Chapter 471: Tsukuyomi? Kyōka Suigetsu!
As the words fell,
It was like a heavy hammer struck the world—Tsukuyomi's space echoed with a deep rumble.
Then, like a shattering mirror, it exploded.
Countless shards of the illusion rippled outward, reflecting Aizen's unharmed, smiling face.
Like a predator toying with its prey, he gazed down with a calm, amused pity.
"Tsukuyomi's space… shattered?"
Uchiha Itachi froze for a moment, then his eyes widened in disbelief.
"You can't believe it?"
Aizen stood calmly where he was, his smile unchanged.
Wearing a white haori, his warm, gentle face looked as if he were catching up with an old friend.
But Itachi felt chilled to the bone. Those eyes…
Cold. Merciless.
People always said Itachi was cold-blooded—for slaughtering his clan, for betraying the village. But only he knew: his coldness was a mask.
Because he longed for peace, because he loved the world, because he carried a burning will like fire—that was why he was willing to sacrifice himself and fall into the abyss.
To the average person, that kind of love seemed twisted and extreme.
But it was the belief that had carried Itachi to this point.
That was why
He could read the coldness hidden beneath Aizen's gentle smile better than anyone else.
A presence above life, treating all others as mere grass, easy to mow down.
He'd seen that same look in the mad scientist Orochimaru's eyes.
He never imagined that Aizen—called gentle and soft as moonlight—was actually hiding such a terrifying, cold-blooded nature.
"Most people are like that," Aizen said, "Once they encounter something beyond their comprehension, they become lost and hesitant. That's dangerous… because it leads to death."
Thud!
A severed hand flew through the air.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
Itachi looked down, finally realizing his right hand had been sliced off. A tidal wave of pain surged in.
Impossible… he didn't even move! He was just standing there!
Itachi was shocked. He bent his knees and leapt to a nearby branch, landing at a higher vantage point.
From above, he stared warily at the man below.
Taijutsu?
Even someone like Might Guy couldn't strike silently and sever a limb before Itachi could react.
Space ability? Or some strange unique technique?
Impossible!
Samsara Game powers, no matter how strange, always left energy ripples when activated.
Even if well-hidden during the attack—
After it landed, there would be lingering traces.
But now,
Ignoring the pain, Itachi dug his fingers into the bloody stump. His Mangekyō Sharingan spun wildly, but he couldn't detect a trace of energy from Aizen's strike.
Could it be… genjutsu?
Itachi frowned.
It wasn't that he didn't want to suspect genjutsu—it was that he was the top illusion master in the Samsara Game.
If Aizen tried to use genjutsu on him and he didn't notice? That was nearly impossible.
From what he knew,
Aizen had only been a player for a few months. No matter how talented, there was no way he could reach a level high enough to defeat him.
And Aizen's aura? Merely Tier 2 (Elite-level)…
Suddenly, Itachi realized something was wrong—but before he could react—
His left arm was severed.
Illusory Black Flames!
Waves of transparent black fire engulfed his body to prevent another mysterious ambush.
[Dark Curses Sorcerer Lv. 44]
Itachi inhaled deeply. His gaze didn't fall on Aizen but on the surrounding area.
"I've seen through your trick. It's a very rare illusion. I can't believe it, but even I can't see through it."
There were only two possibilities for an illusion the Mangekyō Sharingan couldn't break.
One: a high-grade skill—at least a dark-gold illusion ability dropped by bosses in the new season.
Two: the opponent's Spirit stat far exceeded his own.
While several dark boss maps had already been cleared in the new season, they were mostly enemies like [Tree Demon Matriarch], [Blackwind Bandit Chief]—with elemental or physical attributes.
Only one boss had the [Illusion Eye] and [Iron Skin] dual traits—[Centipede Taoist]—whose temple was cleared by the Navy Alliance.
But the Navy had no illusion-focused players, so the loot went to the trading post.
Due to the exorbitant price, it still hadn't sold.
"But powerful as dark-gold illusions are, they consume a massive amount of energy!"
Itachi exhaled steadily. With each breath, wisps of black soul energy coiled into his transparent black flames.
Eventually forming a flame-shaped Mangekyō, spinning rapidly.
"If Aizen has been masking his aura this whole time while injuring me with ease, he must have some means of hiding it."
"If it were a dark-gold illusion, it wouldn't remain hidden this long—so it must be his Spirit stat. It's so high he can fool even my Mangekyō Sharingan!"
The spinning black fire behind him took the shape of a godly palm.
Boom.
The flaming hand slammed down. The earth caved in. Fire seethed within the crater.
Aizen didn't move. Still standing calmly.
"That's a mirage!"
As the words left his mouth,
Itachi's soul fire crashed down like an avalanche.
Aizen disintegrated as if evaporated—no remains.
So I was right.
There was no energy trace, yet Itachi didn't believe Aizen died that easily.
There was only one explanation—
The figure had been an illusion. Killing it meant nothing.
"I have to say—just based on raw talent and intuition—you're among the top in the entire ninja world."
Aizen's voice echoed from all directions.
Itachi tried to pinpoint it—but no flaws could be found.
Inside, he was deeply troubled.
Aizen had only been a Samsara player for a few months. It was impossible to raise Spirit so high in such a short time.
That meant when Aizen received the game invite, he already had immense spiritual power.
Someone like that had never been seen before in the ninja world.
Now willingly hiding his strength, staying at the Hokage's side?
Itachi refused to believe he truly followed the Will of Fire.
He clearly had other motives.
"But... your mind has too many cracks. Like a sky pierced by the tip of a blade."
Shing.
A simple slash came out of nowhere.
Itachi's soul fire blazed wildly—like a torch.
He knew full well: though the sound came from behind, he was under Aizen's illusion.
The real attack could be coming from anywhere.
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