(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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"Sasuke, long time no see."
Sitting in the main seat with a domineering attitude, Itachi looked down at Sasuke.
Observing his younger brother who increasingly resembled him the more time passed, a smile appeared at the corner of Itachi's mouth, but it quickly turned into a thin expressionless line.
"I was surprised when I heard about your challenge."
"Do you feel like you've surpassed me just by defeating Orochimaru?"
"You know, I defeated Orochimaru instantly with my genjutsu back then! What confidence can beating someone that weak inspire?"
Sasuke listened to Itachi's mockery without responding.
Raising his hand, a sharp [Chidori] spear shot out, piercing Itachi's chest with extreme speed!
Itachi's reaction was equally calm, his eyes still fixed on Sasuke as his body slowly dispersed into a flock of crows.
When he reappeared, he was already behind Sasuke.
"Hey, hurry up, hurry up! We're a bit late, but it's okay. Let's watch."
Itachi halted the hand he was about to grab Sasuke with and turned to look at the door along with his brother.
There stood Kisame, carrying Samehada and wearing a regretful expression.
"Didn't I ask you to stop the others?" Itachi frowned.
He didn't want the fight to be disturbed.
Kisame flashed a terrifying smile.
"All the people Sasuke Uchiha brought have been dealt with and lost their ability to move. So, I thought I'd come in and have a look since I had nothing else to do."
"Don't worry, I won't interfere. It'll be like I'm not even here."
Sasuke hadn't expected Suigetsu and the others to be defeated so quickly, and his heart grew heavy.
Kisame might say he wouldn't intervene now, but if Sasuke tried to kill Itachi, who could guarantee he wouldn't step in?
And Itachi was being a bit too casual.
It was difficult enough to act in the first place, and now there was an audience who knew him very well, making it even more challenging.
Why did dying have to be so complicated?
For a moment, both brothers' emotions were a bit conflicted.
"Don't just stand there, keep fighting!" Kisame urged anxiously, seeing that neither of them had moved.
'You talk too much!'
Sasuke and Itachi cursed inwardly at the same time.
Itachi, in particular, would have suspected this wasn't the real Kisame if he hadn't noticed something off about the guy quite earlier.
The two brothers began a physical fight.
They exchanged punches and kicks, making for a lively battle.
Perhaps it was impressive to outsiders, but there was still a gap for Sasuke when facing Itachi.
Because of that, Sasuke took the lead in forming hand seals.
"[Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique]!"
A fiery blaze appeared in the room.
Itachi leaped to avoid the fireball, but Sasuke then threw shurikens infused with lightning chakra.
Boom!
Itachi, who seemed to be covered in shuriken, turned into smoke and disappeared.
"So fast! When did you use a Shadow Clone?"
Sasuke was taken aback.
At this point, Itachi had reappeared in front of him and kicked him in the stomach.
Boom!
A large hole appeared in the hall's wall.
It was then that Colt realized the curse mark on Sasuke was gone.
"Strange, why has Itachi-san slowed down so much?" Kisame said in confusion.
Colt smirked.
What else could have happened? Itachi had clearly started to let go.
As the battle escalated, the room was obviously no longer enough for the two of them.
It didn't take long before Sasuke's [Chidori] punched a large hole in the roof.
Itachi took advantage of the situation and ran out, returning Sasuke's attack with a fireball.
"[Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu]!"
A fire dragon spewed from Sasuke's mouth, immediately overpowering Itachi's Fire Style.
The battlefield shifted outdoors.
Kisame and Colt also followed, standing on a large tree, watching from a distance.
The two once again launched Fire Style techniques against each other, using the iconic Great Fireball of the Uchiha clan.
"This hand seal speed..." Kisame couldn't help but complain.
Was it because Sasuke couldn't see it if he went faster?
What about the dignity of their clan though?
Colt chuckled.
The battle was nearly over.
Kisame was speechless at such a battle.
"[Amaterasu]!"
Itachi grunted violently, blood streaming from his eyes.
A large mass of black flames appeared on the ground, surrounding Sasuke.
Perhaps because he was afraid of hurting his younger brother, he deliberately left a small area for movement.
It could be said to be very kind.
"It's useless. I've already mastered the weakness of your technique. As long as it burns the target, the flames will be extinguished."
After speaking, Sasuke took out a scroll, summoning a large number of sealed beasts to extinguish the black flames with their flesh.
Obviously, he had also made adequate preparations for today's battle.
Itachi was also becoming a little out of breath because of the large-scale [Amaterasu].
But his smile became wilder, crazier, and his facial expressions distorted.
"That's right, killing you like this can measure my worth!"
"Stop pretending! Your worth disappeared long ago when you slaughtered the entire clan!"
Sasuke interrupted Itachi's performance with a roar, and Kusanagi, crackling with electricity, stabbed into Itachi's chest.
Itachi once again used the Crow Clone Technique in advance to avoid the attack.
"[Tsukuyomi]!"
The next second, [Tsukuyomi]'s illusion struck Sasuke, and the consciousness of both entered the illusory space.
"These genjutsu users are the most annoying. It's really underhanded. Can't they fight honestly with ninjutsu and taijutsu?"
Although Kisame admired Itachi, he didn't like this fighting style.
He wondered if Itachi sometimes used illusions to fool him during missions.
Otherwise, why was he always the one who contributed the most, while not even a speck of dust touched Itachi's clothes?
Colt's mouth twitched.
"I often use illusions to fight. Do you have any problem with that?"
"No, no." Kisame laughed dryly, it was only then that he remembered that his boss was also present.
And also, a crafty one at that.
After a while, Sasuke didn't respond, but Itachi knelt down on one knee, dressed in tattered clothes.
"You... you actually broke my [Tsukuyomi]!"
Sasuke stuck his sword into the ground, and his hands began forming seals.
"Originally, I was prepared for [Tsukuyomi] and had countless strategies ready for whatever you do, but you chose to torture my mind with what happened that night."
Lightning appeared, but Sasuke didn't immediately use his ninjutsu.
Instead, he made a few big jumps to the highest point of the building, looking down condescendingly.
"Itachi Uchiha, I feel sorry for you. Replaying the death of your father and mother over and over again, are you really indifferent?"
Itachi's heart ached violently.
Was he really indifferent?
The [Tsukuyomi] just now wasn't only torturing Sasuke but also torturing himself!
However, faced with the village and his family, he had no choice.
The lightning in the sky finally finished gathering, and Sasuke raised his right hand high.