Uchiha Itachi searched for a while but couldn't find his brother. Deciding not to linger in such a strange place, he prepared to leave.
Staying any longer... he feared he might lose control and subject Kisame to a Tsukuyomi.
The two turned to leave the platform. Meanwhile, hidden behind the crowd, a figure cloaked in black with a hood pulled low trembled with excitement.
It was Uchiha Sasuke!
He had waited countless days and nights for this moment.
Finally, the opportunity was here!
Sasuke's heart roared as memories of his previous experience in the Pure Land surfaced...
Hehehe... Uchiha Itachi!
Death is only the beginning for you!
When you descend into the Pure Land, prepare to face the unending wrath of our clan!
The thought of being surrounded by their clansmen—almost being strung up and beaten by his father—still made Sasuke break out in cold sweat.
And all that just for dressing as a girl.
If the clan reacted that furiously to him, what kind of reception awaited Uchiha Itachi, who had slaughtered them all? Sasuke dared not even imagine.
He trailed silently behind Itachi and Kisame, maintaining a distance of about 100 meters. One hand pulled his hood lower, the other rested on the sealing scroll concealed in his cloak.
He had been carrying 120 sealing scrolls every single day for this!
By chance, during a recent spar with Naruto, Sasuke had picked up some useful tactics—especially for dealing with Sharingan users.
Back then, Sasuke had activated his three-tomoe Sharingan to use genjutsu on Naruto. In response, Naruto had casually pulled out a bag of lime powder and flung it in his face.
Caught off guard, Sasuke had clutched his burning eyes, yelling in pain.
From that day on, Sasuke started carrying lime powder in his pocket—specifically to counter Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan.
He continued following the two, pausing occasionally to ensure he wasn't noticed. Despite all his preparations, he still felt uneasy.
In hindsight, he should have asked Naruto for a diversion or brought Karin along. With her sensory skills, victory would have been guaranteed.
Yes, ever since the Chūnin Exams, Karin had been crying and begging to stay by his side. Out of momentary sympathy, he had agreed to take her in.
It was a decision he hadn't shared with anyone yet.
---
Nearby, Kakashi, who had been enjoying the festivities, noticed Sasuke sneaking away. His gaze then shifted to two figures dressed in black cloaks adorned with red clouds.
The moment he saw those cloaks, something felt off.
He knew every uniform Naruto had designed inside and out, and this particular outfit wasn't among them!
Realizing the situation was unusual, Kakashi muttered an excuse to Jiraiya before quietly following them.
---
"Itachi-san, it seems we're being followed," Kisame remarked with a grin.
"No matter. Let's find a place ahead to deal with them," Itachi replied, his tone calm but tinged with urgency.
His mind was elsewhere—entirely focused on finding his younger brother. Wandering through Konoha without spotting Sasuke made him increasingly uneasy.
Sasuke... Where are you?
After walking for another ten minutes, they neared the outskirts of the village. Realizing the pursuers were still behind them, Itachi stopped.
Kisame smirked and turned to confront the tailing figures.
But when his eyes landed on one of them, he froze.
A cloaked figure stood before them, face obscured by a hood, with an oversized weapon strapped to their back.
What the hell?!
Was this kid imitating him?
And what was with that absurdly large blade? It made his Samehada look modest in comparison.
Itachi glanced at the cloaked individual before shifting his attention to the more familiar figure of Kakashi.
It never even crossed his mind that the black-robed youth might be his brother.
Slowly, Itachi adjusted his straw hat, lifting it off his head to reveal his face.
Kisame followed suit, mimicking the gesture with a sly chuckle. "Looks like we've got some trouble, Itachi-san. That guy over there—he's the Copy Ninja, Kakashi, right?"
Itachi remained silent as his Sharingan activated, casting a genjutsu without a sound.
---
Bang!
Before the illusion could take hold, Sasuke slammed his Kubikiribōchō onto the ground, standing tall behind it.
"Interesting."
"I'll handle the kid," Kisame declared, interpreting the drawn blade as a direct challenge.
Itachi nodded slightly, granting permission.
---
"Kakashi-senpai, long time no see," Sasuke said, his tone calm yet cold.
"Sasuke... You..." Kakashi's expression turned complicated.
Don't tell me... Itachi hasn't recognized his own brother?
The four stood still, tension thick in the air. A breeze swept by, dislodging Sasuke's hood to reveal his sharp, determined features.
"Hah!"
Sasuke hefted his Kubikiribōchō, pointing it straight at Itachi. His voice boomed:
"One against seven! I've waited long enough!"
"Listen well!"
"Six years east, six years west! Never underestimate the poor youth!"
"...Who are you?"
Itachi's flat response hung in the air, leaving Sasuke momentarily speechless.
His eyesight, weakened over time, allowed him only a vague outline of people. He had only recognized Kakashi by his unmistakable white hair.
As for this cloaked youth... Itachi wracked his brain but couldn't place him.
Hearing that his sworn enemy didn't even recognize him, Sasuke's fury surged.
This bastard never cared about me at all!
"You'll die here today!"
Sasuke's crimson three-tomoe Sharingan flared to life.
When Itachi caught sight of those blood-red eyes, his own widened in shock.
"Where did you get those Sharingan?" he demanded, his voice tinged with anger.
Though the Uchiha clan was gone, their bloodline wasn't something outsiders could claim lightly.
But more than that, he feared for Sasuke's safety.
"You bastard!"
"You'll regret this!"
Sasuke's rage erupted as he charged forward.
"Sasuke, stop!" Kakashi shouted, realizing how dangerous the situation was.
His cry fell on deaf ears. Sasuke's focus was locked on Kisame, whose Samehada swung to meet him.
The clash between fire-imbued steel and chakra-devouring flesh shook the battlefield.
Sasuke's blade erupted in flames, forcing Kisame to stagger back, caught off guard by the sheer ferocity of the attack.
---
And at that moment, Itachi, still reeling from the revelation, stared at Sasuke in utter disbelief.
What happened to my brother... What turned him into this?
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
Support the Translation! 🌐✨
20+ Advanced Chapters are currently available in Patreon, make sure to visit and support our team.
patreon.com/Immortal_author
https://ko-fi.com/immortalauthor
https://discord.gg/KscfBegBPT
Join Patreon for advance chapters and support our underpaid translators and writers!!