Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 471 The Illusory Truth (Part 1)

Deep within the ancient forests lies an extremely secluded and dark cave. Inside, only faint flickering candlelight flickers, seemingly on the verge of being swallowed by the endless darkness. Yet, even with these candles shining with all their might, they can only slightly dispel the ink-thick darkness.

The entire cave was permeated with a chilling, eerie atmosphere, the air thick with dampness, making one feel as if they were in the frigid depths of the sea. The walls and floors were covered in damp moss, each step creaking underfoot, as if the ancient cave were whispering its untold secrets. The surrounding environment was completely shrouded in darkness, so dark that one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face, making the place even more mysterious and enigmatic.

At this moment, Uchiha Sasuke lay quietly on the old and simple bed, his eyes closed and his body motionless, as if in a deep sleep. However, in stark contrast to this outward tranquility, his tightly furrowed brows, like two intricate black lines, were deeply etched on his fair forehead. Furthermore, his once handsome face was now contorted with pain, as if he were enduring some unspeakable torment.

Judging from his slightly trembling lips and the occasional low groans, he must be experiencing an extremely terrible nightmare. Perhaps in that nightmare were his lost relatives and friends, as well as the hatred and pain that were etched into his heart; or perhaps some unknown terrifying scenes were constantly assaulting his fragile mental defenses, making it impossible for him to escape this endless nightmare.

In that instant, Uchiha Sasuke, whose eyes had been tightly closed, suddenly opened them as if struck by lightning! Two blazing flames seemed to flicker in his eyes, radiating a chilling killing intent. However, this intense killing intent lasted only a moment before receding like a tide, replaced by a look of confusion.

At this moment, Sasuke was completely immersed in a state of deep confusion. He had once thought that after successfully avenging himself, he would be filled with endless joy and pleasure. But now, as he actually killed his enemy, that expected feeling did not arrive. Instead, an indescribable, heavy pain followed him like a shadow, tightly enveloping him and constantly dragging him downwards, making him sink deeper and deeper, unable to extricate himself.

In that instant, a figure suddenly appeared in the pitch-black, utterly silent environment. Like a ghost, the figure silently emerged from the endless darkness, finally stopping abruptly not far from Uchiha Sasuke.

At this moment, Uchiha Sasuke was completely immersed in deep confusion and bewilderment, as if lost in a fog-shrouded wasteland, unable to find a way out or see any direction. He didn't even raise his head, but spoke in a low, slightly hoarse voice to the mysterious figure that had suddenly appeared, "You once swore to me that only by becoming the final victor could you know all the truth hidden behind the scenes. Well then, I want to know, who exactly are you standing before me? And what is your true purpose in painstakingly approaching me?"

The masked man didn't immediately respond to Sasuke's question. He remained silent, and the atmosphere became heavy and oppressive. Suddenly, without warning, he raised his hand and slowly lifted a corner of the mask covering his face, revealing a single eye. Immediately, that eye began to change rapidly. The originally ordinary Sharingan markings gradually twisted and rotated, their colors becoming increasingly vibrant and dazzling. Finally, it settled into a completely new pattern—the Mangekyou Sharingan! This mysterious and powerful eye stared directly at Sasuke, as if trying to see through his very soul.

Sasuke Uchiha stared wide-eyed at the unique Mangekyou Sharingan beneath the masked man's mask, his mind reeling with shock. He couldn't believe that the masked man before him was a ninja from the Uchiha clan. Countless questions flooded his mind, but before he could ask any further questions, another astonishing scene unfolded.

Suddenly, Sasuke Uchiha's left eye underwent a dramatic change, instantly transforming from its normal state into the Mangekyou Sharingan identical to Itachi Uchiha's. Simultaneously, a black flame erupted from his left eye like a volcanic eruption, sweeping towards the masked man's body with lightning speed. In an instant, the black flames blazed fiercely, engulfing the masked man completely, the scorching heat making the surrounding air seem to boil.

Suddenly, the masked man let out an extremely shrill scream, a sound that seemed to pierce the heavens and send chills down one's spine. With this scream, his figure retreated swiftly into the endless darkness like a ghost, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

However, just moments later, the incessant screams abruptly ceased, and the surroundings fell into a deathly silence. Just when everyone thought the masked man was doomed, a dark figure slowly emerged from the darkness once more. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the same masked man! He appeared completely unharmed, as if everything he had just experienced was nothing more than a nightmare.

The masked man reappeared not far from Uchiha Sasuke. Although he appeared unharmed, a deep sense of apprehension was clearly visible in his eyes. It was a fear and awe of an unknown power, but this emotion only lingered in his eyes for a moment, vanishing like a shooting star across the night sky. Immediately afterward, his gaze returned to its usual calm, like a stagnant pool, staring blankly at Uchiha Sasuke, while inwardly he was left with an even deeper impression of Uchiha Itachi's genius and cunning.

Itachi Uchiha, this legendary figure, even at the end of his life, meticulously laid out a contingency plan for his younger brother, Sasuke Uchiha. Knowing Sasuke's stubbornness, persistence, and thirst for power, he deeply imprinted his most powerful and lethal eye technique—Amaterasu—into Sasuke's eyes.

What's truly astonishing is that the trigger condition for this contingency plan is that when Sasuke witnesses the Sharingan firsthand, the hidden power of "Amaterasu" will be automatically released. This ingenious design fully demonstrates Itachi Uchiha's profound foresight and exceptional wisdom as a top-tier ninja.

Upon learning this, the masked man couldn't help but feel even more admiration for Itachi Uchiha's ninja skills. However, at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. After all, such a formidable opponent was now gone, and there would never be another chance to outwit and outmaneuver him.

In that instant, the Mangekyou Sharingan that had been shining brightly in Sasuke's eyes, inherited from Itachi Uchiha, suddenly dimmed, slowly returning to its normal state like the night sky after a spectacular firework display. At this moment, the masked man who had been hiding in the shadows finally reappeared, silently appearing not far from Sasuke, as if he had never left.

The masked man stood there silently, exuding an indescribable aura of indifference. He spoke in a flat, emotionless voice, "As expected of Uchiha Itachi, even in death, he still protects you in this way." His words seemed to carry a hint of barely perceptible emotion, but more than that, they held a profound and unfathomable meaning.

When Sasuke Uchiha heard the masked man's words, he felt a chill run down his spine, and his heart clenched as if gripped by an invisible hand. His eyes, which had been filled with anger and hatred, now showed a hint of confusion and bewilderment, because he simply couldn't understand the masked man's true intentions behind his words.

For Sasuke Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha was always the traitor to his clan whom he deeply hated and resented. It was this man who destroyed their once warm home, causing him to lose his parents and loved ones, plunging him into endless pain and darkness. For years, Sasuke's sole belief was to avenge Itachi, to repay him tenfold for all the pain he had inflicted upon him.

However, at this very moment, the masked man told him that Itachi Uchiha might actually protect him? This was utterly absurd! Leaving aside the deep-seated blood feud between them, Sasuke had nearly lost his life at Itachi's hands in their previous fierce battles. Those harrowing battle scenes were still vivid in his mind; Sasuke clearly remembered Itachi's cold and ruthless eyes and his suffocatingly powerful strength. Therefore, he simply couldn't believe the masked man's words were true.

"Don't understand? Heh... It seems you've never truly understood Uchiha Itachi!" The masked man shook his head slightly, a faint mocking smile appearing on his lips. His tone sounded extremely calm, but it contained deep disdain and contempt.

His eyes, hidden behind the mask, were staring intently through the gaps at the bewildered Uchiha Sasuke, a hint of amusement in his gaze, as if he were looking at a lost lamb.