Returning to the campfire, Itachi noticed that Konan was still sound asleep, even letting out soft snores.
Itachi seemed to understand Tenzō's earlier thoughts a little better now.
Shaking his head to refocus, he placed the scroll next to the fire, intending to dry the sticky substance on its surface.
He speculated about what might be inside. If it was a DNA-altering potion, Orochimaru's genius would be truly terrifying.
It hadn't even been that long since he started working on it, and yet here it was.
...
Once the sticky substance on the scroll had dried, Itachi picked it up, opened it expectantly, and unlocked the sealing technique on it.
A faint sound emerged.
Before his eyes appeared a letter and a syringe.
The syringe contained a half-filled dose of green liquid.
Carefully placing the syringe back on the open scroll, Itachi opened the letter.
The Letter:
"Dear Itachi, how have you been lately? The item you requested is ready, and I've had my little messenger deliver it to you.
"I assume you intend to alter your DNA and genes to match Shisui's, aiming to become true brothers with him. Is it because your Mangekyō Sharingan is nearing blindness? By becoming brothers with Shisui, your Mangekyō Sharingan won't face rejection. You still have Shisui's other Mangekyō Sharingan, right?
"Don't be surprised—I've studied the Mangekyō Sharingan extensively, though its abilities are disappointingly lackluster. If my assumptions are correct, here's an extra piece of information: under Danzō's right-eye bandages lies Shisui's other Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Best of luck to you, Itachi.
"The potion in the syringe can be injected anywhere on your body. Below, I've also included a simple healing technique, enough for you to perform an eye transplant. Oh, and use the Mangekyō Sharingan sparingly... Heh heh heh heh heh...
"*************"
After reading the letter, Itachi's expression turned grim and indecipherable.
Orochimaru's intelligence made him uneasy. If not for certain depths that Orochimaru hadn't yet uncovered, there was no telling how much more the man could decipher.
Still, Orochimaru might fully understand it all the next time they met.
Itachi began to grasp something: a person like Orochimaru, if not an ally, must be utterly eliminated.
People as clever as him, who seemed unstoppable, were far too dangerous.
...
After memorizing the healing technique, Itachi threw the letter into the fire.
Such information was best destroyed after reading.
"Orochimaru, for someone so clever, why would you send something this critical using just a little snake?"
Itachi silently grumbled.
While it might mean little to others, to him, this was of utmost importance.
He glanced at Konan, still asleep, then unfastened his robe.
Freeing his left arm from the garment, he pulled it through the central opening of his attire.
He then pushed aside the inner mesh-like layer, revealing his fair collarbone and arm.
Turning his head away, Itachi gritted his teeth and jabbed the syringe into his arm, much like receiving a vaccine.
As the potion was fully injected, his arm felt a wave of soreness and itchiness, quickly followed by numbness...
...
Soon, Itachi realized he could no longer move. His whole body felt paralyzed, as if he had been injected with anesthesia.
Unbeknownst to him, his DNA was rapidly dissolving and recombining within.
All Itachi could do was silently curse Orochimaru for not mentioning such a critical side effect.
All he could hope for was that nothing significant happened tonight—or that if something did, Konan would wake up in time.
At the moment, he couldn't even close his eyes, let alone signal for help.
...
Late at night, a small figure leaned against a tree. The campfire, unattended by Itachi, finally burned out.
The early-morning chill felt particularly sharp.
Especially for Itachi, with one arm exposed, who felt the cold even more acutely.
The syringe, still embedded in his arm, stood out starkly.
"Itachi?"
Konan stirred, sitting up as she slowly opened her eyes. She had been woken by the cold.
Finding the surroundings pitch dark, she noticed a faint, small shadow not far away.
...
Konan created a piece of paper in her hand, intending to use it to light up the darkness.
Then she remembered she didn't know Fire Release techniques and hadn't brought a flint.
Frustrated, she pulled out a stack of explosive tags, planning to create a small blast for light.
Naturally, her movements didn't escape Itachi's gaze. Thanks to his superior night vision and hours of staring into the dark, his sight, though blurry, was sharper than Konan's.
Seeing this rough-around-the-edges woman, Itachi's whole demeanor shifted when she pulled out a pile of paper charms, followed by a stack of explosive tags.
Right now, he was as fragile as glass; if he accidentally got caught in the explosion's aftermath and died, it would be game over.
Luckily, before Konan could do anything, a light breeze blew through, scattering the ashes on the fire pit.
A small patch of red embers was revealed.
Konan paused for a moment, then threw the paper charms onto the glowing embers.
…
The flames reignited, casting light into the night sky.
In a library-like silence, a flawless version was being played out.
Konan picked up a nearby stick and placed it over the burning charms.
She then turned to look at Itachi.
Their eyes met.
A faint sense of awkwardness lingered in the air.
Konan froze for a moment, then quietly put the explosive tags back into her pocket.
"Sorry, wasn't it my turn to keep watch? I accidentally overslept…"
Konan, noticing Itachi's strange expression, felt a little embarrassed as she spoke. Then her gaze sharpened.
"Who's there?"
Her chakra flared violently, sending waves of sensory energy outward.
The fire she had just rekindled was snuffed out again by the sudden surge of chakra.
…
When Konan looked back at Itachi, she noticed his shoulder was partially exposed, with a syringe sticking out of it. His pale, handsome face had turned an unsettling shade of green.
It was obvious he'd been attacked.
Her expression turned furious, but then she stopped in her tracks.
She suddenly remembered that the fire had been out for a while. If someone had attacked him, they wouldn't have bothered to strip his shoulder bare, right?
Her overactive imagination filled in the blanks in the most absurd way.
Thankfully, the fire had already been extinguished by her chakra surge. Otherwise, the embarrassment would've been enough to make her want to bury herself two feet deep.
Still groggy from sleep, her mind was running slower than usual.
When the fire was lit once again, Konan's face turned red, as if she were a ripe apple.
…
"Why'd you have to scare me like that?"
Konan approached Itachi, muttering irritably.
But something about Itachi's strange condition caught her attention.
His face was still pale green, and his eyes, bloodshot and dry, stared blankly ahead. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.
"What's wrong with you?"
Konan asked with genuine concern.
She couldn't figure out what was going on. It was clear that whatever this was, it was beyond her understanding.
Itachi seemed to enjoy the warmth of the fire, visibly relaxing, but he still couldn't move or speak.
…
After several minutes, Itachi remained silent, just staring at her in a daze. This left her completely puzzled.
Even when her sensory abilities scanned his body, they didn't reveal anything unusual.
At a loss, Konan finally went back to her spot by the tree and leaned against it again.
As for the syringe stuck in Itachi's shoulder, she had no intention of removing it.
What if he was in the middle of some sort of training? If she interfered, it might ruin his progress.
Besides, seeing Itachi in such a miserable state actually improved her mood.
It wasn't often she got to see this usually composed kid looking so defeated. It was amusing, to say the least.
Of course, if he still hadn't recovered by morning, then she'd start worrying.
A woman's thought process is a mystery, a riddle that's impossible to decipher.