Konoha, Training Grounds.
"Do you want to become stronger?" Kakashi looked down at the young man standing before him.
It was early in the morning, and Sasuke had asked Kakashi to come out.
Sasuke clenched his fists and nodded hard. "Yes, I want to become stronger!"
"But you've only just learned Chidori," Kakashi said softly.
Sasuke shook his head, biting down hard. "That's not enough."
"Just knowing that one technique isn't enough to catch up to Naruto."
Let alone—
Catching up to that man!
That sentence made something catch in Kakashi's chest.
To catch up to Naruto, huh...?
He took a deep breath and nodded. "If that's the case, then I—"
But his words were cut off.
A special jōnin rushed over, somewhat flustered.
"Kakashi-sensei! The rogue ninja Itachi has appeared on the west side of the village. Asuma and Kurenai have already engaged him and are requesting reinforcements!"
Kakashi was startled. He instinctively looked at Sasuke.
On that young and handsome face, there appeared a flash of shock and hatred.
"Sasuke, don't be reckless!" he called out, trying to stop him.
But in the next moment—
Sasuke bolted off wordlessly, heading straight for the village's west side.
Kakashi chased after him.
When they arrived—
Asuma and Kurenai were already down.
A man with a shark-like face raised his blade, about to finish them off.
Kakashi moved instantly, forming hand signs and launching a jutsu.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
A dog-headed earth wall shot up from the ground, blocking the attacker's move.
"More guests?" Kisame retreated and hoisted his large, jagged blue sword over his shoulder. "Oh? What's with this kid?"
"He's got the Sharingan too, and—"
"Itachi, he looks a lot like you."
Uchiha Itachi said calmly, "He's my younger brother."
"Didn't you kill off the whole Uchiha clan?" Kisame asked, with mocking amusement. "So there's still one little sprout left, huh?"
Itachi didn't answer him. Instead, he greeted his brother.
"Long time no see, Sasuke."
"Uchiha Itachi," Sasuke gritted his teeth as he uttered his brother's name, "I'm going to kill you!"
He formed hand signs.
Lightning crackled in his palm, emitting a high-pitched squeal.
Kakashi's face turned grim.
That's...
My signature jutsu.
The one I taught him during the Chūnin Exams.
"Lightning Style: Chidori!"
Sasuke's face twisted with rage, his body trembling from the intensity of his emotions. "I've always hated you!"
"My whole life's been about killing you!"
He thrust his hand forward.
Lightning twisted the air itself.
With a burst of speed, he closed the distance.
Like a dagger aimed to kill—savage and direct!
But Itachi simply shifted his foot slightly, sidestepped, and calmly grabbed Sasuke's wrist.
The lightning still crackled in Sasuke's hand.
They were only a few steps apart.
But—
Sasuke couldn't move forward any further.
"So weak," Itachi said softly.
Sasuke's heart clenched.
"This Chidori... is that all the light it holds in your hands?" Itachi raised his knee and slammed it into Sasuke's stomach.
The screeching lightning slowly died down.
Itachi then reached out and grabbed Sasuke by the neck, lifting him up.
His Sharingan spun—the three tomoe twisting and morphing into a shape like three sickles forming a pinwheel.
Sasuke's eyes widened.
Those were the same eyes... from that night.
Itachi spoke softly, "Why are you so weak?"
"Only two tomoe?"
"It's because your hatred isn't deep enough."
As he spoke, Sasuke's senses dulled and froze.
The world turned monochrome.
"Genjutsu: Tsukuyomi."
"You must be familiar with this place," Itachi said, and his voice echoed with countless overlapping whispers.
"In the world of Tsukuyomi, space, time, and mass are all under my control."
"For the next seventy-two hours, I will stab you every second of every minute."
Sasuke gritted his teeth and groaned.
The first blade had already pierced his body.
His senses were heightened.
The pain was sharp and dragged out.
"This is the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan," Itachi said as he continued his torment. "You have the same potential and talent as me."
"You also have the possibility of awakening the Mangekyō."
"But to gain these eyes, there's one condition."
This is the unfiltered truth.
"You must kill your best friend."
"That's how you prove yourself worthy of the Mangekyō."
Despite the overwhelming pain clouding his thoughts, Sasuke's mind instinctively flashed to one person—Uzumaki Naruto—the one who had been lingering in his thoughts the past few days.
To gain the Mangekyō...
Do I have to become like Itachi...?
Inside the Tsukuyomi, seventy-two hours passed.
In the real world, it had only been a moment.
Kakashi pulled up his forehead protector and said sternly, "Let him go."
Itachi nonchalantly tossed the unconscious Sasuke aside. "I have no interest in the weak."
His gaze shifted.
It landed on Asuma and Kurenai.
Two jōnin—
Plenty enough to make a statement.
He lifted his head slightly, eyes scanning toward the distant Hokage Tower.
"Too many nuisances showing up." He turned back. "Kisame, let's go."
He vanished in a blur.
Kisame paused and looked at the fallen Asuma. "Tch, what a shame. That was a nice catch."
"Our goal isn't battle," Itachi said softly. "Unfortunately, we didn't get the intel we came for."
"There's no reason to linger."
Kakashi gripped his kunai, ready to intercept.
But Itachi looked back.
His eyes spun, the Mangekyō Sharingan shimmering—blood dripping from the corner of his eye.
"Amaterasu."
Strange black flames erupted where he looked.
These flames were unlike ordinary fire—
They swayed like ink, every strand vividly clear.
Kakashi stopped and used a Water Style jutsu.
But the flames weren't extinguished—in fact, they burned even hotter.
Several figures landed.
It was Jiraiya, Might Guy, and a full ANBU tactical squad.
"Where's Itachi Uchiha?" Jiraiya asked grimly. He had just returned to the village when he received the news of Itachi's appearance.
Kakashi walked over and picked up Sasuke. "He escaped."
"Asuma, Kurenai, and Sasuke are in bad shape. Get them treated first."
"Their objective is unclear."
"But it doesn't seem like they were after Sasuke."
Jiraiya took out a scroll and sealed away the black flames. "Is that so?"
"Tell the ANBU not to pursue. Focus on the village's defenses."
"We'll ask Asuma and Kurenai when they wake up if they know anything."
The ANBU acknowledged the order.
Jiraiya frowned.
Ever since the Third Hokage's death, all kinds of monsters have started crawling out of the woodwork.
But what happened in Konoha had nothing to do with Naruto.
He continued his journey with Karin.
Two days later, they reached the border of the Land of Fire, near a seaside town.
Standing on the reef, the two looked out at the horizon.
"The visibility is bad," Karin leaned forward. "I can't see the Land of Whirlpools."
"But my mom once told me—"
"The Land of Whirlpools lies on an island east of the Land of Fire."
As she spoke, she tilted her head toward Naruto. "So how are we getting there?"
Are we going to fly?
"By boat," Naruto said softly. "I saw some boatmen in the town."
(End of Chapter)