Just as the adult Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Godan were making their way toward Konoha, a distant sound of jingling bells echoed through the quiet forest. The soft chime was followed by the sudden appearance of two figures, clad in black cloaks with red clouds, their straw hats casting long shadows over their concealed faces. The ominous sight was enough to make both Sasuke and Godan halt in their steps.
The two individuals standing before them were none other than Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame—members of the infamous Akatsuki. They had been dispatched to Konoha to investigate the recent disturbances that had shaken the shinobi world. However, neither of them expected to encounter an anomaly such as this—an older Uchiha Sasuke, a man whose appearance should have been impossible.
For a brief moment, time itself seemed to hold its breath. Sasuke and Itachi locked eyes, their gazes brimming with a complexity beyond words. Though years separated them, the connection of brothers remained unbroken. Sasuke, now a man who had endured battles beyond his younger self's comprehension, felt a tightness in his chest. He knew the truth—the burden that his brother had carried, the choices he had made.
His Onii-san… the one who had sacrificed everything for him.
Meanwhile, Itachi's mind raced as he observed the impossibility before him. His younger brother, whom he had last seen as a boy consumed by vengeance, now stood before him as a full-grown warrior, his aura carrying an overwhelming presence. The chakra within him was unlike anything Itachi had felt before, an intensity that even rivaled his own. What had happened? How had his little brother aged so suddenly?
The silence between them was finally broken by Kisame, who, despite his usual laid-back demeanor, couldn't help but feel the tension in the air. His shark-like grin widened slightly as he rested his large, bandaged sword, Samehada, against his shoulder.
"Oi, you two," Kisame's voice rumbled, his sharp teeth glinting under the faint moonlight. "Mind telling us who you are? You don't exactly look like your average travelers."
Uzumaki Godan took a step forward, looking from Sasuke to the two Akatsuki members. He opened his mouth to speak, but Sasuke's hand quickly shot up, stopping him.
"Not a word, Godan," Sasuke said firmly. His crimson Sharingan flickered for an instant before he turned his gaze back to Itachi. "This isn't the time to get involved."
Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly at the response. It was as if Sasuke knew something that he shouldn't.
Kisame raised an eyebrow. "Now that's interesting. Seems like you know us. How about you save us the trouble and tell us how?"
Itachi, however, placed a hand on Kisame's shoulder, signaling him to stand down. "Kisame, we're here to gather information, not to start unnecessary fights."
Kisame chuckled. "Fair enough, Mr. Itachi. But I have a feeling we'll be seeing them again."
With that, the two Akatsuki members turned and disappeared into the shadows, heading straight for Konoha.
Sasuke and Godan stood in place for a moment longer.
"Teacher… wasn't that your brother?" Godan finally asked, his voice filled with curiosity. "And the other one… my godfather mentioned him before. He was one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, right?"
Sasuke sighed. "Yes. That was Uchiha Itachi… and Hoshigaki Kisame." His gaze lingered on the path ahead, his mind filled with memories of the past and the uncertain future that awaited them. "But right now, they are still Akatsuki members. We cannot change history too drastically. Let's move."
Godan hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. "Alright, teacher. Let's go."
With that, they resumed their journey.
Meanwhile, as Itachi and Kisame entered Konoha, the village was blissfully unaware of their presence. Under the gentle moonlight, Sarutobi Asuma and Yuhi Kurenai sat near a small river, enjoying a rare moment of peace. Asuma, still relishing the recent changes in his life, grinned as he turned toward Kurenai.
"Heh… Kurenai, how about we sing that song again?" he suggested, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Kurenai sighed, shaking her head with a soft smile. "Asuma, I swear, you've made me sing it at least eight times already today."
"What can I say? It worked, didn't it?" Asuma smirked. "Thanks to that song, I finally won your heart."
Kurenai rolled her eyes playfully, but before she could respond, both shinobi stiffened as they sensed something off. Their gazes immediately shot toward the two approaching figures, their black-and-red cloaks standing out starkly against the night.
Asuma's expression darkened as he instinctively reached for the chakra-enhanced trench knives strapped to his waist. "Hey! You two! You don't look like you're from around here. What's your business in Konoha? And why are you hiding your faces?"
Kurenai moved beside him, her sharp red eyes locked onto the intruders.
Itachi slowly lifted a hand and removed his straw hat, revealing his face. The moment Asuma and Kurenai saw him, their expressions twisted in shock.
"Itachi Uchiha…!" Asuma muttered, his fingers tightening around his trench knives.
Kisame laughed, adjusting Samehada on his back. "Heh. Looks like we've been recognized, Itachi."
Asuma gritted his teeth. "You… you have some nerve showing your face in Konoha after what you did!"
"I have no intention of fighting you, Asuma, Kurenai," Itachi said calmly. "Step aside."
"Like hell we will!" Asuma snapped.
The air grew heavier as the night deepened, the oppressive silence only broken by the faint rustling of leaves and the flickering torches illuminating the narrow Konoha streets. The tension in the air was palpable, as if the very village held its breath in anticipation of the inevitable clash.
A pair of blood-red Sharingan eyes glowed ominously in the dim moonlight. Uchiha Itachi stood in the darkness, his expression unreadable, yet his presence alone sent shivers down the spines of those who faced him.
"Asuma, Kurenai… you're asking for death." Itachi's voice was cold, devoid of any emotion, yet laced with undeniable killing intent.
Sarutobi Asuma gritted his teeth, standing firm despite the overwhelming pressure exuding from the rogue Uchiha before him. On his other side, Yuhi Kurenai, her crimson eyes glowing faintly, readied herself. Facing an opponent like Itachi was no small matter, but allowing him to roam freely in Konoha was even more dangerous.
Nearby, the imposing figure of Hoshigaki Kisame stood with his monstrous blade, Samehada, resting against his shoulder. A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he stared down his opponent, Asuma.
"Hahaha… So you're the elite Jonin of Konoha? I expected more," Kisame scoffed, his voice dripping with mockery.
Asuma's grip tightened around his chakra-imbued trench knives. He knew full well that brute strength alone wouldn't win this fight. Kisame was no ordinary swordsman—he was a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, a warrior renowned for his terrifying strength and almost inhuman reserves of chakra.
With a sharp inhale, Asuma moved. His trench knives sparked with chakra as he lunged forward, striking at Kisame in a swift, precise motion.
Clang!
Samehada intercepted the attack, its serrated edge hungrily absorbing the chakra from Asuma's trench knives. The sheer force of Kisame's swing sent a shockwave through the ground, cracking the earth beneath them.
Damn it…! His strength is unreal!
Realizing he couldn't overpower Kisame head-on, Asuma swiftly retreated, forming seals mid-motion.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
A roaring torrent of flames erupted from Asuma's mouth, surging toward Kisame with blistering speed.
But the swordsman didn't even flinch.
With a single swing of Samehada, the water gathered in the air condensed into a massive wave, countering Asuma's fire with an explosion of steam.
Kisame chuckled darkly, stepping forward as the mist cleared. "You're going to have to do better than that, Sarutobi."
Asuma clenched his fists, preparing for another strike, when a sudden, eerie stillness filled the battlefield.
A soft click echoed through the air.
Yuhi Kurenai had already begun weaving her genjutsu, her voice calm yet laced with an undeniable sharpness.
"Itachi… You've lost yourself in the darkness. Let me bring you back to the light!"
As her words fell, the air itself seemed to shift. The ground twisted unnaturally, and the shadows lengthened, creeping toward Itachi and Kisame.
In an instant, they were both ensnared.
Asuma let out a relieved sigh, stepping back. "Good work, Kurenai. That should keep them—"
He stopped mid-sentence, noticing Kurenai's expression. Her brows were furrowed, sweat dripping from her forehead. Something was wrong.
Within the illusionary realm, Itachi stood, completely unbothered. His Sharingan spun slowly as crows erupted from his form, dispersing Kurenai's carefully woven illusion as if it were nothing more than a fragile dream.
The genjutsu shattered.
Kurenai gasped, staggering backward as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Asuma barely had time to react before a blur of motion signaled the arrival of Itachi, who now stood mere inches away from them.
"Asuma. Kurenai." Itachi's voice was eerily calm, his gaze emotionless. "I told you… if you stand in my way, you will die."
The moment he finished speaking, his Sharingan spun wildly.
The air thickened with overwhelming killing intent.
Kakashi Hatake materialized like a phantom, his presence cutting through the tension like a blade.
"You've been rather bold, returning to Konoha so openly, Itachi," Kakashi said coolly. His single visible eye locked onto Itachi with unwavering focus. "But you seem to have forgotten about me."
Itachi turned, his gaze meeting Kakashi's. "Kakashi-senpai… long time no see."
"Heh… It's been a while," Kakashi murmured, his normally laid-back demeanor replaced with razor-sharp precision.
Without hesitation, Kakashi moved.
His body flickered from view, reappearing behind Itachi in an instant, kunai aimed at his neck.
But Itachi had already anticipated it.
His Sharingan tracked Kakashi's movement flawlessly. He sidestepped at the last possible moment, his kunai striking back with lethal precision.
Clang!
The weapons clashed, sparks flying in the dim light.
Kakashi twisted his body, flipping mid-air as he landed some distance away, already forming seals.
"Lightning Release: Raikiri!"
A blinding blue light erupted from his palm, crackling with raw power as he charged forward, his speed leaving afterimages in his wake.
Itachi remained composed, his hands forming seals just as quickly.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."
A massive sphere of flames roared forward, meeting Kakashi's Raikiri in a violent explosion that shook the very ground.
As the dust settled, Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
He had expected as much.
This battle was only just beginning.