After taking a deep breath, Sasuke spoke. "This is just your theory. The Uchiha Clan has more missing members than just those three."
He wanted to believe it, but he couldn’t—not yet. If he did, then Itachi would lose the last thing keeping him going.
Itachi chuckled softly. "You’re right. Everyone knows Uchiha Kagami’s personality—he’s the least likely to do something . As for Shisui, though I never found his body, I saw his life force fade right in front of me. The chances of him surviving are practically zero. Besides, one of his eyes was taken, and he gave the other one to me."
"As for Uchiha Obito, I never met him, but from what Kakashi has told me, he was an optimistic guy. His personality was probably a lot like your friend Uzumaki Naruto. Someone like that would be very unlikely to do something ."
Sasuke frowned. "Then why are you—"
"But they’re still Uchiha." Itachi suddenly cut him off. His smile faded, and his expression turned serious. "Sasuke, you’ve awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan. You should be able to feel it—these eyes are affecting your mind."
Sasuke stayed silent.
Itachi continued, "I’ve read through the Uchiha Clan’s records on the Mangekyou Sharingan. One particular study was conducted by the Second Hokage himself. According to his research, there are two conditions needed to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan."
"First, possessing a Three-Tomoe Sharingan with strong visual power." Itachi raised one finger. Then, he raised a second. "Second, having someone, something, or some ideal that you deeply ’love.’"
"In the Second Hokage’s research, when a Three-Tomoe Sharingan user experiences extreme emotional turmoil, the brain produces a unique mental energy. It’s not chakra, but a special power unique to the Sharingan."
"This power instantly stimulates the optic nerves of Uchiha clan members, greatly enhancing their Three-Tomoe Sharingan. The visual transformation occurs when the three tomoe begin to spin and merge, forming a pattern that reflects the owner’s inner self."
"That is the Mangekyou Sharingan." Itachi lowered his hand. "When someone loses what they love the most—when that love is completely destroyed—the resulting pain shocks the brain."
"And that shock creates even greater visual power, enhancing the Sharingan while also affecting the Uchiha’s mind."
"In simple terms, deep love turns into deep hatred." Itachi’s face was completely serious. "The stronger the love, the more powerful the Mangekyou’s awakening will be—and the greater the mental toll it takes on the user."
"When I made my decision to go down that path without hesitation, part of it was because of how the Mangekyou Sharingan influenced me."
Of course, Itachi wasn’t trying to justify his actions. He was simply stating a fact. Besides, even if he hadn’t awakened the Mangekyou, he probably would’ve made the same choice in the end.
"So what’s your point?" Sasuke asked, staring at him.
"My point is, if someone doesn’t consciously resist the extreme emotions when awakening the Mangekyou, then the more righteous an Uchiha is, the more twisted they’ll become afterward." Itachi’s expression remained serious. "The reason I believe Shisui is the least likely suspect is because I saw firsthand how he acted after awakening the Mangekyou."
"The reason I believe Obito is the most likely suspect is because of something Kakashi once mentioned..."
"He personally killed the girl Obito deeply loved—Nohara Rin."
Itachi’s voice grew heavier. "Sasuke, imagine this: You love a girl with all your heart. Before dying, you entrust her to your most trusted friend. But for some reason, you survive. And when you excitedly go to find them, what you see is that your best friend has killed the person you loved most."
"How extreme would that despair be?"
"Can you imagine it?"
Sasuke tried to picture it. If Itachi hadn’t been acting and had truly wanted to kill him to take his eyes, then in a situation where he wasn’t sure if he could win, he would have to entrust Sakura... emmmm... maybe Naruto... hiss...
No, that still didn’t feel right.
Alright, another example—if his parents were still alive, and in his final moments, he entrusted them to Itachi. But then, miraculously surviving, he returned only to find that Itachi had personally killed them.
That kind of despair...
Just thinking about it made Sasuke clench his fists.
"Looks like you understand." Itachi smiled. "I don’t know much about Kagami, but I do know that what he loved was Konohagakure."
"Let’s be bold for a moment and assume that Kagami was killed by the higher-ups for political reasons. Only then could his love for the village turn into hatred."
"Though the upper ranks of Konoha have done questionable things at times, back in that era, they wouldn’t have gone that far." Itachi shook his head.
Sasuke tightened his grip. "Since you’ve thought about all this, why didn’t you send this information back to Konoha? Aren’t you a spy in the Akatsuki for the village?"
"I couldn’t." Itachi let out a bitter laugh. "Back then, you hadn’t grown strong enough yet. If I sent the message back, I wasn’t sure if Danzo and the Third Hokage would stick to our agreement."
The Third probably would, but Danzo... Itachi didn’t dare take that gamble. Because Sasuke was his final line.
"Coward!" Sasuke shouted. "With your strength, even if you killed Danzo, the Third wouldn’t say anything!"
"I wouldn’t do that." Itachi chuckled softly.
Annoying. Sasuke was beyond frustrated. "So who am I supposed to take revenge on? Konoha?"
"Just follow your heart," Itachi said.
"Enough with the riddles, damn it!" Sasuke blurted out. But then, he suddenly realized something was off. His expression changed instantly. "You... You’re messing with me on purpose?"
Itachi didn’t answer directly. Instead, he smiled and asked, "So? Can we continue fighting now?"
Sasuke was speechless.
Before Sasuke could respond, Itachi increased his chakra output. The crimson Susano’o grew even larger, now fully clad in armor. Itachi stood at its center, as the towering thirty-meter figure locked eyes with Sasuke.
Itachi’s Susano’o, now in its third stage, stretched out both hands. In its left hand, a spiral-shaped shield formed, while its right hand gripped what looked like the hilt of a gourd-shaped sword. A blazing red blade extended from the gourd, appearing to burn with fire yet feeling eerily cold.
Sasuke took a deep breath. His eyes and chakra surged at the same time, and in an instant, a layer of purple armor spread over his Susano’o. The massive third-stage purple Susano’o took shape.
Sasuke’s Susano’o held a swirling mass of black flames in its right hand. On its left arm, a large bow appeared, engulfed in the same black fire, the arrows shimmering with a cold, deadly light.