Only I Can Kill Him

"You've arrived just in time!"

Jiraiya stood before Naruto Uzumaki, his hulking frame radiating a powerful, imposing aura.

"I'll deal with you first, then turn my attention to that Kisame fellow!"

Even when facing the infamously lethal Itachi Uchiha, Jiraiya remained composed and confident.

It was as if, no matter how renowned this Sharingan genius might be, he was of no consequence in the eyes of Jiraiya!

In truth, that was exactly how it should be.

Although Itachi Uchiha was powerful and struck fear into the hearts of many, he had only been famous for a few years, after all.

Jiraiya, known as one of the Sannin, had held a reputation that shook the entire Ninja World for who knew how long!

The atmosphere between them grew increasingly stagnant, as if the very air had been compressed into a solid mass.

"Arghhh!"

Suddenly, a cry rang out—a sound filled with suppressed agony and intense resentment.

Sasuke Uchiha, who had been defeated in a single blow by Itachi Uchiha moments before, struggled desperately to push himself up from the floor.

His throat was raw, his voice choked with sobs like a wounded beast.

"Don't interfere!"

He roared, swaying unsteadily but forcing himself to hold his ground.

"The one who kills this guy... must be me!"

Sasuke was panting heavily; the massive chakra expenditure had left him unable to even maintain his Sharingan.

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

Yet, he stumbled with every step, nearly falling over the short distance; how could he possibly have the strength to attack anyone?

But he went anyway, even though he knew that not even a powerful attack like Chidori could threaten Itachi Uchiha!

There was no emotion in Itachi's eyes as he cast a slight glance at Sasuke, his tone remaining as cold as thousand-year-old ice.

"I have no interest in you right now."

Itachi Uchiha's tone was indifferent, yet his actions were utterly merciless.

He raised his left leg and delivered a brutal kick to Sasuke Uchiha's abdomen.

In his current state, it was impossible for Sasuke to dodge Itachi's attack, even if the strike was merely a casual gesture to Itachi.

Sasuke was sent flying over ten meters, slamming heavily into the wall at the end of the corridor.

He slid slowly to the ground, his head hanging low, seemingly unable to rise again.

"Sasuke... you bastard!"

Seeing his important comrade attacked so viciously, Naruto Uzumaki felt a surge of panic.

Nearly losing his reason, he rushed directly toward Sasuke Uchiha.

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

Sasuke Uchiha, his body already beginning to convulse, lifted his head and screamed at the top of his lungs.

Leaning against the wall, he shakily stood up once more.

"I said, I've lived for this day... for this very day!!"

Sasuke Uchiha's not-yet-fully-matured Sharingan flared to life again, a look of grim determination etched onto his face.

Itachi Uchiha... he was the man he had to kill; this was the driving force that kept him alive!

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

Sasuke Uchiha roared as he stood, charging desperately toward Itachi Uchiha at the other end of the corridor.

As long as he could kill Itachi, he would not hesitate to sacrifice his own life!

Watching Sasuke approach, Itachi Uchiha raised his hand and casually blocked the punch Sasuke had thrown with every ounce of his remaining strength.

It was just as effortless, just as dismissive as before!

Itachi Uchiha remained expressionless as he drove his elbow forward, striking Sasuke Uchiha squarely in the face.

The blow sent Sasuke Uchiha spitting blood as he flew backward another ten meters, crashing into the wall once more.

"It's not over yet..."

Sasuke's hand twitched—the same hand he had used to wield the Chidori.

While the Chidori was a devastating ninjutsu, it placed an immense strain on the user.

Now, Sasuke Uchiha's hand was completely paralyzed!

"Someone who can't even form a hand seal..."

A flicker of inexplicable, complex emotion stirred deep within Itachi Uchiha's pupils.

But he hid it well, and no one could see past the cold indifference that masked it.

"This is... my battle!"

Sasuke Uchiha roared in fury.

Itachi Uchiha glanced at Jiraiya, then back at Sasuke, before lifting his leg and slowly walking toward Sasuke Uchiha.

He reached out and grabbed Sasuke.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Punch after punch, elbow strike after elbow strike... Sasuke had no power to fight back, coughing up blood with every successive blow.

Nothing has changed since that time... Why is the gap so vast?

Sasuke Uchiha finally reached his limit and collapsed to the ground, his eyes revealing a deep sense of unwillingness and... helplessness!

The gap between him and Itachi Uchiha was unimaginably large!

What have I been doing all this time? What exactly...

Snap—

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

His pair of eerie Sharingan stared fixedly at Sasuke Uchiha as cold words slowly spilled from his lips.

"You are weak. Why are you so weak? Because you lack enough... hatred for me!"

The voice grew quieter and quieter, until Itachi finally finished speaking with his face pressed right against Sasuke Uchiha's ear.

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

Itachi's eyes closed slightly, then snapped open.

A surge of exceptionally unique chakra erupted from within his Sharingan!

!!!

Sasuke Uchiha's eyes widened to their limit; in that moment, he felt as though he had fallen into an abyss.

When his consciousness finally cleared, the scene before him had changed.

It was no longer the battered hotel room; before him now was a night...

His heart was filled with terror and dread as he stumbled through the streets.

This was a night he would never forget, yet one he never wanted to recall again.

On this very peaceful night, his dearest brother had slaughtered all of his kin!

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

His stride was short, for his body had returned to the past; he was once again the small child who had only just begun to learn ninjutsu.

As if guided by some unseen force, Sasuke stumbled in a certain direction.

Creak—

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

Then, his eyes widened in disbelief as two figures appeared before him, kneeling on the floor.

Fugaku Uchiha and Mikoto Uchiha!

"Father! Mother!"

Perhaps the genjutsu was too realistic; even though Sasuke Uchiha knew he was trapped within Itachi's illusion, the sight of these two people still touched the softest part of his heart.