"My younger brother has gone to you, right?"
Uchiha Itachi had already obtained the latest information about Sasuke from Konoha's side. He never expected that his brother, seeking to take revenge on him, would go to Otogakure and even seek out Uchiha Ryun.
What surprised him even more was that Uchiha Ryun was willing to take Sasuke in and even let him stay in his own residence.
"Ah, he begged me to teach him training, said he wants to defeat you with his own hands... It's a pity he won't have that chance..."
Ryun's voice was very calm, but his words carried a lethal intent.
"Defeat me with his own hands..."
Uchiha Itachi pondered these words carefully. His brother only said he wanted to defeat him, not kill him... even though he himself had killed the father Sasuke respected and loved the most...
"You keeping him at your home, it shouldn't be just out of kindness, right?"
Uchiha Itachi felt that Ryun most likely had ulterior motives; otherwise, there would be no reason to take Sasuke in.
"Oh? If not out of kindness, then out of what?" Ryun retorted with a hint of amusement.
"You see the potential in him to awaken his Sharingan, you probably want to keep him in Otogakure permanently, right?"
His younger brother's future fate might be controlled by others. It was a pity that he, as the older brother, could do nothing about it.
"Heh... What a bunch of self righteous guys." Ryun shook his head and laughed, his smile seeming somewhat disdainful.
"Am I wrong?" Uchiha Itachi subconsciously frowned.
"You, Uchiha Obito, Uchiha Shisui, each one more foolish than the last, each more self righteous than the last..."
As Ryun spoke, he had already walked up to him.
"All three of you possess the Mangekyō Sharingan. One was killed by me, one had his eyes gouged out by me, and the last one is about to die soon... Do you think I care much about the Mangekyō Sharingan? Or do you think our Otogakure is really lacking one Uchiha Sasuke?"
Once these mocking words left Ryun's mouth, Uchiha Itachi immediately realized that he had indeed been foolish.
For the illustrious Illusory Sun Dragon God, it might not necessarily be a bad thing if he took a liking to Sasuke. Whether Sasuke stays in Konoha Village or stays in Otogakure, what difference does it make? It's merely switching who he serves...
After the incident with Uchiha Obito, Itachi subconsciously thought that Ryun wanted to scheme against Sasuke, or had malicious intentions towards him...
Thinking about it now, his younger brother simply wasn't worthy of being schemed against by someone like him. There was truly nothing on Sasuke worth scheming for.
If Otogakure could truly nurture Sasuke, then wouldn't it be right for Sasuke to pledge his loyalty and serve them?
"It was narrow minded of me... You taking him in must be for my mother's sake, right..."
As Uchiha Itachi said this, he unconsciously lowered his head.
If he set aside the grudge of Shisui's death, Uchiha Itachi should actually also call Ryun 'uncle', and should respect him like Sasuke does. After all, Uchiha Itachi had known since childhood that his mother greatly admired this Uncle Ryun.
In fact, the person his mother truly liked might not even be his father, but this man before him...
From the way his mother looked when she spoke of Ryun, the way she looked when she saw Ryun, the admiration and fondness in her eyes were obvious.
It was precisely because he saw this clearly as a child that he subconsciously developed a dislike for Ryun, feeling that his mother shouldn't be 'emotionally unfaithful' to another man...
"And you have the face to mention your mother?"
Ryun's voice and gaze remained consistently very cold.
"You are right. Someone like me is simply unworthy of being her son, even less worthy of living in this world... Please grant me the chance to atone by ending my own life..." Uchiha Itachi knelt before Ryun.
He could not die by Ryun's hand, because if he did, his younger brother would likely come to hate this Uncle Ryun, and might even end up walking the same path to his death...
Thinking carefully, Shisui's death was indeed his own fault. His own hatred towards the other because of this matter, opposing him, and ending up in this current situation was also his own fault.
Truly thinking about it, this Uncle Ryun had neither wronged Shisui nor wronged him. This twisted hatred should not continue to spread, potentially harming his younger brother and mother further...
Suicide was a good way to end the hatred.
Looking at the figure kneeling prostrate on the ground, Ryun focused his mind, hooked his finger like a sword, and the Ame no Murakumo Sword immediately sensed its master's call. It broke through the soil by itself and flew into Ryun's hand.
Ryun directly thrust the Ame no Murakumo Sword into the ground, then took two steps back and quietly watched him.
Uchiha Itachi decisively reached out and pulled the Ame no Murakumo Sword from the ground.
"Please, do not drive Sasuke away because of me. My younger brother knows nothing..." Uchiha Itachi said, then kowtowed heavily to Ryun.
"Weren't you just thinking I had ulterior motives? Why are you afraid I'll drive him away now?"
Ryun's tone remained cold.
"Furthermore, my views will not be influenced in the slightest by your existence. Your weight is too light..."
This was the truth. Uchiha Itachi's death was lighter than a feather in Ryun's eyes.
"I am sorry. If possible, if Uncle Ryun sees Sasuke or my mother, please say sorry to them for me..."
After saying this, Uchiha Itachi did not wait for Ryun to respond before plunging the Ame no Murakumo Sword in his hand fiercely into his own heart.
"As you wish..."
At the final moment of his life, Uchiha Itachi ultimately did hear Ryun's reply, and he closed his eyes with a smile.
Seeing Uchiha Itachi die with a smile, Ryun unconsciously thought of Uchiha Shisui...
Ryun let out a soft sigh. The next moment, in front of all the members of the Akatsuki organization, he sealed Uchiha Itachi's body into a storage scroll.
Uchiha Itachi was just like Uchiha Shisui. While alive, they would only be loyal to Konoha. They would neither submit to him nor be of any use to him. But after death, that wasn't necessarily true anymore...
Ryun put away the storage scroll and turned his gaze back towards the members of the Akatsuki organization.
"This battle, it should count as my win, right?" Looking at the emaciated Nagato, Ryun asked with a serious expression.
Nagato remained silent for a long time, but ultimately nodded helplessly.
"In that case, I give you ten days. In ten days, I want to see the surrender document from the Land of Rain, and your presence, in Otogakure..."
Ryun was as overbearing as ever. He simply couldn't be bothered to ask Nagato whether he would surrender or submit.
If he didn't submit, Ryun would beat him until he did!
"Additionally, the Tailed Beasts and the container (Gedo Statue), as part of the stakes for this wager, I will take them now..."
After speaking, Ryun walked straight towards the five large creatures not far away.
"The Gedo Statue requires the Rinnegan to control it..." Nagato couldn't help but remind him.
Ryun tilted his head and gave him a polite smile. "I know."
His Nine Revolutions Seal had been dormant for a long time. It was about time to bring it to completion!
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