After the accident involving Kakuzu and Hidan, the sealing of the Two-Tails was paused. Itachi and Kisame were then assigned by Pain to capture the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
After four days, they finally found the wandering monk, Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, who had left Iwagakure due to ideological differences with the Tsuchikage.
Because Water Release counters Lava Release, and Kisame's greatsword, Sharohada, can extract chakra from a Jinchuriki,
Itachi didn't need to intervene; Kisame alone defeated and captured Roshi.
Now they were planning to take Roshi back to Akatsuki's newest secret base to complete the extraction of the Four-Tails.
Logically, Pain hadn't contacted them for four days, and even the Akatsuki members shouldn't know their exact location.
"Watch out, someone's coming!"
Just then, Kisame suddenly sensed something and looked in the direction the owl had disappeared. Kisame followed suit and saw Kakashi and the others flying in from a distance.
"So it's those guys from Konoha. The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is here too. This makes things easier."
They'd just captured the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, and now the most troublesome Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had delivered himself to their doorstep—it was like a windfall.
As for whether it would backfire?
Look at those guys. The leader, Kakashi, was instantly killed by Itachi four years ago.
The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki still couldn't fully control the power of the Tailed Beast; he was nothing to fear.
As for the three behind him, he didn't even recognize them; clearly, they weren't minor characters worth his attention.
"Itachi-san, you're not feeling well. Let me handle this."
Kisame tossed the heavily injured and unconscious Four-Tails Jinchuriki from Sharohata to the ground, revealing a row of shark-like teeth as he looked at Kakashi and the others who had landed in front of him.
Itachi was stronger than him, but due to the burden of the Sharingan and some unknown reason, his health had never been very good.
Therefore, unless the enemy was too strong, or Itachi insisted on taking action, Kisame usually handled the battles.
This included capturing the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
"Be careful!"
Itachi glanced at Kakashi, then at Naruto, before retreating to the side of the heavily injured and unconscious Roshi.
"Itachi, come back to Konoha with us."
Kakashi said directly to Itachi as soon as he landed.
Before Itachi could answer, Kisame pointed Sharohata at Kakashi.
"You've got some nerve saying that to me!"
He thought Kakashi meant to arrest Itachi, the Konoha traitor, and bring him back to the village for punishment.
Kakashi ignored Kisame and continued speaking to Itachi:
"Danzo is dead, and everyone knows the truth about the Uchiha massacre. You don't need to stay in Akatsuki anymore; you can go back to Konoha."
Itachi immediately looked up at Kakashi, remained silent for three seconds, and then slowly replied:
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Kakashi was clearly taken aback by Itachi's answer.
He hadn't expected Itachi to give such a response.
Logically, it shouldn't be like this.
"Itachi, do you even consider Sasuke a brother? You're no longer needed to infiltrate; come with us and bring Sasuke back to the village!"
Naruto shouted angrily at Itachi.
After learning the truth, he felt sympathy for Itachi, but also anger.
He didn't understand. If he hadn't truly betrayed the village,
why treat Sasuke that way?
Why keep fueling Sasuke's hatred, immersing Sasuke's life in it?
Was it just to gain Akatsuki's trust?
But had he ever considered Sasuke's perspective? Had he ever asked Sasuke's opinion?
"Why are you so fixated on my brother? That guy's a rogue ninja, isn't he?"
Itachi didn't answer Naruto, but instead asked.
Naruto gritted his teeth:
"Brother!"
"At least compared to you, I consider him a brother."
Hearing Naruto's answer, a smile appeared on Itachi's lips, then he activated his Sharingan.
In an instant, Naruto found everyone around him gone, and he found himself in a red sky, enveloped by a flock of crows, one of which flew into his beak.
He knew he was under Itachi's genjutsu, but just as he was about to break free by disrupting his own chakra, he found everything back to normal. It was as if the scene had never happened.
"Kisame, kill them. Take the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki back to base."
Itachi, his usual expressionless face returning, spoke to Kisame.
Removing his status as a rogue ninja, revealing the truth about the Uchiha clan massacre, becoming a hero who could sacrifice his clan for the greater good of the village—those were not what he sought.
After agreeing to Danzo's conditions, killing his parents with his own hands, and destroying his clan, his heart was dead.
He couldn't forgive himself; living was merely torture for him.
The his only belief was to hone Sasuke through his own efforts, so that Sasuke would eventually kill him, the rogue ninja, obtain his eye, and become a hero of Konoha.
Then, the Uchiha clan could thrive in Konoha, continue their lineage, and no longer be feared by the village as before.
However, Sasuke was too naive. He worried that after his death, Sasuke would be influenced and eventually turn against the village.
Therefore, he placed the Sharingan that Shisui had given him into Naruto, who considered Sasuke a brother.
If one... If the worst happens, Shisui's eye will activate Kotoamatsukami, rewriting Sasuke's thoughts.
Therefore, he naturally can't let Sasuke know the truth yet; otherwise, Sasuke won't try to kill him again, nor will he want his eye.
Of course, he won't actually let Kakashi and the others be killed by Kisame; he'll find a way to let them go at a crucial moment.
Then he'll go directly to Sasuke and start the pre-arranged battle ahead of schedule.
"Hahaha, understood, Itachi-san!"
Kisame Hoshigaki wouldn't believe a word the other side said. He grabbed the sharkskin and charged towards the other side.
"Boom!"
The next second, Kisame Hoshigaki, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, known as the "Tailless Tailed Beast," who had killed the Daimyo of the Land of Water, an S-rank rogue ninja of the Mist Village, and who had defeated Rōshi, the Jinchūriki who fully utilized the power of the Four-Tails, fell asleep.
Standing beside the heavily injured and unconscious Kisame Hoshigaki, Goku, having retracted his leg, turned to look at Itachi, whose eyes were wide with disbelief.
"Do you choose to come with us willingly, or do you choose to be knocked unconscious and taken away by me?"
Because he had once read Danzo's memories, he had some understanding of Itachi, so during the conversation just now, he directly and curiously tried to read Itachi's mind.
Compared to Nagato, who possessed the Rinnegan, Itachi's Sharingan, while powerful, was not enough to stop him from reading minds.
After learning of Itachi's plan, he figured Kakashi and the others probably couldn't persuade Itachi, so knocking him out and taking him away would be easier.
Meanwhile, on a small hill outside Konoha Village, three figures suddenly appeared after a series of twists.
"That terrifying guy seems to have taken on some mission and left the village. He shouldn't be back anytime soon. Now is the time," said Zetsu, the pitcher plant.
Masked Obito looked at Kabuto Yakushi, who had fused with Orochimaru's cells, beside him:
"It's up to you now."
"Don't worry, this is a specially prepared Impure World Reincarnation technique, enough to recreate his power at his peak!"
Kabuto Yakushi clasped his hands together:
"Summoning Jutsu: Impure World Reincarnation!"
The complex jutsu unfolded on the ground, and a coffin slowly rose.
"Remember your promise. After everything is over, hand Sasuke over to me for research."
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