"Sasuke's potential both shocked and pleased Itachi. He used to think that Sasuke, while talented, would need at least five years to surpass him. However, Sasuke now possessed a strength that made Itachi take notice. He stared at Sasuke, emitting a crazed laugh, momentarily embodying the demeanor of a film star.
"'Sasuke, to me, you will be my light. Your eyes will witness my peak as an Uchiha!'
"'Mangekyo Sharingan, the cursed eyes of sin. Our Uchiha clan's mission has always been to attain the ultimate eyes.'
"'Through intra-clan strife, patricide, fratricide, gaining eternal eyes.'
"'The Uchiha are a vile family that abandoned emotions for power.'
"'I've always had one goal: to make my dearest younger brother my strength.'
"'So, surrender your eyes to me, Sasuke!'
"'My eyes will absorb yours, achieving eternity, becoming the eternal Mangekyo!!'
"To make Sasuke feel justified in killing him, Itachi distorted himself into a single-minded Uchiha.
"'Can the Mangekyo still evolve?' The Uchiha district was in an uproar, subconsciously distancing themselves from their companions.
"The Sharingan truly lives up to its name as an evil eye.
"Despite its incredible potential, it requires absorbing the eyes of beloved ones.
"It's truly tragic.
"At this point, everyone became clearer on Itachi's intentions.
"'In fact, Itachi's talent is not inferior at all, even better than Sasuke. He could easily take Sasuke's eyes,' a ninja suddenly remarked.
"Then silence fell upon the scene.
"Attempting to delve into Uchiha Itachi's inner self, one would discover that everything he did was for Sasuke.
"'This isn't fair to Sasuke,' someone said.
"Indeed, Uchiha Itachi is great and loving.
"But he is also selfish.
"He schemed everything, forcing Sasuke into the spotlight, making him endure all the criticism.
"After the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke, undoubtedly, would face countless accusations. He would bear the immense pressure of reviving the Uchiha and seeking revenge, all while his mind was under tremendous strain. Under such pressure, an ordinary person would easily go mad. Even if they didn't go insane, their character would undoubtedly undergo drastic changes. This easily breeds emotions detrimental to Konoha.
"Uchiha Itachi thought he had planned everything, but he oversimplified human nature.
"'Itachi went to great lengths just to be killed by Sasuke.'
"But he didn't anticipate Sasuke saying something he couldn't believe.
"In the scene, Sasuke, expressionless, coldly looked at Itachi, lips moving.
"'Never trust your own eyes.' Sasuke stared into Itachi's eyes, softly speaking.
"'Your eyes are worthless before me, Itachi.'
"This statement shocked everyone.
"Arrogant, conceited.
"This Uchiha Sasuke is too good at bluffing.
"He actually looks down on the Mangekyo Sharingan???
"Itachi was a bit annoyed by Sasuke's arrogance and immediately used Fire Release.
"After a series of probing attempts, Itachi immediately used Amaterasu, directing it toward Sasuke.
"In the scene, with a loud bang, the water surface where Sasuke was standing suddenly exploded violently. The extreme heat caused even the water in this area to continuously evaporate, and stray sparks splattered on the statues of the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara.
"A rolling smoke filled the area, and the entire lake surface was in turmoil.
"Sasuke, enveloped in lightning, unleashed the Kirin, while Itachi used Susanoo for defense.
"The thunder in the scene seemed capable of shattering everything, surpassing the limits that even the Susano'o, a defense at Kage level, could withstand.
"Even Orochimaru, who had already turned traitor, couldn't help but look startled.
"'Such ninjutsu might not even be defended by the Triple Rashomon.'
"Boruto-era Sasuke raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Evidently, he didn't expect that his counterpart from that world would be so strong.
"But Susanoo, truly worthy of being the ultimate offense and defense of the Mangekyo, managed to withstand Kirin. However, looking at Itachi's strained expression, it was apparent that it was quite draining.
"But Sasuke was still at ease.
"It was evident that the Sasuke from that world had surpassed himself at the same age.
"With the use of Sage Art, Sasuke summoned the Toad of Mount Myoboku.
"'Mount Myoboku? Did Sasuke become my disciple?' Jiraiya looked shocked and incredulous.
"But judging from the reaction of the Sage in the scene, this possibility was high.
"'I actually took an Uchiha as a disciple?'
"Jiraiya muttered to himself.
"Although Jiraiya left Konoha, he was still a ninja of the Hokage lineage. The Third Hokage always opposed the Uchiha, so he couldn't possibly have the opportunity to interact with the Uchiha, let alone take one as a disciple.
"This meant that there must have been some compelling reason for himself to take Sasuke as a disciple.
"With the help of the two Sages, the Chidori received a massive enhancement.
"In the scene, the Chidori emitted a piercing scream, the ninjutsu combining Chidori and Rasengan erupted with terrifying power.
"The Chidori Rasengan fell, sweeping away everything in its path, including the statues of the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara, and even the towering valley, collapsing it into irregular boulders falling into the lake.
"The scene was filled with flying spray.
"The collapse of the statues of the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara foreshadowed the end of an old era.
"The ultimate ocular jutsu of the Mangekyo Sharingan, Susanoo, directly disintegrated under the Chidori Rasengan, and Uchiha Itachi was left on the brink of death, heavily injured.
"In contrast, Sasuke remained unscathed.
"Itachi, relying on the Sharingan, lost to Sasuke.
"As Sasuke approached Itachi step by step in the scene, Itachi began a verbal technique.
"Essentially, it expressed no regrets for the choices made.
"Even at this moment, he continued to display his yearning for the eyes.
"Even in this critical moment, he continued to perform selflessly.
"This scene was truly sigh-inducing.
"Sasuke stood in front of Itachi, his expression calm. But at this moment, Itachi's figure suddenly surged forward, his right hand thrusting toward Sasuke's eyes, a cruel smirk on his face.
"'This is Itachi's final lesson: never underestimate a ninja.'
"However, the scene seemed to freeze.
"Itachi's fingers were less than 5 centimeters from Sasuke's eyes, Sasuke remained calm, standing still, unmoving, while Itachi's face was filled with astonishment. He didn't expect Sasuke to not resist.
"'So thrilling, why didn't Sasuke dodge?!' The audience exclaimed.
"Sasuke and Itachi's battle exceeded everyone's imagination.
"Even the Kage-level fighters seemed somewhat inferior before them.
"The Third Hokage, with a wary expression, had underestimated Itachi's strength.
"He initially thought that Itachi had just entered the Kage level. Now, it seemed that Itachi killing himself was an easy feat.
"Fortunately, Itachi's stance was with Konoha; otherwise..."
"What made the upper echelons of Konoha more wary was Sasuke's strength.
"Even Itachi, powerful as he was, couldn't withstand a blow from Sasuke. No one could have expected the potential hidden within the neglected Sasuke.
"Such a piece must be carefully managed to ensure Konoha's future for the next fifty years.
"Watching, Uchiha Itachi's expression was somewhat embarrassed, his mouth twitching slightly.
"This battle was akin to social suicide for him.
"On one hand, he displayed his acting skills to the entire ninja world.
"On the other hand, he displayed his looks.
"But he didn't care about any of that. He only cared about Sasuke."
"Why didn't he dodge? Does Sasuke already know my purpose?" he murmured softly.
[Izuna didn't understand why Sasuke didn't dodge. Now he felt embarrassed until Sasuke showed a disdainful expression.]
"In my lifetime, I finally understood that the Sharingan has its limits."
"Sasuke spoke in a casual tone, then suddenly plunged his fingers into his own eyes."
The scene turned bloody. Amidst everyone's gasps, Sasuke dug out his own eyes and placed them in Izuna's hands.
"My foolish brother, continue the development of the bloodline limit you pursued. You are now the last Uchiha, carrying the glory and hopes of the Uchiha revival."
"So don't die in such a pitiful way. Even if you have to kneel or crawl, you must survive."
"I want every time you use these eyes to generate guilt and pain toward me, toward the Uchiha. This emotion will constantly stimulate your eyes, giving you what you call evolution!"
"Get stronger continuously, only then will you understand the limits of the Sharingan."
"Only then will you understand how vast the difference is between you and me."
The scene ended with Sasuke laughing maniacally and Izuna looking confused and desperate, gradually fading to black.
[Preview for tomorrow: Chunin Exams in Konoha.]
The footage ended, but everyone's emotions remained unsettled for a long time.
Shock, disbelief.
That was the sentiment for most people.
For the Uchiha, however, the emotions were complex—doubt, anger, and a hint of realization.
The Sharingan had always been regarded as one of the most powerful bloodline limits, especially in Konoha.
It's crucial to note that one of the strongest figures of the previous era, Madara Uchiha, was a possessor of the Sharingan.
He elevated the Sharingan to a new height, establishing its potential.
However, now, Sasuke proved through action that the Sharingan wasn't as mighty as believed.
By merging Chidori and Rasengan, the ninjutsu he created could directly overwhelm Susano'o.
Simultaneously, his honed physique overpowered Itachi Uchiha's Taijutsu.
From the battle perspective, Sasuke had achieved dominance in multiple aspects.
The bloodline limit wasn't everything.
Through training and research in advanced ninjutsu, one could surpass the dōjutsu!
Initially, Itachi was considered the first genius of the Uchiha after Madara, overshadowing Sasuke.
But now, Sasuke, through his actions, demonstrated his potential.
He was stronger than Itachi!
But what stunned everyone more was Sasuke's decision to give up his eyes!!
The Fugaku couple proudly watched Sasuke. From the beginning, they believed Sasuke was also a genius!
With this, the situation for the Uchiha became even more awkward.
They had disregarded the Fugaku family, only to have them produce geniuses who surpassed all within the clan.
The Uchiha had considered reconciling with the Fugaku, or else when Sasuke embraced the Third's camp, the Uchiha would face their downfall.
"It's impossible, Sasuke is such a genius." Within the ninja school, people discussed eagerly, Sakura and Ino showed admiration.
Only Naruto had a displeased look, staring out of the window, muttering.
"What's this? Arrogant Sasuke turns out to be so powerful!! I'll definitely not be left behind, I control everything behind the scenes!!" Naruto's tone held a hint of pride.
"I'll definitely be stronger than Sasuke in the future, maybe even become Hokage."
Clearly, due to his age, he didn't quite understand how dangerous he was.
As more and more images were revealed, the truth about Konoha gradually surfaced in front of the ninja world.
"Konoha is really complicated, but the geniuses inside are truly terrifying, whether it's Sasuke or Izuna, even Naruto is worth keeping an eye on."
The top-tier ninjas from other villages were despairing. Even with internal issues, Konoha was untouchable for them.
But it was still far better than in the First Era.
After watching this footage, Sasuke fell silent.
His eyes shimmered with astonishment.
He never thought that one day he could surpass his brother, Itachi Uchiha.
The version of himself in the footage was so confident and composed.
He was not inferior in either Taijutsu or Ninjutsu.
But what caught his attention the most was Sasuke's eyes.
Both had Mangekyo Sharingan.
However, the other version of himself defeated Izuna without even using Susanoo.
The gap between them was evident.
But the footage didn't reveal the final outcome.
He wondered if after plucking out his eyes, he could reach a new level.
And after the plan failed, what would Itachi do next?
Sasuke's mind suddenly flashed with an image of Naruto Uzumaki.
In previous footage, Naruto had said something similar to Sasuke.
"Never trust your own eyes."
Could it be him...?
"Impossible?! Impossible!! How could Sasuke do that? Why did he do that? How could he dare to do that?!" Itachi Uchiha was almost going mad after watching the footage.
He clutched his head, muttering to himself, eyes filled with disbelief.
He had planned so much, all for Sasuke, but Sasuke directly abandoned the Uchiha.
"Your plan was indeed bold, but unfortunately, Sasuke seems to have different ideas." A ninja appeared at the door of the cell, speaking.
Due to the special settings of the footage, key personnel could watch it even while in prison.
After the outburst of previous footage and under pressure from the Uchiha clan, the Konoha leadership temporarily imprisoned Izuna.
Izuna understood this and expressed his love for Konoha.
And as it turned out, the Konoha leadership wouldn't easily let go of a powerful elite ninja like Izuna.
After further discussions and negotiations with the Uchiha, Izuna would surely be released to fight for Konoha.
Izuna understood this point, so he obediently stayed in the cell.