Mount Myōboku
The Great Toad Sage sat at the edge of a towering cliff overlooking a deep valley, his eyes tightly closed. Standing at his sides were Fukasaku and Shima, the two elder sages of Mount Myōboku.
Suddenly, both elders turned their gazes downward at the same time.
BOOM!
A massive cloud of dust erupted in the valley below. When the smoke finally cleared, a five-story building had appeared out of thin air at the valley's center.
Shun!
A figure instantly appeared on the open ground not far from the Great Toad Sage. He was holding a headless corpse in his hand—it was Naruto, disguised with the Transformation Jutsu.
Thud.
Down in the valley, Uchiha Itachi leapt out from a stairwell on the side of the building. The moment he landed, his eyes lifted toward the cliff, and the enormous form of the Great Toad Sage entered his vision.
"So it really was a trap… Then this place must be Mount Myōboku."
Poof!
Naruto on the cliff vanished into smoke. But at the exact moment the headless corpse hit the ground, three figures appeared atop the building in the valley.
Two were Narutos under Transformation Jutsu.
The third was Sasuke, his expression complicated.
"Sasuke?"
The instant the three appeared, Itachi had already turned around. Seeing Sasuke, a trace of gravity finally entered his eyes. He shifted his gaze to Naruto.
"So you're the one behind Konoha's recent string of incidents."
Naruto smiled lightly and nodded.
"Yes."
"You used the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki as bait to lure us into the inn," Itachi said calmly, his eyes gleaming with a strange light.
"You immobilized Kisame and me with a binding barrier, then killed Kisame instantly with space–time ninjutsu. After that, you even had Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin use Reverse Summoning to bring me here."
"The master of this place seems to treat you as an honored guest," Itachi continued. "And you even brought Sasuke before me."
"So… who are you?"
Sasuke frowned and was about to speak, but the silent Naruto beside him suddenly placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I thought you had already guessed, Itachi."
The speaking Naruto stepped forward, looking down at Itachi from above, his tone tinged with faint regret.
"I'm sorry. I can't reveal my true identity yet. For now, you may call me Ashura."
"Ashura?"
Itachi repeated the name once in his mind, then let it go. His expression remained calm.
"Why did you bring me here?"
"I have many reasons," Naruto replied with a smile.
"First, I want you to hand over Uchiha Shisui's left eye."
"Shisui's left eye?!"
Itachi's expression shifted. After a moment's thought, his gaze swept over Sasuke.
"I cannot give that eye to you."
"I understand."
Naruto reached for a dagger. Wind Release chakra instantly surged over the blade, extending it from less than a foot long to over a meter in length.
Without hesitation, he slashed backward toward Sasuke's neck.
"You—!"
"Why can't I move?! Curse Mark Binding?!"
Sasuke activated his Sharingan instantly, but terror flooded his face—his body wouldn't respond at all.
"Wait!"
The moment Sasuke's Sharingan appeared, Itachi's eyes shifted again, transforming into the three-bladed pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Naruto's wrist stopped mid-swing. The blade halted just short of Sasuke's throat.
Sasuke glared furiously at the other Naruto beside him. He could feel blood trickling down his neck.
The next instant, his vision blurred.
When it cleared, Sasuke found himself standing on the cliff before the Great Toad Sage. At his feet lay a headless corpse clad in the Akatsuki cloak.
"Itachi," Naruto said calmly, "I'm very much looking forward to your choice."
With a flick of his hand, Naruto sent a black object flying downward.
Slap.
Itachi caught it. It was a glass container filled with preservation fluid.
Without a word, he formed seals.
Poof!
A black crow burst forth, cawing as it circled before landing on his arm. Black flames erupted from its head.
A few breaths later, Itachi flicked his arm. Both crow and flames vanished without a trace.
Naruto clapped lightly, relaxed. A crystalline chair formed behind him, and he sat down with a soft chuckle.
"As expected. The Great Toad Sage's prophecy never fails."
The Mirror World
Naruto and Sasuke stood watching two floating data windows.
One showed Itachi's movements.
The other displayed Sasuke's subordinate-view perspective.
"Your brother figured out we were acting," Naruto said casually. "I honestly wasn't planning to stop. Your acting was a bit too dramatic. Want my help later?"
"No."
Sasuke nodded calmly.
"This is between him and me. He doesn't have a summoning contract that allows Reverse Summoning, and aside from Izanami—which I've accounted for—I know all his methods."
"There's no reason I can't capture him."
"Then I wish you success."
A portal of light opened. Sasuke turned and stepped through.
The instant he did, the Sasuke on the cliff split into four shadow clones that leapt down into the valley, while his real body donned flight armor and shot into the sky.
Behind Naruto, Kushina and the four Tailed Beasts appeared.
"Heh—so it finally begins!"
"I wonder how long Itachi can last in the real world."
"What do you think Sasuke will say to him?"
"I don't think he'll say anything."
"…Won't we see it anyway?"
Three Tailed Beasts turned to Isobu at once. Isobu froze, then curled up like a tire in panic.
Kushina shook her head and walked to Naruto's side.
"Naruto, what do you think Sasuke will say?"
Naruto glanced at Sasuke's data window and smiled faintly.
"Is this… the extent of my resolve?"
The Rain Country
Pain and Black Zetsu's projected forms stood within a dark cavern.
"Why have Itachi and Kisame gone silent?" Pain asked.
"I recorded it. See for yourself," Black Zetsu replied.
They watched as the inn was encased in stone, Jiraiya appeared, and the entire building vanished.
"They were Reverse Summoned to Mount Myōboku," Black Zetsu said. "But with their strength, they shouldn't have gone silent this long."
"It was a trap," Pain said calmly.
"My teacher is not that simple. Once they entered Mount Myōboku, they were never coming back."
"Whether dead or alive, Akatsuki's intelligence has been compromised."
"That's bad news."
"But I have good news too!" White Zetsu chimed in.
Pain stared coldly at the Yin–Yang face.
"Iwagakure and Kumogakure have begun infiltrating the Land of Fire."
"Barely acceptable."
Mount Myōboku — The Valley
Dark clouds filled the sky. Lightning coiled like chains through the heavens.
A colossal Susanoo—over fifty meters tall—emerged, holding a thunder bow.
Uchiha Itachi looked up… and smiled faintly.
"You've grown stronger, Sasuke."
"Yes," Sasuke replied flatly.
"Following the story you wrote for me, step by step."
"And now?"
"This story should have ended with me dying alongside our parents."
"You let me live—to serve my enemy, to grant you redemption."
"You're cruel," Sasuke continued. "But I no longer hate you. You and I are both sinners of the Uchiha."
"I'll let you live. To atone."
Lightning fell.
Susanoo shattered.
The End
Naruto stood over Itachi's body, dagger in hand.
Sasuke screamed.
But his eyes did not become Mangekyō.
The Great Toad Sage opened one eye.
"He cannot awaken it yet."
Naruto nodded slowly.
"So it's still not time."
Smoke burst.
Naruto vanished.
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