Imperial Itachi Bullies Ninja World Itachi!

"So fast! Is this Sasuke's strength now?"

Ninja World Itachi's pupils shrank, his heart both joyful and heavy.

If it were before, seeing his younger brother with such power, he'd happily let himself be killed by his beloved sibling, but now things were different!

He had to defeat him, then the three beside him, to ensure Konoha's safety!

Konoha must not fall!

Ninja World Itachi didn't want to die now!

Leaping back with all his might, he dodged Sasuke's sword slash, his hands forming seals at lightning speed. "Fire Release – Great Fireball Technique!"

"Boring technique! Deflection Field!"

Sasuke's advance didn't slow a bit. The massive fireball hit a few meters in front of him, veering upward, vanishing into the sky's clouds!

*CLANG!*

Ninja World Sasuke closed in, his single slash cleaving Ninja World Itachi, who parried with a kunai, in two.

"Caw caw caw…"

A flock of crows filled the sky, scattering.

The Rain ninja tasked with watching only then realized, wanting to aid Ninja World Itachi.

Imperial Setsuna raised one hand. "Sarutahiko no Mikoto!"

The ninja froze in place, unable to move.

"Where are the other Akatsuki members?" Imperial Setsuna asked.

"We… don't know what you're talking about… but… you dare attack us… wait till the god returns, you'll regret it!"

"Amegakure's god will make you feel pain…"

"Don't know…"

Imperial Setsuna's voice lowered, thorns sprouting from the ground.

Imperial Itachi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Enough, Elder Setsuna. These people aren't our revenge targets, nor a threat. Let them live. Indiscriminate slaughter will only tarnish the Empire's reputation, hindering our assimilation plan."

"And through my earlier sensing, this city likely has no strong ninja left. This operation can only be called very unlucky… Akatsuki, after attacking me and Sasuke earlier, was clearly terrified, moving their base immediately."

"Capturing this world's Itachi is decent enough."

"Hmph!"

Imperial Setsuna snorted coldly, lowering his hand, turning his gaze back to the battlefield.

"What's wrong, Uchiha Itachi? Didn't you say you'd let me live in misery until I had eyes like yours to seek revenge?"

"Why now, when I come, is your strength only this? Just running from me like a dog? Come on! Crush me head-on!"

Ninja World Sasuke roared, his Kusanagi sword dancing like a shadow, forcing Ninja World Itachi, holding a kunai, to retreat. A moment's lapse, and he was kicked flying, several fireballs spewing out, leaving his opponent dodging with Shadow Clones.

Gravely ill, Ninja World Itachi was no match for Ninja World Sasuke.

His stamina drained quickly in the high-frequency close combat, soon panting, barely able to evade.

Another sword slash came.

Ninja World Itachi couldn't hold back, widening his eyes.

The next second, Ninja World Sasuke felt the world spin.

He appeared in a blood-red world, bound to a cross, Ninja World Itachi before him holding a short blade, whispering softly: "Welcome to the Tsukuyomi world, where space, time, and mass are under my control… Sorry, Sasuke, I must defeat you and those three dangerous people here to protect Konoha."

After speaking, Ninja World Itachi's blade stabbed Ninja World Sasuke's stomach.

"Ugh… it hurts…"

Ninja World Sasuke felt the pain of the blade piercing his body, but he sneered. "But… this pain, compared to being mercilessly killed by the clan I trusted, is nothing! The Uchiha you brutally slaughtered felt pain a hundred times worse than this, Itachi!"

Ninja World Sasuke roared.

His words, like sharp knives, pierced Ninja World Itachi's heart again.

His heart trembled, and he stabbed the blade into Ninja World Sasuke's body once more.

"Hahaha… this pain… truly… exquisite! Hahaha… but trapping me with this? Don't dream!"

Ninja World Sasuke roared, his Mangekyou Sharingan spinning fiercely.

The entire Tsukuyomi world shook violently.

A fierce battle unfolded between two pairs of Mangekyou Sharingan.

Soon, the space shattered completely.

Ninja World Sasuke and Itachi panted, staring at each other with bleeding eyes.

This time, their Tsukuyomi clash wasn't the deliberate yielding duel from the original story but a full-effort struggle from both sides.

"Sasuke… you've grown so much." Ninja World Itachi couldn't help but admire.

"Just a guard dog!"

Ninja World Sasuke felt only irritation at the praise, cursing and preparing to attack again.

Imperial Itachi flashed to Ninja World Sasuke's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Enough, Sasuke. Your eyes haven't fully recovered from the earlier fight. This Mangekyou Sharingan battle was too straining. Uchiha Itachi's life is yours, but before he dies, I think I need to face him too."

"I…"

"Don't let this affect your bright future… don't you want to surpass him? Or are you ready to fall behind Naruto later?"

At Imperial Itachi's words, Ninja World Sasuke clenched his fists, stopped attacking, and stepped aside. "Fine, handle this trash. Let him taste despair and helplessness!"

"Switching opponents? Good… no need to hold back."

As Ninja World Itachi thought this, his Mangekyou widened again.

Instantly, black flames engulfed Imperial Itachi's body.

Imperial Itachi let the flames burn, coldly turning to Ninja World Itachi. "So impatient… but… this level of Amaterasu won't affect me."

As he spoke, True Qi radiated from his body, shedding a layer of it along with the black flames, like discarding an outer shell.

"How?!"

Seeing Imperial Itachi easily shed Amaterasu, Ninja World Itachi's heart jolted.

"Don't be too shocked. The real show's just beginning. I promised Sasuke you'd feel despair and helplessness."

Imperial Itachi spoke softly, inhaling deeply. His body began glowing with fiery sparks, and with his next breath, they erupted into blazing flames.

"This!?"

Ninja World Itachi was startled by Imperial Itachi's transformation.

"Flame Breathing Style – Burst Mode! The highest level of Flame Breathing, mastered by only a few geniuses." Imperial Setsuna explained from the side.

Ninja World Itachi didn't fully understand but felt it seemed immensely powerful…

And it was!

The next moment, Imperial Itachi clasped his hands before his mouth. "Fire Release – Great Fireball Technique!"

A fireball spewed from his mouth, rapidly morphing into a massive lava sphere at least a dozen meters wide, hurtling toward Ninja World Itachi with unmatched force.

As the lava sphere rolled, the ground burned into a molten path, making Ninja World Itachi and the controlled Amegakure ninja's eyelids twitch.

This is called a great fireball? Don't think we're ignorant of ninjutsu!

The Great Fireball Technique is a C-rank jutsu with limited power, hardly lethal!

But this one was more outrageous than an A-rank!

Ninja World Itachi didn't dare block it head-on, leaping to dodge.

"Fire Release – Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

The next second, Imperial Itachi spewed dozens of half-meter fireballs in succession. Ninja World Itachi dodged desperately as the phoenix flames exploded around him, blasting two- or three-meter craters, chilling onlookers!

"Fire Release – Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

Imperial Itachi's next fire jutsu followed, a devastating blaze with earth-shattering power, rushing at Ninja World Itachi.

Covering hundreds of meters ahead and sixty or seventy meters on both sides.

"Where's this guy from, why so outrageous… ordinary ninjutsu in his hands becomes terrifying."

"A B-rank Fire Dragon Flame Bullet… rivaling an S-rank jutsu… impossible! No way to dodge! No choice, I must use it!"

Ninja World Itachi's heart raced. As the flames closed in, blood-red chakra solidified, forming a giant!

The Fire Dragon Flame Bullet's flames flowed around the Susanoo's sides.

Most of the ground burned to ash and crystal, even the tower where Nagato once stood collapsed.

But it couldn't harm the blood-red giant at all!

The ground trembled and roared.

The tower's destruction shocked a group of Amegakure ninja.

Hearing the noise, they rushed over, only to see the collapsing tower and the earth-shattering flames!

"Someone's attacking the tower where the god resides!"

"Such powerful flames… this enemy's different!"

"Everyone, work together! Eliminate this person, or the god's punishment will doom us all!"

They prepared to attack.

Then, several giant magatama energies flew from the flames, striking where Imperial Itachi stood, forcing him to dodge, then hitting the ground.

*BOOM!*

Another massive explosion sounded, a fierce shockwave blowing away the approaching Amegakure ninja.

The ninja behind paused.

Imperial Itachi, standing again, ignored the Amegakure ninja, focusing on Ninja World Itachi. "This is your Susanoo? Only the third form?"

"Third form? What do you mean?"

Ninja World Itachi's expression shifted.

"It means, of course… there's a higher form above… you haven't fully mastered it? No matter… I'll show you properly."

After Imperial Itachi spoke, his Mangekyou Sharingan appeared, spinning.

A hundred-meter half-perfect Susanoo, clad in tengu armor, stood tall!

Before it, humans were like ants, houses like mere mounds!

Seeing this sky-high giant god, the Amegakure ninja froze, legs trembling, some terrified into stupor.

"Wh-what is this thing?!"

"Could this be… the true power of a god?"

"Who's the real god here?"

"How can humans fight a monster like this…"

"We just… tried to oppose this monster?"

"Luckily… we stopped earlier…"

The Amegakure ninja, terrified, tried to retreat, but fear paralyzed them. Some fell, crawling away; others stabbed their thighs with kunai, using pain to numb fear, and fled!

Ninja World Itachi, seeing the monster before him nearly five times taller than his Susanoo, was stunned.

His Susanoo… looked laughably childish compared to his opponent's!

What was happening?

'This impostor before me, why does he have a Mangekyou Sharingan and such a powerful Susanoo?'

'Who's the true Uchiha?'

'Such a strong, terrifying person is Konoha's enemy… Konoha might truly be in danger!'

'Can I… really protect Konoha?'

Ninja World Itachi began doubting himself.

'No! I must protect Konoha!'

'Even if his Susanoo's taller, I have sacred artifacts! I haven't lost!'

With resolve in his eyes, Ninja World Itachi approached the hundred-meter Susanoo, raising his Totsuka Blade, slashing hard at its knee!

*CLANG!*

A sharp metallic clash rang out.

The Totsuka Blade pierced the hundred-meter Susanoo's knee a meter deep, then stopped.

"Oh? Still daring to attack? Someone with such courage shouldn't have been Sarutobi's dog… What drives you to be so brave, protecting Konoha?" Imperial Itachi murmured.

The hundred-meter giant god swung its sword, slashing at Ninja World Itachi's Susanoo's head!

The roughly twenty-meter Susanoo raised its red Yata Mirror, blocking the giant sword far larger than its body.

*CLANG!*

The Yata Mirror withstood the attack, unbreaking, but the immense force, like swatting a mole, drove Ninja World Itachi and his Susanoo seven meters into the ground. The earth cracked, spiderweb-like fissures spreading.

The terrifying tremor sent the already frightened Amegakure ninja tumbling.

"Aaaa… save us! God-sama! God's envoy-sama! Save us!"

"Damn! Damn! Damn! Move, legs!"

"Too terrifying! How can such a monster exist in the ninja world!"

"Let us go! Get out of here!"

"Sob… I don't want to be a ninja anymore! Spare us!"

Even without attacks, the Amegakure ninja were nearly mad with fear.

Imperial Setsuna sneered at their cries: "Your god abandoned you long ago. Before us, he fled like a dog… you expect someone like that to save you? Relax, as long as you don't seek death, we're not interested in killing ants."

"What? The god… lost?"

"Impossible… the god defeated Hanzō, Amegakure's hope…"

"But… the god hasn't appeared…"

"And… against a monster like this… the god might truly be powerless…"

Many Amegakure ninja shouted.

*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*

Strike after strike.

Imperial Itachi's Susanoo slashed several times, finally smashing Ninja World Itachi's entire Susanoo into the ground.