After the sealing was completed, in the huge 'Kamui Dimension', only a standing 'Susanoo' remained.
Under 'Susanoo', Itachi slowly exhaled a breath.
Undoubtedly.
The victor was the real Itachi Uchiha, because a fake wouldn't have this kind of lingering fear after surviving a disaster.
"So he also gets scared..."
Shinji, watching all this, chuckled lightly.
After winning, Itachi could no longer hide it, revealing human instincts. He would also be afraid, he would also fear.
It was just that during the battle, these emotions were restrained by him!
"As expected of Itachi!"
Shinji lamented secretly.
Just in execution ability, analytical ability, and comprehensive combat power, Itachi left Sasuke ten streets behind. Let alone Sasuke, in Shinji's view even Madara Uchiha couldn't compare to Itachi.
So he was somewhat glad about his choice back then, not becoming arrogant and careless because of the abundance of talents under his command.
The most effective against a fake, sure enough, was still the real one!
Itachi winning this time didn't rely on any tricky tactics, nor relying on brute force crushing, but chose an open strategy that even Shinji didn't think of.
Izanami!
After some probing, Itachi confirmed the intelligence was correct. The fake not only perfectly replicated his ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu, pupil techniques, ninja tools, divine artifacts etc., but even replicated his thinking mode, habits and style.
So Itachi instantly realized, any technique, any tactic, facing such a perfect replica wouldn't be effective.
Only by challenging oneself could there be a sliver of winning chance.
Thus Itachi chose the forbidden technique 'Izanami'. It was against the enemy, and also against himself. Because only if he himself fell for it, could he be sure to make the opponent fall for it too.
In other words, he prepared to drag the fake into the fate cycle of 'Izanami' together, seeing who could reconcile with their obsession first and walk out of the cycle.
The final result undoubtedly was Itachi won.
What his obsession was, Shinji had no way of knowing. But one thing was certain, he had already let go of the obsession, reconciling with himself. As for what the fake's obsession was, although Shinji didn't know, he could guess a thing or two. Nothing more than targets like killing the 'Lantern Bearer', destroying the 'Ninja World' etc.
But because the fake was just a creation of the Hegemon, it wasn't qualified to let go of this obsession. So for the fake, once falling into this cycle of fate, it was equivalent to falling into a dead end, with no possibility of turning the tables anymore.
Desperate!
This was Shinji's evaluation of Itachi's battle.
Because Itachi not only cut off the fake's path, but also cut off his own path. One must know struggling out from 'Izanami' was not a simple matter. Even Shinji wasn't confident.
Inside 'Kamui Dimension'.
Pfft...
Suddenly, Itachi spat out a mouthful of foul blood.
"Cough cough cough..."
This mouthful of foul blood seemed to trigger something, causing Itachi to cough violently continuously, coughing until his waist bent.
Because still connected to 'Naobi' and 'Magatsu', Shinji detected Itachi's situation immediately. So he activated 'Kamui', crossing the distorted vortex arriving inside 'Kamui Dimension'.
Quietly waiting for Itachi's coughing to subside, Shinji finally spoke: "Your body has problems."
Itachi wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth while saying: "It's a kind of Kekkei Genkai disease, discovered not long ago."
Shinji pondered for a moment: "I can treat you."
With Shinji's current vision, perception, and attainments in medical ninjutsu, just this one glance, he already understood Itachi's condition mostly.
Speaking seriously, this was a terminal illness. But if Shinji formulated the treatment plan, then it was just a troublesome stubborn disease.
Itachi looked up at that face wearing a cat face mask: "What is the price?"
Shinji said casually: "Serve me!"
"You still lack manpower?"
Itachi was somewhat surprised.
Not to mention 'A's current strength already topped the Ninja World, just those people under 'A's command, none were simple. So in his view, 'A' shouldn't lack manpower.
"My trouble is bigger than you think!" Pausing, Shinji changed the topic: "Your condition is seventy percent disease, the remaining thirty percent is overwork accumulating into illness. So you only have possibility of cure if you let yourself rest first."
"I know, it is time to rest."
Itachi nodded, then reached out to cover the faintly aching eye.
The reason 'Izanami' was listed as a forbidden technique was because the price of activating it was very huge. Just like now, the right eye in Itachi's pair of Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan had lost all spirit, becoming pale and lifeless.
He slowed down for a while, saying: "Apologize to Sasuke for me. Situation was urgent, had no choice but to sacrifice a Mangekyo Sharingan."
"Hmm!"
Shinji nodded casually.
Simply cleaning up the battlefield, erasing the fake's last traces one by one, Shinji left 'Kamui Dimension' with Itachi Uchiha.
He didn't take Itachi to the Flying Fortress.
Firstly, he didn't trust Itachi enough yet. After all, the opponent was one of the ninjas most capable of enduring in the Ninja World. Putting such a person in his own lair, he was really a bit worried.
Secondly, Itachi was currently still under Nagato's command. Placing him in the dark could also probe the situation on Nagato and Obito's side at suitable times.
Hiruko's Mangekyo Sharingan capable of outputting emotions, and Ranmaru's Super Red Eyes reinforced by ritual, were still in his collection plan.
Temporarily settling Itachi in a secret underground base he prepared as one of the three burrows of a cunning rabbit before, Shinji instructed: "You recuperate here temporarily first. I will bring this pair of Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to Sasuke for you."
When checking Itachi's condition, Shinji had already removed Itachi's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan conveniently, and replaced it with a pair of ordinary Three Tomoe Sharingan for Itachi.
"Understood."
Itachi nodded.
"Your condition is slightly more troublesome than I expected before. But you don't need to worry, as long as you do as I say, you will be fine."
After instructing a sentence, Shinji left the underground base.
He didn't bluff Itachi. After some checking, Itachi's condition was indeed much more troublesome than he expected before. Even if he went all out, he didn't have full assurance. However he wasn't worried, because besides him, there was still Tsunade in the Ninja World.
In order to protect Naruto, Tsunade definitely wouldn't make things difficult for Shinji now.
Plus Itachi solved the fake personally, also considered helping Tsunade, helping the Five Great Ninja Villages solve a big trouble. Reasonably and emotionally Tsunade wouldn't refuse Shinji's request.
Returning to the Flying Fortress, Shinji found Sasuke, and handed Itachi's pair of Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to Sasuke.
Glancing at the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan floating in the small nutrient jar, Sasuke immediately stared fixedly at Shinji asking: "Where is he?"