Sasuke's eyes burned.
Not with pain—with transformation. Itachi's Mangekyo was integrating, but not as just another absorbed dojutsu. It was fundamentally changing the structure of his Sharingan.
The process was similar to transplanting eyes in canon, but his Takama-ga-hara technique had refined it. Instead of surgical transplant, he'd absorbed Itachi's ocular chakra directly. His eyes were incorporating that power, using it as catalyst for evolution.
"EMS awakening," Sasuke whispered, recognizing the process from his transmigrator knowledge.
His Mangekyo pattern shifted. The fifty-three nodes began rearranging, forming new configurations. The geometric mandala became even more intricate.
And then—the change completed.
Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
Sasuke activated his new eyes. The pattern was similar to before, but subtly different. The nodes were more defined, more stable. And most importantly—
No degradation. No strain. No light sensitivity.
The eternal light meant he could use his Mangekyo abilities indefinitely without going blind. All the absorbed dojutsu, all the techniques, all the power—available without consequence.
"Perfect," he said aloud.
He tested his new capabilities. Activated Tsukuyomi—Itachi's reality-controlling genjutsu now his to command. The world shifted, proving he had full access.
Deactivated it. Activated Amaterasu—black flames erupted from his eyes. Perfect control. Perfect power.
And his own unique abilities remained intact. Takama-ga-hara for absorption. Ame-no-Sakahoko for breaking defenses. All enhanced by the eternal nature of his eyes.
"Susanoo," he said, activating the technique he'd seen Itachi use.
Purple-black chakra erupted around him. But not the red skeletal form Itachi had manifested. Sasuke's Susanoo was different—
A massive warrior of purple-black energy towered around him. Skeletal at first, but rapidly developing muscle, then armor. The form was distinctly draconic—reflecting the Dragon Vein's influence. Wings spread from its back. Its eyes glowed with the same draconic pupils Sasuke possessed.
And in its hands—weapons formed. A bow of crystallized chakra in the left hand. A blade that pulsed with defense-breaking energy in the right.
"Dragon Susanoo," Sasuke named it.
This was his perfect defense. Combined with his Dragon Sage Mode, Hashirama cells, and fifty-three absorbed dojutsu—he was now beyond most threats.
He deactivated Susanoo, conserving chakra. Looked down at Itachi's corpse.
"Thank you for your contribution," Sasuke said emotionlessly. "Your eyes have completed my Eternal Mangekyo. Now I can continue collecting without fear of blindness."
He formed hand seals. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu."
The corpse burned. Itachi's body turned to ash, eliminating all evidence of what had happened.
Sasuke activated his communication device. "Team Taka. Mission complete. Itachi is eliminated. Meet at extraction point beta."
"Understood," Karin's voice came through, shocked. "You... you actually killed him?"
"Yes. And took his eyes. I now have Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan." Sasuke's tone was matter-of-fact. "Move to extraction. We have intelligence to gather before returning to Akatsuki."
He severed the connection and turned toward the Hidden Cloud Village.
Pain had wanted intelligence on the Eight-Tails jinchuriki. Sasuke would provide it—after all, he was a professional. The fact that he'd killed one of Akatsuki's most valuable members first was just... efficient time management.
His Eternal Mangekyo blazed in the darkness. Fifty-three nodes glowing with stable, endless power.
The Dojutsu Hunter had achieved a major milestone.
But his collection was far from complete.
Next would come the Rinnegan. The natural evolution of Eternal Mangekyo combined with Hashirama cells. He could feel it already—his eyes beginning the slow transformation that would take months, maybe a year.
And while he waited for that evolution, he would continue hunting. More Sharingan. More Byakugan. Any dojutsu user he could find.
The collection would never stop.
Not until he'd gathered every divine eye in existence.