Kabuto stared at Itachi blocking his path and pressed his palm against the Array Disc. Black Runes crawled out of the ground.
"You think breaking free of my control once means you can escape Impure World Reincarnation?"
Itachi raised a hand and pressed it against his chest.
"You can try."
"You think I wouldn't dare?"
Kabuto curled his five fingers. Itachi's body arched backward as the runes on his chest pressed into his flesh. His right knee sank into the stone floor, but his fingers were still forming hand seals.
"Stop struggling."
"Kabuto Yakushi." Itachi looked at him. "You don't understand this technique."
Kabuto's glasses slipped down his nose.
"And you do?"
"A reanimated body houses the will of the dead. The caster can control its movements, but cannot erase its memories."
"So what?"
"The more you force your control on him, the more easily he can recover his sense of self."
Kabuto raised his hand. Several Black Receivers shot out of the ground and pierced Itachi's limbs.
"Then I'll crush your consciousness too."
Sasuke raised his sword and severed the Black Receivers.
"You can barely keep yourself under control."
Kabuto turned and swung his palm. White scales extended from his arm, turning into dozens of spikes. Sasuke sidestepped them, deflected three Snake Spikes with the Kusanagi Sword, and drove a flash of lightning into Kabuto's shoulder.
Kabuto retreated several steps. His wound rapidly closed.
"You think cutting off my senjutsu channels can limit me?"
"Your wound healed more slowly."
Kabuto glanced down at his shoulder.
"You're buying time."
"I'm recording you."
Sasuke raised his hand, and the image in the water mirror switched to Kabuto's body.
The chakra channels severed earlier appeared one by one in the water mirror. Senjutsu chakra entered Kabuto's body through Ryūchi Cave's ley lines,