Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

Karin, who had already fallen into a coma, collapsed in front of Sasuke.

Sasuke, however, focused his attention on the direction where Itachi Uchiha had originally appeared.

Whether Itachi Uchiha, who appeared before Sasuke and Karin earlier, was the real person or a shadow clone is no longer important.

There was no trace of Itachi Uchiha left there long ago.

Sasuke couldn't even be sure if Itachi had ever actually appeared.

After sheathing the Kusanagi sword, Sasuke used his Sharingan to quickly check that Karin was unharmed before continuing towards Itachi's hideout.

Meanwhile, in the building atop the hill, Itachi Uchiha waited alone for Sasuke's arrival.

"This is our first meeting in three years, Sasuke."

“We just met, Itachi.”

……

The conversation between the two brothers did not go smoothly. Apart from the initial greeting, Itachi Uchiha did not speak again.

He simply sat quietly on the stone seat on the high platform at the far end of this enclosed room.

Facing Sasuke, who had come seeking revenge, he stretched out his body, still maintaining a casual sitting posture.

Sasuke calmly and steadily walked to the stone seat where Itachi was sitting, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Itachi.

This gives Sasuke enough time to react after he notices Itachi's attack.

This would also allow Sasuke to launch an attack on Itachi first.

However, Sasuke's gaze fell for a moment on the Uchiha clan crest on the stone seat where Itachi was sitting, and he did not rush to draw his sword against Itachi.

Why not take action?

Itachi noticed Sasuke's gaze, but he didn't show much concern.

I'm just curious why Sasuke, who calls himself an avenger to everyone, can remain calm now that he has an enemy in front of him.

Sasuke shifted his gaze from the Uchiha clan crest on the stone seat and met Itachi's eyes without flinching.

"Before I kill you... Itachi, I have a question for you."

Upon hearing Sasuke's words, Itachi tilted his head slightly, his deep crimson eyes filled with curiosity that only intensified.

"Kill me?"

These words, spoken by Sasuke who only possessed a pair of three-tomoe Sharingan, sounded like a dream to Itachi.

It's hard to take it seriously.

"With those eyes of yours that can't even awaken a kaleidoscope?"

Even though Itachi was still sitting on that stone seat, his deep voice seemed so close to Sasuke.

It was as if he was speaking right next to Sasuke's ear.

Sasuke's reaction was also extremely quick.

The moment Itachi's voice came, he had already drawn his Kusanagi sword and slashed at Itachi behind him.

The current scene is exactly the same as the illusion scene from not long ago.

Sasuke once again pressed the Kusanagi sword against Itachi's neck.

"Why not cut it down?"

Itachi's questioning from behind Sasuke was not much different from before.

"I already said I have questions for you."

"..."

Itachi behind Sasuke fell into a brief silence. Then, the black crows that constituted the existence of "Uchiha Itachi" detached from Itachi's body and dissipated.

"Well then... I'll listen to your question."

The weasel's voice came from the stone seat once again.

"On that night, the night you committed heinous crimes, who was that accomplice who helped you destroy the Uchiha clan?"

Sasuke's question surprised Itachi slightly.

Itachi looked at Sasuke with some curiosity and asked, "Why do you feel that someone helped me that night?"

“You talked to me about ‘another person’ who has the Mangekyou Sharingan that night—which means that person, like me, survived that night, but I have never met the person you mentioned… In other words, that person’s stance is different from mine, but they share the same goal as you.”

Therefore, the person Itachi mentioned to Sasuke could only be one of his accomplices.

Furthermore, during the reign of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, the Uchiha clan was given the responsibility of protecting Konoha as the Konoha Police Force.

While it would be easy for Itachi Uchiha to kill the old, weak, sick, and disabled in the Uchiha clan's territory, it would be much harder for him to kill the Uchiha clan ninjas of the Konoha Guard who held official ninja status.

Direct combat was not Itachi Uchiha's forte; he could never have eliminated the entire Konoha Police Force without any warning.

That night, Itachi Uchiha must have had accomplices with strong combat abilities to help him deal with the Konoha Police Force.

That's the obvious answer.

"Since you weren't alone that night, my revenge won't end after I kill you. Itachi, after I kill you, I will also take the life of the guy who colluded with you."

Upon hearing Sasuke's analysis, Itachi was not surprised at all by Sasuke's keen insight; on the contrary, he felt that Sasuke was overestimating himself.

"You can't kill a ghost that has already died once with your eyes alone."

ghost?

I never expected Itachi to use such an awkward adjective to refer to his "accomplice".

What does "ghost" mean?

The more questions asked, the more frustrated Sasuke became: "Answer my question—who exactly is that guy?!"

This is the complete opposite of Sasuke's current anger.

Itachi simply uttered an impossible name.

"Uchiha Madara."

The unexpected name left Sasuke slightly stunned.

Madara Uchiha was the leader of the Uchiha clan during the Warring States period.

They were fighting against the Senju clan, led by Hashirama Senju, who had not yet become the First Hokage.

Madara Uchiha was eventually defeated by Hashirama Senju, and together they founded Konoha, ending the turbulent Warring States period.

Shortly after the founding of Konoha, Madara Uchiha had a serious disagreement with the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, over how to lead the village, until the conflict between the two escalated to the point of a life-or-death struggle.

Madara Uchiha also died at the Valley of the End during his duel with Hashirama Senju.

The companion Itachi mentioned was Uchiha Madara, who had been dead for decades.

If Madara Uchiha is truly still "alive," then calling him a "ghost" would be most fitting.

But Sasuke felt that something was wrong.

Sasuke still remembered what Naruto had once told him.

Among the high-ranking officials of Konoha, there is someone who possesses the Mangekyou Sharingan and is attempting to possess the Nine-Tails within Naruto.

If Itachi's companion was Madara Uchiha, who hated Konoha, how could he possibly cooperate with the Konoha leadership?

Before Sasuke could figure things out, Itachi Uchiha suddenly released chakra, leaving Sasuke unable to concentrate on anything else.

"Uchiha Madara, his physical body has indeed decayed, but his hatred for Konoha has caused his eye power to condense into a vengeful spirit."

Now that Madara Uchiha's existence has been explained, Itachi doesn't recommend telling Sasuke any more secrets.

"I admire Madara's strength, and Madara, in order to avenge Konoha, single-handedly established the Akatsuki organization, and sixteen years ago, used his Mangekyou Sharingan to lure the Nine-Tails into attacking Konoha..."

Uchiha Itachi stood up from the stone seat and recounted everything Madara had done, each one of which was something that ordinary ninjas could hardly accomplish.

But Itachi's voice didn't convey the same admiration for Madara as he claimed: "However, Madara is undoubtedly a loser."

He was defeated by Hashirama Senju before his death.

"The Nine-Tails' attack, which was planned against Konoha sixteen years ago, was easily resolved by the Fourth Hokage."

“Even Akatsuki has lost most of its members.”

Itachi's account was not of Madara Uchiha's achievements, but rather of Madara Uchiha's crimes as a loser.

"The man who once stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world has become so pathetic and laughable... and the one who can replace him at the pinnacle of the Uchiha clan, the one who will surpass him, is me, who will soon possess the same power as him!"

The Itachi before Sasuke's eyes overlapped with the Itachi he had seen that night.

In the past, Itachi Uchiha, in order to obtain the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan and to test his own capabilities after obtaining this power, did not hesitate to kill Shisui Uchiha and wipe out the entire Uchiha clan.

Now, in order to obtain power surpassing the Mangekyou Sharingan, Itachi Uchiha has set Sasuke as his target.

"Sasuke! You are my strength! You will bring eternal light to my Mangekyou Sharingan!"

The chakra released by Itachi now gathered in Itachi's eyes.

The three tomoe in Itachi's crimson Sharingan eyes spun wildly.

The three magatama eventually merged together and reformed into three scimitar-shaped shuriken patterns near the pupil.

Those are the patterns of Itachi Uchiha's Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Sasuke, use those laughable three-tomoe Sharingan of yours to see clearly the insurmountable difference between a regular Sharingan and a Mangekyou Sharingan!"

Chapter 62 Two Uchiha

The location where Itachi Uchiha was hiding was in the enclosed space where the brothers Sasuke and Itachi were.

In a dark corner unnoticed by outsiders, a creature with a body that was half white and half black emerged from the ground like a plant taking root and breaking through the soil.

Zetsu silently watched the Uchiha brothers, who stood facing each other without moving.

Why are they all standing there in a daze? Did they fall asleep while standing?

White Zetsu looked confused, but Black Zetsu quickly gave him the correct answer: "It's an illusion, you idiot!"

"Itachi had already put Sasuke into the genjutsu space of Tsukuyomi from the very beginning."