"Hey, Lord Hokage, don't you think I'm pretty handsome?" Kisame Hoshigaki boasted. "Haha! When I was a kid, my mom always said I was a looker. Even the neighbors agreed! I still remember when my mom used to take me out in the village—everyone on the street was floored when they saw me. They'd ask her, 'Where'd you buy this mermaid?'"
Hirofumi Ito's eyelid twitched like crazy. Seriously? In Kisame's mind, that was a compliment? Though, to be fair, with his shark-like appearance, Kisame didn't exactly scream "normal human."
Not bothering to entertain Kisame's chatter any longer, Hirofumi tossed him toward Kakashi and the others. "Kakashi-senpai! Have the medical ninja patch this guy up. Don't let him die! He's my most loyal fighter now—he'd probably cut down his own parents without blinking if I asked him to."
Even as he was flung through the air, Kisame's eyes stayed locked on Hirofumi, practically glowing with fanatical devotion.
With Kisame dealt with, Hirofumi turned his attention to Itachi Uchiha.
Truth be told, Hirofumi didn't care much about Kisame. But a sudden idea had sparked in his mind—the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. They were like a mini-organization of their own. Maybe he could collect them all someday. After all, collecting rare cards was always fun!
Plus, he wanted to test his Betsutenjin (Otherworldly God) technique. Shisui Uchiha had once told him that without an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, the cooldown for Betsutenjin was eight years. With an Eternal Mangekyo, it dropped to four. But after using it just now, Hirofumi had learned his cooldown: two and a half years.
And it was shrinking. His Sharingan was still evolving, fueled by the ongoing fusion of Indra and Ashura's chakra. Though he had a Mangekyo Sharingan, it didn't feel like there was any distinction between regular and Eternal Mangekyo. His eyes just kept getting stronger, and as they did, the cooldown for Betsutenjin would likely keep dropping. In less than a year, he might be able to use it again.
Collecting the Seven Ninja Swordsmen with Betsutenjin sounded like a fun idea. Seven elite jonin under his control? Not a bad use of such a powerful technique.
But his actions left Itachi stunned.
The Fifth Hokage had a Mangekyo Sharingan—Itachi had sensed its chakra fluctuations. But Betsutenjin? That was Shisui's technique! Did that mean the Fifth Hokage had gotten his hands on Shisui's eye? And if so, did that mean Danzo was already dead or in serious trouble? It would explain why Danzo was nowhere to be seen.
Watching all this unfold, Itachi's heart settled. His little brother was doing fine. Sure, there were two Sasukes running around for some reason, but the Leaf Village seemed stable. Maybe he didn't need to keep dragging himself through this painful existence anymore. Perhaps death was the best end for him.
But before that, he had one last thing to do for his little brother. Sasuke had already awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, so Itachi would give him one final push—his own eyes, to help Sasuke reach the final stage of the Mangekyo.
Sasuke, meanwhile, approached Itachi after seeing Kisame dealt with. "Uchiha Itachi," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "You traitor to the Uchiha clan. You murderer who slaughtered our entire family! I'll never forgive you! Night after night, I see that moment in my dreams—the night you destroyed everything! I'll avenge our parents, our clan! I'll kill you, you monster, and drag your pathetic 'resolve' to hell with you! I carry the pride of the Uchiha clan, and I will end you!"
Tears streamed down Sasuke's face as he spoke, quickly turning to blood as his emotions surged. His heart was a tangled mess of rage and pain as he faced his brother.
Everyone present knew the Uchiha clan had been wiped out, and they knew Itachi was the one who'd done it. But why? Why would an Uchiha destroy his own clan? And why leave his little brother to suffer in agony? Was it really just to push Sasuke to awaken his Sharingan? That seemed absurd.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face twisted with bitterness. He knew about Danzo's plan and had allowed it to happen, doing nothing to stop it.
Sasuke, consumed by fury, roared, "Susano'o!"
His rage triggered a fully-formed Susano'o, its massive form charging straight at Itachi.
Itachi's expression remained calm, but inside, he was relieved. His brother had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan—exactly what he'd hoped for. Today would be his final day. He'd complete one last task: pass on his parents' Mangekyo to someone, and give his own to Sasuke. Then he could finally be free of this pain.
Death was his true destination.
But first, he'd play along with his foolish little brother one last time, letting Sasuke vent his pain and hatred.
"Susano'o!" Itachi activated his own Susano'o, though it wasn't the complete form like Sasuke's. The two colossal figures clashed in a frenzy of destruction.
BOOM!
"Uchiha Itachi! I'll kill you!" Sasuke roared.
"Heh," Itachi replied coolly. "My foolish little brother, your resolve is as laughable as ever."
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