The Truth

In a dark room, under black steel, two figures stared at each other. Their eyes shone a brilliant light, with a small spark of blue within each.

"So, why do you want him dead?"

Instead of replying, the other figure took out a cigar from his pockets. He brought his finger at the end and lit it up.

Under the dim light, his blonde hair and blue eyes were revealed. As well as the other's black hair and black eyes.

He put the cigar on his lips, took a smoke and released it. Then, he extended the cigar towards the other. Shikamaru silently took the cigar and mimicked him.

"Well. There are two reasons..." Naruto took the cigar, smoked it again.

"One. Because he's the reason for all the odd things in Konoha... You know what I'm talking about"

"Reason number two..." Naruto glanced at Shikamaru, and spoke with ice in his tone. "I hate him"

Shikamaru stayed motionless, and then he sighed. He leaned back and rested his back against the cold steel wall behind him.

"... So, he's the reason for the massacre of the Uchiha clan. Itachi's betrayal. And I reckon... Your past as well?"

Naruto burned the cigar with a sparkle of blue fire, and responded:

"Well, you could say he's part of it... And I can asure you, Shikamaru. He's done it several times, and will continue to do so... But..."

Naruto walked upto Shikamaru, put his hand on his shoulder and whispered "If you help me, we can stop that. We can end his reign in the shadows... Using yours"

Shikamaru hesitated, but he replied after a while with a grim tone.

"What do you want me to do?" His voice was a bit shaky, and Naruto shook his head at that. He patted his shoulder and started walking away.

"Meet me after you make up your mind, Shinobi. You have three days... " Naruto looked over his shoulders to give a final glance before he disappeared. "Or I'll need to do it the hard way"

The echoes of his footsteps faded away, leaving only Shikamaru to his kin. The shadows.

His rubbed his temples, and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Fucking hell"

***

The rain poured down like cold shower, and Naruto walked under the dark clouds, soaked. His foot both planted and left the earth as he travelled through the Uchiha compound.

He stepped into a large building, went inside and entered a vast hall. There, he walked to the far right and kneeled. He lifted the seventh tatami mat, and opened the plank beneath.

'Ah, there it is'

A set of ladders to the darkness was revealed. Naruto silently went down the ladders... As he progressed under, he opened his right eye.

His eye, seemingly always closed, shone brightly. With pitch-black sclera and a humming light blue pupil.

Suddenly, he could see clearly. His foot reached the end, and he stepped on the dark wooden floor. There, on several tables were half melted candles.

He lit them one by one using the tip of his finger, and the room illuminated blue. Naruto approached a stone tablet at the far end of the hall, he closed in and read it using his right eye.

As he read the content, a scoff escaped his lips.

"I can't believe so many generations fell for such foolish words..."

Naruto's face turned to its usual stoicism again, he approached the tablet and planted his palm on its words. His Jougan shone bright, tickles of blood ran down his nose, ears and eyes.

An unimaginable scene unfolded before him. Miraculously, the words on the stone tablet shifted and rearranged. Words popped up, and the stone tablet increased in size as the letters became more and more.

Naruto quickly took off his hands with rigid breaths as the transformation stopped.

"Huff... Huff.."

He took in deep breaths, however, all pain was numb to him as he stared at the once small stone tablet... Now the size of a boulder.

Naruto rubbed the blood away from his nose, and all other places. He used water style and cleaned his face. Then, he stood up and read through the new stone tablet before him... or, rather... the old, and original stone tablet.

A small grunt escaped his lips as he pressed his palm against his closed eye.

'That was some experience all right... This ability is powerful, but such a pity it only works on non-sentient objects. Hah... I still haven't named it, but that's for a later date. Let's see the original written words by Hagoromo Otsutski, shall we'

As Naruto kept on reading the contents, his face remained the same, but his thoughts were another matter. There was so much information that his mind took a minute or two to finally absorb the knowledge.

'In the twilight of creation, when the cosmos birthed both stars and shadows,

Within the vessel of this mortal frame, I shall carve the path to ultimate power,

We, the Uchiha, bear the weight of destiny, guardians of celestial might.

Unfurl thy eyes, the Sharingan, to pierce the veils of time and fate,

And in the depths of darkness, seek the truth that binds the worlds,

For in our hearts, the eternal fire of ambition shall forever burn.

By indomitable will, we shall unlock the Mangekyō, the key to untold potential,

Yet, beware the abyss it beckons, consuming all with its infinite hunger,

Balanced on the precipice, we dance between gods and demons.

As the Otsutsuki, celestial wanderers, descend from the heavens,

With their alien chakra and otherworldly might, they challenge our legacy,

In their cosmic gaze, we find the crucible of our destiny.

The Uchiha, bloodline of warriors, shall shape destiny's course,

But heed the lessons of history, lest our power be our undoing,

Harmony must prevail, or chaos shall devour the world's soul.

Amidst the cosmic clash, Kaguya, the progenitor of chakra, emerged,

A force to challenge gods and mortals alike, her power transcending,

Bearing witness to her descent, we Uchiha stood at the crossroads of existence.

This tablet, etched in ancient wisdom, a testament to our clan's legacy,

Let it guide the chosen ones, protectors of balance, wielders of power,

For in their hands, the fate of all realms shall be decided.

The cosmos weaves its tapestry, a delicate dance of light and darkness,

And we, the Uchiha, stand as both saviors and reapers,

In our hands, the universe finds equilibrium, or descends into eternal night.

From the primordial chaos to the present day, our lineage endures,

Passing down the sacred lore, the blood of the Uchiha courses strong,

Each generation, a link in the chain of destiny, forged by our ancient oath.

When the shadows of adversity loom, let the Sharingan awaken,

A reflection of our unwavering resolve, a beacon in the darkest hour,

Through the eyes of the Uchiha, the world's secrets shall be unveiled.

But remember, dear descendant, that power carries the burden of responsibility,

The path you tread is fraught with choices, where virtue must guide your way,

For in the heart of the Uchiha lies the power to save or to annihilate.

In unity, we find strength, in compassion, we find purpose,

With the legacy of Kaguya and the destiny of the cosmos intertwined,

We Uchiha must strive to bring harmony, lest our potential become our downfall.

So, inscribed upon this tablet, let our legacy endure,

A testament to our enduring spirit, our relentless pursuit of truth,

May our clan's flame forever burn bright in the annals of time.'

Naruto grimaced, he pulled his hand, wrapped it into a fist and struck the tablet with full force.

BOOM!

the tablet shattered into pieces, the dust and debris filled the dimly lit room. Naruto turned his back on the remains of the ancient tablet, and walked away.