As his senses spread out, Itachi realized he was in an unfamiliar place, causing his tense mood to ease slightly.
"Is this Ryūchi Cave?"
Itachi murmured in wonder, feeling the strange and abundant energy in the air. He sighed softly, noting that even his usually discomforted body felt significantly better here.
After taking a moment to recover, Itachi began forming hand seals.
A pitch-black crow was summoned before him. Unlike ordinary crows, this one had a human eye in one of its sockets.
The eye bore a peculiar, almost eerie pattern, exuding an unsettling aura.
The crow perched on Itachi's bloodied, hollow-eyed hand, pecking affectionately at his palm.
Itachi gently stroked the crow's feathers before slowly reaching toward its eye socket.
The crow didn't flinch, as though it was fully aware of its fate.
Itachi carefully removed the Mangekyō Sharingan from the crow's eye socket and placed it into his own.
A faint green glow appeared in his hands—a healing technique—but its effectiveness seemed limited.
Tiny blood vessels began reconnecting slowly, and the green light gradually mended the wound.
After nearly half an hour, Itachi was visibly exhausted, the green light in his hands dimming.
Fortunately, he could now see, albeit barely. The world appeared black and white, with blurred edges, but it was enough to navigate without relying on sensory techniques.
Looking at the crow lying weakly in his palm, Itachi felt a pang of guilt.
After a brief rest, his hands glowed green again as he stopped the crow's bleeding.
The crow was now blind, but Itachi made no move to send it away. Instead, he placed it on his shoulder, letting it perch there.
Staring at the fog-filled, miasma-laden world before him, Itachi felt a mix of emotions he couldn't quite describe.
Even so, he pressed forward. Now that he was in Ryūchi Cave, he intended to see if he could learn Sage Mode.
In the dim, poisonous jungle, a lone boy with one functioning eye walked forward, a blind crow perched on his shoulder. Together, they formed a somber yet poignant image.
Itachi wasn't entirely surprised by his current predicament.
After all, he had anticipated something like this might happen when he underestimated the effects of the potion and overestimated his own condition.
Still, now that it was reality, it was hard for him to accept. This was only his first stop in the Naruto world, and he had already ended up in such a dire state.
Despite his laid-back nature, Itachi had genuine affection for the Akatsuki.
The group was filled with fascinating and charismatic individuals.
Leaving the organization prematurely and in such disarray felt like a wasted opportunity.
For the first time, Itachi began reflecting on whether he should stop idling and take things more seriously.
Perhaps his so-called "strategic retreat" had just been an excuse to procrastinate.
But the thought of what lay ahead made him shudder.
A masked figure appeared in his mind, forcing his eyelids open, fingers inching closer...
"Well then, Obito," Itachi muttered coldly, his voice echoing in the space, "are you ready to face my wrath?"
Itachi hadn't harbored much hatred toward Obito before. Even after Obito manipulated him into awakening his Mangekyō Sharingan by killing his comrades, colluded with Danzo to destroy the Uchiha clan, and took Shisui's life—it had all seemed almost distant.
When Itachi had first transmigrated, he retained his predecessor's memories but maintained a detached perspective. After all, he'd watched the entire Naruto series. He knew that Obito was ultimately just a tragic figure, manipulated by Madara, driven by love, and ultimately redeemed.
But now, after Obito had gouged out one of his eyes and forced him to destroy the other, the grudge was personal.
This was a debt that had to be repaid.
Even a clay Buddha has limits to its patience, let alone a man.
Itachi had initially planned to enjoy his time in this world, taking on the role of a powerful drifter. He had hoped to rewrite Itachi's fate, intervene occasionally, and prevent some tragedies.
Now, however, that plan was starting to change.
Afterward, like an outsider, like a sage detached from the world, he watched as the world shifted and turned, moving along the path he had set...
"You must be Uchiha Itachi, right?"
As Itachi was lost in thought, the figure of a woman floated down from the sky.
She wore a white robe, with white sashes drifting behind her, encircling her figure.
Itachi looked up toward the sky, his gaze falling on the newcomer.
One of her eyes appeared hollow, while the other eye socket was empty, revealing gruesome, raw flesh.
Even the crow perched on his shoulder, which also lacked eyes, raised its head and turned toward the voice, tilting its sharp-beaked head slightly, exposing its empty eye sockets.
...
The woman froze momentarily at the peculiar sight of the man and his crow.
"What a strange man... and an even stranger crow," she thought to herself, giving her silent appraisal.
"In the purest version, as seen on Yi69Shuba!"
"The White Snake Sage wishes to see you..."
The woman, named Ichikishima Hime, pushed aside the odd feeling in her heart and spoke softly.
She was one of the White Snake Sage's trusted aides, possessing the abilities to float and turn invisible at will. She could forcibly deplete an opponent's chakra, eventually consuming their body and chakra alike.
"Alright."
After hearing her words, Itachi tilted his left cheek slightly, using his still-recovering left eye to glance at the woman.
He nodded gently in agreement.
...
"A rather handsome young man... too bad he's missing an eye," Ichikishima Hime thought to herself as she landed lightly on the ground and began leading the way. When she got closer and saw his face more clearly, she couldn't help but feel a hint of pity.
"The White Snake Sage is truly powerful; I had just entered Ryūchi Cave, and she already knew I was here..."
Itachi, who had remained silent for a while, spoke softly, attempting to ease the tension.
At that moment, he felt uneasy. His powers had not yet recovered, and the snakes of Ryūchi Cave were known for their fondness for devouring humans. If he wasn't careful, he could easily end up as their meal.
So, he decided to strike up a conversation, hoping to narrow the distance between them.
If the situation turned sour, he might still have a chance to escape...
For a fleeting moment, he found himself missing Orochimaru.
Once this matter was resolved, he thought, it might be worth visiting Orochimaru's base.
...
Ichikishima Hime had no intention of responding to Itachi. To her, escorting him was already a dull task; answering questions would be akin to serving as a lowly attendant.
Before long, the two arrived at an ancient and unadorned temple.
Seated atop a platform was a stunningly beautiful woman, accompanied by two graceful young attendants.
"Sage, the person you wished to meet has been brought here," Ichikishima Hime said softly, bowing slightly before stepping aside and standing behind the White Snake Sage.
Itachi looked at the beautiful White Snake Sage sitting before him, so different from the elderly woman he remembered.
At this moment, his body was too weak to perceive the nature of her sage arts.
Even the figures of Ichikishima Hime and her companions, Tagitsuhime and Takiribime, standing behind the White Snake Sage, were beyond his ability to discern.
...
"White Snake Sage..."
Itachi snapped back to reality and mimicked Ichikishima Hime's bow, slightly bending his body in a respectful greeting to the elder.
"My child, you are remarkable, though your current state is a bit unfortunate. But don't worry, it will soon improve. I'm afraid I cannot help you much directly."
The White Snake Sage's melodious voice filled the air, carrying a mesmerizing charm that seemed to envelop Itachi.
The pale complexion of Itachi's face quickly turned a shade of crimson as he struggled to compose himself.
"Hehehe..."
Seeing Itachi's flustered expression, the White Snake Sage raised a delicate hand to cover her mouth and let out a soft laugh.
Itachi felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment, thinking he had made a fool of himself.
"Child, don't be so reserved. I summoned you here merely to meet you. Do you need any help?"
Sensing Itachi's unease, the White Snake Sage spoke gently, her gaze filled with satisfaction as she looked at him.
With this young man, Ryūchi Cave would finally have the perfect emissary to send out into the world. This was a delightful prospect indeed.
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