The bright moon hung high in the sky, a brilliant light that was powerless to penetrate the inky blackness of the houses below.
Instead, it made the outlines of the houses appear even more sinister in the moonlight, making the entire street scene feel dead, like a forgotten corner of the world.
Sasuke returned to his familiar clan territory, gazing at the desolate scene before him, and an unsettling tide rose in his heart.
He looked around, his breathing gradually quickening, and his stiff steps began to break into a run.
“Hey! Is anyone there? Hey!”
He sprinted down the empty, deserted street, each step heavily striking the ground, kicking up tiny specks of dust.
But the only reply was the terrifying silence; his own rapid and heavy gasps echoed, piercingly clear in the quiet night.
In his panic, he disregarded all etiquette, fearfully pulling open door after door, but the neatly arranged furniture and clean floors inside added to the eerie feeling of what was happening.
What is going on?!
Why is everyone.....
Gone!
Fear and anxiety, like the thick night, tightly enveloped him, as if he had fallen into a quagmire, unable to break free.
Sasuke’s small figure leaped past dim lights, running madly towards his home.
He yanked open the door.
“Brother!”
The expected response did not come; what greeted him was only an unfathomable, inky blackness.
“Mom! Dad!”
Sasuke ran through all the rooms, his forehead already covered in fine beads of sweat.
But the empty rooms, his vanished family.
This reality before his eyes continuously hammered at his mind.
He gasped for air, collapsing weakly to the ground, the surrounding darkness slowly engulfing him like a tide.
The cold touch of the floor spread from his palms, extending throughout his body.
Everyone..... what happened.....
“Who are you! Where did you take my clan members!”
That voice.
The familiar voice was like a spark, igniting hope in Sasuke’s heart.
He quickly scrambled up from the ground and rushed out of the house.
It couldn’t be wrong! That’s his brother’s voice!
He stumbled to the doorway, and the scene before him left him astonished.
He saw his brother, Uchiha Itachi, holding a gleaming long sword, fiercely clashing with a mysterious Masked Man cloaked in black and wearing a demon mask.
Flashes of swords and blades, a shocking sight.
“Brother!”
Itachi turned his head in surprise, a flicker of panic in his deep eyes.
“Sasuke! Don’t come closer! That guy is very dangerous!”
No sooner had he spoken than the Masked Man, wielding a katana, fiercely slashed at Itachi.
Itachi dodged with a sidestep, avoiding the swift attack, his activated Mangekyo calm and sharp.
Each clash of their blades stirred visible ripples in the air.
The pace of the battle quickened, as if the whole world had stilled.
Only these two figures remained, intertwining and clashing in the hazy moonlight.
Sasuke, worried about his brother, ran a few steps forward, but a suffocatingly low voice came from behind him.
It was hoarse and muffled, as if an invisible hand had clutched his throat.
“Here, there’s still one left...”
Sasuke’s heart tightened; he spun around abruptly, flicking his wrist, and several Shuriken sliced through the air, but they were all effortlessly avoided by his opponent.
The moonlight, clear as washed silver, illuminated the front, revealing an even more sinister and terrifying Akuma mask.
She pressed closer, a low, eerie laugh escaping her throat, a chilling aura emanating from her.
Sasuke was so startled by this sudden terrifying sight that he fell to the ground, his small body trembling uncontrollably.
“Bro... brother...”
A dark figure blocked Sasuke’s front; he looked up to see Itachi, dressed in combat attire, covered in wounds, blood soaking his clothes.
He was panting heavily; his usual composure was gone, replaced by visible panic and anxiety.
“Don’t you dare touch my brother!”
He spoke slowly, each syllable forced heavily from his throat.
Like a beast protecting its precious treasure, his complex Mangekyo glowed with a dangerous red light.
Almost as soon as the words fell, Itachi swung his sword at the Akuma’s neck, and just as Sasuke thought victory was theirs.
Another black-clad Masked Man, like a ghost, appeared in front of Itachi, deftly deflecting his attack.
Blades clashed, sending out fierce sparks, accompanied by terrifying sounds that echoed in the dim surroundings.
Sasuke was astonished; he had never seen such incredible speed and couldn’t help but worry for his brother.
The Masked Man stood tall and composed, shielding the Akuma behind him, as if everything was under his control.
“Good power, I like it very much...”
A hoarse, dry voice came from behind the Akuma mask, echoing through the empty street, adding a touch of eeriness to the night.
Sasuke’s gaze pierced through the slits of the Masked Man’s mask; he clearly saw those familiar Sharingan, his mouth slightly agape, unable to utter a sound.
That person... is he also from the Uchiha Clan?
Or is it just those eyes.....
“Sasuke, our clan members, they were all taken by him...”
In the air, Itachi’s slightly strained voice drifted from the front; Sasuke’s pupils constricted, his back already drenched with sweat from fear.
“Their target is..... the Uchiha Bloodline Limit; I’m afraid the one next to him.... is the experiment subject.”
“Then... then what should we do? Brother.... we have to save everyone....”
Sasuke’s trembling voice still carried a hint of a sob; he tightly clutched Itachi’s clothes, his eyes filled with fear and worry.
“Let’s end this quickly; too much time has already passed.”
The Akuma’s dry voice sounded again, carrying an undeniable coldness.
Hearing this, the Masked Man moved, his katana striking towards Itachi and Sasuke.
At this moment, Uchiha Itachi’s breathing was slightly erratic, but he still forced himself to stand, facing his opponent again, throwing out Kunai, which were easily blocked.
He scooped up Sasuke behind him with one arm, pulling back a distance.
His eyes snapped open, and at the same time, he formed hand signs: “Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!”
A massive fireball erupted from his mouth, rushing towards the Masked Man descending from the sky, carrying an aura of destruction.
But unexpectedly, his opponent also used the Great Fireball Technique, and its power was even greater than his, as if it would engulf them and the surrounding buildings.
The temperature around them suddenly soared due to the clash of fireballs, showing the intense struggle between the two.
“Brother, are you okay!”
Sasuke, his face full of worry, supported the panting Itachi, his black eyes filled with tears.
“Sasuke, run..... my genjutsu doesn’t work on him....”
“I don’t want to..... I don’t want to leave you, brother...”
Sasuke, tears streaming down his face, stood in front of Itachi, shouting at the approaching enemy:
“Don’t come closer! Don’t you dare hurt my brother!”
However, when he was stared at by the Sharingan behind the mask, in that instant, Sasuke seemed to see hell on earth.
Blood was everywhere, and at his feet were the corpses of his clan members.
Piled one after another before his eyes, emitting a pungent, bloody stench.
“Stop it.....”
Tragic screams were incessant.
Mixed with the sound of blades severing heads and the sound of blood splashing on the ground, continuously tormenting Sasuke’s fragile mind.
“Stop it, stop it! Please stop it!!”
Sasuke, clutching his head and crying, fell to his knees.
Amidst his heart-wrenching roars, the scene before him suddenly vanished, everything around him became silent, and drops of moisture fell onto his cheeks.
Sasuke tremblingly looked up to see a katana pressed before him, blood dripping from its tip, reflecting a chilling dark red in the moonlight.
And what that blade had pierced through... was Itachi’s body.
Both intruders froze.
A flicker of imperceptible surprise flashed in the eyes behind the Akuma mask.
The katana was firmly thrust through Itachi’s right shoulder; he coughed violently, blood gushing out, painting the ground in dark red.
“Brother!”
The blade was pulled from his shoulder; the Masked Man’s posture was stiff, clearly, the situation before him had exceeded his expectations.
In Sasuke’s terrified gaze, Itachi clutched his wound, blood still flowing.
He went from kneeling on one knee to both knees, his forehead gently resting on the ground, his voice filled with pleading.
“Please, do not harm my brother.....”