When the purple skeletal palm pressed down, Itachi did not choose to retreat.
He could not retreat.
Behind him was the ring of Amaterasu flames, outside was the Four Violet Flames Formation, and on the South Gate Square were also Fugaku, Kakashi, Neji, and rows of Image Recording Array Disc.
As long as he retreated a single step, his older brother's dignity would be peeled clean by these camera lenses bit by bit.
Itachi forced his right eye to lift, the dojutsu power of Amaterasu churning in his eye socket, and blood flowed down the side of his face.
"Amaterasu."
Black flames ignited at the edge of Sasuke's Susanoo skeletal palm, but failed to burn through the skeleton.
Sasuke's right-eye hexagram rotated, and Kagutsuchi forcibly pulled that cluster of black flames askew, pressing them back to land beside Itachi's feet in turn, the tongues of fire rolling past the hem of Itachi's clothing, startling him into withdrawing his dojutsu power.
"The same jutsu, do you still want to use it in front of me?"
Itachi's breathing grew disordered, his finger hand seals failed to connect, and the purple skeletal palm had already gripped his shoulder, lifting him away from the ground.
Fugaku watched this scene, his Adam's apple moving, but he did not open his mouth to plead for mercy.
Kakashi looked over from the side area, complex emotions at the bottom of his eyes, but the Lightning Blade in his hand still sealed Kisame's retreat route.
Kisame was forced into successive retreats by Guy, and hearing the commotion over on Itachi's side, he raised his head and shouted: "Mr. Itachi, if you don't bring out some real skill, I'm afraid we'll both be left in Konoha to write incident reports today!"
Guy blasted over with a punch: "Infiltrating Konoha