I just returned to Konoha and found that my entire clan was gone.

The bloodstains, like bright red threads, connected broken families and endless sorrow.

Under the sky dyed blood red by the setting sun, Itachi gradually walked to his doorstep. His steps seemed unusually heavy, each step as if stepping on the wounds in Sasuke's heart.

Even though he already knew what he was about to face, his heart still began to pound uncontrollably. But the long-suppressed emotions still surged like a tidal wave, making him unable to control himself.

"Sasuke!"

That familiar yet distant call, transcending the shackles of time, rang clearly in his ears once more. This voice was the warmth he had sought countless times in his dreams.

Those were his parents' voices. He didn't care why they recognized him now; their calls instantly brought tears to Sasuke's eyes, a tear glistening in the afterglow of the setting sun.

He couldn't help but open his arms, wanting to embrace this long-lost family affection tightly.

*Pfft—*

However, just as he was about to touch that warmth, everything became so sudden, so cruel, yet so inevitable.

Itachi's figure flashed into his sight like a ghost, and the sharp blade, like the Grim Reaper's scythe, mercilessly pierced through his parents' bodies from behind.

The blood, like blooming red lotuses, drew poignant arcs in the air.

He knelt on the ground, his hands trembling as he received his parents' lifeless bodies. Even knowing it was an illusion, he felt an unprecedented coldness and heaviness.

That wasn't just the temperature of his body, but also the abyss of his soul.

The air around them seemed to freeze. Sasuke had his head down, so his expression was obscured. He seemed to still be immersed in the genjutsu of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

“My foolish brother, you saw what happened on the night of the massacre. It was all my doing. I slaughtered the entire Uchiha clan. I wasn’t instructed by anyone, and I had no helpers.”

Itachi's kaleidoscope eyes spun continuously as he used almost all of his eye power to alter Sasuke's memories.

"So...why did you do this?"

Sasuke's voice had become completely unlike that of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old child; it was hoarse, like that of an elderly person who was terminally ill.

"I wish you could have eyes like mine, so that I could have the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan that would never go blind, and I would surpass everyone in the Uchiha clan and become the new pinnacle!"

Itachi's expression gradually became exaggerated, as if things were really as he said.

"Sasuke! Give me your eyes! With your eyes, I can regain my sight!"

"To me, I've never been your gentle older brother! You, Sasuke, are just an accessory to me!"

Itachi's aura suddenly became distorted, completely inconsistent with his usual rational and calm demeanor.

"The Uchiha clan originally killed their friends to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan; they turned fathers and sons against each other and killed brothers to obtain eternal eye power."

"And a filthy race that has always taken pride in this power! From the moment you were born into this race, you could not escape this blood-stained fate!"

Itachi threw down his ninja sword and walked step by step toward Sasuke. He stretched out his hand, his fingers trembling slightly. That gesture undoubtedly proclaimed the cruelty that was about to happen: he was going to take away Sasuke's eyes.

"Alright, come on! Little brother! I'm going to kill you and free myself from the fate of the Uchiha!"

However, in the face of Itachi's madness, Sasuke Uchiha unexpectedly calmed down. He gently placed his parents' bodies aside, and his eyes, which were once filled with hatred, became unusually deep, as if they could see into the essence of all things in the world.

He slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the six-pointed star kaleidoscope pattern was shining brightly in his eyes, a testament to the heavy fate Sasuke carried.

As Sasuke focused his mind, streams of natural energy flowed into his body like streams, intertwining with his chakra to form an unprecedentedly powerful force.

This power not only strengthened his body like never before, but also caused subtle fluctuations in the surrounding space. Cracks began to appear in the illusory world created by the moon, as if it were about to collapse at any moment.

"Thanks, Itachi, for letting me see my parents one more time."

"Kaleidoscope, when did you awaken these eyes?!"

Itachi's voice contained both disbelief and deep worry.

He gazed at Sasuke, whose once clear, water-like eyes now shimmered with the eerie light unique to the Mangekyou Sharingan, as if they could see into the essence of all things in the world, yet also revealed an indescribable loneliness and heaviness.

The attempt to guide the Tsukuyomi space completely failed. With Sasuke now possessing the Mangekyou Sharingan, it's not something Itachi can easily control with Tsukuyomi. Even if he succeeds now, it will become ineffective after his death. Therefore, the only option left is to use that trump card.

The newspaper did not describe in detail the fight between Ye Lan and Sasuke after leaving Konoha. Instead, it focused on Konoha's persecution of the Uchiha and other acts of framing their comrades. Therefore, it was the first time that Itachi had seen Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Itachi, I didn't realize you had such a talent for playing the clown. Your clumsy performance was unsuccessful, you must be quite disappointed."

Back in reality, the two confronted each other once again. Sasuke was no longer a child who could be fooled by everything.

Ye Lan had already told him the secret of the Eternal Eye, and he had already obtained one. The other one was in Itachi's hands.

"You've gotten stronger, Sasuke. If Father were here, he would be so proud of you."

Itachi's eyesight had deteriorated significantly, and he could no longer make out Sasuke's appearance.

"You have no right to mention our father!"

Sasuke's mood was as heavy and oppressive as a sky shrouded in dark clouds. He was no longer willing to be bound by words and directly used the Uchiha clan's signature Fire Release technique.

Despite Sasuke's sudden attack, Itachi reacted with unusual calm.

He flashed backward, quickly retreating while forming hand seals. A cool, refreshing mist rose from the ground, rapidly condensing into a solid wall of water that stood between him and Sasuke.

Even excluding the Mangekyou Sharingan's abilities, Itachi's Water Release is in no way inferior to his Fire Release.

However, at this crucial moment, Sasuke displayed superhuman strength.

Sasuke's Fire Release, empowered by natural energy, became even more ferocious, like the most primal rage of nature burning fiercely. Within those flames lay a world-destroying power.

Although the water wall was tough, it seemed powerless against the raging fire. The flames crashed against the water wall like a storm, each impact sending up layers of steam, as if the entire space was being distorted by an invisible force.

With the water wall broken, a look of seriousness appeared in Itachi's eyes for the first time. The power of this fire jutsu had surpassed that of most people.

Sasuke did not stop. Huge fire dragons roared out of his mouth and fiercely pounced on Itachi.

At that moment, the entire Uchiha ruins seemed to be engulfed by the raging flames. The ancient buildings and dilapidated walls collapsed under the ravages of the fire dragon, turning into ruins.

Chapter 129 Brothers and Younger Brothers (Part 3)

Obito pushed open the slightly worn door next door, and stepping inside felt like entering a crack in another time and space.

This is a library forgotten by time, where the air is filled with the ancient scent of paper and ink, and the dust on the books proves that no one has visited here for a long time.

Amegakure, a place shrouded in mystery and danger in the eyes of the world, actually hides such a treasure.

However, Obito was not in the mood to browse the books at the moment, and quickened his pace to start looking for the new member that Pain had mentioned.

His steps stopped in front of a bleacher. There, a familiar figure sat quietly, holding a book and reading intently.

Obito's pupils, hidden beneath his mask, suddenly widened, and the thing he least wanted to happen had occurred.

"Uchiha Yelan!"

Obito's voice was deep and powerful, each word carrying immense weight, revealing a barely perceptible hint of anger deep within him.

This man named Ye Lan had once made him lose face in Wuyin Village. That humiliation was like a brand, deeply engraved in his heart, and he never forgot it.

Ye Lan, however, seemed to be in another world, completely ignoring Obito's words.

His gaze was fixed on the book in his hands; the dense text seemed to possess a magical power, drawing his entire attention.

His fingers gently caressed each page, each turn of the page showing such focus and concentration.

Seeing that Ye Lan ignored him, Obito's anger, which he had finally managed to suppress, erupted again like a volcano, rising rapidly.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, bringing this pointless standoff to an end, Ye Lan's voice suddenly rang out.

"Uchiha Madara?"

Ye Lan's tone carried a hint of surprise, as if the name was both familiar and unfamiliar to him. He raised his head, his gaze meeting Obito's, a barely perceptible ripple flashing in his deep eyes.

Upon hearing this, Obito paused slightly, then steadied himself. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions, before slowly speaking.

"It seems you've already heard about me from Pain. Yes, I am Uchiha Madara..."

"Oh..."

Upon hearing this, Ye Lan's lips curled into a faint smile, a smile that seemed to carry a hint of amusement. He gently waved his hand, indicating that he did not intend to burst into laughter.

Obito stared into Ye Lan's eyes, suppressing his discomfort as he continued speaking.

"I don't know what your purpose is in joining Akatsuki. The power and conspiracies hidden behind this organization are far beyond your imagination. But as a senior who has been through thick and thin, I must tell you from my experience that the wise thing to do is to withdraw as soon as possible."

"Pfft..." However, Ye Lan's reaction was beyond Obito's expectations. Instead of showing any shock or fear, he covered his mouth and chuckled, the laughter clearly tinged with mockery.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it."

Obito was stunned; he couldn't understand why Ye Lan would react this way.

The name Uchiha Madara is undoubtedly synonymous with terror and power, enough to strike fear into the hearts of anyone.

Ye Lan, however, seemed completely unaffected and even mocked him.

"You brat, aren't you being a little disrespectful to this old man!"

The anger in Obito's eyes was almost impossible to suppress.

Sometimes he wondered why he would lose control of his emotions whenever he was around Ye Lan, and why he couldn't restrain himself no matter what.

"Heh, so what if it's Uchiha Madara? Even if it really is him, I'll make him pay the price. You're just a clown."

Snapped-

Ye Lan closed the thick book, stood up abruptly, his expression no longer frivolous, and his pupils now resembled a kaleidoscope.

"Don't pretend, you big bad wolf Obito! I'm here for the sake of those dead Uchiha!"

In that abandoned ruin

Sasuke's rage erupted like a volcano, and the fire jutsu he unleashed seemed to express his fury, tearing the ceiling to shreds.

Sunlight streamed through the broken ceiling, casting dappled patterns on this long-unseen land, bringing a glimmer of life and hope to the dark ruins.

In the instant that light appeared, Itachi's figure vanished like a ghost. Using his superior physical skills and keen perception, he instantly determined the best escape route, leaped up, and landed steadily on the rooftop.

Seeing this, Sasuke followed closely behind. Thanks to the support of natural energy, the fire chakra he released required less chakra and was more powerful.

He lavishly used this power, his hands forming seals once more. This time, the flames he summoned were even more intense and violent, sweeping across the entire ruins like a storm, turning everything in their path to ashes.

Amidst this sea of ​​fire, a tear of blood suddenly flowed from Itachi's tightly closed right eye, and when it opened again, a ball of black flame appeared out of thin air.

Amaterasu

This black flame, though seemingly small, contained world-destroying power. Like a black hole, it continuously devoured the surrounding flames, and in the blink of an eye, Sasuke's raging fire jutsu was completely swallowed up, as if it had never existed.

Sasuke stood before the black flames, his face cold and stern, his eyes flashing with a six-pointed star-shaped kaleidoscope pattern.

Amaterasu, Kagutsuchi