Elsewhere, Zongyan, who had coughed up some blood after taking a blow from Hiruzen Sarutobi's staff head-on, sensed that his father had recovered his full strength and begun repaying Danzo again.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and focused his attention on Hiruzen Sarutobi once more.
"Damn it, Hiruzen Sarutobi really deserves the title of Shinobi World Professor. His endless ninjutsu is impossible to guard against!"
Zongyan grumbled inwardly, not daring to let his guard down at all.
Just then, a cool, aloof figure swiftly approached and stood in front of Zongyan.
Uchiha Itachi's eyes were scarlet, his Sharingan turning silently as he fixed his gaze on Hiruzen Sarutobi ahead.
"Zongyan, are you all right?"
Zongyan tightened his grip on Cursed Blade: Murasame, crimson waves of heat swirling around its blade, and nodded slightly.
"I'm fine, big brother!"
Watching Uchiha Itachi enter the battlefield and stand in his way, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed.
"Itachi, didn't you inherit the Will of Fire? Come over here. Don't keep making this mistake."
Faced with the Third Hokage's persuasion, Itachi remained indifferent, without the slightest wavering in his expression.
He impassively drew a katana from his waist and instantly activated the Body Flicker Technique, turning into an afterimage as he lunged at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed softly, then his expression turned grave.
One-on-one, he could still suppress Zongyan with his ample combat experience and the changes in his ninjutsu's elemental properties.
But one of the two before him possessed unparalleled swordsmanship, while the other was an Uchiha prodigy whose genjutsu, ninjutsu, and taijutsu all ranked among Konoha's finest. With these two prodigies joining forces, even he, the man known as the Shinobi World Professor, felt a profound sense of danger.
Facing Itachi's close-range assault, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his wrist and