Itachi Uchiha

The Konoha Council Hall was already in complete chaos.

Wind and rain blew ceaselessly through the hole in the council hall wall, while footprints and bloodstains covered the floor.

Danzo stood beneath the corridor, his expression frighteningly grim.

That blow from Susanoo had smashed through the entire wall—and shattered the situation he had painstakingly arranged.

He should have been able to take Chiya Uchiha away without a hitch.

Once the boy entered Root, no one would ever see him again.

But now, that brat had not only escaped in front of everyone, he had nearly crushed Danzo to death before their very eyes.

Danzo slowly tightened his grip around his cane, then slammed it hard against the ground.

"Pursue him."

The Root ninja beside him immediately lowered his head.

"Yes."

Danzo said coldly, "Deploy everyone. Dead or alive, you will capture him!"

The Root ninja was about to withdraw when Danzo suddenly spoke again.

"Forget it. I'll go myself."

At those words, the surrounding Root ninjas all looked up.

Danzo ignored them and turned to head outside.

He could not wait any longer this time.

Chiya Uchiha had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. If he were allowed to recover and grow stronger, he would become extremely troublesome.

He had to be captured while he was still severely injured.

Danzo had just been about to set off.

At that moment, a Root ninja suddenly rushed in through the rain. He flashed forward and knelt before Danzo.

"Lord Danzo!"

Danzo stopped.

"Speak."

The Root ninja's voice was urgent.

"Two suspicious shinobi have been spotted in the village. One has been confirmed as Itachi Uchiha, while the other is suspected to be Kisame Hoshigaki, a rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist Village. Kurenai Yuhi and Asuma Sarutobi have already engaged them."

Itachi Uchiha...

As those words fell, the atmosphere beneath the corridor turned even colder.

Danzo frowned.

His foot, which had already stepped forward, slowly withdrew.

Chiya Uchiha had to be captured.

But Itachi Uchiha had now become the greater problem.

That man knew too much.

The night of the massacre, Sasuke Uchiha, and the things in his possession—if Itachi exposed any of it at a time like this, the entire situation would spiral completely out of control.

Danzo fell silent for several seconds, gradually forcing down the anger on his face.

"Block the news first."

His voice was low and heavy.

"Recall everyone pursuing Chiya Uchiha to the defensive line outside the village. No one is to advance deeper without authorization. All personnel inside the village will prioritize monitoring Itachi Uchiha and the Nine-Tails jinchuriki."

Kakashi stood not far away. At the mention of that name, his exposed eye darkened as well.

Sasuke had gone rigid where he stood.

When Chiya had defected earlier, he had stared fixedly at the shattered wall, as though something inside him had been smashed to pieces.

But now, upon hearing that man's name, he seemed to ignite all at once, every shred of rage surging into his heart.

The next moment, Sasuke whirled around and charged outside.

"Sasuke!"

Sakura's expression changed.

Naruto froze for a moment, then immediately took off after him.

"Hey! Sasuke! Wait!"

Sakura gritted her teeth and chased after them as well.

Kakashi's expression darkened as he immediately turned to Mitokado Homura.

"I'm going to support them."

Mitokado Homura frowned, as though he wanted to say something.

But Danzo spoke first.

"Go."

Kakashi wasted no words. With a flash, he vanished from sight.

On the other side of Konoha's streets.

Rainwater dripped from the eaves.

Kurenai stood in the street, her breathing slightly hurried. Asuma shielded her at his side, the chakra blades in his hands already glowing.

Across from them, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki stood at the street corner.

The black robe patterned with red clouds on Itachi's body had been dampened by the rain, but his expression did not change.

Kisame carried Samehada over his shoulder and grinned. "Konoha's jonin react quickly enough."

Asuma exhaled a puff of smoke.

"What are you doing in Konoha?"

Kisame was about to answer when Itachi suddenly raised his eyes.

Kurenai's gaze sharpened, and her hands formed seals.

A genjutsu unfolded in an instant.

At almost the same moment, Itachi's Sharingan spun once.

Mirror Heaven and Earth Change.

Kurenai's expression abruptly changed.

The scene before her eyes swayed, and her own genjutsu seemed to be twisted straight back at her. In the next instant, invisible branches bound her body, while the ground beneath her feet seemed to sink into darkness.

Not good!

Kurenai bit through her tongue, the taste of blood bursting through her mouth.

Just as she was about to break free, a hand landed on her shoulder.

"Don't look into his eyes!"

Kakashi's voice suddenly rang out beside her.

Kurenai felt her body grow light, as though Kakashi had pulled her free. The next moment, she opened her eyes, her face pale.

Itachi had not even moved. With a single glance, he had broken her genjutsu and turned it back on her.

Kakashi had already pushed up his forehead protector, his Sharingan fixed firmly on Itachi's feet.

"When facing him, you absolutely cannot make eye contact."

Kisame looked at Kakashi's Sharingan and said with a smile.

"Oh? Another Sharingan."

Itachi looked at Kakashi.

"Mr. Kakashi."

Kakashi frowned, his tone grave.

"Itachi, why have you returned to Konoha?"

Itachi did not answer.

At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded in the distance.

Sasuke rushed out from around the street corner.

The instant he saw Itachi, his eyes turned red.

It was as though the world contained only that one person.

His father, his mother, the blood in the clan district, and that silhouette standing beneath the moonlight that night—all of it exploded in his mind.

"Itachi Uchiha!"

Sasuke let out a hoarse roar.

Kisame looked over curiously.

"Oh? A Sharingan. He even looks a lot like you, Mr. Itachi."

Itachi Uchiha replied calmly.

"He is my younger brother, Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke slammed his left hand into the wall, leaving a small crater in it.

"Itachi! I'll kill you! Just as you said, I hate you, I despise you, and I live only to kill you!"

Kakashi's expression changed.

"Sasuke, don't come any closer!"

But Sasuke could not hear him at all.

The next moment, blue-white lightning exploded fiercely in Sasuke's palm!

Chirp, chirp, chirp—

The piercing cry of birds instantly echoed through the street.

"Chidori!"

Sasuke stomped down and charged straight at Itachi!

At that moment! Kakashi tried to stop Sasuke. He rushed forward, but the instant he raised his head, he saw a pair of blood-red Mangekyō Sharingan.

Tsukuyomi.

"Damn it!" Kakashi cursed inwardly.

But it was already too late. In an instant, Kakashi's entire world turned blood-red, and in the next moment, he was bound to a cross.

Then countless blades stabbed into his body again and again. No one knew how long it lasted, but only when his mind had completely broken did the genjutsu finally end.

Yet only an instant had passed in the outside world!

Sasuke charged forward, his Chidori carving a long trench into the wall by the roadside.

"Itachi!"

"Die!"