"This is no ordinary Sharingan," Nagato murmured, his legendary Rinnegan focusing intently on the transformed pattern within Itachi's crimson eyes.
The three black tomoe had linked together, their individual forms merging into a distinctive triangular configuration that pulsed with newly awakened power. The design was both elegant and ominous—a perfect reflection of the tragedy that had birthed it.
"Another Mangekyō?" Nagato felt genuine shock ripple through his consciousness.
Even throughout the storied history of the Uchiha clan, only a handful of individuals had ever successfully awakened the highest form of the Sharingan. The requirements were simply too demanding—the emotional trauma too severe for most minds to survive intact.
Yet here in Konoha, three separate individuals now possessed this legendary power. The implications for future conflicts were staggering.
Despite wielding the supreme eye known as the Rinnegan, Nagato understood that Mangekyō Sharingan abilities could never be underestimated. Each pair was unique, carrying powers that could fundamentally alter the course of battle in ways that defied conventional tactics.
What made this development particularly dangerous was Itachi's demonstrated proficiency with genjutsu. Even with his basic three-tomoe Sharingan, the young prodigy had managed to momentarily trap Nagato in an illusion—a feat that few ninja could claim.
If Itachi could now access Mangekyō-level genjutsu techniques, he would represent a threat of unprecedented magnitude.
"Since you dare to appear before me, I have no choice but to eliminate you here and now," Nagato declared, his voice carrying the finality of an executioner's judgment.
His tactical mind was already calculating probabilities and outcomes. Although they intended to destroy Konoha entirely today, even with his overwhelming power, it would be impossible to eliminate every elite warrior the village possessed. Some would inevitably escape to fight another day.
Uchiha Itachi, having just awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, would likely develop into a threat equal to Uchiha Shisui given sufficient time. Such an enemy needed to be destroyed immediately, before his new abilities could mature into something truly dangerous.
Nagato spread his arms wide, his purple eyes burning with deadly intent.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Once again, devastating repulsive force erupted outward from his floating form, sending massive chunks of debris flying in all directions like projectiles from some divine cannon. The technique was precisely calibrated—powerful enough to scatter his opponents but controlled enough to avoid wasting energy on unnecessary destruction.
Faced with this overwhelming blast of kinetic energy, Itachi, Kakashi, and Kushina were all hurled backward, their defensive formations shattered in an instant.
"Time is running short," Nagato thought grimly as he watched his enemies tumble through the air.
The massive Shinra Tensei he had used earlier to devastate Konoha would have temporarily blocked Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the other elite defenders. But that advantage wouldn't last forever. Once those legendary fighters regrouped and coordinated their assault, even he would face serious difficulties.
His sensory abilities confirmed that both Uchiha Shisui and the Third Hokage had exhausted most of their strength protecting civilians during the earlier bombardment. If he could eliminate all three current opponents while they were isolated and weakened, it would represent a decisive blow to Konoha's remaining combat capability.
As the three figures were scattered by his repulsive attack, Kakashi maintained his grip on a specially marked kunai, slowly channeling chakra into the inscription carved along its blade.
The marking began to emit a faint but distinctive glow—a beacon that would guide reinforcements to their position.
Swish!
Even as he flew backward, Kakashi managed to form hand seals with his free hand before placing his palm on Kushina's shoulder.
In an instant, her form vanished from its trajectory, teleported to safety through his still-developing mastery of the Flying Thunder God technique.
After ensuring the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki was secure, Kakashi hurled his marked kunai with desperate precision.
A length of ninja wire was attached to the weapon's handle, and when the blade embedded itself in a section of broken mountainside, Kakashi seized the line with both hands.
CRACK!
The wire went taut with violent force, arresting his momentum and allowing him to swing back toward the battle zone rather than being blown completely away.
"The target is Itachi," Kakashi realized with growing alarm.
Nagato had used his repulsive technique to separate them for a reason—divide and conquer was a classic tactic when facing multiple opponents. By isolating each enemy, he could eliminate them one by one before they could coordinate an effective defense.
However, Kakashi had faith in Itachi's abilities. The young ANBU captain wouldn't be defeated easily, even by someone of Nagato's caliber.
As Nagato streaked through the air toward his chosen target, Itachi had already completed his own preparations.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive sphere of roaring flames erupted from Itachi's mouth—easily several meters in diameter and hot enough to melt steel. The technique was executed with the precision and power that marked him as one of the Uchiha clan's most gifted fire users.
Nagato made no attempt to dodge or evade the incoming attack. Instead, a translucent barrier of chakra materialized around his body, forming a protective shell that absorbed the surrounding flames without apparent effort.
His speed was superior to Itachi's, so even after passing directly through the fireball, he emerged less than ten meters from his target—well within range for close combat.
Lock!
At that critical moment, Itachi's newly awakened Mangekyō fixed directly on Nagato's position. The unique pattern in his left eye crystallized with focused intent as he attempted to activate his dormant ocular ability.
"It didn't work?" Itachi thought with growing concern.
Having just awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, he was completely unfamiliar with the specific abilities these eyes possessed. He had hoped to take advantage of the close-range encounter to test his new power against such a formidable opponent, but nothing had happened.
"This must be what Yoruki and Shisui meant about effective range limitations," he realized.
Whether it was Uchiha Yoruki's devastating Amaterasu flames or Shisui's reality-altering Kotoamatsukami, every Mangekyō technique had specific distance requirements for optimal effectiveness. Attempting to use an unfamiliar ability at the wrong range was worse than useless—it was potentially fatal.
Nagato's enhanced perception had clearly observed Itachi gathering chakra in his left eye, only for the technique to fail completely.
"Foolish," he thought with contempt. "Attempting to use such immature abilities against an opponent of my caliber."
It was a rookie mistake that would cost the young Uchiha his life.
Just as Nagato prepared to close the final distance, Itachi's hands shifted into a different seal configuration.
"Universal Pull!"
But Nagato had no intention of allowing his opponent to complete another technique. Gravitational force exploded from his outstretched palm, forcibly disrupting Itachi's hand seals and yanking him forward into striking range.
In his other hand, a black chakra receiver materialized—one of the signature weapons that could disrupt an opponent's chakra system and potentially allow for remote control.
However, Itachi wasn't completely helpless against such tactics.
BANG!
Without warning, a shadow clone appeared beside the original, moving with fluid coordination that spoke of countless hours of training.
The duplicate immediately drew the katana from its back and passed the weapon to Itachi's main body in a seamless exchange.
The hand seals Itachi had been forming were nothing more than an elaborate feint. In reality, both of his hands had been weaving different techniques simultaneously—one serving as misdirection while the other created the shadow clone that would provide him with the weapon he needed.
CLANG!
Gripping the sword with both hands, Itachi managed to intercept Nagato's chakra receiver at the last possible moment, the clash of metal on metal ringing across the battlefield like a bell.
Crack!
As the two combatants struggled for advantage in their weapon lock, a brilliant flash of lightning erupted behind Nagato as Kakashi arrived with his signature Raikiri technique.
"You recovered quickly," Nagato observed with grudging respect.
Rather than attempting to defend against the lightning-enhanced attack, he simply allowed repulsive force to surge outward from his body once again.
Both Itachi and Kakashi were hurled backward, though this blast was notably weaker than his previous techniques. Even so, the force was sufficient to send both ninja skidding across the broken ground, their feet carving long furrows in the earth.
Seeing Kakashi's successful rescue attempt, Nagato's expression hardened with cold determination. Multiple mechanical arms sprouted from his back like the limbs of some technological spider, each one tipped with an energy cannon.
"Die," he said simply.
Purple light began gathering in the muzzles of several mechanical appendages, all trained on Kakashi's position with lethal precision.
Kakashi's face went pale as he realized the sheer firepower being brought to bear against him.
Flash!
Suddenly, a familiar figure materialized directly in front of the Copy Ninja, moving with speed that defied visual tracking.
The first thing Kakashi noticed was the distinctive white haori embroidered with the kanji for "Fourth Hokage"—a sight that filled his heart with relief and renewed hope.
"Sensei!" Kakashi exclaimed, his voice cracking with emotion and gratitude.
Nagato's cold expression transformed completely as he recognized the newcomer. His purple eyes widened with something approaching genuine alarm.
"Namikaze Minato?!" he breathed, the name carrying weight that even his tremendous power couldn't dismiss.
Minato raised his gaze to meet Nagato's legendary eyes, his own expression shifting as recognition dawned.
"Those eyes... you're..."
Meanwhile, in the Dark Ocean Depths
Far below the surface of the chaotic sea, where currents still swirled with the residual energy of their titanic battle, a lifeless figure drifted slowly toward the abyssal depths.
The masked man's body showed no signs of life whatsoever—his chakra signature had been completely extinguished, his heart pierced through by Minato's blade. Death had claimed him as thoroughly as it had ever claimed anyone.
Yet as the corpse sank through the dark waters, something impossible began to occur.
The eyelids beneath the spiral mask seemed to twitch with the faintest suggestion of movement.
Flicker!
Without warning, the left eye that had been sealed in death suddenly snapped open, revealing a blood-red iris that was rapidly losing its distinctive color.
The Sharingan was fading, its crimson light dimming like a dying star as some unknown force began to stir within the supposedly lifeless form.
What should have been the end was instead becoming something far more sinister—a resurrection that defied every law of nature and death itself.