Ch-176 Itachi dies.

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After eliminating Orochimaru, Itachi coughed up blood as the terminal illness once again surged through his body.

"Your eyes are mine now," declared Itachi as he advanced.

Sasuke, already drained of energy, felt a surge of fear and unleashed a barrage of attacks on Itachi, employing tactics ranging from hurling shurikens to deploying explosive tags. Yet, none of these maneuvers managed to breach the impregnable defense of Susanoo and the protective barrier of the Yata mirror. Within the shelter of Susanoo, Itachi remained unscathed.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. There won't be a next time," said Itachi softly, standing in close proximity to Sasuke.

After gently tapping Sasuke's head one last time, Itachi succumbed to his illness and passed away.

Itachi's demise wasn't at the hands of Sasuke, but rather to the relentless grasp of his terminal sickness. He died fulfilling his duty to protect his brother until his very last breath.

"He remained alive until now solely due to his sheer willpower. The last time I fought him, his terminal illness had already surfaced, and he should have perished within days. Yet, he persevered, living until this very moment solely for the sake of his brother," sighed Jiryoku, reflecting on Itachi's resilience. "I simply can't comprehend how such a compassionate individual could commit such atrocities against his own family for trivial reasons," he added. As he spoke, Jiryoku's eyes remained open, not utilizing his Observation Haki to observe the final movements of the battle; instead, he watched the conflict unfold with his natural sight.

At this moment, Sasuke, too, succumbed to the overwhelming fatigue, collapsing to the earth in a crumpled heap. The ethereal flames of 'Amaterasu' engulfed the surroundings with an ominous darkness, their intense heat searing everything in their path.

"SASUKE!" Naruto's heart lurched as he witnessed Sasuke fall unconscious. Without hesitation, he propelled himself forward, his legs carrying him swiftly towards Sasuke and Itachi.

Observing Naruto's determined advance, Obito sprang into action, conjuring forth his formidable wood-cutting technique with precision and speed.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto's voice rang out with fierce determination as he unleashed his signature technique, colliding with the incoming wooden thorns and obliterating them in a dazzling display of power and skill.

As Obito prepared to unleash another assault on Naruto, a sudden intervention disrupted his plans. Jiraiya materialized before Obito, swiftly launching a barrage of 'Hair Needle Senbon' towards him. A multitude of hair-like needles, hardened to the consistency of iron, bore down upon Obito with relentless force.

Faced with Jiraiya's unexpected onslaught, Obito had no recourse but to invoke his formidable ability, 'Kamui', phasing out of harm's way just in the nick of time.

"Go retrieve Sasuke," Jiraiya commanded, his voice firm and resolute. "I'll handle Obito here. But tread cautiously around those black flames—they defy conventional extinguishment. Employ a sealing technique to contain the black flame."

With Jiraiya holding the line, the others set off on their mission.

Despite Jiraiya's formidable prowess, he found himself locked in a stalemate with Obito, neither able to gain a decisive advantage over the other.

Meanwhile, as Obito and Jiraiya clashed in a whirlwind of jutsu, Kakashi and Naruto pressed onward, finally arriving at Sasuke's location. But their moment of triumph was short-lived as Obito suddenly materialized before them, utilizing his Kamui technique to intercept their efforts.

"You won't take him," Obito declared, his voice tinged with determination. With a solemn touch, he laid his hand upon the lifeless form of Itachi and the unconscious Sasuke, whisking them away into his Kamui space.

Frustration boiled over within Naruto as he bellowed, "LET GO OF SASUKE!" With a surge of raw emotion, he underwent a transformation, manifesting the fearsome power of the tailed beast mode. Yet, despite his ferocious assault, each strike passed through Obito's incorporeal form without inflicting any harm.

"Your efforts are futile," Obito asserted calmly, unruffled by Naruto's onslaught.

Undeterred, Kakashi's resolve remained unwavering. Removing his Konoha forehead protector from his eye with a determined gesture, he turned to Sakura, his expression resolute. "Sakura, ignite all the explosive tags in your possession and throw them towards me."

Though puzzled by Kakashi's directive, Sakura trusted in his judgment. Igniting the explosive tags as instructed, she hurled them towards Kakashi, poised to execute whatever plan he had devised.

Kakashi swiftly activated 'his' 'Mangekyo Sharingan' ability known as 'Kamui', conjuring the mysterious power to warp space itself. With a focused gaze, he directed it towards the incoming barrage of 'Explosive Tags', causing them to dissipate into nothingness before reaching him.

Kakashi did this because he remembered the moment when Jiryoku fought with Obito. Simultaneously, when Kakashi used 'Kamui' to deflect Deidara's explosive attack, Obito got injured. So, based on that theory, Kakashi attempted this to verify if Obito would truly be affected by his attack.

In the meantime, Obito attentively observed Kakashi's maneuvers and harbored the intention to retreat in order to deactivate his 'Kamui'. However, Naruto, seemingly acting in accordance with a premeditated plan, thwarted Obito's attempt to withdraw and persistently pressed forward with his unrelenting barrage on Obito.

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