The Only One Who Can Kill Him Is Me

"You came just in time!"

Jiraiya stood in front of Naruto Uzumaki, tall and broad-shouldered, his words carrying a powerful presence.

"I'll deal with you here first, then I'll take care of that Kisame guy!"

Even facing the infamous Itachi Uchiha, Jiraiya remained composed and confident.

It was as if, no matter how famous this Sharingan prodigy was, he was nothing to Jiraiya!

And, in truth, that was probably the case.

Itachi Uchiha was powerful, and many feared him, but he had only been famous for a few years.

Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, had been renowned throughout the Ninja World for who knew how long!

The tension among them grew heavier, as if the air itself had been compressed until it solidified.

"Gah!"

Suddenly, a cry rang out. It sounded as if the speaker were desperately suppressing his pain, yet it was filled with intense unwillingness.

Sasuke Uchiha, who had just been knocked down by Itachi Uchiha in a single move, struggled to support himself and slowly rose to his feet.

His throat was hoarse, his voice choked, like that of a wounded beast.

"Don't interfere!"

He snarled. Though he swayed unsteadily, he did his best to keep himself upright.

"The one who kills this guy... can only be me!"

Sasuke was gasping for breath. His massive chakra expenditure had left him unable to maintain even his Sharingan.

He clenched his fist and swung it at Itachi with all his might.

But his steps were faltering. He could barely make it those few paces without falling. How could he possibly have the strength to attack anyone?

Still, he went for it, even though an attack as powerful as Chidori couldn't threaten Itachi Uchiha!

Itachi's eyes held no emotion. He glanced at Sasuke and spoke in a voice as cold as ice that had endured for a thousand years.

"I have no interest in you right now."

Itachi Uchiha's tone was mild, but he showed no mercy when he struck.

He raised his left leg and kicked Sasuke Uchiha hard in the stomach.

Given Sasuke's condition, there was no way he could dodge Itachi's attack, even though Itachi had barely put any effort into it.

The kick sent Sasuke flying more than ten meters, slamming him hard into the wall at the end of the corridor.

He slid slowly to the floor, head bowed, seemingly unable to stand again.

"Sasuke... damn it!"

Seeing his important companion attacked like this, Naruto Uzumaki panicked.

Almost losing his reason, he rushed straight toward Sasuke Uchiha.

"Naruto, didn't I tell you not to interfere?!"

Sasuke Uchiha, whose body had begun to twitch, lifted his head and roared at the top of his lungs.

He braced himself against the wall and staggered back to his feet.

"I told you, I've been living for this day... for this day!!"

Sasuke Uchiha's still-immature Sharingan activated again, and determination appeared on his face.

Itachi Uchiha... was the person he had to kill. That was what had kept him going!

"AAAAAAAAAH!"

Sasuke Uchiha roared as he stood and desperately charged at Itachi Uchiha on the other side of the corridor.

He was willing to stake his life if that was what it took to kill Itachi!

Watching Sasuke approach, Itachi Uchiha casually raised a hand and blocked the punch Sasuke threw with all his strength.

It was as effortless as ever, as dismissive as ever!

Itachi Uchiha's expression remained blank. He swung his elbow forward with force and struck Sasuke Uchiha directly in the face.

The blow made Sasuke Uchiha spit blood and sent him flying more than ten meters again, crashing into the wall.

"It's not over yet..."

Sasuke's hand twitched. He had used that hand to perform Chidori.

Though Chidori was powerful, the technique also placed tremendous strain on its user.

Now, Sasuke Uchiha could no longer use that hand!

"Someone who can't even form hand seals..."

A strange, complicated emotion flickered deep in Itachi Uchiha's eyes.

But he concealed it exceptionally well. No one could see past the coldness that hid it.

"This... is my fight!"

Sasuke roared in anger.

Itachi Uchiha glanced at Jiraiya, then at Sasuke. He lifted a leg and slowly walked toward Sasuke Uchiha.

He reached out and grabbed Sasuke.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Punch after punch, elbow strike after elbow strike... Sasuke was utterly powerless to fight back. Each blow made him spit more blood.

"It's exactly the same as back then... Why is the gap so huge?"

Sasuke Uchiha finally couldn't hold on any longer and slowly fell to the ground. His eyes revealed a deep unwillingness... and helplessness!

The gap between him and Itachi Uchiha was beyond imagination!

"What have I been doing all this time? What am I..."

Crack—

Itachi Uchiha bent down again, grabbed Sasuke Uchiha by the neck, lifted him up, and slammed him hard against the wall.

His eerie Sharingan stared fixedly at Sasuke Uchiha as his cold words slowly left his mouth.

"You're weak. Why are you so weak? Because you still don't... hate me enough!"

His voice grew quieter and quieter. At last, Itachi finished speaking with his face pressed beside Sasuke Uchiha's ear.

The two of them looked as if a loving older brother were whispering to his little brother.

Itachi's eyes closed slightly, then suddenly opened again.

A highly unusual surge of chakra burst from his Sharingan!

!!!

Sasuke Uchiha's eyes flew wide. At that moment, it was as if he had fallen into an abyss.

When his consciousness fully returned, the scene before him had changed.

He was no longer in the battered inn. Now, before him, lay a night...

Terror gripped him. Frightened, he staggered as he ran along the street.

He would never forget this night, but he never wanted to think about it again.

On this peaceful night, his beloved older brother had killed every member of his family!

The prosperous and feared Uchiha Clan... had been wiped out.

His steps were small, because his body had returned to the past, too. He was now just a child who had only begun learning ninjutsu.

As if guided by something, Sasuke staggered in a certain direction.

Crack—

He arrived at a familiar place and slowly reached out to push open the door.

Then his eyes widened in disbelief. Two people were kneeling before him.

Fugaku Uchiha and Mikoto Uchiha!

"Dad! Mom!"

Perhaps the genjutsu was simply too realistic. Sasuke Uchiha knew perfectly well that he was inside Itachi's illusion, yet the sight of those two people still touched the softest part of his heart.