Chapter 104: Sasuke: Just Experience the Sweet Dream I Brought You  

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Suddenly, Itachi felt a sharp sting, as if a blade had pierced his body. The pain came so unexpectedly that he couldn't help but feel confused.

Immediately afterward, he continued to stab Sasuke's body with the knife, but each time he swung the blade, his own body would endure severe pain. With his excellent combat IQ, Itachi quickly realized that Sasuke had managed to trap him in a genjutsu.

However, this was supposed to be his Tsukuyomi space—how did Sasuke manage this?

"Sasuke, show yourself. This must be your illusion," Itachi said in a low voice.

A burst of crisp applause echoed in the air. Suddenly, Sasuke's figure vanished from the cross and was replaced by Itachi's own body. At the same time, Sasuke appeared in front of him.

As it turned out, long before Itachi had used Tsukuyomi, Sasuke had already cast an illusion on him!

"As expected of you, Itachi. I knew I couldn't deceive you for long," Sasuke said with a smile.

He had intentionally exposed this flaw; otherwise, how could Itachi have felt pain when he stabbed him? Sasuke had concealed Itachi's senses and only released them in the final moments. If he hadn't, Itachi might have found some twisted satisfaction in his actions.

But this level of torture was too primitive! For a true shinobi like Itachi, mental anguish is the most effective form of torment. The surrounding environment began to shift, and Itachi's eyes slowly closed.

"Next, just enjoy the nightmare I've prepared for you!" Sasuke's lips curved into a crooked smile.

In the Uchiha clan's district, at the training ground, a figure was lying on the ground.

Suddenly, the figure opened its eyes, looked around, and realized that it seemed to have fainted.

"Where am I? Why am I lying here?" Itachi's eyes showed confusion. He clearly remembered fighting Sasuke, so how had he ended up here?

He looked down at his hands and noticed they had become smaller. What had happened? Itachi thought to himself.

Suddenly, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Itachi-kun, why are you sitting on the ground?"

Itachi looked up and saw a sweet-looking girl walking towards him. She wore a black dress, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders, and her delicate face was lit up with a bright smile.

Seeing her familiar face, Itachi's eyes filled with disbelief. He distinctly remembered that on the night of the massacre, the masked man had killed Izumi, and he had been too afraid to look directly into her eyes.

He had feared seeing the hatred in Izumi's eyes, but now she stood before him. How could this be possible?

"Itachi-kun, what's wrong? Who else could I be if not me?" Izumi asked cutely, tilting her head.

Itachi forced himself to stay calm. He didn't know why he had become smaller, nor did he understand why Izumi was alive. These mysteries could only be unraveled later.

"Nothing," Itachi replied calmly.

"Itachi-kun, let's go have dinner together. It's been so long since we've shared a meal," Izumi said with a smile.

Itachi nodded, stood up, and left the area with Izumi.

As they walked, Itachi was silent, his mind racing with questions. Everything felt strange, but for now, he decided to go along with it and uncover the truth later.

Soon, they arrived at a restaurant. The table was filled with all kinds of delicious food, exuding tempting aromas.

Izumi happily picked up a pair of chopsticks, took a piece of sushi, and handed it to Itachi. "Itachi-kun, try this sushi; it's really good."

Itachi accepted the sushi, put it in his mouth, and chewed. The taste was delicious, bringing back memories of the times he spent with Izumi.

"Is it good?" Izumi asked, looking at Itachi expectantly.

"Yes, it's very good," Itachi replied with a smile.

Izumi beamed with satisfaction at his response. They continued to eat and chat happily, but Itachi noticed that Izumi had little appetite. She took only a few bites of each dish and visited the bathroom multiple times.

Although Itachi still had many questions, at that moment, he just wanted to cherish the time with Izumi. Perhaps, for now, he could put aside his worries and enjoy this peaceful moment.

After finishing their meal, the two walked through the silent forest. Suddenly, Izumi stopped and turned to look at Itachi, a strange smile on her face.

"Itachi-kun, can you kiss me?" she asked.

Hearing this, Itachi's face turned red. He had never heard such straightforward words before, and it made him uncomfortable.

But before he could process it, Izumi leaned in close, her lips inches from his.

But then, as Izumi was about to get closer, she suddenly opened her mouth wide and bit down on Itachi's shoulder. The unexpected pain caused Itachi's eyes to widen in shock. Instinctively, he kicked Izumi away, but to his surprise, it felt as if he had kicked solid steel.

Izumi tilted her head and asked, "What's wrong, Itachi-kun? Don't you want to be with me?"

At this point, Izumi's eyes had changed. Unlike the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan, the whites of her eyes had turned black, and her pupils glowed blood-red.

"Who are you really?" Itachi asked coldly. He could tell something was wrong—this wasn't the Izumi he knew. Her behavior and words were completely out of character, and her eyes were disturbingly different from any Sharingan.

"I'm Izumi, Itachi-kun. Have you forgotten me?" she replied with a smile, though her expression was unsettling.

"You're not Izumi!" Itachi shouted, and he quickly performed the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu to keep her at bay.

But Izumi dodged the fireball effortlessly and lunged at Itachi. Just as she was about to tear into him, a pile of steel suddenly fell from the sky, crashing down on both of them.

The impact knocked Itachi unconscious. In his last moments of consciousness, he saw a figure wearing a tiger mask standing not far away.

"Who is that...?" was his last thought before everything went black.

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