act spoiled towards his brother, and Itachi would affectionately tap his forehead. Now, the same gesture was repeated, but this time, the finger slid slowly down Sasuke's cheek, finally falling limply to his side.

After doing all this, Itachi Uchiha smiled, but his body could no longer support him, and he collapsed heavily beside Sasuke. In an instant, the once incomparably powerful being lay lifeless on the ground, forever closing those eyes that had once been filled with deep affection and pain.

At this moment, Sasuke Uchiha's eyes gradually lost focus, becoming utterly bewildered. Itachi Uchiha's dying words struck his heart like a hammer blow; his final action was like a surging, relentless wave crashing against the most vulnerable lines of his soul. The impact of all this was simply unparalleled!

For a moment, Sasuke felt as if he had traveled back to the past, back to his warm home. Back then, he had an older brother who loved him dearly—Uchiha Itachi. That brother always had a smile on his face, his eyes filled with endless tenderness, taking meticulous care of the young Sasuke. Whether it was the trivialities of life or the difficulties encountered while training in ninjutsu, his brother would patiently offer help and guidance. During that time, Sasuke felt only boundless love and care.

Yet, this seemingly perfect older brother became the murderer who slaughtered the entire Uchiha clan! This fact, like a sharp dagger, pierced Sasuke's heart, causing him unbearable pain. Now, facing the deceased Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's heart is filled with contradiction and struggle. On one hand, those beautiful memories keep flooding back, making it difficult for him to sever his feelings for his brother; on the other hand, how can he easily forget the blood feud? How can he so easily forgive this sinner whose hands are stained with the blood of his clan?

Sasuke Uchiha stared wide-eyed at Itachi Uchiha lying lifeless beside him. His body trembled slightly; the joy and relief that should have come with successful revenge had vanished without a trace, replaced only by endless sorrow and grief.

Itachi Uchiha's dying words and heartbreaking actions struck Sasuke's heart like a hammer blow. Every word pierced him like a sharp blade, causing waves of pain to ripple deep within his soul. Sasuke stood there, stunned, letting the tide of grief engulf him, his brother's last words echoing in his mind.

Just then, a powerful and violent force suddenly erupted from Sasuke's body. His eyes, which had already reached the limit of the three-tomoe Sharingan, began to undergo an astonishing change. The blood-red patterns in his pupils twisted and intertwined wildly, as if they were alive. As time passed, these patterns gradually converged into a new and mysterious pattern—a dazzling six-pointed star!

However, this sudden evolution brought Sasuke no joy or relief. On the contrary, due to the excessive consumption of physical and mental energy, his body was already overwhelmed. After completing the transformation of his Sharingan, Sasuke finally couldn't hold on any longer, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground.

Just as Sasuke Uchiha's body was about to fall backward uncontrollably and make intimate contact with the ground, a dark figure suddenly appeared beside the two brothers like a ghost. This person wore a mysterious mask, making it impossible to see his true face, but from the slightly upturned corners of his mouth and the contempt in his eyes, one could feel his disdain for the scene before him.

It turned out that the masked man had been lurking nearby, silently observing this thrilling battle. He had taken in every detail, and naturally, he had also noticed Itachi Uchiha's unusual behavior throughout the fight. Itachi, possessing the powerful Mangekyou Sharingan, could have easily defeated the still-inexperienced Sasuke Uchiha simply by overwhelming him with his eye power. However, he deliberately concealed his strength, making himself appear incredibly weak.

The masked man knew Itachi Uchiha's true strength all too well. Even someone as powerful as him wouldn't dare to be careless when facing Itachi, let alone be absolutely certain of victory. Through his long-term, in-depth investigation and intelligence gathering on Itachi, the masked man knew perfectly well that this seemingly fierce life-or-death duel was actually nothing more than a meticulously planned practical training session by Itachi, designed solely to guide and hone Sasuke's skills.

However, the situation was now becoming increasingly favorable for the mysterious masked man. Sasuke Uchiha was still in a stage of immaturity, which gave the masked man an opportunity. With careful planning and clever manipulation, he was confident that Sasuke could become his most useful tool. Moreover, what was even more enticing was that this tool possessed the powerful and rare Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, making him an ideal choice.

The masked man was utterly confident in his ability to manipulate and control Sasuke. The reason lay in the numerous events that had occurred in Konoha, most of which were based on fact. He only needed to embellish these events slightly to easily redirect Sasuke's burning rage for revenge towards Konoha. Once Sasuke, possessing the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, was completely blinded by hatred, he would undoubtedly unleash a frenzied revenge against Konoha, effectively tying down a significant portion of the village's fighting force. This would allow the masked man to more easily advance his conspiracy and gradually achieve his hidden ambitions.

"Uchiha Itachi, you were still too naive!" The masked man slowly raised his face from the shadows, his cold eyes fixed on the lifeless Uchiha Itachi before him. His words were full of mockery and disdain. "Did you really think Uchiha Sasuke would obediently follow the path you meticulously planned? Hmph, that's just wishful thinking!"

He narrowed his eyes slightly and continued, "In this world filled with suffering, sorrow, and despair, has there ever been a moment of peace? And your Uchiha clan is a clan burdened with endless curses, your fate already sealed. And you? You actually dared to try to protect that young and ignorant Uchiha Sasuke with your own strength, it's utterly laughable!"

At this point, the masked man couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, a laugh that echoed in the silent air like the cry of a night owl, sending chills down one's spine. He stepped forward, looking down at Uchiha Itachi, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips. "Now it seems your plan was nothing but a futile effort. Uchiha Sasuke will eventually break free from the constraints you've placed upon him and walk his own path, a path perhaps darker and more cruel than you imagine..."

Immediately afterwards, ripples spread through the air, like waves created by a stone thrown into a calm lake. These strange fluctuations enveloped the two brothers with lightning speed, as if an invisible giant hand had suddenly pulled them away. In an instant, the two disappeared from their original spot and were forcibly sucked into the mysterious alternate dimension created by his Sharingan.