The scene gradually zoomed in.
It felt as if the entire world had been split in two.
White smoke slowly dispersed.
Uchiha Sasuke panted heavily, his left hand still clenched, faint arcs of lightning flickering around it.
"I didn't expect it to reach this level…" Black Zetsu emerged from the ground, speaking with a hint of regret.
As the smoke cleared, Uchiha Itachi lay motionless on the ground.
The camera slowly pulled back.
The surrounding area was still shrouded in white mist, remnants of lightning crackling faintly in the air.
[Fourth Raikage A: I didn't expect that technique to be this powerful…]
[Fourth Kazekage Rasa: Even the so-called Asura of the Shinobi World might not compare…]
[Sasuke Uchiha: Hahaha! You've got good eyes!]
[Madara Uchiha: Just a grain of sand.]
The camera continued forward, revealing a bleak scene.
Rain poured down like a waterfall.
Itachi lay still, seemingly lifeless, allowing the rain to strike his cold body.
"Itachi… is he dead?" Black Zetsu asked softly, a trace of doubt in his voice.
Seeing that Itachi had lost all signs of life, Sasuke's tense hand gradually relaxed.
The intense three-tomoe in his eyes slowly faded back to normal.
"It's over…" Sasuke murmured, before collapsing to his knees. "It's all over…"
The ground around them began to crumble.
Rocks shattered.
The earth split apart.
"Is this… the image of my death that you wanted to recreate?"
Itachi's weak voice drifted through the rain.
"!" Sasuke's pupils shrank instantly.
Shock. Disbelief.
How… was Itachi still speaking?
[System: Danzo Shimura answered incorrectly. Two Sharingan will be removed from his arm.]
[System: Uchiha Sasuke answered correctly. Reward granted: S-rank ninjutsu—Kirin.]
Konoha Village.
Danzo cursed in shock, "He's still alive? That Itachi bastard!"
…
Sasuke stared at the screen, his expression complicated.
"You're still alive… damn it. One day, I'll finish you with my own hands."
He clenched his fists, a glimmer of the future flashing in his eyes.
[Izuna Uchiha: Damn it, Danzo! Just how many of our clan's eyes have you stolen?!]
[Uchiha Tajima: You bastard! I'll wipe out your entire lineage!]
[Uchiha Inabi: I knew Konoha couldn't be trusted—how can someone like him be in power?!]
[Tobirama Senju: @Hiruzen Sarutobi Monkey, what other shady things has Danzo done?! Answer me!]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Teacher… I really don't know…]
[Tobirama Senju: You're the Hokage and you don't know?! Who do you think you are—?!]
[Hashirama Senju: Madara, listen to my explanation…]
[Madara Uchiha: Hashirama, I told you long ago—if we had just used Susanoo clad on your Buddha statue to dominate the world, none of this would've happened.]
[Hashirama Senju: Can't everyone just get along peacefully…?]
[Tobirama Senju: Brother, that's only because everyone fears your strength. Stop being so naïve!]
[Hashirama Senju: …]
The scene shifted.
At the center of the scene, Itachi slowly stood up.
The atmosphere turned deathly silent.
Even the sound of a pin dropping would have been deafening.
Kneeling on the ground, his body riddled with injuries, Itachi struggled to rise.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, the curse mark spreading over his body once more as he slammed his fist into the ground.
"Damn it…"
"What is that…" White Zetsu stared in shock.
Suddenly—
A crimson phantom began to form around Itachi.
The figure gradually solidified, enveloping his body completely.
Then—
A skeletal structure appeared behind him.
Bones formed.
Ribs extended outward.
[Izuna Uchiha: Watch closely. This is the third power of the Uchiha clan—Susanoo!]
[Madara Uchiha: @Sasuke Uchiha Aren't you going to use Susanoo?]
[Uchiha Hikari: Don't tell me… you don't even have Mangekyō?]
[Deidara: Damn… Itachi was hiding something like this?]
[Pain: As expected… you've been concealing your true strength.]
[Itachi Uchiha: …]
In the darkness of a cave, Uchiha Obito stared intently at the massive screen in the sky.
In the video, Itachi's figure flickered like a candle about to burn out.
Obito turned toward the shadow lurking nearby and spoke in a low voice.
"Once Itachi dies… we'll begin the plan."
Black Zetsu stepped out of the shadows, his tone certain.
"It's clear… Itachi cannot bring himself to kill his own brother."
…
The camera moved forward again.
"If I didn't have this… I really would've been defeated…"
Blood trickled from the corner of Itachi's mouth as he spoke softly.
"You've truly grown stronger, Sasuke."
He lifted his head, his unfocused eyes gazing at Sasuke.
"!!" Sasuke stared in shock at the massive crimson skeleton before him.
"This time… I'll show you my final trump card."
"Susanoo."
"Susanoo?" Sasuke repeated, confused.
"It is another ability residing within these eyes… awakened alongside Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu."
"Sasuke… is that the end of your techniques?"
Itachi's voice was weak, yet steady.
"If you still have hidden power… don't hesitate to use it."
As he spoke, the clouds above parted slightly, sunlight breaking through.
Muscles formed over the skeletal frame.
Susanoo became more solid.
A towering crimson giant—over forty meters tall—stood before Sasuke.
The pressure it emitted was suffocating, like being coiled by a massive serpent.
[Sasuke Uchiha: Damn it, Itachi! I didn't expect you to have such a trump card!]
[Itachi Uchiha: My foolish little brother… you still lack the worth to be killed by me. Continue struggling in misery.]
[Sasuke Uchiha: Just wait! The future me will definitely kill you!]
[Tobirama Senju: @Itachi Uchiha Enough with the act. Aren't you tired of pretending?]
[Fourth Raikage A: Anyone with eyes can tell you're holding back… except one idiot.]
[Fourth Kazekage Rasa: @Itachi Uchiha Stop pretending. You've let out enough water to fill the ocean.]
[Itachi Uchiha: …]
[Sasuke Uchiha: What nonsense are you all talking about?! Itachi would never hold back! Bastards!]