Itachi Uchiha

Naruto strolled along the streets of Konoha with Konohamaru.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell upon them, adding a touch of warmth to the leisurely afternoon.

Naruto carried some sweets he'd just bought from a dessert shop. Their aroma made Konohamaru swallow repeatedly.

"Big brother Naruto, those sweets look so delicious!" Konohamaru stared intently at the treats in Naruto's hand, his face full of anticipation.

Naruto smiled and ruffled Konohamaru's hair, then handed him a sweet. "Here, give it a try. This is my favorite flavor!"

The two of them ate and chatted, enjoying this rare moment of leisure.

However, while they were immersed in the delicious sweets, Asuma and Kurenai discovered something unusual on the other side of Konoha.

Two mysterious figures in black cloaks embroidered with red clouds had quietly entered Konoha. Their furtive movements put Asuma and Kurenai on alert.

They quickly followed, hoping to find out who the two mysterious figures were and what they were after.

The strangers seemed to notice they were being followed, and moved in unspoken coordination to a secluded stretch of water.

When Asuma and Kurenai finally got a clear look at them, both were visibly surprised.

One of them was none other than Itachi Uchiha, a rogue ninja from Konoha.

His cold features and deep gaze sent a chill down the spine.

The other had a face resembling a shark, along with matching skin and sharp teeth. He looked exceptionally ferocious.

"Itachi Uchiha, how dare you come back to Konoha!" Asuma glared at Itachi, his voice filled with anger and hostility.

Itachi gave a cold smile but said nothing. The mysterious man beside him spoke instead. "Guess I should introduce myself. Kisame Hoshigaki. Pleased to meet you."

Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, two S-rank rogue ninjas, radiated a suffocating aura of danger.

Itachi's gaze was deep and icy, as though he could see into the innermost secrets of the human heart.

Kisame was like a colossal beast lurking in the depths of the sea. He was burly, his skin a sharklike gray-blue, and his sharp teeth glinted coldly in the sunlight. The bandage-wrapped greatsword in his hands seemed almost alive, exuding a chilling bloodlust.

Asuma and Kurenai quickly assumed fighting stances. They knew neither rogue ninja was to be underestimated.

Asuma darted forward, the dagger in his hand flashing silver as he aimed for Kisame's vital points.

But Kisame's reflexes were astonishingly fast. He swung his greatsword, and its bandages coiled around Asuma like serpents. They easily blocked the attack and seized Asuma in the same motion. The force was so great that Asuma could barely break free.

At the same time, Kurenai tried to use her advantage in Genjutsu to launch a surprise attack on Itachi.

She formed Hand Seals, her gaze growing unfocused as she attempted to draw Itachi into a world of illusion.

But Itachi only smiled faintly. His deep eyes seemed able to pierce every falsehood. His Sharingan turned slowly, unleashing immense ocular power that dispelled Kurenai's Genjutsu in an instant. The backlash made her stagger, and she nearly fell to the ground.

In no time, Asuma and Kurenai were completely on the back foot. Their attacks seemed utterly powerless against Itachi and Kisame.

Just then, Kakashi's figure flashed through the air like lightning as he joined the battle.

As an elite Jonin of Konoha and a wielder of the Sharingan, he had thought he could turn the tide for Asuma and Kurenai.

But Itachi only gave a disdainful smile. His eyes suddenly lit up as he unleashed his signature Genjutsu—Tsukuyomi.

In an instant, darkness seemed to swallow the entire world. The consciousnesses of Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai were forcibly dragged into a twisted illusionary space.

Here, time, space, and the senses had all lost their meaning. They were bound to crosses, unable to move, like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

Just as Itachi was relishing his absolute control, his gaze suddenly froze. It pierced through the barrier of the illusion and turned toward the sky.

The sun overhead seemed unusually bright, as if heralding someone's arrival.

High in the sky, a blond boy hovered casually. He wore sunglasses, and his blue eyes glinted slyly behind the lenses.

That boy was Naruto.

He held a Konoha specialty sweet, chewing slowly as he watched the battle below with an amused look, as if it were all just an entertaining performance.

Itachi's body stiffened. Almost without thinking, he cast Tsukuyomi at Naruto, who was hovering in the air.

His Sharingan glimmered with an eerie light as he tried to drag the seemingly carefree, yet unfathomable, boy into the world of illusion.

But before his rebirth, Gojo Satoru had already possessed immense mental strength. After he was reborn as Naruto, their combined mental power became even more terrifying. On top of that, the Six Eyes could see through the technique, and Itachi's Tsukuyomi sank like a stone into the sea without making the slightest ripple.