Chapter Seventy: The Great Relocation

In the deep mountains at the border between the Wind and Fire Nations, two figures stood side by side atop a tall cliff: Uchiha Li and Shisui, who had traveled through the night. Below lay the Grell ore vein, now shrouded in mist, obscuring the view of its depths.

After surveying their surroundings, Shisui pointed to an opening at the foot of a distant mountain. “According to He Yan’s memories, there’s a small path over there that leads straight underground.”

Uchiha Li nodded, and together they made their way toward the path. Moving aside a massive stone that concealed the entrance to a cave, they revealed a staircase descending into darkness. Taking no chances, both activated their Sharingan, wary of potential dangers.

As they descended, the underground space grew ever more expansive, until at last a pyramid-like palace rose before them. Entering together, they arrived atop an altar formed of three interlocking circles.

Shisui stepped to the center of the altar. “Beneath this altar lies the seal on the ore vein.”

As he spoke, his foot pressed down upon a central stone slab. With a shudder, the altar began to plunge rapidly downward.

With thunderous rumbling, the altar carried them hundreds of meters below. At last, a secret chamber adorned with immense murals was revealed.

“This is where the Grell ore vein was sealed—what they call the Chamber of Sealing,” Shisui explained, stepping toward the mural.

Uchiha Li’s gaze lingered on the mural’s carvings. The mural chronicled the rise of an empire through the power of the Grell Stone, and its ultimate destruction when that power ran amok.

Taking in the scenes of devastation, Shisui drew a deep breath. “An ore vein’s rampage destroyed a whole empire…”

He hesitated. “Li, if this stone is mined recklessly, won’t it be dangerous?”

His concern was clear—if they acted rashly, they might not survive to tell the tale.

Suppressing his excitement, Uchiha Li replied, “The power of Grell is immense, but before Terra, it is nothing.”

“I know. But if we remove the seal, and the ore vein erupts…”

Shisui’s misgivings surfaced again.

Uchiha Li waved a dismissive hand. “If Grell is so volatile, then we simply don’t remove the seal.”

Shisui was momentarily taken aback. “But if we don’t lift the seal, how will we extract the ore?”

A faint smile touched Uchiha Li’s lips. “Even if we remove the seal and extract all the Grell Stone, it would take an enormous amount of time.”

He paused, then continued, “So why not just take the whole place at once? Sweep the entire region away in one stroke.”

Shisui blurted out, “That’s impossible! We don’t have the power for that!”

Before he could finish, Uchiha Li had already removed his mask. The Mangekyō Sharingan flared to life, chakra surging in his eyes. “Stay close, and support me.”

“You’re going to transfer this entire place into Terra?” Shisui finally understood.

He hurried to Uchiha Li’s side, standing guard, alert for threats.

“Exactly.”

Uchiha Li focused all his ocular power into his left eye, activating Terra’s teleportation array. An intangible wave spread outward, centered on him. The air warped and twisted, an overwhelming force of attraction trembling through the palace.

The stone shuddered violently. Even the surrounding mountains groaned under the strain, sending a rain of boulders crashing down. Shisui instantly assumed his dragon form, using clawed limbs to shield them from the falling debris.

Uchiha Li ignored everything but the surge of energy draining from his eyes. He had long pondered how to uproot the entire Grell ore vein. After discarding many plans, he resolved to use Terra’s teleportation to relocate it all in a single, monumental transfer.

The scale of such a feat was staggering. The size of the teleportation array, and the corresponding drain on his ocular power, would be immense. To transport such a colossal ore vein, he would need to spend at least eighty percent of his energy—perhaps even more.

Time crept by. Sharp pain stabbed through his eyes; his Mangekyō cried out in agony.

“Almost there… just a little more,” he gritted, refusing to give in.

So long as Grell’s ore vein could be brought into Terra, the world would have enough energy for rebirth. Whatever he paid now, tenfold or a hundredfold, would be returned.

Sweat and bloody tears ran down his cheeks. His face turned ashen, his body pushed to the brink.

At last, just as he thought he could endure no more, the teleportation array stabilized. Instantly, vast vortices of distortion swept across the region—everything began to vanish.

His strength failed, his vision went black, and he slumped toward the ground. Shisui caught him just in time, concern etched on his face. “Li, are you all right?”

He had been startled by Uchiha Li’s reckless determination.

Looking at him now, Uchiha Li seemed utterly drained, a husk of exhaustion. Panting, he shook his head and forced his eyes open, managing a wry smile. “It’s nothing. But I’ll need some time to recover.”

His vision doubled, distant shapes blurred. Only after a long rest did the double images fade, though his sight had undeniably worsened.

Fortunately, his ocular power was not wholly depleted—about ten percent remained. He would not go blind, not yet.

Shisui noticed the change in his eyes, anxiety flickering. “What happened to your eyes?”

He remembered the usual brilliance in Uchiha Li’s gaze, now dulled and lifeless.

Though Uchiha Li brushed it off, Shisui could sense the seriousness of the change.

“Don’t worry. It’s just the curse of the Mangekyō…”

Uchiha Li pressed on the acupoints around his eyes, seeking relief from the deep, throbbing ache.

“Curse?” Shisui echoed.

“That’s right—a curse,” Uchiha Li replied softly. “If the Mangekyō’s power is exhausted, its user goes blind. You must be careful with its use.”

Shisui fell silent, unable to suppress his concern. “If that’s the case, why use it so recklessly? What will you do in the future?”

“Don’t worry. It won’t come to that. There are ways to break this curse.”

Uchiha Li shook his head and sat down to rest in the now-empty chamber. The earth beneath the cliff had vanished, as if it had never existed at all…