By the river, all kinds of ninjutsu clashed furiously, sending sheets of water spraying into the air before raining down like a storm.
Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, and Kurenai were all drenched and looking rather worse for wear.
Meanwhile, Itachi Uchiha stood off to the side, still looking completely at ease. He was dry, without a single drop of water on him.
"Stay alert!"
Kakashi turned around, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Itachi.
"That guy became an Anbu squad captain at the age of thirteen!"
Asuma nodded slightly, his expression growing more solemn as he spoke slowly:
"I didn't realize he was this strong!"
"No, that guy's strength goes far beyond this."
Kakashi Hatake was trembling all over as he said this. He was already nearing his physical limits!
"I didn't expect someone who isn't from the Uchiha Clan to be able to use the Sharingan so skillfully."
Itachi Uchiha spoke softly from across from them, his tone carrying a hint of praise.
"But your body isn't suited to those eyes the way a member of the Uchiha Clan's body is..."
Kakashi Hatake frowned to himself at those words.
He was right. Kakashi was about to be completely exhausted.
But Itachi didn't continue attacking them. Instead, he slowly closed his eyes.
He said coolly, "Why is the Uchiha Clan known as the strongest and feared by others?"
Whoosh—
A gust of wind suddenly blew through, making the leaves in the trees rustle.
The atmosphere grew strangely tense.
"Let me show you the true power of the Sharingan Kekkei Genkai!"
After saying this, Itachi Uchiha slowly opened his eyes once more.
Though his eyes opened at a very slow pace, Kakashi Hatake's body began trembling violently at an incredible speed.
This time, he wasn't trembling from physical exhaustion. He was trembling with pure terror.
"Could it be..."
"Damn it!"
Kakashi Hatake spoke faster, quickly warning Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai:
"You two, whatever you do, don't look into his eyes!"
Without hesitation, the two shut their eyes, cold sweat streaming down their faces.
Kakashi also closed his right eye. Only his left remained open.
This was the Sharingan Obito had given him!
"...Whatever you do, don't open your eyes. If you meet his gaze now, it's over!"
"That's right. Having the Sharingan means you can at least resist the Mangekyō Sharingan to some extent."
Itachi's tone was still cool, but now that coolness was laced with absolute confidence!
Then his tone shifted.
"But... this special Sharingan ocular technique, Genjutsu: Tsukuyomi, cannot be broken."
"The only ones who can defeat me are Sharingan users with the same Kekkei Genkai!"
Drip, drip—
Drops of sweat kept running down Kakashi's face, soaking his mask.
They even dripped into the river, making faint splashes.
But he didn't dare lift a hand to wipe them away.
Any movement at all could cost him his life!
Drip—
Another drop of sweat fell into the river.
Kakashi Hatake realized that the world before his eyes had changed...
The blue sky, white clouds, and gentle breeze had vanished.
The world before him was dim and yellow, as if doomsday had come!
The scene shifted again, and Kakashi was now bound to a cross.
Itachi Uchiha held a long sword in his hand, pointing it at Kakashi.
"How long can someone without a Kekkei Genkai hold out?"
Clack—clack—
"Ugh..."
Blood vessels burst across Kakashi's eyes.
Pain!
A terrifying agony swept through his mind, almost too much for him to bear.
Itachi Uchiha thrust the blade straight into his abdomen.
Blood poured out!
"AAAAAAAH!"
Kakashi Hatake could bear it no longer and let out a furious scream.
After a long while, he struggled to open his eyes and look at his abdomen.
But... it was completely unharmed!
"So this is a genjutsu..."
Two Itachis appeared before him, identical in every way. Both held long swords aimed at Kakashi's abdomen.
"In the world of Tsukuyomi, I control everything—the space, the time, and even the mass."
Itachi Uchiha spoke slowly, one word at a time. Each time he finished a short sentence, he stabbed Kakashi Hatake with his sword.
"For the next seventy-two hours, I'll keep stabbing you..."
"AAAAAAAH... Aaaah... AAAAH!!!"
Kakashi Hatake screamed with all his might, but he didn't have the strength to struggle.
Gradually, he closed his eyes.
He didn't know how much time had passed...
Kakashi's eyelids twitched slightly, and he opened his eyes.
But what he saw was another version of himself, along with two more Itachis.
His pupils began trembling wildly again. His already hazy mind cleared in an instant.
"That's..."
"In the world of Tsukuyomi, I control everything—the space, the time, and even the mass."
The two Itachis repeated the same words and performed the same actions as before.
The searing pain was exactly the same as it had been before!
"AAAAAAH!"
Kakashi cried out in agony, forcing himself to stay calm.
This was a genjutsu!
As if he had seen through Kakashi's thoughts, Itachi Uchiha spoke again:
"You'd better not underestimate this technique just because you think it's an illusion... This pain isn't an illusion!"
"This pain is exactly the same as pain in the real world. How long can your mind hold out?"
The knife kept plunging into Kakashi's body. Countless Itachis moved ceaselessly, like machines following a program.
Time passed slowly. Kakashi had no idea how long it had been, but his mind was already on the verge of collapse.
Then Itachi Uchiha stopped moving. His cold, merciless voice rang out.
"Seventy-one hours, fifty-nine minutes, and fifty-nine seconds to go!"
!!!!!!!
"Since just now... only... one second has passed?"
Feeling the countless knives stabbing into his abdomen,
Kakashi Hatake was on the verge of collapse!
This was torment! This was agony!
This place was a living hell!
And Itachi Uchiha... was the god of death!
"What's wrong, Kakashi? Still keeping your eyes closed?"
"As soon as that guy finished speaking, you suddenly collapsed."
Huff, huff...
Kakashi gasped for breath, slowly sinking to his knees on the surface of the river.
He gritted his teeth and said:
"I can't... not yet!"
Kakashi Hatake was incredibly weak now. With his mind on the verge of collapse, he forced himself to think slowly.
Why hadn't he killed me?
It would be... easy for him!
As if he were using every last bit of his strength, Kakashi stammered, "What you're looking for... Is it Sasuke?"
"..."
Itachi Uchiha's eyes twitched slightly.