"There's… no chance left, is there? It had only just begun, and now it's already over… Sigh. Sorry, Shisui, I let you down. I couldn't remove the cancer plaguing the Leaf."
"The disease in the Leaf has grown so much that I alone couldn't root it out. I actually found an ally, but it turns out I was too late…"
"So, the ninja world really does have a Pure Land. I can feel my soul being called to a place, guiding me toward it."
Uchiha Itachi muttered to himself, his gaze wandering aimlessly in every direction.
He found himself surrounded by nothingness, standing alone in an endless void.
Looking down at his hands, images of his father, mother, and Sasuke flashed through his mind.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I wanted to teach you shuriken throwing one more time after this was all over. I wanted to hear you call me 'big brother' again, sincerely."
"But there's no chance now. Maybe in a few decades—or a century—we'll meet again."
As Itachi walked, he suddenly froze, his head snapping up in shock. A figure stood not far ahead.
His eyes widened, unable to hide his astonishment as a name slipped from his lips: "Shisui?!"
The figure was none other than Uchiha Shisui.
"Itachi, I thought I'd have to wait here for you for decades," Shisui said.
In the real world, Shisui had lost both his eyes a year ago—one taken by Danzo, the other entrusted to Itachi.
But here, Shisui's eyes were intact, and he smiled warmly at Itachi.
"Looks like you failed, just like me."
As Itachi approached, Shisui didn't scold him. Instead, he clapped a hand on Itachi's shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry. Even without us, others will step up. That's how the Leaf works. We fallen leaves become nourishment for the next generation, who'll carry on our will. Sometimes, you've got to trust in the wisdom of the young ones."
Feeling the pat on his shoulder, Itachi took a slow, deep breath to hide the sting in his nose.
He looked at Shisui and asked, "Have you… been waiting for me here?"
"Yup!" Shisui said with a sigh. "I couldn't rest easy, you know? When I left, you were what, ten? Eleven? Way too young. How could I not worry about you?"
"But I never imagined… you'd leave even younger than me." Shisui scratched his head guiltily. "Maybe it's my fault for entrusting my eye to you…"
"Anyway, can you tell me what happened? It's hard to see what's going on with you from here."
Itachi fell silent.
After a moment, he said, "I believed the cancer rotting the Leaf was the Uchiha clan—and Uchiha Akainu. I tried to save the Leaf in my own way, so I decided to work with a man from the Akatsuki who calls himself 'Uchiha Madara.'"
Shisui's face visibly shifted to shock.
"I made two plans. The first was to kill Uchiha Akainu and destroy his absolute justice. His absolute justice is as big a threat to the Leaf as the radical factions within the Uchiha clan."
"The second plan…" Itachi paused, then continued, "was to wipe out the entire Uchiha clan. The clan is either consumed by radical ideals or brainwashed by absolute justice."
"Add to that the Uchiha's way of awakening the Sharingan, which naturally leans toward extremism. That makes the clan the Leaf's biggest source of instability."
"Only by eliminating both could the Leaf's two greatest cancers be removed, paving the way for true peace."
"But…" Itachi shook his head. "I was no match for Akainu. He killed me before I could act."
Shisui stood frozen, staring at Itachi.
"And…" Shisui stammered, "what about the Mangekyo I gave you? What about Kotoamatsukami?"
Itachi took a deep breath. "I planned to use it on Sasuke, to implant Kotoamatsukami and make him loyal to the Leaf for life. Oh, I forgot to mention—I intended to spare Sasuke, letting him rebuild a new Uchiha clan."
"With Kotoamatsukami's mark, the new Uchiha clan he'd create would be forever loyal to the Leaf and the Hokage, like the Hyuga clan."
Shisui's mouth fell open. "Kotoamatsukami… on Sasuke? On a six- or seven-year-old kid?"
"Itachi…" Shisui said, dumbfounded. "What were you doing? I gave you that eye to protect the Leaf, to use it to change the Uchiha clan's rebellious intentions. Not to wipe out the clan and then control a six-year-old kid with it…"
Itachi's faint smile faltered.
Shisui murmured, "How could you be so sure Sasuke, a child, could rebuild the Uchiha clan alone? Why would you put that kind of pain on him? Itachi, what were you thinking?!"
Shisui couldn't wrap his head around it. Why destroy the entire Uchiha clan? Why target Akainu's absolute justice?
What kind of twisted logic—what kind of genius—came up with a plan like this to save the village?
"Itachi…" Shisui opened his mouth, struggling to understand, his tone laced with concern. "Did something… break you?"
Itachi froze.
Why didn't Shisui see the scope of his vision? His father had always praised his judgment, believed his choices would make him proud.
Shisui…
Had he changed?
---
In the Present, the Leaf Village
"Susanoo?!" Uchiha Fugaku gasped, staring at the massive, lava-forged crimson figure. His stern face couldn't hide his shock. "That's the scent of lava—it's Akainu's Susanoo! An armored Susanoo? What stage is this?!"
"Has Akainu's Mangekyo Sharingan grown to this level? Is he trying to rival Madara Uchiha?!"
Then, a graver thought hit Fugaku.
"Who was the other Susanoo that got cleaved in half?!"
In Fugaku's memory, only a handful of Uchihas in the past decade had awakened the Mangekyo: himself, Shisui, and Akainu.
The other Susanoo couldn't be his. Shisui was long gone, and Akainu's was this towering, lava-clad giant.
"…Itachi!!!" Fugaku's heart lurched, his dash toward the scene slowing to a halt. His face twisted with shock and disbelief.
Was that really Itachi?
If it was, and his Susanoo had been sliced in half by Akainu's, what condition was Itachi in? Was he even… alive?
Fugaku's chest tightened.
---
On another side, Hiruzen Sarutobi, leading a group of Anbu, stopped in his tracks. His cloudy eyes were filled with awe.
"Dear, if I'm not mistaken, that's an Uchiha clan secret technique, right?" a voice said suddenly.
Hiruzen turned to see Jiraiya nearby, with Shima, the toad sage, speaking from his shoulder.
Shima continued, "It's called Susanoo, isn't it? I saw a ninja named Madara Uchiha use it once."
Jiraiya's voice was grave. "If it's a Mangekyo Sharingan technique, then it's Akainu's. That massive figure, its armor, and the giant blade—it's all infused with flowing lava. His eye powers have perfectly merged with his bloodline limit."
Jiraiya glanced at Hiruzen and the Anbu. "Old man, I thought Akainu had you in his sights, but looks like I was overthinking it."
Hiruzen: "…"
He stayed silent, his gaze locked on the towering Susanoo. He took a deep breath.
If Akainu ever turned that power against him, the Third Hokage, in a one-on-one fight… Hiruzen realized he'd have few ways to counter it. This colossus was beyond ordinary ninja capabilities. Akainu had clearly stepped into the realm of a Kage.
And not just any Kage—among Kage, Akainu was top-tier. Only Hiruzen in his prime could've matched him.
Now, old and past his peak, Hiruzen knew he didn't have the confidence to face Akainu head-on.
Which meant his repeated patience with Akainu, even swallowing the pain of losing two sons to him…
It had been the right call.
If Akainu, with this kind of power, went on a rampage in the Leaf, the destruction would rival the Nine-Tails incident—maybe even surpass it. The Leaf was far weaker now than it had been back then.
---
Across the village, everyone stared in awe at the godlike Susanoo.
A few recalled similar descriptions in ancient records.
But most, including ninja, had no clue what it was.
"What's that monster? Don't tell me we're in for another Nine-Tails disaster!" a middle-aged chunin said, his face tense.
He could still vividly recall the terror of that night.
Someone nearby swallowed hard. "Don't jinx it! If it was another Nine-Tails situation, the alarms would be blaring by now, right? No alarms, so we're probably fine… right?"
"Forget it, I'm getting my family to a shelter just in case something goes down tonight!"
"Is that something a ninja can even do? What kind of jutsu is that? The Akimichi clan's Expansion Jutsu?"
"No way! Even their Expansion Jutsu doesn't get that big, does it?"
---
"Isn't that… an Uchiha clan secret technique?" Nara Shikaku asked Yamanaka Inoichi.
Inoichi nodded slightly. "Seems like it's called Susanoo."
Akimichi Choza added, "It's Susanoo, alright. Our clan's records mention it. Our ancestors saw Uchiha ninja use it, but the Susanoo in those records wasn't nearly this massive."
Choza marveled, "This kind of power could shift the tide of a large-scale war, and it's all in the hands of one person."
He turned to Inoichi. "Inoichi, looks like you led us to the right choice. With power like that, Akainu's got what it takes to run for the next Hokage."
"With our three clans' support, if Akainu wanted to be the Fifth Hokage, it'd be a done deal. The only hurdle might be whether the Third's ready to step down."
Inoichi shook his head. "Akainu's not the type to be Hokage. It's not that he's unqualified—if he took the role, he'd make the Leaf shine, maybe even restore it to the First Hokage's peak military strength."
"But that's not his goal. The title of Fifth Hokage would only hold him back. His eyes aren't just on the Leaf—he's looking at the entire ninja world."
Choza scratched his head apologetically. "Guess my vision's a bit small."
"Don't worry," Inoichi said. "Knowing Akainu, if the Third steps down and they need to pick a Fifth Hokage, he'll get involved. He'll push for someone who believes in absolute justice to take the role."
"That way, absolute justice and the Will of Fire can truly merge. Then, absolute justice can spread through the Land of Fire with the Leaf's strength."
"It might even stretch its influence to other ninja nations, other villages, and the entire ninja world."
"That's Akainu's vision."
Shikaku, hands in his pockets, sighed. "Only someone like Akainu, with that kind of 'ambition,' could we trust. Anyone else, and we'd be worried they're trying to rule the ninja world and become its overlord."
---
At the Uchiha clan compound, Mikoto's face carried a trace of worry.
Though she and Fugaku had clashed over dinner, he was still her husband. Knowing he was heading into such a dangerous situation made her anxious.
"Mother, what is that?!" Sasuke's young voice rang out, filled with shock and confusion.
"Susanoo," Mikoto said, taking a deep breath. "It's a technique recorded in our clan's archives. Very few Uchihas can use it."
"Because…" She paused, then continued, "Legend says you need the Mangekyo Sharingan to awaken Susanoo."
"Mangekyo Sharingan…" Sasuke blinked, realization dawning. "So, that Susanoo thing—is it something Teacher Akainu made with his Mangekyo?!"
Mikoto shook her head. "I'm not sure."
But she was certain of one thing: tonight, something big was happening.
Or maybe it had already happened—and ended.
---
On another side, protecting an unconscious Mitarashi Anko from the battle's aftermath, Izumi stared, slack-jawed, as the massive Susanoo began to fade.
She heard Jiro's voice beside her. "First time I've seen Lord Akainu use that technique. He mentioned it to me before, but I've never seen it in action."
Jiro glanced at Izumi's stunned face, patting her pant leg with a paw.
"Don't worry!" he said. "That was Lord Akainu's technique. Uchiha Itachi tried using Susanoo too, but his was nothing compared to Lord Akainu's. One's on the ground, the other's in the sky—not even in the same league."
Izumi gaped at the long trench stretching from the village street out beyond the Leaf's walls—carved by a single slash from Akainu's technique.
The gash had sliced through the village's outer wall, leaving a massive breach, likely extending over a kilometer.
"This is…"
"The power of absolute justice!"
Steeling herself, Izumi turned to Jiro. "Senior Jiro, so Uchiha Itachi—he's…?"
"Dead."
The cold, familiar voice wasn't Jiro's. Izumi whipped around to see Uchiha Akainu approaching, unscathed.
Akainu held a scroll in his left hand and a crow in his right. "The blade in my Susanoo's hand is a weapon forged from Lava Style, eye power, and chakra—a blade with the scorching heat of lava and the explosive force of a volcanic eruption."
"When it cleaved through his Susanoo and reached Itachi's frail body, he was already gone. Every cell in his body was vaporized. Dying by Susanoo's blade is a lavish funeral, if you ask me."
"Too good for him."
Izumi felt a flicker of mixed emotions. She was angry at Itachi's foolishness and had felt killing intent toward his descent into evil.
But deep down, when she'd returned to the Uchiha clan with her mother, Itachi had been her only friend.
Huff…
Izumi exhaled slowly, her confusion and conflicted feelings fading after just two seconds.
For absolute justice—for a better ninja world—Akainu would even execute his own kin if they sinned.
With that in mind, Itachi didn't deserve pity.
He'd been to war. He knew full well that choices came with consequences.
For someone as foolish and wicked as him, too stubborn to listen, death might be his best end.
And to many in the Uchiha clan, Itachi's death would likely bring cheers. His continued existence only instilled fear, especially with Akainu's prophetic warnings looming large.
"Hey, kid! Where's the enemy?!" a sudden voice broke through.
The first to arrive was Tsunade.
She leaped in from nearby, landing so heavily the pavement cracked beneath her.
"Lady Tsunade, the enemy's already dead," Jiro answered for Akainu.
"Dead?" Tsunade casually dropped her fighting stance, coughing to cover her lack of embarrassment. "Who'd you run into in the Leaf to cause this much chaos? I saw that giant thing you summoned and thought you were about to level the village."
"Uchiha Itachi," Akainu said.
"Hm?" Tsunade blinked, then connected the dots. "Wait, you mean Fugaku's eldest son? That Uchiha traitor who wanted to wipe out his own clan?"
"Yeah."
Tsunade froze for half a second.
She walked over, clapping Akainu's shoulder. "The Uchiha clan's lucky to have you—or maybe it's their curse."
"It's a blessing for the good, a curse for the wicked," Akainu replied.
"You little punk, bragging now, huh?" Tsunade clicked her tongue. "Though, to be fair, that's not really bragging—it's just the truth."
"By the way," she said, eyeing the scroll and crow in Akainu's hands. "What's that?"
"Fire-Sealing Scroll," Akainu said, tossing it to Izumi, who scrambled to catch it. "It's got a mass of black flames sealed inside—Itachi's Mangekyo technique, Amaterasu. A fire that won't stop until its target's reduced to ash. Keep it as a trump card."
Izumi froze, then blurted, "Thank you, Senior!"
"Lord Akainu, that crow…" Jiro suddenly gasped. "Its eye…"
Tsunade and Izumi both looked at the crow's eye.
"Is that…" Izumi's eyes widened. "A Sharingan? But the pattern… unless it's a Mangekyo Sharingan?!"
Tsunade raised a brow. "Mangekyo?"
"Senior, is that Itachi's eye?" Izumi ventured.
Akainu shook his head. "No."
"It's Shisui's Kotoamatsukami—a 'gift' from absolute justice."
In plain terms: it was loot dropped after executing absolute justice.
Otherwise, even a steel crow wouldn't have survived a single slash from Akainu's Susanoo.
As his words landed, footsteps approached. Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived with a large group of Anbu.
Hiruzen had caught Akainu's last words.
Shisui's Kotoamatsukami!
"Old man?" Tsunade glanced at the late-arriving Hiruzen, then at the swarm of Anbu. "What's with the entourage? You here to back Akainu up… or to keep an eye on him?"
Hiruzen: "…"
---