"There are shadow clones in the police station as well. It seems the Uchiha clan was prepared for this!"
According to their plan, Obito was responsible for targeting the security forces while Itachi focused on the family base.
But when Obito arrived at the security force headquarters, there were no real Uchiha members present—only shadow clones left to maintain appearances.
"Did they anticipate this?"
Itachi glanced in the direction of his home, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. Based on the intelligence he had, his clan wasn't supposed to have made any preparations.
"Could it be… Father discovered our plans in advance?"
Though his behavior during the day had been somewhat unusual, Itachi doubted it was enough for his father to uncover his intentions for the night.
"It's you two!"
At that moment, a group of fully armed Uchiha clan members emerged from the compound, passing through the crimson torii gate. They positioned themselves in front of Itachi and Obito, their expressions resolute.
"I didn't expect things to come to this," Toshiro said with a faint tone of regret, his eyes briefly lingering on the bodies of the fallen clansmen beneath the torii. His gaze then shifted to the two figures before him, both on high alert.
"Uchiha Toshiro!"
Obito's expression, hidden beneath his mask, darkened as he recognized the man. According to intelligence, Uchiha Toshiro had been missing for nearly a year. How could he suddenly reappear here, at the center of the Uchiha clan?
It was now clear that the shadow clones stationed at the security forces and the earlier warning flare were all his doing.
"Itachi," Toshiro said, his tone now heavy with disbelief, "you are the son of the clan leader. We've watched you grow up. Why would you do this? These are your people!"
Although Toshiro felt a pang of regret upon witnessing Itachi's actions, he wasn't entirely surprised. Behind him, Kirishima stood rigid, his red Sharingan spinning as he glared at Uchiha Itachi on the opposite side.
Among the clansmen slain by Itachi was Kirishima's cousin—a death that didn't occur on the battlefield or during a mission but at the hands of one of their own.
"It was part of the mission," Itachi responded coldly, his expression devoid of guilt or remorse.
"You—!"
"Calm down, Kirishima," Toshiro interjected, stepping in before Kirishima could lash out. "You're no match for him."
Toshiro's voice was steady, but his gaze was sharp. He understood the vast gulf in power between Kirishima's three-tomoe Sharingan and the Mangekyō Sharingan that Itachi likely possessed.
For Itachi to act so brazenly—to single-handedly target his own clan—was a clear indication that he had unlocked the fearsome Mangekyo Sharingan.
"You all, keep an eye on the masked figure beside you, and make sure to cover each other!"
It's highly likely that Itachi has unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan, and his eye techniques are probably Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi. These opponents may prove difficult to deal with alone.
Swish, swish, swish!
As soon as Toshiro finished speaking, one of the Uchiha jounin, growing impatient, threw a shuriken to test the opponent's strength.
"Just as Toshiro said... The body can shift between illusion and reality!"
Uchiha Asuka, now married, narrowed her sharp eyes. She gave a subtle wink to Kirishima and a few others beside her, then grabbed a handful of kunai.
Swish!
In the blink of an eye, three white streaks of light from swords attacked from the front, back, and a blind spot to Obito's left.
Asuka was a beat late in throwing the kunai in her hand, perfectly filling the gap left by Kirishima and the others' attacks.
"Well then, Itachi-kun, let's have a proper conversation!"
Seeing that his friends had already moved, Toshiro looked at the somewhat small Itachi standing before him and drew the Kusanagi sword from his waist.
Ding!
The sharp sound of metal clashing echoed through the air.
"As expected of a genius from the family, reaching this level at only thirteen years old."
Itachi was a truly unique prodigy. When fighting, his movements were simple, efficient, and precise. He could always see through his opponent's attack intentions and instinctively find the most effective counter.
"…" Staring into Itachi's scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan, Toshiro felt the tension. Unlike him, Itachi wasn't as relaxed, and the magatama in his eyes spun rapidly.
He was extremely nervous, even having to be cautious with every blink, fearing he might miss Toshiro's movements.
Ding!
A burst of bright sparks flew from the ninja sword in Itachi's hand, making his youthful face appear even more pale.
Huh!
Itachi tightened his grip on the sword and exhaled a long breath, beads of sweat beginning to form on his forehead.
The enemy's speed was overwhelming, and the force behind each of his strikes was immense. After just a few exchanges, Itachi had already exhausted a significant portion of his stamina.
Moreover, with his current physical condition, he couldn't sustain this level of exertion for much longer.
"Your physical fitness needs work; otherwise, it will become a major weakness."
After offering this critique of Itachi's physical condition, Toshiro decided not to waste any more time on him.
Standing about five or six meters away from Itachi, the Kusanagi sword in Toshiro's hand was enveloped in a layer of blue-green light, a manifestation of his bloodline limit.
Zzzmm!
The ninja swords clashed once more, sending a brilliant spark flying and lighting up the surrounding darkness.
Ding! Droo!
A sharp sound of metal hitting the ground echoed, followed by the distinct noise of the substituted wood being sliced open.
Seeing this, Toshiro showed no sign of backing down. He swiftly moved behind the torii and swung his sword, forcing Itachi to continually circle around it.
Itachi tried to use the torii as a shield, hoping to avoid the sharp edge of Toshiro's sword.
"Futile!"
With a slight frown, Toshiro swung his sword, effortlessly cutting the torii gate into logs.
"Let's see where you can run now!"
In an instant, Toshiro appeared beside Itachi once more. With a sweeping motion of his sword, he aimed to unleash a beam of sword light, forcing Itachi to leap into the air and setting the stage for his next move.
In battles between wielders of the Sharingan, the exchanges often appeared deceptively simple. After all, no matter how elaborate the ninjutsu or how intricate the movements, they seemed sluggish and predictable under the gaze of those eyes.
"Are you about to use your Mangekyo?"
Toshiro paused mid-swing as he noticed chakra accumulating in Itachi's widened left eye. He knew that his sight was faster than any blade, and he stopped to observe.
"Tsukuyomi!"
A thin trail of scarlet blood trickled down from Itachi's eye sockets as the magatama in his Sharingan morphed into a triangular windmill pattern, locking onto Toshiro with unwavering focus.
"So, this is your Mangekyo power?"
Bound to a cross in the illusory space, Toshiro gazed calmly at Itachi, who stood before him. His expression betrayed no emotion as his eyes swept over the illusionary world with meticulous scrutiny.
"You... you've also awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Itachi, who had just allowed himself a moment of relief, froze. His expression shifted instantly as his eyes locked onto the patterns in Toshiro's gaze.
"Why is that surprising?"
Toshiro smirked at Itachi's astonishment, his tone tinged with sarcasm.
"What made you believe you were the only one in the clan capable of unlocking the Mangekyō?"
He continued with a biting edge -
"Was it graduating the Academy at six and becoming a Chūnin at eight? Or was it achieving the rank of Anbu captain while still so young? Perhaps it's the endless praise from Sarutobi Hiruzen, calling you a prodigy with the mindset of a Hokage? Did all that convince you that you're some unique figure with the authority to decide the life and death of everyone in the clan?"
As Toshiro spoke, the scarlet light in his eyes grew brighter and more intense, causing the illusory space to tremble violently.
Crack!
The sound of shattering glass pierced the silence, followed by a deafening crash. Spiderweb-like fractures began spreading across the illusionary world, threatening its collapse.
"You've become arrogant, Itachi," Toshiro said coldly.
He gazed at Itachi, who was now kneeling on one knee, clutching his eye and gasping for breath. There was no trace of sympathy in Toshiro's expression.
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