Chapter 295: The "Enlightened" Third
"Itachi, what have you done?" Mizuki suddenly shouted loudly from a distance.
Everyone immediately remembered, turning toward Itachi with furious glares while shouting curses.
"Itachi, you bastard—what did you do to our loved ones?"
"I knew it! Evil Uchiha can never be trusted!"
Countless gazes stabbed Itachi's back like shuriken, mixed with suspicion and hatred sharp as blades—wishing they could tear him apart.
Itachi stood stunned, completely unable to comprehend the situation.
"I—I didn't do anything!"
Itachi's face filled with grievance, his heart panicking.
But his protests drowned in rising wails, unheard by anyone.
Even if heard, no one would believe him.
The current situation had completely exceeded Itachi's imagination.
He never expected the resurrection price wouldn't be paid by him, but imposed on those resurrected.
Compared to this price, he'd have preferred the box's side effect requiring life sacrifice.
Watching village comrades killed one after another, bodies falling everywhere, Itachi nearly went insane.
He stared at his trembling hands as though invisible bloodstains spread across his palms.
These people—all died because of him!
His stupidity and stubbornness killed them!
Now recalling Lord Mizuki's previous words felt intensely ironic.
He'd thought Lord Mizuki and others too muddled, lacking keen perception of village crisis, only knowing how to proceed step-by-step while working sluggishly.
Never realizing Lord Mizuki's approach represented true mature prudence!
Instead, he himself had drilled into a dead end, acting self-righteously, falling into some self-sacrificing martyr complex—only knowing self-satisfaction, thinking that sacrificing even his life meant he could definitely save the village.
Who knew the nightmare struck before he awakened, understanding his stupidity and ignorance.
Evening wind carried thick blood scent. Itachi watched helplessly as the "hope" he'd personally brought tore everything he cherished into pieces.
Yin Release chakra throughout his body fluctuated even more violently. He completely fell into regretful state.
New Yin Release power rampaged chaotically through him—like his currently collapsing mental state.
The three-tomoe Sharingan newly replaced in his left eye socket now fluctuated violently, showing signs of evolving toward Mangekyō.
"No, it shouldn't be like this!"
Itachi cried out miserably, about to activate Susanoo to stop these "resurrected" from slaughtering.
But his foot barely moved before someone blocked him.
"Itachi, you evil Uchiha! I should have killed you long ago!"
The venom in that voice felt tangible—utterly different from the gentle teachings in his memory.
"Lord Third!" Itachi stared shocked at Third before him.
Current Third wore an evil expression. That wrinkled face once praised as the "Professor"—every furrow now seemed filled with malevolence from the underworld.
His gaze no longer contained past kindness and serenity—filled entirely with hatred.
Those eyes once embracing the entire village now only reflected blood and destruction, as though dragging everything into endless abyss.
"Wouldn't it have been fine letting me stay dead?"
"Why cause so much unnecessary trouble harming me?"
Third swung his staff attacking while loudly cursing.
"Do you know what life was like inside that Box of Ultimate Bliss?"
"Nothing there—only endless darkness, only emptiness and deathly silence!"
"I stayed there over ten years, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to eat or drink—only enduring endless loneliness and hunger."
"Over ten years?" Itachi startled badly but quickly reacted. The Box of Ultimate Bliss's internal time must resemble Tsukuyomi's genjutsu space—time inconsistent with the outside world.
They watched Third and others enter the Box briefly, but within their time scale, who knew how long they'd stayed inside?
"Can't live properly, can't die properly—can you understand that feeling?"
"On the seventh year, 236th day, I swore to heaven—if I could emerge alive, I'd definitely kill you!"
"Not just you—everyone must die!"
Third cursed viciously, striking Susanoo repeatedly with his staff.
Though Itachi had consumed tremendous chakra opening the Box of Ultimate Bliss, currently maintaining only Susanoo's basic skeletal form—Third's staff alone proved nearly impossible for breaking Itachi's defense.
But what terrified Itachi was discovering when Third realized his attacks couldn't breach Susanoo's defense, his body spontaneously began changing.
His arms rapidly thickened and strengthened like massive pillars. Skin hardened into dark brown scales. Fingertips extended half-foot claws, cold light flickering while easily tearing air.
Then his legs' knees bent backwards, twisting into beast form. Feet transformed into three-toed claws, digging deep into ground while stabilizing his constantly expanding frame.
His humanoid torso swelled dramatically amid teeth-grinding bone explosions, tearing his Hokage ceremonial robes into flying cloth fragments.
Originally graying hair grew wildly, intertwining with black mane erupting from his spine, covering most of his body.
Finally even Third's head couldn't maintain original form. Facial muscles began twisting and deforming. Eye sockets gradually sunken. Eyeballs wrapped in viscous chakra, radiating eerie green ferocity.
His mouth stretched wide, tearing to his ears, revealing densely packed saw-like fangs. Saliva mixed with black fluid dripped down, corroding small black spots into the ground.
Within mere moments, the original Third Hokage vanished. Before him appeared a massive monstrous creature.
"Lord Third!"
Itachi cried out. Before he could respond, this newly appeared monster flapped its wings. Its body suddenly accelerated. Those thick legs carried visible sonic boom ripples, heavily kicking Susanoo.
This kick contained violent power capable of splitting mountains, thunderously exploding against Susanoo's chest.
One kick shattered Susanoo's skeletal form.
The brown skeleton protection splintered instantly, transforming into countless flying energy fragments scattering everywhere.
That massive beast's foot heavily struck Itachi's body, kicking him airborne from the ground—flying beyond Susanoo's protective range, drawing a helpless arc through air like a meteor, falling distantly toward the village's opposite side.