"Karin, step back, don't get in my way!" Sasuke commanded, his voice firm.
Karin pleaded anxiously, "Sasuke, listen to me! If you kill Itachi now, you'll regret it later!"
Sasuke's expression darkened, "Karin, what do you mean by that?"
Everyone around them was equally curious, their eyes fixed on Karin.
Karin took a deep breath, "Sasuke, what I want to tell you is... the truth about Itachi's massacre of the clan!"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, anticipation building within him. Finally, the truth was about to be revealed!
Itachi's face changed, a flicker of concern crossing his features. Could it be that Uchiha Madara had leaked the secret?
At this point, whether Karin truly knew the truth or not, Itachi couldn't allow her to disrupt this life-and-death duel.
In an instant, Itachi attacked.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
Shurikens flew through the air without warning, their target clear—Karin!
Karin was caught off guard, the speed of the attack leaving her no time to dodge.
Bang, bang, bang!
Sasuke swiftly threw his own shurikens, intercepting Itachi's attack and rendering it ineffective.
The entire exchange happened in the blink of an eye.
Everyone was stunned, and when they regained their senses, Sasuke had already saved Karin.
Karin looked at Sasuke in surprise, "Sasuke!"
Sasuke's gaze was fixed on Itachi. Why had Itachi attacked Karin? Could it be that the truth Karin knew was detrimental to Itachi?
A smirk played on Sasuke's lips. If that was the case, he definitely needed to hear it!
White Zetsu mused, "Why did Itachi try to kill that red-haired girl?"
Black Zetsu replied, "Nine out of ten times, it's because the truth she knows could put Itachi in a difficult position."
White Zetsu's curiosity was piqued, "What is this truth? I'm curious..."
Sasuke suppressed his killing intent, "Karin, tell me the truth. I want to know why Itachi slaughtered the entire clan!"
Itachi narrowed his eyes, "Sasuke, what's the use of knowing the truth now?"
Sasuke's voice was filled with determination, "It will make my fire of revenge burn even brighter! Karin, tell me!"
Karin nodded, "Yes, at that time, the Uchiha clan was plotting a coup, and Itachi was acting as a double agent..."
Itachi's eyes widened in alarm. No, he couldn't let her continue!
Swish, swish, swish!
Shurikens rained down like a storm.
Sasuke shouted, "Don't even think about it!"
With both hands moving swiftly, Sasuke's shurikens shot out like lightning.
Bang, bang, bang!
The shurikens collided mid-air, sparks flying like raindrops.
Everyone watched, captivated by the spectacle.
Tsunade praised, "As expected of the Uchiha clan, this throwing technique alone surpasses many jonin!"
Mei Terumi was taken aback. The speed was incredible. Without absolute insight, it was impossible to dodge!
Sasuke's anger flared, "Itachi, tell me, did you betray the Uchiha clan?"
Itachi didn't answer directly but instead asked, "Sasuke, didn't I teach you not to underestimate your enemies?"
As soon as he spoke, Itachi's shadow clone leaped out, kunai in hand, ready to attack.
Sasuke retorted coldly, "I'll return those words to you exactly as they are!"
Swoosh!
Sasuke's own clone appeared simultaneously, summoning a windmill shuriken with a bang.
In an instant, the windmill shuriken whistled towards Itachi's shadow clone.
Bang, bang, bang!
The kunai were all knocked away.
Itachi's eyes widened in surprise. What?
Everyone was shocked.
Kakashi exclaimed, "It's unbelievable! Under such a dense attack just now, they both managed to make shadow clone seals!"
A drop of cold sweat trickled down Kurotsuchi's forehead. Whether it was Itachi or Sasuke, she hadn't seen either of them make a seal. Their speed was truly terrifying!
In the past, she had been satisfied with her strength as a jonin. Now, she realized she had been a frog in a well...
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
The windmill shuriken closed in on Itachi's shadow clone.
Itachi's shadow clone quickly raised a kunai to block.
Sasuke sneered.
Chirp, chirp, chirp!
Chidori chirped, and purple lightning enveloped the windmill shuriken.
Itachi was shocked. What? He infused lightning into the shuriken to increase its lethality...
Chi!
The windmill shuriken sliced through the kunai like tofu.
Almost simultaneously, Itachi's shadow clone was split in half!
White Zetsu exclaimed, "Itachi was suppressed!"
Black Zetsu observed, "Indeed, their hand seal speed is comparable, but Sasuke's proficiency in multiple attributes gives him a significant advantage against Itachi!"
Bang!
As the windmill shuriken fell to the ground, the first battle between Sasuke and Itachi came to an end.
Zheng!
The Kusanagi sword was unsheathed.
Sasuke and his shadow clone charged at Itachi together.
Bang!
Itachi shattered Sasuke's shadow clones, but he himself was pierced through the heart by the Kusanagi sword!
Everyone gasped.
Sakura was tense. Did Sasuke win?
White Zetsu questioned, "Was Itachi really killed like this? Something feels off..."
Black Zetsu agreed, "Your intuition is correct. A strong man like Itachi can't be defeated so easily."
Sure enough.
Gaga----
Itachi transformed into a flock of crows and flew away, reappearing not far away. "Sasuke, you've really grown stronger..."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "Itachi, stop with your illusion tricks. They don't work on me anymore!"
"More importantly, you haven't answered my question. Tell me, did you betray the Uchiha clan?"
Itachi frowned slightly. It seemed Sasuke wouldn't relent until he heard the truth.
Sasuke pressed on, "Hurry up, Itachi!"
Itachi sighed, "Sasuke, each of us is bound by our own perceptions. Only by transcending them can we find our true selves."
Sasuke frowned. What was going on? Why did Itachi's words feel so contradictory?
Itachi looked up at the sky, "In the past, the Uchiha were obsessed with the clan's glory, arrogant and conceited. I was completely disillusioned with such a clan..."
Itachi's tone turned somber, "My potential couldn't be confined by a mere clan."
Sasuke gripped the Kusanagi sword tightly. Was the sense of contradiction just an illusion?
Itachi's expression turned maniacal, "That's why I wanted to destroy the Uchiha clan with my own hands. To surpass the peak of the Uchiha clan—Uchiha Madara!"
Everyone felt a chill run down their spines. Killing a clan just to break free from its shackles—what a terrifying thought!
Sasuke lowered his head, silent.
Sakura clenched her fists, her face full of worry.
Itachi smirked, "Sasuke, this is the truth you wanted to know."
"Don't lie!" Sasuke's Sharingan glowed red, "Itachi, my Sharingan can now see through lies!"
Itachi's smile froze. What? He had been seen through?
Everyone was shocked. It was impossible. There was nothing wrong with Itachi's expression just now...
Karin wiped the sweat from her forehead. If she hadn't known the truth about Itachi beforehand, she might have believed him.
At the same time, she breathed a sigh of relief. As expected of Sasuke, he determined Itachi was lying just by intuition.
Karin shouted, "Yes, Itachi is indeed lying. The reason he slaughtered the clan was because of his relationship with the leader of the Root, Shimura Danzo..."
White Zetsu exclaimed, "Hey, Itachi is such a good actor. No wonder they say the more handsome a boy is, the more likely he is to lie. Now it seems to be true."
Black Zetsu: "..."
Everyone listened intently.
Itachi's eyes widened. What? This girl named Karin actually knows so much?
No, he must stop her from continuing, or his plan to sacrifice himself and guide Sasuke to become the hero of Konoha would fail completely!
Sorry, girl named Karin, but you must leave for now!
Swoosh!
Itachi's pupils contracted, and the windmill-shaped magatama spun rapidly: "Mangekyō Sharingan: Tsukuyomi!"