Naruto: The Shadow of Uchiha

Ryosuke took his time carefully reviewing the genjutsu scrolls, filtering through them to choose the ones that suited him best.

The first was "Genjutsu: Shiranui"—a visual illusion cast through the Sharingan. It caused the target to feel as if their body were engulfed in flames, producing intense pain through illusion alone.

The second was simply titled "Sharingan Genjutsu"—a general but powerful category of illusions cast through the Sharingan. This technique's strength depended heavily on the user's ocular prowess. In some cases, it was even capable of controlling Tailed Beasts (Bijuu).

The third was "Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique (Magen: Kyō Ten Hō)"—a rare genjutsu cast specifically through the Sharingan's visual prowess. It created a mental world within the target's mind where massive spectral stakes impaled their limbs, rendering them paralyzed and inducing intense illusory pain. This technique was often used for torture or interrogation.

Ryosuke remembered this technique vividly. In the original series, Itachi Uchiha had used it to instantly subdue Orochimaru when he tried to steal Itachi's Sharingan.

That alone proved its value.

I wonder how my ocular power compares to Itachi's, Ryosuke thought.

Nearby, his grandfather—who had been patiently waiting—noticed Ryosuke had picked his techniques and came over for a look. He was slightly surprised.

The first, Shiranui, was fairly accessible—most Uchiha with three-tomoe Sharingan could learn it.

The second was more complex. The genjutsu's effects varied greatly depending on the caster's strength. In the hands of someone powerful, it could indeed control a tailed beast.

The third, however, was far more difficult.

Even within the Uchiha clan, few could use the Shackling Stakes Technique.

Still, the old man had faith in Ryosuke.

Just one look at his grandson's deep crimson Sharingan confirmed it: the more vivid the red, the greater the ocular power.

At that moment, Ryosuke asked,

"Grandpa, is it really true that the Sharingan genjutsu can control a Tailed Beast?"

He was thinking of the Nine-Tails incident years ago.

Back then, Obito Uchiha had controlled the Nine-Tails, even giving it the Sharingan's distinct eye pattern.

If that genjutsu really could control a Tailed Beast, then Ryosuke knew he had to master it.

His grandfather sighed.

"Well… it's possible. But the amount of ocular power required is immense. Someone with just a three-tomoe Sharingan couldn't do it."

"So during the Nine-Tails' attack, there's no way it was controlled by a regular Uchiha."

"To control the Nine-Tails, you'd need a terrifying level of power."

Ryosuke's eyes lit up.

That confirmed it—it is possible.

Even if not with the standard Sharingan, the Mangekyō Sharingan might be able to do it.

Especially someone like Obito, who had awakened a powerful Mangekyō and whose mental state had plunged into madness—destroying the world had practically become his goal. That alone gave him unmatched spiritual force.

His ocular power must have ranked among the strongest in Uchiha history.

That made learning this particular genjutsu a priority.

Ryosuke looked down at the three scrolls and asked,

"Grandpa, you can use all three of these techniques, right?"

The elder nodded proudly.

"Yes. I mastered all three back when I was still an elite of the Uchiha clan."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have become the Eighth Elder."

Ryosuke grinned.

"Then once I read through the scrolls, could you demonstrate them for me? I want to use my Sharingan to observe the process carefully."

His grandfather sighed.

Ever since Kakashi Hatake gained fame using a stolen Sharingan, people had begun to believe that the Uchiha eye could copy any jutsu it saw.

He responded wryly:

"It's true the Sharingan has powerful insight—it lets you observe chakra flow and hand seals. For most ninjutsu, that's enough to replicate them."

"But genjutsu is different."

"You might be able to see the chakra flow, but Sharingan genjutsu relies mainly on ocular power and spiritual strength."

"Those are the key factors in determining a genjutsu's power."

Ryosuke wasn't concerned.

His Sharingan wasn't just a standard three-tomoe—it had been strengthened by his system, enhancing his ocular power beyond normal limits. The deep red hue of his eyes was proof of that.

As for spiritual strength?

Well, his close relationship with Kurenai had already greatly boosted his chakra and mental energy.

Unlike Obito or Itachi, he didn't need the trauma of losing loved ones to grow stronger—his gains came from pleasure and training.

He smiled confidently.

"Then Grandpa, please go ahead and demonstrate them now."

The old man sighed again but complied.

His eyes turned blood red, with three tomoe spinning clearly in each eye—the three-tomoe Sharingan.

Ryosuke wasn't surprised.

As the Eighth Elder, his grandfather had to possess at least this level of power.

But he noticed something else—the elder's Sharingan was a dull red, not vivid.

That indicated his strength had declined with age.

Still, his demonstrations were precise.

He showed Ryosuke how to execute each of the three genjutsu.

It was essentially a matter of refining chakra into the eyes, and then channeling it from the ocular chakra points. From there, the genjutsu chakra flowed into the opponent's five senses, targeting the nervous system and manipulating brain signals.

The challenge lay in guiding the chakra through the eye's delicate capillary network, gathering it in the eyeball, and releasing it with precision.

The chakra paths near the eyes were extremely thin and fragile.

Attempting this without fine chakra control could be dangerous.

Fortunately, Ryosuke already had experience in manipulating chakra precisely—he'd done so while training for the Eight Gates by forcefully driving chakra into chakra limiters.

That gave him a solid foundation.

As long as he proceeded cautiously while training in ocular techniques, he should be fine.

Even with his powerful regenerative abilities, damaging the capillaries in the eyes might be irreparable—better to be careful.

His grandfather asked,

"Ryosuke, did you manage to observe all three techniques with your Sharingan?"

Ryosuke nodded.

"Yeah. I've already copied them. Let me give one a try."

He began by refining a small amount of chakra and cautiously guiding it through the intricate chakra channels into his eyes.

His crimson irises grew even more vivid.

He decided to start with the Shiranui illusion—it was the simplest of the three.

Once enough chakra had gathered, Ryosuke executed the final step: releasing the genjutsu chakra.

Since there was no actual target nearby, he simply fired the technique into empty space.

His grandfather's eyes widened.

He could tell Ryosuke was being very cautious, using only a small amount of chakra.

Yet without a doubt, the genjutsu had successfully activated.

The only flaw was that it took him a bit longer to cast.

But for a beginner to succeed on the first try? That was remarkable.

His grandson clearly had real talent in genjutsu.

As long as Ryosuke focused on increasing his casting speed and refining his control, "Shiranui" would soon become a fully mastered technique.

And to further enhance the illusion's power, he could simply pour more chakra into his eyes.

How much chakra one's Sharingan could handle depended on their innate talent.

But with Ryosuke's three-tomoe Sharingan and exceptionally high ocular power, he could withstand far more chakra than average.

The old man was deeply pleased.

It was clear now—another genjutsu prodigy was about to rise from the Uchiha clan.

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