"Itachi-san, what a coincidence—once again we've run into your little brother."
Facing Team Seven on the opposite side, Hoshigaki Kisame couldn't help but give a playful grin. "This time that Wood Release ninja isn't here. Shall we make sure they remain here?"
Itachi Uchiha made no reply. Instead, his three–tomoe Sharingan was fixed on Sasuke, who had likewise activated his own three–tomoe Sharingan. Inwardly, he felt a surge of surprise.
What's going on?
It's only been six months since we last met, so how has Sasuke's chakra grown this strong?
What has happened to him during this time?
"Sasuke, don't be rash. Those two over there are both S–rank missing–nins."
Standing on guard, Kakashi Hatake had already lifted the headband off his left eye, exposing his three–tomoe Sharingan, and was sweating slightly. He warned in a low voice, "I'll hold them off. You all go find Naruto and get out of here quickly."
"Yeah, Sasuke, let's go look for Naruto first," Haruno Sakura pleaded, her face pale.
But Sasuke seemed not to hear them. He raised one hand, gathering a bright blue energy sphere about the size of a soccer ball, which then split off two smaller billiard–ball–sized energy orbs inside it.
Seeing this, both Itachi and Kisame, as well as Kakashi and Sakura, all showed expressions of alarm.
"Itachi-san, your little brother's possibly learned that Dust–Release–like secret technique too?" Kisame's teasing smile vanished at once. He laid one hand on the hilt of Samehada and was about to dash over—while Sasuke was still condensing that technique—to absorb his chakra.
However, Sasuke's move was faster than Kisame expected.
The two small orbs rapidly became blue–white in color, and on colliding with one another, made the soccer–ball–sized sphere also turn a blinding white.
"Storm Release: Judgment!"
Supporting the energy sphere, Sasuke pressed it forward. Instantly, it morphed into an enormous laser–like a beam, blasting at Itachi and Kisame.
Since they were stuck in a corridor, the space was quite narrow and the beam's girth was massive, making it impossible for the two to dodge by simple Body Flicker. Moreover, lasers travel at extreme speed—Itachi, even with a reaction measured in a few hundredths of a second, couldn't form a counter in time.
And once fully formed, that laser–type secret jutsu couldn't be absorbed even by Samehada.
Hence, both Itachi and Kisame unhesitatingly dove straight out the window.
The laser blasted through the corridor to its end, triggering an ear splitting roar.
Failing to kill them with that one big move, Sasuke immediately ended Storm Release: Judgment, then also leapt out through the window.
"Sakura, follow Pakkun to find Naruto, then leave at once. Regroup with my Shadow Clone," Kakashi instructed, and chased after Sasuke.
But the thunderous roar of Sasuke's laser attack inevitably drew the attention of the flying fortress.
"What happened?"
Inside the fortress, Haidou frowned as he was hosting Naruto, recently brought in by Temujin.
"Haidou–dono, I'll go have a look," said Temujin, a golden–haired knight in silver armor, respectful in tone.
"I'll come help," Naruto spoke up eagerly.
"Then I'll trouble you, Naruto," Haidou smiled.
Once the two were gone, however, Haidou's face sank.
He took out a photograph, showing the merchant Team Seven had been escorting. Except the real focus wasn't on Team Seven, but on an older man with a pet stoat perched on his shoulder.
Staring at the old man, Haidou muttered: "A stoat as a companion… Could he be a descendant of that bloodline?"
His face then revealed a sly smile: "Let both sides meet and we'll soon find out. Temujin, I hope you won't disappoint me!"
"That guy sure acts all righteous, but shows his true colors right away—what a schemer," a White Zetsu clone said in a hushed voice from a hidden corner, eavesdropping.
Simultaneously, it transmitted the intel back to the main White Zetsu in real–time.
Black Zetsu immediately shared the message with Obito, White Zetsu reporting, "Itachi and Kisame have run into Hatake Kakashi and Sasuke. They're fighting now."
"Aren't they supposed to capture that moving fortress? Why'd they run into that deadweight Kakashi?" Obito asked, puzzled.
White Zetsu replied, "Team Seven is on a mission. Naruto stumbled across that fortress's officer by chance, they fought briefly, but the officer ended up inviting Naruto to tour the fortress. Kakashi and Sasuke came to find him, ran into Itachi and Kisame—just pure coincidence."
"That's too big a coincidence." Obito grunted, then his body swirled away via Kamui, leaving only a single line in the air:
"A brother–versus–brother fight, hm? Well, I'll go watch."
…
"Idiot, didn't I tell you not to attack? You just had to, and now the entire ship's wrecked!"
"Heh heh… That's not fair, Sasori–bro. Those armored soldiers turned out immune to your poison. One of them could even fly, and if I hadn't struck in time, she would've escaped."
"Hmph, I'd already used my ace, Magnet Release, to seal the exit. Even a pair of wings wouldn't have helped her flee."
"Why didn't you say so earlier?!"
Inside the huge steel vessel hidden under the desert, the 'Art Duo' had just dealt with all the armored troops.
Sasori had taken out a massive scroll from one of his puppets, and was in the process of collecting the bodies of these armored soldiers, along with the vessel's high–tech equipment. Meanwhile, Deidara carried the captive bat–woman Kamira. The two bickered as they walked out of the steel ship.
Yet the moment they emerged onto the surface, they both fell silent.
Staring at nineteen human puppet–like figures, each riddled with black rods—no longer wearing Akatsuki robes, but clad in the white robes of the 'Otsutsuki Clan'—Deidara frowned, pressing a hand to his head: "Sasori–bro, that Toneri kid again, right?"
"Obviously," came Sasori's muffled voice from within Hiruko. A faint excitement laced his tone. "No one else. This time nobody's going to interrupt, so I can finally witness that guy's artistry."
"Hahah…"
Deidara likewise laughed aloud, hopping onto a white clay bird and soaring into the sky. He aimed at the puppet legion and challenged Izayoi in the distance: "Alright, little brother, let's have an art showdown!"
Explosions and the puppet legion slammed into each other in the desert, casting up huge clouds of dust.
In the distance, the White Zetsu clone who had guided them muttered in exasperation: "Those two fools, locked on by the Toneri kid again—are they gonna end up played like fools? I'd best hurry to inform our dear Nagato."
So he swiftly relayed the situation to Black Zetsu, who in turn compiled it into a brief, sealed intel scroll for Nagato.
Immediately upon reading it in coded form, decipherable only by himself, Konan, Obito, and Black Zetsu, Nagato frowned. He pondered:
"Indeed, he's noticed. Seems his eyes, or his clones, have been watching us this whole time."
"But it appears he can't perceive that special energy, or he wouldn't have simply gone after Sasori and Deidara."
"What exactly is that energy? Why is it somewhat similar to my Wood Release chakra?"
Nagato recalled that fleeting spike of power he sensed the other day. Had he not regained his prime and implanted Hashirama cells, thus enormously heightening his perception, he wouldn't even have detected it.
Putting together Black Zetsu's intel and that ephemeral energy, Nagato reckoned it must be tied to the mobile fortress melding into the mountains.
"Gelel Stone… what exactly is that? Looks like I'll have to act personally."
With that, Nagato set down the scroll, shaping a ring from Wood Release and Yin–Yang Release, and inscribed some letters onto a wooden plaque. Softly he called out:
"Zetsu."
"Here, Leader."
A White Zetsu clone popped up. Nagato handed over the ring and plaque, dismissing him with a wave. The White Zetsu clone sank back underground.
Meanwhile, the wood clone spying on Nagato transmitted the situation in real time to Izayoi.
The two owners of the Rinnegan and Tenseigan were making new moves again.
For the first time, Izayoi felt real pressure, grasping firsthand that a ninja's battle indeed came down to an intel war.
Previously, he'd always been unstoppable with future knowledge—but now, he lacked any advantage from his past–life memory. And the enemy had gleaned information about his Tenseigan, preparing countermeasures.
Aware that Nagato's next move was unknown, Izayoi found himself truly forced to stay alert. Strangely enough, despite the tension, his own blood boiled with excitement.
This is what it's like to have a genuine adversary—so thrilling!
So while continuing his extortion of Temari (making her do all the search while Hinata and Shino handled reconnaissance), Izayoi quietly advanced a piece in their chess match.
Nagato had White Zetsu; Izayoi had wood clones of his own. One for close–range infiltration, the other for long–range surveillance—each had its own strengths.
…
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Returning to Team Seven, Sasuke sprinted down the outside of a mountainous wall. His hands formed seals and, facing Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki below, spat out a pitch–blackish fireball.
"What a fierce Fire Release!" Kisame gasped, again struck by surprise, brimming with a desire to challenge him. But recalling whom the boy faced, Kisame nonetheless glanced at Itachi: "Itachi–san, shall I take this one, or you?"
"Kisame—handle Kakashi. Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Itachi responded as he formed seals, raising his fingers to his mouth and exhaled a strand of flame that also turned pitch–black, surging upward.
Boom!
Two blackish fireballs collided, exploding into a billowing wave of flame overhead.
Just as the fiery tempest formed, it was suddenly cleaved in half. Uchiha Sasuke, clad in crackling blue–white Lightning, with the Kusanagi sword in hand, tore open the swirling flames in an instant and zoomed down like a lightning bolt.
"How fast," Kisame marveled anew, fully acknowledging Sasuke's might. He no longer treated him as a mere kid.
Itachi said nothing, hurling a handful of shuriken at Sasuke, then letting his body dissolve into a flock of crows that dispersed in midair. The crows fluttered down to the ground, re–forming into Itachi's figure.
Kisame likewise finished a quick set of seals, covering himself in water that formed a shark–like aura, also descending to the ground surface.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Parrying the thrown shuriken with his sword, Sasuke formed seals one–handed. A cloud of smoke rose on his right side. Once the fog cleared, a Shadow Clone darted off at top speed.
Before the Kisame–Itachi duo realized Sasuke's clone's destination or plan, Sasuke's main body was already thrusting his Kusanagi sword. The blade turned into a beam of lightning, piercing Itachi's right shoulder.
Yet, an instant later, that "Itachi" turned into a flock of crows scattering about.
A Substitution with crows!
"With three–tomoe Sharingan, and Fire and Lightning Release of this level—plus Water Release's shape and nature transformation. It's as if he's become a different person, truly terrifying progress," Kisame muttered, still finding it hard to believe that this was the same boy Itachi had trounced half a year earlier.
Yet Sasuke's display only further piqued Kisame's curiosity about the coming brotherly duel.
Hence, Kisame put away Samehada, looking over at Kakashi not far off and grinning: "How about we stand aside and watch them have their family reunion without interference?"
"You Akatsuki people—why did you appear here?" Kakashi demanded warily, his Sharingan riveted on Kisame, alert for any chakra fluctuation.
Though Nagato's become known as this "New Era's God of Shinobi," along with the label of a "savior," thus brightening Akatsuki's reputation somewhat, none of that applied to the veterans of the Five Great Nations, who continued seeing Akatsuki as an enemy.
Especially after Jiraiya's intel showed Akatsuki wanted the Tailed Beasts. Kakashi couldn't help but suspect Itachi and Kisame were here for Naruto.
"Sorry, can't tell you," Kisame responded, baring his teeth.
"I suppose it's about Naruto, right? Akatsuki's goal is the Tailed Beasts," Kakashi pressed.
Kisame's eyes flickered in mild surprise, a mocking undertone appearing: "It seems your Konoha does know quite a bit. As expected from the strongest shinobi village.
"But you guessed wrong this time. Our target isn't the Nine–Tails Jinchūriki." Kisame raised his gaze to the slope above, spotting Uzumaki Naruto racing toward them, carrying Temujin. "Doesn't look like we'll get a peaceful show, after all."
Kisame immediately formed new seals: "Water Release: Exploding Water Shockwave!"
His mouth ballooned, spewing an immense burst of water that quickly expanded into a surging mini–ocean around them in the mountain pass.
Sasuke and Itachi both had to shift positions in the sudden flood.
Treading the water's surface, Sasuke seized the chance to strike again. He brandished the Kusanagi sword in one hand, while his other arm wriggled oddly. Beneath Itachi's suddenly alarmed eyes, Sasuke's arm extended multiple liquid–like vines, morphing into a tall tree trunk. Had Itachi not retreated, he would've been instantly trapped and swallowed.
Watching that giant tree, Itachi retreated hastily, pain flickering in his gaze.
"I see… so that's why your chakra has grown so powerful?
"In order to kill me, you even took such a life–threatening risk—transplanting Hashirama's cells, or maybe Izayoi's cells?
"Sasuke… I understand your resolve now. But… your hatred is still not enough."
In the depths of Itachi's Sharingan, three tomoe joined together to form a pinwheel, signifying that he was truly prepared to fight in earnest.
~~~
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