'Itachi?!'
'The Itachi who had wiped out the Uchiha Clan?'
Hearing this name, both Shihi and Itami's hearts skipped a beat.
Their tight offensive faltered, giving the Naraka Path a moment to breathe.
Shihi and Itami turned their gaze in the same direction.
There stood a young man in a black robe with red clouds.
His appearance... shook Shihi to his core.
This was... this world's Itami?!
Itami himself was even more shocked.
He had wanted to see just who this person was who had annihilated the Uchiha Clan in this world.
Unexpectedly...
Uchiha Itami's expression darkened. The Missing-nin forehead protector on Itachi's head was like a thorn in his eyes.
He had only wanted to complete the mission, avoiding unnecessary complications.
But now, it seemed he had no choice but to uphold justice.
Meanwhile, Itachi, standing opposite him, was equally stunned.
'Wait, what? I'm supposed to fight Susanoo? Two complete ones at that? Where did these even come from?'
There were too many things to unpack, and Itachi didn't even know where to start.
But since the leader had given the order, and Itachi also wanted to test his current strength, he decided to act.
Though Itachi was no longer half-blind, the sheer size of the two Complete Body Susanoo made it hard for him to recognize them.
Facing the onslaught of two Complete Body Susanoo was something Itachi wouldn't have dared to imagine in the past.
But now, his back didn't ache, his legs didn't hurt, and even bleeding from his eyes felt like nothing.
Soon, under Preta Path's influence, Shihi and Itami ran out of Chakra and had to dismiss their Susanoo.
Watching the two gasp for breath, Itachi remained calm and composed, as if nothing had happened.
'Wait, that's it? I didn't even go all out.'
Itachi also found it strange.
His Chakra Reserves weren't particularly large, and his stamina wasn't anything special, yet he felt an endless surge of power within him.
This feeling... reminded him of his childhood, when his body was still healthy and strong.
'Healthy?'
Itachi shook his head, 'This couldn't be a final surge before death. It seemed I had truly regained my health.'
However, after the Susanoo dissipated, the two 'enemies' before him gave him a shock.
One looked strikingly similar to his deceased best friend, Uchiha Shihui, though slightly older.
The other wore a Konoha flak jacket, but unlike the standard ones, the Uchiha Clan's emblem was prominently displayed.
Itachi froze, as this person looked exactly like him.
If Shihui hadn't died, and if he hadn't defected from Konoha, he wondered if they have ended up like these two.
Itachi didn't attack. Instead, he locked eyes with the two.
"I think we can talk." Itachi said.
Perhaps because he had experienced more, despite looking the same, Itachi appeared colder than Itami.
"What's there to talk about? A traitor who betrayed the Uchiha! Do you have some kind of excuse?"
Shihi was indignant. This Itachi, in terms of strength, wasn't necessarily stronger than either of them…
But after a few exchanges, Shihi conceded.
Whether it was Genjutsu, Taijutsu, or Ninjutsu, nothing seemed to faze Itachi.
What Shihi didn't know was...
Healthy Itachi couldn't be affected by Genjutsu, because that would make his mind and consciousness unhealthy.
Healthy Itachi couldn't be harmed by Ninjutsu or Taijutsu, because injuries would make him unhealthy.
Though Itachi hadn't yet reached that level of power.
He could still be injured, but any wounds would slowly heal, in every aspect...
This was why Itachi's vision had suddenly returned to normal.
Itachi, relying on his healthy body, held out until the Six Paths of Pain regrouped.
For a while, neither side could gain the upper hand.
---
Meanwhile, Kakato and Tobito were gathering intel on the outskirts of Konoha.
The two chatted and laughed as they walked.
Or rather, Tobito was the one doing all the talking, while Kakato remained aloof, clutching his short sword and staying alert.
But his vigilance wasn't in vain.
Kakato swung his blade toward a section of the forest. The White Fang's blade light cut through the air, causing massive destruction. A figure emerged from the previously ordinary bushes.
But the figure was quickly obscured by a sudden cloud of smoke.
Kakato narrowed his eyes, trying to see through the thick smoke, but it was difficult to make out the figure's appearance.
Tobito, however, was different. Though his Sharingan couldn't see through the smoke either, he could sense the figure moving rapidly within the dust cloud.
"Raikiri!"
A bolt of lightning shot out from the smoke, heading straight for Kakato and Tobito.
Kakato's mind sharpened, and he instantly used Body Flicker Technique to avoid the attack. Tobito, on the other hand, spun his Sharingan rapidly, forming a sickle-shaped Mangekyo.
"Kamui!"
The Raikiri passed through Tobito's body, leaving him unharmed.
And the Ninja who used Raikiri... was none other than Kakashi.
Kakashi had only just noticed the two outsiders, Kakato and Tobito.
He had been planning to train Sasuke, teaching him the smooth combo of head pats, likes, and refusal to rematch.
But then he sensed the presence of these two suspicious outsiders.
Kakashi had intended to follow them for a while to observe. If they were just passersby, he would have let them go...
But Kakashi was shocked. After all, with such strength, how could they be ordinary travelers?
The sword-wielding Ninja had not only easily seen through his disguise but also unleashed terrifying destructive power!'
So much so that Kakashi, before even getting a clear look at their faces, had to prepare for a life-or-death battle.
Fortunately, Kakashi, as an experienced veteran, had immediately obscured his form after being exposed, giving him the chance to form hand seals and unleash Raikiri.
But... this technique, which Kakashi took pride in, had been effortlessly dodged by both opponents.
Raikiri worked best when paired with the Sharingan.
That's why Kakashi had activated his three-tomoe Sharingan earlier.
However, before he could process his shock, a swift blade light came flying at him.
The threat of death loomed once more, and Kakashi's instincts screamed at him.
Speed, destructive power, range... a simple blade light possessed all three essential attributes of swordsmanship.
As an expert in using Ninja Swords, Kakashi could tell at a glance that his opponent was a top-tier swordsman!
'Could they be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?'
Kakashi made the guess, though he couldn't think of any other Ninjas who could wield a sword with such godlike skill.
He had only seen the backs of the two before being struck by the blade.
Aside from a vague sense of familiarity, Kakashi had no other impressions.
But as he quickly ran through the possibilities in his mind, Kakashi dismissed the idea.
Because even the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the pinnacle of sword users, probably didn't possess such terrifying strength.
While the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were strong individually, they relied more on teamwork.
If all seven blades were unleashed simultaneously, even the future Mizukage, Chojuro, might not be able to handle them.
But that was a group effort.
Such a terrifying individual swordsman… how could they exist in the Ninja World?
Kakashi couldn't help but feel lost.
Though the smoke was of Kakashi's own making, the blade light and sword strikes from his opponent now created a dust cloud no smaller than before.
He still couldn't see the opponent's face.