"Real illusion!"
Uchiha Fugaku's eyes transformed into the Mangekyō Sharingan as he took out a small mirror and activated his right-eye pupil technique—Real Illusion.
However, unlike previous uses of this technique, the target wasn't an enemy but himself.
Buzz—
The surrounding scenery didn't change, but Fugaku instantly knew he had entered a real illusion because of the familiar feeling of control, something he'd experienced many times before.
Real illusion was the key to mastering the Eight Gates technique.
The reason he had chosen to practice the forbidden Eight Gates Ninjutsu was due to the perfect synergy between it and his real illusion. His confidence in mastering the final two gates of the Eight Gates—gates so dangerous that most shinobi never dared to open them—stemmed from this powerful eye technique.
"Physical strengthening," Fugaku commanded.
As he spoke, an invisible force acted upon his body. It was as though years of rigorous training had been condensed into a single moment, significantly improving his physical capabilities.
While in the real illusion, Fugaku could optimize himself in ways impossible in reality. He could bypass the rules of normal ninjutsu, using techniques without seals. He could even increase the concentration of his Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, allowing him to perform Wood Release techniques that were impossible for him outside this illusion. Most importantly, he could enhance his physical strength.
With his body strengthened, Fugaku now had the conditions necessary to practice the seventh and eighth gates of the Eight Gates, something previously beyond his reach due to physical limitations. This was his method of mastering the final stages of the Eight Gates Ninjutsu quickly.
"Not only can I master the seventh and eighth gates rapidly, but I can also use the Eight Gates without suffering any of the side effects, even opening the Gate of Death!" Fugaku thought with satisfaction.
One of the reasons the Eight Gates were such a perfect match for him was that in the real illusion, he could resurrect infinitely. This meant that even the fatal consequences of opening the final gate, the Gate of Death, were meaningless. He could unleash the full power of the Eight Gates without worrying about dying.
Additionally, the real illusion had another key characteristic—it caused real damage to enemies. Once an opponent was trapped in this illusion, they were at a severe disadvantage, battling against the full force of Fugaku's enhanced body.
"However, even after opening the eighth gate, my power won't compare to Might Guy's when he fought against Madara, at least not immediately," Fugaku mused.
The Eight Gates exponentially amplified the user's physical power, but that power ultimately depended on the user's base strength. This was why Might Guy's father, Might Dai, hadn't reached the same destructive potential as his son, despite both using the Eight Gates.
Although Fugaku's real illusion could enhance his physical strength, it had its limits. He couldn't endlessly increase his power. If that were possible, he could make himself as strong as the Sage of Six Paths, a level of power far beyond his current reach.
"I estimate my strength will be comparable to Might Guy's, but not quite at his peak," Fugaku calculated. "Reaching that level will still require extensive physical training in reality."
As he pondered this, he considered the possibility of using the real illusion to improve his spatial talent and master the Flying Thunder God Technique. But in the end, he dismissed the idea.
"There's no need," he concluded. "In the real illusion, I can already move through space freely. There's no reason to rely on the Flying Thunder God Technique."
With that, Fugaku focused on his current goal. "Let's start practicing the seventh gate of the Eight Gates."
Taking a deep breath, he began the training.
The seventh gate, known as the Gate of Shock, was the last one before the Gate of Death. Once opened, the body would release blue steam from evaporating sweat, and the user's combat power would skyrocket. In this state, Might Guy had easily defeated Kisame, a shinobi at Kage-level.
An hour later, Fugaku deactivated the real illusion.
Using this technique on himself consumed his Mangekyō Sharingan's power at a much slower rate, but even so, he could only maintain the illusion for an hour each day. Thankfully, thanks to the benefits of White Zetsu's body, which he had integrated into his own, there were no side effects from using the Mangekyō Sharingan. Otherwise, Fugaku wouldn't have dared to rely on the real illusion so often.
After a quick bath, Fugaku felt a bit more relaxed from the strain of using the Eight Gates.
In reality, the damage caused by opening the sixth gate wasn't severe, and thanks to the regenerative properties of Hashirama's cells, any damage was easily repaired within two or three days.
"Fugaku, the First Elder, Second Elder, and Third Elder are here to see you," came a soft voice.
Uchiha Mikoto, dressed in a graceful kimono, entered the room. Her long, smooth black hair flowed down her back as she approached him with her usual gentle demeanor.
"All three of them together?" Fugaku sensed something unusual.
Standing up, he headed towards the reception room.
"Clan leader," the three elders greeted him respectfully as he entered. Uchiha Setsuna, Uchiha Mamoru, and Uchiha Tsukasa were among the most influential elders of the clan, and their visit together signified something important.
After the last clan meeting, they had come to fully trust Fugaku's leadership. With their support, Fugaku had solidified his control over the entire Uchiha clan.
"What happened?" Fugaku asked once they sat down and activated a soundproof barrier.
It was rare for all three elders to visit him together, so it had to be something significant.
"Uchiha Shisui has just returned to the village," the First Elder, Uchiha Setsuna, said, his voice carrying a hint of disdain.
Once optimistic about Shisui's potential, Setsuna had grown disillusioned after learning about Shisui's covert activities with the village's leadership.
"He's back? Did he encounter the Wood Release user?" Fugaku asked, surprised.
Originally, Fugaku had planned to secretly follow the twelve elite jonin on their mission, hoping to capitalize on the situation. However, they had left the village through special channels, and Fugaku hadn't been able to trail them.
"The mission failed," Uchiha Tsukasa, the Third Elder, said. "According to Shisui, they fought the Wood Release user but were utterly defeated. Everyone else was killed, and he's the sole survivor."
"He survived?" Fugaku said, disappointed. He had hoped that Uchiha Obito, with his formidable Wood Release and Mangekyō Sharingan, would eliminate Shisui. But it seemed the plan had failed.
"He lost his right eye," added Uchiha Mamoru, the Second Elder. "Shisui claims it was due to an injury, but I believe he used Izanagi."
"No wonder," Fugaku murmured, understanding now.
If there had been any doubt that Shisui had stolen the Uchiha's secret scroll on Izanagi, this confirmed it. Shisui had indeed used the forbidden technique, sacrificing one of his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"What should we do next?" Uchiha Setsuna asked, his voice dripping with murderous intent. He saw this as the perfect opportunity to strike, with Shisui weakened from losing an eye.
"You don't need to do anything," Fugaku said with a cold smile. "That Wood Release ninja will handle Shisui for us."
Fugaku knew Obito wouldn't let Shisui off the hook. As the only survivor of the mission, Shisui was sure to become Obito's next target. It was only a matter of time before Shisui was killed.
The only regret, Fugaku thought, was that Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan would likely be out of reach now. Even if Obito did manage to kill him, recovering the eye would be far more difficult with Izanagi in play.
(End of Chapter)
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