Sasuke Chapter 85 I Know Everything!

Kisame grinned excitedly, slowly lifting the bandage-wrapped Samehada from the ground.

He unwound a few of the front layers of bandages, revealing the bizarre blade beneath, covered in barbs and seeming almost alive.

"Interesting, truly interesting..."

He laughed hoarsely, ready to charge forward again to properly savor this unique ‘delicacy’.

However, just as he was about to step forward, several rapid sounds of something cutting through the air, along with the clamor of Shinobi shouting to each other, came from the end of the distant street.

It was the village's Anbu.

Clearly, they had been drawn in by Sasuke's Chidori Sharp Spear.

"Kisame."

A calm voice sounded. Itachi had turned around at some point, "Let's go."

"Hah? Itachi-san." The excitement on Kisame's face faltered slightly, “We finally have a decent opponent. Leaving like this is just too boring, isn't it?"

"Our target is the Kyubi. We must avoid unnecessary commotion. Making too much of a scene here will attract Jiraiya."

Itachi's gaze swept inconspicuously over the bisected sweets shop and the familiar streets in the distance.

‘If I were to fight Sasuke here at full strength...’

‘The village would definitely be destroyed.’

This thought flashed through his mind before being suppressed back into the darkness within his eyes.

Hearing the name ‘Jiraiya’, the ferocious grin on Kisame's face also receded somewhat.

He clicked his tongue, somewhat displeased, and hefted Samehada back onto his shoulder.

"Tch, what a buzzkill."

He grumbled but still obeyed the order, "What about this brat? Just leave him here?"

Itachi didn't answer.

He took one last look at his younger brother, who is wreathed in black flames, then his figure flickered, vanishing into the shadows of the eaves as he retreated towards the village outskirts.

Seeing this, Kisame could only let out a frustrated snort and follow closely behind.

‘Trying to leave?’

Sasuke's eyes instantly turned cold.

Without the slightest hesitation, he released the Takemikazuchi in his hand.

An extremely faint sound, like space being torn apart, rang out.

Sasuke's figure left behind a slight distortion in the space where he stood before quietly disappearing.

…

Meanwhile, in front of the ruins of the sweets shop.

"Captain Kakashi!"

Several Anbu wearing animal masks flickered to the scene. Seeing the devastation before them and the smooth, clean furrow, they all sucked in a sharp breath.

"This is..."

Kakashi didn't answer. He simply crouched down slowly, pinching a bit of the scorched earth from the edge of the furrow with his fingertips, sensing the residual aura.

A faint black and white electric arc flickered briefly at his fingertips.

‘This Chakra... it's Sasuke's!’

Kakashi stood up abruptly, his mind reeling with shock.

He looked around, his brain working rapidly, ‘Who in the village right now warranted Sasuke using a technique of this level?’

‘Had a new enemy infiltrated?!’

Kakashi's heart sank.

A sense of foreboding enveloped him.

He immediately turned to the grim-faced Anbu behind him and issued urgent orders.

"Split up! Team One, immediately seal off this area, evacuate all civilians, and report to the Hokage's Office! There are signs of a Kage-level battle here!"

"Team Two, find Jiraiya-sama immediately! Tell him the situation is critical and the village may have encountered an unknown powerful enemy!"

"Yes!"

The Anbu didn't hesitate. After receiving their orders, their figures vanished instantly.

Kakashi stood alone before the ferocious gully, slowly closing his eye.

Soon, he detected those several massive Chakra signatures, and...

The direction Sasuke was chasing.

‘Sasuke...’

Kakashi slowly opened his eye, his usually lazy gaze now filled with deep worry.

‘Whatever you do, don't do anything foolish.’

He no longer hesitated. His figure flickered and likewise disappeared from the spot.

Alone, he followed those three auras, chasing after them.

The two figures cloaked in black robes with red clouds moved swiftly and silently across the densely packed rooftops.

However, behind them, an even faster figure was closing the distance at an astonishing speed.

Sasuke's figure left behind barely perceptible trails of electric light on the tiles; each step caused a slight distortion in the space beneath his feet.

Flash.

This was the most basic yet core technique of the Swift Thunder Form, a single, ultra-high-speed thrust.

"Haha, Mr. Itachi, your brother's feet are truly swift."

"Heh heh, Itachi-san, your little brother is quite fast." Kisame’s shark-like face split into a ferocious grin. He could clearly feel the icy killing intent behind them.

Itachi didn't respond, but his pace quickened.

In pursuit, Sasuke’s eyes fixed on the two figures ahead, and at last, a mocking laugh escaped his lips.

His voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried clearly to their ears, "What’s wrong? Afraid the battle might destroy the village you love so much?"

That cutting, mocking question pierced Itachi’s tall back like an invisible needle.

For the briefest moment, Itachi’s shoulders stiffened.

“Itachi-san, your little brother’s got quite the venomous tongue.” Kisame said with interest, glancing sideways at his partner, amusement appearing in his eyes.

When Itachi remained silent, Sasuke pressed on.

“I already know the truth of that night.”

His tone carried the satisfaction of revenge already half-fulfilled.

"Your superior, Danzo, is already dead by my hand."

“You’re next.”

“Oh?”

Kisame’s massive frame jerked to a halt, genuine shock flashing across his face.

He instinctively turned to his partner, eyes filled with unspoken questions.

‘Danzo?’

‘The leader of Konoha's Root actually died at the hands of this brat?’

And at that moment, when those words hit his ears, Itachi staggered ever so slightly.

His heart sank.

‘Sasuke... why would he say that? Could it be… he’s learned the truth?’

Within Itachi, waves of turmoil surged violently.

But he neither stopped nor turned back.

He maintained his blistering pace, even as his mind worked furiously, dissecting Sasuke’s short but pointed words.

‘Your superior… Danzo...’

‘Sasuke knew that the massacre was an order from the top, that Danzo was the mastermind.’

‘He knew it was nothing more than a political purge to prevent a coup.’

‘So that's it.’

The sudden storm of panic in Itachi’s chest was slowly replaced with clarity.

‘Sasuke knew the ‘truth’, but not the whole truth.’

‘He didn’t yet know that the only condition for my compliance with the mission had been sparing his life.’

‘He didn’t know that everything had been done for his protection.’

‘That’s good.’

‘But then… how had he learned of the truth at all? ‘

‘And...even Danzo died at his hands.’

‘Sasuke… You had grown up.’

At that thought, the corner of Itachi’s lips curved ever so faintly.

His gaze, calm and fathomless once more, subtly swept back with the Sharingan toward his relentless pursuer.

‘Those eyes still held three tomoe.’

‘He hadn’t yet awakened into the cursed Mangekyo through the extremes of hatred and suffering.’

‘Which meant…’

‘The plan could still proceed.’

Itachi made a decision in his heart.

All that was needed was to utterly break Sasuke today… sear deeper despair and hatred into his soul.

So that in his obsession to kill Itachi, he would stop at nothing to grow stronger.

Sensing this chase could not be shaken off easily, Itachi veered suddenly at a junction ahead, not away from the village, but toward its edge, racing for a familiar riverbank.

Kisame instantly understood and followed.

Sasuke, watching them shift course, followed without hesitation.

At last, three figures landed in succession on the cold banks of the Naka River.

Once, it had been the secret gathering ground of the Uchiha Clan.

Now, it had become the place where two brothers, after years apart, would face their fated reunion at last.