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"What is this?" Itachi questioned, his intrigue piqued. He was certain the seal wasn't there when he arrived, even though his Sharingan had been active.

Koushin's smirk widened as he glanced up at Itachi, "That..." He began, his eyes dancing with mischief, "...is a seal."

Itachi rolled his eyes at the facetious response. He could feel a slight amusement bubbling within him, despite the cryptic nature of their conversation. Koushin was known for his wit and he didn't disappoint. But the Uchiha didn't allow his curiosity to wane, he pressed further. "I gathered as much," he said dryly, "but what is its purpose?"

A nonchalant shrug was Koushin's response. "It serves a purpose as significant or as trivial as the one who uses it deems fit." His eyes shone brightly under the moonlight, the teasing glint within them more evident now.

"So, if I were to step on it?" Itachi questioned, his gaze moving from Koushin's face to the seal and back again. He knew he was playing into Koushin's game, but he was genuinely curious.

Koushin chuckled softly, the sound resonating within the still night. "Well, Itachi-san," he began, a glimmer of excitement flashing across his face.

"It's an experiment," Koushin began, an infectious excitement warming his voice. He folded his arms and leaned back, appearing at ease despite the dangerous man standing before him. "I tried to disable Kekkei Genkai altogether, but it seems like I cannot turn off the already activated Sharingan. Would you mind trying Mangekyo, or better yet, the Eternal Mangekyo?"

The request fell from Koushin's lips as if it was a casual suggestion, as though he was asking Itachi to demonstrate a new jutsu and not requesting to tamper with one of the most potent eye techniques in existence.

For a moment, Itachi was taken aback, eyes widening slightly beneath the slits of his Akatsuki cloak. "You know of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan?" he queried, suspicion lacing his words. Itachi himself had only learned about it from the Uchiha Tablet - a knowledge accessible only to those possessing the Sharingan. The further the eye evolved, the more of the tablet's secrets one could unlock. So how did Koushin come by this information?

Koushin, however, appeared unfazed by Itachi's evident surprise. "Oh, I know, of course," he said airily, a hint of laughter in his voice. "I had a little chat with Obito-chan, and he told me about it."

In reality, Koushin was weaving an intricate lie, but his demeanor was so convincingly casual that even Itachi, a seasoned shinobi well-versed in the art of deception, found himself nodding in acceptance. "That would explain it," he mused aloud.

The conversation hung in the cool night air for a few moments before Itachi posed another question, his voice quieter this time, "Aren't you curious about your origins, Koushin?"

Koushin shook his head, his gaze drifting towards the star-studded sky. "The son of Hana and Hiro Kami," he started, his voice echoing into the silent night. "Killed by Danzo after they were caught attempting to desert the village. Despite being civilians, they were deemed as traitors and were killed with cold blood."

As Koushin revealed this, Itachi found himself rooted to the spot in shock, his dark eyes wide as he stared at the younger shinobi. "How do you know all of this?" he demanded, the urgency in his voice barely concealed.

Koushin sighed, his shoulders dropping slightly as he continued gazing at the moon. "A kind lady from the Root left a letter on my bed, explaining everything about that night when I was four. Not long after you killed Danzo," he said, turning his gaze back to Itachi. "So, I don't have a reason to hold any resentment towards the village. Thank you, by the way, for avenging my parents."

"How about you lend me a hand for that gratitude?" Itachi asked, an uncharacteristic edge in his voice.

Koushin chuckled, his shoulders shaking lightly with his mirth. "Sorry, I can't do that, Itachi-san," he replied. There was no malice in his voice, but a casualness that suggested he took Itachi's plea lightly.

"Why not?" Itachi pressed, his gaze narrowing. "Do you have no reason to hold a grudge against the village."

Koushin's laughter died down as he turned to face Itachi fully. "No, I have no reason to hate the village," he corrected him. "It's a place I call home."

A twisted smirk appeared on Itachi's face, an edge of insanity creeping into his features. "But you do! You are nothing but a tool, in the hands of a psychopath that uses you to kill others. This whole system is broken, twisted, dark, corrupted." His words were coming out in a fervent rush, his eyes ablaze with the intensity of his convictions. "I have lofty dreams, Koushin-kun, help me achieve them. This village, it took away my family, my lover, my parents, and my brother!"

Koushin's smile faltered, replaced with a look of contemplation as he gazed at Itachi's Sharingan. "You took away your family, your lover, and your parents. You did this to yourself, Itachi-san." His words were harsh, but there was an undeniable truth to them. "Don't put the blame on someone else just because your brother too was killed. You were naive and fool enough to believe in Danzo and the Monkey to protect your brother? The last Uchiha, who could bring his clan back? Are you really that stupid?"

His words seemed to hang in the air between them, a stark contrast to the serene night. Itachi's Sharingan spun madly as he glared at Koushin, the rage evident in his eyes. "I think you are too arrogant, Koushin- kun. Not only are you looking directly into my eyes, but you are also disrespecting my beloved brother in front of me. Are you perhaps asking for your death?"

Koushin's brow arched slightly at the audacity of Itachi's threat. His lips pursed into a thin line, and he let out a soft chuckle that echoed ominously in the chilly night air. "I think you mistake my observations for arrogance, Itachi-san. The truth can often appear rude when one is too comfortable living a lie."

There was a calm certainty in his voice, as if he had all the answers and wasn't threatened by Itachi's power. It was as though he held all the cards and was toying with his opponent, waiting for the right moment to lay them down.

"But did you really think I wouldn't be prepared for you?" Koushin continued, his tone steady and unruffled. "After all, you are not the only one who plays in shadows."

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