Chapter 222: Sasuke Arrives on Scene! Itachi Uchiha! Die!!!
On the other side, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki's advance appeared much more "smooth."
Kisame, carrying the massive Samehada on his shoulder, grinned, revealing a mouth full of shark-like teeth:
"Mr. Itachi, these Konoha guys aren't that impressive."
He swung his blade, unleashing a surge of chakra that whipped up waves, knocking several Konoha Chunin flying.
Itachi's expression remained unchanged, his crimson Sharingan gazing calmly ahead. He seemed to be fighting alongside Kisame, but in reality, he was subtly guiding Kisame's route, avoiding several areas that could be disadvantageous to Konoha.
"Let's end this quickly," Itachi said indifferently.
Suddenly, several figures blocked their path.
Leading them was none other than Kakashi Hatake, flanked by Yamato and several elite Anbu.
But what made Itachi's eyes narrow slightly was the heroic figure standing beside Kakashi, draped in a red haori, wearing wooden clogs, with iconic white hair.
Jiraiya!
Kakashi brushed his finger over a fresh crack on his mask, the blue light of Chidori dancing in his palm.
"Itachi Uchiha… so you really came back."
Kakashi's voice was a bit hoarse, his complex gaze resting on the former Konoha ninja, now an S-rank rogue ninja lurking within the Akatsuki.
Kisame suddenly grinned, his shark teeth sharp, and Samehada on his shoulder emitted an excited chirping sound, as if smelling delicious prey.
"Well, well, Mr. Copy Ninja, now isn't the time to catch up on old times, is it?"
Itachi's right eye, the Mangekyo Sharingan, spun silently, deep and cold.
"Kakashi… long time no see."
His gaze lingered briefly on Kakashi before turning to Jiraiya, sweeping over the iconic sake gourd at his waist, his voice dropping a few decibels. "Even one of the Sannin, the Toad Sage, has returned… It seems you've protected Sensei Third's legacy well."
Jiraiya, pipe in mouth, slowly blew a smoke ring. "I heard about the night of the genocide. If that kid Sasuke knew you were here right now… he'd probably rush back immediately."
Samehada on Kisame's shoulder suddenly erupted with countless spikes, and the ground beneath the blade cracked inch by inch under the pressure.
"Itachi, why waste words with these guys?"
"Let's grab the Nine-Tails and head back to report—"
Before he could finish, a hand suddenly pressed on Kisame's hand gripping Samehada, stopping his movement.
It was Itachi.
"Kisame… no rush…"
Then Itachi turned to Kakashi. In his crimson Sharingan, the phantom of the Mangekyo flashed. "Step aside. Don't force me to use that jutsu."
Kakashi's heart tightened.
From Itachi's gaze and subtle movements, he sensed an indescribable incongruity. Itachi's attacks seemed fierce, but he always held back at critical moments, as if deliberately avoiding something, or perhaps—guiding, or even stalling for time.
"Lord Jiraiya," Kakashi lowered his voice, quickly speaking to Jiraiya beside him, "Leave Kisame to you and Yamato. Try to lure Kisame away. It might be inconvenient for Itachi Uchiha with Kisame around."
Hearing this, Jiraiya glanced at Kakashi and nodded. "Alright, I'll handle this mist weirdo."
"Water Style: Water Shark Bullet Jutsu!"
Kisame couldn't wait for them to finish their discussion and launched an attack first. A huge water shark roared, carrying majestic Water Style chakra, charging straight at Kakashi's face!
"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"
Jiraiya formed hand seals, spewing scorching flame bullets from his mouth to meet the water shark.
BOOM!
Water and fire clashed, erupting into massive steam that instantly filled the battlefield.
"Kisame, your opponent is me!"
Jiraiya shouted, flashing forward to actively attack Kisame Hoshigaki. "Let's find another place to have some fun!"
Kisame grinned savagely. "Just what I wanted! Samehada loves your chakra!"
Wielding Samehada, he engaged Jiraiya. The two fought further and further away, soon separating from the original battlefield.
The battlefield was successfully divided.
Itachi gazed calmly at Kakashi, not stopping Jiraiya and Kisame from leaving. Then, Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan suddenly shone brightly.
"Tsukuyomi."
Kakashi felt his vision shift, instantly pulled into a blood-red, eerie space. He was bound to a cross, with countless Itachi Uchihas holding long swords, continuously piercing his body.
"In this world, time, space, and mass are all under my control."
Itachi's cold voice echoed in the Tsukuyomi space.
In the intervals of endless pain, fragmented images and information flooded into Kakashi's mind.
"Four Kage… secret meeting… targeting Konoha—"
"Fourth Great Ninja War… imminent outbreak—"
"Akatsuki organization… just the vanguard—"
"The real threat… is behind—"
"Protect… the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and Konoha—"
The information was fragmented and urgent, but every word struck Kakashi's heart like a heavy hammer.
When Kakashi broke free from the Tsukuyomi space, he was covered in cold sweat, gasping for breath, looking at Itachi with shock and confusion.
"You—"
Before he could finish, Kakashi collapsed.
A trace of blood leaked from the corner of Itachi's eye; clearly, casting Tsukuyomi had taken a toll on him as well.
Meanwhile, Obito and Zetsu watched Itachi's every move from the shadows.
New Uchiha Village.
"This chakra is Sasuke?"
He sensed a familiar chakra moving rapidly out of the village. Although he didn't have the acute perception of a Magical Girl, as a father, he was intimately familiar with Sasuke's chakra.
Following Sasuke all the way to Konoha, Fugaku Uchiha finally understood what was happening.
"Itachi!"
Fugaku's face turned ashen instantly.
He immediately understood what Sasuke intended to do!
And at this moment, Sasuke had thrown everything to the wind.
The blood-red color of the genocide night, Itachi's cold Sharingan, the figures of his parents lying in pools of blood—
"My foolish little brother…"
Even though his parents had been resurrected, that sentence still echoed in his mind from time to time, reminding him of that unbearable past.
He couldn't understand his brother. He couldn't understand why he would slaughter his own clansmen for Konoha, yet spare him alone. For the safety of Konoha, he didn't even spare the unarmed elderly, women, and children!
But he knew that if Itachi Uchiha could slaughter his clansmen once, he could do it a second time.
For his resurrected parents, for the clansmen who chose to believe in his father and left Konoha.
He must kill Itachi Uchiha!
"This time, I will definitely… kill you!"
Sasuke gritted his teeth, his speed increasing again.
At a glance, he saw the soaring flames and raging ninjutsu within the village, and—that chakra etched into his bones.
"AAAAAAAHHH—!"
Sasuke's rage detonated completely in this instant!
Light soared into the sky, and the splendid Magical Girl outfit was instantly donned!
"Itachi Uchiha! DIE!!!"