Chương 44: 44. Deception
"Isn't this just a simplified version of the Infinite Tsukuyomi?"
As the wielder of the Yasaka's Spear, Nameless not only had the power to mentally control others but could also endlessly absorb the chakra of those marked with the seal.
"Doesn't this make Tajima invincible?"
Uchiha Gin asked in confusion, "If Uchiha Tajima had such powerful 'weapons,' how did he still fail?"
"Heh, despite all his schemes, he never accounted for the fact that I had long seen through his plans," Uchiha Igaku said, stroking his gray beard with pride.
"I broke the seal left in the Sharingan by that child, Shinzo, and saw the scenes of Uchiha Tajima's violent deeds."
Igaku spoke with a pained tone. "When I witnessed Shinzo's death, the anguish I felt was overwhelming. And so I too..."
"Awakened these eyes, filled with hatred."
As Igaku spoke, the lone eye remaining in his socket slowly turned red, and the black tomoe in the center morphed into an equilateral triangle with a hollow center.
Uchiha Igaku had also awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Looking at the unfamiliar pattern in his eye, Uchiha Gin cautiously asked, "What is the ability of your Mangekyō?"
"My Mangekyō's ability is called Deception."
Igaku didn't hold back and explained, "It creates a 'shadow clone,' a manifestation of my will, possessing a degree of self-awareness. Because it's made of shadows, it doesn't have a physical form. I call it my Shadow Clone."
The more Gin listened, the more something felt off, but he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong. It just made his head itch like he was on the verge of an epiphany.
"Is it that old prison sweeper?" Gin asked.
"Yes."
No wonder the figure could sneak into shadows and ignore physical attacks—it wasn't human, but rather a product of Uchiha Igaku's Mangekyō Sharingan.
As Igaku continued his explanation, the eerie old prison sweeper reappeared from the shadows.
He still wore that unsettling grin, and his ghostly gray eyes stared straight at Gin. For some reason, Gin could sense a faint, deeply buried malice coming from the old man.
"Deception can hide its presence and move stealthily. It can also attach itself to others and exert some control over their bodies," Igaku added.
The explanation only made things worse.
Gin's eyes darted up and down, sizing up the old sweeper, who remained completely still, like a well-trained puppet.
"After awakening my Mangekyō, I immediately used Deception to infiltrate Uchiha Tajima's inner circle, searching for your whereabouts and leaking information about his schemes."
"At the time, you had all been brainwashed by Uchiha Tajima. I couldn't approach you directly, so I could only watch from afar as they conducted various experiments on you."
Igaku's voice grew pained again.
"Then one day, while monitoring the laboratory, Deception passed along a piece of news about you."
"?"
Gin was curious. What could have happened to him while he was under their control?
"Uchiha Haru discovered during a health check that your body's functions were deteriorating, especially your eyesight, which was rapidly declining."
Isn't that just the curse of the Mangekyō Sharingan?
Especially for those with purely offensive abilities—the more they used it, the faster their bodies deteriorated.
Even Uchiha Itachi, in the original series, had used his Mangekyō only a few times before his health completely failed him, dying at 21, overwhelmed by illness.
"Haru immediately reported this to Uchiha Tajima. Knowing your body was nearing its limit, Tajima planned to extract your Sharingan once you were no longer useful and transplant its abilities into Nameless, who had a high compatibility with you."
Igaku spoke through gritted teeth, nearly gnashing his teeth in rage.
The original Gin had it rough—after losing his parents and awakening the Mangekyō in his grief, not only did he fail to avenge them, but he was brainwashed by his enemy, exploited, and eventually targeted to have his eyes gouged out.
Truly a tragic boy.
"Of course, I couldn't let that happen. I had Deception attach itself to you, waiting for the right moment to give Uchiha Tajima a big surprise."
Igaku's eyes flickered with a manic intensity.
Gin furrowed his brows. He had been possessed by that creepy old prison sweeper before?
Despite Igaku's claims, Gin still harbored some doubts.
The old man who claimed to be his grandfather didn't seem as straightforward as he let on.
"When the Kaguya Clan was lured into the clan's territory, and Uchiha Tajima began controlling you to slaughter them, I activated Deception and took control of your body. I broke the seal on your mind and launched an attack on Tajima's men."
Igaku's voice grew darker as he recalled the events.
"You didn't succeed, did you?"
Gin sighed.
If Igaku had succeeded, Uchiha Tajima wouldn't still be alive, and he wouldn't be locked up in this hidden prison.
"You're right. I underestimated Uchiha Tajima. I never expected there would be four pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan present that day."
Igaku's expression was filled with regret.
"I failed. Uchiha Tajima's Sharingan could alter people's perceptions. Using that special ability, he rewrote your memories. I couldn't fight against three Mangekyō users at once, and in the end, I lost. I was imprisoned here."
After finishing his story, Igaku sighed heavily, his eyes lowering as if weighed down by his memories.
---
Meanwhile, in Uchiha Tajima's office, Uchiha Hiro and Uchiha Haru had already left, busy with their respective tasks.
Tajima sat alone, eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought.
"Father! I overheard that my brother has a meeting with that person three days from now by the river."
Uchiha Izuna burst in energetically, interrupting Tajima's deep thoughts.
"Understood. I'll bring people there in three days."
Tajima opened his eyes and gazed at his lively son, his stern expression softening.
Including the not-quite-biological Uchiha Gin, he now had six children.
But every night when he closed his eyes, the horrifying images of his wife and children being slaughtered haunted him, leaving him sleepless and plagued by a mysterious illness.
Who knew how much time he had left?
Tajima wanted to ensure that before his death, he could hand over a powerful, united Uchiha clan to his son.
And to do that, the sealed "weapon" had to be secured by the Uchiha clan!
Years ago, the old clan leader had entrusted him with two children who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, hoping he could nurture them to strengthen the clan.
Tajima had cared deeply for both, especially Gin, who was the son of his sister.
Gin's father, Uchiha Shinzo, had also been Tajima's senior and mentor.
Both Gin and his cousin were once pupils of the brilliant Uchiha Igaku, a man unmatched in his research on the clan's secrets, especially the Sharingan, despite his eccentric personality.
However, Gin's father and Igaku eventually had a falling out over a research project, which caused a rift between them that was never mended, not even until Shinzo's death in battle alongside his wife.
Shortly after, with the old clan leader's death, the newly married Tajima was forced to take up the position of clan head.
"Sigh."
The familiar headache returned as Tajima massaged his temples, his thoughts drifting back to events from over a decade ago.
--
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