Kagami's icy, piercing words struck Uchiha Itachi like a physical blow, and the color drained from his face as if he'd been blasted by a winter storm. But in his eyes, a defiant flame ignited, and his anger simmered like a volcano on the verge of eruption—hot, fierce, and resolute.
"I wont tolerate you disrespecting the Hokage's honor!" he growled, each word spoken with the threat heavy with unshakable conviction. "Everything I've done is to protect Konoha's peace, to spare every innocent person from the horrors of war!"
"Hmph!" Kagami's cold laugh echoed in the desolate room, his voice dripping with undisguised contempt and mockery. "What a noble excuse."
He took a slow step forward, each footfall landing like a hammer on Itachi's taut nerves. "Your so-called peace is nothing more than a magnificent lie to hide your own selfish desires."
"Tell me, Itachi," Kagami pressed, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper, "when you turned your blade on your own kin, did you feel even a flicker of hesitation? Or was it just a necessary 'sacrifice' to ensure your precious little brother Sasuke's safety?"
As Kagami's words hung in the air, a suffocating tension descended, causing Itachi's heart to clench. His fists trembled, veins bulging—a stark reflection of the turmoil raging within him. His gaze shot past Kagami's ridicule, locking onto those unfathomable dark eyes, as if searching for a sliver of understanding, a hint of empathy. But all he found was an even deeper, bone-chilling indifference.
"You don't understand," Itachi's voice was a low, hoarse rasp, as if the words were torn from the depths of his soul. "The burden I carry is something no one can possibly imagine."
"My choice may have been cruel," he admitted, his voice cracking with pain, "but it was the only way. For Konoha, for Sasuke, I will bear it all."
Just as the tense standoff reached its breaking point, the air thick enough to choke on, Kagami suddenly laughed. But there was no warmth in it, only an endless, chilling confidence.
"Compromise only invites others to take advantage of you," he declared, his voice ringing with newfound power. "Your actions, in my eyes, are nothing short of foolish."
As he spoke, an overwhelming force erupted from him—the terrifying power granted by the Ryomen Sukuna template, transforming him into something that felt like a true god.
Itachi's face contorted in shock. He could feel the crushing pressure, a power unlike anything he had ever encountered. A jolt went through him, and a fierce killing intent instantly blazed in his eyes.
"It's too late to turn back now!" Itachi thought, a wave of resentment washing over him. "This is all because the Uchiha were too restless; they forced my hand!" He couldn't help but feel a bitter anger toward Kagami. If Kagami had revealed this incredible strength earlier, perhaps things could have been different.
But it was too late for regrets. He had already killed his parents. There was no turning back. He had to see this path through to its bitter end. At least, when it was all over, his younger brother Sasuke would be safe.
But that safety depended on Kagami's death. If Kagami lived, Hiruzen Sarutobi would surely break his promise to spare Sasuke. He would never allow anyone to threaten his brother's life.
Seeing the murderous glint in Itachi's eyes, Kagami's disappointment hardened into resolve. "Itachi, leave now," he said coldly. "Otherwise, don't blame me for forgetting we were once comrades."
Even with this immense power at his command, Kagami didn't want to kill a fellow clansman unless he had no other choice. He knew that once he started down that path, there would be no end to the bloodshed. He didn't want to bear the sin of striking down one of his own. This was his final warning. But if Itachi refused to listen, he would be forced to act. He was unwilling to kill, but if Itachi threatened his family, he would not hesitate.
Hearing Kagami's ultimatum, Itachi's eyes filled with an icy resolve. For Sasuke's sake, he had to kill Kagami tonight.
"The Uchiha are too extreme," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "To ensure Konoha's peace, I must eliminate all of you today." He had already killed his own mother and father; he would not endanger his brother for a distant relative like Kagami. For Sasuke's safety, the Uchiha clan had to be wiped out, and that included Kagami's family.
"Sasuke, forgive me," Itachi thought, his heart aching. "This is all for you."
At Itachi's murderous declaration, Rinne's face went ashen. Her beautiful eyes filled with terror and panic. She clutched Kagami's hand, her nails digging into his skin, her voice a trembling whisper. "My love..."
In her eyes, Itachi was one of the clan's greatest geniuses, while Kagami was still the man who couldn't even qualify as a Genin. She was terrified for his safety.
Seeing her fear, Kagami's eyes hardened with determination. He gently squeezed her hand, giving her a look of silent reassurance. His smile, even in this tense atmosphere, was warm and firm, a beacon in the darkness. "Don't worry," he said softly. "I won't let anything happen to you or the child. Our family will survive this."
He glanced down at their newborn son. "And we'll name him Sukuna. Uchiha Sukuna."
Looking into Kagami's confident eyes, Rinne felt a wave of calm wash over her, and she chose to believe him. Their gazes met, and in that silent exchange, everything was understood.
"Sukuna," she whispered, nodding as she held their child tighter.
Kagami then turned back to Itachi and sighed, a genuine note of weariness in his voice. "I only wanted to live a peaceful life with my family. Why did you have to force my hand?"
Though he had lived in this world for twenty years, he was still the person he had been before—someone who valued life and was unwilling to kill casually. But Itachi's words made him realize a harsh truth: that kind of thinking wouldn't protect his family here. The Ninja World didn't reward kindness; it respected power and ruthlessness.
"If I must abandon kindness to protect my wife and child, then so be it," he thought, a profound shift occurring within him. "From this moment on, I live only for my family. My gentleness is reserved for them alone. Anyone who dares to harm them will face me first."
After casting aside the foolish kindness that had held him back, Kagami's face turned to ice, and a powerful, unrestrained killing intent erupted from him.