Grand plan begins (1)

Itachi let out a tired sigh, suddenly lowering his head.

Great Red tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "What's with the serious tone, Itachi?"

Itachi's remaining Sharingan spun slowly, its crimson hue sharp against his pale face. "I am grateful for what you have done, and I will not ask why you chose not to kill the people who will kill you in the future.

I also agree to make you a part of this grand plan I've been considering, but I need you to eliminate anyone who poses a threat to it."

A smirk spread across Great Red's face. "Oh? You're already ordering me around? I thought you'd at least wait until we become friends."

Itachi ignored the remark, pulling out a scroll from his pouch. With a flick of his wrist, it unfurled to reveal a list of names written in bold, precise strokes. There were thirteen names in total—some well-known, others obscure, but all significant threats to his schemes.

Great Red's eyes scanned the list, his smirk fading into a more serious expression. "Thirteen targets. Devils, fallen angels, even some stray gods and other factions. Not exactly light work."

"You'll manage," Itachi replied curtly.

The dragon chuckled. "Fair enough. But before I start playing assassin, you need to get stronger. Your system's holding you back."

Itachi's gaze sharpened. "Explain."

Great Red leaned casually against a stone pillar, his arms crossed. "The system is manipulating your chakra, converting it into senjutsu energy whenever you use techniques of chakra in this world. That's fine for basic illusions and tricks, but it's a leash. If you want to truly harness your power, you need to bypass the system and align your chakra with this world's mana."

Itachi frowned, his analytical mind already dissecting the concept. "And how do I do that?"

The dragon's smirk returned. "Simple. You need to learn how to tap into the life energy of the beings here—devils, angels, and fallen in particular. Their energy resonates with this dimension's mana. By manipulating that resonance with your chakra, you can bypass the system entirely."

The Sharingan in Itachi's eye spun as he processed the explanation. "Show me."

---

Over the next ten days, the courtyard became a makeshift training ground.

Great Red began by bringing in several lower-ranked devils, each one bound by a powerful sealing magic. The devils snarled and cursed, their crimson eyes burning with hatred, but their power was tightly suppressed.

"Your goal," Great Red explained, "is to project your chakra into them—not as an attack, but as a thread. Feel the flow of their demonic energy. Align your chakra with that flow, and then manipulate it as if it were your own."

Itachi approached the first devil, his expression calm but focused. Closing his eyes, he placed a hand on the devil's shoulder, forging a connection to their demonic energy. Reaching out with his chakra, he let it intertwine with the devil's power—a chaotic and volatile force, so unlike the disciplined flow of chakra he was accustomed to.

For hours, he worked, failing time and again to establish the alignment. Each failure brought a searing backlash of energy, leaving burns and scars on his hands. Yet Itachi pressed on, his resolve unshaken.

By the fifth day, he made his first breakthrough. The devil he was practicing on froze mid-snarl, its eyes widening in terror as Itachi's chakra infiltrated its core. A faint ripple of control passed through its body, and its struggles ceased. It was fully controlled by Itachi.

Great Red clapped slowly. "Not bad, Uchiha. You're getting the hang of it."

By the tenth day, Itachi had mastered the technique. He could now align his chakra with a devil's energy effortlessly, bypassing the system's restrictions. The first thing he tested was an advanced genjutsu. Instead of relying on demonic energy, he cast it purely with chakra, weaving the devil into a nightmare of his own making.

The devil collapsed, its screams echoing through the void. This was possible because chakra is a life force energy produced by the body, flowing through a network of pathways. Itachi just had to tap into the life energy of the devil to get the same effect as someone who has a chakra network in their body.

Itachi straightened, his breathing steady despite the effort. His Sharingan gleamed with satisfaction.

"Impressive," Great Red admitted, a genuine note of respect in his voice. "You've got talent, I'll give you that."

---

Having mastered the new technique, Itachi decided to return the favor.

"You've taught me well," he said, "but there's one thing you lack to help in my grand plan."

Great Red raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's that?"

"Ninjutsu."

Over the next few days, Itachi trained Great Red in the art of transformation techniques, which was very important for his plans.

He had also trained himself to use ninjutsu by drawing it directly from chakra, rather than relying on the system to convert it into senjutsu, despite receiving countless warnings against it.

As Itachi observed Great Red, he reflected on the dragon's immense raw power—a double-edged sword. While it was undeniably formidable, it made Great Red far too conspicuous, a glaring beacon to the supernatural world. If Great Red could learn to wield chakra, however, it would become much easier to mask his presence and deceive the watchful eyes of their enemies.

Reflecting on this, Itachi guided him through the intricacies of chakra manipulation, demonstrating how to transform his dragon energy into chakra. Some might wonder: wasn't Great Red the one who taught Itachi how to use chakra? Why would he need Itachi's help now?

The truth, however, was far from what one might expect—and far more painful. Great Red hadn't taught Itachi anything about chakra. In reality, Itachi had figured it out on his own. Great Red had been more like a clueless student in a classroom, fumbling to answer a teacher's question by asking his friend.

While he pretended to know, he hadn't actually understood what Itachi was doing. The task of mastering chakra manipulation had fallen entirely on Itachi's shoulders.

At first, Great Red struggled, his transformations crude and unstable. But under Itachi's guidance, he quickly improved. By the end of their sessions, he could seamlessly use basic ninja techniques and transformation.

---

The two stood at the edge of the courtyard, the list of names hovering between them like a silent specter.

"Before I begin," Great Red said, his tone uncharacteristically serious, "there's one thing I want to know."

Itachi turned to him, his gaze unreadable. "What is it?"

The dragon's eyes gleamed with an intensity that made even Itachi hesitate. "Why are you so determined to pull this off? What's the real reason behind your plan?"

Itachi's expression darkened, his Sharingan spinning once more. "You'll know soon enough. For now, focus on your task."

The dragon chuckled, but there was no humor in his voice. "You're a dangerous man, Uchiha. Let's hope I don't regret letting you live."

Itachi's lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile.