Sasuke stood frozen, a whirlwind of shock and confusion coursing through his veins. Adrenaline surged through his body in response to this unexpected discovery.
'I can't be mistaken? This has to be the symbol of the Otsutsuki Clan's main branch. But then why is this here? How did it get here? Does this have something to do with that strange prophecy?'
In Sasuke's mind, questions spun like a vortex, leaving him bewildered. The appearance of such a symbol in this place puzzled him deeply. Tentatively, Sasuke carefully unravelled the aged book, his eyes fixated on its contents.
Stunned anew, Sasuke focused on the peculiar characters that adorned the pages before him.
'Fuinjutsu?'
More questions than answers flooded Sasuke's mind as he stared blankly at the cryptic pages. After collecting his thoughts, however briefly, he began to flip through the book's contents. Every page was covered in Fuinjutsu symbols, each more intricate than the last, and all of which eluded his understanding.
Contemplating for a moment, Sasuke strode towards the librarian, who was at the back of the library, meticulously organising books with his back turned to Sasuke.
"Excuse me?" Sasuke spoke up.
The librarian turned around, revealing his appearance for the first time—a silver and grey-haired old man with gold-rimmed glasses and an air of wisdom marked by fine age lines.
"Yes? Do you need some help, young man?" The old man responded with a genial smile.
"Could you tell me where this book came from and if there are any more books like this here?" Sasuke inquired, extending the tattered volume towards the librarian.
The old man raised a brow in confusion as he gently took the book, flipping through its pages with a perplexed expression.
"I dare not say I know of all the books in the halls of this library, but such a unique book should have stood out in my memory. Yet I hold no recollection of it," the librarian remarked. "Moreover, I'm surprised with why such a book that has completely blank pages was found here. Are you certain you found this here?"
Sasuke, who had managed to calm the chaotic thoughts in his mind, raised an eyebrow at the description of the book.
'Blank?' Another question appeared in Sasuke's mind, adding to the growing confusion.
Trying to dismiss distracting thoughts for the moment, Sasuke nodded and answered the librarian's question.
"It was in the history section."
"Hmmm," the librarian hummed in acknowledgement before briefly jogging to his desk and returning with a stack of papers. After skimming through them, he spoke.
"I have checked through the records here and this book. Considering the contents in it... If you want, you could take care of it."
Grateful for the librarian's assistance, Sasuke sincerely thanked the elderly man. The book held a promise of unravelling the enigmatic prophecy and answering the myriad questions swirling in Sasuke's mind.
As Sasuke left the library, his gaze instinctively turned upwards, to where the sunset was unfurling its vibrant hues—a breathtaking blend of orange and gold casting a warm glow across the sky.
"Damn! I'm going to be late," Sasuke exclaimed, realising that time had slipped away. Instead of following his usual path homeward, he briskly changed course, directing his steps towards the training grounds scattered along the periphery of the Forest of Death within Konoha.
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As Sasuke was heading to the training ground, he began thinking about the course of events from the library.
'So a book with the symbol of the Otsutsuki clan main branch engraved on it. Its pages are filled with Fuinjutsu symbols and it seems that only I could read it from what I have observed. But why is that? Because I'm a Uchiha? Could it also be becau-?'
A line from the prophecy appeared in Sasuke's mind, stilling his thoughts.
'The heir of Indra, power in hand, creation and destruction, a force to withstand.'
'Perhaps it's due to me being Sasuke. The most recent chakra reincarnation of Indra, the son of the Sage of Six Paths.'
He pondered, attempting to unravel the enigma that had presented itself.
'I need to understand more about both the prophecy and the contents of this. Currently, the book seems relatively useless, but if I acquire knowledge in Fuinjutsu, I might unveil its hidden contents.' Sasuke began laying out a plan, contemplating the unknown variable that had crossed his path.
'I can grasp the basics of Fuinjutsu from the academy's library, but it's unlikely that there is any advanced Fuinjutsu knowledge there. Following my graduation, I should seek more advanced Fuinjutsu knowledge...' Sasuke deliberated on potential sources to deepen his understanding of this mysterious art.
Sasuke then thought about the prophecy, acknowledging that the progression of his Sharingan held the key to unlocking more lines within it. Despite this realisation, he decided on a more cautious and deliberate approach to the evolution of his Sharingan.
Opting for a slower, methodical ascent, he aimed to avoid any risks or uncertainties that might accompany an instead more reckless/rushed method of gaining a pair of Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan.
'With my current plan, I should be able to advance my Sharingan by around the time I'm 12, earlier than in the anime where I only acquired the Eternal Mangekyou after implanting Itachi's eyes at age 16.'
Lost in his thoughts, a familiar state for the young Uchiha, Sasuke realised that he had reached the training ground. Upon arrival, he directed his gaze toward the centre and spotted the person responsible for his training already waiting—the same individual he had requested from Hiruzen, utilising the second part of the deal he made with the Hokage earlier.