"Uchiha Itachi..."
Sasori's Hiruko gave a low chuckle, its puppet tail slowly rising. "We finally meet. Your eyes... are beautiful."
Shinnō lowered his hands from his chest, chakra faintly flowing around him:
"The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Truly the Uchiha Clan's greatest masterpiece."
"But I never expected a thirteen-year-old with the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan to willingly step into such an obvious encirclement."
Sasori and Shinnō looked excited, but Kisame held the Replica Samehada over his shoulder, slightly wary.
The gaze beneath the White Tiger Mask was calm. He merely nodded in acknowledgment and said nothing more.
Itachi's gaze swept over the four faces in turn, finally lingering on White Tiger for a moment, an almost imperceptible hint of meaning flashing in his eyes.
"The entire Akatsuki came out just to kill me?"
Itachi's voice was level, yet cold.
"Hehe... not just you, of course."
Sasori laughed. "There's also your companion, Ryota Uchiha. He should have run into Pain and the others by now."
Itachi's expression remained calm at this. "It seems you've planned this thoroughly."
"Well, you do have Eternal Eyes."
Shinnō stepped forward, pale blue chakra glowing around him. "How would we dare make a move without thorough preparations?"
As his words fell, all four moved at once!
"Hiruko: Needle Eight Waves!"
Sasori struck first. Mechanisms opened on Hiruko's back, and countless poisoned senbon shot toward Itachi like a torrential downpour!
Almost simultaneously, Shinnō formed hand seals. "Body Activation: Body Flicker Technique!"
His muscles swelled, his speed surged, and he became a blur as he attacked Itachi from the side!
Kisame sighed but still raised the Replica Samehada. "Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique!"
Seawater surged, and an enormous shark-shaped water bullet leaped from the sea, opening its jaws to bite Itachi!
White Tiger remained where he stood and formed