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Sasuke's Sharingan suddenly faded, his eyes returning to normal as he dropped to one knee, completely drained.
"It's over, huh…"
Then, from the smoke and silence, came Itachi's voice—low and rasping."So this is… the way you wanted to see me die again?"
Sasuke's eyes went wide, disbelief flooding through him.
Itachi was standing—barely. Blood dripped down from the corner of his mouth, his Akatsuki cloak already burned to ash.
Sasuke snarled, the curse mark flaring as he entered his second state. "Damn it!"
Even Zetsu looked stunned. "That's…"
A terrifying crimson aura erupted around Itachi. Inside that seething red energy, a massive skeleton began to take form—its bones glowing like molten fire.
"If I didn't have this," Itachi muttered, "I really would've died just now."
Then, his lips curled faintly. "You've really gotten stronger, Sasuke. But now…" His eyes gleamed, Mangekyō spinning. "Let me show you my final trump card—Susanoo!"
Sasuke stared, his breath catching. "Susanoo?"
Itachi nodded slightly. "It's the power that lies dormant within these eyes—the third ability alongside Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu."
He took a step forward. "Is that all you've got, Sasuke? If you're hiding something, now's the time to use it. The real fight starts here."
The skeletal Susanoo continued to evolve, bones thickening, armor materializing until it stood as a massive warrior wrapped in blazing red energy.
Inside it, Itachi looked like a king ruling over the end of the world."What's wrong?" he taunted. "Out of chakra already?"
Then, from deep inside Sasuke's body, a familiar voice echoed:"Borrow mine!"
Orochimaru's tone slithered like venom."I can lend you power, Sasuke-kun… Don't you need me? Don't you want revenge on your brother? Then release me. Let me help you… and your wish will come true."
Sasuke screamed in pain as the curse mark writhed, and from it burst the monstrous eight-headed serpent—the Yamata no Orochi!
Eight giant snake heads roared, lunging toward Itachi.
Itachi looked up, eyes narrowing. "This presence… Orochimaru's Yamata Technique?"
White Zetsu gawked. "What the hell is that?!"
Black Zetsu explained calmly, "Sasuke's chakra is completely depleted. He's forcing more power out, and that's released the chakra Orochimaru had sealed within him."
Itachi stepped forward. The red flames of Susanoo blazed hotter.
The Yamata no Orochi shrieked, hurling its heads at him. Itachi's Susanoo conjured a gigantic flaming blade and, with a single slash, cleaved one of the serpent's heads clean off!
Three more heads lunged in fury, but Susanoo's left arm formed a massive red shield. The snakes smashed into it and reeled back, dizzy from the impact.
In one smooth motion, Itachi swung again—the divine sword cut through three more heads like paper.
The serpent screamed, its massive body wrapping itself around Susanoo, constricting hard enough to shake the ground.
Itachi didn't hesitate. Susanoo's sword came down once more—three more heads rolled away.
The final snake head reared back, shrieking toward the sky, and from its gaping jaws emerged a figure—Orochimaru himself.
Itachi's eyes narrowed. "So you've finally come out."
The Kusanagi sword slowly slid from Orochimaru's mouth as he smiled.
White Zetsu grimaced. "Ugh, still the same disgusting snake spitting stuff out of his mouth."
"Just like a real snake—slimy and impossible to kill."
Orochimaru gripped his sword and sneered. "Yes… I've been waiting for this moment. Thanks to you, Sasuke's chakra seal on me has vanished. Now I can finally take over that boy's body!"
Before he could move, Itachi's Mangekyō flashed—and the sword in Susanoo's hand pierced straight through Orochimaru's chest.
Orochimaru laughed. "You think an attack like that can kill me?"
But then his eyes widened—something was wrong. His body was being pulled… sealed.
Itachi spoke coldly. "Sasuke, what will you do next?"
Orochimaru gasped. "That sword… no… the Totsuka Blade?! So you had it all along, Itachi!"
In an instant, his form dissolved, drawn into the blade's illusory world.
White Zetsu was speechless. "That's the Totsuka Blade? The so-called Sakegari Longsword—legend says whoever it pierces is sealed forever in a drunken dream!"
He stared, half in awe, half in fear. "No wonder Orochimaru wanted it so badly. Itachi really is insane."
The Yamata no Orochi collapsed as Orochimaru was completely sealed. A small white snake slipped out from its remains, slithering into the cracks of a nearby rock—escaping quietly.
Itachi turned back to Sasuke. "It's over, Sasuke."
...
[Live Chat]
Natsu (Fairy Tail): "Whoa, that Itachi guy's so strong! I'm fired up!"Ino (Naruto): "Sasuke's still so cool! Come on, you can do it!"
Sakura: "Ino, shut up! Sasuke's mine, stop dreaming!"
Sasuke: "Annoying woman."
Jiraiya: "Orochimaru, you still can't quit your obsession, huh?"
Third Hokage: "I should've finished you off years ago, Orochimaru."
Orochimaru: "Hehehe, still the same old fool, aren't you?"
Kizaru (One Piece): "Yikes, this world's power is terrifying~."
Luffy: "Hey, hey! That snake guy just turned into a little white snake and ran away!"
Orochimaru: "Itachi! You went easy on your brother but hit me like you meant it!"
Kisame: "Itachi really kept acting till the very end, huh? Didn't want Sasuke to figure it out."
Usopp: "That black-and-white guy's commentary cracks me up every time!"
...
[On Screen]
Itachi suddenly coughed up blood, body trembling violently.
Zetsu frowned. "Looks like that Susanoo thing puts a huge strain on the body. But still—Sasuke's out of chakra, and Orochimaru's gone. This is Itachi's win."
Itachi whispered, "Your eyes… are mine now. Let me take them… slowly."
Then his body convulsed—he spat up more blood and fell to his knees.
Zetsu's tone shifted. "Wait… something's wrong with him."
Susanoo flickered and vanished completely.
Seeing his chance, Sasuke lunged forward, hurling a kunai with an explosive tag attached.
It hit the skeletal remains of Susanoo, erupting in a cloud of smoke and flame.
When the dust cleared, Itachi was still standing. Barely. Step by step, he stumbled toward Sasuke.
...
[Live Chat]
Sasuke: "Don't come any closer!!"
Law (One Piece): "Quick! Bring that guy to me—I'm a doctor!"
[On Screen]
Itachi staggered forward, reaching out a trembling hand. Sasuke, panicking, threw more kunai, each wrapped with tags.
None of them worked—not even close.
White Zetsu commented, "That shield of Susanoo's reflects all attacks."
Black Zetsu added, "Yeah. The Yata Mirror—it repels everything. And combined with the Totsuka Blade… it's basically invincible."
Itachi kept walking, his voice faint. "My eyes… my…"
Desperate, Sasuke drew his sword and slashed, but the moment it touched the invisible barrier, he was sent flying back.
He looked up at his brother's figure approaching through the smoke——and for the first time in a long while, Sasuke Uchiha felt pure, unfiltered fear.
"...."
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