"Do you really think Uchiha Sasuke has surpassed Uchiha Itachi?"
"That's highly unlikely."
The mysterious masked man stopped speaking.
A moment later, he said, "Let's wait and see."
Meanwhile, the fateful battle between Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi had reached its climax.
Both of them had given it everything they had.
Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu—nothing had been held back. Every technique they possessed had been revealed.
Although Sasuke had undergone special training specifically to stand against Uchiha Itachi, Itachi's strength was still beyond his imagination.
No matter how much power Sasuke used, it felt as though his opponent only became stronger.
It was almost as if someone were secretly increasing Uchiha Itachi's strength from the shadows.
This made Sasuke feel as though he were always one step behind.
Perhaps his opponent was simply too difficult to understand.
Sasuke's anxiety continued to grow.
The Second Stage of the Cursed Seal of Heaven, combined with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, was barely enough to withstand Itachi's attacks.
If this continued, Sasuke would be the one to lose again.
Uchiha Itachi said indifferently, "Is that all?"
"Sasuke, you've really disappointed me…"
"You hate me, but is this all you can do?"
"It seems your hatred for me isn't deep enough."
A sudden burst of blood-red light shot from Itachi's left eye!
The Mangekyo Sharingan had finally been activated!
"Tsukuyomi!"
Suddenly, the light from his eyes enveloped Sasuke.
But Sasuke had already closed his eyes.
Uchiha Itachi shook his head.
"Do you think closing your eyes will prevent this technique?"
"Of course, if you never open them again."
"But if that's the case, you'll be completely at my mercy."
Sasuke took a deep breath.
"Engel—"
"Formation of the Celestial Shroud!"
Buzz!
Suddenly, an invisible barrier expanded outward, covering the entire area with Sasuke at its center.
Naruto's heart fluttered.
"This is the Perverted Sage's…"
"So that's what it was about. Did the Perverted Sage teach Sasuke this technique so he could fight without relying on his eyesight?"
The Celestial Shroud Formation filled the surrounding space with Chakra.
By replacing visual perception with Chakra perception, the user could identify every detail within the formation, perceive their surroundings instantly, and react at incredible speed.
In fact, the perception provided by the formation surpassed what the eyes could normally detect.
However, maintaining it consumed a tremendous amount of Chakra.
Uchiha Itachi frowned slightly.
"The Formation of the Celestial Shroud?"
"This must be Jiraiya's Ninjutsu. Did you specifically learn it from him to counter my ocular abilities?"
Sasuke kept his eyes closed.
"You're wrong."
"I didn't learn this technique on my own. Jiraiya-sensei specifically taught it to me."
"Is there a difference?"
"They're completely different. Unfortunately, you wouldn't understand."
Uchiha Itachi smiled faintly.
"Is that so?"
"Then I'd like to see just how effective this technique of yours really is."
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Itachi launched an even more violent assault.
Taijutsu, ninja tools, and Ninjutsu erupted simultaneously, attacking Sasuke from every direction!
However, relying on the Celestial Shroud Formation, Sasuke could perceive every tiny movement within its range and respond instantly.
His reactions were precise, without the slightest mistake.
Even Uchiha Itachi was surprised.
"Is it possible to reach this level?"
"It seems you've really worked hard to kill me…"
"However, every Ninjutsu has a weakness."
"Constantly releasing Chakra inevitably consumes a tremendous amount of energy. How long can you maintain this?"
Sasuke's heart trembled when Itachi exposed the weakness of his technique.
However, Sasuke had also discovered Itachi's weakness.
"Hmph. Uchiha Itachi, do you think I don't understand?"
"Your body is already extremely weak!"
"Controlling the Mangekyo Sharingan's ocular power isn't easy, is it?"
Uchiha Itachi frowned slightly.
"You figured that out?"
"Correct. The moment the Mangekyo Sharingan is activated, the path toward blindness begins. Every use comes with intense pain and risk."
"But as long as I take your eyes and combine them with my own, I can obtain the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan!"
"With it, I'll never go blind, and my ocular power will increase dramatically!"
"You should understand by now, Sasuke!"
"I've kept you alive all this time because I needed you as a spare part for myself!"
His calm voice gradually became filled with madness.
An intense, burning desire blazed in his eyes.
It was limitless.
Even Naruto, who was watching the battle, couldn't help but be affected by the madness.
"Uchiha Itachi…"
"Who exactly is this man?"
In the distance, White Zetsu was equally shocked.
"Uchiha Itachi kept Uchiha Sasuke alive just so he could grow up and become a spare part for himself?"
"What a terrifying man…"
Black Zetsu said coldly, "That is, of course, assuming everything he said is true."
The mysterious masked man nodded indifferently.
"No."
"Uchiha Itachi is better at deception than anyone else."
"Everything he said was a lie."
"You mean he's deceiving Sasuke?"
"Correct. Sasuke only possesses the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Even if it were combined with Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan, it would not activate the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan."
White Zetsu became extremely curious.
"Then what is his real objective?"
The mysterious masked man remained silent for a moment.
"Whatever Uchiha Itachi says is always the exact opposite of the truth."
"Sasuke isn't the spare part he kept for himself."
"He is the spare part that Itachi kept for Sasuke."
The mysterious masked man seemed to have seen through Uchiha Itachi's true nature.
However, both Black Zetsu and White Zetsu were stunned.
The mysterious masked man offered no further explanation.
Beneath his spiral-shaped mask, his exposed right eye stared intently at the distant battlefield.
Meanwhile, the fierce battle between the two brothers continued.
To counter Uchiha Itachi's Genjutsu, Sasuke had no choice but to activate the Celestial Shroud Formation, closing his eyes and perceiving his opponent's movements solely through Chakra.
As Uchiha Itachi had pointed out, the Celestial Shroud Formation was powerful and effective, but it consumed an enormous amount of Chakra.
Every moment Sasuke maintained the formation meant that more Chakra was being depleted.
But Sasuke wasn't worried.
Because he knew very well that Uchiha Itachi was gambling as well.
Itachi was gambling on whether he could endure longer than Sasuke.
He couldn't keep his Mangekyo Sharingan active forever either.
If he continued using it for too long, the exhaustion and pain would eventually become far greater than Sasuke's own burden.
In Naruto's dream, the two brothers had already been fighting fiercely for a long time.
Both of them had grown increasingly thin and were breathing heavily.
Uchiha Itachi also understood that if this situation continued, his Genjutsu would have no chance of succeeding.
He took a deep breath.
His labored breathing gradually settled.
Then—
"Amaterasu!"
Uchiha Itachi closed his left eye and instead used the visual power of the Mangekyo Sharingan in his right eye.
Suddenly, a plume of smoke composed of pitch-black Amaterasu flames rose from the point at which his gaze was focused!
Even though Sasuke could detect the flames through the Celestial Shroud Formation, countering this technique would be extremely difficult.
But at that very moment—
Sasuke suddenly crossed his arms.
The demonic wings on his back instantly spread out and enveloped his body, providing him with complete protection.
The black flames of Amaterasu struck without warning and immediately began burning fiercely.
Even Sasuke's bone-like wings formed from the Cursed Seal of Heaven couldn't withstand the flames for long.
But in the next moment—
Crunch!
Sasuke forcibly tore off his burning wings!
________________________________________
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