After absorbing Orochimaru, Sasuke felt lightheaded, as though another soul existed within his body.
That soul neither spoke nor created illusions. It simply stayed there quietly, like a venomous snake waiting for the day he let down his guard.
Sasuke vaguely sensed that all of this seemed to be Orochimaru's influence. But he had clearly devoured Orochimaru back then. This hallucination might also be an aftereffect of absorbing Orochimaru's energy.
"Is this the price of absorbing Orochimaru's power... being assimilated... Itachi..."
Sasuke shook his head. He had only just obtained this power; he could not let himself fail at the last moment.
He still had to kill Itachi. Before he killed that man, he absolutely could not fall.
Sasuke had not been wandering around aimlessly during this time. He had been deliberately searching for Itachi's trail. His hatred for Itachi had seeped into his blood, and after several days of frantic searching, he had finally found a trace of him.
Calling it a clue would be more accurate than calling it a hint Itachi had deliberately left for Sasuke.
"He should be here..."
His breathing slowed as he tried to suppress his presence. He held the Kusanagi Sword in a reverse grip, then pushed aside the patch of grass before him. Itachi should be nearby.
"Are you looking for me?"
A cool voice sounded behind Sasuke. That familiar yet unfamiliar voice instantly stirred memories from his childhood. Without hesitation, he stabbed backward with the Kusanagi Sword, but the blade met only a weightless sensation. He had merely pierced a black robe.
Crow feathers drifted down from the air, black plumes fluttering like dark snow. Several clusters of feathers burst apart, and Itachi Uchiha appeared before Sasuke.
One hand was tucked inside his Akatsuki Organization robe, while the other held no