Itachi's Death

Hearing the angry words, Itachi fell into a long silence.

After a long while, he slowly raised his head, looking at Kou, at the long, Firebirth sword with a hilt from the Uchiha Clan pointing straight at him, and a faint smile appeared on his lips:

"At this point, nothing I say can atone for the sins I have committed."

I am very clear about this.

"Now, only dying by your hand might be the slightest form of atonement."

"Ha, at least you have some self-awareness."

Kouchi glanced at him disdainfully, then raised the tip of his sword upwards and said coldly to Itachi:

"But there's more to it than just atoning for your sins with your death."

"Regarding the truth about the Uchiha Clan's annihilation, are you planning to take this lie to your grave and never let Sasuke know it?"

He spat at the weasel with disgust:

"If you came to me seeking death with that kind of thought in mind, it only proves that you haven't improved in the slightest! You're still that hopelessly arrogant piece of trash!!"

Kou paused, ignoring Itachi's reaction, and continued speaking to himself:

"But that doesn't matter. After you die, I will tell Sasuke the whole truth about your death, along with the complete truth about the annihilation of the Uchiha Clan."

That kid is much stronger than you think. Over the years, he has matured to a very high level in both mindset and strength.

Without you, an idiot, interfering, he will naturally be able to make a decision that truly belongs to him and comes from his heart.

As he spoke, he moved the Firebirth forward an inch, the blazing flames almost reaching the itachi's collar:

"Also, don't even think about using Kotoamatsukami on me. At my current speed, the moment your Crow peeks out, its head and your head will be severed together!"

"... Kotoamatsukami?"

Itachi repeated it softly, looking at Kokoro's expression that had blocked all his possible escape routes, and gave a wry smile:

"You really do know me well, Brother Kou."

If it were me in the past, I might have actually considered using Kotoamatsukami on you to stop you from telling Sasuke the truth.

He looked at Kou, his eyes now devoid of any of the former prejudice and gloom.

"But please rest assured, I will never do that kind of thing again."

"After speaking with the Fourth Hokage... I went to see Sasuke and told him everything in person."

"What did you say?!!"

He unconsciously gasped, looking at Itachi in disbelief.

For a brief moment, he even thought he had misheard.

It wasn't until he saw Itachi's relieved expression that Koko finally confirmed something.

The man who had been stubborn for half his life had finally changed.

"Just like you said, Sasuke... has grown up."

With a hint of pride that even he himself might not have realized, Itachi smiled and addressed the man with a smile:

"His initial reaction after hearing the truth was indeed quite intense."

But after the Fourth Hokage confirmed everything with him personally, he quickly calmed himself down and made his own decision.

Itachi paused, looked earnestly into Kokoro's eyes, and continued:

He did not forgive me, nor did he choose the path I had laid out for him—the path of revenge by killing me.

He said he still hated me, but as the one being protected, he was the only one who had no right to represent the Uchiha Clan in Judgment me.

He said that the person responsible for Judgment me should be the only one who can still represent the Uchiha Clan.

That is, you, Brother Kou.

So... thank you.

Itachi bowed deeply to Kokoro and said sincerely:

"Thank you, Brother Kou, thank you for teaching Sasuke."

Compared to me, his incompetent brother who constantly hurts him, you are the one he can truly call "brother".

Really... thank you.

"Hmph, come on! Stop trying to flatter me."

He suppressed the faint tenderness rising in his heart, pressing it back beneath his cold, hard mask, and impatiently waved his hand at Itachi:

"I have never interfered with Sasuke's thoughts. Every decision he makes today is the result of his own efforts over the past ten years."

Sasuke is a person with his own thoughts and judgment; he's not the kind of blank sheet of paper you can just paint on at will!

"You're absolutely right."

Itachi nodded seriously, raising his gaze again to meet Kotori's still extremely cold eyes, which no longer seemed to threaten to cut him down at any moment. He sighed softly:

"Perhaps all along, I have underestimated that child."

He's actually... much stronger than me.

Itachi smiled with relief, looking earnestly into Koko's eyes:

"Therefore, he will definitely be able to help you better than I am."

"Brother Kou, after I die, if you need anything, you can take these eyes."

But... if it won't significantly affect your future actions, I hope you can give it to Sasuke.

As Itachi spoke, he solemnly took out a small glass bottle that he had prepared beforehand from his bosom.

The bottle was translucent, and the liquid inside was crystal clear. Floating within that liquid was a Mangekyō Sharingan.

"After I die, Sasuke should be able to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan very soon..."

Itachi looked at the figure ahead and said seriously:

"By then, with my eyes transplanted, Sasuke will definitely be able to play a significant role in protecting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki... no, in protecting Naruto."

He handed the small glass bottle to Kou, then spoke his last words to Kou with utmost seriousness:

"The power of the Uchiha should be used to protect... those we cherish!"

He glanced at the glass bottle Itachi handed him, then took a deep look at the young man before him, who seemed to have only finally grown up at the very last moment of his life, and nodded with mixed feelings.

"... I see."

Kou responded in a low voice, then asked Itachi that extremely short but extremely heavy question:

"Any last words?"

Itachi gently shook his head, quietly looking at Kokoro, and slowly spoke in the same pure tone as when he first called him "Brother Kokoro" by the Naka River many, many years ago:

"Brother Kou, I have caused you so much trouble in my life."

He gave a slight smile to Chao Kou:

"If there is an afterlife... no matter what happens, I will always stand firmly by your side."

"... Oh, then forget it."

He turned his head away and whispered with a sigh:

"If there really is an afterlife, I certainly don't want to know you again."

Itachi smiled, then calmly closed his eyes.

Kouchi silently Earth Flow to him, placed the Firebirth vessel against Itachi's neck, and took the small glass bottle, still warm from his body, from Itachi's hand.

"Finally, to die by your hand... that's truly wonderful."

He bowed his head, remaining silent, but forcefully extended the hand holding the Firebirth forward.

The next instant, scalding hot blood splattered from Itachi's neck.

But before the blood could even fall to the ground, it was evaporated into nothingness by the intense heat of the Firebirth Blade.

The wind blew from a very, very far place, passing through this extremely quiet alley.

Uchiha Itachi... is dead.