Chapter 70: Uchiha Itachi's Trial
"Hunting a Corruption Source, huh?"
Although he wasn't too keen on it and felt like a tool being used by the game merchant, the lure of a Shikai-level Zanpakutō was too strong. Kisame Hoshigaki could only grit his teeth and accept.
It was all for the Eye of the Moon Plan. Lord Madara surely wouldn't blame him.
He sat cross-legged on the ground, reaching up to peel off the bandages wrapped around Samehada. As he released his chakra, Samehada curled affectionately around his fingers.
"You're my companion too, Samehada."
Kisame's lips curled into a rare smile as he stroked the hilt of Samehada, a living blade.
Samehada had accompanied him for many years, already regarded as a comrade who would live and die alongside him.
"Even though I don't know what your true plan is, Mr. Merchant, I still want to say... thank you."
Kisame dipped his head slightly.
His loyalty was for Uchiha Madara alone—the man who had conceived the Eye of the Moon Plan, a dreamworld where every human could fulfill their desires. Anyone capable of imagining such a future must have endured immense suffering themselves.
To be recognized by such a man... Kisame would never allow himself to fall short of that trust.
"You're welcome. It was simply a mutually beneficial trade."
Fang Yi smiled indifferently.
He didn't pretend to be some enlightened guide, nor was he interested in using his foreknowledge to manipulate or look down on the ninjas of this world.
All he did was offer choices.
If Kisame hadn't spent points, he likely wouldn't have been able to defeat the Fallen Hollow. And even if he did get the broken Soul Reaper blade, without spending reward points, his soul would've been torn apart by the awakening process, and he wouldn't have been able to become a Soul Reaper trainee.
Everything that happened was Kisame's choice.
That's what ensured the fairness of the game.
Even if players differed in soul potential,
the game shop offered extremely expensive items that could compensate for those weaknesses. As long as a player had the will, they could reshape their soul through the game.
Fang Yi's role was simple: cultivate players and hunt down Corruption Sources.
"What kind of trial is Itachi-san going through?" Kisame asked, genuinely curious.
He'd always been intrigued by Uchiha Itachi.
But Itachi was like a hedgehog curled tightly into a ball—his pain, memories, and emotions all tucked deep inside.
"You can ask him yourself once he wakes up."
"No... better not. Itachi-san doesn't like others prying into his inner world."
Kisame shook his head.
As a teammate, he had sparred with Itachi. Though it had never been serious, he understood that even if he went all out, he would still lose to Itachi.
That's why, back in the Hidden Leaf Village, even though Sasuke had unleashed powerful black flames, Itachi had clearly held back. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been injured or had his old wounds reopen.
At that moment—
Inside Uchiha Itachi's trial, the landscape was charred black.
The ground was cracked open, with molten lava flowing between the crevices.
[Mini Trial Initiated]
Trial Objective: Kill 15 Fallen Demons.
Note: First Layer of Hell.
"Hell actually exists... and I've arrived here while still alive."
Itachi let out a bitter smile. It seemed that even fate couldn't forgive the man who slaughtered his own clan, guiding him straight to hell.
His body, now a husk, was void of chakra.
All his refined physical strength had been stripped away—reduced to something only slightly above an ordinary person, roughly equivalent to a Ninja Academy student.
However, the constant torment from his illness was also gone.
"A new body... is this what rebirth feels like? Someone like me, hands soaked in blood, shouldn't be given such a gift."
The moment he raised his blade against his clan, sin and blood had already saturated his soul.
He never expected to live. All he ever wanted was to carry the Uchiha clan's honor and sins into hell with him. Once Sasuke was strong enough, he would allow his little brother to end it all.
That would be the end of everything.
He had only agreed to this trial to gain enough strength in the final moments of his life—just enough to protect the last spark of the Uchiha.
So—
It didn't matter what kind of power or class he would obtain.
None of it mattered to him.
"Human... a human!"
A Fallen Demon sprang out from the shadows, shrieking in rage.
Itachi pulled a sharp kunai from his inventory.
Lowering his stance, he closed the distance with lightning speed.
His fingers moved deftly, spinning the kunai in his palm before slashing it cleanly across the demon's throat.
Its tough, cracked skin—
Prevented an instant kill. The demon snarled and clawed wildly at Itachi's face.
Thud.
The kunai drove deeper, stabbing straight into its throat.
Itachi gave a slight flick of the blade, shaking off the foul-smelling blood.
This was a habit taught to him in the ANBU—never let a weapon retain blood or scent. Always wipe it clean.
Black, crystallized rock had been stacked into ruined camps.
There were signs that humans had once operated here.
It had likely been an outpost, hastily built by adventurers who had once invaded the first layer of hell. Inside, Itachi found several broken corpses with shattered bones.
Among the scraps of decayed cloth, he discovered a weathered letter.
The writing was nearly unreadable.
Even if it had been legible, Itachi didn't recognize the otherworldly language.
Conveniently, the game store appeared. For just 2 reward points, he could translate the contents.
Concerned that it might hold vital intel, Itachi spent the points and traded in one of his best fire-style techniques:
Great Fireball Jutsu.
Unfortunately, the letter wasn't what he expected.
It was simply an unsent message home. The writer had lived in a human town near hell's edge, which was being attacked by demonic invaders. They had formed an adventurer squad and entered hell to protect their people.
Judging by the state of the corpses, things had gone poorly.
"War... no matter the world, it's unavoidable, huh?"
Itachi picked up a handful of scorched dust and gently scattered it over the bones.
To march into hell alone, to sacrifice oneself like this—he could relate to such a mindset.
The only difference was—
They died as heroes.
He, on the other hand, was a traitor shrouded in darkness. Even his name couldn't be spoken aloud.
[You have died. Revive?]
"…Revive."
After a brief two-second hesitation, Itachi chose to revive.
This time, he traded in nearly all of his remaining fire-style techniques. The revival cost was steep.
There was no choice.
He couldn't allow himself to remain ignorant while Sasuke—his little brother and the last hope of the Uchiha—entered the Reincarnation Game.
The one who had killed him was a much larger Fallen Demon, noticeably stronger than the others.
But before dying, Itachi had managed to gouge out the demon's eyes with his kunai.
Now, upon revival, he killed it with ease.
Buzz.
A soft green glow rose from the demon's corpse.
Itachi's eyes narrowed as he received information from the game:
This was loot dropped upon the demon's death.
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