Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan flared with murderous rage.
Even though the seven tailed beasts had already been absorbed into the Gedo Statue and sealed away by Obito using the Uchiha Flame Formation, Sasuke's killing intent didn't waver in the slightest.
He didn't need the power of the tailed beasts to win—he had his own strength.
With a deafening boom, Sasuke's full-body Susanoo erupted into form. His gaze locked onto the Hokage in front of him—symbols of the very village that had driven his beloved brother to such suffering. His hands trembled with fury. All this talk of protecting the "village"... In Sasuke's eyes, they were the ones who caused Itachi's agony.
Uchiha Madara watched with satisfaction, nodding approvingly.
"As expected... a reincarnation of Indra, just like me," Madara thought. "And a fully formed Susanoo at that... beautiful."
He couldn't help but think—if Sasuke had been born decades earlier, perhaps Obito wouldn't have been necessary. Sasuke would've made the perfect pawn to carry out his will.
Just as Madara was about to act, he suddenly noticed something unusual.
"…Hm?"
He glanced down at his glowing arms. His body was starting to emit faint particles of light.
Madara furrowed his brows before realization dawned on him.
"…So, they finally made their move. There are capable shinobi on the other side after all."
Obito's expression darkened as he followed Madara's gaze.
The Edo Tensei—the Reanimation Jutsu—was being undone.
"That can only mean one thing," Obito muttered. "Kabuto has been found."
Indeed, while the battle on the frontlines raged on, a separate mission had been unfolding.
Following Naruto's intelligence, Itachi, Shisui, and Kisame had been dispatched to locate Kabuto Yakushi—the man controlling the Edo Tensei army. After several hours of intense tracking, their efforts bore fruit.
Shisui, his Mangekyō Sharingan active, scanned the terrain from a high vantage point. His Mangekyō allowed for limited telescopic vision, similar to the Byakugan, enabling him to detect chakra signatures and hidden barriers.
"This is the place," Shisui confirmed. "Even though Kabuto's chakra is well concealed, there's an active barrier jutsu around this location. He's definitely inside."
Itachi, ever calm and composed, nodded. He and Shisui had fought side by side since their youth. He trusted Shisui's instincts without question.
Kisame, standing nearby with Samehada slung over his shoulder, cracked a grin. "So what's the plan, gentlemen? I assume we're not just going to knock on the front door?"
Itachi raised a hand to calm the eager swordsman. "No. Kabuto is highly cautious. If we charge in recklessly, he'll sense us and escape. We need a strategic approach."
Shisui nodded. "Agreed. We should prepare a two-pronged assault—draw his attention from one side while the others sneak in and neutralize him."
Kisame scratched his head. "I get it. Distraction and infiltration. And let me guess—I'm the bait?"
"You're the loudest among us," Itachi replied with a rare smile. "You're perfect for the job."
Kisame grinned widely. "Well, when you put it that way... I'm honored."
Shisui then turned to Itachi. "Let's talk contingency. In the event Kabuto becomes uncooperative… I can use Kotoamatsukami—my Mangekyō's ultimate Genjutsu—to alter his will."
Itachi hesitated. "That jutsu… it puts tremendous strain on you. Are you sure?"
"It's the cleanest option," Shisui replied firmly. "And Naruto did mention it might be the key to restoring Kabuto's original self. Besides, if something goes wrong, you can back me up."
Itachi frowned. "There's always the alternative—using Izanami."
Shisui's expression darkened. "Izanami requires you to lose your eye, Itachi. I won't let you pay that price. Even if Naruto has backup Sharingan, those eyes don't just awaken by transplanting them. Mangekyō evolution requires trauma… loss. You've already borne enough pain."
A moment of silence passed between them.
Finally, Itachi sighed. "Very well. We'll do it your way."
Kisame looked between them and laughed. "Geez, you guys are so serious. Relax. I'll make sure that bastard Kabuto stays busy."
The three formed a rough plan.
Kisame would attack the entrance directly and force Kabuto to reveal himself.
Shisui and Itachi would flank him from the side, avoiding detection until the moment was right.
"Alright," Kisame grunted, cracking his neck. "Time to bring the thunder."
With a burst of speed, he dashed forward, Samehada pulsing hungrily in his hands.
Kabuto, hidden within the cavern beneath the mountain, suddenly felt a presence.
"Hm?" he muttered, adjusting his glasses. "That chakra… Kisame?"
He glanced toward the entrance. "Why is he here? I wasn't told of any Akatsuki operation…"
Boom!
The wall exploded inward as Kisame crashed through, Samehada smashing into the rock with raw force. Debris rained down, dust filled the air, and Kisame stepped through the rubble with a toothy grin.
"Yo," Kisame said, baring his shark-like teeth. "Guess I crashed your little party."
Kabuto narrowed his eyes. "You're not with Akatsuki anymore… That means someone sent you."
Kisame laughed. "Bingo. I'm freelancing now. With much better teammates."
Kabuto glanced behind Kisame. "You're alone?"
"Nope," Kisame said with a feral grin. "We work in pairs."
At that moment—
Boom!
The opposite wall of the cavern shattered with pinpoint precision.
From the swirling dust, two silhouettes emerged—Itachi Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha, Mangekyō Sharingan glowing with ominous light.
Kabuto's calm facade cracked slightly.
"You…!"
"You've been found," Itachi said simply. "This ends now."
Shisui took a step forward. "We're not here to kill you. But we will stop the Edo Tensei, and we will return your mind to what it once was—before you lost your way."
Kabuto licked his lips. "You think it's that easy? I've evolved beyond the Orochimaru you once knew. I've become a sage… I've mastered senjutsu, I've rewritten my DNA. I am—"
Kisame groaned. "Yeah, yeah. You're a big deal. Let's skip the monologue."
Itachi's gaze sharpened. "You may think yourself invincible… but this will be your last game of manipulation."
Shisui raised his Mangekyō. "Kotoamatsukami—activate."
Kabuto's eyes widened as a wave of chakra washed over him—his thoughts momentarily scrambling, his body freezing in place. The most powerful Genjutsu born of the Uchiha bloodline had ensnared him.
Distinguished Heavenly Gods—an ocular jutsu so powerful it could alter reality itself within a target's mind without them even realizing.
And for Kabuto… it forced him to remember.
The orphaned boy. The yearning for identity. The betrayal by Danzo. The manipulation by Orochimaru. The loss of self.
His hands trembled.
"…What… have I done?"
Itachi stepped forward, calm but resolute. "Undo Edo Tensei, Kabuto. Free the souls you've trapped. It's time."
Kabuto's eyes filled with tears—but his chakra shifted.
With one final hand seal, he deactivated the Edo Tensei.
On the battlefield far away, Madara's body began glowing brighter.
He scowled. "So... it's come to this."
Behind him, the Gedo Statue roared again.
But for now—Kabuto had been found.
And stopped.
Dear Readers
For 120 Advance Chapters Join My Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/NF25
-------
Please Support My Patreon 🥺