Sasuke's Fear.

Sakura, Kirito, and the others crouched beside a bush, trying to stay hidden.

Kirito stared at Kurenai, his expression stunned.

He stretched out a hand, pointing in her direction, and exclaimed, "Yo, that's Teacher Kurenai and the others! They've completed their mission and are back."

Then, his gaze shifted to Kisame and his companion.

"Who are those two?" he wondered. "That outfit looks so cool…"

Kirito couldn't help but be fascinated by Kisame's appearance.

"Why does that guy look exactly like a shark? Did a shark become a person?" he muttered loudly, pointing at Kisame.

Sakura, fuming, punched Kirito's head. "Shut up! Don't let them hear you!"

"Why are you yelling? Didn't you notice how angry Kurenai looks? Those two might be spies from an enemy country," she said sharply.

Kirito and Sakura didn't notice Sasuke's expression at all, but he was in a state of shock. His mind was buzzing, overwhelmed by the sight before him.

The person he least wanted to see was standing right in front of him. His brother, Uchiha Itachi.

As Naruto and Sakura looked at Itachi, they seemed confused.

Naruto, who had been calm, suddenly pointed at Itachi and shouted.

"Wait… That's the Sharingan! Look at that guy, he's got the same eyes as Sasuke! He's from the Uchiha clan."

Sakura's eyes widened, a shock running through her. Slowly, she turned to Sasuke, who had an expression twisted with anger.

Naruto, confused, asked, "What's going on with you, Sasuke?"

The change in Sasuke was terrifying. His usual calm demeanor was replaced by an intense, murderous rage. His veins were popping, his face contorted with fury.

"Sasuke, what's wrong with you?" Kirito asked, worried.

Sakura, equally frightened, asked softly, "Sasuke-san, what's going on?"

Sasuke's rage barely allowed him to hold onto any sense of rationality. He had spent years training to kill Itachi, and now he was standing in front of him, alive.

"I have to kill him," Sasuke muttered through gritted teeth.

Despite the burning desire for revenge, Sasuke understood the vast difference in strength between himself and Itachi. Even though his abilities had grown rapidly under Chu Feng's training, he knew it wasn't enough to take on his older brother, the legendary genius of the Anbu.

Sasuke turned to Sakura, his voice harsh.

"We need to go, Sakura. Find Teacher Chu Feng. One of them is an S-rank rogue ninja from Konoha."

Sakura's eyes widened as she processed the information. The word "S-rank" told her all she needed to know about the strength of the two strangers.

Still, she hesitated, worried about the situation.

Sasuke let out a low growl. "We need to leave now, or it will be too late. They may have already noticed us."

Reluctantly, Sakura began to run towards Konoha, her eyes glancing back at Sasuke and Kirito.

Naruto, watching her go, asked, "How did you know they were S-rank rogue ninjas? Is it because of the Sharingan?"

But before Sasuke could respond, his breathing became erratic. His bloodshot eyes flickered with rage.

Naruto, watching his friend struggle to contain his fury, stood frozen.

It wasn't just anger that consumed Sasuke; it was pain, loss, and the overwhelming desire for revenge. The Uchiha clan, once a powerful family in Konoha, was now all but destroyed. Sasuke was the only survivor, and his parents had been taken from him in an instant—by Itachi.

Sasuke's entire reason for living was to take down his brother.

Suddenly, Kisame's voice broke through the tension, his sharp grin cutting through the air.

"Tsk tsk tsk, looks like we've got a few little shrimp hiding over here."

Both Kisame and Itachi turned their attention to the group. Itachi's eyes were cold as he recognized Sasuke.

"Sasuke?" he asked quietly.

The group stepped into the open, their presence revealed.

Kurenai's face was filled with caution, while Kiba and the others exchanged puzzled glances.

Naruto, undeterred, spoke up. "How did Kurenai complete the mission so fast? Hey, Kiba, your strength's improving! Want to spar with me? Let's see who can take down these two first!"

Naruto sounded eager, but Kisame's expression turned to one of amusement.

"Golden hair, cat face…" Kisame muttered, looking at Naruto with a strange gleam in his eyes. "Are you Uzumaki Naruto?"

Itachi remained silent, but his gaze never left Sasuke.

Kisame's voice was full of cold amusement as he continued. "It seems our mission just got a lot easier. No need to cooperate with Orochimaru. We've got the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki right here."

At the mention of Orochimaru, Naruto's face fell. He had heard rumors about the rogue ninja, but now it seemed everything was connected. The real target was him.

Kisame's expression grew more excited. "This is quite the lucky break. We don't need to bother with Orochimaru's plan anymore. The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is right here in front of us."

At that moment, Naruto felt the weight of his own situation. He was completely outmatched.

Kirito clenched his fists, prepared for what was to come.

But just as Naruto was about to react, Kisame took a step toward him.

"Little brat…" Kisame smirked, sizing up Naruto. "You think you can take me on?"

Sasuke, however, was not listening. His eyes were locked onto his brother, burning with hatred.

"Devil, I will kill you with my own hands," Sasuke snarled.

Itachi's cold reply came without emotion. "Then what are you waiting for?"

Naruto, desperate to stop Sasuke, called out, "Sasuke, wait! You can't take him on alone!"

But Sasuke was beyond reason. He launched himself forward, kunai in hand, and attacked his brother with everything he had.

The clash of kunai rang through the air as Sasuke's fury collided with Itachi's calm.

Despite Sasuke's ferocity, Itachi remained composed, blocking each attack effortlessly.

Sasuke's eyes glowed with intensity as he used his Sharingan to look for any opening, but Itachi was always one step ahead.

Finally, Sasuke stepped back and shouted, "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

A massive fireball erupted from Sasuke's mouth, soaring toward Itachi. But Itachi vanished, replaced by a flock of crows.

When the crows cleared, Itachi was behind Sasuke, and with a swift kick, he sent his brother crashing to the ground.

"NO!" Naruto screamed, seeing Sasuke fall.

But Itachi paid no mind. He simply looked down at Sasuke, his face as cold as ever.

As Naruto's heart pounded, he felt a deep sense of helplessness.

"No… Don't!" he cried, his voice breaking as he watched his friend suffer.