Before Naruto could react, he was struck hard at the back of the head and slammed to the ground. Struggling to rise, he only saw a swarm of crows flying by.
"Did Itachi just hit me? He actually attacked me!" Naruto frantically scanned for Itachi.
However, every time he thought he had found Itachi, he was met instead with another wave of crows, followed immediately by an even more intense attack.
"He's constantly attacking me! At this rate, he'll burn through his chakra and kill himself!"
Yet Itachi showed no sign of stopping.
Each blow brought searing pain, as if his hands were burning in fire, but Itachi seemed indifferent to the agony, relentlessly pounding away at Naruto.
He was consumed by rage, grief, and despair.
He wasn't supposed to die—Naruto destroyed everything!
Sasuke is gone. This should never have happened!
Unable to voice these thoughts aloud, Itachi could only vent his anguish through relentless waves of attacks, each strike a silent accusation against Naruto.
It wasn't that Naruto couldn't defend against Itachi's assault—it was the Sharingan's genjutsu and lightning-fast movements that left him scrambling to keep up, forcing him into a desperate defense.
Worse still, Itachi's Crow Clones were nearly impossible to anticipate—they shifted direction unpredictably with every appearance.
Itachi had abandoned all defense. His only goal was to kill Naruto and avenge Sasuke—even if it meant sacrificing his own life!
Naruto let out a furious roar, unleashing another terrifying burst of chakra that sent Itachi flying.
He raised his head, gazing at the pitch-black sky above, his eyes blazing with fury and madness.
Meanwhile, in the midst of the storm, Itachi staggered upright, blood trickling steadily from his lips. Before him stood the Three-Tailed form of Naruto, a sight that filled him with confusion.
"Wait, he clearly has three tails... why do I only see two now...?"
Suddenly, the third tail erupted from beneath Itachi, wrapping tightly around him.
Letting out a cry, Itachi was crushed under the hateful force, pinned helplessly to the ground—utterly at Naruto's mercy.
Naruto swung his monstrous chakra claws wildly, pummeling Itachi into the ground over and over.
Itachi's vision blurred further, yet he strained with all his strength to break free.
"You won't take everything from me... not without paying the price..."
Without warning, Naruto released Itachi, staring in disbelief as his chakra cloak was consumed by black flames.
"He actually avoided the attack!" Though Itachi's sensing ability had plummeted from pain and blood loss, this strike had successfully broken free from Naruto's grip.
The dark flames raged violently, threatening to engulf Naruto himself. With a sharp motion, he ripped off his glove, desperately smothering the spreading fire.
Staggering back up, Itachi stood tall despite his Akatsuki cloak being reduced to tatters, his body scorched and burned. Yet none of that mattered—he simply gazed silently at the sky, expression grim.
"That's no ordinary lightning... that's Sasuke!" he thought grimly.
Elsewhere, Naruto realized the scale of this battle had surpassed his expectations. Storm clouds churned above the Uchiha stronghold, holding devastating power that could tear heaven and earth apart.
"Nine-Tails... give me more chakra!"
"Another tail? Is that what you're asking for?" The Nine-Tails' voice echoed in his mind.
"No," Naruto interrupted forcefully. "Not nearly enough! I need more! I can't run away anymore. I must defeat him. I need greater strength!"
"You know damn well you can't handle power beyond Four-Tails! You'll lose complete control, and then your Sharingan will be used to suppress me again! I'd rather you died here than let those damned Uchiha seal me again! Never again—there's no way I'm letting that happen ever again!"
The Nine-Tails bellowed in rage. In its eyes, Naruto was being reckless. If you lose complete control, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Besides, since Itachi dared to launch such a powerful attack, it meant Sasuke was still alive—and still had considerable chakra left.
If Sasuke got the chance, there was a good chance the Nine-Tails could be sealed again—and there's no way I'm letting that happen ever again!
"Don't worry, my Sharingan isn't like theirs. It will protect you!" Naruto assured the Nine-Tails.
From the moment he received the Sharingan transplant, he had considered this very issue.
His Sharingan wouldn't pose any threat to the Nine-Tails—it would serve as a protective charm against other Sharingan.
Naruto knew—nothing terrified the Nine-Tails more than becoming the Uchiha's slave again. Death would even be preferable.
However, Naruto wouldn't accept that fate.
"We can't die here like this! I know you have a way! Didn't you once destroy mountains and raise tsunamis? Lend me your power—let me live!" Naruto pleaded almost desperately.
The storm clouds churned above, and within them, a colossal lightning dragon flashed in and out of view, roaring loudly.
Naruto had run out of time. He dispelled his chakra cloak, unleashing the Nine-Tails' power without restraint. His crimson Sharingan spun wildly, as if devouring everything in its path.
"I'm begging you, Nine-Tails! Give me your strength! Let me live! I just need to live!" His voice cracked with bitterness and yearning as he screamed in despair.
Suddenly, a massive bolt of lightning split the night sky. With a deafening explosion, the entire hill where the Uchiha stronghold stood was leveled by the blast.
...
Back to moments earlier—the moment Naruto and Itachi first clashed.
Sasuke lay on the ground, his right side completely consumed by the Rasengan, leaving nothing but torn rags behind.
"I have to… use that move…" He looked at Naruto standing before him, knowing he had no time left.
Just as Naruto prepared to deliver the final blow, Itachi suddenly appeared and hurled him away.
Though he had saved his own life, it was only a temporary reprieve. If he didn't escape soon, death was inevitable.
Sasuke seized this rare chance, using every last bit of strength to activate the Summoning Jutsu.
A massive serpent erupted from beneath the earth and swallowed him whole. Sasuke tumbled out from the serpent's jaws, landing on soft grass as he gasped for breath.
His thoughts trembled. "That was close… Good thing I swapped bodies with Orochimaru just in time—if I hadn't, I'd be dead by now…"
He stood up slowly, closing his eyes tightly.
"This is my last card to play… But…" A sneer curled at the corner of his lips as his eyes snapped open suddenly, burning with a manic light. "Now is the time to realize my ambition! No one escapes—neither the Nine-Tails' power nor the Mangekyo Sharingan can stand against me!"
He raised his right hand high, gathering lightning chakra in his palm.
"This is no ordinary Lightning Release technique—it is heavenly retribution itself! No one can escape it!"
He launched a bolt of lightning into the heavens, immediately churning the skies above into storm clouds.
[Kirin… Reveal yourself!] He swung his arm downward fiercely, and a streak of black lightning slashed through the night sky, lighting up the world in an instant.
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