Chapter 225: Itachi Uchiha: Father... How Exactly Did He Raise Sasuke to Love Cross-Dressing This Much!!!
Konoha Village.
The air was thick with smoke, dust, and the faint scent of blood, mixing into a suffocating oppression.
In the center of this silent battlefield, Kakashi, having just regained consciousness, struggled to prop himself up. Suddenly, he saw a figure tearing through the night sky, descending abruptly!
The light was blinding, interwoven with deep purple brilliance. In the center of that light, a figure slowly became clear.
A gorgeous Magical Girl dress fluttered in the wind, hair dancing in the night breeze. On that face, a pair of crimson Sharingan burned with the flames of vengeance.
It was Sasuke!
Surrounded by a visible torrent of magic power, deep purple trails of light dragged and flickered behind him.
"Sasuke—"
Kakashi whispered in shock, his eyes full of disbelief.
He could feel that Sasuke, although his chakra hadn't grown much, was displaying a completely different kind of power. Just like the Magical Girl squads Orochimaru had sent during the invasion of Konoha.
On the other side, Itachi Uchiha, standing alone, stiffened almost imperceptibly the moment Sasuke appeared.
His usually calm Mangekyo Sharingan fluctuated violently.
Shock, astonishment, and a deeply hidden trace of—absurdity.
Itachi's gaze locked onto the extremely gorgeous Magical Girl dress on Sasuke, an outfit utterly out of place in the ninja world.
The stern, rigid face of his father, Fugaku Uchiha, involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
Father… how exactly did he raise Sasuke to be like this?!
Indeed, Father's resurrection and return was the biggest mistake. Whether for Konoha or for Sasuke.
And Father even chose the shameful method of defecting from Konoha with part of the clan! This was simply bringing shame to the name of the Konoha Uchiha!!!
It utterly defiled Shisui Uchiha's last wish!!
If they had stayed, if both Father's and Shisui's Mangekyo had been serving Konoha… Orochimaru's Konoha Crush wouldn't have been so smooth, and the Third Hokage wouldn't have sacrificed himself.
"Itachi… Uchiha!"
Sasuke's voice was biting cold, every word squeezed through his teeth, carrying a hatred so thick it wouldn't dissolve.
His crimson eyes stared fixedly at Itachi, a gaze that seemed to want to execute Itachi by a thousand cuts.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
The brothers faced off across the devastated battlefield, the air filled with tension ready to snap.
The bloody memories of the genocide night flooded Sasuke's mind. His parents lying in pools of blood, the desperate wails of his clansmen, and this man before him, the brother he once loved and respected most, with those cold, emotionless Sharingan.
"Why did you kill everyone back then?"
Itachi's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He took a deep breath, seemingly trying to suppress the surging emotions.
"My foolish little brother, of course, it was to test—my vessel."
This was the reason he had given Sasuke back then, the reason for frantically chasing power.
However, as soon as the words fell, a mocking sneer curled on Sasuke's lips.
"Vessel?"
The deep purple magical aura around him flickered slightly, an invisible wave spreading out. "Itachi, since I've already resurrected everyone once—do you think I'm still that ignorant child from back then?"
"Itachi Uchiha! You are lying!"
Sasuke's voice suddenly rose, carrying unquestionable resolve. "Speak! What was it really for!"
"Was it really just for Konoha?"
Itachi fell silent.
He knew this day would come. He wanted to say it was also for Sasuke, for his beloved brother to survive. He wanted to say he had no choice back then, that only by doing so could Konoha minimize its losses.
He looked into Sasuke's eyes burning with anger and hatred. There was no wavering, only undying persistence.
Ultimately, he didn't say the words "for Sasuke."
After a long while, Itachi spoke slowly, his voice low and complex:
"Yes… for the peace of Konoha."
"The peace of Konoha?"
Sasuke laughed as if he had heard the world's funniest joke.
"Heh heh~ HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
He covered his face with one hand, laughing in extreme anger, the laughter filled with sorrow and rage. "Are you trying to make me laugh to death?! Itachi!"
"So, those unarmed elderly? Those nursing infants? Did they also threaten Konoha's peace?!"
"Answer me! Itachi!"
Sasuke took a step forward, the magic around him surging like boiling lava.
Itachi fell silent again. He couldn't answer. This question was like a sharp knife plunging fiercely into his heart, making it hard to breathe.
He looked at Sasuke, at this brother completely consumed by hatred. He knew any explanation now would seem pale and powerless.
Sasuke's growth far exceeded his expectations. He was no longer the foolish brother who would easily believe his lies.
"Since you won't say it…"
The red light in Sasuke's eyes grew even more intense. "Then I'll beat it out of you!"
Before his voice faded, Sasuke's figure vanished instantly!
A deep purple light trail tore through the night sky.
In the next instant, Sasuke appeared in front of Itachi. His fist, wrapped in majestic magic power, whistling through the air, aimed straight for Itachi's face!
Itachi's pupils contracted sharply!
So fast!
He didn't even have time to form hand seals, relying on combat instinct to hastily raise his arm to block.
BANG!
A dull thud! Itachi felt an irresistible force from his arm, flying backward uncontrollably, his feet plowing two deep furrows in the ground.
"Cough—"
Itachi steadied himself, his arm numb and blood surging. He looked at Sasuke in shock. This brother's power, just raw strength alone, had reached such a level!
"Is this your power?" Itachi's voice carried a hint of gravity.
"This is just the beginning!"
Sasuke snorted coldly. His figure turned into a purple stream of light again, unleashing a storm-like offensive on Itachi!
Deep purple and silvery-white interwoven light blades, controlled by Sasuke's will, slashed at Itachi from all directions. Although not yet reaching the level of cutting space itself, their sharpness and weirdness were enough to make one's scalp tingle!
Itachi's eyes sharpened, his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning rapidly!
"Susanoo!"
Crimson chakra energy soared into the sky. A huge skeleton rose from the ground, quickly covered in muscle and armor, then transforming into a complete Susanoo wielding the Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror, firmly protecting Itachi within.
All of Sasuke's attacks landed on Susanoo's armor, erupting with deafening roars.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!