Chereads / Shadows In a New World / Chapter 22 - The Uchiha Trial

Chapter 22 - The Uchiha Trial

The first rays of dawn were just beginning to paint the sky when Itachi's eyes snapped open. His mind, sharp and alert despite the early hour, immediately focused on the quest notification from the system. Without hesitation, he accepted the challenge, his heart rate quickening with anticipation.

As soon as he did, a key materialized in his hand. It was ornate and ancient-looking, its surface etched with intricate designs that seemed to shimmer and move in the dim light. The words "The Uchiha Trial: Bloodline Awakening" were inscribed along its length, glowing faintly with an inner power.

Itachi examined the key closely, turning it over in his hands. The metal was cool to the touch, but he could feel a subtle energy pulsing within it. A mixture of curiosity and apprehension stirred within him as he contemplated what trials lay ahead.

Taking a deep breath to center himself, Itachi activated the key. The world around him began to blur and shift, colors melting into one another like watercolors on wet paper. When his vision finally cleared, he found himself standing in a place he thought he'd never see again - the Uchiha compound from his previous life.

The sight hit him like a physical blow. The familiar streets, the proud clan symbols adorning the buildings, the scent of incense wafting from nearby homes - it was all exactly as he remembered. For a moment, Itachi allowed himself to be swept up in the nostalgia, memories both fond and painful rushing back to him.

Before he could dwell too long on the past, a system message appeared before him:

[Your vision must go beyond what you see. Can you face the truth without your eyes?]

The cryptic message sent a chill down Itachi's spine. Instantly, his senses sharpened, years of shinobi training kicking in. He realized with a start that he was trapped in a genjutsu, and a powerful one at that.

No sooner had this realization hit than the world around him shifted again. Suddenly, he was witnessing a scene that haunted his darkest nightmares - himself, standing over the bodies of his parents, sword dripping with their blood. The pain and sorrow threatened to overwhelm him. He could smell the metallic scent of blood, hear the last rattling breaths of his father, see the look of resigned acceptance in his mother's eyes.

Itachi's heart clenched, but he steeled himself against the onslaught of emotions. He had a mission to complete, and he couldn't let himself be distracted by illusions, no matter how painful.

With practiced ease born from years of genjutsu mastery, he focused his chakra and dispelled the illusion. "Release!" he whispered, and the gruesome scene before him shattered like glass.

But his relief was short-lived. Almost immediately, he found himself trapped in another genjutsu. This time, however, the scene before him was vastly different. He saw a vision of what could have been - his family, alive and happy, living peacefully in Konoha. 

His father smiled warmly at him, pride evident in his eyes. His mother hummed softly as she prepared dinner, the scent of her cooking filling the air. And Sasuke, young and carefree, practiced shuriken throws in the backyard, calling out for Itachi to watch his progress.

It was a beautiful illusion, one that tugged at Itachi's deepest desires. For a moment, he wanted to lose himself in it, to pretend that this was his reality. The temptation to stay, to live in this perfect world where he had never been forced to make that terrible choice, was almost overwhelming.

But Itachi knew better. With a heavy heart and iron will, he forcefully broke the genjutsu. "This isn't real," he reminded himself, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can't change the past, only move forward."

As the illusion shattered, Itachi's instincts screamed a warning. He moved without thinking, his body reacting before his mind could process what was happening. His hand shot up, deflecting a kunai that had been aimed at his head. The clang of metal on metal rang out in the sudden silence.

As he regained his bearings, Itachi's eyes widened in shock at what he saw before him. Standing in a semi-circle, their forms translucent and ethereal, were the spirits of his fallen clan members. At the forefront stood Yashiro, Tekka, and Inabi Uchiha, their eyes burning with a fury that transcended death itself.

"How dare you come back after betraying us!" Yashiro spat, his voice echoing unnaturally in the spectral plane. The hatred in his eyes was palpable, a living thing that seemed to reach out and claw at Itachi.

The other spirits took up the cry, their voices a cacophony of pain and rage that threatened to overwhelm Itachi's senses. "What was our fault?" some wailed, their faces contorted in anguish. "What did our children do to deserve this?" others demanded, the spirits of young Uchiha hiding behind their parents' forms.

Itachi stood firm in the face of their anger, his expression calm but his heart heavy. He knew their words held truth, and he accepted the weight of his actions. The guilt he had carried for so long threatened to crush him, but he refused to let it show. He couldn't falter now, not when he had come so far.

"It had to be done," Itachi said, his voice steady and resolute. He met their accusing gazes unflinchingly, his own eyes reflecting a mixture of sorrow and determination.

Inabi's spirit snarled, his form flickering with rage. "What had to be done? Betraying and killing us? Your own family?"

"Because of you, the mighty Uchiha clan has fallen," Tekka added, his ghostly form trembling with barely contained fury. "We are nothing but a memory now, a cautionary tale whispered in the dark."

In response, Itachi threw a kunai at Tekka. The weapon passed through the spirit's form, causing it to ripple like water. "You were simply not thinking of the village," Itachi declared, his voice rising with passion. "You were too prideful of your clan, too blinded by your own ambition to see the bigger picture."

His words seemed to ignite a fury in the spirits. As one, they rushed towards Itachi, their ethereal forms blurring with speed. Ghostly hands reached out, seeking to tear and destroy.

Itachi quickly summoned his shadows, calling forth his most trusted allies. But to his surprise and dismay, only Igris and Baruka were able to withstand the onslaught of vengeful Uchiha spirits. The others dissipated almost immediately, overwhelmed by the spiritual energy of the Uchiha ghosts.

As Igris and Baruka engaged the other spirits, their weapons passing through ghostly forms but somehow still causing damage, Yashiro, Tekka, and Inabi confronted Itachi directly. They circled him like wolves, their eyes gleaming with malevolent intent.

A smirk played on Itachi's lips as he addressed them, a hint of his old confidence shining through. "Here to lose again?" he taunted, shifting into a battle stance.

Itachi coated his katana with lightning chakra, the blade crackling with energy that illuminated the spectral battlefield. He launched into an attack, his movements a blur as he threw kunai at each of his opponents. The spirits moved to block, their own spectral weapons materializing to deflect Itachi's assault.

Taking advantage of their momentary distraction, Itachi engaged Yashiro directly. Their blades clashed in a shower of sparks, the sound ringing out eerily in the spiritual plane. They exchanged blows rapidly, Itachi's living strength against Yashiro's undying rage. On the third strike, Itachi feinted left before pivoting sharply, catching Yashiro off guard. His lightning-infused blade cut through the spirit's form, causing Yashiro to howl in pain before dissipating.

Tekka and Inabi, seeing their comrade fall, attempted to attack from behind. But Itachi was ready. Without turning, he threw two kunai over his shoulders, forcing them to interrupt their assault to block. In that split second of distraction, Itachi spun around, his katana a blur of motion. He stabbed Inabi first, the spirit's eyes widening in shock before he too faded away.

In the same fluid motion, Itachi threw another kunai at Tekka. As the spirit moved to block, Itachi closed the distance between them in an instant. His katana, still crackling with lightning chakra, pierced through Tekka's spectral form. With a final, anguished cry, Tekka joined his comrades in oblivion.

As the spirits of the three Uchiha faded, Itachi couldn't help but think how weak they seemed compared to their positions in life. These men, who had once held such power and influence within the clan, had fallen so easily. It was a stark reminder of the transient nature of power and the equalizing force of death.

Pushing these philosophical musings aside, Itachi moved to assist Igris and Baruka. The two shadows were holding their own against the horde of Uchiha spirits, but they were clearly outnumbered.

Using his chakra, Itachi created several shadow clones to bolster their numbers. Each clone was a perfect copy, down to the lightning-infused katana. Together, they cut through the remaining Uchiha spirits with deadly efficiency. Itachi's blade flashed in the ethereal light, each stroke bringing down another vengeful ghost. Igris's longsword swept in wide arcs, dispersing multiple spirits with each swing, while Baruka's daggers danced between the ghosts, finding weak points with unerring accuracy.

The battle was intense but brief. Soon, the last of the Uchiha spirits faded away, their anguished cries echoing into silence. Itachi dispelled his shadow clones and took a moment to catch his breath, the weight of what he had just done settling heavily upon him. Even if these were just spirits or constructs of the trial, it felt like he had massacred his clan all over again.

Pushing down his emotions, Itachi steeled himself for what was to come. He began to explore the compound methodically, searching for any clues or challenges that the trial might present. He moved from building to building, each step stirring up memories of his past life.

The streets were eerily quiet now, devoid of both the living and the spirits. Itachi's footsteps echoed loudly in the silence, a constant reminder of his solitude. He searched each building thoroughly, but found nothing of note. It was as if the entire compound was holding its breath, waiting for something.

Finally, Itachi arrived at his old home. He hesitated at the entrance, memories threatening to overwhelm him. With a deep breath, he stepped inside. The interior was exactly as he remembered - the same furniture, the same family photos on the walls, even the same faint scent of his mother's cooking lingering in the air.

He moved through the house, his heart growing heavier with each step. When he reached a familiar room - the very one where he had been forced to make that terrible choice years ago - Itachi froze.

Before him, like a scene from his worst nightmares, he saw himself killing his parents. The other 'Itachi' stood over the bodies of Fugaku and Mikoto, sword dripping with blood, eyes cold and emotionless. The shock of the scene momentarily paralyzed him, his mind reeling from the vivid recreation of his darkest moment.

Taking advantage of his distraction, the doppelganger attacked. But even caught off guard, Itachi's combat instincts kicked in just in time. He countered the attack, their blades meeting with a resounding clang that seemed to shake the very foundations of the house.

For a moment, Itachi found himself staring into his own eyes, seeing the pain and resolve that had driven him to commit that unforgivable act. But this was not the time for self-reflection or regret. With a burst of chakra, Itachi pushed his doppelganger back.

"I've already faced this demon," Itachi declared, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his heart. "I won't be haunted by it any longer."

With that, he channeled his chakra, combining wind and lightning nature to form a powerful storm release jutsu. The air around him crackled with energy, and with a swift motion, he released the technique. A blast of electrified wind struck the false Itachi, dispersing the apparition in a flash of light and a crack of thunder.

The moment the doppelganger fell, the world around Itachi warped and twisted. The familiar surroundings of his childhood home melted away like wax under intense heat. The walls, the floor, even the bodies of his parents - everything liquefied and swirled together in a nauseating display.

When the transformation was complete, Itachi found himself in a hellish landscape that seemed to have sprung from the darkest corners of his psyche. The ground beneath his feet was cracked and dry, glowing with an inner heat that spoke of barely contained infernal energies. The sky above was a roiling mass of dark clouds, occasionally split by veins of crimson lightning.

Towers of obsidian rose around him, their surfaces reflecting the fires that burned eternally at their bases. Rivers of lava cut through the landscape, their molten contents bubbling and hissing. The air was thick with the scent of brimstone and the screams of the damned echoed in the distance.

From the depths of this infernal realm rose a monstrous figure - the boss of this trial dungeon. As it emerged, Itachi felt a primal fear grip his heart, a sensation he hadn't experienced since he was a small child witnessing the horrors of war for the first time.

The creature that stood before him was nothing short of terrifying. It towered over Itachi, its height easily matching that of the Susanoo. Its skin was pitch-black, seeming to absorb all light that touched it. Glowing red eyes, filled with malevolence and ancient hunger, fixed on Itachi with predatory intent.

Chains of fire bound the demon's massive limbs, rattling with each movement and leaving trails of flame in the air. These bindings seemed less like restraints and more like barely contained power, threatening to break free at any moment. In its enormous hands, it wielded weapons that defied description - massive constructs of darkness and malice that radiated a palpable aura of dread.

The system identified the monster: [The Demon of the Abyss.]

Itachi felt small in the presence of this abomination, a feeling he was not accustomed to. The demon's aura was suffocating, exuding a power that made the air itself feel heavy and oppressive. Each breath Itachi took felt labored, as if the very atmosphere was trying to crush him.

The Demon of the Abyss moved with impossible speed for its size, its actions unpredictable and savage. One moment it was still as a statue, the next it was lashing out with its weapons, the air screaming in their wake.

As Itachi stared up at this monstrous entity, he knew he was facing the greatest challenge of this trial. The creature before him seemed to embody every fear, every regret, every dark thought he had ever had. It was as if all the negative emotions he had suppressed over the years had taken physical form, coalescing into this nightmarish being.

But Itachi was not one to back down from a challenge, no matter how daunting. He had faced his past, confronted the spirits of those he had wronged. He would not falter now, not when he had come so far.

He tightened his grip on his katana, channeling chakra through the blade until it hummed with power. Beside him, Igris and Baruka took up defensive stances, ready to support their master in this hellish battle. Igris's longsword gleamed in the firelight, while Baruka's daggers seemed to absorb the shadows around them.

The air crackled with tension as Itachi and the demon faced off, neither willing to make the first move. It was a moment stretched to eternity, the calm before a storm of unimaginable proportions.

Then, with a roar that shook the very foundations of this hellish realm, the Demon of the Abyss attacked.

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