The Meeting of Sasuke and Itachi!

Jiraiya fell silent for a long time before changing the topic.

"By the way… was Naruto captured by Akatsuki?"

"Most likely them. After all, Naruto's a Jinchūriki."

"Akatsuki might be in Amegakure." Jiraiya paused and said.

"Amegakure? Are you sure?"

"Of course. I originally planned to see you and Naruto one last time, then head to Amegakure to investigate. But now, just leave it to the Empire's people. If they still care about surface-level matters, they'll at least save Naruto."

After speaking, Jiraiya bid farewell.

He returned to Konoha.

But he didn't show himself, instead disguising as an ordinary person and asking Tsunade to keep it secret.

He began investigating and trailing the Empire's people in the village.

He wanted to see their true faces.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The former residence of the Uchiha clan head, recently the Sarutobi residence.

Now, Ninja World Sasuke, Imperial Itachi, Obito, and Setsuna sat together, listening to Imperial Itachi recount the battle with Akatsuki.

Imperial Setsuna said with an angry face, "Those Akatsuki rats, daring to touch the Uchiha's Mangekyou! Truly seeking death!"

"I killed two of them, but… Obito wasn't there. If he was, none might've escaped alive." Ninja World Sasuke said.

"My counterpart in this world… so pathetic… one eye given to Kakashi, the other stolen." Imperial Obito sighed.

"Where exactly is Akatsuki? How do you plan to track them? I'm itching to wipe out those rats." Ninja World Sasuke said.

"Oasis has deployed drone swarms for large-scale aerial reconnaissance. I'm confident we'll find their trail in a few days." Imperial Itachi said.

"Drone swarms?"

"Think of them as tens of thousands, even millions, of flying summoning beasts patrolling the skies."

"Worthy of the Empire, with such a vast number of summoning beasts."

Ninja World Sasuke nodded, relieved.

At that moment, the group turned toward the entrance. "Anbu? What's your business here?"

"Four Lords, Tsunade-sama sent me to inform you: Akatsuki's base is in Amegakure."

"Amegakure? The Rain City?" Imperial Itachi murmured.

"Thank Tsunade-sama for the intel. We understand. Akatsuki won't exist much longer." Setsuna said.

The Anbu member left immediately.

The four Uchiha stood from their seats.

"Let's go. Wipe out Akatsuki, save Naruto, and try to be back before dinner."

"Then let's move."

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

A steady drizzle fell from the clouds.

Ninja World Itachi, clad in Akatsuki's black robe with red clouds, leaned against the entrance of a tall tower, watching the rain drip.

His thoughts wandered aimlessly. "It's been days… since Pain assigned me to guard this tower… I wonder how the major ninja villages are, how Konoha's faring…"

"Does Pain truly trust me? Should I stay with Akatsuki or report back?"

Pondering this, he glanced back instinctively. Several Rain ninja stood behind him, staring directly.

"Such a hassle…"

Suddenly, he looked up sharply at the sky.

A pale blue Susanoo, at least seventy meters tall, pierced the clouds, coming into view.

Then, three ninja descended from the sky.

As they drew closer, Ninja World Itachi finally saw their faces clearly, exclaiming, "Sasuke… and this… me? Elder Setsuna? How?!"

Three soft landing sounds.

Ninja World Sasuke, Imperial Itachi, and Imperial Setsuna stared at Ninja World Itachi.

Their eyes held not much anger but rather sorrow and mockery.

"Finally, we meet, Itachi… for over three years, I haven't forgotten you for a second. But I never imagined you'd join Akatsuki, becoming their guard dog?" Ninja World Sasuke said mockingly.

Having learned the truth and just annihilated the Konoha Council clans, Ninja World Sasuke was surprisingly calm.

"He was a dog for Danzō and Sarutobi Hiruzen in this world, so switching masters to keep being a dog seems normal enough." Imperial Setsuna said coldly.

"Your existence is a mistake. Now, let's correct it, you pitiful soul…" Imperial Itachi said, closing his eyes.

The three Uchiha's sharp words pierced Ninja World Itachi's heart, making him wonder: 'A dog for the Third Hokage and Danzō… does Sasuke know something?'

"What do you mean by those words?" he asked.

"Exactly what I said. I know all the foolish things you did." Ninja World Sasuke said.

"You know…" Ninja World Itachi's expression grew complex.

"But I can't accept you, you fool." Ninja World Sasuke cursed.

"…" Ninja World Itachi fell silent.

"As an Uchiha, you got close to that old geezer Sarutobi Hiruzen, constantly spying for the enemy, reporting all Uchiha intel to him. You… are utterly unworthy of being an Uchiha." Ninja World Sasuke said.

"If the Uchiha rebelled, Konoha would've fallen into a crisis of destruction…" Ninja World Itachi finally couldn't hold back an explanation.

"Who forced it? The Uchiha, from Konoha's center, were pushed to the outskirts. You know why, don't you?"

"The Third Hokage had no choice… the Uchiha's hardline faction was too extreme…"

"Wasn't that because of the Third Hokage and Danzō's pressure?"

"That… it was all because of the Sharingan in the Kyūbi incident. Without that Sharingan, things would've been different… in the end, the Uchiha were at fault."

"How laughable! You helped annihilate the Uchiha clan, and it's still unclear if anyone could control the Kyūbi? If that Sharingan belonged to a clan member, how could it have been watched by Danzō's ninja?"

"In the end, you let them wipe us out! It was just the folly of an outsider who stole a Sharingan, yet you blamed the entire Uchiha clan? You fool, you have an Uchiha body but not a shred of an Uchiha heart!"

Ninja World Sasuke and Itachi exchanged words, Sasuke's expression growing colder.

"Most importantly, you clearly had better options back then, but you cowardly chose the stronger Konoha side, deluding yourself into thinking you protected the Uchiha? How laughable!"

"… Better options? What do you mean?"

Ninja World Itachi showed confusion.

"You already had the Mangekyou Sharingan back then, didn't you? From Shisui-nii's death." Sasuke said.

"True…"

"With the Mangekyou Sharingan, why didn't you reveal it? Many Uchiha would've trusted you."

"…"

"After earning their trust, you could've united with Father as clan head, suppressed the hardline faction, and led the Uchiha out of Konoha!"

"If Konoha couldn't accommodate us, couldn't the ninja world? Or… were you so used to being a dog you couldn't leave your master?"

Ninja World Sasuke's words cut sharply.

Ninja World Itachi clutched his chest instinctively. "Konoha wouldn't let the Uchiha go easily… in their eyes back then, the Uchiha were too dangerous…"

"Since we conceded and they still wouldn't let us go, then fight them! As long as they're willing to let Konoha ninja die and suffer heavy losses! Let's fight!"

"We Uchiha have survived several ninja world wars! We're not that weak! Better to shatter like jade than remain whole like a tile! The Uchiha aren't so easily oppressed!" Ninja World Sasuke shouted.

"Your thinking's too extreme, Sasuke."

"No! You're the coward! Because of your cowardice, you killed Father, Mother. Killed all the innocent Uchiha! Feeling noble, bearing it all to let me live? You think I'd thank you for that ridiculous act?"

"I never thought that."

"Hmph… enough. I came to kill you, Uchiha Itachi. You're unworthy of Uchiha forgiveness! Nor do I have the right to forgive you on their behalf! Go to the afterlife and join Danzō and the others, keep being their dog."

Ninja World Sasuke said mockingly.

"What do you mean by that?" Ninja World Itachi was shocked.

"Isn't it clear? Sasuke… has already annihilated Danzō, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and their four clans, including Sarutobi!" Imperial Setsuna sneered.

"What! You killed them all?" Ninja World Itachi's pupils shrank.

"Why? Heartbroken over your masters' deaths? Guard dog!" Imperial Setsuna said.

"And the Konoha you always cared about will also be destroyed. I and my allies will utterly wipe it out. Nothing can stop us!"

Ninja World Sasuke grinned wickedly, launching a deadly attack.

Ninja World Itachi's heart ached, blood trickling from his mouth.

His already frail condition, hit with such news, was nearly unbearable.

In the original story, he carried Shisui's eye, programmed to protect Konoha, meant for Sasuke if he raged after learning the truth.

This showed Konoha mattered more to him than Sasuke, more than anything!

Hearing Konoha would be destroyed, more painful than losing his brother, was hard to accept.

"You… plan to attack Konoha?"

Ninja World Itachi asked heavily.

"Of course! The Konoha that annihilated the Uchiha clan doesn't deserve to exist in this world!"

As Ninja World Sasuke spoke ambiguously, his body flickered, appearing beside Itachi, swinging his Kusanagi sword in a deadly slash.