"Uchiha Itachi! Kisame Hoshigaki! Why are you here?!"
Kakashi stepped in front of Sasuke, shielding the two behind him as he called out their names. After glancing at Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi turned his attention to Kakashi. Clearly, among everyone present, he was the only one who posed any threat.
"I have to kill you!"
Ignoring the situation entirely, Sasuke gritted his teeth and shouted at Uchiha Itachi before rushing past Kakashi and charging at him once more. Kisame Hoshigaki had just drawn Samehada when the sword beneath Susanoo blocked his path.
"My foolish little brother! Your capacity is still so small. It's laughable!"
With a perfectly timed raise of his hand, Uchiha Itachi caught Sasuke by the neck and lifted him up. Kakashi was already too late to save him. Kisame Hoshigaki stood in his way, Samehada planted against the ground.
"This is a game between them. You'd better not interfere!"
Even in his battle against Jiraiya, Uchiha Itachi had been extremely sparing in using the Mangekyō Sharingan's overwhelming abilities aside from Susanoo. Yet against Sasuke—a person he could kill with the slightest twitch of his little finger—he actually used Tsukuyomi.
Sasuke's reckless charge and the fierce look in his eyes as he stared at Itachi abruptly froze. To outsiders, it had only lasted an instant, but for Sasuke, it was still the unbearable agony that pierced through him. He dropped to his knees and immediately fainted. Kisame Hoshigaki propped his chin on a hand, amusement gleaming in his eyes.
"Tsukuyomi, huh? Itachi, didn't you say that thing was an incredibly powerful genjutsu? Honestly, is this brat really qualified to endure something like that?"
The energy sensor in his arms did not flash or heat up, making Kisame Hoshigaki curl his lips in displeasure. His mood soured. If he could