202-Necessary Procedure

Renjiro glanced at the elder with a puzzled expression. "Toshiaki-sama if I could ask, what was the point of the questioning?"

The elder Uchiha regarded Renjiro with a moment of silence, his cold eyes locking onto Renjiro's curious expression. Toshiaki's voice, when it came, was measured and deliberate, as though he were considering each word before releasing it into the air.

"It is a necessary procedure to ensure that no one outside of the Uchiha clan infiltrates this space. We also use it to verify your identity and confirm that you are not under any form of genjutsu. Our enemies, even within Konoha, may seek to exploit the knowledge held here." he said, inclining his head slightly.

Toshiaki's words carried a certain gravity, reminding Renjiro of the delicate balance of trust and secrecy that the Uchiha maintained with the rest of the village.

'Damn, Tobirama really did a number of them.' Renjiro mused.

The second shinobi had isolated the clan. Whether it was intentional or not was up for debate but that action had a domino effect that caused the clan to be more withdrawn from the rest of the village.

"We must ensure," Toshiaki continued "that what is contained within this library never leaves the confines of the clan unless under the strictest of conditions. There are many who would do anything for the power stored here."

'True, the Forbidden jutsus like the Izanagi is dangerous, but it can only work if they already have a Sharingan.' the chunin thought.

Renjiro nodded, understanding the elder's cautious nature. He felt a chill run down his spine, realizing how much the clan guarded its knowledge. The procedures were not just for show—there was real danger in the misuse of the techniques stored in this hidden library.

"I understand, Toshiaki-sama," Renjiro began again, "I have also heard you mention something about contribution points before, could you explain exactly what they entail? I've been so caught up in my work at the police force that I never really got around to learning about them."

'He doesn't know about them?'

The elder wondered as his eyes widened slightly, and he let out a long, exasperated sigh.

"You're not the first to let their duties overwhelm them, I suppose," he said, though there was a hint of impatience in his voice.

"But really, you should know this by now, Renjiro. Contribution points are what grant you access to the deeper secrets of the Uchiha clan. They are awarded for your service, your achievements, and your dedication to advancing the interests of the clan."

The elder's gaze sharpened as he continued, clearly wanting to impress the importance of this system upon Renjiro.

"Everything you do, whether it be missions, advancing your skills, or bringing honour to the clan, is rewarded with these points. The more points you accrue, the more access you are granted—to our resources, our techniques, and our knowledge. In this way, we ensure that only the most loyal and valuable members of the clan are entrusted with our deepest secrets."

Renjiro nodded slowly, processing this information. "I see," he replied.

"So it's not just about rank or skill. It's about proving your worth through your actions."

Toshiaki smiled faintly, though once again it didn't reach his eyes.

"Precisely," he said. "Remember, Renjiro, you are always being watched—by your peers, by the clan elders, and even by the Hokage. What you do matters, not just for yourself, but for the legacy of the Uchiha."

'Well, that was not subtle at all.' Renjiro thought as he recognized the cautioning undertone in what Toshiaki had said.

Renjiro did ask how many contribution points he had and Toshiaki informed him that he had around seventeen thousand contribution points in total. He would need another thirteen thousand to access the second lower floor of the private library.

With that weighty conversation behind him, Renjiro bowed once again to Toshiaki and ventured deeper into the library.

'I wonder if I can use my seals to get more contribution points," Renjiro wondered.

The room was lit by soft, glowing orbs of chakra-infused lights that hovered near the ceiling, casting a gentle glow over the shelves. The air grew cooler as he moved further in, and the dim lighting gave the whole place a somber, almost sacred feel.

The shelves were filled with scrolls, each one meticulously categorized and stored. The entire structure seemed designed to be as unassuming as possible. There were no lavish decorations or elaborate displays, only bare stone walls and rows upon rows of scrolls.

As Renjiro reached for one of the jutsus, his fingers brushing against the delicate parchment, something curious happened. The text contained in the scroll seemed garbled at first, foreign symbols he couldn't make sense of.

But when his Sharingan focused in on the writing, the characters began to shift, rearranging themselves into a language he could understand.

'Is this the same language as the one on the shrine?' Renjiro wondered, narrowing his eyes as the characters resolved themselves.

'If it is, then the Uchiha are really thorough about this.'

Renjiro was right on the mark. The text on the scrolls was written in a language derived from the partially deciphered stone tablet in the Uchiha shrine. Only those with a Sharingan, and a powerful one at that, could read the text fully.

It was a clever method of ensuring that only the most capable Uchiha could access the knowledge stored here. So even if you somehow managed to get the required contributional points, you still had to be capable of actually deciphering the text.

Renjiro smiled faintly to himself. 'It's as much a test of skill as it is a safeguard.'

As Renjiro read further, he deciphered the contents of the scroll. The technique it described was one he had heard of and seen before, though not in great detail.

It was the Kage Mane no Jutsu, also known as the Shadow Imitation Technique. A famous jutsu from the Nara clan.

'So they've copied techniques from other clans as well,' he thought. 'I wonder why I haven't seen anyone use this jutsu.'

The answer came to him quickly, and he let out a small chuckle.

'Of course, the Uchiha are far too proud to openly use techniques from other clans.'

From his interaction with most members of the clan, Renjiro concluded that they prided themselves on their own power and their own abilities. Adopting jutsus from another clan would be seen as a weakness, an admission that their techniques weren't superior.

He continued reading, intrigued by the precision and intelligence behind the Nara clan's jutsu. The text described the requirements for using the technique—the focus, the control over one's shadow, and the significant amount of chakra needed to maintain it over a long period.

Of course, it was cheaper for Nara Clan members. But it also mentioned that the Uchiha had copied these techniques primarily for defensive purposes, to counter them in battle.

Renjiro could see why. The scroll detailed ways in which the Uchiha had studied and deconstructed these techniques, learning their weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

For the Aburame clan's jutsu, for example, the Uchiha had noted the necessity of implanting bugs into the user's body, making them easy to identify and counter.

The Akimichi clan's techniques, which relied on the precise use of calories, could be countered by targeting their chakra reserves or stamina.

Renjiro smirked as he closed the scroll thinking, 'Well, Kakashi copied a lot of jutsu, so maybe I can find something useful here as well.'

As he perused more scrolls, Renjiro came across several other interesting techniques. One caught his eye in particular— The Body Pathway Derangement, a high-level medical ninjutsu technique used by Tsunade.

According to the scroll, it allowed the user to disrupt the target's nervous system by sending chakra into their body via physical touch, causing their movements to misfire and leaving them vulnerable in battle. Renjiro was impressed.

'It's a fascinating technique,' he thought.

'But it requires more specialized knowledge of medical ninjutsu than I currently have. Getting the knowledge is not a problem. The issue is that I would have to spend a considerable amount of time to acquire said knowledge Besides, it's not really my style.'

He moved on, coming across more and more jutsu, each with its own unique requirements and complexities. The Super Beast Imitating Drawing, a technique used later by Sai, was another that caught his eye, though Renjiro quickly dismissed it.

It would take too much time to master, and it required a level of artistic skill that he simply didn't possess. He preferred traditional fuinjutsu which did not require such artistic skill.

Other techniques, such as those from the Aburame clan, required special insects to be implanted in the user's body—again, something Renjiro could not replicate.

Finally, after what felt like hours of searching, Renjiro found the scroll he had been looking for. His breath caught in his throat as his fingers brushed against the old parchment. The title at the top of the scroll was unmistakable,

The Eight Gates Technique.

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