"That's right." Aizen nodded. "That's why you need the third stage-'Dangai.' This ability can sever time and causality, allowing you to create 'nonexistent time' and 'nonexistent causality' in battle. Put simply, you can make yourself 'cease to exist' for an instant, evading any attack, or make yourself 'exist countless times' in an instant, unleashing countless attacks."
Shock flickered in Sasuke's eyes. "Is... is that possible?"
"In theory, yes, but putting it into practice is extraordinarily difficult," Aizen said. "To do it, you need to fully unleash Ame no Habakiri's true power, evolve your Mangekyō Sharingan into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and completely fuse with the Hōgyoku fragments inside you. All three are indispensable."
"The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan..." Sasuke murmured. "That means transplanting Itachi's eyes..."
"That's right." Aizen looked at him. "Are you willing? To transplant your brother's eyes, inherit his power, shoulder his sins, and become a true Uchiha?"
Sasuke lowered his head and looked at Ame no Habakiri in his hand. Itachi's face was reflected in the blade.
"I am." He raised his head, his eyes free of hesitation. "To kill Uchiha Ryūha, to change this twisted world, I'm willing to give everything."
"Good." Aizen took a small vial from inside his clothes. It held a pair of scarlet eyes-Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan. "I've already had someone retrieve these eyes. If you've made up your mind, we can perform the transplant now."
Sasuke accepted the vial, looking at the familiar eyes inside as his hands trembled slightly.
"Brother..." he whispered. "Lend me your eyes."
He opened the vial, took out the eyes, and pressed them into his eye sockets without hesitation.
Agonizing pain struck, but Sasuke made no sound. He gritted his teeth, feeling Itachi's eye power flood into his eyes and merge with his Mangekyō Sharingan. The two forces