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The explosion of Kagerou Hana scattered everyone.
Uchiha Itachi gazed at Mujin, who wielded a black blade and was disguised as an ANBU operative. Calmly, he remarked, "ANBU, huh? Impressive skills."
Mujin chuckled softly in response. "Heh, to be praised by the crow who single-handedly annihilated the Uchiha clan is quite the honor."
Sakura stepped forward, positioning herself protectively in front of Mujin.
"Red!" Asuma immediately rushed to Yuhi Kurenai's side to check on her condition.
Kurenai glanced at Mujin but ultimately remained silent. "I... I'm fine."
Asuma exhaled in relief and then turned to Mujin and Sakura. "ANBU, what are you doing here? How's the evacuation of the civilians proceeding?"
Mujin glanced at him indifferently and replied, "I don't know what you're talking about. We were on a mission when we heard the sounds of battle and came to investigate. As for anything else, we can't disclose further details."
"I see." Asuma nodded, letting the matter drop. He had only asked out of instinct. After all, ANBU missions were classified, and it wasn't his place to pry.
Just then, Kisame turned his head toward the alleyway beside him. "Heh heh heh, looks like we've got new company."
No sooner had he spoken than a child emerged from the alley—Uchiha Sasuke...
"Huh, just a kid?" Kisame waved dismissively at Sasuke. "This is no place for children. You should go home—"
"UCHIHA ITACHI!!!!!!!!!!"
Sasuke's voice thundered with volcanic fury, cutting off Kisame mid-sentence. His Sharingan activated instantly, two tomoe spinning furiously within each eye!
"That eye..." Kisame glanced at Itachi. "Is he one of your clansmen?"
"Mm, my incompetent little brother," Itachi replied, his expression as calm as ever despite facing Sasuke.
However, Mujin could sense that beneath Itachi's stoic exterior lay a storm of emotions. After all, Sasuke was the brother Itachi cherished more than anyone else.
"UCHIHA ITACHI!!! I'LL KILL YOU! KILL YOU! KILL YOU!!!!" Sasuke's mind was consumed by hatred, and torrents of electricity surged around his left hand!
The tormenting memory of that night resurfaced in his mind—the night when Itachi murdered their parents.
"AHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Sasuke unleashed the torrent of hatred burning within him. With a cry, his left hand dug into the ground, carving a deep trench as he charged at Itachi like a bolt of lightning!
The latent talent he hadn't fully displayed during the Chunin Exams now blazed forth without restraint!
But!
Itachi merely flicked his wrist, casually knocking Sasuke's Chidori off course with a sharp slap. The misdirected attack gouged a massive crater several meters deep into the ground.
It was as if he were swatting away a child.
"My foolish little brother, you're still so weak."
Itachi loomed over him, his gaze cold and piercing. Sasuke's mind went blank. He had anticipated losing, but never imagined he'd feel this powerless again—as if all his efforts, pain, and hatred over the years were nothing but a cruel joke.
And if even the Chidori couldn't kill Itachi, what could he possibly do to avenge their parents?
Images of the destruction during the Konoha Collapse replayed in Sasuke's mind—the apocalyptic scene of devastation.
Itachi looked down at Sasuke, his eyes betraying a faint trace of disappointment.
"Not enough... Your hatred for me isn't strong enough."
This curse of the Uchiha bloodline—the Sharingan craved only the fiercest hatred and the most excruciating pain to awaken its true power.
"My brother..."
"My beloved little brother..."
"Keep hating me..."
"And gain the strength to protect yourself!"
With icy resolve, Itachi reached for Sasuke's neck—
But at that moment!
BOOM!!!
A deafening roar erupted as Maito Gai charged ahead, slamming his foot into the ground and creating a massive crater. The force of the impact forced Itachi back!
At the same time, Kakashi appeared in front of Sasuke, shielding him from harm.
Kakashi's expression grew grave. "Uchiha Itachi! And Kirigakure's Kisame Hoshigaki! What business brings you two to Konoha?!"
Itachi's anger flared slightly, the three tomoe in his eyes spinning rapidly. "Hatake Kakashi, don't interfere!"
With that, he lunged toward Sasuke once again.
"Everyone, be careful!"
Upon Kakashi's warning, Gai took the lead. With a fierce shout of "ADA!", he transformed into a streak of green light, delivering a flying kick straight to Itachi's chest!
But!
It was as though his leg had sunk into water—his entire limb submerged into Itachi's body!
BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!
Dozens of tons of highly compressed water erupted violently, swallowing Gai whole!
"It's a Water Clone!" Kakashi immediately lifted his forehead protector, revealing his own three-tomoe Sharingan. He glanced upward sharply. "Above!"
Itachi descended from above, silhouetted against the sun. With a swift motion, four shuriken appeared in his left hand, drawing Kakashi's attention. However, unnoticed by Kakashi, Itachi's right hand hidden beneath his robe had already completed a single-handed seal!
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!
Several high-pressure jets of water shot up from the river surface on Kakashi's right, hurtling toward him and Sasuke at incredible speed!
"Not good!" Kakashi's hands moved in a blur, completing seals in an instant. He shouted, "Water Release: Water Encampment Wall!"
A massive surge of water erupted from the river, forming a circular barrier that enveloped both him and Sasuke in moments!
The speeding water jets splashed harmlessly against the wall.
However, Kakashi's hastily constructed barrier was thickest near the riverbank and weakest on the opposite side...
"Wha—" Kakashi's pupils contracted as several flame-wrapped shuriken arced through the air, piercing through the thinner section of the barrier from the left. Despite the water extinguishing the flames, the shuriken retained their momentum, aiming straight for his head!
There was no time to dodge. Kakashi raised his arm to shield his face, gritting his teeth as the shuriken embedded themselves deeply into his flesh!
He had assumed the shuriken were decoys, but the water jets had been the real bait!
Injured, Kakashi's barrier collapsed instantly. But Itachi's right hand had already completed another set of seals. With a swift motion, the remnants of the water barrier coalesced into a whip, ensnaring Kakashi and dragging him into the river depths!
All of this unfolded in the blink of an eye. In a single exchange, both Gai and Kakashi had been incapacitated!
By the time Asuma leapt into action, Kurenai had already thrown two kunai—one from each hand—at Itachi, attempting to restrain him and create an opening for Asuma.
But Itachi effortlessly caught the first kunai, deflecting it to knock away the second. Without missing a beat, he hurled several shuriken at Kurenai with blinding speed!
Kurenai dove aside just in time to avoid them. Meanwhile, Itachi crouched low upon landing, pulling back on several nearly invisible steel wires connected to the shuriken. The projectiles reversed course, striking Kurenai's calves with precision and eliciting a muffled cry of pain!
Then, Asuma arrived before Itachi!
Seizing Sasuke and pulling him behind him, Asuma bellowed, "True One Slash!"
Instantly, the chakra blades on his knuckle dusters extended to half a meter in length. He unleashed an X-shaped slash aimed directly at Itachi!
SWISH! Two jagged fissures tore open the ground as Itachi nimbly retreated, evading the attack entirely.
But now, suspended in midair with nowhere to brace himself, Itachi became the perfect target!
"Fire Release: Ash Accumulation Shot!" Asuma roared, spewing a cloud of gunpowder-like flames that rolled toward Itachi.
Simultaneously, as Asuma expelled the powder, Itachi began forming seals of his own.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" Itachi exhaled forcefully, sending a powerful gust of wind that blew the gunpowder cloud straight back at Asuma!
Startled, Asuma aborted his detonation attempt. But Itachi seized the opportunity.
PING!
A sharp metallic clang echoed as two shuriken collided within the cloud of gunpowder. Sparks ignited the volatile mixture, triggering a chain reaction of explosions!
Mujin nodded subtly at Sakura, who launched herself forward with a burst of speed, shattering the pavement beneath her feet. Her fist wreathed in swirling air currents, she closed in on Itachi—
Only to realize too late that she was under the influence of a genjutsu!
Before Sakura could react, Mujin intervened, channeling the power of the Ido Eye to free her from the illusion. But Itachi simply leapt backward, leaving only a few half-burnt explosive tags fluttering to the ground around her!
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Using the shockwave from the ensuing explosions, Itachi darted forward like a diving seabird, closing in on Mujin!
Mujin unsheathed his black blade, adopting a stance for a lethal iaijutsu strike. But instead of attacking, he suddenly released the blade, allowing it to sink into the ground. Instantly, dozens of rune-inscribed chains erupted from the earth, binding Itachi tightly in midair!
Mujin raised a single finger in a sword-hand seal. The chains tightened with crushing force—
POP!
Itachi exploded into dozens of flaming crows, which swarmed toward Mujin in a frenzy. BOOM! Flames engulfed him completely!
Finally...
Itachi stood calmly before Sasuke once more.
Grabbing Sasuke by the collar, he delivered a devastating knee strike to his stomach. Sasuke collapsed to the ground, wracked with dry heaves.