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Itachi emerged, his new eyes unveiled before the assembled group.
Edo Tensei Nagato. Sasuke in his White Cursed Seal Stage Four… These were sights and events that had occurred during Itachi's period of secluded convalescence, unknown to him.
Seeking confirmation, Itachi's gaze swept over Kabuto, Suigetsu, and Jugo. Understanding dawned. "I see. So, in the time I was resting to integrate these eyes… such a convoluted series of events unfolded."
Nagato couldn't help his curiosity. "Itachi, you say you didn't see or hear anything. Yet you know what happened?"
Itachi narrated the events as if he'd been there.
"Suigetsu, Jugo. You and Kisame fought the Eight-Tails, Killer Bee… In a moment of near-death, you both awakened your Mangekyō Sharingan. After defeating Killer Bee, you coordinated with Nagato from within and without, forcing Obito to release Nagato from his pocket dimension."
"Nagato. Once free, with Suigetsu and Jugo's aid, you consumed one of the Eight-Tails' tentacles. Regained your full power. Successfully retrieved my father's eyes. But to save Suigetsu… you died by Obito's hand."
"Sasuke. After your battle with Obito, you rushed to the Five Kage Summit. The Stage Four you're in now… you unleashed it during that battle with the Five Kage."
"And just now… Orochimaru-sama. You resurrected Nagato here via Edo Tensei. Then used your soul-based medical ninjutsu to heal his legs."
The group's astonishment was palpable. All eyes turned to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru shrugged. "I didn't brief him, you know~!"
Having shed his inner darkness and become an ally, Nagato had rediscovered a simple, good-humored side to his personality. "That's truly incredible. My Human Path needs to physically grasp someone to read the information in their mind. You just stand before us and know our entire history. Terrifying! I wasted half my life trying to become a 'God.' Never imagined the real deal was right in front of me. Itachi, from today, should I call you Itachi-sama?"
Itachi offered a faint, non-committal smile.
Sasuke spoke. "Itachi. This ability… it's related to your new eyes, isn't it?"
Itachi nodded. "Correct. These eyes… simply by gazing into another's, I can naturally perceive the matters of their heart."
Kabuto pushed up his glasses. "That power sounds… excessively frightening. There must be a condition?"
Itachi replied, "Of course. It only works on those whose strength is inferior to my own. Just now, I learned what happened to everyone through Suigetsu and Jugo's perspectives."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses again. "Suigetsu and Jugo weren't present at the Five Kage Summit. You learned about Sasuke-kun's affairs through me, didn't you? Itachi, I appreciate you considering my feelings. However… being weaker than you is nothing I'm psychologically unbalanced about. If anything, it's only natural."
Sasuke murmured, "I see…"
Suigetsu's eyes lit up mischievously. "Hey, Sasuke's brother. I'm still not fully convinced you can do this. To prove you're not bluffing… tell us what Karin's thinking right now!"
Itachi turned his gaze to Karin, his expression turning a little complicated. "Karin. Are you sure you want me to say it?"
Karin flushed bright red. "B-Brother, p-please don't…"
Suigetsu, ever the instigator, pounced. "Pfft. What that woman's thinking? I could guess with my ass! She's probably wondering when she can finally pin Sasuke down, right?"
WHAM!!!
"YOU IDIOT!!!"
The words had barely left his mouth before Karin's fist, fueled by sheer mortified rage, smashed Suigetsu's head into a spray of water!
She wasn't done. Rolling up her sleeves, she launched into a furious, wild flurry of punches on the reforming puddle!!
Having witnessed this comedy duo in his past life, Sasuke was utterly unfazed.
His expression turned serious. "Itachi. Killer Bee… the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. His fate is likely grim."
Itachi's response was calm. "Killer Bee is alive."
"…What?"
The eyes of everyone present snapped to him.
Sploosh!
Suigetsu's head reformed. "H-how do you know that!?"
Orochimaru's voice was low, intrigued. "Itachi. Tell us. Your new dōjutsu."
Itachi raised a hand, lightly covering his left eye. "The new power of this left eye… is called Amenosagume. Reading hearts is but a surface-level application of its power. Its deeper ability… is Manifestation."
The group was confused. "Manifestation?"
Orochimaru lowered his gaze, thoughtful. "There is a legend. When a deity, moved by the sincere prayers of its believer, manifests in a moment of suffering… it is called 'showing presence' or 'manifestation.' Perhaps the principle is similar."
Itachi explained. "Kisame. In his moment of mortal peril… called out to me in his heart. I sensed his call. A sudden, clear understanding arose within me. Amenosagume activated. Had Kisame not faced that crisis, the true awakening of this new dōjutsu might have taken much longer…"
Sasuke realized. "Right… Eternal Mangekyō abilities require a catalyst to truly awaken. In my past life, I gained the Rinnegan before that catalyst appeared. So that new power remained forever sealed. Itachi, to receive your catalyst the moment your eyes opened… your fortune is profound."
Orochimaru pressed. "And in what form did this 'manifestation' take?"
Itachi explained, "Describing it as a clone seems… inaccurate. The fundamental trait of a clone is to divide the user's chakra. This technique does not. If I had to put it into words… it was as if my will became a source of projection, cast outward and given form by Kisame's mind and spirit. For now, I shall call it a Shikigami. In any case… Amenosagume is newly awakened. Even to me, its user, many mysteries remain."
Orochimaru's mind raced. From its currently displayed functions, this technique leans more towards support than direct assault. But its underlying mechanism… aligns eerily with the very birth of 'deities.' How intriguing. The full veil of 'Amenosagume' will likely only be lifted upon awakening the 'Rinnegan.'
Amenosagume, born from the two supreme genjutsu, Tsukuyomi and Kotoamatsukami… is nothing short of divine. Yet, what I anticipate more… Itachi, is your right eye. Amaterasu and Kotoamatsukami. Through what catalyst, what new dōjutsu will they awaken? Heh. Apart from Sasuke-kun, the one who can stir such anticipation in me… is still you, Itachi.
He spoke aloud. "From this day forth, the eight permanent residents of Azure Moon Island—Sasuke-kun, Itachi, Kabuto, Karin, Jugo, Suigetsu, Nagato, and myself—belong to the same entity: Sasuke's Faction! It is time we had our own banner… Sasuke-kun. As our leader, give our faction a worthy name."
Sasuke gazed up at the azure moonlit sky, his thoughts wandering.
"Once, I saw myself as a hawk soaring through the heavens. But now… even the sky no longer feels vast enough. I do not need wings to fly high. The hawk belongs to the past. Let us use something… from beyond the heavens, as our symbol."
Kabuto ventured, "Something from beyond… a star? Or the moon?"
Sasuke said, "No. Stars are too small. The moon is too dim. We walk in darkness… yet we move towards a future illuminated by the holy light of the shinobi world. Only one thing fits as our banner. Yes. From today, our faction shall be named—The Radiance."
…
In a nameless, minor country, eyes that had long been still snapped open, glaring imperiously into the darkness behind him.
—"Black Zetsu. I command you. Explain yourself. Now."
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