The future I saw: Konoha destroyed, Sasuke broken

Simple subtraction,

a task that even the children at the Ninja Academy could finish with a little time,

had now become a divine punishment laid before Itachi.

In an instant, he saw through the greatest trap in this option:

time.

Neither the time he had left nor the time Konoha had left was enough to finish this simple arithmetic task!!

He instinctively raised his head toward Arata, who stood behind Sasuke, his eyes filled with pleading.

But what met him were those icy eyes, and he read the declaration hidden in their indifference:

[Sasuke's life, Konoha's future,]

[are both in your hands now. Good luck.]

His pleas were rejected.

His prayers were denied.

Left without hope, he could only desperately follow the rules Arata had set and count down aloud:

"986!"

"979!"

"972!"

"943!"

"No, 944."

The sudden eruption of energy at the edge of the sky shook his already unsettled mind, and the steadily descending numbers went astray.

Time was up. Pain, who had come to pass judgment, no longer concealed his ambition or his power.

"937!"

"930!"

After a barely perceptible pause, Itachi resumed counting, the numbers spilling from his lips with increasing urgency.

"If you get it wrong, start over."

Yet just then, an utterly merciless voice reached his ears, dragging him without appeal into a pit of despair he could scarcely climb out of.

He jerked his head up toward that man.

His counting continued—"923, 916"—while his eyes blazed with a silent plea whose meaning was unmistakable!!

There was no time left.

He truly had no time left.

Although he had seen through the trick in this option immediately, he still wanted to cling to that slender lifeline, to shoulder every sin, every last burden himself!!

But the only answer Itachi Uchiha received was coldness,