Open! Rashomon!

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As the scroll disintegrated, Horyu's body vanished, reappearing in an alternate reality with nothing in sight. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Motherfucker. I shouldn't have trusted that bastard," he raged, kicking the air in frustration. There was nothing around him but an endless void. The realization of Tobirama's betrayal and the gravity of the situation sank in.

In the emptiness, Horyu's mind raced. He needed to find a way to turn this situation to his advantage. The ["Illusionary Realm Pass"] gave him seven days of training time. He had to use it wisely. He had studied the ritual extensively; he could find a way to break out in seven days. He had to. He still had a Split Clone, but Kurenai and Shisui would die otherwise.

Another scroll appeared in his hand, [Access to "The Hidden Library" in the System: This digital library within the System Interface allows Horyu to enter a virtual space where he can browse and learn a jutsu of his choice. This library contains rare and powerful techniques not commonly found in the physical world.] "I can look for a jutsu as long as I want. So long as I don't choose a Jutsu, I can stay in System space indefinitely, but the system space is not physical, I can only theorize in there, then return here and find a solution in 7 days. If I cannot, Kurenai and Shisui will die."

Horyu closed his eyes and focused on the scroll, summoning the Hidden Library within his mind. The space around him shifted, transforming into an endless expanse of bookshelves, scrolls, and manuscripts. The atmosphere was serene, a stark contrast to the chaotic reality he had just left. He took a deep breath, steadying himself.

"I need something powerful enough to counter the ritual, something that can either disrupt the seal or protect Kurenai and Shisui," Horyu muttered to himself as he began scanning the shelves. His eyes flickered with the Sharingan, absorbing information at an incredible rate. Each jutsu he encountered seemed inadequate for the task at hand. The minutes turned into hours, and hours into days, yet he persisted, driven by the urgency of the situation.

As he delved deeper into the library, he stumbled upon a section that caught his attention. Ancient, forbidden jutsu, techniques so dangerous they were sealed away from the world. Among them, one stood out: "Reversal of Fate Seal."

[The Reversal of Fate Seal is an ancient, forbidden technique designed to alter the predetermined destiny of an individual. When activated, the seal channels the caster's life force and soul to reverse the impending death or critical misfortune of another. This technique is potent enough to rewrite the threads of fate itself, ensuring that the chosen individual avoids their tragic end.]

Reading the jutsu, Horyu cursed, "It will sacrifice my soul to reverse the fate of another. I can only use it on Kurenai, and Shisui will still die, and I will too. Absolutely not."

He continued to comb through the shelves, desperate to find a solution. Each jutsu he encountered seemed to be just as dangerous or impractical. There was "Chakra Splinter Technique," a method that allowed for the division of one's chakra among multiple targets, but the strain would be fatal. Another scroll described the "Life Essence Transfer," which required the transfer of one's life force to another, effectively turning the caster into a husk. The "Soul Binding Seal" seemed promising at first, but it required the caster to be tethered to a physical anchor for eternity, essentially becoming a living statue.

The frustration mounted as Horyu realized the gravity of his situation. The library offered no easy answers, only more questions and potential sacrifices. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He had to think, to find a way out of this.

Horyu checked every single jutsu in the Hidden Library, but they all came with a cost. The rarest and most powerful jutsus demanded a significant sacrifice, making them nearly impossible to cast without dire consequences. Fortunately, the Hidden Library offered him endless time to ponder his predicament. While immersed in the library, he also contemplated ways to reverse the ritual and came up with a few ideas.

"I need to return to the Illusionary Realm to test these ideas, but once I leave here, I can't come back," he muttered. Determined to explore every possibility, Horyu decided to test a few more theories before taking any action.

He sat down, closing his eyes to focus. He needed to develop a strategy that didn't rely on sacrificing his friends or himself. The concept of a space-time jutsu began to form in his mind. If he could manipulate the flow of time or create a temporal bubble, he might find a way to counteract the seal.

Opening his eyes, he continued his search. The idea of a temporal manipulation jutsu was not new, but finding a technique that he could master and apply effectively was a challenge. He came across several jutsu that involved time manipulation, but they were either incomplete or required steep sacrifices he was not willing to make. 

One idea centered around creating a localized time bubble that would slow down the ritual's effects on Kurenai and Shisui, buying them precious moments to counteract the seal. Another concept involved a spatial displacement technique, transporting them to a parallel dimension temporarily to evade the ritual's effects. Horyu considered the risks and potential outcomes, weighing each option carefully.

Returning to the void of the Illusionary Realm, Horyu knew he had only seven days to find a solution. To maximize his time, he created hundreds of shadow clones. Each clone would work on different aspects of the problem, and one would cast a temporal genjutsu on the others, extending their time further.

"Let's see if this works," Horyu muttered, activating the jutsu. The clones spread out, each diving into different theories and practices. They experimented with variations of the space-time jutsu, tested the limits of chakra control, and explored ways to manipulate the seal.

As the days passed in the Illusionary Realm, Horyu's clones reported back their findings. They had made significant progress in understanding the seal's intricacies and how it interacted with their chakra.

In the Illusionary Realm, Horyu spent hundreds of days trapped in a genjutsu, experiencing his brain literally exploding more than a hundred times. Initially, the pain and fear were overwhelming, but each time he was healed, as if time reversed. He even considered using the [Chrono Anchor] device to revert to his physical state from three seconds ago first time he was about to die, but fortunately, the Illusionary Realm healed him to his peak form each time. Despite the intense suffering, Horyu pushed through, determined to find a solution. By the end of the seventh day, he had a desperate plan, hoping his "Gambler's Luck" perk would kick in.

As the Illusionary Realm dissolved around him, Horyu found himself back in the real world. Only a single second had passed. No one realized that Horyu had gained hundreds of days of wisdom and experience. With a swift motion, he drew blood and cast, "Rashomon!"

This wasn't the gate Hashirama used for defense; this gate was entirely different. The gate to the Spectral World loomed large and imposing, its surface covered in eerie, glowing runes. It pulsed with a sinister energy, the air around it crackling with power. The very sight of it sent chills down the spines of those present.

"No, don't!" Hashirama yelled, but Horyu ignored him.

"Phantom Brigade, open the bridge!" Horyu commanded, his voice resolute.

The gate shimmered, and a dark portal began to form. Horyu stepped forward, the weight of his decision heavy on his shoulders. This was his last chance, his only gamble.

Hashirama tried to intervene, but Horyu's determination was unshakable. The portal opened fully, revealing a dark, swirling vortex. Without hesitation, Horyu, holding onto Kurenai and Shisui, stepped through, disappearing into the Spectral Realm.

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