Uchiha Itachi's awakening was like a stone cast into a seemingly tranquil lake. Ripples spread swiftly, setting every faction in Konoha on edge.
After securing Tsunade's permission and confirming that Itachi's condition could withstand it, they conducted a highly classified interrogation in the isolation ward. Besides Tsunade, Kakashi, and Ling, only Shikaku Nara attended, listening and taking notes as a representative of the village leadership. The ward's soundproofing and sealing barriers were raised to maximum strength.
Itachi reclined against the headboard, his face still pale. His eyes had regained their former depth and composure, though exhaustion remained etched deep within them. He spoke quietly, in fits and starts, yet his account was clear and orderly, every word carrying a startling amount of information.
He confirmed that the "Sacred Lord" was not a mindless mass of energy, but an extradimensional being of advanced intelligence, filled with greed and a will to destroy. The Akatsuki-or rather, the Masked Man and Zetsu behind it-shared a dangerous symbiotic partnership with the "Sacred Lord." The Masked Man supplied "anchors" and the means to act, while the "Sacred Lord" provided power and knowledge beyond conventional limits. Their ultimate goal was to carry out the so-called "Eye of the Moon Plan," creating an illusory world controlled by Infinite Tsukuyomi.
"The 'Sacred Lord' needs... powerful spiritual energy as a 'breeding ground' to descend and sustain his existence." Itachi's gaze swept over everyone present. "The Sharingan, especially the Mangekyō Sharingan, is an excellent... choice because of its particular traits. By magnifying the darkness and obsessions within a host's heart, he gradually eats away at them, until finally... he transforms the host into his 'incarnation' in this dimension."
Silence filled the ward. This meant that the Akatsuki might be capturing Tailed Beasts for more than the creation of an ultimate