"K-Konoha? So all this time, you were...!"
Kisame Hoshigaki's sharklike eyes widened. Feeling the blood flowing unstoppably from his chest, he could not accept this.
He had been only a step away from that world, never imagining that the person he respected most would bar him from it.
"Itachi! I'll kill you!"
Kisame Hoshigaki roared, mustering all the chakra in his body, intent on using his final breath to take Itachi down with him.
Yet Itachi, who had been behind him, had vanished at some point.
Not just Itachi, but all the other members of the Akatsuki nearby, even Madara, and the entire battlefield had disappeared.
Around Kisame, nothing remained but boundless blood-red.
"What's going on?"
Blood still flowed from his chest, but as time passed, the pain disappeared.
"Could this be...?"
"This is my genjutsu..." Itachi's voice suddenly came from overhead.
Kisame froze. He could not understand why Itachi was doing this. Just as he was about to speak, Itachi's voice rang out again.
"Kisame, trust me. I'm saving you. That world isn't what you imagine it to be. I'll tell you everything within this illusion. As for reality, leave that to me for now..."
In the real world.
Facing Might Guy at full power, Obito was about to act, but Madara stopped him with an excited look.
"Aside from Hashirama, it's been a long time since I've seen a man dare to challenge me single-handedly. I'll deal with this one myself. It'll be a perfect chance to test this evolved body!"
With that, Madara landed directly in front of Guy.
The instant he landed, Guy unleashed his attack. "Take this! Daytime Tiger!"
An air cannon shaped like a tiger shot straight at Madara Uchiha's face.
The tremendous noise shook everyone on the battlefield.
An enormous shock wave followed.