Chapter 17:
…
The forest, blanketed in a thick layer of ice and shadows, was silent except for the distant flapping of the powerful winged beast. While Itachi was absorbed in the process of integrating the spirit ring from the Ice Web Spider, his clone faced a critical task: keeping the 10,000-year-old creature far enough away to give the original the time needed to complete the absorption.
...
Deep in the Icebound Forest, Itachi Uchiha's clone leaped nimbly between the frozen branches of trees, moving with surgical precision to draw the attention of the massive flying creature.
It was a Skyfrost Falcon, an imposing beast with frosty feathers that shimmered in a bluish hue under the dim forest light. Its eyes radiated the aura of an apex predator, and with each beat of its wings, the wind shredded the treetops as though they were paper.
As the 10,000-year-old beast pursued the clone, it flapped its enormous wings, creating gusts of freezing wind that battered the forest with relentless force. Its presence was overwhelming, and each roar echoed like a death knell.
The clone knew it couldn't defeat such a creature.
That wasn't its purpose.
Its sole mission was to buy time.
Itachi was far behind, completely focused on the vital task of absorbing the spirit ring from the Ice Web Spider he had hunted. Interrupting that process would be fatal to his body, and the clone couldn't allow anything to distract him.
The Skyfrost Falcon roared again, releasing a blast of ice that froze everything in its path. The clone barely evaded it, twisting its body in the air with calculated movements while using the camouflage abilities of the Skydream Crown to blend into the surroundings. It vanished into the shadows and reappeared at a more distant point, constantly outmaneuvering the creature and drawing its attention farther away.
"I just need to keep it occupied for five more minutes…" the clone murmured, fully aware of its fragility compared to the beast's overwhelming power. It constantly melded with the environment, vanishing and reappearing at strategic points to confuse the Skyfrost Falcon. It jumped from tree to tree, using branches as springboards, moving with the agility of a monkey.
The beast, however, was not so easily fooled.
The Skyfrost Falcon, growing weary of the evasive game and irritated by the clone's constant retreat, let out a powerful roar. A chilling aura began radiating from its body, and with a mighty flap of its wings, it unleashed its ultimate ability: Freezing Field.
From the Falcon's body, a wave of icy energy spread in all directions, blanketing the terrain in a layer of pure ice. The trees froze instantly, and the clone, caught in the attack's radius, had no way to escape.
In mere seconds, the clone was encased in a block of ice, its figure frozen mid-movement. Though immobilized, the clone remained conscious, its Sharingan still active behind the layer of ice, tracking every movement of the approaching beast.
The Skyfrost Falcon descended gracefully, examining its frozen prize with a look of pride. Satisfied with its victory, it grasped the ice block containing the clone in its talons and flapped its wings with immense force, lifting into the air.
As it ascended, the clone, unable to move, could only observe through its Sharingan. The forest rapidly faded from view below, replaced by an endless expanse of ocean stretching to the horizon.
The clone began registering the change in landscape, noting every detail with precision.
After several minutes of flight, the clone spotted a small island on the horizon. It was a strip of land surrounded by crystalline water, dense vegetation, and rocky cliffs guarding its perimeter. The Skyfrost Falcon seemed to be heading there...perhaps its home.
...
The Skyfrost Falcon flew for several more minutes before reaching a small piece of land in the middle of the sea. Itachi clone sees that it is heading towards its nest where it has a baby and realizes that it is probably planning to feed this... well, the frustration it would have, since once the clone dies, it simply disappears.
However, just as it was about to land, something unexpected happened.
At the center of the island was a colossal figure, almost as large as the island itself. A giant turtle, with a sky-blue shell that seemed to be made of pure ice, was calmly munching on the island's vegetation. Its presence radiated an overwhelming power, an ancient force that could only belong to a 100,000-year-old spirit beast.
It was the Icebound Turtle, a 100,000-year-old spirit beast. Its aura was so intimidating that even the Skyfrost Falcon abruptly halted mid-air upon noticing the creature.
The clone observed with great interest through the ice, taking in every detail of the turtle. It was a majestic being, colossal in size, and its aura exuded an immense, primal power.
Despite its own considerable strength, the Skyfrost Falcon knew it had no chance against such a monster. Without hesitation, the Falcon released the ice block containing Itachi's clone, letting it fall onto the turtle's shell. It then quickly flew to another part of the island, likely trying to protect its young from any potential danger.
The block of ice struck the turtle's shell with a resounding impact, but the creature barely reacted. Its shell, as cold as the purest ice, caused the block of ice surrounding the clone to freeze even further, leaving it completely immobilized.
The turtle continued eating without concern for the frozen intruder on its back. Once satisfied, it lifted its massive body and headed toward the water. With a smooth motion, it submerged into the ocean, carrying the block of ice resting on its shell along with it.
...
As the turtle swam through the ocean at speeds beyond imagination, the clone began witnessing a spectacle few in the Douluo Continent had ever seen. No one human, probably.
Through the Sharingan, which could capture every detail despite the incredible speed, the clone observed an underwater world brimming with life and color.
Spirit creatures swam all around, some glowing with bioluminescent light, while others moved in massive, synchronized groups that seemed to dance in unison.
There were leviathans, spirit fish of impossible shapes and sizes, and coral structures emanating their own energy.
Yup...This was a unique discovery, and the clone knew it had to preserve all the information for Itachi.
...
Back in the Icebound Forest, Itachi finally felt the spirit ring of the Ice Web Spider fully integrate into his body. A new surge of energy coursed through his veins, strengthening his body and Martial Soul. He had accomplished what he set out to do, but this was only the beginning.
He opened his eyes slowly, sensing a deeper connection with his Ice Silk Worm. The spirit now felt more complete thanks to the first ring.
Without wasting time, Itachi closed his eyes again, connecting with his clone to receive all the information it had gathered.
In an instant, everything the clone had seen and experienced flooded Itachi's mind.
...
Itachi's eyes snapped open as he processed what had happened. The vision of the Skyfrost Falcon, the island in the ocean, the 100,000-year-old turtle... and the underwater world. Every detail captured by the clone's Sharingan replayed in his mind as if he had experienced it firsthand.
"Fascinating…" Itachi thought, his analytical mind working quickly to record every detail.
"A 100,000-year-old turtle... and an undocumented underwater ecosystem," he murmured to himself, his mind racing to piece together the implications.
What intrigued him the most was the clone's decision to remain active instead of expending its energy and disappearing. That choice had led to the discovery of a completely new world... something that could reshape his understanding of the Douluo Continent.
'This is far bigger than I imagined,' Itachi thought, storing the information in his memory.
Through the clone's eyes, Itachi watched the landscape shift as the turtle swam at a speed no shinobi could hope to match. It moved through the ocean depths with an elegance unexpected for its massive size.
Without a doubt… this was a unique spectacle, something likely unseen by anyone else on the continent.
'Extraordinary...' Itachi thought, observing everything through the connection with his clone.
Initially, Itachi had planned to let the clone exhaust its spirit power and disappear on its own. However, seeing the unparalleled opportunity before him, he decided to alter the strategy.
Using the abilities of the Skydream Crown, Itachi instructed the clone to minimize its energy consumption as much as possible. Instead of trying to escape... which was impossible given the circumstances... the clone began meditating internally to conserve energy while continuing to gather information on the underwater creatures and environment.
And thanks to the Sharingan he could already trace an approximate route of the turtle's movement from the island to wherever it was going, which was shaping a small mental map in Itachi's mind.
...
...
The sun began peeking through the clouds, casting a faint light on the main entrance of Nuoding Academy.
By late September, the trees on campus had begun to shift into shades of gold and crimson, creating a peaceful yet lively atmosphere.
Against this backdrop, Itachi Uchiha walked through the academy gates once more after several days away.
Dressed in his usual dark attire, his expression unchanging, Itachi carried with him not just a body strengthened by absorbing his first spirit ring for the Ice Silk Worm but also something else: a carefully chosen gift to fulfill the promise he had made to Xiao Wu before leaving.
Although he didn't show it, Itachi felt a slight sense of satisfaction.
He had successfully absorbed a ring near the upper limits of what his body could handle, increasing his spirit power from level 12 to 14, and had returned without complications.
However, one thing was clear: he had no intention of mentioning his new ring or abilities to Xiao Wu or anyone else. The less attention he drew, the better... for now.
Not that he didn't trust Xiao Wu, but she tended to over-talk when it wasn't actually appropriate
...
In Dormitory Seven, Xiao Wu's usual energy was at its peak.
Ever since Itachi had left, she had spent her days pestering Tang San with endless challenges and competitions. Although Tang San was calm and focused, Xiao Wu always managed to make him sigh in exasperation... and occasionally laugh.
When Xiao Wu heard familiar footsteps approaching the dorm, she leapt up from her seat, completely ignoring the book Tang San had been trying to explain to her.
"It's him! Big brother Itachi is back!" she exclaimed excitedly, darting toward the door like a flash.
Tang San looked up, slightly surprised, but calmly closed the book.
"I just hope she lets him in before bombarding him with questions…" he muttered to himself.
Xiao Wu flung the door open with such force that it nearly hit Itachi in the face. His impeccable reflexes allowed him to step back just in time, tilting his head slightly to avoid it.
"Big brother Itachi, you're back!" Xiao Wu shouted, throwing herself at him and hugging him tightly before he even had a chance to speak.
"Hn. I'm back," Itachi replied calmly, his gaze steady as he looked down at the hyperactive girl.
Xiao Wu stepped back slightly but kept holding onto his sleeve.
"You left me alone for days! Tang San is so boring I nearly went crazy. What were you doing? Why did it take so long? Did you bring me something?" she asked, her words spilling out in one excited breath, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Itachi sighed softly, already used to Xiao Wu's torrent of energy and questions.
"I had matters to attend to, as I told you before I left. And yes, I brought you something"
Hearing this, Xiao Wu froze for a moment before jumping in pure excitement.
"I knew it! I knew you wouldn't let me down. What is it? What is it? Let me see it!"
With a faint smile that almost went unnoticed, Itachi pulled a carefully wrapped package from his bag. The pale blue cloth covering the item added an air of mystery as he handed it to her. Xiao Wu took it with the utmost care, as though it were a priceless treasure, and quickly untied the knot.
Inside was a small figure carved in crystal, shaped like a rabbit. The sculpture, though simple, had intricate details that captured the playful and delicate essence of a rabbit. The crystal shimmered softly with a bluish hue, giving it a magical aura.
"It's beautiful!" Xiao Wu exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration. "Where did you get it?"
"I came across it while passing through the empire's capital," Itachi replied, omitting the fact that the crystal came from a remote glacier near the Icebound Forest and that he had personally carved the rabbit figure.
Xiao Wu hugged the figure tightly before jumping toward Itachi again to hug him as well.
"You're the best! I'll treasure this forever, I promise"
Itachi nodded slightly, satisfied with her reaction. Though he didn't show it outwardly, he had put genuine effort into creating something Xiao Wu would love, and seeing her so happy was enough of a reward.
...
When the two finally returned to the dorm, Tang San was waiting, leaning casually against the wall.
"Welcome back, Itachi," Tang San said with a slight nod. "Xiao Wu hasn't stopped talking about you since you left"
"I can imagine," Itachi replied, glancing at Xiao Wu, who stuck out her tongue as if it were a compliment.
Tang San studied Itachi for a moment, noticing something different about him, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. There was a deeper calm in his presence, as though he had reached a new level of mastery over himself.
"How did your 'personal matters' go?" Tang San asked, testing his luck.
"Well. I accomplished what I needed to," Itachi replied without elaborating.
Tang San chose not to press further. He had learned that Itachi only shared what he deemed necessary, and pushing him for answers was a futile effort. Even Xiao Wu rarely succeeded in getting him to talk much.
...
That night, the three of them sat together in the work-student dining hall.
Xiao Wu proudly showed off her new crystal figure to every student who would look, treating it like a priceless relic, while Tang San and Itachi ate in silence.
"You know, big brother Itachi," Xiao Wu said suddenly, breaking the quiet, "while you were gone, Tang San and I had a competition to see who could sweep the courtyard faster. I won, obviously."
Tang San raised an eyebrow, clearly disagreeing.
"That's not exactly true. If you remember, I finished first, but you kept sweeping because you wanted the floor to shine"
"Details, details!" Xiao Wu said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Anyway, it was boring without you here. You should've taken Tang San instead... he keeps trying to make me read or study boring stuff."
Itachi shook his head.
"You two seemed to keep yourselves entertained just fine without me. Besides, I needed to make sure the academy didn't burn down while I was away"
Xiao Wu puffed out her cheeks in a childish pout.
"Hmph. It's not the same without you"
Tang San chuckled softly, clearly used to Xiao Wu's antics.
"That's because Itachi never lets you drag him into your crazy schemes"
"Hey! They're not crazy... they're… creative activities!" Xiao Wu protested, hugging her crystal figure as if seeking comfort.
Itachi observed their interaction with a neutral expression. There was something comforting about their dynamic, even if Xiao Wu could be a bit exhausting at times. He couldn't help but feel grateful for a sense of normalcy in a world that still felt foreign to him.
...
As the others continued chatting, Itachi used the opportunity to reflect on his new power. Though he hadn't shown anyone, the spirit ring from the Ice Web Spider had granted to his martial soul an interesting ability: the power to create strong, flexible ice vines for attacking, trapping, or even mobility.
During the absorption process, he had felt the frosty energy of the ring integrate with his body and his second Martial Soul. Now, his Ice Silk Worm could manipulate those vines with precision, as if they were an extension of himself. It was a power that promised to be extremely useful in combat and strategic scenarios alike.
...
That night, while everyone else slept, Itachi sat silently on his bed, meditating. Xiao Wu was fast asleep in the nearest bunk, clutching her crystal figure as if it were a treasure.
Itachi gazed out the window at the starry sky, his mind filled with thoughts... ranging from his new ring to his clone still trapped in the ice block, observing everything around it.
Through the clone's Sharingan, every detail was captured with precision. The movements of marine creatures, their spirit power levels, and the natural structures that seemed to hold unfamiliar energies... each discovery was further proof that keeping the clone active had been the right decision.
Through the mental connection with his clone, Itachi began analyzing the creatures and their potential applications for spirit power cultivation. Some had unique properties that could benefit his Ice Silk Worm, while others displayed offensive abilities that might be replicated or incorporated into his combat style.
However, as the turtle continued its journey, the clone detected something alarming. In the distance, a massive shadow moved swiftly toward them. It was another spirit beast, likely drawn by the turtle's presence.
Through the connection, Itachi quickly assessed the situation. The approaching creature appeared to be a Leviathan Eel, a giant sea serpent around 60,000 years old, its aura more threatening than the Skyfrost Falcon's.
The turtle, seemingly indifferent to the threat, continued swimming calmly. It was evident it didn't fear the enormous serpent.
For now, the colossal turtle pressed onward, carrying the frozen clone as its involuntary, though increasingly deliberate, passenger. The creature moved with an almost majestic calm, while the underwater world continued revealing wonders at every turn.
Meanwhile, Itachi remained focused, connected to the clone, and steadily accumulating valuable data. It seemed the giant sea serpent had no intention of confronting or disturbing the powerful turtle, as it soon veered off its path.