As Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke faced off in a decisive battle, far away, the members of the Dusk Squad had already received word that Itachi had been spotted in the Land of Fire. They were racing toward the Uchiha hideout at top speed.
Naruto was especially fired up. Whenever Itachi appeared, it usually meant Sasuke—the one he had been longing for—was nearby too.
The fifteen members of the Dusk Squad rushed through the forest. Rain poured down from the skies, and as they looked up, countless bolts of lightning gathered ominously in the clouds.
Naruto's heart tightened with worry. He was deeply concerned about Sasuke's safety.
He had pulled ahead of the group, pushing himself to run even faster.
"That guy… Seriously… He has no sense of teamwork at all," Kurotsuchi muttered under her breath.
"How are we supposed to take down the Akatsuki with a reckless idiot like him?"
Beside her, Akatsuchi scratched his head sheepishly.
"He's just worried about his friend. It's understandable. Weren't you the same when Deidara defected? You really wanted to bring him back too, right?"
The scene now really did mirror that past moment. Naruto, appearing under the identity of "Naruko," was undeniably acting like someone desperately chasing after Sasuke.
Kurotsuchi's face flushed red. "Sh-shut up!"
"Slow down," Kakashi called out to Naruto, "Don't break away from the squad."
But Naruto acted like he didn't hear a thing.
...
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out, stopping both Naruto and Kakashi in their tracks.
"You don't need to go any further. This road is closed."
Hyuga Gakuya descended slowly from the sky, perching lazily on a tree branch.
Everyone immediately halted, instantly recognizing the man before them—Hyuga Gakuya, the legend spoken of in hushed, awed tones.
According to intelligence, this was the monster who could defeat a Tailed Beast with pure taijutsu alone, who had once slain a thousand elite shinobi in a single clash. Against someone like him, they didn't stand a chance.
Before the mission, they had been given explicit orders: if they encountered Gakuya, retreat immediately.
The air around them seemed to freeze. Gakuya just standing there exuded a suffocating pressure.
Kakashi sighed heavily and blocked Naruto, who looked ready to charge ahead.
"Naruko, let me handle this. Hopefully, I still have enough of a connection with him to reason."
Kakashi stepped forward alone, facing Gakuya.
"Gakuya," Kakashi said, "As a friend… would you let us through?"
Gakuya smiled. "Kakashi, I'd love to do you that favor. But I've been entrusted by Itachi and Sasuke. Their battle is something that outsiders shouldn't interfere with."
"You all should just wait here quietly for the outcome."
He chuckled and added, "By the way, Kakashi… Since I've been away, have you picked up your swordsmanship again?" He nodded toward the short sword slung behind Kakashi's back.
"It's decent enough," Kakashi replied with his usual dead-fish-eyed look.
The two casually chatted, leaving the entire Dusk Squad effectively blocked from advancing.
Gakuya's gaze drifted to the anxious Naruto and he turned slightly.
"Relax. Itachi won't kill Sasuke. The end result will definitely be Sasuke's victory."
Naruto retorted hotly, "No way! Itachi killed his own parents—there's nothing he wouldn't do!"
Still smiling, Gakuya said, "I said he won't, and he won't. You'll see soon enough. If the Third Hokage were still around, he would've told you the truth too."
The Third Hokage? The one who schemed and betrayed the Fourth for power?
The squad gritted their teeth. They couldn't beat Gakuya, and there was no getting around him either.
Even Naruto could only force himself to wait, his heart pounding anxiously for the outcome of the brothers' duel.
...
Suddenly, a massive bolt of lightning tore through the sky, forming a colossal pillar of light that connected heaven and earth. Everyone turned their gaze toward the awe-inspiring sight.
"Looks like Sasuke's winning," Gakuya said, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the glare. "Even Susanoo shouldn't be able to withstand that."
Naruto felt a wave of relief wash over him—but almost immediately, it was replaced by frustration. Sasuke had grown so powerful... while he himself still seemed stuck in place.
According to Itachi's plan, after his death, the Dusk Squad would rescue Sasuke and bring him back to Konoha, turning him into a hero who had slain an S-rank rogue ninja—and ensuring he stayed in the village.
But now, that whole plan was blocked by Gakuya's shadow clone.
...
Enough idle chatter. Let's return to the main story.
At the original Uchiha hideout, Susanoo stood tall, clad in its ominous black armor resembling a tengu, lifting the Yata Mirror high to meet Sasuke's strongest strike.
The colossal lightning beam fell from the heavens like a descending star, crashing straight into the Yata Mirror.
Blinding light engulfed Susanoo, and deafening booms shook the air, warping the very atmosphere into spirals. The ground split open, forming deep, jagged scars.
The entire Uchiha hideout was reduced to ruins under the force of that one attack.
Sasuke, having pushed his Sage Mode to the absolute limit, could no longer maintain his Ultimate Sage Form. He slowly descended, the scale-like wings on his back fading away.
He slumped against the rubble, gasping for breath, staring intently toward the spot where the beam had landed, desperately hoping to see Itachi's defeated form.
As the light gradually faded, Susanoo remained standing—but it was in shambles. Cracks riddled its surface like a shattered porcelain doll, ready to crumble at any moment.
The once-indestructible Yata Mirror now looked like an ordinary mirror, riddled with fractures, as if a single touch would shatter it completely.
Inside Susanoo, Itachi was on his knees, blood pouring from his mouth in heavy torrents.
He looked like a candle flickering in the wind, his life force barely clinging on.
Susanoo could no longer hold together. With a deafening crash, it shattered into pieces.
...
Itachi, gritting his teeth through the excruciating pain, forced himself to his feet. He staggered toward Sasuke, limping heavily, leaving bloody footprints with every step—footprints quickly washed away by the rain.
Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief.
"This... This can't be happening!" he gasped.
That attack had been devastating—powerful enough to destroy everything in its path—yet Itachi had survived?
Sasuke's mind reeled. How could his full-powered strike fail?
Was Itachi truly unbeatable? A deep, primal fear crept into Sasuke's heart.
His body trembling uncontrollably, Sasuke instinctively staggered backward, a few clumsy steps putting distance between him and the slowly approaching Itachi.
Desperately fighting down his fear, he fumbled through his ninja pouch and pulled out a scroll.
His hands shook violently. A puff of smoke burst forth as he summoned another scroll from within.
Fighting his panic, Sasuke hurled the scroll at Itachi. It burst into flames, forming a massive fireball that shot toward him.
But Itachi kept advancing, unfazed. The skeletal frame of Susanoo flickered back to life around him, easily shielding him from the fireball.
As Sasuke watched, terrified and helpless, Itachi finally stood before him.
Itachi reached out, his hand trembling, and gently poked Sasuke's forehead with two fingers, leaving behind two bloody streaks—and in that moment, poured his remaining ocular power into Sasuke's eyes.
"Forgive me... Sasuke... This will be the last time," Itachi whispered.
With that, his body crumpled, drifting down like a leaf, landing softly in the shallow puddle.
His eyes slowly lost their light, fading into eternal silence.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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