On the other side.
Orochimaru, encountering Itachi Uchiha again, was obviously somewhat annoyed.
Unlike ordinary people, Orochimaru did not lack the courage to face fear directly. Besides, at this moment, he still had Yakushi Kabuto, Guren, Jugo, and Tayuya, several subordinates by his side.
Sensing something strange, Itachi didn't make extra moves, just slowly turned sideways, making a gesture of giving way.
Orochimaru was somewhat wary: "What do you want to do?"
Itachi said indifferently: "None of your business."
He neither chose to explain nor showed any sign of weakness, just standing quietly.
Orochimaru hesitated for a moment, then said to the subordinates beside him: "Let's go!"
In the blink of an eye, Orochimaru's group passed by Itachi Uchiha and sped away.
Looking at the backs of Orochimaru and others, doubt finally appeared on Itachi's face, thinking: "Someone is pretending to be me? Who could it be?"
Orochimaru's actions just now clearly indicated that he had encountered him before, and it should be not long ago.
But Itachi was certain he hadn't troubled Orochimaru before, so the only explanation was someone impersonating him.
Soon, Itachi threw this doubt to the back of his mind.
Currently, he didn't have much time for free movement. Once the organization recovered, his actions would be restricted again. So he must seize the time to pass the collected intelligence to the hands of the Five Kage before the real decisive battle!
Thinking of this, Itachi flashed and disappeared from the spot.
Elite squad side.
After the battle, Yakumo and others set up a temporary small camp on the spot.
It wasn't that they didn't want to retreat immediately, but there were too many wounded in the squad. Kakashi, as the captain, was still in a coma and hadn't woken up yet. And Guy, Chiriku, Ryuzetsu, and Chino, who were hit by 'Amaterasu', were seriously injured.
Among them, if Guy and Chiriku's injuries were not treated immediately, it might even endanger their lives.
And Sasuke, after releasing 'Susanoo' and 'State Two', was directly exhausted.
It could be said that except for Yakumo, Gaara, and Darui who was knocked down by Itachi's Genjutsu at the very beginning, everyone in the squad was injured, and not lightly.
Even Yakumo and Gaara had very severe chakra consumption and urgently needed rest.
Kurotsuchi came to Yakumo, who was treating Guy, and asked: "Is he okay?"
Yakumo shook her head: "Guy-senpai has large area burns on his body and must be hospitalized immediately. My medical ninjutsu can now only barely keep the injuries on his body from worsening."
Kurotsuchi frowned slightly: "So serious?"
Yakumo sighed: "Chiriku-senpai's situation is the same, also needing immediate hospitalization for comprehensive treatment."
Kurotsuchi turned her head and asked Ryuzetsu and Chino, wrapped in bandages all over: "Uh, are you two okay?"
Ryuzetsu said: "Okay, but probably can't fight anymore."
Unlike Guy and Chiriku who passed out, Ryuzetsu and Chino, injected with 'Blue Spider Lily No. 1', although heavily injured, still maintained consciousness and didn't faint.
Chino, relying on 'Ketsuryugan' pupil power to curb wound inflammation and bleeding, was even eating and drinking, seemingly not much affected.
Kurotsuchi sat cross-legged on the ground, lamenting: "Didn't expect Itachi Uchiha to be so strong!"
Listening to Kurotsuchi's lament, Sasuke leaning against a big tree aside looked gloomy.
He knew his strength was inferior to Itachi. After all, several consecutive challenges to Itachi ended in failure. But he never expected Itachi could be strong to this extent.
Yakumo echoed: "Yeah!"
Different from 'Upper Rank One' encountered in 'Infinity Castle' before, Itachi's strength was the kind of strength belonging to ninjas.
If an enemy like 'Upper Rank One' was a complete stats monster, totally relying on overwhelming speed and strength to crush opponents. Then Itachi just now was a typical tactical master combining Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu to the extreme.
Just like just now, Guy, Chiriku, Ryuzetsu, and Chino joining hands could easily suppress Itachi and control the situation. Unexpectedly, this was exactly what Itachi deliberately guided, aiming to detonate the Shadow Clone containing 'Amaterasu' at the most appropriate time.
After succeeding, Itachi instantly heavily injured Guy, Chiriku, Ryuzetsu, and Chino, reversing the situation in an instant.
Previously ruthlessly killing Sasuke, instantly subduing Darui and Kakashi with Genjutsu, etc., the timing was also grasped extremely precisely.
Looking back now, the squad clearly had a chance of winning, but the final result turned out like this, making people feel guilty and embarrassed.
Sasuke gritted his teeth: "Next time... next time I definitely won't let him go!"
Gaara said at this time: "Sasuke, why does his 'Susanoo' look somewhat different from yours, especially that shield and the flame sword extending from that gourd, any explanation?"
Sasuke frowned: "I'm not too clear about this either."
Yakumo also fell into contemplation.
She had seen Karin's 'Susanoo'. Intuition told her that although Karin's 'Susanoo' was far stronger than Sasuke's 'Susanoo', it seemed not to have that special shield and long sword on Itachi Uchiha's 'Susanoo'.
Kurotsuchi couldn't help but complain: "Aren't you also a Mangekyo Uchiha? Even you don't know?"
"I really don't know. I'll ask Shinji and Mumei after going back, they might know something." Pausing, Sasuke explained again: "Actually, even for us Mangekyo Uchiha, activating 'Susanoo' once is not a small burden. So if not necessary, we are..."
Yakumo seemed to catch something, suddenly interrupting Sasuke's explanation: "Sasuke, what did you just say?"
Sasuke was stunned, repeating what he just said: "Activating 'Susanoo' is also a burden for us Mangekyo Uchiha, so unless absolutely necessary, we rarely use 'Susanoo'."
Yakumo said in a deep voice: "I finally know where that weird feeling came from!"
Kurotsuchi asked: "What weird feeling?"
Others also cast their gazes over.
Yakumo said: "Sasuke, as far as I know, Mangekyo Sharingan's pupil power cannot be recovered naturally, right? Itachi Uchiha activated 'Susanoo' twice, 'Tsukuyomi' once, and 'Amaterasu' once just now. Can his eyes hold up?"
Instantly, Sasuke was struck as if by lightning, showing surprise and doubt on his face.
Previously immersed in defeat, he didn't notice. Hearing Yakumo mention it now, he suddenly realized something was wrong.
Itachi Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan awakened earlier than him, and pupil power consumption should be more than him, not less. Under normal circumstances, it should be impossible to use such an extravagant fighting style.
Before Sasuke could think carefully, a sound of footsteps suddenly came from the distance.
Everyone in the camp instantly became alert, looking over simultaneously, finding the owner of the footsteps was actually Itachi Uchiha in a red cloud cloak walking towards the camp.
Sasuke was instantly furious: "Itachi Uchiha!"