On the other side of the village, Hiruzen Sarutobi also saw the colossal form of the Susanoo. He narrowed his eyes, his expression grim. "Susanoo… I had no idea Itachi had gained such power without anyone realizing it." He knew Itachi possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, but he was unaware that he could also manifest the ultimate Uchiha defense.
At that moment, he felt a surge of relief that he had approved Itachi's plan to eliminate the Uchiha clan. If several Uchiha had mastered Susanoo, he would never have a moment's peace. He had been using his crystal ball to observe the Uchiha compound, but he hadn't expected Itachi's purge to create such a massive disturbance. If it had been a quiet affair, he could have feigned ignorance or even ordered the Root to suppress any rumors. But now, the enormous commotion from the battle had alerted half the village. He had no choice but to make an appearance.
However, he had no intention of helping the Uchiha. On the contrary, he secretly hoped that Itachi and his mysterious opponent would destroy each other. The power of Susanoo was simply too terrifying. The best outcome for him was for every last Uchiha to vanish tonight.
Watching the fierce battle from afar, Hiruzen's expression was grave. An Itachi who could use Susanoo was even stronger than he was. Yet, it seemed that Itachi was being overpowered. A sliver of worry entered his heart. "Can Itachi alone really wipe out the entire clan?" If Itachi failed, Konoha could face a level of destruction not seen since the Nine-Tails' rampage.
After a moment of contemplation, a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes. He turned to the surrounding Anbu. "The battle ahead is too dangerous. Anyone below Kage-level is not to engage. You will all evacuate the civilians in this area. I will go to the Uchiha territory myself and identify the enemy."
Of course, he wasn't going to help. He was going to ensure that the Uchiha clan was completely and utterly annihilated. If possible, he hoped Itachi would die tonight as well. After all, a power like Susanoo was too great a threat to leave unchecked. Sending the other ninja away was also a convenient way to ensure there were no witnesses to what he might have to do. He had a reputation to maintain, after all—the kind and benevolent Third Hokage. How could he allow such a noble image to be tarnished? He wouldn't rush in. He would observe from a distance and, once both sides were exhausted, he would step in to reap the rewards.
The other ninja, delighted at the prospect of avoiding such a dangerous battle, didn't question his orders.
Back at the Uchiha compound, the smoke and dust slowly settled, revealing a chilling scene. The colossal Susanoo, once a symbol of Itachi's supreme power, was now covered in alarming cracks.
Itachi clutched his bleeding eye, gasping for breath. His own eyes were wide with a mixture of horror and disbelief. He never imagined that the vaunted defense of his Susanoo could be so vulnerable to a single one of Kagami's attacks. If he hadn't continuously poured his chakra into repairing it, he would have been sliced in half.
Though he had blocked the attack, he had nearly exhausted his chakra reserves and could no longer maintain the Susanoo. To conserve what little he had left, he was forced to let it dissipate.
"Your power is terrifying," Itachi said, his expression grim, his teeth clenched. "I must kill you today." If Kagami lived, his younger brother would never be safe. He could not, and would not, allow that to happen. With that, his Sharingan locked onto Kagami.
Seeing this, Kagami knew Itachi was preparing to use his ocular jutsu. His expression became serious. But his wife and child were directly behind him. He couldn't dodge.
He immediately unleashed a barrage of slashes at Itachi, hoping to kill him before he could activate his jutsu. With the situation so critical, Kagami held nothing back, unleashing fifty percent of his power. The speed and destructive force of his attacks increased exponentially. With a flash of cold light, Itachi was instantly cut into countless pieces.
But just as Kagami thought it was over, Itachi's remains dissolved into a puff of smoke.
"A substitution? He must have used it in the chaos just now."
Kagami's expression shifted. His own chakra was too low, and he hadn't yet awakened his own Sharingan, so he hadn't noticed Itachi's clone technique. He knew Itachi hadn't fled. He was lurking nearby, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
The thought that Itachi could attack his family at any moment sent a jolt of panic through him. He quickly turned, only to see Itachi's gaze already locked onto Rinne.
Amaterasu was about to be unleashed.
Kagami's face twisted in an instant, a mask of terror and sweat. His roar of despair and pain tore through the night.
"No! Rinne!!!"
An boundless rage and panic erupted in Kagami's heart. He never imagined Itachi would resort to such a despicable tactic. But this was the reality of the ninja world—completing the mission by any means necessary. It was only now that Kagami truly understood the cruel nature of this world.
He didn't have time to think. He lunged toward Rinne, desperate to shield his wife and child from Itachi's attack. Even knowing the power of Itachi's ocular jutsu, he didn't hesitate for a second.
Poof—
Black flames ignited out of thin air, and Kagami's body was instantly engulfed by Amaterasu.
"I don't believe you can survive this," Itachi thought coldly. He had seen how important Rinne and the child were to Kagami. To strike where the enemy was most vulnerable, he had targeted them, forcing Kagami to take the hit. It was a dirty trick, but his chakra was only sufficient for one final attack. To ensure it landed, he had no other choice. He was confident that once Amaterasu took hold, no matter how strong Kagami was, he would be burned to ash.
Kagami's body was completely consumed by the black flames. His skin was instantly incinerated, but just as quickly, it was repaired by his new healing abilities. Still, the unbearable, searing pain forced agonizing screams from his lips. His entire body was on fire. Even if he wanted to cut away the burning flesh, he couldn't. If he hadn't been constantly channeling his healing technique, he would have died in seconds. But as long as the Amaterasu burned, he couldn't escape the continuous torment.
The intense pain and fury caused the Sharingan he had yet to awaken to spin wildly within him. His cursed energy, fueled by his rage, surged unconsciously, and his eyes began a powerful transformation.