"Susanoo!"
Realizing that his Tsukuyomi had completely failed and seeing Uchiha Yue's Mangekyō Sharingan locked onto him without wavering, Uchiha Itachi knew he could no longer hold back. As blood trickled from both his eyes, he activated his final trump card without hesitation.
Boom!!!
A massive surge of chakra burst from his body, fusing with his overwhelming pupil force. It rapidly materialized outside his form, coalescing into a fiery red skeletal construct — the initial manifestation of Susanoo. The skeletal frame wrapped around him, its structure solidifying with crackling energy.
Crack…
As the Susanoo emerged, space around Itachi distorted — his once paralyzed limbs suddenly responsive again, the domain's grip slightly loosened.
"Susanoo… So this is the power that manifests only when both Mangekyō eyes are awakened. It seems it truly can resist the bindings of my domain… to an extent."
Yue stepped back slightly, his tone mixed with acknowledgment and cold confidence. "Still, that alone isn't enough."
Although Susanoo had weakened the oppressive pull of Yue's illusory realm, it hadn't shattered it. Uchiha Yue's domain, infused with Mangekyō illusion, still covered the battlefield, tethered to his spiritual will. Only a truly overwhelming force, far greater than Yue's own, could collapse it entirely.
As if responding to his will, Yue's domain surged again. The pressure intensified, causing Itachi's skeletal Susanoo to stiffen. The construct halted abruptly, its movements stuttering like a puppet trapped in molasses. Inside, Itachi found that, while he wasn't frozen like before, his Susanoo's mobility had been greatly hampered.
"What power is this? Can Mangekyō truly distort space and movement so thoroughly?" Itachi murmured, his gaze sharpened and wary, never leaving Yue's eyes.
He scrutinized Yue's Sharingan closely, attempting to discern its unique design. Yet Yue offered no explanation.
"Heh… Just because you can't achieve it doesn't mean it's beyond the Mangekyō. My eyes are Mangekyō. That's all you need to know."
Yue's voice was mocking, but his chakra had already begun condensing. The air pulsed. With a thunderous hum, chakra in physical form surged outward, taking shape.
"Susanoo."
In a breath, Yue's Susanoo materialized — not skeletal, but muscular and armored, coated in gleaming white chakra, more refined and complete than Itachi's. It exuded solemn majesty and crushing power, as if carved from celestial jade.
"A fully armed half-body Susanoo… and without Eternal Mangekyō?" Itachi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible… How can his pupil strength be this high?"
Susanoo was known to be the pinnacle of ocular power. Even with years of experience, Itachi had only ever reached the third stage — skeletal torso, ribcage, and arms. Only those with Eternal Mangekyō, like Madara or Sasuke, had ever achieved full-body Susanoo. Yet Yue, far younger and without EMS, had surpassed that.
"Uchiha Itachi… anything else to say now?"
Yue's voice echoed through the domain. His Susanoo loomed tall, white and radiant, as Itachi's skeletal red construct remained locked in place. Yue didn't strike — not yet. Instead, he questioned, cold and precise.
"…If you were the one to lead the Uchiha, how would you resolve the conflict between the clan and Konoha?" Itachi asked at last. Perhaps knowing the battle could no longer be won, his tone had shifted — from aggressor to philosopher.
"Hmph. So that's it. Whether to side with Uchiha or Konoha — is that what drove you to betrayal?" Yue scoffed. "I'll admit, you and Shisui weren't fools. But to trust Konoha's higher-ups so blindly? That's where you failed."
"You saw what they did. Danzo, Homura, Koharu — they didn't just distrust the Uchiha, they feared us. The so-called 'Will of Fire' was a leash, not a unifier. The real conflict wasn't Uchiha vs. Konoha. It was Uchiha vs. Konoha's ruling elite."
He took a breath, eyes burning with clarity.
"And as for resolving it… well, didn't you already choose the worst option?"
"But the elders… they are the representation of Konoha," Itachi replied calmly. "And the villagers — their fear, their rejection of the Uchiha — isn't that proof of where the village stands?"
"Tch. The villagers? Their opinions are shaped by whoever holds power. Don't forget Hatake Sakumo — the White Fang."
Yue's voice grew sharper.
"He was a hero, a man who embodied the Will of Fire. Yet one failed mission — one act of compassion — and the entire village turned on him. Was it the villagers' will? No. It was orchestrated by the top brass, who allowed the narrative to spread unchecked."
"Why didn't Hiruzen step in? Why were top-secret ANBU missions leaked to civilians? It was a political execution. And just like with Sakumo, the Uchiha were painted as traitors by the very people who should've defended them."
Itachi's eyes narrowed as Yue's words sunk in.
"You watched Sakumo fall. Now look at our clan. Pushed to the outskirts, denied agency, labeled as threats — and you still think the Uchiha didn't compromise enough?"
Yue's voice grew cold. "You sided with Konoha's corruption against your own blood. And for what? A peace built on lies?"
Silence followed, broken only by the humming chakra of their clashing Susanoo.
"…Maybe you're right," Itachi finally said. "But even if you're stronger — even if you defeat me — what then? Do you believe Uchiha alone can fight the whole of Konoha? If a civil war breaks out, and the other nations strike, what will you do then?"
Yue didn't answer immediately.
But the fire in his eyes said everything.