At the foot of the Hall's stone steps, Sasuke gently rolled up his white cloak, shaking off the dust it had gathered on his climb up the mountain.
Before the Hall's stone wall, decorated with a Fox Crest and Jewels, Itachi sat upright in a Stone Chair and slowly withdrew the left hand protruding from the collar of his Akatsuki Robe.
They met again, and both were Mu-silent.
One did not know how to begin!
The other did not know what to say!
After ten long seconds of Mu-silent confrontation, Itachi finally broke the silence.
"Sasuke, since we parted at that inn in Konoha, you must have been through something somewhere I couldn't see. Tell me about it. Consider it one last family chat before we fight to the death..."
Sasuke lowered his gaze slightly, his voice subdued. "That's right. I've been through a lot, far too much to explain in just a few words..."
Itachi shifted slightly in his seat and clasped his hands together. "Then let me ask another way. Sasuke, what is your goal? Is killing me all you want?"
Sasuke raised his eyes and asked a searching question. "Itachi, what does the clan mean to you? What does the village mean? And what does our bond as brothers mean?"
Itachi smiled. "You've changed. You've learned to seize the initiative by answering a question with a question..."
Sasuke remained composed. "No. It's just a basic principle. Before asking someone else to bare their heart, you should be honest with them yourself."
"Be honest with each other, huh..."
Itachi slowly rose from his Stone Chair.
"The clan is a shackle on one's potential."
"The village is an obstacle to progress."
"As for our bond as brothers... since you've unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan and awakened Susanoo, you should understand