Itachi's connection to Shikkotsu Forest began two years ago. By chance, he'd saved a tiny slug—Miao Miao—from the jaws of a snake. Miao Miao was the child of the forest's founder, the Slug Sage, Katsuyu.
A child, though Katsuyu had no mate. The phenomenon stemmed from a little-known ability beyond simple division: self-propagation.
Itachi had escorted Miao Miao home. The thousand-year-old Katsuyu, however, didn't easily trust humans. She assumed Itachi, like past visitors, merely coveted the forest's sage power.
But he had returned her child. So instead of killing him, she'd crafted a trial—an illusion. Itachi passed. Within it, Katsuyu used a sage art akin to mind-reading, witnessing his life: the truth of the Uchiha massacre, the crushing burden he carried. She was deeply moved.
Thus, an unlikely friendship bloomed across ages. Itachi vowed never to reveal his visit; Katsuyu promised never to expose his truth. That was why, in the previous life, this bond remained utterly hidden. It was also why Edo Tensei Itachi, fighting alongside Sasuke against Sage Mode Kabuto, had so casually mentioned 'Shikkotsu Forest' and 'Ryūchi Cave'.
Back then, sensing Itachi's terminal illness, Katsuyu had offered him sanctuary to convalesce. But Itachi's path was set. He had a mission: a promise to the Third Hokage to spy on Akatsuki. And a resolve: to die by Sasuke's hand, so his brother might inherit his eyes and their eternal light.
Katsuyu respected his choice. She'd gifted him medicine to slow the disease's progress… and a tonic to delay the Mangekyō's blindness.
That was why his sight endured, with no significant decay, right up to his final battle.
Yet, despite their deep bond, Itachi had never once learned Shikkotsu Forest's sage arts.
Guided by Miao Miao, Itachi stood before Katsuyu's true form.
Even as close friends, he remembered his place. He knelt, pressing his forehead to the damp earth. "Lady Katsuyu. Forgive this unannounced visit from your junior, Uchiha Itachi."
Her true body was vaster than a Complete Body — Susano'o. Lifting his gaze, all he saw was an endless, pale expanse.
For easier conversation, Katsuyu employed an ability similar to the White Snake Sage's. Her form shifted, condensing into that of a human girl. She landed gracefully before him, helping him up with a gentle, knowing smile. "Itachi. I am very happy you came."
Itachi nodded, returning the smile.
They settled.
"Your condition has worsened," Katsuyu observed, her tone soft with concern. "Has your heart been too heavy lately?"
"I cannot hide it from you," Itachi admitted. "Things have happened to my brother… things beyond my understanding."
"Sasuke? It must be that snake Orochimaru's doing!" Her gentle expression hardened. "Next time I see him, I'll melt him with acid!"
Itachi's eyes grew shadowed. "The problem… likely isn't Orochimaru alone."
"Tell me everything."
And so, Itachi did. He spoke of Sasuke's actions since deserting Konoha: the series of strikes against Akatsuki, the… terrifying battle records.
Katsuyu listened, then fell into deep thought. A flicker of confusion crossed her human face. "I… cannot grasp it either. If you could bring him to me, my 'mind-reading' might uncover the truth. But that seems impossible…"
"My reckoning with Sasuke must be moved forward," Itachi stated. "I have sent the invitation. One month from now."
"One month? That is… very tight. And from your description, his current power may surpass yours."
"Dying by Sasuke's hand is as it should be," Itachi said, his voice steady. "But through this battle, I must, at the very least, understand what has happened to him."
Katsuyu sighed softly. "Itachi. Speak plainly. What do you need from me?"
He met her gaze, earnest and clear. "Please. Grant me the power of your sage arts."
Katsuyu had anticipated this. She was not surprised.
She rose, pacing a few steps before turning her back to him. The air in the forest seemed to still.
"The essence of Sage Arts is a balance: physical energy, spiritual energy, and natural energy. The three great sage paths differ in their emphasis."
"Mount Myōboku emphasizes natural energy. Its art is the most balanced of the three. Hence, the 'Harmonizing Sage Art.'"
"Ryūchi Cave emphasizes physical energy. Upon activation, the body undergoes visible changes, and emotions surge to extremes. Hence—the 'Mutating Sage Art.'"
She turned, her eyes holding ancient wisdom.
"My Shikkotsu Forest's art is Ryūchi Cave's opposite. We emphasize spiritual energy. Mastery of the 'heart' is paramount. Upon activation, spiritual energy ascends to a new plane, and the mind enters a state of perfect, still clarity. Hence—the 'Silent Sage Art.'"
She studied him.
"Itachi. Born of the Uchiha, your spiritual energy is abundant. Your mental fortitude is transcendent. You possess the foundation to learn the Silent Sage Art. However, Sage Arts are ultimately an art of balance. Physical energy is your weakness. Therefore, you cannot master it fully, as the Lady Mito once did. But… you can master half."
Itachi bowed his head slightly. "I do not aspire to reach the heights of Lady Mito Uzumaki. To wield half the power of sage arts is, for me, a supreme blessing."
"Come with me, Itachi." Katsuyu gestured towards the deeper woods. "I will take you to the 'Grove of Stillness' for the initiation ritual. The rest… will depend on you."
"I understand."
His mind was already made up. If a full-power battle still failed to unravel the mysteries shrouding Sasuke… then he would use the 'left eye' Shisui had entrusted to him. He would unleash the ultimate genjutsu—Kotoamatsukami—upon his brother. To prevent Sasuke from being used by Orochimaru, from walking a path that would destroy him.
The thought twisted inside him—a deep, visceral rejection. But his time in Akatsuki… it showed him the abyssal darkness of the shinobi world. Sasuke's feats might project power beyond his own, but Itachi feared, with a cold dread, one misstep. One error that would plunge his brother into ruin beyond redemption.
He had laid meticulous plans for after his death, a path to ensure Sasuke lived as he intended. And yet… in the deepest, most contradictory corner of his heart… a frail, stubborn hope flickered. A hope that Sasuke would shatter every one of his expectations.
A quiet monologue echoed in the chambers of his soul:
Everyone lives bound by their own knowledge and perceptions… and they call that 'reality.' But knowledge and perception are ambiguous things. Perhaps reality is merely an illusion. We all live inside our own consciousness. Sasuke… can you break my 'reality'? If you can… then even in death, I will be proud of you.
And so, Itachi and Sasuke, each carrying thoughts and convictions their past selves never knew, moved towards their fate.
One month. It passed in the space of a breath, in the blink of a blood-red eye.
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