"From the very beginning, you've repeatedly brought up this so-called hatred and your clan. You must be in immense pain, Uchiha Itachi."
Sasuke scoffed. "Of course. It's precisely because you cared so much about all of that that you gained those cursed eyes—the Mangekyō Sharingan—when you chose to kill them."
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Itachi's face froze, his cold expression momentarily flickering with a hint of agitation.
His eyes flickered almost imperceptibly for a split second, then his lips slowly curled into a smile that widened steadily.
"Pain?! Hahahahahahahaha!"
Itachi's laughter grew louder and more violent, his shoulders shaking violently as his manic, deranged laughter filled the air.
"Everyone relies on their own knowledge and understanding, yet they are also bound by it, calling it 'reality.'"
As his laughter subsided, Itachi's gaze fixed on Sasuke with amusement. "You think I suffered greatly when I killed them? Yes, I did suffer. But that's just my capacity. The so-called clan, family, and pain—they all pale in comparison to the exquisite sensation of wielding the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Wonderful, you say? Heh."
Sasuke let out a dry laugh, baring his teeth in a sneer. "That man who always wore a solemn expression but secretly brimmed with pride for you, the one who constantly muttered, 'Truly, he's worthy of being my son.' And that woman, so gentle and considerate, who always worried about you no matter how late you worked or how late you came home, who always had your chopsticks and bowl ready."
"When your blade struck them down, when their blood splattered across your face—that feeling must have been truly wonderful, right? Heh."
"You probably didn't know this, Uchiha Itachi, but when I buried them both, I saw only peace on their faces. Even in their final moments, though perhaps there was confusion in their hearts, there was not a trace of resentment."
Fugaku and Mikoto were buried by Konoha, but that didn't stop Sasuke from using their memory to provoke Itachi.
'You want to provoke me?'
'Come on, then. Let's hurt each other and see who breaks first.'
For Sasuke, who had long since mastered this body, the memories of that night no longer carried the crushing grief they once had.
"Really? Why would they resent you?" Sasuke murmured softly, a hint of sentimentality on his face. "After all, you were always the son they deeply loved and were so proud of."
Hearing these words, Uchiha Itachi felt a sharp pang in his heart, as if a blade had pierced it deeply and twisted countless times. Waves of agonizing pain washed over him, momentarily stealing his breath.
'How could he not know?'
'You're such a kind and gentle child. No matter what path you choose, we'll always be proud of you.'
For a fleeting moment, his parents' dying words echoed softly in his ears, their voices as tender as they had been that night.
But he was, after all, a master of concealing his emotions—the man hailed as the Ninja World's greatest Oscar-winning actor.
His expression remained utterly impassive as he narrowed his eyes slightly, regarding Sasuke. "So-called familial bonds and clan loyalty are merely obsessions of the petty-minded. True greatness lies in transcending such barriers. Growth means surpassing one's own boundaries. That is precisely why I attained the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
Sasuke had grown considerably in both cunning and wisdom, just as Itachi's intelligence reports had indicated.
He had now realized that something was amiss, but he had to continue playing his meticulously crafted deception.
"Aren't you the one truly obsessed with all this, Uchiha Itachi?" Sasuke called out from afar, his voice as calm as still water, as if Itachi's words had stirred no ripple in his heart.
"You slaughtered your closest family and dearest friends to obtain those cursed eyes, yet you've remained trapped between the joy of gaining power and the agony of murdering those you loved. You can never forgive yourself or accept your own feelings, so you deceive yourself with the lies you've woven.
"'Those who endure endless torment never die; longevity is the greatest curse of the Avīci Hell.'
"You're not as indifferent as you claim. You can't let go, and that's why you suffer so deeply, Uchiha Itachi!
"But I—I am the one who has truly let go, Uchiha Itachi!"
Sasuke grinned, baring his sharp, white teeth. His crimson Sharingan snapped wide open, their irises veined with ferocious bloodshot lines.
"Family, kinship, hatred—they're all utterly insignificant to me. Just fleeting scenery along my path to ascend to the heavens! Hahahahahahahaha!"
"Are those two brothers just tearing into each other, picking at old wounds?"
Outside the battlefield, White Zetsu watched the brothers exchanging verbal jabs with confusion.
"Probably," Black Zetsu replied after a moment's hesitation.
Though Uchiha Itachi was a monstrously filial son who had committed extreme and unforgivable acts, Black Zetsu knew deep down that the man had always deeply loved his family and kin.
As for Uchiha Sasuke, based on the intelligence they possessed, it was clear that he was far from indifferent to the events he claimed to disregard.
'These two brothers are putting on a show for each other!' Black Zetsu quickly concluded.
'Who in the entire Ninja World could possibly match my acting skills?' It was like dancing before Uchiha Madara, utterly ignorant of one's own insignificance.
Black Zetsu sneered, convinced he had completely seen through the two brothers' charade.
On the battlefield, Uchiha Itachi watched Sasuke laughing in the distance, his eyes narrowing and his gaze growing colder.
This version of Sasuke was beyond his expectations—too calm, too detached.
As for Sasuke's claim of not caring, Uchiha Itachi didn't believe it for a moment.
Based on the intelligence he'd gathered and Sasuke's unwavering resolve to protect their teacher, Kakashi, by facing two formidable Akatsuki opponents in succession, Itachi knew that despite Sasuke's unnerving composure, he remained someone who deeply valued bonds.
This realization brought Itachi a measure of relief.
'So, let's see just how much your Sharingan has truly perceived.'
Itachi's lips barely moved, but he ultimately remained silent.
Sasuke, ever perceptive, sensed Itachi's inner torment, but it didn't matter. That night, Itachi had told Sasuke that to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, one must kill their closest loved one. And since it was the closest loved one, the emotional connection must be profound.
All Sasuke needed to know was that Itachi was the criminal who murdered their parents and slaughtered their clan. That was enough.
"These Sharingan reflect your death! Uchiha Itachi!" Sasuke declared, lifting his head and speaking with chilling calm. "I will end your suffering now. Those who commit unforgivable sins deserve only death!"
___
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