Kamui Raikiri pierced straight through Uchiha Itachi's Susanoo, sending him crashing down from the sky!
This was exactly what Genzuki intended—he didn't want Itachi to continue wielding the three sacred treasures.
With Susanoo shattered, blood-tears trickled from Itachi's eyes as he knelt on the ground, struggling to catch his breath.
Seeing Itachi fall, Kisame charged at Genzuki without hesitation!
Just as Samehada was about to devour Genzuki, a pair of crimson Sharingan suddenly locked onto Kisame's eyes.
Kotoamatsukami—Radiance!
Kisame felt himself being pulled into a genjutsu space in an instant.
Though he was fully aware that it was an illusion, everything about this place felt unnervingly real.
"Is this Tsukuyomi? No... something's different..." Kisame murmured.
Genzuki's figure emerged before him, smirking coldly.
"You're way too energetic," Genzuki said.
"That's why I prepared this just for you."
"In this genjutsu space, I control everything!"
An overwhelming wave of mental energy crushed Kisame's will. Within the endless illusion...
In reality, Kisame had collapsed the moment Genzuki locked eyes with him—completely unconscious.
With that done, Genzuki felt his vision blur for a moment.
This time, he had used Kotoamatsukami with his left eye, and now his sight was slightly impaired.
With the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he had reduced the cooldown to a month.
If he possessed the power of the Sage Body, the cooldown would be mere hours.
"Tch, I need to obtain a Sage Body as soon as possible," Genzuki muttered to himself.
At that moment, Uchiha Itachi stood up, his eyes filled with shock.
"You… Did you just use Kotoamatsukami?"
For the first time, his composure wavered as he recalled a name—Uchiha Shisui.
He knew very well that one of Shisui's eyes had been entrusted to him, while the other had been stolen by Danzo.
"Are you working for Danzo?" Itachi asked, his voice tinged with anger.
Genzuki chuckled and shook his head.
"Don't tell anyone I have Kotoamatsukami," Genzuki said. "And I know you possess it as well, so don't waste your time trying it on me."
"Use that power for something worthwhile."
Itachi sighed, deciding to end the battle.
Unlike Genzuki, he didn't have a Straight Tomoe Sharingan—continuing to fight would only shorten his own lifespan.
"How much do you know?" Itachi asked.
"If you're willing to join the Moon Organization, I'd be happy to tell you everything," Genzuki said with an amused smile.
Itachi paused for a moment before shaking his head.
"You know I can't just join an unknown organization. I have responsibilities within the Akatsuki," he replied.
"Heh, that reaction is expected," Genzuki said. "But I do have some advice for you."
At this point, Itachi had already begun to trust Genzuki, sensing that he had no ill intentions.
So, he chose to listen.
Genzuki spoke slowly:
"First, keep a close eye on the masked man in Akatsuki. Figuring out his true identity is crucial."
"Second, don't worry about Sasuke losing his way—I won't let him walk down the wrong path."
"Third, before we meet again… don't die."
Itachi took a deep breath before nodding.
Genzuki covered his left eye, a faint smile on his lips.
"The Kotoamatsukami I implanted in Kisame will make him believe the leader of the Moon Organization, Phantom, is dead."
"As for what you tell the others when you return… I trust you understand."
Itachi nodded, secretly impressed by Genzuki's meticulous planning.
Genzuki's reasoning was simple—his power wasn't yet strong enough to completely crush Akatsuki.
For now, ensuring they didn't take him too seriously was the best strategy.
"It won't work. As long as you continue moving, Akatsuki will take notice of you," Itachi said quietly.
"That's why I'll be laying low for a while," Genzuki replied. "But I need ten days—I have something to take care of in Iwagakure."
"Once I've handled that as Phantom, you can report back to Obito."
Itachi nodded.
Although the Akatsuki maintained strict discipline, they didn't constantly monitor their members.
And that so-called 'Tobi' had never dared to follow him around.
Genzuki's plan could work.
"Sasuke is in your hands now," Itachi said, lifting Kisame onto his back.
In the next instant, his body dissolved into a flock of crows and disappeared into the misty sea.
Genzuki knew that he had planted a seed in Itachi's heart.
If he could eliminate Itachi's worries about Sasuke, he could prevent the tragedy that awaited him.
And if he was to carry out the grand ambitions of the Moon Organization, he would need Itachi's power.
As for Kisame, he hadn't even needed to use Kotoamatsukami against him.
If not for needing Kisame as proof to deceive Pain and Obito, he wouldn't have wasted such a precious technique on him.
A wave of dizziness hit him—Kotoamatsukami was still a heavy burden.
He needed to recover quickly and complete more missions to evolve into a super-Kage-level fighter.
Then, he had to find a way to strengthen his body to offset the strain of the Sharingan.
"Genzuki, I thought you were going to give me Kisame and Itachi's hearts!"
From the water, Kakuzu emerged, looking battered, with only one heart remaining.
"Not yet, Kakuzu," Genzuki said with a smirk. "For now, just stick with me. You're in no shape to be running solo missions."
Kakuzu sighed, knowing he had no choice but to wait for Genzuki to grant him new hearts.
Genzuki, however, was already considering whose hearts would be most suitable for Kakuzu.
Just then, the thick mist cleared, revealing Gato and his men surrounding the bridge's entrance.
Among the dense crowd were rogue shinobi and samurai, all gathered to eliminate Tazuna.
But Genzuki's real interest was in Gato himself.
Why would someone like Gato spend a fortune to hire a rogue ninja of Orochimaru's caliber just to deal with a mere bridge builder?
At the bridge's entrance, Kakashi and Sakura stood protectively in front of Tazuna, facing off against Gato.
Gato stood calmly, smoking a pipe.
"Tazuna… These Konoha shinobi mean nothing to me," he said.
"Honestly, your bridge project is a joke."
"But you've become an obstacle to my grand plan, and as a businessman, it's my duty to remove such obstacles."
Tazuna responded with defiant determination. "Gato, I will finish this bridge! The Land of Waves will be connected to the world—I won't let you monopolize our economy!"
Gato let out a laugh. "You misunderstand—I don't care about the money."
A cold voice suddenly cut through the tension. "What you care about is the presence of shinobi. Once they arrive, your plan will be exposed to the world, won't it?"
Genzuki stepped forward onto the bridge, his crimson Sharingan radiating an oppressive aura.
"You're the one who killed my brother… Who the hell are you?" Gato growled, glaring at Genzuki.
Unfazed, Genzuki replied.
"The one who came to kill you."