Under Itachi's astonished gaze, he personally witnessed the black substance spreading from Shigure's palm.
It surged outward in an instant, enveloping Sasuke's entire body.
Before Itachi could even process what had happened, the black mass vanished—
as though it had never existed.
Sasuke stood there, completely unharmed.
He looked down at himself, then turned toward Shigure.
"Thank you."
Shigure let out a quiet sigh.
"Be careful," he said calmly.
"That man's black flames are extremely troublesome."
For Gluttony, however, there was no such thing as "untouchable."
Whether it was fire, chakra, or something even more abstract—
it could devour anything.
The only question was speed.
Fortunately, the Amaterasu Itachi had just used was not at full intensity. The flames had not yet fully taken hold. Otherwise, even Gluttony might not have been able to swallow the continuous waves of black fire in time.
Sasuke nodded.
"Don't worry. I won't give him another chance."
With that, he leapt back onto the rooftop.
At that moment, Itachi's gaze shifted—
and settled on Shigure.
For a brief instant, the world seemed to fall silent.
Then—
Itachi's eyes narrowed.
Blood streamed down from the corners of his eyes.
"Tsukuyomi."
In the next second, Shigure's consciousness was dragged into a strange, distorted space.
An illusory world unfolded before him.
Shigure froze.
Tsukuyomi… actually worked on me?
The realization surprised him.
But only briefly.
This genjutsu felt… fragile.
If he activated even a fraction of his Six Paths–derived power, this space would collapse instantly.
Just as he was about to shatter it—
"Shigure."
A familiar voice echoed through the illusion.
"Can we talk?"
Shigure paused.
He had fully intended to break free immediately—but Itachi's tone carried no hostility.
None at all.
"…Alright," Shigure replied.
Itachi appeared before him, his expression calm but tired.
"I want to ask you something," Itachi said slowly.
"In your heart… what position does Sasuke hold?"
"Or rather—how do you see him?"
Shigure frowned slightly.
"Is that really important?"
"It is," Itachi replied without hesitation.
"I am his elder brother. Is it so strange for me to care about the kind of people who stand beside him?"
From that perspective, there was nothing unreasonable about the question.
Shigure considered it for a moment.
There was no reason to hide the truth.
"Sasuke and I were both members of Team 7," he said evenly.
"In a sense… he's one of the few friends I have in this world."
He meant it.
Since arriving in this world, the people Shigure interacted with most were Sasuke and Naruto.
They were the protagonists of this era—but more importantly, they were the ones he understood best.
And, unknowingly, they had come to understand him as well.
Somewhere along the way—
They had become friends.
If Shigure ever faced trouble…
They would be the ones he would turn to.
Shigure tried to imagine such a possibility.
If it really came to that, there was no doubt—those two would help him without hesitation.
Thinking of this, a faint smile appeared on Shigure's face.
Seeing that smile, Itachi let out a soft chuckle.
"It seems you two are very good friends."
At those words, Shigure's expression suddenly turned serious.
"I already know the truth about the night of the Uchiha Clan's massacre."
This time, it was Itachi who froze.
"…You're not planning to tell Sasuke?" he asked after a moment.
Lowering his head, Itachi fell silent, deep in thought. After a long while, he finally looked up again.
"What good would telling him do?" he asked quietly.
"To make Sasuke bear all of that pain?"
Shigure understood his reasoning.
"But Sasuke also has the right to know the truth," Shigure replied calmly.
"Instead of being deceived by his older brother again and again. Even if he completes his so-called revenge—do you really think he'll be happy when he eventually learns the truth?"
Itachi had no answer.
After a moment, he smiled faintly.
"I don't know," he admitted.
"And even if he isn't happy… there's nothing I can do."
"At the very least, as his older brother, it's my responsibility to protect him. That was also Father and Mother's final wish—to keep Sasuke safe."
Shigure sighed softly.
This was a matter between the two brothers. He could offer advice, but he had no intention of interfering further.
After all, he wasn't their parent.
"This might not be the best path for Sasuke," Shigure said quietly.
Those words stopped Itachi cold.
After what felt like an eternity, Itachi slowly raised his head.
"But my time is running out," he said.
"I no longer have the luxury of perfect plans."
Then he looked directly at Shigure.
"I want to ask you for a favor."
"Can you… look after Sasuke?"
"Let him join the Hidden Mist Village."
Shigure was briefly taken aback.
"He's currently with Orochimaru. That situation is very—"
"I know exactly who Orochimaru is," Itachi interrupted.
"I will personally deal with the dangers he's planted within Sasuke. But after that… Sasuke will need a place to belong."
Shigure thought for a moment.
"…Alright," he said at last.
"As long as Sasuke himself is willing, the Hidden Mist Village will welcome him at any time."
At those words, the tension in Itachi's expression finally eased.
He prepared to release the Tsukuyomi.
But just then, Shigure spoke again.
"I agreed to your request," Shigure said.
"But you have to give me something in return."
Something?
Itachi was momentarily stunned.
"What do you want?"
Or rather—what could he possibly have that the Mizukage would value?
"Shisui's eyes."
Itachi's pupils shrank.
"How do you know…?"
Then he remembered—the man before him had personally killed Danzō.
Perhaps he had learned the truth from him.
"What do you want Shisui's eyes for?" Itachi asked.
Shigure sighed inwardly.
If he said the real reason outright, Itachi might refuse.
But without Shisui's eyes, Shigure's own plans would be affected.
"The previous Mizukage was controlled by genjutsu," Shigure said evenly.
"So I'm very interested in Shisui's Mangekyō—the strongest genjutsu in existence."
That explanation was acceptable.
For someone already hailed as the strongest Mizukage, it made sense that only something like this would draw his interest.
"…Alright," Itachi said after a pause.
"I can give you Shisui's eyes."
"But in return, you must promise me one more thing."
Shigure raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't I already promise you something?"
Itachi smiled.
"About that—would you really have refused Sasuke, even if I hadn't said anything?"
Shigure let out a helpless sigh.
"You're being greedy," he said.
"But you're right. Even without your request, I wouldn't have refused Sasuke joining the Hidden Mist Village."
"Good," Itachi said softly.
"Then my condition is this: if Sasuke ever does something foolish—or if his life is in danger—you must save him."
"With everything you have."
"Alright," Shigure replied without hesitation.
Itachi was momentarily stunned.
Then he smiled.
It was clear that Shigure would have done so even without this promise.
That realization put Itachi completely at ease.
"Here."
As he spoke, Itachi tossed something toward Shigure.
But Shigure was confused.
This was still the Tsukuyomi space—how could a physical object be transferred here?
Before he could think it through—
The world shattered.
The illusion vanished.
Shigure returned to reality.
And then he felt something in his hand.
He looked down.
"…Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Shigure's eyes narrowed.
How did Itachi do it?
(End of Chapter)
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