Uchiha Itachi shook his head slightly, a trace of complex emotion flashing through his eyes.
"You want to use Shisui's left eye to deal with Danzo?"
"That's far too naive."
"Do you think I haven't thought of it myself?"
"That old fox Danzo, after transplanting Shisui's eye, has resistance to genjutsu far beyond what you imagine."
"Even Kotoamatsukami isn't absolute. If both eyes are used against each other, the outcome is unpredictable."
"And more importantly…"
Itachi paused, his scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan fixing its gaze on Kakashi.
"Shisui's eye has an extremely long cooldown. Once it's activated, it takes decades before it can be used again."
Listening to this series of calm, well-reasoned refusals, Kakashi rubbed his chin, looking troubled.
"Tch… what a stubborn brother-complex."
He sighed inwardly.
It was clear now that relying on words alone to get this overly cautious man to hand over Shisui's eye was nearly impossible.
Itachi wasn't just vigilant—he had his own ironclad logic.
He had hidden Shisui's left eye inside a crow, either to counter Sasuke's future Mangekyō or to protect Konoha itself.
Trying to get him to give it up now was no different from trying to ascend to the heavens.
Seeing how firm Itachi's stance was, Kakashi knew that Talk-no-Jutsu wasn't going to work today.
He sighed helplessly, scratched his head, and withdrew the pressure he had been exerting.
"Since you're absolutely unwilling to hand it over, then forget it."
"I'm not the type to force people… even though I really want to."
Kakashi shrugged, looked at the man burdened with an inescapable fate, and shifted the topic.
"But even without Shisui's eye, have you thought about how you'll face what comes next?"
"Sasuke's growth is far beyond your expectations."
"He's signed a contract with the Monkey Clan, awakened the Sharingan, and already has a clear goal."
"From here on out, the speed at which he grows will only accelerate."
Kakashi stared directly into Itachi's eyes, his tone grave.
"Are you truly prepared to… die by Sasuke's hands?"
Within the Tsukuyomi world, the air seemed to freeze solid.
Uchiha Itachi remained silent for a long time.
Slowly, he lowered his head, staring at his bloodstained hands. His voice was hoarse and heavy with a sorrow long since decided.
"That is my atonement."
"For someone like me, whose hands are drenched in blood… who betrayed the clan…"
"To die at the hands of my only younger brother is my best possible ending."
"And it is also the final conclusion for the tragic Uchiha Clan."
Hearing this, Kakashi shook his head, his expression complicated.
"What a stubborn and self-righteous man."
"Always thinking you can carry everything alone, arrange everything alone…"
"Yet never once asking whether the ones left behind are willing."
"Enough."
Kakashi waved his hand, as if he'd lost interest in continuing the conversation.
"Since you've already made up your mind, I just hope that when the time comes… you won't regret it."
"Let's end today's meeting here."
"And finally…"
Kakashi suddenly raised his head. His left Mangekyō Sharingan erupted with an unprecedented, brilliant crimson glow.
"To keep your shark-faced partner from getting suspicious…"
"We'll need to put on a convincing show."
"And while we're at it—let me show you what I'm really capable of."
Hum—!
The pattern in Kakashi's left eye spun violently, and a terrifying ocular power that twisted space itself locked onto the entire Tsukuyomi world.
"Kamui!"
Crack—!!!
This time, it wasn't just a fracture.
It was total collapse.
The blood-red moon in the sky was ripped apart by an invisible vortex.
The black-and-white Tsukuyomi world shattered like a mirror, exploding into countless fragments under Kamui's domineering spatial force.
"What?!"
In the real world.
Inside the forest.
The bodies of the two figures standing opposite each other jerked violently.
"Ugh!"
Uchiha Itachi groaned, stumbling back several steps.
He clutched his left eye, unable to stop blood from pouring through his fingers.
That was the severe backlash of Tsukuyomi being forcibly broken.
His aura instantly withered, his face turning deathly pale, his footing unsteady.
"Itachi-san?!"
Hoshigaki Kisame, who had been watching from the side, was shocked.
He had never seen Itachi suffer such a loss in a genjutsu confrontation—this looked like outright defeat.
"That guy…"
Kisame snapped his head toward Kakashi, his eyes filled with wariness.
At that moment, a thin line of bloody tears also flowed from Kakashi's left eye.
Yet he remained standing steadily, even raising a hand to wipe away the blood, his gaze still sharp and composed.
"It seems… the outcome has been decided, Itachi."
Kakashi spoke calmly.
Uchiha Itachi panted heavily. He gave Kakashi a long, deep look before turning to Kisame and speaking in a low voice.
"Kisame… retreat."
"His ocular power is not inferior to mine."
"If we continue fighting, it will draw Konoha's main forces."
"We'll be dragged into a prolonged battle."
Though unwilling and eager to slash Kakashi, Kisame could only grit his teeth upon seeing Itachi's condition and sheath Samehada.
"Tch… consider yourself lucky, Kakashi."
"Next time we meet, I'll drain every last drop of your chakra."
With that, Kisame supported Itachi, and the two flickered away, disappearing into the depths of the forest.
Several days later.
Hokage Office.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating towering stacks of documents.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked noticeably older. Though the Konoha Crush had been resolved, the aftermath—reconstruction and diplomacy—had exhausted him.
Still, his expression now was one of relief.
Standing before him were Kakashi and Haku, who had fully recovered from their injuries.
"As for that so-called 'investigation' incident, I've already suppressed it."
Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe and retrieved a brand-new Konoha forehead protector from the drawer.
"You've passed your probation period."
"From today onward, you are officially a shinobi of Konoha."
"You will be assigned under Kakashi Hatake's team as special auxiliary personnel."
"As long as your heart belongs to Konoha, Konoha is your home."
Haku accepted the forehead protector with trembling hands, his eyes slightly reddened.
He looked toward Kakashi beside him, who smiled and nodded.
"Put it on, Haku."
"Yes!"
A few more days passed.
At the gates of Konoha Village, two figures carrying packs prepared to depart.
One was Jiraiya—white-haired, tall, and utterly unserious.
The other was Naruto Uzumaki, brimming with excitement.
"Pervy Sage! Where are we even going?!"
Naruto shouted while running. "Didn't you say we were going to train?"
Jiraiya laughed loudly.
"Training's a given! But before that, we've got to go find a bad-tempered old hag!"
"Old hag?" Naruto tilted his head in confusion.
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