Feeling the pain on his face, Kisame prepared to release a Ninjutsu attack, quickly forming hand seals. "Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique!"
"Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique!" However, across from him, another Kakashi appeared, and using the Sharingan, simultaneously used the same Water Shark Bomb Technique as Kisame. Two torrents of water collided, evenly matched.
"The same Ninjutsu as me!" Seeing this, Kisame was shocked.
"Why are you here too?" Looking at Kakashi, Asuma asked in confusion.
"Well, even though I left it to you two earlier, I was still a bit worried, you know?" Kakashi said calmly.
If he hadn't come, that Water Shark Bomb Technique would have been too much for Asuma to handle...
"Shadow Clone!" Noticing two Kakashis, Kurenai realized.
"Missing-Nin like you, what business do you have coming to this village now?" The Kakashi behind Itachi also pointed a kunai at Itachi's neck and demanded.
"Hatake Kakashi!" Turning his head to look at Kakashi, Itachi felt a bit troubled.
Not afraid of Kakashi's strength, but feeling it would be troublesome if more Jonin and Elite Jonin kept coming. After all, he wasn't here to fight.
'Those eyes are still the same as before. Having said that, he is a true possessor of the Sharingan. I must prepare for the worst-case scenario.' Looking at the unfazed Itachi, Kakashi felt extremely uneasy.
"That's surprising. No wonder you could use my Ninjutsu. I didn't expect anyone besides Itachi-san to actually possess those eyes. You seem to be called the Copy Ninja Kakashi!" Looking at the Sharingan in Kakashi's left eye, Kisame said in amazement.
"The one who should be surprised is me. I noticed two suspicious guys at the tea house, wondered who they were, and never imagined it would be Uchiha Itachi and Kirigakure's Missing-Nin, Hoshigaki Kisame!" Hearing his words, Kakashi replied flatly.
"My apologies, you even know my name. I'm honored. I heard you fought with that brat Zabuza!"
"Hmm."
"A person worth cutting down!" Hearing Kakashi's acknowledgment, the fighting spirit in Kisame's eyes burned brightly.
"Stop, Kisame. If you seriously fight that guy, it won't end peacefully. And the more time we waste, the more other Ninja will gather here!"
"But... don't forget our purpose. You didn't come here to get injured, did you?" Noticing Kisame's high fighting spirit, Itachi quickly interrupted him.
Itachi really didn't want to cause too much trouble for coming to Konoha this time.
However, it seemed things were going against his wishes now. Even Kakashi had shown up. If absolutely necessary, he was prepared to use some powerful measures.
"Then tell us your purpose!" Hearing him say that, Kakashi quickly spoke up.
"We're just here to find something." Hearing Kakashi's words, Itachi said meaningfully.
"Find something? What are you looking for?" Hearing his words, Kakashi frowned and moved the glinting kunai slightly.
"I'm not like Kisame. I won't take too much time." Seeing Kakashi treating him as an easy target, a change appeared in Itachi's eyes.
Hearing Itachi's words, Kakashi instinctively sensed danger. Without thinking, he immediately retreated backward.
On Itachi's side, he quickly took out four shuriken. However, this was just a feint.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!" Kakashi, having created distance, used Water Formation Wall for defense.
His move allowed him to block four streams of water that suddenly shot out.
'His Ninjutsu activation speed is incredible. I didn't even see him form seals. Using the shuriken in his right hand as bait, he actually attacked my feet with a Water Release!' Kakashi frowned as he looked at Itachi, thinking to himself.
"As expected of Kakashi-san, your insight is quite extraordinary... indeed." Looking at Kakashi, Itachi said calmly. When the last word 'indeed' fell, another Itachi appeared behind Kakashi and stabbed a kunai into his back.
"A Shadow Clone? His Ninjutsu Activation speed is too fast!" Noticing Itachi's move, Kurenai frowned.
However, the Kakashi Itachi attacked wasn't Kakashi's real body, but a water clone created while Kakashi used the Water Formation Wall to evade the attack. His real body had long since submerged underwater.
'Hmph, the Copy Ninja has actually mastered so many of our village's Ninjutsu.' Noticing Kakashi used a water clone, Kisame felt somewhat displeased.
Kakashi, meanwhile, had now arrived beneath Kurenai. Seeing the kunai in his hand, Kurenai naturally took it.
"Well done, Kakashi!" As she spoke, Kurenai, holding the kunai, prepared to attack Itachi.
"Get down, Kurenai! This one is a Shadow Clone!" However, Kakashi sensed something was wrong. Without thinking, he burst out and pushed Kurenai away to a distance.
The Itachi that Kurenai was about to attack suddenly exploded.
"Kakashi, Kurenai!" Seeing Itachi actually detonate a Shadow Clone, Asuma shouted in shock and, without hesitation, jumped into the waves churned up by the explosion.
As the waves subsided, the surrounding water continued to fall like heavy rain. Kakashi's back was already seriously injured from Itachi's earlier explosion.
"Kakashi!" Kurenai, protected by Kakashi, called out to him with concern.
"Don't let your guard down. That guy is the man who became an Anbu Captain at the age of 13!" Turning his head with a grave expression, Kakashi felt it was extremely difficult to deal with him.
"I never imagined he was this formidable!" Asuma also said with a sigh, his heart growing even heavier.
"No, that guy's power goes far beyond this." Hearing Asuma's words, Kakashi simply shook his head.
"I didn't expect someone not of the Uchiha Clan to use the Sharingan so proficiently. But your body isn't that of an Uchiha, which is suited for those eyes." Seeing Kakashi could quickly judge and evade his attacks, Itachi couldn't help but praise him.
Hearing his words, Kakashi knew his own situation well. What Itachi said was right. Previously, Kabuto had seen through the burden the Sharingan placed on Kakashi. It was no surprise at all that Itachi could easily see through it as well.
"Why the Uchiha Clan is called the strongest and feared... let me show you the true power of our Kekkei Genkai, the Sharingan." As Itachi spoke, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his pupils were no longer three tomoes, but had become the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"It's bad! You two, don't look at his eyes!" Noticing this, Kakashi quickly shouted to the two. Asuma and Kurenai immediately closed their eyes upon hearing.
He also tightly shut his ordinary right eye, leaving only the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
"You two, absolutely must not open your eyes. Making eye contact with him now is the end. Probably only someone with the Sharingan can resist that technique!" Looking at the Mangekyo, Kakashi's heart grew extremely heavy.
"Indeed, possessing the Sharingan might offer some resistance against this Mangekyo Sharingan. However... this special Sharingan's Dojutsu, [Tsukuyomi], cannot be broken. The only ones who can defeat me are users of the Sharingan, the same Kekkei Genkai."
Itachi spoke calmly, taking the opportunity to hint at the power of his clan. That only someone of the same clan, that is, the only remaining Uchiha in Konoha, Sasuke, could defeat him.
He intended to make everyone realize Sasuke's importance this way.
"Sasuke!" Hearing his words, Kakashi reacted.
But before he could think further, he fell into the world of Tsukuyomi. Inside, Itachi calmly tortured him. A simple torture, just attacking his body with a sword, but it would last a full seventy-two hours.
Moreover, all sensations here were no different from the outside world. And even if Kakashi wanted to lose consciousness, he couldn't...
In reality, it was just a brief instant. Kakashi, who had been hit by Tsukuyomi, knelt painfully on the water's surface, his entire condition looking terrible.
"What's wrong, Kakashi? Should we still keep our eyes closed?" Hearing some unusual noises, Kurenai spoke up again to ask.
"No, not yet." Hearing Kurenai's words, Kakashi weakly replied.
"What happened? As soon as that guy finished speaking, you suddenly collapsed." Although his eyes were closed, he could distinguish the sound of Kakashi falling. Combined with Kakashi's current panting and weakness, he was very worried about what had happened.
'Three days in that world, but in the real world, it was less than an instant? But why didn't he kill me? If he wanted to, it would have been effortless.' Hearing Asuma's words, Kakashi also realized and looked at Itachi with even more confusion in his eyes.
"Oh, hit by that move and your spirit hasn't collapsed yet? But Itachi-san, overusing those eyes is dangerous for you too." Looking at Kakashi's condition, Kisame calmly reminded Itachi.
Hearing his words, Itachi remained calm, staring at Kakashi without responding.