Uchiha Itachi suddenly pulled back his hand and, along with the Shadow Clone beside him, retreated a few steps.
Well, how to put it, his feelings were a bit complicated.
Sasuke didn't use crow clones very often, but if he had to say, it was probably because he didn't have many chances to use them.
It was like being fooled by his own jutsu, Uchiha Itachi raised an eyebrow slightly.
The Shadow Clone on the side crouched cautiously, watching the cawing crows that were gradually disappearing. Sasuke's figure was nowhere to be seen.
However, Uchiha Itachi's main body turned towards a certain direction behind him and thrust out a kunai sharply.
Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly, his brows furrowed heavily. Uchiha Itachi pursed his lips slightly and smoothly drew out the kunai in his hand.
"Cough...!"
Sasuke coughed up a mouthful of blood, his hand holding the Kusanagi Sword tightened uncontrollably, his knuckles turning a blue-white color.
Then Sasuke took two steps back, extending his other hand to forcefully cover his chest. A large amount of blood was seeping from his chest.
The black Akatsuki robe was quickly soaked to an even deeper, dark color by the gushing blood.
Uchiha Itachi held the kunai in his hand with a blank expression, blood drops still rolling down the kunai.
"It seems learning it was useless."
Uchiha Itachi looked down at him from above.
"I told you before, if you don't have the strength to survive here, I will still kill you."
Uchiha Itachi's voice was not loud, and his tone was deeper.
Sasuke coughed and gasped for air, clutching his wound.
He hadn't heard these words for a while, but when he first arrived, Uchiha Itachi had indeed said something similar to make him stronger.
Back then, Sasuke couldn't be considered strong or weak, it was just like that.
Sasuke, who had been hit by Uchiha Itachi's genjutsu, was almost gone. But even though many things were explained again and again, Sasuke always seemed to lack something in the area of genjutsu.
After all, Kakashi was the one who initially trained Sasuke, and Sasuke's foundation was to use Sharingan for attacks.
He hadn't really practiced genjutsu knowledge at all.
Now, even if Uchiha Itachi said many of his thoughts and coping methods, if Sasuke couldn't understand, it would still be useless.
Uchiha Itachi could only say to him helplessly.
"If you don't have the strength to adapt here, I will kill you."
"I can't protect you forever."
Uchiha Itachi said this as if he were sighing.
Uchiha Itachi was aware of his physical condition. The time he could guide Sasuke was limited, and there wasn't much time to waste.
Once he died, Sasuke would need to gain the ability to protect himself in a timely manner.
However, when he said this at the time, it was just words, not a real intention.
If, one day, that day truly came, his death would bring Sasuke Mangekyou Sharingan, and he could even bestow Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan upon him.
He naturally would not kill the brother he protected.
"I don't want to waste your time if your abilities are only this much."
"Then, there's no need for you to continue living."
Uchiha Itachi's expression turned a little serious. Holding the kunai, he walked straight towards Sasuke.
Even if it came to this, Itachi would never do such a thing.
Sasuke frowned, staring intently at Uchiha Itachi's every step as he walked closer. Then he bit his lower lip fiercely.
As Uchiha Itachi's kunai was about to pierce his body again, Sasuke's eyes widened dramatically.
Everything around them turned black and white and was then split into several pieces.
Uchiha Itachi's movements froze suddenly, his eyes widening slightly in disbelief.
The constantly disintegrating illusion fell apart and was rebuilt into the original real world.
There was still some distance between the two of them. The pain in Sasuke's chest had already disappeared.
The Akatsuki robe, which had been soaked and slick with blood, also became dry.
Sasuke knelt down and gasped for breath.
Uchiha Itachi, facing him, bent down slightly and tightly covered one of his eyes.
The stinging and dryness in his eye made him quite uncomfortable, and this forceful direct breakup of Tsukuyomi had a considerable backlash for him as the caster.
"I didn't expect him to break Itachi's Tsukuyomi."
White Zetsu kept muttering secretly beside them. He was clearly surprised that Sasuke could break Tsukuyomi with his Three Tomoe Sharingan.
Black Zetsu watched the two people lying on the ground with interest.
He originally thought it would be a one-sided beating by Uchiha Itachi, but he didn't expect there to be a chance for a comeback. It seemed that Sasuke might win this time too.
"He never succeeded before..."
Drops of sweat rolled down Sasuke's cheeks. Beside his feet lay the shuriken they had thrown at each other. The shuriken were deeply embedded in the ground, leaving deep imprints.
.... .... ...
Uchiha Itachi had tested him with Tsukuyomi before, but no matter how hard Sasuke tried, breaking Tsukuyomi was indeed too difficult for him.
Of course, it wasn't just difficult for him. It was theoretically impossible for a Three Tomoe to break Mangekyou Sharingan's genjutsu.
But Sasuke surprisingly managed to do it.
Although his eyes felt a wave of sharp pain, Uchiha Itachi felt a glimmer of satisfaction in his heart regarding the current situation.
"You can actually break my Tsukuyomi. You've really gotten stronger, Sasuke."
Uchiha Itachi said in a subtle tone.
After all, Zetsu was still watching them from above, so Uchiha Itachi couldn't show it too obviously.
Sasuke, still with his head down, had a smile on his face.
Uchiha Itachi calmed the stinging in his eyes slightly. Although he was satisfied with Sasuke, the final battle couldn't stop here yet.
Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke simultaneously looked up sharply. Uchiha Itachi's hands were clasped together, and just as he was about to form a hand seal.
Sasuke directly pulled out a half-sized shuriken, spun it in his hand, and threw it at Uchiha Itachi.
Zetsu, who had been watching the two motionless and casting genjutsu, finally saw some action. His gaze was fixed on the shuriken Sasuke threw.
Uchiha Itachi's excessive power had caused them to overlook Sasuke's abilities most of the time.
"He didn't plan to let him form any hand seals at all..." Shao.
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