Naruto: Reborn with the Template System

From the brief clash just now, Guts could already tell...this Itachi was far stronger than the one in the original anime.

He wasn't the same sickly man who coughed blood after a few attacks. No, the source of that frailty, more than the side effects of the Mangekyō was psychological.

It was grief. Guilt. The crushing weight of killing his clan and losing Shisui.

But here and now? Shisui was still alive. Though they weren't in the same Akatsuki unit, his presence helped ease some of Itachi's burden.

And that small difference had kept Itachi's body from collapsing.

Even so, his strength hadn't skyrocketed, it was just refined.This was Itachi at the peak of his generation.

If he wanted to become stronger from here, he'd have to either mature with age… or awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Monster…" Kisame thought to himself.

He had once been called that in Kirigakure.

Now, for the first time, he was using the word to describe someone else.

That move Itachi had just unleashed, Kisame wouldn't have blocked it himself.

Even if he tried to counter it with an A-rank Water Style jutsu, Itachi's sheer speed would've cut through it first.

But Guts?

He crushed it with one punch.

"Any other tricks, Itachi?" Guts asked with a relaxed smile.

Normally, Itachi wouldn't bother answering a taunt like that. But since it was Guts, he replied:

"Including the Shadow Clone tactics, that was five moves."

Just as he spoke, a roar came from behind them—

"UCHIHA ITACHI!!!"

Everyone turned.

Kakashi had arrived and with him, a furious Sasuke.

Kisame tilted his head, intrigued.

"Hm? Another Sharingan… and he even looks like Mr. Itachi."

"UCHIHA ITACHI, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Sasuke screamed, storming forward.

"Sasuke, STOP! You're not his match!" Kakashi shouted, but Sasuke was beyond reason.

He kept walking until Guts raised his hand, silently signaling Kurenai and Anko not to interfere.

"Sasuke," Guts called, "your brother and I agreed to ten moves. He's used five. But I think something more interesting is happening… so I'll let you have the rest."

Sasuke stopped in place, grinding his teeth, fists trembling.

He didn't know how to feel about Guts but his overwhelming presence made Sasuke freeze, almost against his will.

As if on cue, Itachi's tone grew colder.

"You're still naive, Sasuke. Still weak. Still full of useless emotions."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Sasuke roared and lunged forward.

When his punch was just ten centimeters from Itachi

BAM!

A single kick sent Sasuke flying into the nearby river. He slammed into the surface with a loud crash, coughing up blood as he hit.

"Are we done here?" Itachi asked Guts calmly, turning away.

Guts stared at him with a smirk.

"Tch. Damn brocon…" he muttered under his breath.

But before he could say anything...

"STOP RIGHT THERE!"

Everyone looked again.

Sasuke, clutching his stomach, dragged himself to his feet in the water, face twisted in pain.

"I'm… I'm not done yet!"

In an instant, Itachi appeared in front of him, Sasuke hadn't even seen it happen with his Sharingan.

BAM!

A heavy punch to the side of the face sent him skidding across the river, splashing and flipping several times before disappearing beneath the surface.

Two seconds passed…

And still, Sasuke rose again...this time with a roaring Chidori in his hand.

Pzzzzzt!

Blue lightning sparked violently from his palm, screaming like a thousand birds.

The chakra output was so wild that his hand had begun to fester, skin peeling from overuse.

"CHIDORI!!"

He charged.

Itachi stared at him with a blank expression on the surface, unimpressed, but inside…

He was proud.

Even so, he didn't hesitate.

Just before the Chidori could land, Itachi's Sharingan locked onto it. He sidestepped and...

KNEE!

Straight to the gut.

"AGH!!" Sasuke dropped, retching from the sudden cramp.

"Too weak. You're still far too weak," Itachi said coldly.

"Why? Because your hatred isn't strong enough yet."

As he spoke, he grabbed Sasuke's collar and cast Tsukuyomi.

Sasuke's screams echoed through the forest as he collapsed under the mental onslaught.

Kakashi rushed forward, catching him before he could wash away downstream.

"Well," Guts said casually, "that's nine moves. I'll count it. You're free to go."

Everyone stared at him in disbelief.

"Guts! You're just letting them leave!?" Kakashi barked, clutching Sasuke tightly.

Guts shrugged.

"Konoha's mine now. I don't need permission. I could make ten thousand excuses if I wanted to let Itachi go."

And Itachi didn't argue.

Without a word, he and Kisame turned and began to retreat.

"Take Sasuke back for treatment," Guts told Kakashi flatly.

Kakashi frowned but nodded, disappearing with Sasuke in his arms.

Kurenai stepped beside him, frowning.

"Even if you planned to let them go… did you really have to let Sasuke get beaten that badly?"

Guts smirked.

"That's how these brothers love each other. Don't worry...it's been resolved."

He turned away, placing one arm behind his back as he casually walked home.

But inside, he wasn't at peace.

Because he could feel it.

The gears of fate had begun to turn.

The future of this world had officially begun to shift.

Even now, Guts believed the best option was simple:

Kill Obito. Kill Black Zetsu. Maybe even throw Nagato into the mix.

But if there was one thing he'd learned through Itachi's intel and his own experience…

Obito would never let himself be found that easily.

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