In the real world, Itachi and Liuli were tightly enveloped by the energy of the Complete Body Susanoo. Its thick walls of energy formed an seemingly indestructible barrier, cutting them off from the outside world.
In the Genjutsu World created by the Six-Tomoe Rinnegan, Itachi and Liuli now found themselves in a scene from before the Night of the Uchiha Massacre.
The air was thick with the stench of blood, and the firelight illuminated their young, determined faces.
Itachi looked at Liuli before him, and an inexplicable feeling welled up inside him. It was as if he saw his own reflection—the Uchiha Sasuke who had once endured countless hardships and pain.
He took a deep breath and slowly spoke. "I know why you kept calling me 'big brother.' You're Uchiha Sasuke?"
Liuli froze slightly, seeming not to have expected Itachi to ask so directly.
His identity had always been a secret he kept deeply hidden. Yet now, Itachi had guessed it with ease.
"Just as clever as ever, Itachi." Liuli sighed inwardly. A genius shinobi of Konoha.
An inexplicable feeling stirred in Liuli's heart, a mixture of surprise and relief.
He looked at Itachi. Those deep eyes seemed to conceal boundless wisdom and insight.
Itachi's guess gave him a strange sense of familiarity, as though he had found a long-lost warmth in this unfamiliar Genjutsu World.
Liuli took a deep breath and slowly nodded. He admitted his identity, his voice trembling slightly. "Yes. I'm Sasuke."
The moment he said those words, it was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his heart. He felt lighter than ever before.
A complicated emotion flashed through Itachi's eyes. He had once killed his own clansmen with his own hands, including his biological parents.
But in the Genjutsu World, it was as if none of that had ever happened.
He looked at Liuli and seemed to see the young Sasuke—the little brother who had once depended on and trusted him so completely.
Itachi gazed deeply at Liuli. His Mangekyō Sharingan glimmered with an eerie, captivating light, as if it could see through every illusion and truth.
At the same time, the unknown Rinnegan in Liuli's eyes gave off a mysterious aura, making it impossible to glimpse the depths of his heart.
"Your Mangekyō Sharingan and that unknown Rinnegan... You called me 'big brother' so many times outside. I'm curious—are you really Sasuke?"
Itachi's voice was calm and steady, yet carried an unquestionable authority.
Liuli froze slightly. He hadn't expected Itachi to ask about his identity so directly.
He fell silent for a moment, seeming to consider how to answer. But Itachi didn't give him much time to think before asking another question.
"Sasuke has only awakened the One-Tomoe Sharingan. He's nowhere near as strong as you. So who are you, really?" A hint of doubt and curiosity entered Itachi's voice.
Liuli took a deep breath. He knew he could no longer conceal his identity.
He raised his head, met Itachi's gaze, and answered frankly, "I'm not Sasuke, but I'm his future. I come from a distant time, from a world completely different from this one."
Itachi furrowed his brow slightly, an inexplicable doubt rising within him. He didn't fully understand Liuli's words, and the idea of "coming from another future" confused him even more.
Another future? Itachi silently repeated the words, trying to find a clue in them.
He knew that time and space were complicated and mysterious concepts, full of countless unknown possibilities.
But he had never heard of anyone coming from another future. What could it mean?
Itachi's brow knitted tightly as he studied Liuli's eyes, trying to read his true thoughts.
But Liuli's Rinnegan seemed like a bottomless black hole, swallowing every glimmer that tried to peer into his heart.
Itachi felt as if an invisible force had seized his thoughts, trapping him in the mystery.
"Another Sasuke, who are you? Where did you come from? What's your purpose?" Itachi fired off a string of questions, his voice betraying his urgency and longing.
He was endlessly curious and confused by the Liuli before him. This boy, who claimed to come from another future, was hiding far too many secrets.
Liuli looked at Itachi, a glint of amusement in his eyes. Rather than answering, he spoke in a taunting tone. "Want to know the truth about the future? Take a look at the Uchiha Clan in my world first. With your insight, you'll understand."
As he spoke, Liuli manipulated the Rinnegan and quickly replaced the scene of the Night of the Uchiha Massacre with another.
This scene was completely different from the desolation and bloodshed before. It showed a world of prosperity and harmony.
In this scene, the Uchiha Clan had not met the fate of extermination. They lived peacefully alongside the village's other clans, protecting their home together.
Their residential district was surrounded by lush green trees. Houses stood in orderly clusters along the mountainsides and riverbanks, forming a beautiful painting.
As Itachi watched the Uchiha Clan thriving in this world, an inexplicable feeling welled up inside him, as if an invisible force were tearing at his heart.
He saw the Uchiha Clan living peacefully on this land, their lives calm and happy—a stark contrast to the Night of the Uchiha Massacre he had experienced. The contrast was like a sharp blade plunging into his heart, causing him a pain he had never felt before.
He saw children chasing and playing amid cheerful laughter. Their carefree faces reminded Itachi of his own childhood.
He, too, had once known such happiness. But the cruel war and the sacrifice of his clansmen had forced him to give up those precious things.
At that moment, he felt utterly out of place in this world, like a lonely traveler who could never escape his inner sorrow and grief.
Then he saw the clansmen united, working together for the prosperity of the village.
That unity and harmony were what he had always longed for. But he also knew all too well that they could never exist in the world he lived in.
His clansmen were dead. His village was broken. His dreams had been shattered. As he watched the scene, Itachi's heart filled with endless pain and helplessness.
Itachi knew that Liuli had deliberately shown him the peaceful, prosperous life of the Uchiha Clan in another world to make him suffer.
But he couldn't control his emotions. He was drawn into the images, sinking deeply into this fictional world.
Watching Itachi's expression change, Liuli felt a complex mix of emotions. He knew the images had touched Itachi deeply and achieved the effect he wanted. Just two nights ago, Itachi had suffered the agony of losing his clan. Now he was seeing a fictional world where the Uchiha Clan lived in peace and prosperity. The contrast stirred a tremendous turmoil within him.
A resolute, unyielding light shone in Itachi's eyes. He fixed them on Liuli as if trying to find an answer in his gaze.
He drew a deep breath and poured his chakra into his Mangekyō Sharingan, activating it to its full power.
Even faced with the immense power of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he didn't back down. He was determined to see the truth before him.
"Is this really a vision of peace in another Uchiha world, or did you make it up?"
Itachi's voice was filled with determination and resolve. He had to learn the truth.
Liuli was slightly shaken by what Itachi did. He hadn't expected him to be so determined to seek the truth, or so fearless in the face of such immense power.
He answered slowly, "Of course it's real. I'm Uchiha Sasuke, and I live in that world."
Hearing Liuli's answer, an inexplicable feeling welled up in Itachi. He didn't know whether what Liuli said was true, but he could feel the conviction and sincerity in his eyes.
He knew he couldn't find the real answers in this fictional world, yet he had glimpsed a sliver of hope within it.
"Then can you tell me the truth about this world?" Itachi's voice held a note of longing and anticipation. He hoped Liuli could tell him more about it.
Liuli fell silent for a while, then slowly began, "This is a world of peace and prosperity. The Uchiha Clan did not meet the fate of extermination. They live in harmony with the other clans and protect their home together. In this world, everyone has their own dreams and ambitions. They use their own hands to build a better future."
As Itachi listened to Liuli's description, an inexplicable warmth stirred within him. He knew there was a vast gulf between this world and the reality he lived in, but he couldn't deny his yearning for it.
He drew a deep breath, then slowly closed his eyes.
Deep in his heart, Itachi began to ponder the truth of this world.
He knew that everything he had been through was cruel and painful, but he couldn't abandon his pursuit of a better future.
He understood that only by continuing to seek the truth and striving onward could he find his own way to survive.
That was why killing his clansmen had been the best way for him to survive. He had joined the Akatsuki to gather intelligence for Konoha, and he had set Sasuke on the path of revenge.
"Then how did you come to this world?" Itachi pressed on. The massacre was already behind him, and after this encounter, he was even more concerned about Sasuke's growth.
Liuli looked at Itachi. He couldn't reveal his true identity. Ultimately, this body was a character template of Six Paths Sasuke, not the power of his true self.
He could pretend to be from another world. Perhaps that might lead to even greater changes later on.
"I come from another world, one completely different from yours," Liuli said slowly. "In that world, the Uchiha Clan did not meet the fate of extermination. They lived in harmony with the other clans and protected their home together. But that world wasn't perfect either. It was also full of war, killing, and betrayal."
As Itachi listened to Liuli's story, an inexplicable feeling rose within him. He couldn't imagine what life was like for the Uchiha Clan in that world, but he could sense Liuli's pain and helplessness.
"In that world, I lost many family members and friends," Liuli continued. "Their deaths filled me with endless pain and grief. I began to think about the meaning and value of life. I began searching for my own way to survive."
"But I discovered that everything in that world was so illusory and fleeting." Liuli's voice carried a deep sense of helplessness. "I couldn't find the answers I was looking for. I couldn't escape the confusion and uncertainty inside me. So I began looking for other possibilities—for the existence of another world."
"By chance, I came to this world," Liuli continued. "This world is completely different from the one I lived in. It's very safe."
"How did you find this world?" Itachi couldn't help interrupting.
"I came to this world through a special power," Liuli replied. "That power let me cross the boundaries of time and space and arrive in this world, full of the unknown and danger."
Hearing Liuli's answer, Itachi was filled with an inexplicable sense of shock. He couldn't imagine how powerful and mysterious a force that could cross time and space must be.
"Then what's your purpose in coming to this world?" Itachi continued to ask.
"Big brother, I'm your little brother, after all. How can you be so dense?" Liuli said, exasperated.
Itachi froze slightly, not expecting Liuli to react that way. He looked at the boy before him, who claimed to be his younger brother from another world, and felt an inexplicable emotion stir within him.
He didn't know if what Liuli said was true, but he could sense the conviction and sincerity in his eyes.
"..." Liuli stared at Itachi speechlessly. He felt he had made himself perfectly clear, but Itachi didn't seem to have understood him.
He took a deep breath, then continued, "Big brother, I really am your younger brother from another world. I came here to see you, and I also want to join the Akatsuki and have some fun."
As Itachi listened to Liuli, an inexplicable warmth rose within him. He knew Liuli's words might be exaggerated, but he could sense how much he cared about and missed him.
He drew a deep breath, then slowly spoke. "Sasuke, thank you. Thank you for coming to see me, and for caring about me."
"But there are some secrets I can't tell you everything about." Liuli's eyes suddenly grew distant. He looked at Itachi and spoke in a low voice. "Besides coming to see you, I have other things I need to do."
Itachi was stunned by Liuli's words. He hadn't expected him to have other motives and secrets.
He looked at Liuli, confusion and puzzlement in his eyes.
"Stay here for now. There's another gift for you later—you can go and see it." Liuli's voice held a note of mystery and anticipation.
He didn't explain any further, because he knew some things couldn't be put into words.
For instance, the Night of the Uchiha Massacre. In Liuli's previous life, he had never been able to accept what Itachi had done. He didn't want to keep arguing about it or judging whether it was right or wrong.
With that, Liuli's consciousness gradually withdrew from the Genjutsu World and returned to his own body. He left the place where Itachi stood, leaving him staring in shock.
"What?!" Itachi cried out. He couldn't understand Liuli's words or actions.
He could clearly sense the enormous secrets and power hidden within Liuli, yet he couldn't uncover them.
Itachi stared in the direction Liuli had gone, his heart full of confusion and uncertainty.
He knew Liuli was no ordinary person. His arrival had to carry some special meaning and purpose. But Itachi couldn't imagine what Liuli intended to do, or guess at the secrets he was hiding.
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