The Appearance of Itachi!

"Sasuke's chakra is running low; if he continues to use Chidori, he's in mortal danger!"

Trapped in the water prison, Kakashi watched Sasuke prepare Chidori once more, his heart filled with immense worry.

Precise control of one's internal chakra is vital for any ninja. If one requires thirty percent but manifests forty, it equates to a wasteful drain on physical stamina. When both stamina and chakra hit zero, a ninja dies.

Yet, Sasuke was currently wringing his body dry to sustain the Chidori technique, and the risks were self-evident.

"This brat can actually still use that move!"

Iwayano stared at Sasuke with a grave expression, his eyes surging with tension. Having previously used the Earth Clone Technique, his own chakra was nearly depleted, making it difficult to block Sasuke's Chidori attack again.

"If that's the case... I have no choice but to use my secret technique!"

Iwayano muttered to himself. Immediately, he slowly extended his hands, weaving through a series of exceptionally obscure and complex hand seals before holding two fingers upright.

By now, Sasuke's Chidori had successfully coalesced. Brilliant lightning flickered wildly in his hand, and waves of astonishing energy continuously swept outward.

"Ah!"

A low roar suddenly erupted from Sasuke's throat. He then bolted toward Iwayano, lightning trailing behind him in a terrifying display of force!

"Can he succeed this time?"

Watching the sprinting Sasuke, Kakashi couldn't help but ask himself.

Kakashi understood that this was Sasuke's final chance, and the last chance for their team. If he failed, everything would be over!

"Camouflage Invisibility Technique!"

On the other side, Iwayano's gaze turned cold. As Sasuke charged, his body suddenly became illusory, and like a ghost, he rapidly vanished from his original position.

Using this secret technique, Iwayano had previously managed to ambush and severely wound both Naruto and Sasuke. This time, he intended to employ the same tactic.

"Heh heh!"

Just as Sasuke reached the spot where Iwayano had been standing, the illusory figure of Iwayano appeared behind him.

Iwayano stared coldly at Sasuke's back, clenched his palm, and swung a fist imbued with fierce energy downward.

But just as Iwayano thought he had succeeded, Sasuke's body turned with incredible agility. He extended his right hand, and with a sharp hiss, the Chidori in his palm pierced straight through Iwayano's heart.

This shift happened in the blink of an eye. Sasuke, who had been in a state of crisis just a moment ago, had neutralized the threat in an instant and struck Iwayano down!

Puchi!

A mouthful of blood sprayed out. Iwayano looked with terror at the young face inches from his own. The ferocity radiating from it was even greater than his own, and in the boy's eyes, there were... Two-Tomoe Sharingan.

"I never imagined... you were of the Uchiha Clan..."

Iwayano's face was now filled with the dread of death. He finally understood how Sasuke had been able to see through his invisibility, but it was already too late.

"Iwayano!"

Seeing the blood bubbling from Iwayano's lips, Sanli, standing in the distance, felt his pupils contract and shouted in disbelief.

"Sasuke... Sasuke actually awakened the Sharingan..."

Swallowing hard to moisten his parched throat, Kakashi stared at Sasuke's blood-red eyes from within the water prison, hesitating for a long time before muttering to himself.

"Die!"

Staring at the doomed Iwayano with his crimson eyes, Sasuke pulled his right hand out, clenched his fist, and slammed it into Iwayano's chest!

"Puchi!"

A surge of violent energy erupted from Sasuke's fist. Iwayano let out a muffled groan of pain, and another mouthful of blood sprayed out.

Finally, Iwayano's body was sent flying as if struck by a bull, landing heavily on the ground.

Having suffered the fatal blow of the Chidori, Iwayano lay on the ground without a single sign of life, motionless.

He was dead!

Under the watchful eyes of Sanli and Kakashi, Iwayano, whose strength approached that of a Jonin, had been thoroughly defeated by Sasuke!

In this moment, a profound sense of shock climbed onto Sanli's face. He stared at Iwayano's body, his inner horror reaching its absolute peak.

No one had expected this outcome; no one could believe it.

Sanli had thought Sasuke's earlier declaration—"Those who hurt my comrades must pay the price"—was merely arrogant bluster. But the boy before him had truly done it; to protect his companion, he had unleashed power beyond belief.

Just as Sanli was immersed in his shock, the sound of wind being broken erupted behind him. A masked figure drew a katana and slashed down toward him.

"Bad!"

Sensing the danger, Sanli pulled his hand away from the water prison and scrambled to dodge.

"Hoo..."

The instant Sanli's hand was withdrawn, Kakashi let out a sigh of relief. Had it been any later, he would have suffocated to death as the oxygen in the water prison ran out.

"Reinforcements?"

Glancing at the masked figure who had just ambushed him, Sanli gritted his teeth. Without a moment's hesitation, he turned and fled.

Sanli was highly intelligent; he knew that reinforcement squads usually consisted of several members, and he was certainly no match for them. Running away was the best choice.

Watching Sanli turn and flee, the masked figure remained still, seemingly having no intention of pursuing him further.

After running for a distance, Sanli instinctively turned his head. Seeing that no one was pursuing him from behind, a sense of doubt immediately arose in his heart.

However, no sooner had the doubt emerged than a piercing, agonizing pain suddenly erupted in Sanli's chest.

Sanli slowly turned back, only to see another masked figure appearing before him, the blade in the stranger's hand having already ruthlessly pierced through his heart.

"So fast..."

Before he could finish his words, Sanli's vision gradually blurred, and finally, his entire body went limp and collapsed to the ground.

Am I really going to die?

Just after Sanli fell, Sasuke, who had been struggling to hold himself up, couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. He felt many of the organs within his body slowly ceasing to function due to the lack of chakra, and even the beating of his heart had grown weak.

"In this Hokage world, I have a father, a mother, a brother, and companions... I really don't want to die!"

"But if only I could... see my brother before I die!"

After a soft sigh, a sense of weakness slowly crept into his spirit, and a wave of helpless fatigue quietly spread through Sasuke's heart.

A moment later, his legs gave way, and Sasuke fell backward.

"Sasuke!"

Just as Sasuke's body was about to hit the ground, a familiar voice reached his ears.

His eyelids slowly drooped. Vaguely, Sasuke seemed to see Itachi appearing before him. But as his eyes closed, Sasuke finally lost consciousness.

(My brothers and sisters, thank you for your tolerance! I can only repay you all by writing with my heart! Thank you!)