Chapter 18:
...
Itachi's clone remained motionless, trapped within the block of ice resting on the shell of the 100,000-year-old Icebound Turtle.
Ever since leaving the Icebound Forest, the creature had been traveling tirelessly underwater at an incredible speed.
Although the clone couldn't move, was able to use his abilities without having to move any muscles. For this reason its Sharingan remained active, observing the underwater landscapes with fascination. Every detail of the surroundings... from the unfamiliar marine creatures to the patterns of water movement... was etched into its memory.
The turtle itself was a spectacle.
Itachi noted how its movements seemed clumsy on land, yet underwater, it traveled at speeds that far exceeded even the most advanced techniques of ninjas from Itachi's world. It was as if the ocean was its absolute domain, and it moved with a grace that belied its massive size.
...
On the tenth day, just as Itachi began to consider deactivating the clone to focus on his responsibilities with Innovation Forge and the creation of new products... yup, he transition from having his clone handle most things to having to do everything on his own while he was also at the academy was quite a hassle and had taken a lot of time away from learning about all kinds of new subjects..., something changed. The turtle slowly emerged from the water, and the clone observed as massive, vegetation-covered mountains rose on the horizon. The fresh air struck the block of ice, and the clone immediately noticed they had entered entirely unfamiliar territory.
From its position, the clone watched the turtle make its way onto the coast and into a forest, uprooting entire trees with its enormous mouth.
The clone's Sharingan continued to study the scene as the enormous creature devoured vast amounts of vegetation, terrifying weaker spirit beasts nearby that scattered from the area in haste.
'Where exactly are we?' Itachi thought through his connection with the clone.
He had tracked the turtle's every movement underwater, calculating distances and trajectories. Based on his estimates, they were far from the Douluo Continent, in entirely uncharted lands. The fact that spirit beasts existed even here suggested that the world was far vaster than he had originally imagined.
Though, to be fair, this was to be expected. It would be naïve and foolish to think otherwise.
As the turtle continued to eat, a deafening roar echoed in the distance.
Through the clone's eyes, Itachi watched as a massive 100,000-year-old winged beast descended from the sky, clearly enraged by the turtle's sudden intrusion into its territory. The creature was majestic... a giant bird with golden feathers and eyes that burned like molten fire.
The clone could feel the tension in the air.
The turtle, which had remained calm until that moment, raised its massive shell and enveloped it in a thick layer of ice that shimmered under the sunlight.
A battle was imminent. Itachi could tell... well, he had a kinda talent for sensing these things.
The first attack came from the winged beast, which dove toward the turtle with talons as sharp as blades.
The turtle responded immediately, generating enormous ice spears from its shell and launching them at its opponent.
The clone observed every movement with precision, analyzing the technique behind the turtle's attacks.
It was as if all the energy and ice accumulated in its shell could be transformed into lethal weapons in an instant.
One of those ice spears included the block of ice containing Itachi's clone.
With a powerful motion, the turtle hurled the ice into the air as though it were an arrow, and the clone was launched at incredible speed toward the horizon.
Yeah, this was how the clone soon lost its privileged position on the turtle's shell.
The block of ice encasing the clone shot through the sky like a projectile, rapidly distancing itself from the fierce battle.
...
When the ice finally hit solid ground, it surprisingly didn't break.
Instead, the block crashed with a resounding impact into a forest clearing, toppling trees in its path but remaining completely intact. It came to rest buried within a vast stretch of unknown terrain.
Through the clone's perspective, Itachi noted how the impact created a cloud of dust that slowly settled, revealing the massive ice fragment embedded in the earth.
'Even after such an impact, this ice shows no signs of weakening. The turtle's energy is far stronger than I anticipated,' Itachi thought. If he had previously considered it nearly impossible for the clone to escape on its own, he was now completely certain it was beyond him and the clone's current capabilities.
It wasn't long before new players entered the scene.
From the distance, the clone detected a group of Spirit Masters approaching, their auras strong enough to rival most Spirit Masters on the Douluo Continent. Their levels hovered around 80... a clear sign they were seasoned spirit masters.
The clone observed as the Spirit Masters steadily advanced toward the crash site. They seemed to have been drawn by the battle between the two powerful spirit beasts.
Without hesitation, the clone used the Skydream Crown's ability to conceal its identity, projecting its image as Fugaku.
As the group drew closer, the clone noticed that the men and women wore well-crafted, matching armor. The uniforms were distinctive, marking them as part of an organized faction. The design was reminiscent of what Itachi had seen in the Heaven Dou Empire's military.
...
"What the hell is this?" asked one of the Spirit Masters, a tall man with brown hair, as he examined the block of ice encasing the clone. "Is that… a human?"
"Of course it is, idiot!" replied a woman with short black hair, carefully inspecting the ice. "The spiritual energy surrounding this block is incredibly dense. Could it be some kind of defensive technique?"
"I doubt it. It's more likely he got caught up in the recent clash between those two 100,000-year-old spirit beasts," another member of the group suggested.
The group's leader, a middle-aged man in golden armor, approached and raised a hand to silence them.
"Whatever it is, we can't just leave it here. This area is already chaotic enough with the spirit beasts fighting. Let's help him… but stay on your guard," he ordered.
Without hesitation, the Spirit Masters used their abilities to weaken the ice. Flames, wind, and spiritual energy converged on the block, melting it just enough for Itachi's clone to break free.
The clone's concealed Sharingan, hidden by his spirit bone, captured every detail: the precision of the elemental techniques, the controlled flow of their spiritual energy… and, most surprisingly, the language they spoke. While the dialect had subtle differences in tone, the language was essentially the same as that of the Douluo Continent.
This puzzled Itachi. How could such a distant territory share the same language? However, there was no time to dwell on the mystery. He knew he had to act carefully to maintain his cover.
Finally, the clone, still disguised as Fugaku Uchiha thanks to the abilities of his Skydream Crown, collapsed to the ground, feigning exhaustion.
The clone maintained his facade, bowing slightly in gratitude toward the Spirit Masters and speaking in a calm, respectful tone.
"Thank you for your assistance. I was caught in… unexpected circumstances," he said, choosing his words carefully.
He explained that he had accidentally been trapped during the spirit beast battle while exploring... a simple yet believable story. The Spirit Masters seemed to accept his explanation without too many questions and escorted him to a nearby city.
The clone nodded and expressed his gratitude, occasionally asking casual questions that wouldn't raise suspicion while carefully analyzing each member of the group.
After some time, he determined that these Spirit Masters were quite different from those he had encountered on the Douluo Continent. Not only were they more disciplined, but they also appeared to prioritize protection and order over personal power.
...
When Itachi, through his clone, entered the border city, he couldn't help but be impressed.
The city he was taken to was an impressive sight. While not as large as a capital city, its design was far more advanced than any city he had encountered in his limited travels on the Douluo Continent.
Although he had expected something similar to the cities of Douluo, the Sun Moon Empire had an entirely different approach. The streets were paved with gleaming materials that reflected the sunlight, and there was a near-military precision in the layout of the buildings. The shops and workshops were filled with advanced products: tools, weapons, and even devices that seemed more like technology than simple handmade objects.
Basic machinery was scattered throughout the city, and the buildings were constructed with shiny, metallic materials that reflected light in a mesmerizing way.
The clone, still playing his role as Fugaku, carefully observed everything. As he walked through the streets with the Spirit Masters, he listened to the locals discuss inventions, technological advancements, and scientific discoveries. It was clear that this empire placed great value on innovation.
What caught Itachi's attention the most were the posters and signs adorning the streets, promoting innovation, development, and research as the pillars of the empire's progress. Here, brute strength didn't seem as important as intelligence and creativity.
This new approach intrigued Itachi deeply. Yup, he knew he needed to learn everything he could about this place.
...
When the Spirit Masters finally dropped him off at an inn, the leader of the group gave him a final warning.
"Stay here for now. If you try to leave while the beasts are still fighting, you could get caught up in it again, and we might not be there to help you next time," he said firmly.
"Yeah, this isn't a place for reckless adventurers. Be careful," added the short-haired woman. She smirked slightly before continuing, "Oh, and maybe later, if you're still around, we could grab a drink."
"Understood. Thank you again for your help," Fugaku replied with a slight, respectful bow. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "And yes, I'd be more than willing to join you for a drink later"
Itachi had already noted the woman's apparent interest in him, recognizing it as a potential advantage. Having a source of information who might be easily swayed... and possibly drunk... could prove invaluable given his current situation.
"See you later, then," she said with a smile, walking away with the group. She gave a flirtatious sway of her hips, clearly intending to catch the clone's attention. Itachi noticed immediately, of course, and feigned interest to further ingratiate himself with her.
...
Once he was alone in the inn, Itachi used his connection with the clone to carefully analyze everything that had occurred. He spent the rest of the day establishing a basic cover story as a wandering blacksmith and merchant.
He also began gathering information. He learned that the Sun Moon Empire was the sole dominant power on this continent and that its strength lay not only in Spirit Masters but also in its ability to advance socially and industrially, with technology playing a significant role. Blacksmiths, inventors, and scholars were held in extremely high regard—sometimes even more so than Spirit Masters unless the latter were directly affiliated with the empire.
Itachi realized that this new land and the Sun Moon Empire were a treasure trove of knowledge, so he resolved to keep his clone active in this new territory, even if it meant delaying progress on Innovation Forge... at the same time reducing his time to gain new knowledge for a while.
For now, if he wanted to use his clone to study this place without drawing attention, he would have to be extremely careful.
'An empire and a society that values development over sheer strength…' To Itachi, this was fascinating, especially since it contradicted much of what he had seen on the Douluo Continent.
With that thought, he decided that his clone, under the guise of Fugaku Uchiha, would remain in this land, gradually infiltrating its society and learning everything possible about its technology and culture.
Meanwhile, Itachi himself would continue his search for knowledge and focus on Innovation Forge on the Douluo Continent, even without the assistance of his clone.