Sasuke Retaliating Against Itachi with Death

Later that day, even later.

Itachi took his leave with Sasuke and Tsunade; he was still a 'spy' sent by Konoha to Akatsuki.

He had no choice but to secretly return to Konoha to find Tsunade, the current Hokage, in order to treat Sasuke.

We've already been here quite a while; if we don't leave soon, we'll be exposed.

Well...

Although the Konoha High Command, Itachi himself, and the Akatsuki leadership all knew he was a Konoha spy, Itachi also knew that they knew he was a spy.

It's fair to say it's a bunch of idiots putting on a show for each other. They're just entertaining themselves, but they all think they're pretty good actors, and none of them have any intention of quitting.

Haha, that's incredible.

"I want to go back to my ancestral home, the one that hasn't been relocated, to take one last look."

Leaving the Hokage Tower, Sasuke talked to himself and then headed directly towards the Uchiha Clan's former Earth Flow along the Naka River.

Upon hearing this, Itachi pondered for a few seconds, then followed without stopping him.

Despite his perverse desire to control his beloved younger brother, he wanted to mold him into the mold he desired.

But he wouldn't refuse something as trivial, normal, and simple as this.

Before long, the two had explored most of the desolate and dilapidated old clan territory and were heading towards the Uchiha Clan's ancestral temple downstream of the Naka River.

But when they strolled along the Naka River and came to a cliff with a huge drop,

Sasuke suddenly made a strange move.

"Swish! Swish!"

Several Shuriken were shot at Itachi, colliding with each other as they traveled, creating a pincer attack on Itachi Shuriken all sides.

Sasuke took this opportunity to retreat quickly.

But Itachi simply drew his Kunai quickly and expressionlessly to block the attacks, deflecting them all without slowing down his pursuit of Sasuke.

Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu

Sasuke unleashed another Ninjutsu to continue blocking Itachi's advance.

But Itachi's approach this time was simpler. He directly threw out his Kunai the core of the Great Fireball and annihilating it. This not only prevented it from widening the distance between himself and Sasuke, but actually brought them closer together.

Judging from the fact that the two of them didn't say a word the whole time, yet their escape and pursuit were extremely practiced, it was clear that this wasn't the first time this had happened.

"You've regressed this time. You didn't even watch the route carefully when you were running away, and you ended up on a dead end."

At this moment, Itachi, who had already Sasuke at the edge of the Naka River cliff, shook his head in disappointment.

"Dead end?"

Haha, but for me, this is the road to freedom.

This is also the only way I can take revenge on you.

Sasuke smiled with relief.

There was none of the usual frustration and resentment he felt when he was caught by Itachi while trying to escape, nor the fear he should have felt when facing a cliff that could kill someone.

He even lifted his foot and deliberately stepped back towards the cliff.

"Wait... Sasuke, don't do that! Please, please don't!"

Itachi understood instantly, his eyes widened, and he roared as he lunged at Sasuke at top speed.

Sasuke watched Itachi approach, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. "Substitution Technique!"

Thus, Itachi only managed to grab onto Sasuke's substitute wooden stick, while Sasuke had already fallen off the cliff.

"No!"

The weasel, of course, could not give up, and let out a mournful cry.

A massive amount of Chakra rapidly surged from his body, enveloping him, as he attempted to activate Susanoo to rescue Sasuke.

"Hehe..."

Sasuke, who was falling off the cliff, now wore an even more mocking expression.

"Bang!"

The wooden substitute that Itachi was holding was actually transformed by Sasuke using his Transformation Technique.

'But what's the point?'

Itachi was confused and somewhat stunned.

"I am Shadow Clone; it was indeed my real body that jumped down."

The Shadow Clone, having dispelled its Transformation Technique and been held captive by Itachi, glanced at its original body, which was plummeting off the cliff and almost out of sight, and smiled.

"Entangling Wood Release"

Then, the Shadow Clone silently used Wood Release, and a large number of Wood Release roots quickly bound Itachi.

Itachi's expression changed drastically again, Susanoo had already been activated, casually severed the Wood Release roots.

At the same time, he couldn't help but ask.

"Wood Release!? You've been seduced by Zetsu!"

"Bang!"

But these words were spoken to thin air, and the Shadow Clone vanished at that moment.

"No... it's impossible... Sasuke, you must be faking your death to escape. I will find you, I promise..."

At this moment, Itachi, who had figured things out but dared not think about them, kept muttering to himself, trying to deceive himself.

Looking at the familiar surroundings and recalling Sasuke's actions and expressions just now, he realized that he couldn't fool himself.

Because, just a few years ago, he had personally witnessed his elder brother, Shisui, also choose to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff in this very vicinity.

A normal person jumping off a cliff will almost certainly die.

In stories where the protagonist jumps off a cliff, an extraordinary adventure is inevitable.

As for Sasuke, if it were a month ago, he would have been the second male lead. Even if he didn't have any extraordinary encounters after jumping off the cliff, he would have survived a great calamity and would surely have good fortune later.

But now, Sasuke's role has been changed by the 'director' to that of an NPC.

Fortunately, Chakra doesn't disappear instantly; it takes time.

Therefore, before Sasuke became an NPC, his status as the second male lead still had some lingering luster.

This confirmed that he was indeed alive, just as Itachi hadn't believed.

However, the afterglow is just the afterglow. Although Sasuke did not die, he was not doing well. He was left with only half a life and his fate was unknown. He was floating in the Naka River, drifting with the current.

If he doesn't receive treatment soon, he'll probably really die.

But!

Don't forget his Wood Release, and where he Wood Release from.

"It's truly a pitiful sight. I'm afraid Lord Jue will be displeased if he finds out."

A White Zetsu emerged from the ground on the shore and pulled Sasuke out of the water.

"By the way, if I soak it in water, will it sprout?"

After getting ashore, White Zetsu didn't immediately take Sasuke away. Instead, he muttered a self-deprecating remark to himself.

In that very short moment, Sasuke miraculously woke up.

"Oh, it seems your fusion with the White Zetsu Cells has been quite successful. Even Lord Madara didn't gain the ability to heal himself as quickly as you did back then."

... I White Zetsu majority of people chose you!

White Zetsu spoke with a tone that was slightly appreciative and amazed.

"Uh... Hmph! Uh... Hmph!"

Sasuke coughed up several mouthfuls of river water that had been stuck in his throat.

"You've been following me?"

Then, he glanced at White Zetsu, not curious about the other's identity, but simply asked with a puzzled look.

Clearly, he had seen the other person before, but he didn't know when the other person had started following him.

"Oh, I saved your life, why do you think of me like that?"

Hehe, but I really have been following you.

After all, you were handpicked by Lord Jutsu, the person he values most besides Lord Madara."

"Well... thank you very much."

Sasuke hearing this, Sasuke sincerely thanked him first.

Then, he turned his head and gazed at the seemingly endless Naka River, as if muttering to himself, or perhaps asking White Zetsu question.

"So, where should I go next?"

"Huh!? Lord Jue didn't mention this. How about I report it now, and you can act freely until Lord Jue gives you his orders?"

White Zetsu answered earnestly and proactively.

"Really? But where can I go?"

Sasuke, however, remained bewildered.

Based on his own strength, he didn't know when he would have the chance to kill Itachi to avenge his clan and mother, and to clear his Uchiha's name as a sinner.

That's why he decided to gamble with his own life: that Itachi's twisted desire to control him would cause him unbearable pain after losing him.

As for whether the other person was truly in pain, Sasuke didn't delve into it.

He just felt that at least after he died, he wouldn't be controlled by anyone anymore and would be free. (Orochimaru, Feng: ☺)

He never considered what would happen after jumping off the cliff into the Naka River to commit suicide.

After all, he never thought he might survive.

This just shows that Sasuke underestimated the self-healing ability of the White Zetsu Cells.