Konoha, training field.
"Do you wish to become stronger?" Kakashi looked down at the young man before him.
Early that morning, he had been called over by Sasuke.
Sasuke clenched his fist and nodded vigorously, "Yes, I want to become stronger!"
"But you only just learned the Chidori," Kakashi said softly.
Sasuke shook his head, gritting his teeth, "That's still not enough."
"Just mastering that one jutsu isn't sufficient to keep up with Naruto."
Let alone...
To catch up with that man!
These words struck home for Kakashi.
To catch up with Naruto?
He took a deep breath and nodded, "If that's the case, then I..."
But he couldn't finish his sentence.
A special jonin ran over, a hint of panic in his voice.
"Kakashi, Itachi has appeared in the western part of the village. Asuma and Kurenai have already engaged him and request backup."
Kakashi was startled and instinctively glanced at Sasuke.
On his young, handsome face, a mix of shock and hatred emerged.
"Sasuke, don't be reckless!" Kakashi called out, hoping to stop him.
But in the next moment.
Sasuke dashed off without a word, heading westward in the village.
Kakashi gave chase.
When they arrived at the scene.
Asuma and Kurenai were already down.
The shark-faced man swung his sword, intent on silencing them.
Kakashi moved in a flash, forming seals to unleash his jutsu.
"Earth Style, Mud Wall."
A wall embedded with a dog's head rose from the ground, stopping the man's actions in their tracks.
"Looks like we have some new arrivals." Kisame stepped back, casually resting his deep blue, serrated sword on his shoulder. "Oh? What's this kid's deal?"
"He's got the Sharingan, and also..."
"Itachi, he looks a lot like you."
Uchiha Itachi's tone was calm. "He's my brother."
"I thought you killed off all the Uchiha?" Kisame asked, his voice dripping with taunting sarcasm. "Looks like you saved a little flower."
Itachi didn't reply anymore to him; instead, he addressed his brother, "It's been a while, Sasuke."
"Uchiha Itachi!" Sasuke snarled his brother's name through gritted teeth. "I'll kill you."
He formed a seal with his hands.
Lightning crackled in his palm, emitting a sharp, buzzing whine.
Kakashi watched, concern etched on his face.
This was his signature jutsu, the technique he had taught him during the Chunin Exams.
"Lightning Style, Chidori!"
Sasuke wore a fierce expression, anger pouring out of him, his body even trembling slightly. "I've always hated you!"
"I'm only alive to kill you!"
He reached forward.
The electricity warped the air around it.
With a burst of speed, he charged forward.
In a blink, he closed the gap of several meters.
Like a knife's edge, he lunged forward for a vicious strike!
But Itachi merely shifted his step lightly, slightly sidestepping, raising his hand calmly, and easily caught Sasuke's wrist.
The lightning continued to buzz sharply in Sasuke's palm.
Sasuke was only two or three steps away from Itachi.
But he couldn't move one inch closer.
"So weak," Uchiha Itachi remarked softly.
Sasuke felt his heart tighten.
"Is the Chidori so dim in your hands?" Itachi questioned, lifting his knee and slamming it into Sasuke's stomach.
The sharp buzz slowly faded.
He reached out, gripping Sasuke's neck to hoist him up.
The three tomoe in Itachi's Sharingan spun, distorting into a shape resembling three sickles intertwined over his pupils.
Sasuke's eyes widened.
Those were the eyes from that night.
"Why are you so weak?" Itachi inquired softly again.
"Only two tomoe," he continued, "it's because your hatred isn't deep enough."
With his words, Sasuke's senses froze.
The world inverted like a film negative.
"You should be quite familiar with this place," Itachi said softly, his voice echoed by countless others as he spoke.
"In the world of Tsukuyomi, space, time, and matter are all under my control."
"For the next seventy-two hours, every single second, I'll stab you with blades." Itachi declared.
Uchiha Sasuke gritted his teeth and let out a muffled grunt.
The first blade had already pierced his body.
His senses were magnified.
The pain was intense and enduring.
"This is the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan," Itachi explained while continuing his actions.
"You possess the same potential as I do."
"You could also awaken the Mangekyo."
"But if you want these eyes, there's a condition you must fulfill."
"And that is, you must kill your closest friend."
"This proves that you are worthy of the Mangekyo."
The pain clouded Sasuke's ability for rational thought. As he heard Itachi's words, the first name and face that flashed in his mind was none other than "Naruto Uzumaki," whose presence lingered incessantly in his thoughts these past days.
To gain the power of the "Mangekyo,"
does one have to become like "Itachi"?
Seventy-two hours in the Tsukuyomi space.
Only a fleeting moment in reality.
Kakashi adjusted his headband, his tone grave, "Release Sasuke."
With nonchalance, Uchiha Itachi tossed the unconscious Sasuke aside, "I have no interest in weaklings."
His gaze wandered slightly, falling upon Asuma and Kurenai.
Two Jōnin
These hostages were enough to establish his presence here.
He lifted his head to gaze at the distant Fire Kage Building towering in the horizon.
"There are too many obstacles." Uchiha Itachi turned his head back, "Kisame, let's go."
He stepped forward, vanishing swiftly.
Kisame paused, glanced at the fallen Sarutobi Asuma and sheathed his sword, "Tsk, he would've been a fine prey."
"Our goal is not combat," Uchiha Itachi murmured, "Unfortunately, we didn't gather enough intel."
"But there's no reason to linger any longer."
Kakashi gripped his kunai, attempting to intercept.
Itachi turned back.
With a twist, the completely different "Mangekyo Sharingan" whirled, a thin line of blood trickling out.
"Dōjutsu: Amaterasu."
Strange black flames erupted exactly where he focused his gaze.
This flame possessed a nature unlike ordinary fire.
With its swaying ink-like tendrils, it burned with a clarity that was unsettling.
Kakashi halted his steps and formed hand seals to perform a Water Release jutsu.
Yet, as the water was cast upon the flames, instead of extinguishing them, they blazed even more fiercely.
Several figures descended from above.
Responding to the call, Jiraiya, Maito Gai, and a full squad of ANBU operatives had arrived.
"Where is Uchiha Itachi?" Jiraiya's face was grave.
Having just returned to the village, he was immediately met with the alarming news of Itachi's appearance.
Kakashi walked over and lifted Sasuke in his arms.
"He escaped."
"Asuma, Kurenai, and Sasuke aren't in great shape. Let's get them treated first."
"Their intentions remain unclear."
"But it doesn't seem like Sasuke was their target," Jiraiya considered, retrieving a scroll and sealing away the black flames.
"Is that so?"
"The ANBU should not pursue them further. Focus instead on fortifying the village's defenses."
"Once Asuma and Kurenai regain consciousness, we need to find out what they know."
The ANBU acknowledged the command.
Jiraiya frowned.
With the Third Hokage's death, all manner of chaos was surfacing.
The events in Konoha were unrelated to Naruto, who was traveling with Karin.
In two days, they reached a town on the border of the Land of Fire, close to the sea.
Standing on the rocks, they gazed into the distance. "The visibility here is poor," Karin remarked, straining her eyes, "I can't see the Land of Whirlpools."
"But my mother did tell me."
"Uzushiogakure lies on an island just east of the Land of Fire."
She tilted her head, looking at Naruto, "How are we supposed to get there?"
"Are we flying over?"
"Let's take a boat," Naruto replied softly. "I saw some fishermen in town."
(End of Chapter)