Even Death Is Beneath Me

As Akuma approached the orphanage, the fading twilight cast long shadows across the dirt path. He came to a sudden stop. 

A tall man in a long black cloak stood in his way, motionless—like a statue born of shadow. 

"Are you the kid named Akuma Ito?" the man asked, his voice low and calm. 

Akuma's eyes narrowed. The moment he heard that voice, saw those cold red eyes glowing faintly beneath the cloak, he activated his Absolute Dimension Lock Ring, expanding its range to the maximum. Reality itself sharpened around him as he scanned for threats. 

He stared into the man's eyes and replied with quiet defiance, "Are you the one they call the Family Killer?" 

A beat passed. 

"Itachi Uchiha." 

Itachi's Sharingan twitched for the briefest of moments—but then his face returned to that unreadable mask of indifference. 

"You've inflicted quite a deep wound in Sasuke," Itachi said. "It'll be difficult for him to recover." 

Akuma grinned darkly. "No, no, no, Itachi… I didn't create the wound. I just reopened the one you left behind." 

Itachi's gaze deepened, studying the boy before him. Those glowing crimson eyes… there was something ancient behind them. This child wasn't just unusual—he was dangerous. And, more disturbingly, he seemed to know too much. 

"At such a young age… you're ruthless," Itachi observed. 

Akuma tilted his head slightly. "Thank you for the compliment. Now, are you going to tell me why you're standing in my way?" 

"I came to see the boy who defeated my brother," Itachi replied. 

"Well," Akuma said flatly, "you've seen me. Move." 

But Itachi didn't budge. Instead, he met Akuma's gaze with a silent weight that pressed on the air around them. 

"I have a few questions," Itachi said. "Would you mind answering them?" 

Akuma sighed, knowing full well he couldn't just walk away from this. He had anticipated Itachi's involvement the moment he decided to harm Sasuke Uchiha—but that never mattered to him. In the end, they were always destined to become enemies. Akuma understood one truth about the boy named Itachi: no matter how cold he appeared, he loved two things deeply—his brother and the village. Both of which Akuma intended to destroy. 

So he stood firm, eyes unwavering, and said, 

"…Fine. Ask." 

Itachi leaned in slightly, his voice low, almost a whisper. 

"Who are you? The look in your eyes… it tells me you're not a child." 

Akuma met his gaze calmly. "And why should I answer you?" 

Itachi's expression darkened. "I have other ways to make you speak." 

His Sharingan flared to life, glowing ominously. The air between them thickened. 

Akuma, unfazed, tilted his head. "Then why don't you use it?" 

Itachi's voice remained composed. "Because I want to hear it from your mouth." 

Realizing he wasn't going to escape this conversation easily, Akuma exhaled through his nose and replied, "I'm a child… who matured earlier than most expected." 

Itachi studied him in silence. He could tell Akuma was hiding something—many things—but there was truth in that answer, raw and unfiltered. 

So he pressed further. 

"Why did you harm Sasuke?" 

Akuma's expression didn't change. "He was in my way. And I needed him out of it." 

Itachi's gaze sharpened. His Sharingan spun slowly, reading every flicker of Akuma's body language. Then, he asked the question that lingered in silence for years. 

"Why did you let your family members be killed by bandits… when you could've saved at least two of them?" 

Akuma's smile vanished. 

His crimson eyes flared, the glow intensifying as the atmosphere around them seemed to bend under pressure. The air grew heavy—so heavy it almost became hard to breathe. 

Then it all stopped, like a flame snuffed out. 

Akuma looked up, calm again, but something in his eyes had changed. 

"My mother used to visit me once a week," he began, voice low but steady. "Each time, she looked a little hollower… like the world was eating her from the inside. Her smile, her voice—it all felt forced. The mother I knew was gone. I told myself I didn't want to see her anymore, but every week… I still waited for her." 

He paused. 

"And then, one day, she didn't come. I was sad… but more than that, I was relieved. She didn't have to suffer anymore. And once again, the truth was clear—the weak are the ones who bleed for the sins of the world." 

Itachi said nothing, his gaze fixed. 

"We were poor. But even after she died, my siblings and I still found moments to laugh. Moments that mattered. Then the bandits came. I could've saved two of them—if I risked my life. But I didn't." 

He looked Itachi in the eye, unwavering. 

"Because they would've had to live with that pain. The guilt. The helplessness of surviving when the rest didn't. I didn't want them to bear that burden. So, I let them go." 

There was silence. 

Itachi, after a long pause, spoke again. 

"You are ruthless to yourself." 

Akuma nodded once, but his voice was distant. "Maybe. Or maybe I just hate seeing people suffer when they're too weak to change anything." 

Akuma narrowed his eyes, voice calm but laced with venom. 

"You asked me so many questions—like you're my superior, interrogating every decision I've made. So let me ask you just one…" 

He stepped forward, his gaze burning. 

"How are you still alive?" 

Itachi didn't answer. His cold Sharingan eyes locked onto Akuma's, unflinching. 

But Akuma wasn't done. 

"I've never met someone like you. Remorseless. Shameless. The worst kind of friend. You knew who killed your friend—and still, you did nothing." 

He took another step closer, his voice dropping to a razor-thin whisper. 

"Everyone who loved you… you killed them. Your clan. The children. The old. The young. Your parents. Even that girl who loved you. And yet, you still walk around like you're carrying some noble burden. You're not a good clan member. Not a good son. Not a good friend. Not a good brother. You are not worthy to be loved." 

Itachi's expression didn't change—but the silence between them grew heavy, oppressive. 

"All of Sasuke's pain—his hatred—comes from you. And now what? You're preparing him to kill you? Is that it? So you can finally rest in his hands and call it redemption?" 

Akuma scoffed, eyes narrowing into slits. 

"How pathetic. If I were in your place, I would've killed myself out of shame long ago." 

The air was still. 

"Let me guess. You did it all for the village—but look around. Is it stronger? Is it better? Or did your actions just fracture everything further? Be honest with yourself, Itachi…" 

Akuma's voice now turned quiet—deadly quiet. 

"You were a man who wanted everything… but lacked the will to truly claim it. That's not noble. That's weakness. Everything you did was useless. Fucking useless!!!." 

He tilted his head slightly, mock curiosity in his eyes. 

The air between them grew heavy—suffocating. The tension was so thick it was as if the world itself held its breath. The temperature dropped, a chill creeping through the surrounding trees as the skies darkened. 

Then suddenly— 

Akuma burst into laughter. 

"Ha! HA! HA! HA!" 

The sound echoed like thunder—raw and unhinged. After a few seconds, Akuma locked eyes with Itachi, his smile wide and feral. 

"Motherfucker!" he spat. "Did you really think your little Genjutsu would work on me? Do you think I'm that weak?" 

With those words, Akuma unleashed the full force of his Satsui no Hado. 

A violent red aura exploded from his body, crackling and lashing out like a living storm. The ground beneath him cracked and splintered under the sheer pressure. Leaves whipped into the air as the wind howled, and above them, black clouds swirled and gathered, thick with the promise of a thunderstorm. 

Akuma's demonic aura danced around him in violent arcs. His eyes blazed like molten blood, his fangs glinted in the flickering light, and his nails extended into sharp claws. The very air distorted around him—as if reality itself was struggling to hold him in. 

Itachi's eyes widened. 

He hadn't expected this. Not from a child. Not this kind of power. The aura wasn't just strong—it was vile, oppressive, and ancient. It sent a shiver down his spine, a rare feeling of unease crawling beneath his skin. 

Akuma stood tall, unshaken. 

He wasn't afraid of Itachi. Not even close. Because he wanted Itachi to come to Konoha. Even if they fought to the death right here, right now, there was a real chance—more than 50%—that Itachi would win. 

But that didn't matter. 

They were still within the borders of Konoha. Any major commotion would trigger the alarm. Elite shinobi would be here within minutes. And Itachi, a wanted criminal, wouldn't be allowed to escape alive. 

That's why he didn't care whether he provoked Itachi or not. 

They were destined to become enemies. 

There was no avoiding it. No negotiation. No turning back. 

Akuma wasn't foolish—he knew Itachi Uchiha was dangerous. Perhaps even more powerful than him right now. But here, inside the village, the situation was different. If Itachi made a move, if the fight escalated—Konoha would respond. And they wouldn't let a traitor like Itachi walk away alive. 

That was all Akuma needed to know. 

He could hold him. Long enough for the others to come. 

That would be enough to bring down this so-called prodigy of the Uchiha. 

Akuma grinned wildly, his aura surging higher into the sky. 

He growled, "Itachi Uchiha… Even Death Is Beneath Me." 

=== 

It was fun writing this. I hope you all enjoyed it.