"You still have some fight left in you, huh?"
Logan looked down at Sasuke, who was struggling to rise despite his tattered white robes and battered body.
"Cough… You bastard…"
"Tch."
Seeing this, Logan didn't bother wasting words. He lashed out with a kick. Sasuke instinctively raised his arms to block, but the impact still sent him skidding several meters across the ground.
'Feels like I'm playing the villain here.' Keeping his expression cold, Logan stepped forward, looming over Sasuke before raising his sword.
The Cursed Seal's wings instinctively flared out in defense, but the hardened keratin might as well have been paper against Logan's Shimizu.
Blood splattered as the sword sliced through, drawing a pained scream from Sasuke.
"Now, can you calm down and listen to what I have to say?"
Brute force was the quickest way to subdue someone. Logan's gaze lingered briefly on the grotesque wings before settling on Sasuke's face.
"Calm down?" Sasuke, still half-collapsed on the ground, lifted his head with a sneer, "You, who's working with 'him'… What could you possibly say? More of that 'it was all for your own good' nonsense?"
Hearing this, Logan rubbed his temples, "I admit, my approach at the start wasn't the best. I'll explain everything properly."
Sasuke pushed himself up slightly, only for Logan's foot to stomp down on his hand, forcing him back down.
The physical pain was nothing compared to the humiliation. His glare burned with pure distrust, "Liar."
'Damn, this kid's stubborn.' Logan considered whether another round of beatings was necessary.
Then, his instincts tingled. He turned sharply, spotting Itachi standing some distance away, clutching his wounds.
The wind howled across the ruined battlefield, carrying the scent of blood and dust.
Logan had effectively taken control of the fight the moment he intervened. With Sage Mode activated, he'd overwhelmed both Uchiha brothers. Now, he just needed to keep them from killing each other before his Senjutsu Chakra ran out.
But while he'd been dealing with Sasuke, Itachi had apparently regained some strength.
'Not good.' Logan's mind linked with one of his marked kunai, and in an instant, he vanished.
Space twisted as he reappeared behind Itachi. Surprisingly, the Uchiha reacted as if he'd sensed it, swiftly countering with his own kunai.
Ding!
Logan raised an eyebrow.
"So this is the Flying Thunder God Technique," Itachi murmured, his Sharingan flickering to the seal beneath Logan's feet, "As formidable as the legends say."
"Your Sharingan isn't bad either." Logan shot back.
Now that Itachi was prepared, he could somewhat predict Logan's movements.
"Your eyes changed color, and your power surged instantly…" Itachi continued, analytical as ever, "This must be the Sage Mode unique to the Summoned Beasts' contractors. I never expected you to possess such strength."
Itachi was well-informed. After their exchange, he'd pieced together Logan's abilities.
"Congratulations, you guessed right." Logan wasn't bothered by the revelation, "Though I only mastered it recently. Lucky for you."
After all, knowing about Flying Thunder God Technique and Sage Mode didn't mean they could be easily countered.
"So? What's your point?"
Itachi's gaze bore into Logan's, "You truly won't allow me to proceed?"
Neither needed to specify what 'proceeding' entailed.
"Obviously." Logan's stance was firm. Today, he'd beat some sense into these two stubborn brothers if it was the last thing he did.
"Fine. Then I'll concede."
"Wait, 'what'?"
Logan blinked. He hadn't expected Itachi, the one he thought would be the hardest to convince, to yield so easily.
"With your current power, further resistance would be pointless." Itachi's voice was calm, almost detached, "If fighting is futile, then I'll defer to your judgment."
"...You're serious?"
This felt too good to be true. Logan half-expected Itachi to pull some last-minute trick.
"However, I have one condition." Itachi glanced toward Sasuke, still lying motionless in the distance, before suddenly coughing violently.
His knees buckled.
"Whoa…" Knowing the toll the Mangekyo took on Itachi's body, Logan instinctively loosened his grip.
'No need to keep my sword drawn now.' He sheathed Shimizu and reached out to steady Itachi.
"What condition?"
For a brief moment, Itachi hesitated.
Then, "First… take a nap, Senpai."
'Huh?'
Before Logan could process the words, he looked up and met a pair of spinning black pattern.
The Sharingan had already morphed into the Mangekyo, its oppressive Chakra swirling like a storm. Beneath Itachi's composed expression, Logan caught a flicker of apology.
"Tsukuyomi."
Their eyes locked.
"Forgive me."
Itachi's grip on Logan's shoulder tightened like a vice.
The most powerful Genjutsu, prepared in secret, erupted without warning.
The patern spun faster, growing larger, until they blotted out the world, a blood-red moon descending to swallow Logan's vision whole.
Caught off guard in that moment of relief, Logan couldn't even muster resistance before the tidal wave of Genjutsu crashed over him.
His body turned leaden. His mind sank into darkness.
…
At the Outskirts of the Hideout…
The battle raged on.
Clashes echoed across the battlefield as the fight spilled beyond the rooftop, spreading into the surrounding forest and open grounds.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Kakashi disengaged momentarily, flexing his numb fingers.
Blocking Samehada's brutal strikes had left his palms stinging.
Taking the brief respite, he scanned the chaos below.
Naruto was locked in combat with a boy whose body seemed to liquefy. Sakura and Mai fought back-to-back against a red-haired Kunoichi. Meanwhile, Team 8, led by Hinata, was barely holding their own against a monstrous man whose body mutated mid-battle.
"You shouldn't be distracted, Kakashi."
A gust of wind warned him just in time. Kakashi sidestepped as Samehada cleaved the ground where he'd stood.
The assault didn't let up. The massive sword whirled in a relentless onslaught, each swing carrying enough force to decapitate.
But Kakashi, relying on his Sharingan's predictive sight, danced through the strikes with practiced ease.
"Last time we fought, it ended too soon." Kisame smirked, hefting Samehada onto his shoulder, "This time, my Samehada will feast properly."
Kakashi remained silent, wary of the sword's Chakra-draining ability. This was a rematch years in the making.
The tide of battle was uncertain. Though Konoha's side had numbers, the enemy's individual strength was overwhelming. Team 8, in particular, would've collapsed already if not for Yamato's support.
Yamato's Wood Release made him a versatile asset, but Jugo had forced him into a defensive role, leaving Kakashi without backup.
'If this drags on…' Kakashi's gaze flicked toward the hideout's depths, where even fiercer clashes resonated, 'Logan, Sasuke… What's happening over there?'
The wind carried no answers.