Onii-chan!
The moment those three words left Kai's mouth, Sasuke's expression changed drastically!
His body stiffened almost uncontrollably.
His lone arm gripped the Kusanagi Sword tightly.
On that cold face, weathered by years of wandering and hardship, an almost helpless expression appeared.
If one looked closely, they would notice traces of complicated emotions hidden deep within those red-purple eyes.
Hatred that had settled for twenty years.
Regret.
Unwillingness.
Remorse.
And even admiration buried deep within his heart.
At this moment, all those emotions were stirred up by Kai's single sentence, surging toward the surface.
"I…"
He struggled for a moment, wanting to refuse.
After all…
He had no idea what he could possibly say if he saw that man.
What was left to say?
After all…
For all these years, he had never dared to face that man again.
"What do you mean 'I'?"
Kai curled his lips.
"Stop dragging your feet. Second Brother is making this decision for you."
Sasuke hesitated.
Kai did not.
Without giving him any chance to act sentimental, Kai stepped forward and grabbed his wrist with his chubby little hand.
"You brothers haven't seen each other in a long time. Come on, come on. Don't act like some shy little girl."
As he spoke, he reached out and pulled Sasuke forward.
A faint glow flashed across his fingertips.
Space instantly twisted.
"Hey—!"
Sasuke only managed to let out a startled cry before an irresistible force wrapped around his entire body!
The scenery before his eyes instantly blurred.
Instinctively, his eyes changed.
Just as he was about to track the spatial fluctuations—
His body was already forcibly dragged inside.
He was yanked straight from the outskirts of the Forest of Death into a completely different space.
Buzz.
Buzz—Buzz—
Only faint ripples of spatial power remained at the newly established park outside the Forest of Death.
Whoosh!
When the two reappeared, they had already arrived in an extremely damp location.
The air carried a strong scent of blood and seawater.
"This is…"
Kai instinctively raised his little face and looked around.
He had once planted a Flying Thunder God mark on Uchiha Itachi.
Everyone knew that Flying Thunder God marks never disappeared.
Not even death could erase them.
So logically, they should have arrived beside Itachi.
But…
Beneath their feet were cold stone bricks.
Stepping on them felt oddly slippery.
Moss filled every crack.
This place was…
The interior of a massive abandoned domed structure!
BOOM!
BOOM—!!
At that moment, violent explosions erupted all around them!
The deafening roars shook the entire structure.
Mixed within were the sounds of explosions, furious shouting, and fierce clashes.
The two exchanged a glance and immediately rushed toward the source of the noise.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bite Explosion!"
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!"
"Samehada: Annihilation Slash!"
"Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets!"
…
The moment they emerged from the building, they saw a violent dark-blue water dragon roaring into the sky!
Directly in front of it surged a scorching torrent of dark-red magma!
Hiss—!
Hiss—!
In an instant, boiling steam exploded outward, covering the heavens.
Endless white vapor surged upward.
Like an enormous amount of water being poured onto a blazing furnace.
Then—
Within the steam—
A ferocious bandage-wrapped greatsword suddenly slashed downward!
Directly opposite stood a slender figure shrouded in blue chakra.
"Mizukage-sama?"
"Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi?!"
Future Sasuke and Kai exclaimed almost simultaneously.
The moment he heard Kai's words, future Sasuke once again revealed a look of surprise and confusion.
Logically speaking, his second brother shouldn't know Mei Terumi at this point in time.
The current Mei Terumi hadn't yet become Mizukage.
She merely possessed some reputation and strength.
Furthermore, Kirigakure had spent years enforcing the Bloody Mist policy.
There was almost no contact with the outside world.
So…
How did his second brother know her?
Could it be…
That he was truly omniscient?
As though noticing Sasuke's confusion, Kai turned around and smacked his lips.
"Since when did Konoha's rogue ninja, Second Pillar, become so polite?"
"You actually called someone 'senior' the moment you opened your mouth."
After all, in Naruto—
Respecting teachers and elders simply wasn't part of Sasuke's style.
His style was usually stabbing one teacher after another.
Hearing that, Sasuke's cheeks flushed slightly.
Fortunately, his long hair concealed it.
When had he become so polite?
Probably…
After spending too much time with Naruto.
That was what he thought.
Before he could respond, he heard Kai muttering beside him.
"But judging from this, this should be Kirigakure…"
"So Akatsuki has finally begun moving?"
Kirigakure!
Akatsuki?
Future Sasuke's expression changed.
He immediately looked forward.
At the center of the battlefield—
A young boy even shorter than Kai was desperately holding his ground.
He wielded a coral staff.
His eyes were dark purple.
A pale-red Tailed Beast cloak covered his body.
His eyes were filled with blood vessels.
In front of him stood a woman with reddish-brown hair, a curvaceous figure, and fishnet clothing—
A younger Mei Terumi.
Her hands moved through seals nonstop.
Streams of molten lava continuously erupted from her mouth as she resisted the enemy's attacks.
It was obvious she was struggling.
Several beads of sweat had already appeared on her temples.
Beside her stood a Kirigakure ninja wearing a special eyepatch.
One hand covered a bleeding eye while the other eye anxiously observed the battlefield.
The moment future Sasuke saw that pale eye, he couldn't help exclaiming,
"That's…"
"A Byakugan."
Kai finished his sentence.
His chubby little face nearly scrunched together.
"So…"
"How did Mei Terumi and Ao end up fighting alongside Yagura?"
If he remembered correctly—
Because Yagura had been controlled, Mei Terumi and Ao had originally been some of the strongest opponents of his rule.
But now?
The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, who should have been under Obito's control, was being besieged by Akatsuki.
Meanwhile, Mei Terumi and Ao, who should have been trying to assassinate Yagura, were protecting him!
Could something unexpected have happened within Kirigakure as well?
Kai lowered his head and looked at his own hands.
The butterfly effect caused by his existence really was becoming significant.
Then he turned his gaze toward the opposite side of the battlefield.
There—
Four figures wearing black cloaks decorated with red clouds stood like silent monuments.
Powerful pressure radiated from their bodies.
Enough to make one suffocate.
Uchiha Itachi.
His eyes glowed with sinister red light.
Beside him stood Kisame Hoshigaki, carrying Samehada over his shoulder and wearing a savage grin on his shark-like face.
Nearby was Sasori of the Red Sand.
Hidden inside Hiruko, revealing a face ugly enough to stop a crying infant.
And finally—
Hidan.
Holding his massive bloodstained scythe.
His face was filled with fanatical excitement and madness.
Seeing this four-man lineup, Kai couldn't help shaking his head again.
Akatsuki…
Had truly become a complete mess.
Although the arrival of the two of them caused very little noise, every elite jōnin present noticed them immediately.
Itachi's gaze swept over almost the instant they appeared.
And when those crimson eyes landed on future Sasuke—
His pupils contracted ever so slightly.
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