Itachi walked toward his parents. As he stepped out from the shadows that had originally concealed him, the moonlight finally fell upon him.
He walked toward his parents as though he were walking toward the only light remaining.
Tears poured uncontrollably from his crimson eyes bearing the Three Tomoe Sharingan. He tried desperately to suppress his sobs as he answered his father.
"I know."
Itachi raised his blade, but his hand trembled uncontrollably.
With his back to Itachi, Fugaku lectured his son as he always did.
"Don't be afraid! This is the path you chose. Compared to you, our pain will last only an instant."
As a father, he had never wanted to praise his son too much, afraid that pride would lead to his failure. But this might be his last chance. Thinking of that, Fugaku spoke anyway.
"Even if we think differently, I'm still proud of you!"
No answer came from behind Fugaku. Only choked sobs reached him.
Fugaku smiled faintly and spoke again.
"You really are a kind child."
The conversation ended there. The blade rose and fell, and everything was over.
No one knew how long Itachi had cried in that room.
After a long while, Kagami emerged from a dark corner of the room, wearing an Akatsuki Robe.
"Itachi."
Kagami had arrived long ago. After bringing Izumi to Itachi's doorstep, he had used genjutsu to knock her unconscious and then found Fugaku. He and Fugaku had not spoken much.
Fugaku had simply asked Kagami to help Itachi if he ever encountered trouble, and Kagami had agreed.
Just as Shisui had once asked Itachi to look after Kagami, Fugaku had asked Kagami to look after Itachi.
Afterward, Kagami had carried the unconscious Izumi into a dark corner of the room and watched everything unfold.
Itachi had