Chapter 390: "Final Jutsu...!!" - Amaterasu burns out Sasuke's flame and Zetsu comments on its ability to totally burn up its target, even flame itself. Itachi unleashes wave after wave of Amaterasu bursts and Sasuke moves to dodge. With each burst more blood begins to trickle down Itachi's eye. Sasuke avoids the flames as some catch the surrounding trees below on fire. One burst connects with Sasuke's wing and he goes to the ground. The wing burns off and the flames are subdued by Itachi. Itachi moves to take Sasuke's eye but the body disperses, revealing a crack underneath. We then see that Sasuke waited until the right moment of Amaterasu's use, to sever the roof with Chidori and use his replacement technique to generate a new body and fall back to the original room below. Sasuke goes level two and Itachi grabs his eye in pain. Sasuke then begins to unleash wave after wave of Grand Dragon Fireballs. They begin to destroy the roof and Itachi moves to avoid them. One connects with his arm, burning his cloak away. Sasuke looks up, winded, and tells his brother that Amaterasu appears to have weakened him. Sasuke collapses to his knees and Zetsu considers that both brothers look weak and about out of chakra. Sasuke then states the next jutsu will be his last. Itachi replies that his Sharingan reveals Sasuke is almost out of chakra. He offers that Sasuke used Orochimaru's special replacement technique, which consumes a lot of chakra. Zetsu recognizes Sasuke's absorption of Orochimaru and the young man acknowledges that he is indeed almost out of chakra. However, he didn't come to this battle unprepared. As it begins to rain Sasuke offers that this next jutsu will be impossible to avoid, just like Amaterasu. And with it, he will reproduce his vision of Itachi's death... Chapter 391: "With the Thunder...!!" -Lightning crackles in the sky above as the men look to the heavens. Zetsu determines Sasuke's earlier dragon Katons set up the attack. They were actually used to blast a hole in the ceiling and also warm up the atmosphere to generate thunder clouds. This allows Sasuke to channel the surge from the sky, rather than use his own chakra to create it, which would have taken an unbelievable amount of chakra. Sasuke jumps to the roof and states the jutsu's power comes lightning itself, and all he has to do is guide it. Zetsu then thinks that what Sasuke said was true, no one could dodge something faster than the speed of sound. Sasuke reaches his Chidori charged hand to the heavens and states he calls it Kirin, which is a mythological beast. In an instant the lightning creature flies from the sky and obliterates Itachi and the tower they

stood on. As the dust settles a cloakless Itachi lays face down in the rubble. Zetsu wonders if Itachi is dead and Sasuke collapses to his knees, stating it's finally over. Suddenly a voice states, was that the vision of death he had seen? A shocked Sasuke sees Itachi rise to his feet. Sasuke goes level two in a rage, while also showing one of Orochimaru's eye marks over his left eye. A phantom skeletal chest surrounds Itachi, and he states without this he would have been dead. Zetsu wonders what that it is and Itachi congratulates Sasuke on becoming strong. And now, he will show Sasuke the last of his arsenal... Susanoo. Chapter 392: "Susanoo!" -Itachi explains that Susanoo is the third and final Mangekyou technique. He then offers that if Sasuke has any more techniques, now is the time to use them. Zetsu sees the sky clear and figures Kirin was a onetime jutsu. Spectral muscle and armor begins to take form around Itachi. Sasuke suddenly winces and hears a voice in his head. The voice offers to lend Sasuke his power. And if he is unleashed, Sasuke can finally find his revenge. Sasuke goes to his knees in pain and suddenly a gigantic white, eight-headed snake grows out of his cursed seal. Itachi recognizes Orochimaru's technique and Zetsu figures Orochimaru broke free since Sasuke didn't have the chakra to hold him back any longer. The snakes strike out against the spectral form, but a sword takes shape out of the sake gourd it holds. Quickly all eight heads are severed from the main body. From one of the mouths of these heads emerges Orochimaru. Orochimaru opens his own mouth to withdraw Kusanagi. Orochimaru gloats that his time to take Sasuke's body has finally come. In an instant Susanoo's sword impales Orochimaru and Itachi asks his brother if he has anything else. Orochimaru begins to gloat that the sword cannot harm him... but he is suddenly frozen and begins to be sealed away into the sword. He states Itachi couldn't have had the Sword of Totsuka, could he? Zetsu comments that the sword has no physical form; it's a legendary blade with sealing powers. Anyone stabbed by the sword is sealed away into a dreamlike Genjutsu for the rest of time. Orochimaru had long coveted it but Itachi acquired it first. The snake head continues to be absorbed by the sword and Sasuke returns to his normal form. A weary looking Itachi then offers to Sasuke that it's time to end it... Chapter 393: "My Eyes...!!" -As the Yamata is sealed away into the gourd, one small white snake slithers among the rubble to escape. Itachi winces in pain and Zetsu figures Itachi has the battle in hand

finally. Itachi states that Sasuke's eyes are now his and he will savor this moment. Suddenly he grabs his chest and doubles over, coughing up blood. The armor of the Susanoo begins to fade and Sasuke takes the opportunity to hurl a kunai tied to explosive notes. It explodes against Susanoo's shield leaving Itachi undamaged. As Itachi begins to slowly walk towards Sasuke, his younger brother hurls more kunai and explosive tags in the hopes of stopping his advance. The shield continues to deflect all the attacks and Zetsu comments that the shield is Yata's Mirror, another legendary object said to counter any attack. Together with the Sword of Totsuka, Itachi's unbeatable. Itachi reaches out a bloody hand and Sasuke lunges at him with his Kusanagi. Sasuke and the blade are knocked away and as he stands he suddenly finds himself pinned between rubble and Susanoo. As he watches in fear, Itachi reaches out to remove Sasuke's eyes. As his fingers draw near, Itachi's mutters to himself. His bloody fingers draw near Sasuke's eye... but instead poke him in the forehead and Itachi collapses to the ground. Susanoo disperses and the white snake continues its journey. A stunned Sasuke can only stand still as his bloody older brother lies on the ground beside him, somehow defeated. Chapter 394: "Sasuke's Victory" -As Amaterasu flames spread to the forest, the white snake looks for a way to escape. Sasuke still stands in shock and Zetsu tries to grasp if Itachi is actually dead. The flames rage and the white snake is quickly consumed in the fire as well. It begins to rain and Zetsu debates how Itachi could have lost. He was slower than usual and appeared to have been injured before hand, due to his coughing up blood throughout the fight. Zetsu figures Itachi was either injured before the fight, or he overused the Sharingan. The blood begins to wash off and run down Sasuke's face. It pools in his left eye and then continues down. Sasuke looks down at his brother and a grin forms; he then collapses to the ground as well. Elsewhere the teams are having no luck against Tobi. Kiba yells to verify with Naruto that they actually hit Tobi. Naruto says yes, it's like before when his Rasengan passed right through him. Shino says it's no trick, the jutsu really are passing through him. Sakura says it could be a Bunshin or Genjutsu, but Hinata says no, she checked the area and the only other chakra belongs to Tobi. Yamato asks Kakashi what he thinks. Kakashi offers this strange ability could be a hidden technique, so it's up to Shino. Shino says he's ready and his bugs rise from his body. Tobi recognizes the Aburame Clan jutsu and offers that it's gross. Kiba smiles and says he knows why Shino is so enthusiastic.

Shino says of course, because he missed the last mission involving Sasuke... Chapter 395: "The Mysterious Tobi" -Shino sends his bugs surging towards Tobi. Tobi jumps away, offering his further disgust. Kakashi states the Aburame fight by dispersing their bugs and taking control of a wide area. The bugs spread to fill the air around Tobi. Kakashi offers that their opponent is now trapped. Shino thinks that any movement will be detected and he will learn how Tobi's jutsu works. He then forms a bug sphere which moves towards Tobi. Shino offers that he'll take care of him, because he's part of the mission and to make up for missing out last time. The bugs engulf Tobi and Sakura marvels at Shino's control. Hinata states Tobi is still within the bugs and Yamato extends his wood. Shino states the bugs are sucking up Tobi's chakra and Naruto yells for him to take it all. Suddenly the bugs disperse, revealing a missing Tobi. The team looks on in surprise and Sakura asks if it was Shunshin? Shino says no, as that's just fast movement which he could detect. Kakashi considers if it was a space/time technique, but decides that can't be true, as there were no hand seals or summoning marks. Such a jutsu would surpass even the Fourth Hokage's technique. Yamato wonders if he can simply cease to exist? Sakura states that might be the case, it would explain how he avoided Naruto's earlier attack as well, by simply removing portions of his body. Hinata searches the area again and locates Tobi on a nearby tree limb. Tobi greets the team and Kiba jumps to attack with his Tsuuga technique. Tobi sidesteps the attack, causing Kiba to drill through the limb and plant himself into the ground. A dizzy Kiba offers that he slipped through Tobi, but Hinata states he simply dodged it. Zetsu emerges beside Tobi and Sakura asks what that is. Kakashi states the figure is in Kabuto's Akatsuki file. Zetsu states that Sasuke won the battle and that Itachi died. The team is shocked and Tobi offers that that was a big surprise!... but not really. He expected that. Zetsu states Sasuke collapsed afterwards and is barely hanging on. Naruto and Sakura are shocked and determined by the news. Naruto demands Sasuke's location from "spiky aloe" man, which Zetsu takes offense to. As Kakashi looks on he reacts in shock to the Sharingan visible in Tobi's mask hole. Tobi as Madara states he'll deal with them some other time... Chapter 396: "Introduction" -Kakashi is surprised by Tobi's Sharingan and wonders who the man could be. Tobi waves bye and

then vanishes. Zetsu also disappears, leaving Kakashi frantic to find Sasuke before the two Akatsuki do. Kakashi jumps to a tree to scan the horizon. Noticing dark clouds, he asks Hinata to scan that area. She reports a powerful chakra and an area covered in flames. Kakashi tells everyone to follow him and Naruto tells everyone to move as quickly as they can. In the Uchiha Compound rubble, Tobi stands over the Uchiha brothers. He chides Zetsu for being too slow and Zetsu apologizes, saying unlike someone else he can't simply zip around in an instant. Tobi asks if the recording was made and Zetsu says yes. Tobi answers that he'll watch it later, for now they'll take Itachi's corpse and leave. As the Leaf ninja rush on, Kiba reports they found Sasuke's scent but the Akatsuki got to him first. Naruto is angry and the group's path is suddenly blocked by a wall of Amaterasu fire. Sakura asks what it is and Naruto says it's one of Itachi's jutsu. Yamato uses a Doton to raise and split the earth, causing a path for the teams to go through. Yamato stays behind to hold the jutsu and the rest continue on. Kakashi forms his Mangekyou and the teams arrive to see Itachi and Sasuke already gone. Kiba states there's still some scent but Kakashi reports they're too late. Naruto looks down angry and dejected while elsewhere Sasuke awakens in a cave. From the shadows Sasuke is told he was given first aid and that he won. Sasuke says nothing and the voice says the young man shouldn't be so reckless. Tobi emerges from the darkness and states that they met in the past as enemies, but it doesn't matter about what happened with Deidara, as it stands they are no longer foes. He offers that he brought Sasuke along to tell him something important. Sasuke looks away uninterested. Tobi states then perhaps if he reveals it's about Itachi. Sasuke looks at him again and Tobi says Sasuke knew both a lot and very little about his brother. Tobi says perhaps he should introduce himself. Reaching to remove his mask he says they're alike, he's an Uchiha as well. Showing his right Sharingan and part of his face, Tobi says he's the man who knows the truth about Itachi. He removes his mask to show the Sharingan in his right eye and Sasuke's left eye forms Sharingan in response. Chapter 397: "The Man Who Knows the Truth" -As Tobi keeps his mask over a portion of his face, Sasuke's Sharingan eye begins to bleed. Suddenly the tomoe combine into a Mangekyou resembling Itachi's. Tobi is surprised and suddenly his right shoulder bursts into Amaterasu flames. He stumbles back into the darkness, dropping his mask. Sasuke grabs his eye in pain and it quickly returns to normal.

Sasuke asks what that was and Tobi states it was the Amaterasu Itachi planted within him. He picks his mask up from the darkness and places it back on. A surprised Sasuke looks on in confusion. Tobi explains that Itachi must have planned ahead, as he equipped his little brother with his own jutsu either to kill or protect him from Madara. Madara explains that it appears to be activated by being within site of his Sharingan. He then considers that he's fortunate to have kept his own secrets from Itachi as well. Sasuke says he has no idea what Madara is talking about. Madara then asks if Itachi did anything before he died. Sasuke thinks back to the bloody tap his brother made on his forehead. Madara explains that Itachi somehow transferred his power into his brother. Sasuke says that makes no sense. Madara says it should be apparent... it was all to protect you Sasuke. Sasuke is stunned but then asks if that's supposed to be a sick joke. Madara explains that it's like he said, Sasuke did not truly know his brother. Sasuke offers that he's tired of the lies, if they don't stop he'll kill him. Madara says he understands Sasuke's feelings but they're the truth. The person who helped Itachi that night was he himself, so he knows the truth of his brother. Sasuke becomes angry and tells Madara to get the hell away from him. Madara says that's not the right path, it's his duty to ask questions. He should know about the man who risked everything to protect Konoha and his little brother. Sasuke should know how Uchiha Itachi lived! Chapter 398: "The Origin of Konoha" - Madara asks Sasuke is he understands that Itachi implanted Amaterasu to ensure they never met? And the only ones to know the truth of matters were Danzou, Sandaime Hokage and his two advisors. And with the Third's death, the other three dare not reveal the truth, it will be forgotten with time, just how Itachi wanted. Sasuke doubles over and Madara offers that he knew the truth also, but Itachi didn't realize it. He explains that Itachi implanted Amaterasu just in case Madara himself did in fact know. Sasuke asks in confusion what he means, it was to protect me? Madara asks Sasuke to remember his friendly older brother. Sasuke remembers how Itachi's murderous moves conflicted with his early compassion. Sasuke begins to cough and Madara moves to calm him. Sasuke slaps Madara away and struggles to make sense of Itachi's conflicting nature. He passes out and awakes to find himself bound by Madara. Sasuke states Itachi murdered their parents and clan and joined Akatsuki, he hated him, and he was his goal. Madara says yes, Itachi did kill the clan and flee. And he did it all on orders from

Konoha. Sasuke is shaken and Madara explains that revelation is the first step in understanding what happened. Itachi gave up his selfworth to complete his mission and to understand everything, one has to learn of Konoha's founding. Itachi was a sacrifice for a problem which arose long ago. Sasuke asks what that means and Madara states the following story is all true, whether Sasuke believes him or not. Sasuke says fine and Madara recounts of a warring time 80 years previously. During that time countries hired clans to fight, and the two most powerful were the Uchiha and the Senju of the Forest. The Uchiha were a warrior clan who possessed the Sharingan and high chakra. Madara offers that was especially so with himself; the fact he's still around proves such. Everything back then was battle and strength determined everything, so he killed his friend and brother to become stronger. Sasuke calls him a bastard but Madara ignores him, stating that path granted him Eternal Mangekyou and made him leader of his clan. It was in this position he fought the Senju and their leader, Senju Hashirama, the man who would become Shodai Hokage. The man who was at the top of the ninja world, the man Madara himself admired the most... Chapter 399: "The Origin of Everything!!" -Madara explains how everyone feared Hashirama and when the Senju were hired to fight, the Uchiha were hired in response. They were rivals and the conflict helped him become better known. Sasuke asks if that's why he took his brother's eyes, for the fame. Madara it was for the strength to protect his clan as the battles grew more dangerous over time. In any case, he didn't take his brother's eyes, he gave them up willingly. Some time later the Senju offered peace, and the Uchiha accepted against his wishes. Madara felt the bloodshed and sacrifice of those who died was being betrayed by a truce. And that the Senju would seek to wipe out the Uchiha if they got the chance. Madara says he eventually relented and the truce held, causing the creation of Konoha. Other countries then took on the one country/village model and the world stabilized for a time. But then things changed when a leadership dispute arose. Everyone chose Hashirama to lead, but Madara states he knew that would be dangerous to the Uchiha. He alone chose to oppose Hashirama as the Uchiha abandoned him, saying he killed his brother to save himself and that his greed for power would lead to war. Madara asks what type of man would harm his brother? He only did it to save his people. For that reason he left the village and chose to challenge it. That lead to the epic battle involving himself, Hashirama

and the Kyuubi, marked at the Valley of the End. Everyone thought he died there, but that wasn't the case. He was left to history while the Uchiha were made the police force as a sign of trust by the Second Hokage. In truth it was to keep an eye on the Uchiha. The clan soon began to understand their misfortune and over time they were made second class compared to the Senju. Some time later the Kyuubi attacked. The village leaders knew that the Uchiha could control the Kyuubi, and felt they were to blame. However the Kyuubi is a natural disaster, they had nothing to do with it. Following their suspicions, the village leaders moved the clan to one corner of the village. The Third Hokage voiced his dissent but he was overruled by his advisors and Danzou. In the end their mistrust gave rise to the thing they feared, as the discrimination of the Uchiha lead them to plot to overthrow the village. Sasuke is surprised and Madara goes on to state that in response the village planted a spy within the Uchiha... Sasukes brother. And that he says, is when Itachis life turned for the worse.