The camera continued to push forward, the scene slowly zooming in.
Just as the two remained locked in a stalemate—
A shadow clone suddenly emerged from behind Itachi like a ghost, leaping into the air with three kunai in hand.
"!" Sasuke's pupils shrank in shock, his eyes widening.
"He formed hand seals for a shadow clone during that exchange…?" Sasuke clenched his teeth, inwardly stunned.
At that moment—
The shadow clone hurled the three kunai. Just as they were about to strike Sasuke—
His neck suddenly bulged, and a massive white serpent burst forth, wrapping around him instantly.
It shielded his entire body and knocked the kunai away.
At the same time, the force of the serpent pushed the real Itachi back several steps.
[Orochimaru: Hmm… that snake. So, Sasuke, you've chosen to follow me after all…]
[Konoha Anbu: Damn Orochimaru!]
[Jiraiya: Orochimaru, turn yourself in already!]
[Orochimaru: No need to worry… we'll meet again soon.]
[Tsunade Senju: Orochimaru, what do you mean by that?!]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Orochimaru, Konoha raised you… why betray us?]
[Orochimaru: Heh… simply different pursuits. I seek immortality.]
[Urashiki Otsutsuki: A mere human dreaming of immortality?]
[Boruto Uzumaki (adult): Tch… didn't expect to run into an old "friend" here.]
[Urashiki Otsutsuki: Who's your friend? Don't flatter yourself, lowly human.]
[Hashirama Senju: Wow… this guy talks big.]
[Madara Uchiha: Hmph. Just another speck of dust.]
The camera slowly advanced, capturing the tension.
The serpent dissolved into white smoke, revealing Sasuke once more.
In his hand, he gripped a giant Fūma shuriken, spinning rapidly as it sliced through the air.
He waited for the right moment—
Then suddenly threw it.
The shuriken tore through the air, flying straight toward one of the Itachis.
Itachi reacted instantly, drawing a kunai and blocking with both hands.
But—
Lightning suddenly surged across the shuriken.
The current scorched the kunai, snapping it apart—and even severed Itachi's arm.
"To channel Chidori…" Itachi began, but before he could finish—
He turned into a flock of crows.
The crows scattered, then regrouped. In a flash, Itachi reappeared before Sasuke and kicked him away.
Sasuke slammed hard into the wall, leaving a deep crater.
He struggled to stand, pain coursing through his body, attempting to form Chidori again—
But Itachi grabbed his hand.
Stepping on Sasuke's foot, Itachi drove a punch into his abdomen.
"Ugh…" Sasuke couldn't even cry out.
Unmoved, Itachi stared at him, preparing a fatal strike.
"Forgive me, Sasuke," he said softly, his fingers reaching toward Sasuke's eye.
Then—
He plucked it out.
"This is reality. I'll take this light."
"AAAAAHHHHH!" Sasuke's scream tore through the air.
[Sakura Haruno: That's so cruel…]
[Ino Yamanaka: Is he really his brother…?]
[Sasuke Uchiha: Itachi, I'll keep getting stronger until I kill you!]
[Itachi Uchiha: Foolish little brother. You're not even worth killing yet. Struggle on and live.]
[Mikoto Uchiha: Itachi! How could you actually take your brother's eyes?!]
[Mikoto Uchiha: This hurts just watching…]
[Fugaku Uchiha: Dear… calm down…]
[Mikoto Uchiha: What did you say?!]
[Fugaku Uchiha: N-nothing…]
The scene shifted again.
The scene zoomed in.
Sasuke's screams echoed, raw and agonizing.
He clutched his eye, his face twisted in pain.
Blood streamed from his socket as he covered it with his hand.
Itachi watched calmly.
"That's why I told you… without the Mangekyō Sharingan, you cannot defeat me."
His pale hand was stained with Sasuke's blood.
Sasuke slowly lowered his hand, staring at the blood with his remaining eye.
"I'll take the other one as well."
Itachi's gaze was unwavering.
[Mikoto Uchiha: Itachi, why are you bullying your brother like this?!]
[Itachi Uchiha: …]
[Sasuke Uchiha: AAAAAH! My eyes!!]
[Deidara: If you're weak, train more. And you think you can challenge Itachi?]
[Hidan: Exactly. With your strength, even offering yourself to Lord Jashin wouldn't be worth it.]
[Boruto Uzumaki (adult): Show some respect to Uncle Sasuke!]
[Deidara: Who even are you? Acting like his guard dog.]
[Hidan: Right. With strength like his, even a dog would shake its head.]
[Sasuke Uchiha: Hmph. You'll regret this. The fledgling eagle will one day soar.]
[Sasuke Uchiha: Itachi, I know your weakness now. Just wait—I will kill you!]
[Itachi Uchiha: With your two-tomoe Sharingan? Laughable. Foolish little brother, don't be so naïve.]
The camera moved slowly.
It focused on the crimson curse mark spreading across Sasuke's face.
Itachi looked at him, momentarily stunned.
Suddenly—
A massive arm burst out from Sasuke's back.
Itachi dodged instantly, landing lightly on the ground.
As the smoke cleared, another arm extended, shielding Sasuke.
"So this is the power of the curse mark…" Itachi thought.
Sasuke clutched his left eye, panting heavily, black markings spreading across his body.
Itachi placed Sasuke's extracted eye into a container, then calmly looked at him.
"This is the difference in our power."
He sealed the container, the eye submerged within.
"And also…"
In an instant, Itachi appeared behind Sasuke, wrapping an arm around his neck.
"The difference in our ocular power."
Another Itachi walked toward them—
The previous one had been a shadow clone.
[Fourth Raikage A: Something feels off…]
[Ohnoki: I feel it too…]
[Konoha Jonin: This Itachi is terrifying… and Sasuke has held on this long…]
[Sasuke Uchiha: Hmph. I will kill Itachi.]
The scene shifted.
Itachi's hand slowly reached toward Sasuke's remaining eye.
Then—
A crimson mark flared within Sasuke's eye.
"?" Itachi hesitated, confusion flashing across his face.
Suddenly—
Two massive serpents burst from behind Sasuke, piercing straight through Itachi's body.
The world distorted.
Colors twisted.
Cracks spread across the surroundings like shattered glass.
Then—
Everything broke apart.
The scene shifted.
Sasuke stood where he was, unharmed, breathing heavily.
He lowered his hand from his eye, struggling to open it. Sweat drenched his face.
He steadied himself—then dropped to one knee, gasping.
"It seems… faster than expected. Itachi has already won."
White Zetsu spoke from the shadows.
"Why?" Black Zetsu asked.
"Because he's already been caught in Tsukuyomi. He can't move—he's completely at Itachi's mercy."
Then—
Thud.
Itachi suddenly dropped to one knee.
"Huh?" White Zetsu stared in shock.
Itachi clutched his left eye in pain.
"You…"
"You broke… my Tsukuyomi…"
His voice was weak.
At the same time—
Sasuke slowly stood up.
[Deidara: Wait… what?! Itachi's Tsukuyomi got broken?!]
[Hidan: What?!]
[Kisame Hoshigaki: Itachi-san… this…]
[Itachi Uchiha: …]
[Pain: If I'm not mistaken… this is still part of the genjutsu.]
[Deidara: I knew it. No way Itachi's genjutsu gets broken. Sasuke's still trapped in it!]