CRUNCH.
Itachi's fingers dug deep into his own socket. He tore the Sharingan eye out.
"Aaaaarrrghhh!!!"
Sasuke's scream shredded the air.
Kabuto, watching it all through his crystal ball, felt his heart seize.
"Sasuke-kun!!!"
He was about to trigger the Futodama mark on Sasuke's body to forcibly teleport him to his side.
Then, a hand fell on his shoulder. Orochimaru.
"Kabuto… calm yourself."
The jolt snapped Kabuto back to his senses. On the crystal ball, Sasuke and Itachi were… still standing motionless.
"What… is going on?"
"Itachi has not yet fully mastered Shikkotsu Forest Senjutsu," Orochimaru explained, his voice cool. "His third layer of Inner Genjutsu wasn't enough to fully trap Sasuke again. So, using his Sage Mode perception… he reflected that layer onto us, the observers."
Kabuto glanced at Karin. Her eyes were shut tight, senses fully focused on the two fighters' chakra. Blessed by the Jashin's power, she remained unaffected.
Kabuto turned back, confused. "Why… would Itachi do that?"
"When you cannot extract intel from the target directly," Orochimaru said, "you observe the reactions of those watching him. To confirm things indirectly. It fits Itachi's methods."
On the crystal ball, Sasuke and Itachi moved at the same time. Both crouched low, breathing raggedly.
Kabuto's heart hammered. "Is… is this also an illusion?"
He fumbled a kunai from his pouch. Pressed the tip to his own throat. To break the genjutsu… through self-harm.
Orochimaru's hand clamped around his wrist.
"This," the Sannin said, his voice a low hiss, "is what makes the Inner Genjutsu more terrifying than its effects. It blurs the line between reality and delusion. Even when you are in reality, the mere thought—'maybe I'm still in the illusion'—will cripple your judgment. Make you hesitate. Create openings."
"Itachi knew from the start that Sasuke-kun, with his current power, could break the Inner Genjutsu. So, he used the first two layers to lay a foundation. To shake Sasuke's mind."
"The Inner Genjutsu is a technique that plunges one into total, inverted delusion. Most who have endured it in the past… went mad. There are records."
Kabuto's voice trembled. "But… Orochimaru-sama… I truly can't tell!!!"
Orochimaru's gaze was placid. "Kabuto. If you cannot trust yourself, then trust me. Do you believe that with me here, you could be trapped in an inescapable illusion?"
The words dispersed the fog of dread in Kabuto's heart. Clarity returned. His trembling hand stilled.
Orochimaru released his wrist.
"It seems knowing the future is not enough. You lack the tempered heart forged through true ordeal. Find an opportune time. Go to Ryūchi Cave. I have… yet to formally pay my respects to the White Snake Sage since synchronizing with my future self."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "My situation is secondary. I'm worried about Sasuke. If his judgment is compromised by the Inner Genjutsu, he may be at a severe disadvantage in the coming fight…"
Orochimaru's eyes grew profound. "Perhaps. But Sasuke has one absolute baseline. Itachi. Under no circumstances… will Itachi truly try to kill him. However…"
He left the rest unspoken.
Itachi still holds the trump card of Kotoamatsukami. That genjutsu… Sasuke-kun, as he is now, has no defense against it. You know this too, don't you, Sasuke-kun? So… what will you do?
…
Within the hall.
Itachi and Sasuke rose together.
The battle of illusions was over.
The aftermath was not.
Just as Orochimaru foresaw, a seed was planted in the deepest recesses of Sasuke's subconscious. Maybe this is still the illusion.
His greater experience meant the doubt wasn't as paralyzing as it was for Kabuto. But it was there.
If this is still the illusion… unless my White Cursed Seal can release 'State Three', breaking it is impossible.
And right now… I cannot reach State Three.
So, if I am still trapped, Itachi has already won. If I fight with everything I have and still lose… then that's the result. There's no shame in losing to Itachi.
But…
Sasuke clenched his fist.
Any excuse, at any time… is just an excuse for running away. If this is the illusion, then I'll fight with everything I have inside it. In the name of Itachi's brother. In the name of Uchiha Sasuke.
Itachi watched him.
He knew. All his genjutsu cards had been played. What came next was the real thing.
"Sasuke… This is the last. Show me. Your true power."
—Sage Art: Fire God Crow!
BOOM—!!!
The fiery deity descended from the heavens, shattering the ceiling, armoring the Susano'o…
Having absorbed State Two, Sasuke's power had climbed another tier. His response was different.
"Even if this is an illusion, using the same move three times… you're underestimating me."
—Fire Style: Blazing Dragon Ascension!
WHOOOOOM—!!!
A torrent of rigid, concentrated flame erupted from his mouth. It slammed into the Armored Fire God Crow—and didn't scatter. Instead, the powerful column of fire lifted, heaving the armored behemoth skyward!
BOOM—!!
Sasuke's Susano'o ignited. The great arrow followed—punching through the Armored Fire God Crow, detonating it in mid-air.
By directing the explosion outward, he prevented Itachi from using the resulting firestorm for that troublesome Yasaka Magatama: Phoenix Flower Nail Crimson.
And… he could use the Fire God Crow's blast to superheat the air, creating a violent updraft.
"…" Itachi looked up through the shattered roof. At the storm clouds gathering with terrifying speed. His eyes narrowed slightly.
The sheer power of that Fire Style explosion had drastically accelerated the process.
RUMBLE…
Moments. That was all it took. Natural lightning danced within the clouds. More ferocious than ever.
Kirin. The supreme Lightning Style technique Sasuke created in his past life. He'd already used it—a white Kirin combined with his cursed seal Susano'o—against Sasori at the end of their first battle.
But… Sasuke had no intention of using the Kirin overhead for anything fancy. His plan was brutally simple.
"Itachi. This place is too cramped for us. We can't fight properly here…!"
CRACKLE—!!
Lightning gathered in his palm. He guided the heavenly wrath, shaping it into the form of a furious, one-horned beast that shrieked down from the sky!!!
—Lightning Style: Kirin!
"Indeed."
Itachi's gaze remained unshaken. The skeletal ribcage of his Susano'o manifested, enveloping him.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The entire mountain housing the Uchiha stronghold… vanished. Reduced to rubble and dust in an instant. Clearing the stage for their final confrontation.
"Hah…"
Sasuke took a deep, settling breath. Then brought his hands together before his chest.
Having absorbed the White Cursed Seal's State Two… this technique. Finally. Finally, it could see the light of day.
—Wood Style: Wood Dragon Technique!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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