A week passed in a blur as the ninja worked tirelessly to rebuild the village's infrastructure. During this hectic period, the genin saw little of their Jonin sensei, who were busy with missions triggered by the recent chaos. Naruto knew these missions involved raiding several of Orochimaru's bases, using the intel he had obtained.
Most of the bases had been nearly emptied by the time the teams arrived, but they managed to capture a few dozen Sound ninja amid their evacuation. Despite the near-empty bases, the raids were successful. They disrupted many of Orochimaru's sinister experiments and rescued numerous ninjas and civilians who had been trapped. Among their number were a couple of bloodline wielders that Orochimaru had captured. Although their abilities were relatively weak, the sound would still not be pleased that they were intercepted during their evacuation.
These efforts dealt a significant blow to Orochimaru's operations and expanded Konoha's intelligence on his activities. The swift evacuation of the sound bases suggested a well-coordinated effort, raising suspicions that Orochimaru might indeed have been revived. Naruto's detailed recollections of the layouts of the different sound bases were shared with the raid teams using a combination of Uzumaki and Yamanaka clan techniques.
Naruto noticed that many of the destroyed homes of Konoha were rebuilt remarkably fast, with new wooden structures seemingly appearing overnight. Minato assumed it to be the work of the wood-style user he had learned of during Danzo's interrogation. The village layout shifted significantly, with new alleys forming and old buildings disappearing. Konoha seized the chance to enhance its security, altering the layout to confuse future invaders. While minor adjustments occurred every few months, these current changes would make the village almost unrecognizable. Minato explained to Naruto that the goal was to remove any familiarity for potential invaders, based on the current intel likely being sold by enemy shinobi.
Naruto was having the time of his life, learning and applying new earth and water-style jutsu to speed up the remodeling of the village. He and his numerous clones were deployed across the village, completing over thirty D-rank missions in just a week by aiding in various capacities with his clone army. Naruto noticed a shift in the villagers' perceptions of him, evolving from a loathsome troublemaker to a tolerable nuisance because of all the help he has been providing. However, his parents were less than pleased about the lingering discrimination he faced, feeling frustrated by their limited ability to change their attitude.
Today, Naruto stood with Sasuke and Shikamaru outside the Hokage's office. He had regularly joined Team Seven's Fūinjutsu training sessions with either Mito or Kushina, but beyond that, they hadn't spent much time together. Naruto knew Sasuke was getting frustrated; he wanted to talk about Naruto's new bloodline. After a talk with the Hokage and his family, they decided it was time to share some details with the team. The alternative was to disband the team since keeping such a big secret could create distrust and break them apart. Naruto was vehemently against breaking up the team, so sharing some information seemed the only choice.
Hiding the Rinnegan forever wasn't practical. Naruto might need to use it in a critical situation, such as an Akatsuki ambush, and he might have to reveal it anyway. Waiting too long could make Sasuke even more suspicious. Naruto wanted to be a good friend and knew that being secretive wouldn't help. Minato agreed, recalling Ashura's advice about the need for cooperation.
"You can go in now," the Hokage's secretary indicated to the trio, waking Naruto from his thoughts.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru exchanged glances before stepping into the Third Hokage's office. Naruto waved at Iruka sitting near the missions desk, where he often assisted the Hokage in sorting and handing out the missions. Kakashi and Asuma were standing in front of the Hokage's desk, and the Third himself was seated behind it. The Hokage looked up as the three entered, and gave them a warm smile and gestured to them to stand in front of him.
"I have called you here to share some important news regarding your progress as ninja in the service of Konoha," the Third began. "The panel of examiners for the Chuunin Exam has reviewed your performances and unanimously recommended that the three of you be promoted to the rank of Chuunin. Congratulations!"
"Alright! That's what I'm talking about!" Naruto cheered, bouncing as he celebrated his first step towards his dream. He was wondering when he would know about the results.
"Great, more work. This is such a drag…" Shikamaru sighed, while Sasuke stepped forward and bowed slightly to the Hokage.
"I mean no disrespect, Lord Hokage, but my exam was interrupted by the invasion. What merited my promotion, if I may ask?"
The Third showed a hint of surprise but nodded at the question.
"As we have mentioned before, Sasuke, the battles are just one component in the entire exam. Your performance in the second phase was commendable, particularly the survival against Orochimaru. He could and would have killed you had you failed to show the promise he was seeking. Your battle in the preliminaries and your help during the invasion was also counted towards the promotion."
Sasuke did not seem entirely convinced but gave another bow and stepped back. The Hokage then addressed the newly promoted chuunin after handing them his handwritten order.
"As you know, Kohoha has just weathered a significant invasion. We have lost a significant number of genin and chuunin. However, this has no bearing on the choice to promote the three of you. It would be counterproductive for the village to promote ninja before they are ready, as those are just casualties waiting to happen. Now," The Hokage's grim expression shifted to a smile. "Your promotions enable you to accept missions outside the scope of your team, as it would help you integrate with the larger shinobi cadre. When on missions, you are expected to follow the directive of the team lead even if they may be of the same rank as you. Depending on your progress, the village may eventually trust you to lead your own missions with members from the genin corps. You are entitled to receive the standard set of chuunin battle gear from the quartermaster of shinobi provisions, free of cost. However, if it gets damaged, replacements will have to be paid for. If you wish, you may apply for an apprenticeship in one of Konoha's military divisions such as the intelligence division, the sealing corps, the jutsu research wing, the training corps, and so on. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Dismissed."
"Yes sir!" The three new chuunin chimed, bowed, and turned back to leave. As they passed Iruka's desk, the chuunin beamed with pride. "Congratulations, you three. I'm very proud of you. Getting promoted to Chuunin so quickly is no small feat."
"Thanks Iruka sensei! Bet you didn't see this coming!" Naruto laughed. "I'll treat you tonight!"
"Well, I'll be glad I'm not the one paying for once!" Iruka replied, smiling.
Shikamaru and Asuma left the group after a parting nod, and Kakashi finally addressed his students. "I'm proud of you two, flying the coop so soon," He brushed an imaginary tear from his eye. "I'm sure Sakura will be pleased as well. We should celebrate. So… would you like to extend that offer for a treat to us as well, Naruto?"
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Cheapskate!" He accused. "I was gonna call everyone to my new place anyway. Come to the main house of the Senju clan in the evening. We'll host you there." He said, his tone half-bragging.
Sasuke looked surprised. "You live in the Senju clan compound now? That's why your home appeared abandoned."
"You were checking on me? I'm touched!" Naruto teased.
"Don't flatter yourself." Sasuke snorted. "You promised me an explanation."
Naruto nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'll tell you guys today," he relented.
With that, the trio parted ways. Kakashi, once again absorbed in his book, Naruto made a beeline to his house with a bounce in his step, and Sasuke strode towards the Uchiha clan grounds to resume his training.
Sakura gazed at the tall trees bordering the Senju clan compound in wonder. The entire compound could be mistaken for a forest, with its dense canopy and ancient, towering trunks. The air was filled with the scent of nature and earth, and the sounds of rustling leaves and distant bird calls could be heard. She thought Naruto may be pranking her when his clone informed her about his invitation to the team banquet hosted at the Senju grounds. But since she remembered the relationship between the Uzumaki and the Senju, she supposed it might be true. Especially since Naruto had found a new guardian in Lady Tomi Uzumaki.
Sakura had to admit, it was unsurprising that she was the only one in her team that didn't make chuunin. She knew that she was the worst of the rookie genin who didn't get transferred to the genin corps, but this fact did sting her a little. She was starting to realize how woefully unprepared she was for the life of a shinobi. She had seen all the glamor but none of the danger when she first became enamored with it. It was the 'cool' thing to do, and propaganda spread among civilians never allowed them to hear the dark and cruel reality of the shinobi world. She had realized some truths after joining the academy, which was why she had dedicated herself to excelling academically. However, being textbook smart simply wasn't enough, as she had realized during the debacles in the forest of death.
Sasuke was no surprise, but watching Naruto and Shikamaru grow stronger and surpass her in months had been a bitter pill to swallow. The two worst performers in class had become chuunin before her. She felt that Naruto's loud-mouthed proclamations of becoming Hokage were no longer a pipe dream. Sakura was currently focussing on improving herself in two aspects. Fuinjutsu, the art of sealing, and Iryō Ninjutsu, the art of healing. While she had quickly memorized and accurately recreated all the seals demonstrated by Suchiko-sensei, she couldn't claim to have a natural talent for Fuinjutsu. Her progress in drawing the seals was noticeably slower compared to Sasuke and even Naruto. Interestingly, Naruto was developing a surprisingly nuanced understanding of Fuinjutsu. As soon as Suchiko-sensei described a seal, he would immediately come up with multiple clever ways it could be used.
On the medical ninjutsu training, Sakura managed to create a chain of eight pins and control them independently to a satisfactory degree. This had earned her the promised recommendation from Tomi-Sensei to apprentice at the medical corps, which was unique among Konoha's divisions in taking any shinobi with adequate chakra control irrespective of their rank -most of the other divisions required one to be a chuunin or above. There, she was given the task of watching, learning, and assisting the medical ninja in various capacities.
Oddly enough, there was a boy named Toruna around her age who reminded her of Naruto, also apparently apprenticing in the medical corps. What amazed her was how incredibly knowledgeable he was of medical ninjutsu, although his chakra control was laughable when compared to the division's standards. He was buzzing around helping to diagnose and treat the victims of the invasion, often judging problems with a mere glance or feeling their pulse. Although he could not treat them, she heard the seniors of the corps comparing his skills in diagnosis to that of Lady Tsunade.
Toruna had become an invaluable mentor to Sakura as she tagged along with him to learn the art of diagnosis. Even though Toruna listed all the symptoms he noticed and explained his thought process for each diagnosis, Sakura still couldn't fathom how he determined the ailment within seconds of looking at a patient. The shinobi were afflicted with a multitude of poisons during the invasion, each displaying slightly different symptoms. Yet, Toruna not only caught all of the symptoms but also knew the correct antidote without consulting the medical reference compendium prepared by Tsunade. He often suggested remedies for obscure poisons not listed in any references, and they inevitably worked when the supervising med-ninja tried them for lack of better options.
Shaking herself out of her reverie, Sakura walked through the Senju compound entrance. She was struck by the harmonious blend of nature and architecture. Wooden buildings, intricately carved and seamlessly integrated into the landscape, dotted the area. Vines climbed the walls, and moss-covered stone paths wound through lush gardens filled with vibrant flowers and small, tranquil ponds.
Naruto emerged from one of the buildings, waving energetically. "Sakura! Glad you could make it! Welcome to the Senju compound!"
Sakura smiled and bowed politely. "Thank you for inviting me, Naruto. This place is amazing! It's like a hidden paradise."
Naruto grinned, clearly proud of his new home. "Yeah, it's pretty cool, isn't it? Come on, I'll show you around. The others should be here soon."
As they walked, Sakura marveled at the rich history that seemed to seep from every corner of the compound. The compound was probably created by the First Hokage himself, the legendary leader who is hailed as the one who brought peace to the land and established the Hidden Leaf Village. The compound truly lived up to the name of the village, with vegetation so thick that it was truly hidden in the leaves.
After a brief tour, Naruto led Sakura to a large central courtyard where some familiar faces had gathered. Iruka looked around the ancient compound in wonder, and Sakura was glad she wasn't alone in her awe. Sasuke had arrived with another Naruto clone, followed surprisingly by Kakashi who was on time for once. Lady Tomi greeted the guests warmly, accompanied by Suchiko-sensei.
As they settled in, Lady Tomi began serving tea, while Suchiko-sensei handed out plates of delicious food. The group chatted and laughed, enjoying the peaceful evening. Even Kakashi seemed genuinely pleased to be there, setting his book aside for a moment to engage in conversation with Suchiko-sensei. The interaction between them was warm and affectionate, giving Sakura the vibes of an elder sister fussing over her baby brother; Suchiko-sensei playfully brushed Kakashi's hair aside and bombarded him with a barrage of personal questions, prompting a rare blush of embarrassment from the usually composed Jonin. Iruka had started a conversation with Tomi about the art of sealing, which was something they had a mutual interest in.
As the evening drew near, Iruka finally stood up, a warm smile on his face. "I should be going now. Thank you for inviting me, Naruto, and I'm proud of all of you. Sakura, I'm hearing good things about your skills from my friends in the medical corps. I believe you will be a very good medical ninja one day." He said. Sakura was embarrassed at the praise, but nodded in thanks for the words of encouragement. As Iruka left, Suchiko tagged along with him, and Mito started arranging the plates to carry inside. She vehemently protested the others' attempts to help her, advising them to continue their conversations and leave the remaining chores to her.
Naruto saw this as a signal for the long-pending team talk. Kushina had left to enable him to be alone with his team, as her presence as a supposed outsider in a team meeting might raise suspicion.
"So, Sasuke, Sakura, I've been meaning to talk to you guys…." he began.
"Finally…" Sasuke folded his hands, activating his Sharingan. "Show it to me."
"Show what?" Sakura asked in confusion, glancing at Naruto. She gasped and took a step back as she saw her teammate's eyes.
"Ta-da!" Naruto spread his arms out as he revealed his Rinnegan to his teammates.
"I-is that a dojutsu?!" Sakura exclaimed in shock. "You have a bloodline limit? I don't know there were dojutsu other than the Sharingan and the Byakugan… Do you know what that is, Sasuke? Sasuke?"
Sasuke stood rooted to his spot, eyes widening comically and breathing becoming erratic as he saw what Naruto possessed. He opened his mouth to say something, but words seemed to fail him as he processed the madness he was witnessing.
'I guess you were right, dad. It looks like Sasuke recognized the Rinnegan.' Naruto thought.
'But how?' Kushina replied in wonder, now back inside his mind. 'How could he know that? He's not the clan head or anything…'
'The concept of the three great dojutsu is not a big secret to those from a shinobi background. Most have atleast heard of the Rinnegan. It is not surprising that the Uchiha may have a vague idea of what it looks like, since their clan is intimately related to it.' Minato explained his reasoning.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked tentatively, wondering if he'll have to shake his teammate out of his stupor.
"...the Rinnegan." Sasuke whispered, his voice coming out feeble and weak. His strength seemed to have failed him as he witnessed eyes even greater than Itachi's in the possession of the village idiot. The hallowed eyes of the great sage, one that is said to be able to fully decipher the secrets of the Uchiha tablet. The eyes looked exactly as described in the tablet, which thankfully was one of the parts he had managed to decipher.
"How?" Sasuke demanded, using deep breaths to calm himself.
"Well… would you believe me if I told you that I awakened it when Jiraiya tossed me into a ravine?"
"What?" Sakura appeared horrified. "Why?"
"Well, you know how the adage goes… 'If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub'. Turns out he really believes in that." Naruto said jokingly.
"But how did it manifest in you in the first place?" Sasuke asked. "I don't know much about it, but it's somehow related to the Sharingan. I have never heard that it's a trait passed down in any clan, let alone the Uzumaki. In fact, aren't chakra chains the bloodline limit of the Uzumaki?"
'Wow, he sure did his research.' Naruto sweat-dropped. "Yeah, that's right. Tomi told me that the Rinnegan is a common ancestor to almost all of the bloodlines. The Senju and Uchiha are the two direct bloodlines descending from it, and the Uzumaki are cousins of the Senju."
"So the eyes of the sage just appeared on you? Why not any other Senju? Why not the First Hokage, for instance? It hasn't been seen for a thousand years!"
'Well, in for a penny, in for a pound.' Naruto thought. 'No point in not telling them about Shisui… Just need to leave out some bits.'
Naruto proceeded to tell them what he knew of the plight of Shisui Uchiha. Sasuke looked extremely conflicted when he heard the story.
"My brother… was under suspicion from the clan for killing Shisui Uchiha. He even told me that he was the one who did it."
"Pretty sure it was this Danzo guy who killed him, or at least caused his death," Naruto said gently. Minato, who was listening, had a grim expression on his face. He had not revealed the true cause of the Uchiha massacre to Naruto, and it looked like Itachi was destined to be hated by his village and brother forever.
"I wouldn't have put it past him to find an injured Shisui and kill him when he saw the opportunity," Sasuke said darkly. "After all, he sought the forbidden power of the Uchiha…"
"The Mangekyou?" Naruto guessed.
Sasuke's eyes snapped towards Naruto in surprise. "How did you know about that?"
"Once again, Lady Tomi," Naruto said, with a meaningful look.
"Oh," Sasuke's eyes widened, remembering who Tomi actually was. "Right."
"I'm lost," Sakura said, glancing at her two teammates and Kakashi sensei, who was merely watching. "What's so special about this Rinnegan and this Mangekyou?"
"The Mangekyou is an advanced level of the Sharingan," Sasuke said, refusing to elaborate. "And the Rinnegan is the dojutsu that was said to belong to the Sage of the Six Paths, the ancestor of all shinobi and the creator of ninjutsu."
Sakura's eyes bulged in shock. She now understood Sasuke's reaction. She looked at Naruto, finally understanding the whole conversation from a new perspective. "Um.. so, what does it do?"
"From what I know so far, I have gravity powers now," Naruto said. This was something that Sasuke had already seen. He slowly rose from the ground and floated a few feet above them.
"Wha…" Sakura gaped as Naruto floated in front of her with nothing to hold him. It reminded her of the history lessons on the handful of shinobi of Iwagakure who were said to be able to fly.
"This was what you used against the Shukaku?" Sasuke asked, recalling Naruto's attack that caused the One Tail's attack to backfire.
"Yup," Naruto grinned, and extended his palms to point towards his teammates. Against their will, they too began to float.
"Eeek!" Sakura screamed. "Putmedownputmedownputmedown!"
Sasuke strained his Sharingan to see what was happening, but he could get nothing. He didn't see any hand signs, which in itself was strange. Naruto's chakra was being used, and nature was somehow bending to his will as a result. He could not find an easy way to escape this hold.
"Don't worry, yeesh!" Naruto pouted and placed his teammates back on the ground.
"I can also see chakra and it helps me understand ninjutsu," Naruto explained as he descended. "And it lets me learn all forms of elemental jutsu."
"...what?" Sakura said weakly. "All of them?"
"Uh huh," Naruto nodded.
"So far, this sounds like a merger between the Uchiha's visual prowess and the Senju's chakra prowess," Sasuke deduced. "But the visual aspects seems… underdeveloped. Are you still keeping secrets?" He accused.
'Sorry Sasuke. Dad asked me to keep the ability to understand bloodlines a secret for now. And no way I'm gonna tell them I can absorb souls and shit,' Naruto thought. "I mean, it's a little similar to both the Byakugan and the Sharingan but it doesn't have the full power of either. Tomi said that since I only got the chakra of one eye, my visual abilities may not be on-par with the true Rinnegan. But since I have plenty of Senju chakra, I'm good at the physical aspect."
"Yang, more than Yin, hmm?" Sasuke mused. "Makes sense. You have an absurd amount of Yang anyway," He exhaled, thinking hard. 'He might be able to fully decipher the stone tablet-'
'DON'T!' a strong voice echoed inside Sasuke's mind, filled with fury. Sasuke froze in shock, his Sharingan darting around as he tried to locate the source of the voice.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, concerned at the abrupt shift in Sasuke's demeanor. His chakra had flared as if reacting to a shock.
'Do not react.' a voice instructed inside Sasuke's mind. 'I will give you the answers you seek, but do not even consider letting an outsider view our secrets. Especially not one of Ashura's descendants, and especially not one with those eyes,' The voice reeked of malice when it spoke of the last part.
Sasuke swallowed. "It's nothing," He said shakily. "I just remembered something that Itachi said," he lied. A million questions sprang up in his mind, but he felt as if he couldn't deny this voice. It was not Orochimaru, for the cursed seal had all but vanished. Who was inside his head? It sounded like someone who was related to the Uchiha clan.
Naruto glanced at Kakashi, who looked at Sasuke contemplatively. He gave a slight shake of the head, and the latter decided not to press the issue.
"It's getting late," Sasuke announced. "I better get going. Please thank Lady Tomi for me," He gave a shallow bow and abruptly turned, leaving in a hurried pace.
"Sasuke…" Sakura said worriedly. "What's gotten into him?"
"I don't know," Naruto replied. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Was it a mistake to reveal his Rinnegan? It seemed like there was no right choice. Lying through his teeth while Sasuke had already deduced that he had a dojutsu would ruin their trust forever. Now, when he revealed as much as he could, something had happened. Did he really remember something that Itachi said? Or is it something else entirely?
Minato, who was observing the interaction through Naruto, shared his thoughts. 'He's lying. You can understand it from the chakra fluctuations that you see, Naruto. His eyes were looking around as if he was searching for something suddenly. Like back when Ashura's voice was heard in your mind and you looked around for the source back then…' Minato sighed. 'I suspect something similar may be at play. If Ashura can appear in your mind, it stands to reason that-'
'-Indra can appear in Sasuke's mind. Got it.' Naruto swallowed heavily, thinking of the implications. This was not good. Not good at all.
'As much as I hate to say it, it might be better not to press him on what happened,' Kushina advised. 'He might already be feeling bad that you gained the Rinnegan, and he's the one who desperately wants to grow stronger to get his revenge. What he needs is a true friend. Convince him that he's not at this alone. You're teammates. He shouldn't shoulder this immense responsibility by himself.'
Minato looked conflicted. Naruto couldn't afford to get into any pact with Sasuke when the full truth was hidden from him. If he revealed what he knew to Naruto, Naruto would want to tell Sasuke the truth. Or, if the topic of Itachi came up, Naruto would find it difficult to keep his composure or earnestly support Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. He was a victim of the circumstances that Danzo created, although Minato couldn't absolve Lord Third of all blame. He glanced at Kushina, who was looking at him curiously.
'Naruto,' Minato began, 'There are things about Sasuke and the Uchiha clan that you don't know. Things that could change how you support him. I cannot tell you anything beyond this now, as Sasuke himself is unaware of the truth. For the peace of the village, this truth must not be shared with Sasuke, at least until a time when he might understand.' As a past Hokage, it was absolutely irrational and illegal of him to share even this much with his son. As a parent, however, he trusted his son to do the right thing. This would not be possible if he operated based on misconceptions.
'What?' Naruto was confused. 'What do you mean by that? It's so vague!'
'I know,' Minato said, 'But you must understand that as a shinobi, you must look underneath the underneath. One person's perception of reality might not contain the whole truth.'
'Okaaay…' Naruto scratched his head. What information could change the way I support Sasuke? Was Itachi innocent? Was he blamed unfairly for the incident? Did the clan attack Itachi and he killed them in self-defense? Was Itachi compelled to do what he did? Was he blackmailed? Naruto had many questions, but it looked like this was the best his dad could tell him without making him party to the secret. Maybe Itachi was compelled in some way, because Naruto couldn't see why the secret couldn't be shared with Sasuke if he was truly innocent. Besides, it seemed like Itachi even talked to Sasuke after the deed. Come to think of it, why kill everyone but spare Sasuke?
"Naruto?" Sakura said tentatively. "What are you thinking about?"
"Oh, nothing Sakura," Naruto shook himself out of his thoughts. "Just wondering what was up with Sasuke…"
"Better not push him," Kakashi unknowingly echoed Kushina's advice. "He looked like he needs some time to think,"
"Okay sensei," Naruto nodded. Sakura frowned but also agreed.
Sasuke Uchiha stood in front of the Uchiha stone tablet inside the Naka shrine of the Uchiha clan.
"Okay, I'm here. Who are you, and why can't I see you?"
'Close your eyes and focus on locating me within your mind,' the voice instructed.
'Within my mind… Is this a technique similar to the Yamanaka?' Sasuke wondered and did as he was told. Barely a moment later, his vision darkened and he passed out in front of the monument.
Sasuke awoke with a jolt, his Sharingan flaring to life as he scanned his surroundings. He was in total darkness, and he could see nothing but a formless void.
'Sasuke Uchiha,' The voice from earlier echoed around him. Sasuke looked around frantically while assuming a defensive stance. Suddenly, he saw a bright light in front of him that materialized into a corporeal entity.
"I wish you no harm," A young man with dark brown hair materialized in front of him. His clothing was strange, and so was his manner of speaking. Sasuke was shocked to see a red eye resembling the Sharingan with a star-like shape in his eyes. Was this the Mangekyou Sharingan? But it differed in pattern from that of his brother.
"I am Indra Ōtsutsuki. I am the creator of ninjutsu, the ancestor of the Uchiha clan, and the true heir to my father, the sage of the six paths." The man declared.
Sasuke's eyebrow rose. "That's a lot of claims," he said simply.
The man's eyes narrowed in anger. His chakra flared, and Sasuke felt an overpowering presence weigh down on him. His knees buckled and he struggled to stay upright, gritting his teeth against the intense pressure.
"You doubt my words?" Indra's voice was cold and commanding. "Do you not recognize the power that stands before you?"
Sasuke fought to steady himself, meeting Indra's gaze with defiance. "Power alone doesn't make what you say true," he replied. "Why should I believe you?"
Indra's mouth twitched slightly upwards and his eyes had a hint of approval. "You are cautious, and rightfully so. Good. I shall show you then," His eyes spun and he whispered the words that Sasuke had come to associate with his nightmares. "Tsukuyomi!"
Sasuke's surroundings abruptly shifted, and he began to see a cascade of memories. The first memory featured an old man with horns, a severe face, and Rinnegan eyes. This man was apparently Indra's father. In another memory, he recognized Indra as a young boy, sparring with his younger brother, Ashura. Indra easily defeated Ashura in every bout, though their father disapproved of the constant fighting. The old man preached peace and promoted his ninshuu as a path to achieve it, clearly hoping his children would continue his legacy.
Indra was initially fascinated with ninshuu but soon saw its limitations. He quickly realized chakra's infinite potential and began molding it to create various techniques. He named this improved version of his father's teachings ninjutsu. Sasuke watched as Indra invented the handseals that would become the foundation of the shinobi world and developed the fundamental jutsu taught in the academy. As Indra's talent shone brighter, Sasuke saw Ashura struggling to keep up, often needing help to complete even the simplest tasks.
Finally, Sasuke witnessed the sage's ultimate test and the shocking moment when the old man declared Ashura, not Indra, as his successor and the heir to ninshuu. This caused a serious conflict between the brothers after the sage passed away. Indra had amassed a significant group of followers by then, and he named them the Uchiha. Ashura named his friends and students the Senju in response.
"So," Indra asked as the memories stopped, "What do you think?"
"I suppose this is proof enough," Sasuke said slowly. It was unlikely that such an elaborate flood of memories was false. "How are you still alive?"
"I am not alive," Indra replied. "The conflict between my brother and I fuelled the unending feud between the Uchiha clan and the Senju clan. However, I knew that my men could not be trusted to carry on my will without guidance. So I anchored my chakra to this earth and allowed it to find worthy hosts every century or so to carry out my will. You are the current host, and the host before you was Madara Uchiha."
Sasuke's eyes widened at the mention of his famous ancestor, the most powerful Uchiha to ever live. Although the Uchiha liked to pretend that he didn't exist, it was a name too well-known to fade from history. However, Indra's explanation just opened a whole new can of worms.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "How did you ensure that your will is carried out? Are you controlling me?"
"No, and this is not a form of possession either. I am not controlling your actions. Rather, our thought process is likely to be similar due to the influence of my chakra. I wanted my ideals to linger through the generations. In fact, I have not actively shown myself to any of your predecessors before this."
"Why show yourself now?" Sasuke asked. "Is it because of Naruto's Rinnegan?"
Indra frowned. "That had a great deal to do with it. Another reason is that I have realized that Ashura has directly interfered with his host somehow."
"Ashura's host? Is that Naruto? Did he too use a technique similar to yours to pass on his ideals?"
"Yes, he is. Our chakra was bound to linger for a long time, since it was extremely strong," Indra explained. "What I did was to ensure that some of my consciousness also lingered along with it. I am unsure of what Ashura did, but I know now that he has appeared and guided this Naruto Uzumaki."
"And you came to know this, how?"
"Irrelevant. I have my sources." Indra replied, brushing off the question. "The point is that his descendants are getting stronger, and mine have all but died out. This merited my intervention."
"Why did the sage choose Ashura as his successor? You are the eldest and you were so much better than him," Sasuke frowned.
"That, young Uchiha," Indra said, "Is a question that has tormented me for a millenia. I can only think that my father had taken leave of his senses, or he envied me for my boundless potential."
Sasuke nodded slowly, not sure what the true reason was. By all rights, Indra should have been the one to succeed the sage. However, the old man had favored his weaker son for some unknown reason. He knew that he probably knew only half of the story, and Indra showed him only that which he wanted him to see.
"What is your goal?" Sasuke asked, absently wondering if he was stuck in some genjutsu or if this was truly happening. If he hadn't seen the Rinnegan on Naruto, he would have thought he was going mad if something like this was sprung up on him.
"My initial goal was to prove the superiority of ninjutsu over ninshuu. But that is now irrelevant; the world has already forgotten my father's idealistic dreams. What matters now are the escalating conflicts and the world drifting further from peace. Senju ideals have led us to this state. Too much freedom has brought about disasters like the three shinobi wars. True peace can only be achieved by controlling the populace through force," Indra said. "My father was simply too weak-willed and bowed to the whims of bloodthirsty men. He never took it upon himself to force the world into order. Just as a good father disciplines an unruly child, a good leader must control this chaotic shinobi world. All of my previous transmigrations eventually arrived at this single answer. Humans are motivated by their baser instincts and find violence as a solution to all problems. That is the only language they understand. To bring about true peace, this world's free will must be sacrificed. If bloodshed is the means to achieve it, I would rather embrace it than shy away from it."
"While that's an interesting goal," Sasuke said, caring little of the man's rhetoric, "I fail to see what that has to do with me. I do not care about war or peace. The Uchiha clan is no more, it was slaughtered by Itachi Uchiha. My only wish is to destroy him. That is the only purpose I exist for."
"Transgressors must be punished, and this Itachi Uchiha will reap what he sowed," Indra looked at Sasuke in the eye. "Swear your loyalty to me and only me, and I will teach you and make your dreams come true."
"And in exchange, you want me to realize this goal of yours?" Sasuke asked.
"Indeed. You help me, and I will help you. You will realize my goal and remove anyone who stands in its way."
Sasuke had a grim expression on his face. "Following through with your goal would make me no better than Itachi. A mindless slaughterer of the innocent."
"No one is truly innocent." Indra said in an expression of disdain. "Even your brother was an innocent babe once, by your perspective. But the world twists them, reality blackens their soul. Besides, as you are now, you cannot hope to defeat someone with the Mangekyou Sharingan. Your brother knows that you will seek its power, and then he will steal your power to amplify his."
"What do you mean?" Sasuke frowned.
"Information is not free," Indra said. "Unless we have an accord, I see no point in helping you."
"Did you help all of your previous hosts like this? Did you help Madara?"
"No." Indra frowned. "He gained most of his power by his own merits. But you are not Madara. You are not even as talented as your brother, who pales in comparison to Madara's strength."
"Then why do you want to help me? You just need me to be a blind follower." Sasuke smirked suddenly. "Naruto can read the secrets of this tablet. If you don't help me, I will…"
"YOU WILL DO NOTHING!" Indra's chakra flared violently, and Sasuke dropped to his knees while clutching his head in pain. "I will destroy you here and now if that were to happen!"
"If you kill me, you'll have to wait another century. The Uchiha will die out by then, after the death of my brother. And Ashura's host will be alive and well, with the Rinnegan in his possession," Sasuke gasped out, resisting the formidable chakra with all his will.
Indra calmed down but continued to glare at Sasuke. "Do not assume that you are my only plan," he bit out. "My will is still being carried out by others. I have an… associate, who shares my goals. You would merely hasten the inevitable. You have no value to me if you do not contribute."
"An associate is not a follower," Sasuke said shrewdly. "And you don't even trust your followers. How much do you trust this associate?"
Indra gritted his teeth. Sasuke had hit the nail on the head. He knew the true intentions of the creature known as Zetsu. He couldn't be trusted, especially as the latter had changed his father's stone tablet without his knowledge. Through the eyes of his past hosts, he had found continued evidence of Zetsu's meddling in their affairs. He had directly manipulated Madara into believing that he was Madara's will incarnate rather than Kaguya's. Indra's plan was to use Zetsu until his own agenda was achieved. But he didn't intend to let the latter's plan of reviving Kaguya come to pass. However, Zetsu was the only ally Indra had in the world of the living. His time in interacting with Sasuke was also constrained, as they went against the wishes of some of the Kami. Thankfully, he had someone shielding him from their sight for now.
"Since you've caught on to my suspicions, I might as well clarify this. The stone tablet was edited by that associate of mine. Whatever you read with that boy's help are half-truths that help further that creature's agenda." Indra said. "I will tell you the true content, and then you can rid your curiosity and not show our secrets to an outsider."
"If they are false, why were you so upset that I want to show it to someone else?" Sasuke asked with suspicion.
"Because there is still some truth in them. Does the concept of clan secret not matter to you?"
"There is no longer an Uchiha clan," Sasuke said plainly. "No point in holding onto clan secrets."
"There are three of you still alive," Indra said stubbornly. "The clan will continue in one way or another."
"...Three?" Sasuke asked in a low voice.
"Yes, three in all probability." Indra smiled. "Another one besides your brother and yourself. But I will not tell you about him unless you swear your loyalty to me." That boy Obito had probably not died yet. But with Madara dead, he was probably already a pawn in Zetsu's hands.
Sasuke frowned. "Forget it then, I will find out for myself. Tell me about the stone tablet."
Indra showed his displeasure in his expression. "It was created by my father, as a will of sorts. I obtained it when he passed away, and I installed it here when I created the Uchiha faction. It preached the merits of his ninshuu and dissuaded his descendants from recreating the Rinnegan. Although I hated the ninshuu, I agreed that the Rinngan was unnecessary. An uninformed user of the Rinnegan is a great risk. My father's sacrifice would become undone and a new variable would enter the picture. I believed that these warnings should be known to the Uchiha, and hence I chose to install it in the clan."
"What else?" Sasuke asked, making a note to also ask about the sacrifice and the risk of the Rinnegan.
"It details the circumstances under which the Sharingan and Mangekyou sharingan are awakened. The awakening is tied to the weilder's emotions. Specifically, an intense feeling of loss is associated with each transformation. You first awakened your sharingan when you discovered your brother's betrayal, for example."
"What?" Sasuke was shocked. "I awakened the sharingan during my battle with Haku."
"That was when you progressed to two tomoe," Indra explained. "You had suppressed your memories of awakening it because of the trauma."
"So, what about the Mangekyou?" Sasuke asked. "Itachi said the only way to awaken it was to kill my best friend."
"That is indeed the easiest way," Indra tilted his head. "Although I see that you've been careful not to form any close bonds? Even that Naruto could not be considered your best friend, merely an acquaintance."
"I was not going to give Itachi what he wanted." Sasuke said stubbornly. "If I don't have anyone to kill, he would not have the satisfaction of watching me go down his path."
"You will forever remain weak." Indra snorted. "The chances of you obtaining a Mangekyou are low indeed. They either have to die naturally in front of you or you have to kill them yourself."
"I can become stronger even without its power," Sasuke said, folding his arms. "What else is written on the tablet?"
Indra sighed in exasperation. "It speaks of my grandmother, Kaguya Otsutsuki, of the birth of the ten-tails from the divine tree and Kaguya, of the sealing of the ten-tails and the creation of the tailed beasts by my father. As I mentioned earlier, the one who calls himself Zetsu has modified some of the parts of the tablet"
"Tell me everything," Sasuke said.
"Fine, if that prevents you from seeking the help of Ashura's host." Indra exhaled. "I do not have much time, so I will simply transfer these memories to you. As a gift, I shall also share some of my insights on chakra, to give you a taste of what you can accomplish if you decide to serve me."
With that, Indra's eyes connected with Sasuke's, and his Sharingan began to spin rapidly. Instantly, Sasuke felt a surge of information flooding his mind. Images flashed before his eyes: scenes of ancient battles, the divine tree, the arrival of Kaguya Otsutsuki, and the birth of the monstrous ten-tails. He saw the great battle between the ten-tails and Kaguya's sons, followed by the sealing of the ten-tails and the birth of the nine tailed beasts.
He also glimpsed Indra's meetings with the enigmatic Zetsu and their tentative alliance -with each using the other to further their own goals. He also absorbed some of Indra's realizations regarding chakra and the Sharingan. Each tidbit of knowledge answered the many questions he had about ninjutsu and chakra. He realized that his use of the Sharingan was primitive and lacking in understanding. With the knowledge he now inherited from Indra, he felt as if a new world of possibilities had opened up to him. The techniques he had once struggled with now seemed within his grasp, and the true potential of his abilities was becoming clear.
Sasuke breathed heavily, truly considering if it was worth selling his soul to Indra to attain his revenge.
Indra saw that Sasuke was starting to get tempted. He decided to sweeten the deal for Sasuke. He could offer something that the boy couldn't refuse. "The Rinnegan… can revive the dead." He revealed.
"...What?"
"You heard me correctly. The power of Rinne enables one to rise beyond the cycle of life and death, and bring back a soul from the world of the dead. The creation of all things, a technique of my father's, allows one to create a vessel for such a soul. When combined, it can be used to revive those who have passed."
"Naruto can do that?" Sasuke asked in shock. "Has he become a God?"
"I doubt that Ashura's current host has what it takes." Indra frowned. "Usually, such a process also needs the sacrifice of a life. Because one has to pay the toll of bringing back a life with another. It is an advanced technique, one that might be out of reach for someone with a misguided moral compass. However, that boy is not the only weilder of the Rinnegan in the present era."
"...What?"
"There is one other," Indra smirked. "And his Rinnegan should be stronger than that of your friend. Your dream is to restore the Uchiha clan, correct?"
"Don't joke with me!" Sasuke snarled. "They all died long ago! If there was a shinobi capable of performing such a miracle, he would reign over this world as a God!"
"I do not joke." Indra said, observing Sasuke coolly. "As I said, an equivalent sacrifice will have to be prepared. And his chakra will have to be strengthened considerably to even attempt it, as the souls have long departed the world of the living."
"And he will help me with my objective?" Sasuke asked, his heartbeat quickening. The question of sacrifice bothered him, but he could always find criminals and bandits to fill that role.
"Help?" Indra snorted. "Think like an Uchiha, boy. You will control him and get what you want! Either this man or the other Uzumaki boy, gain control of either and that can help you regain your family. It would be better to go with the older one, since his Rinnegan is more complete."
Sasuke clenched his fist as he pondered that possibility. "Won't he resist my Genjutsu with his Rinnegan?"
"That Rinnegan does not belong to him. It was implanted on him by Madara. In front of the true might of the Sharingan, which I will teach you to wield, his resistance will crumble."
Sasuke looked down, his mind awhirl with emotions. Indra was essentially saying that his life can be made right again if he listened to him. His parents would be back and Itachi would be dead. Why then, was he hesitating?
"...Will you ask me to kill my friends?"
Indra considered that. "What if your friends obstruct your goals?"
"Why would they? If they do, I will control them with my eyes as you just suggested."
Indra smirked. "Now you have started to think like an Uchiha. Good. I see that you are motivated. I don't need your oath now. We have a common path towards our goals. Once you obtain the strength, you may first use the Rinnegan carrier to revive your loved ones and then you must fulfill my plan."
Sasuke closed his eyes. The moment had come to decide. He had struggled for years, his goal always out of reach. Even now, Naruto had been handed the greatest power of this world in a silver platter, yet he remained weak. Why should he continue to be weak when such an opportunity was presented to him? Controlling people did not sound as bad as outright killing them. He knew that to attain something, sacrifices had to be made.
'Sorry Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, Sakura… You will never understand the pain I endure each day. This is my only salvation.'
"What should I do?"