“Captain!”
“Attack!”
The moment Kakashi gave the order, all three of them rushed toward Itachi Uchiha.
If Itachi were allowed to strike first, their chances of victory would be almost nonexistent.
Besides Kakashi himself, both of his teammates specialized in reconnaissance and support.
He was the only one capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Uchiha prodigy.
“Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!”
Hyuga Shinji dashed forward, leaping into the air as he whipped a powerful kick toward Itachi.
He had heard of Itachi’s reputation back in Konoha.
Knowing he was no match for him, his only goal was to buy enough time for his captain by keeping Itachi occupied.
The instant the battle began, Aburame Daichi concealed himself and secretly directed his poisonous insects toward Itachi.
As long as one of those venomous bugs managed to bite him, no matter how powerful Itachi was, his combat ability would be severely reduced.
Meanwhile, Kakashi emerged behind Itachi using an Earth Release technique, creating a pincer attack.
Bang!
The moment Kakashi’s and Shanzhu’s attacks landed, Itachi’s body transformed into a block of wood.
“What?!”
“A Substitute Jutsu.”
Kakashi raised his forehead protector, revealing his Sharingan as he scanned the surroundings.
“Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!”
Before either of them could react, Itachi had already appeared near Aburame Daichi and launched his attack.
Although the Aburame Clan wasn’t particularly powerful in direct combat, allowing Dachun to scatter his insects across the battlefield would become troublesome.
So Itachi had decided to eliminate the hidden Aburame first.
The countless fireballs rained down like a storm, blanketing Dachun’s position.
“Dachun!
Get out of there!”
Shanzhu shouted as he and Kakashi rushed to support their teammate.
Engulfed by the barrage of flames, Dachun fled in panic.
Even so, he failed to avoid every attack.
His lower leg was burned.
Although he survived…
Every one of his insects had been wiped out in the assault.
He no longer had any means of fighting.
He’s too strong…
Just one Fire Release technique…
“Damn it!”
“It’s over.”
Itachi’s voice suddenly echoed from directly behind him.
Fear instantly spread through Aburame Daichi’s entire body.
He turned around—
Only to meet those scarlet eyes.
The next moment…
His consciousness faded away.
“Take him back first.”
Two Uchiha shinobi emerged from hiding, lifted the unconscious Dachun, and quickly departed.
By the time Kakashi and Hyuga Shinji arrived…
All they could do was watch helplessly as their teammate was carried away.
Itachi drew twelve kunai.
With a blur of both hands, all twelve flew through the air simultaneously.
Having activated his Sharingan, Kakashi could clearly track every kunai’s trajectory.
Dodging them was effortless.
Shanzhu wasn’t nearly as fortunate.
Had he mastered Rotation, dealing with the attack would have been simple.
Unfortunately, as a member of the Hyūga branch family, he had never learned the technique.
He could only knock away the incoming kunai with his fists or evade them one by one.
Itachi suddenly pulled his right hand backward.
Thin steel wires attached to every kunai instantly tightened.
Throwing the kunai had only been the first step.
The wires wrapped around Kakashi and Shanzhu, restricting their movements.
“Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!”
The roaring flames raced along the steel wires toward them.
“Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!”
A massive earthen wall rose before the two shinobi.
It blocked the flames while simultaneously disrupting the web of wires Itachi had carefully arranged around them.
Hidden behind the earth wall, Kakashi quickly formed another series of hand seals.
“Lightning Blade!”
He burst through the cover of the wall, charging toward Itachi with blinding speed.
Yet just as he closed the distance…
Itachi’s voice quietly sounded beside his ear.
“Kakashi…”
“What illusion made you believe you were never under genjutsu?”
The Itachi struck by Lightning Blade suddenly dissolved into a flock of crows that scattered into the sky.
Not good!
Every instinct in Kakashi screamed in warning.
When…?!
When was I put under genjutsu?!
The world around him gradually turned crimson.
Even the moon overhead transformed into a blood-red moon.
Looking down, he realized he had been bound to a giant cross.
Holding a short blade, Itachi slowly walked toward him before asking coldly,
“What is the objective of your mission?”
Kakashi stared back silently.
“This technique is called Tsukuyomi.”
“The flow of time in this world is completely different from reality.
Seventy-two hours here pass in the blink of an eye outside.”
Even now, Kakashi couldn’t understand when he had fallen under Itachi’s illusion.
Could it have been…
the moment I first looked into his eyes?
He was right.
From the instant Kakashi’s team first saw Itachi…
They had already fallen into his genjutsu.
No matter how hard they struggled…
Their defeat had been inevitable.
“Kakashi…”
“If you won’t answer…”
“Then enjoy yourself.”
Itachi slowly drove the short blade into Kakashi’s abdomen.
“AAAAAH!!”
“…”
“Kakashi.”
“What is the objective of your mission this time?”
“Ugh…
hehe…”
After enduring seventy-two hours of torture, Kakashi’s mind had already reached the brink of collapse.
“Take them back.”
“Yes!”
Two Uchiha shinobi restrained the unconscious Kakashi and Hyuga Shinji before carrying them away together with the already captured Aburame Daichi.
Just as Itachi was about to leave…
He noticed Kakashi’s Sharingan.
It had transformed into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
A moment later, space distorted violently.
Right before Itachi’s eyes…
Kakashi’s entire squad vanished.
“So…
that’s the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan…”