Itachi asked, "Who are you seeking revenge against?"
The answer to this question was very important to him.
"That masked man, Shimura Danzō, and..."
Sasuke didn't hesitate when he ntioned the first two nas.
But when it ca to Konoha, he hesitated because he thought of Naruto, his close friend and brother.
If Naruto knew that he was planning to take revenge on Konoha, he would definitely try to stop him, right?
But…
If he doesn't take revenge, will he be able to face his dead parents and clan mbers?
Thinking back to that night, Sasuke couldn't hold back the two streaks of blood and tears flowing from his eyes.
Revenge!
He must have revenge!!!
"I knew it would co to this." Itachi sighed.
He had debated whether to hide part of the truth from Sasuke to keep him devoted to Konoha.
But then, he thought of the masked man—the one who claid to be Madara.
Even if he concealed the truth today, what about the others who knew it?
What about the masked man himself?
What if he eventually tells Sasuke everything?
If Sasuke learns the truth from soone else, won't he hate Konoha even more?
Itachi didn't dare to gamble.
So, he decided to reveal everything and see Sasuke's reaction.
If Sasuke only sought revenge on the masked man and Danzō, then Itachi could rest easy.
After all, the original higher ups of Konoha were already dead.
Only the masked man remained. Itachi had wanted to kill him himself but lacked the ability.
If Sasuke wanted revenge against him, Itachi didn't mind. But now, Sasuke resented Konoha as a whole. This was not what Itachi wanted.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke." Itachi suddenly said.
Sasuke, still consud by pain, glared at him sharply.
Even after learning the truth, his hatred for Itachi had not diminished much.
After all, he had participated in the massacre. He had executed it.
It was he who had killed his parents and clansn with his own hands.
That fact would never change!
Even if he had spared Sasuke, so what?
Did that erase what he had done?
It didn't!!!
Sasuke could not forgive Itachi nor could he forgive the higher ups of Konoha who had orchestrated everything.
Even if the original higher ups were gone, not all those involved were dead.
The Root ninjas, the Anbu operatives—weren't they all accomplices?
Did they not deserve to die?
Now, the flas of vengeance in Sasuke's heart burned fiercer than ever.
Not just because he had learned the truth about that fateful nightbut because he had just defeated his greatest enemy of the past ten years—Itachi.
Sasuke now believed he had the power to take revenge for his parents and clan.
And he would soon awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan after transplanting Itachi's eyes.
At that point, his strength will far surpass what it is now.
"Don't think I'll forgive you just because you said sorry."
Sasuke looked at Itachi with unyielding resentnt.
But…
He had misunderstood what Itachi ant.
Itachi said, "Sasuke, in the future, you will take my place in protecting Konoha."
Itachi looked at his younger brother calmly, completely unfazed by his imminent death.
"Use my eyes to protect the village."
Sasuke sneered, "Itachi, are you delusional?"
Itachi didn't argue. He simply gazed at his younger brother with the sa gentle look.
Itachi said, "Everything I did was for your sake."
"Sasuke, one day, you will understand !"
What nonsense is this guy spouting?!
Sasuke frowned, confused by Itachi's cryptic words.
Just then—
Caw~!
A black-feathered crow with shining eyes landed on Itachi's shoulder.
Instinctively, Sasuke t the crow's gaze.
At that mont, he was shocked to see that the crow's left eye bore the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"What?!"
Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief.
His instincts scread that sothing bad was about to happen.
But it was too late!
"Sasuke, forgive ."
"This is the last ti!!"
Itachi's voice was gentle, yet his actions were ruthless.
The next second—
"Kotoamatsukami!"
Itachi activated the powerful genjutsu embedded within the crow's eye.
But at the very sa mont—
A hand suddenly clutched the crow's head.
"Plunder!"
In an instant, the Kotoamatsukami that had just been unleashed dissipated.
A pure stream of pupil power was absorbed into another Mangekyō eye—the left eye of Ryosuke.
Within monts, the power of Kotoamatsukami was completely devoured by Ryosuke.
As he released the crow, its left eye turned completely gray and lifeless.
A sign of irreversible blindness.
"You...!!!"
Itachi's eyes widened in utter shock as he recognized the figure before him.
"Itachi, did you really think I wouldn't anticipate this?"
Ryosuke, disguised as nma, spoke coldly.
"...Heh."
Itachi suddenly let out a bitter laugh.
He realized now that he had lost.
What he had thought was his perfect opportunity had been a trap all along. He had walked right into it.
"nma-sensei!"
Sasuke, startled by his ntor's sudden appearance realized that he had almost been manipulated by Itachi just now.
Imdiately, his shock turned to rage.
"What were you trying to do to just now?!" Sasuke demanded angrily.
Itachi shook his head with a weary smile. He had no more chances left.
Even if he still had so strength to continue fighting…
Against nma's overwhelming power, he had no hope of victory.
He had lost.
Utterly!
"That eye belonged to Shisui." Itachi finally admitted.
nma said, "And within it was the most powerful genjutsu—Kotoamatsukami."
Sasuke asked hastily, "nma-sensei, what is Kotoamatsukami?"
"Kotoamatsukami is a pupil technique that can alter a person's will and thoughts. Just now, Itachi likely wanted to use it to change your mind and make you protect Konoha forever."
nma directly exposed Itachi's plan.
Hearing these words, Sasuke felt a storm surge in his heart.
Change a person's mind?
Make him protect Konoha forever?
Sasuke stared at Itachi on the ground, filled with anger and disbelief.
He hadn't expected Itachi to try sothing like this.
But… why?
Sasuke couldn't help but wonder.
Why didn't he just directly control him, turning him into his puppet, his plaything?
If he did that, wouldn't he be able to take Sasuke's eyes right away?
Protect Konoha?
If you want to protect Konoha so badly, do it yourself.
Why must—
Sasuke didn't understand.
"Don't understand?"
Seeing the change in Sasuke's expression, nma could guess his thoughts.
Upon hearing this, Sasuke nodded.
He truly couldn't comprehend it.
"nma-sensei, since Itachi possesses such a terrifying pupil technique, why doesn't he just…?"
Halfway through his sentence, Sasuke hesitated because he suddenly realized sothing.
"Why doesn't he just control you and take your eyes away?"
nma finished Sasuke's sentence, then looked at Itachi lying on the ground, his face ashen.
He spoke lightly, "Because he's already dying. Even if he awakens the Eternal Mangekyō, he won't have long to live."
"???"
Is that the truth?
He thought that…
Sasuke clenched his fists tightly.
An inexplicable feeling of being deceived welled up inside him.
He had just thought that Itachi, that bastard, still had so conscience left and couldn't bear to harm his little brother.
But the reality was this?
nma glanced at Sasuke, then smirked slightly and said, "Of course, Itachi doesn't want to truly hurt his dearest brother. From the very beginning, he had planned to leave his Mangekyō Sharingan to you, letting you take his place—watching over the world like an outsider."
"!!!"
Sasuke's head shot up in disbelief.
Sasuke asked, "nma-sensei, are you telling the truth?!"
nma nodded.
He had no reason to lie about sothing like this.
Itachi, lying on the ground, glanced at him with a trace of surprise.
Just monts ago, when he had heard nma say he had done this because he was dying, he had thought nma's understanding was shallow.
But now...
He hadn't expected this man to see through his true inner thoughts as well.
Truly… a terrifying man!
"Damn it!"
Sasuke, after hearing nma's answer, lowered his head and cursed.
But in his eyes, tears flowed uncontrollably, dripping onto the ground.
That's right.
He still couldn't forgive this bastard of a brother, Itachi.
But knowing that this bastard had ticulously planned everything for him from the beginning…
It made Sasuke's heart ache unbearably.
Why… Why you?
Sasuke roared inwardly.
He lifted his head to look at Itachi.
The latter gazed at him tenderly amd said, "Sasuke, you'll understand when you grow up."
Sasuke roared, "Bastard! I will never understand you!!!"
"You idiot, you fool! If you loved so much, why did you take our parents away from with your own hands?! Why?!!"
Itachi replied, "Everything I did was for the village."
Itachi looked at his tornted younger brother with tenderness.
"The existence of the Uchiha clan had already threatened the peace of the village. As long as the clan disappeared, the village could maintain its peaceful status quo."
"Sasuke, you have to understand—sotis, the small self must be sacrificed for the greater good."
Hearing this, Sasuke's eyes instantly burned with endless hatred.
"Konoha again?"
He said coldly, "Why should it be my family that gets sacrificed? Why not Konoha?!"
"..."
Itachi wanted to explain his ideology to his younger brother.
But at this mont, nma smirked and laughed.
"Itachi, you're truly noble. You made such a difficult choice on behalf of others. I'm sure those you sacrificed must be very grateful to you, right?"
nma's face curled into a mocking smile.
"You people will never understand ."
Itachi shook his head lightly, clearly unwilling to explain himself to nma.
"I really can't understand your idiotic way of thinking."
nma shook his head with a smirk.
How could any rational person align their thoughts with a madman's?
Itachi remained indifferent to nma's ridicule.
He firmly believed he was right.
The world is foolish.
They just don't understand a genius like him.
Originally, he could have made his little brother understand him, agree with him.
But—
It was all because of this man!
Itachi looked at nma, resentnt flickering in his eyes.
If not for him, his plan would have succeeded.
Then Sasuke would have continued to guard the village with these very eyes.
Forever!
"Itachi, you're completely insane!"
Sasuke looked at his brother as if he were a stranger.
Just now, he had almost considered forgiving him.
But now, seeing Itachi's stubborn belief that he was right…
Sasuke suddenly realized he had never truly understood his brother.
When did their thoughts beco so irreconcilable?
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