[Tajima Uchiha: Hmph, cunning Senju clan.]
The camera continued to push forward.
The scene slowly zoomed in.
"Who is he?" Sasuke's gaze turned ice-cold.
The air froze once more. Itachi merely glanced back at Sasuke indifferently.
Seeing his lack of reaction, Sasuke tightened his grip on the blade, driving it deeper.
Yet Itachi seemed to feel no pain at all—not even blinking.
After a moment, Itachi finally spoke.
"Uchiha Madara."
"!" Sasuke's eyes widened in shock, disbelief written all over his face.
[Madara Uchiha (young): Huh? You mean me?!]
[Tobirama Senju: Hmph, evil Uchiha brat.]
[Hashirama Senju: Wait, Madara, didn't you already die? Why is this Itachi saying it was you?]
[Madara Uchiha: how would I know?]
[Hashirama Senju: Madara, why do I feel like you're lying?]
[Madara Uchiha: Believe it or not.]
[Sunagakure Jonin: So this is the so-called Asura of the Ninja World and the God of Shinobi…? Why don't I feel any presence from them?]
[Ohnoki: Kid, you're still too young. You have no idea how strong the Asura of the Ninja World is…]
[Mei Terumi: Tsk tsk, Ohnoki, aren't you just scared? Looks like old people really are afraid of trouble.]
[Fourth Raikage A: Hmph. I'm quite curious how strong this so-called Asura of the Ninja World is. If I get the chance, I'd like to fight him one-on-one.]
[Madara Uchiha: Mere sand.]
The camera continued forward.
"Uchiha Madara…" Sasuke muttered in disbelief.
"He is one of Konoha's founders, and the first to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan," Itachi explained calmly.
"A founder?"
Hearing those words, Sasuke immediately realized Itachi was deceiving him and snapped angrily, "Madara should have died long ago. You're clearly lying!"
"Madara is still alive. Believe it or not." Itachi closed his eyes and spoke indifferently.
"Stop spouting nonsense!" Sasuke roared.
"People rely on knowledge and perception, and are bound by them. They even call it reality."
Itachi looked at Sasuke. "But knowledge and perception are often foolish. That so-called reality you believe in… may just be an illusion."
"People live within the limits of their own perception. Don't you think so?"
But Sasuke didn't understand. He shouted in anger, "What exactly are you trying to say?!"
[Konoha Anbu: What is this ungrateful brat trying to imply?]
[Ohnoki: This kid suffers from lack of education. He should read more.]
[Sasuke Uchiha (adult): ]
[Sasuke Uchiha: @Ohnoki What do you mean by that?!]
[Ohnoki: Sigh… foolish child. Just keep watching.]
[Sarada Uchiha: He kinda looks like Dad…]
[Sasuke Uchiha (adult): Does he?]
[Mikoto Uchiha: Sasuke, who is this Sarada?!]
[Sasuke Uchiha (adult): Mom… she's your granddaughter.]
[Mikoto Uchiha: WHAT?!]
The camera moved forward again.
There was not a trace of warmth on Itachi's face.
"Madara is dead. That's just your own assumption. Just like how you once believed I was a gentle older brother."
His voice was as cold as ice.
"I've been playing the role of the brother you wanted… all to measure your capacity."
Before he could finish, Sasuke interrupted.
"What happened that night… for the child I was…"
"I could only treat it all as an illusion. Even though I wanted to believe it was just a cruel genjutsu…"
Sasuke's voice trembled, his anger rising uncontrollably.
"But everything that happened… was real!"
He turned, releasing Chidori Stream, which slammed into the wall behind him.
Yet beside the wall—
Another Itachi sat there, completely unharmed.
"My eyes are no longer what they used to be. My Sharingan can see through genjutsu now!" Sasuke glared at him furiously.
"Still the same… always trying to sound strong." Itachi's gaze was cold, as if he saw through everything.
The lightning brushed past his shoulder, piercing the wall behind him with a sharp crackling sound.
"I'll take that statement… for now," Itachi said calmly.
The camera slowly pulled back, revealing an eerie scene.
The Itachi Sasuke had pierced was not the real one. The real Itachi still sat calmly on the stone chair.
The Itachi behind Sasuke—and even the stone chair—suddenly vanished like an illusion.
"Let's end the act here." Sasuke stood up, retracting the Chidori Stream.
[Sunagakure Anbu: Wait… were they just standing still the whole time, fighting with genjutsu?!]
[Kumogakure Anbu: What the hell… how do you even fight that?]
[Kirigakure Chunin: Feels like everyone in this chat is a big shot… I'm just a chunin.]
[Kosuke Maruboshi: Haha, chunin is already strong. I'm still just a genin.]
[Urashiki Otsutsuki: What kind of trash is a genin? Never even heard of it.]
[Mei Terumi: Honestly, the Uchiha clan is really troublesome. Once again, thanks to the Third Hokage.]
[Konoha Genin: Wasn't it Uchiha Itachi who did this? Why blame our Third Hokage?!]
[Ohnoki: Another brainwashed child of the Will of Fire.]
[Fourth Raikage A: Impressive dog-training skills from Konoha.]
[Fourth Kazekage Rasa: Tsk, Konoha really is pitiful. The lower ranks are ignorant.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Lord Kazekage, if you have any dissatisfaction with Konoha, you may speak to me directly…]
[Orochimaru: ]
Konoha.
Inside the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen stared seriously at the heavily guarded Kazekage.
"Lord Kazekage, has Konoha done something to displease you?"
Orochimaru, disguised as Rasa, coughed lightly, trying to mask his tension.
"Not at all… not at all. Konoha is wonderful."
"… "
"… "
[Kakashi Hatake: They've both been using Sharingan this whole time… I'm jealous.]
The camera slowly advanced, capturing the tense atmosphere.
"Though trying to act strong isn't a bad thing."
Itachi sat on the stone chair, his calm, deep gaze fixed on Sasuke.
"But Sasuke… it seems you still haven't obtained the same eyes as me."
There was a faint, almost imperceptible sadness in his voice.
"You haven't killed your closest person yet, have you? And yet you came before me with such naïve thoughts?"
His gaze carried a silent accusation.
Sasuke lowered his hand coldly. "Then hurry up and kill me with your Mangekyō Sharingan. Or is it that even now… I'm still not enough to measure your capacity?"
Itachi let out a soft sigh and stood up. "What remarkable confidence."
In a corner no one noticed, a half-black, half-white face silently observed the battle.
"They haven't moved at all… this has been a battle of genjutsu from start to finish," Black Zetsu thought quietly.