Brothers Meet Again

"What kind of riddle are you two speaking in?"

Sakura asked Naruto, "Why did you suddenly bring up the First?"

Naruto didn't explain right away. Instead, he asked Jiraiya, "Can I tell her?"

"She's your teammate. It's fine."

Jiraiya said, "But we need to hurry. According to the old men's plan, the First and Second Hokage will return to the Pure Land within the next couple of days."

Naruto grabbed Jiraiya and said to the others, "Let's go find Grandpa Third first."

With that, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique and disappeared.

"Even though I've seen it plenty of times, the Flying Thunder God Technique really is convenient."

Sakura couldn't help sighing, "I wish it weren't so hard to learn."

"No."

Sasuke looked toward the buildings in the distance and disagreed. "A technique like that should be as difficult to learn as possible."

Sakura followed Sasuke's gaze and immediately understood what he meant. "I didn't think that through."

If Space-Time Ninjutsu were too easy to learn, many ninja could master it, and the Ninja World might never know peace again.

"Anyway, let's hurry too—"

Kakashi stopped halfway through, suddenly looking toward the woods behind them. "Sasuke, stay calm in a moment."

"Don't worry. I noticed him before you did."

Sasuke was composed, but he had already activated his Sharingan. Three Tomoe turned slowly as he stared at a tree in the woods. "You slipped in while Sunagakure was attacking the village, didn't you, brother?"

A few seconds later, two people emerged from the woods. They wore hats and black cloaks patterned with red clouds. Just standing there, they gave off a powerful presence.

The person on the left was a little shorter. The one on the right carried a very long weapon on his back.

"So this is Mr. Itachi's younger brother? Looking closely, you do look a little alike."

The man carrying the weapon spoke first. He casually removed his hat, revealing a rather unusual appearance. His skin was bluish, and at first glance, he looked a little like a shark. "But he still calls Mr. Itachi 'brother.' It seems your relationship isn't as bad as I thought."

"To be honest, I'm surprised."

Sasuke's older brother, Itachi, also removed his hat, revealing a young face with unusually prominent smile lines. "You still call me 'brother,' Sasuke?"

"There's nothing surprising about that. Whether I call you Itachi or brother, what matters is that you know I'm talking to you."

Sasuke was so calm that even Itachi felt unsettled. "Besides, even if you killed Mom and Dad with your own hands, the blood flowing through your body wouldn't become someone else's. By blood, you're still my brother."

"More than what you call me, I'm surprised by your attitude toward me—and by those eyes of yours..."

Even from over ten meters away, Itachi could sense the faint pressure coming from Sasuke's eyes. "What exactly have you been through these past few years?"

"I can tell you."

Sasuke closed his eyes, then opened them again. The three Tomoe had become a Hexagram, with a black six-petaled flower embedded in its center. "But only after I break all four of your limbs and leave you completely unable to fight back."

Itachi's eyes widened. The Three-Tomoe in his eyes connected in an instant, forming a three-bladed pinwheel. He didn't forget to warn his companion, "Kisame, be careful, or you'll die."

"Um, you're Itachi's older brother, right? I'm Sasuke's current girlfriend, Sakura Haruno."

Sakura walked over to Sasuke and bowed slightly to Itachi in greeting, then took up a fighting stance. "It's not often that you come back, brother Itachi. Please don't leave in a hurry. Sasuke and I will make sure to give you a proper welcome."

"Hahaha!"

Kisame let out a hearty laugh. "Mr. Itachi, your younger brother's impressive!"

"You two, wait a moment."

Kakashi stepped behind them and gently rested a hand on each of their shoulders. Looking at Itachi, he asked, "Your target probably isn't Sasuke."

Itachi said, "We've already found our target, so there's no harm in telling you... We're looking for the Fourth Hokage's legacy, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."

So it was Naruto.

Knowing that, Kakashi suddenly felt much less tense. "No wonder you let your presence slip for a moment. Even with the Sharingan, capturing a Jinchuriki who knows the Flying Thunder God Technique would be extremely difficult."

"But thanks to that, I was able to confirm his identity."

Itachi's attention stayed fixed on Sasuke. "Come to think of it, that blond hair really is just like the Yellow Flash's."

"Naruto resembles my teacher in more ways than just his hair."

Kakashi said with a hint of pride, "But you probably won't get the chance to find out."

"Mr. Itachi, are we fighting?"

Kisame gripped the handle of the weapon on his back. "Or should we get out of here while we still can?"

"Either would be dangerous."

Looking into Sasuke's eyes, Itachi couldn't make sense of it. "His ocular power has already surpassed mine."

"His eyes are stronger than Mr. Itachi's?"

Kisame immediately grew serious. "That's frightening."

"Too bad. If you choose to run, I'll be able to attack you from behind."

Sasuke spoke without expression. A layer of purple chakra armor appeared over his body. It was exceptionally stable, looking like a solid object made from translucent material.

"He really can use Susanoo, but at this size, does he not have enough chakra?"

Itachi thought, a little excited. "In another two years, once his body has grown and his ocular power has improved, he should be able to manifest an even more advanced Susanoo. You really are something, Sasuke!"

"Sasuke, leave Itachi to you."

Kakashi whispered to Sasuke and Sakura, "Sakura and I will hold off the other one."

"Got it."

Sasuke replied, then quietly warned Sakura, "Be careful. Prioritize your own safety."

Sakura smiled and nodded.

A pair of wings extended from the chakra armor on Sasuke's back. They beat powerfully, carrying him toward Itachi at low altitude and considerable speed.

Itachi didn't hesitate either. His right eye opened wide: Amaterasu!

Black flames appeared on Sasuke without warning, continuously burning at the chakra armor.

"Can you only use those flames directly?"

Sasuke's voice came from within Susanoo. He extended his right hand, and the black flames on Susanoo's surface were drawn together by some force, gathering in its right hand and turning into a long black blade.

"Controlling Amaterasu's flames..."

Itachi's expression grew even more serious. "Is that the ability of your eyes?"

"I told you. I'll tell you about that after you've lost the ability to fight back."

As he spoke, Sasuke swiftly swung the black blade in his right hand. "Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi."

Itachi accelerated and dodged to the side.

Kisame dodged too. He didn't know exactly what effect Sasuke's slash would have, but he had seen Sasuke gather the black flames Itachi released. Kisame knew all too well how dangerous those flames were.

Itachi and Kisame dodged in time and avoided the black blade, but its edge grazed their black cloaks patterned with red clouds, setting off a black flame.

"Tch!"

Kisame made an irritated sound and promptly tore off his cloak. Before the flames could spread, he tossed it aside.

Itachi did the same.

"You can release Amaterasu, but you can't control it? How inconvenient."

Sasuke let his body carry forward with its momentum and turned in midair. As he spoke, he opened the chakra armor over Susanoo's eyes, fixing his gaze directly on Itachi: Amaterasu.

Itachi had just thrown away his cloak when he was engulfed by black flames...