I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 463 and 464: Kaleidoscope - Eight Thunder Gods!

"Has Sasuke even tamed the power of Heavenly Lightning?"

Uchiha Senmon looked up in astonishment at the giant beast in the thunderclouds, its scales and horns resembling a dragon but not quite. Having mastered Sage Mode, he could sense the sheer ferocity and power of the natural energy within the atmosphere of Turtle Island.

"Itachi's Susanoo can't withstand the Kirin technique!"

The three tomoe in his right eye condensed into three cherry blossom petals, and Uchiha Senmon's gaze sharpened as if facing a formidable enemy.

He promised Itachi Uchiha that he would not interfere in this brotherly battle of destiny, but that did not mean he would stand idly by. He was ready to make his move and freeze the moment that would determine the winner.

Turtle Island is located in the humid Pacific Ocean, where the weather is unpredictable and changeable. The two people's Amaterasu and Fire Release techniques caused the air to heat up rapidly, thereby creating updrafts and producing large-scale thunderstorms.

Sasuke Uchiha used his Sharingan to detect the direction of the lightning and redirected the divine thunderbolts towards his enemy.

Moreover, the Qilin's attack speed is equal to the speed of light, making it an absolutely unavoidable attack!

"Boom! Boom!"

It was like a divine punishment from Zeus; a devastating flash of light descended from the sky, nearly shattering Turtle Island, and deafening thunder echoed for miles around.

The earth collapsed and the mountains crumbled. The main peak of Turtle Island has disintegrated, with piles of rocks and devastation everywhere. Even several nearby mountains have shifted to varying degrees.

"It actually has such power!"

The Uchiha Sage, who was almost caught in the crossfire, raised his left arm to shield himself, his face extremely solemn, and said:

"Sasuke won, so I need to get ready too..."

Suddenly, Uchiha Senmon, as if sensing something, opened his eyes wide and exclaimed in a low voice:

"What!?"

The torrential rain continued to pour down, drenching the battered and bruised Uchiha Sasuke.

"It's over, it's all over..."

Exhausted, Sasuke Uchiha murmured with a mixture of sorrow and joy, unable to even maintain his Sharingan, which reverted to ordinary black pupils.

"Is this how you see me die... Sasuke..."

Sasuke Uchiha turned his head in horror and saw the pile of rubble pushed aside, and the orange-red Susanoo appeared in his field of vision like a nightmare.

"Damn it, why are you still alive?!"

The boy roared in shock and rage, his voice cracking:

"Even Susanoo's absolute defense will be pierced by Kirin!"

"Without this Yata Mirror, I would really be dead..."

Standing within the sternum of Susanoo, Itachi Uchiha covered his mouth with his right hand, crimson blood trickling from between his fingers. He spoke weakly and slowly:

"You've really gotten stronger... Sasuke..."

"That shield, is that the Yata Mirror?"

Uchiha Senmon looked at the red light shield held by Susanoo's left arm with suspicion and said in a deep voice.

Not only does he possess the indestructible Totsuka Blade, but he also wields the Yata Mirror, one of the three sacred treasures of Japanese mythology. Uchiha Itachi is practically invincible.

"Now the battle is truly over. Itachi really is the child of prophecy."

Uchiha Senmon's gaze swept back and forth between Uchiha Sasuke and Itachi. He could see that Uchiha Itachi was already at his last gasp, but Uchiha Sasuke was completely exhausted.

Even though the battle situation was already clear, Uchiha Senmon still felt a little uneasy.

"Sasuke, what other tricks do you have up your sleeve? Hurry up and use them, or you'll miss your chance. The real show is just beginning..."

Itachi Uchiha staggered forward.

"Damn it, you beast!"

Faced with the Susanoo's relentless advance, Uchiha Sasuke bit his lower lip and placed his right hand on the Kusanagi sword tucked behind his waist.

"Cough, cough!"

Just then, Itachi Uchiha clutched his chest in agony with his right hand, even curling up on the ground with his head down, spitting out large amounts of blood.

"Something's wrong with Itachi's body. Besides the strain the Mangekyou Sharingan puts on his body, what else is causing him so much suffering?" Senmon Uchiha frowned.

"Whoaah!"

The moment Itachi Uchiha revealed an opening, Sasuke roared and made a desperate attempt, gripping the Kusanagi sword with both hands and thrusting it at Itachi.

"Clang!"

With a swing of the Yata Mirror, Susanoo sent the Kusanagi sword flying, and Sasuke Uchiha fell backward to the ground.

"Smack."

Itachi Uchiha's footsteps drew closer, like a death knell.

Do it all at once, second time tired, third time exhausted.

Like a cornered beast driven to its wits' end by the hunters, Sasuke Uchiha's face was filled with fear and despair. He forced his exhausted body to his feet and stumbled backward.

With a "bang," his back slammed against the broken walls of a ruin.

"My eyes, my eyes..."

Itachi's eyes had completely lost their black color, his pupils were white and unfocused.

He raised his blood-soaked right hand and reached it toward Sasuke's head, who was trapped with nowhere to go.

Uchiha Sasuke could barely stand; he could only open his bloodshot eyes wide, staring in utter despair at the bloody hand that was about to take his eyes away.

The next moment, the fear and resentment on Uchiha Sasuke's face turned into bewilderment and confusion.

Instead of gouging out Sasuke's eyes, Itachi Uchiha tapped Sasuke's forehead with his middle and index fingers.

"...Sasuke..."

Itachi Uchiha's blood-stained lips twitched a few times, then his right hand slid down limply, leaving a bloody mark on Sasuke Uchiha's brow and face.

"Thump."

With his eyes wide open in death, Itachi Uchiha lay on his back on the ground, his breath extinguished.

he died.

In the pouring rain, Uchiha Sasuke leaned against the wall in a daze. He glanced at Uchiha Itachi on the ground, the bloodstains on Itachi's right hand and Sasuke's face gradually being washed away by the rain.

"Oh……"

After a long while, Sasuke Uchiha, who had finally avenged his great grudge, snapped out of his daze and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.

Then he suddenly fell headfirst onto Itachi Uchiha's corpse.

A moment later, a figure flashed in front of Sasuke and Itachi.

Senmon Uchiha carefully helped the unconscious Sasuke Uchiha sit down against the wall, placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, and transferred his chakra to Sasuke.

Under the healing power of Wood Release chakra, which possesses immense vitality, Sasuke Uchiha, who was covered in wounds, recovered at a visible speed, gradually improving from being on the verge of death.

"Sasuke won. He wore Itachi down..."

Uchiha Senmon stood up and looked at Uchiha Itachi, who had opened his eyes, with an extremely complex expression.

"But something's not right. Itachi, who possesses the Totsuka Blade and the Yata Mirror, should be far stronger than that. In the previous battle, he clearly had a chance to steal Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan."

If Itachi hadn't given me a Kamui to use at a crucial moment, the victory could have been easily secured.

It was originally thought that Itachi inherited Madara Uchiha's will to kill his wife to prove his path, and that for the birth of the prophesied child, even his parents, brothers, and clansmen could be burned as firewood to illuminate the world.

However, judging from his battle with Sasuke, Itachi Uchiha seemed to have a death wish.

He wasn't fighting to steal Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan, but rather as if he were atoning for something, wanting to die at Sasuke's hands.

"Itachi's last words still haunt me."

Uchiha Senmon's eyes flickered, and he pursed his lips, lost in thought.

"Itachi, I apologize for my intrusion."

Uchiha Senmon crouched down, ran his right hand across Uchiha Itachi's face, first closing his eyes, and finally pressing his hand against his chest.

During the battle, Itachi coughed up blood several times. It's unclear whether this was due to a pre-existing condition or excessive use of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Let's confirm it now.

Uchiha Senmon focused intently on using his sensory abilities to examine Uchiha Itachi's corpse, then narrowed his eyes.

"This is... a cursed seal?!"

Itachi Uchiha's internal organs were severely damaged, as if something had exploded inside his body, especially his heart, which still retained a chilling aura.

These are not new wounds from this battle.

Even if Sasuke Uchiha hadn't come seeking revenge, Itachi Uchiha wouldn't have long to live.

"So something's definitely fishy...?"

-

After an unknown amount of time, Sasuke, who was covered with a straw mat, suddenly opened his eyes and saw unfamiliar roof beams.

"You've slept for a whole day and night. Sasuke, you win."

Sasuke was startled and hurriedly got up from the wooden bed. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw Uchiha Senmon walking out from behind the door with a plate of fruit in his hand.

"I've already treated you. However, your injuries haven't healed yet, so it's best not to force yourself to sit up."

The battle between Sasuke and Itachi's Susanoo caused the main peak of Turtle Island to collapse, with far-reaching consequences, leaving no place to stand for a time.

For the Uchiha clan, it was a trivial matter; a single Wood Release: Four Pillars Clan Technique was enough to build the house and furniture.

"Eat something first."

Placed the fruits, also grown using Wood Release, on the bedside table, Uchiha Senmon stepped back a few paces and said:

"I don't think I need to introduce myself. We fought side by side when facing Ashiya Doman in Kobe, and I'm also from your clan."

A dejected Sasuke glanced at Senmon Uchiha before looking away.

"I have something I want to tell you, that's why I brought you here."

Sasuke remained indifferent, his eyes empty and devoid of any light.

"They seem completely uninterested..."

Uchiha Senmon frowned before continuing:

"It's about Itachi Uchiha. You'd probably like to hear about it, wouldn't you?"

Upon hearing this, Sasuke, who was in a daze, blinked slightly.

"I examined Itachi's body, and it was in terrible condition. It wasn't the side effects of the Mangekyou Sharingan or the injuries you left him with, but rather a lingering effect similar to a curse."

Sasuke Uchiha's expression changed, and he stared intently at Senmon Uchiha, his aggressive gaze almost piercing through him.

"Itachi suffered a fatal injury before even fighting you. Even a healing superhuman like Ms. Jeanne would be helpless against it."

Uchiha Senmon remained unmoved and continued in his indifferent tone:

"Isn't it strange that Itachi was still thinking about getting your Mangekyou Sharingan when he was about to die? He should have been more interested in the elixir of immortality."

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

Sasuke Uchiha suddenly raised his head, looked at Senmon Uchiha, and said, word by word:

"Don't act like you know Itachi so well! If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll kill you!"

"Compared to you brothers, I am an outsider. I know almost nothing about Itachi."

Uchiha Senmon nodded and said:

"Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly; perhaps my eyes can see further than yours."

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

"What did Itachi do to you before he died?"

Uchiha Senmon faced Uchiha Sasuke and whispered a reminder.

Sasuke Uchiha was stunned for a moment before raising his right hand to press his forehead, his eyes filled with confusion and pain, and his lips twitched.

"Think about it carefully, recall Itachi's last words."

"Those of us with the Sharingan could never be wrong. These are Itachi's last words to you."

"Huff, huff, huff!"

Uchiha Senmon's words were like a demonic voice, causing Sasuke's face to contort in pain. He gasped for breath, his right hand gripping the straw mat tightly, tearing it apart with a ripping sound.

"Shut up, stop talking!"

Itachi's last words were: "Forgive me, Sasuke, this is the last time."

"For the power of the kaleidoscope, for eternal light, he killed my parents and clan, and then he tried to kill me, to take my eyes. He's the culprit behind it all..."

Uchiha Sasuke's face was covered in a thick layer of cold sweat. He supported his head with his hands and screamed at the top of his lungs:

"Upon facing death, you put on this act of a good older brother? What a joke!"

"Aaaaaaaahhhhh!!!"

Seeing this, Uchiha Senmon quickly stepped forward, placed his hand on Uchiha Sasuke, and comforted him:

"Calm down!"

"roll!"

Sasuke rudely slapped Uchiha Senmon's hand away, stumbled and tried to get off the bed, but suddenly everything went black and he fell to the ground.

When Uchiha Sasuke woke up again, his body was already wrapped in several layers of wooden strips.

"I'm sorry, but since you don't seem to want to hear what I have to say, I'll have to tie you up for now," said Uchiha Senmon.

Uchiha Sasuke closed his eyes, his breathing heavy and labored.

"What exactly are you trying to tell me? Was everything Itachi did framed? But he's already admitted it himself!"

After the earlier commotion, Sasuke calmed down a bit. He stared intently at the Uchiha Sage Gate and said coldly:

"And why should I believe you? What proof do you have?"

Indeed, the Uchiha Sage Sect had no evidence whatsoever.

A man who chooses to bear the darkness and shoulder all sins, even when the faults are not his own.

This bold guess was merely a hypothesis he made based on the Uchiha clan's awkward personality and the clues left by Itachi Uchiha.

If Sasuke's inner conflict cannot be resolved here, his mental state will not be able to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the prophesied child.

"I really have no evidence."

Uchiha Senmon's right eye switched to a scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan, which then transformed into a beautiful cherry blossom petal, and a line of bloody tears welled up in his eyes.

Kaleidoscope Eye Technique, Eight Thunder Gods!

"I'll let you meet the person who knows the truth best."

(End of this chapter)