The sudden fierce kick landed squarely on Itachi.
With the sound of cawing crows, his body dispersed into a flock of black feathers. In the same instant, Itachi appeared mid-air with Body Flicker, unleashing a flurry of shuriken. The blades clashed against each other mid-flight, shifting trajectories unpredictably.
The four Sound-nin worked together, barely managing to block the storm of shuriken.
Itachi blurred forward, striking with another Body Flicker and sending one Sound-nin flying with a sharp kick. The remaining three quickly engaged him in close combat.
Two others lunged toward Shisui—only for him to cast a single glance at them. Both instantly collapsed to the ground.
Kabuto Yakushi had been standing silently at the edge of the battlefield. These Sound-nin were elite jōnin that Orochimaru had gathered from other villages. Their abilities were not to be underestimated—yet even while outnumbered, Itachi dispatched them with ease.
He had only needed a Crow Substitution. Shisui hadn't even moved, aside from that single genjutsu that ended the fight instantly.
In mere moments, all the Sound-nin jōnin were sprawled unconscious.
"How disappointing," a magnetic, raspy voice echoed. "You didn't even force out their Mangekyō Sharingan?"
From the shadows emerged Orochimaru, newly in possession of a fresh body. His handsome features were cold as ice.
Kabuto lowered his head. "My apologies, Lord Orochimaru."
"Stand down. This battle is beyond you."
Though his body was still settling, Orochimaru had Manda—the great serpent—at his disposal. That would be enough.
Biting his finger, he rapidly formed seals. "Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram… Summoning Technique!"
A colossal plume of smoke erupted. Itachi and Shisui leapt back instantly.
The roar came first, followed by the earth-shaking crash.
"Orochimaru, summoning me means you'll need sacrifices!"
"Defeat them, and I'll provide your offerings," Orochimaru said irritably.
"Roooar!" Manda's massive body whipped through the air like a titanic whip, smashing into the ground and leaving a crater.
The other Sound-nin weren't so lucky—those who hadn't fled were crushed into paste. Kabuto dragged three unconscious allies away, grimacing.
"Itachi Uchiha!" Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with hunger as they fixed on the Sharingan.
Before his defection, he had already witnessed Itachi's brutal training. Back then, Orochimaru's desire for the Sharingan had taken root.
Since seizing control of the Land of Rice Fields and founding the Sound Village, Orochimaru had refined Tobirama's Edo Tensei and even succeeded in his first Living Corpse Reincarnation. But his obsession with the Uchiha had only deepened, especially after learning that not only Fugaku but also young Itachi possessed Mangekyō Sharingan.
He hadn't expected Fugaku to hide it so long—until now. And Itachi, at such a young age…
Itachi and Shisui exchanged a glance. Against a giant summon like Manda, there was only one option.
"Come, Itachi! Show me Susanoo, the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan!" Orochimaru's face twisted with feverish madness.
Each of Manda's strikes landed like an earthquake, blasting apart the ground and sending boulders flying like shrapnel. Itachi and Shisui barely kept ahead of the devastation.
"This won't do—we need to end it," Shisui muttered.
Once Kabuto and the others had retreated far enough, Itachi and Shisui silently reached their decision.
The tomoe in Itachi's eyes spun into a shuriken-like pinwheel. An orange-red chakra erupted, forming into a massive skeletal warrior that quickly fleshed out into the second stage of Susanoo.
Shisui simultaneously lunged at Orochimaru.
"Magnificent! Truly magnificent! This is the power of the gods!" Orochimaru laughed with a deranged glee.
Susanoo charged, slamming into Manda and sending the giant snake tumbling. Itachi followed up with Yasaka Magatama, hurling the spinning chakra projectiles.
At that same moment, Orochimaru turned toward Shisui. His eyes narrowed. "So the rumors are true—Danzō covets your eyes. Tell me, do you too possess the Mangekyō Sharingan!?"
Shisui's gaze met his.
A line of blood-tears trickled down Shisui's cheek as his eyes widened.
"What—!?" Orochimaru froze. Too late.
[ Ding! Congratulations to the host for drastically altering Orochimaru's fate. ]
[ Reward: Shinigami Sealing Jutsu (one-time use). ]
Natsuki smiled faintly. Shisui had come through.
Meanwhile, Manda shrieked as Itachi's Yasaka Magatama struck true, black flames erupting across its body.
"What flames are these!? Orochimaru! What are you doing!?" Manda roared in agony. Seeing Orochimaru suddenly stiffen mid-battle, the serpent panicked. With a final anguished howl, it vanished in a puff of smoke.
Orochimaru straightened, his voice low and hoarse. "So that saves me the trouble of finding sacrifices."
Turning toward the valley, he added coldly, "You're late. We have much work to do. Don't waste time."
He walked away as if nothing had happened.
Itachi dispelled Susanoo, collapsing slightly from the massive drain. He caught the staggering Shisui, who nodded back weakly.
In that fleeting moment, Shisui had rewritten Orochimaru's very will. Where once he had sought only to "become the wind to turn the wheel," now Kotoamatsukami had shown him—he was not alone. He would become a storm that swept across the entire world.
Watching them, Orochimaru mused, "Susanoo consumes more than chakra, doesn't it?"
Itachi nodded. "It devours the eyes' power as well. A dangerous technique."
One moment they had been bitter enemies. The next, they spoke like comrades. The shift was surreal, yet Orochimaru saw no issue.
Kabuto hurried from the base, shocked to see Orochimaru walking alongside the two Uchiha. But trusting his master, he asked no questions.
"They're here to collaborate with me," Orochimaru explained calmly. "Prepare the medical laboratory."
Kabuto blinked. "A medical lab? For biological research… understood, Lord Orochimaru. What subject should I prepare?"
Orochimaru turned to glance at Itachi. His tongue slid across his lips in a grotesque circle.
"We'll be researching the Uchiha. The subject will be… Itachi."
"…." Kabuto froze.
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