After parting ways with Naruto, Sasuke walked home with a smile on his face. Since the training grounds had been packed today, their session had been delayed. By the time they finished training and had eaten, the sun had long set, and darkness had become Konoha's dominant theme.
"Today's training was a bit tough. Nii-san should be back in a few days; I'll show him the Phoenix Flower Jutsu I just learned," Sasuke mused as he strolled down the path, in such a good mood he was even humming a little tune.
"Naruto's Kido is really something else. If only I could learn it… But Nii-san said it's crucial not to overextend yourself in training; focusing on ninjutsu and my eyes is what suits me best," Sasuke sighed. He really wanted to learn those incredibly cool incantations Naruto used.
He arrived at the entrance to the Uchiha Clan compound. The main gate was ajar, and there was no one in sight.
"Huh? Why is no one here?" His gaze fell upon the compound interior; it was pitch black. A shiver ran down Sasuke's spine, but he mustered his courage and stepped inside.
The Uchiha, being a prominent clan, always had guards stationed at the gate and patrolling within the compound 24/7. But for some reason, today, it was deserted.
Sasuke didn't think too much of it and headed towards his own home.
Click.
The crisp sound of a footstep echoed within a house.
Uchiha Itachi, carrying a blood-drenched sword, walked in woodenly. Blood dripped from the blade, leaving chilling trails on the floor. Itachi's steps were heavy as lead, each one taken slowly.
In the main hall, Mikoto and Fugaku sat quietly at a table, silent, as if waiting for something. The hall was deathly still, save for the sound of Itachi's approaching footsteps.
"Is this… your choice?" Uchiha Fugaku asked in a low voice.
Itachi's form faltered. His face was stained with blood and tears.
"Your decision will push the Uchiha into an abyss," Itachi murmured, slowly raising his sword. "For Sasuke… and for Konoha."
"This is my choice."
Fugaku slowly turned, looking at his blood-soaked son. The once-gentle boy now held a sword stained with the blood of his own kin. Fugaku's lips moved a few times, as if he had much to say, but a thousand words ultimately condensed into one sentence: "Itachi… take care of yourself. Do it."
He then wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder, closing his eyes to meet his end.
A flicker of emotion finally crossed Itachi's impassive face. "Goodbye… Father, Mother."
The long sword fell. Crimson bloomed.
The hall was plunged into silence, broken only by gasps and the dripping of blood.
"I'm home!" Sasuke's cheerful voice called out from the entrance, followed by the sound of the door sliding open.
Sasuke couldn't believe what he was seeing. The once beautifully decorated living room was now spattered with blood. His parents lay on the floor, blood pooling beneath them. And his most beloved older brother stood in the middle of the room, holding a long sword, drenched in blood, offering him a terrifying smile. "Welcome home, Sasuke."
"An enemy? Is this a genjutsu?!" Sasuke's expression changed drastically as he instinctively pulled out a kunai. Under Naruto's training, he had become more rational and calm, capable of analyzing situations. His adoring brother would never harm their parents, and his parents were top-tier shinobi themselves. There weren't even signs of a struggle in the living room, so it was impossible for them to have been taken out so silently.
It had to be a genjutsu!
"Who are you?! How dare you trespass in our Uchiha compound!" he yelled. Facing such a terrifyingly strong enemy for the first time, his hand gripping the kunai trembled slightly.
But then he heard the person who looked exactly like Itachi say, "My foolish little brother. You are too weak. Have you lost faith even in your own eyes? How pathetically foolish."
This was the first time Sasuke had ever seen such an expression on his beloved brother's face. Disgust, pity, even mockery.
"Don't… Don't you dare make such an ugly expression with my Nii-san's face!!" Sasuke felt an uncontrollable rage surging in his chest and roared. Two black tomoe suddenly appeared in Sasuke's crimson eyes, slowly spinning.
Zoom! Explosive power from his legs propelled him across the distance to Itachi in an instant, his kunai thrusting viciously.
But then, he was sent flying backward even faster, crashing through the main door and only stopping when he slammed into a large tree.
Swish! Several shuriken zipped past his face, embedding themselves in the tree trunk. A few bloody gashes appeared on Sasuke's cheek.
"My foolish little brother. What you see, what you hear, none of it is an illusion. They are dead. Killed by me, Uchiha Itachi."
Itachi appeared before Sasuke like a phantom, a cold smirk playing on his lips as he nonchalantly wiped the blood from his long sword. "And now, it's your turn, my foolish little brother."
What surprised Itachi was that the expected expression of terror did not appear on Sasuke's face. Instead, Sasuke let out a cold laugh.
"I don't know how you did it, but my Nii-san would never be that kind of person. So, you can just shut up." Sasuke pushed himself up, using the tree for support, his eyes filled with killing intent. He slowly undid his training weights.
"I don't know how you tricked the clansmen to get into the compound." "Or how you dragged me into this illusion." "But congratulations, you've successfully angered me," Sasuke said, lifting his small face, his expression furious. "I will use my full strength." "To kill you."
Thud. The weights hit the ground with a dull sound.
A muscle twitched at the corner of Itachi's mouth. How did Naruto turn my little brother into this? Does he not grasp the situation at all? Posturing at a time like this? What does he possibly think he can fight me with?
"Let me show you the results of my training!" With that, Sasuke vanished from Itachi's sight. The next moment, he was sprinting at top speed towards the compound gate, the tomoe in his Sharingan spinning rapidly.
Sasuke remembered Naruto's teachings during training: Correctly assess your environment and respond accordingly. Never charge in recklessly.
This 'Itachi' before him was clearly not someone he could handle. Fighting him head-on would be rash. Though the honor of the Uchiha wouldn't allow him to flee so disgracefully… But, it definitely wouldn't allow him to be defeated so foolishly either.
Just you wait! I, Uchiha Sasuke, shall make a tactical retreat from this battlefield, rest briefly, and then dedicate myself to arduous training! One day, I will make a grand comeback and slay you beneath these very eyes! The honor of the Uchiha will be protected by me!
Itachi: ???
Itachi was on the verge of losing it; the expression on his face was about to crack. He reacted quickly, chasing after Sasuke.
Bang! Unsurprisingly, Sasuke was caught and sent flying back into the compound even faster, once again crashing against a tree. He clutched his stomach, groaning in pain.
"There's no time." Itachi could sense several chakra signatures approaching. His heart sank. He grabbed Sasuke by the neck, lifting him up, his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning wildly.
"My foolish little brother, now I will show you the truth."
Tsukuyomi.
In the endless expanse of the Tsukuyomi world, Sasuke watched over and over as the demonic Itachi slaughtered his clansmen, finally turning his blade on their parents.
"No! Don't!" Sasuke screamed, a heart-wrenching cry, clutching his head in agony. He couldn't believe that his brother, the kindest, most loving person in his heart, would do something so monstrous.
"Impossible… this has to be fake… it's all fake!" He couldn't accept this reality, sinking to his knees, head in his hands.
"The sky is actually colorless; it's just your eyes deceiving you," Sasuke suddenly remembered something Naruto had once said.
However, before he could dwell on it, immense force struck him. Sasuke was powerlessly kicked to the ground. A cold boot pressed onto his cheek. Looking up, he met Itachi's emotionless gaze.
"My foolish little brother, you are too weak. You don't even qualify to be killed by me." "If you want to kill me, then run. Run away, consumed by hatred. Find a place to survive, to merely exist, until you obtain eyes like mine. Then, and only then, appear before me."