Under the moonlight.
Dust and sand swirled.
Kyo slowly withdrew his white blade, smiling as he looked at Itachi who had been sent flying ahead, and chuckled lightly:
"Hey hey, Uchiha Itachi, is that the Sharingan's Genjutsu you pride yourself on?"
"Seems rather unimpressive."
After Hollowfication, Kyo had obtained a brand new form.
Even his Zanpakuto had been directly dyed into a complete moon-white color by the Hollow soul within him.
From the hilt to the guard, from the blade to the sheath, without exception.
This state was naturally completely different from the Asauchi in his normal form.
Therefore, as long as Kyo didn't use Shikai, there was fundamentally no need to worry about being recognized by Obito nearby.
Fortunately,
After Hollowfication, Kyo's power had amplified to a very terrifying degree.
To deal with the current Itachi and Obito, he didn't even need to release his Zanpakuto.
After all, although the filial son Itachi now could be called a genius,
He was too young.
He hadn't even realized Amaterasu, let alone the later Susano'o.
Strength of this level was naturally no match for the Hollowfied Kyo.
As for the surviving shadow Obito, Kyo had already thought of a way to deal with him.
But it still needed to be verified.
At this moment,
In Kyo's mind, the system prompt sound timely popped up.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, Main Quest Branch Mission completed!]
[Experience a Sharingan's Genjutsu once (1/1), Completed, Reward: Spiritual Power +5000, Hollowfication EXP +1000!]
[Dispel a Sharingan's Genjutsu once (1/1), Completed, Reward: Spiritual Power +5000, Hollowfication EXP +1500!]
Hearing the prompt, Kyo's heart stirred slightly, and he revealed a smile beneath his mask.
That's right.
Kyo had indeed just been hit by Itachi's Sharingan Genjutsu.
Moreover, it was Itachi's very skilled "Genjutsu: Binding Stakes Technique". At that moment, Kyo only felt darkness before his eyes, his body as if fixed by a golden pillar, completely unable to move.
However, just a moment later,
Kyo directly released the Spiritual Pressure he had been suppressing, instantly breaking the Genjutsu!
In essence, the Sharingan's Genjutsu interferes with the spirit through Chakra.
However,
Within Kyo's body, there were two soul-natured existences simultaneously—
Shinigami and Hollow!
Although Kyo was now in his masked form, this form, in essence, was the Shinigami's soul borrowing the power of the Hollow!
Therefore, what Itachi manipulated was merely the part of Kyo's Shinigami's soul.
The Hollow soul within him could completely think and act under the Genjutsu state.
Just as a Perfect Jinchuriki could use the Tailed Beast to break Genjutsu,
Kyo could naturally also use the existence of the Hollow soul to directly break the Sharingan's Genjutsu.
It was a very simple principle.
However,
What surprised Kyo a bit was,
Unexpectedly, after completing these two branch missions, besides the basic Spiritual Power reward, there was also additional Hollowfication EXP reward, probably related to him entering battle in his current Hollowfication state.
Currently, Kyo's Hollowfication power was still at LV.1 state,
Therefore, whether it was Cero or Sonído, the power of various moves was still limited. When the experience increased later, the amplification would definitely be even more terrifying.
Just as Kyo was pondering, the masked man watching from the sidelines suddenly spoke deeply.
"Fox Ogre, that move you just used... what was it?"
"Hmm?"
Kyo turned his head, looked at the masked man, and said with a smile:
"You mean that slash just now?"
"Well, this move, for now I'll name it 'Getsuga Tensho', it cuts people very smoothly."
"What, wanna learn?"
"I can teach you."
"..."
"And, by the way, my name isn't Fox Ogre. Don't go giving people names randomly, you one-eyed masked man."
"..."
'After all that talk, aren't you still f**king giving me a nickname!?'
The masked man slightly narrowed his eyes, then turned his gaze to Itachi on the other side, and said deeply:
"Itachi, how are your injuries... can you still fight?"
The masked man wasn't concerned about him.
Mainly, having finally recruited a decently skilled fighter for Akatsuki, he didn't want him to die just like that.
Although this guy was clearly a traitor brainwashed by Konoha, as a pawn, he was still quite good...
Hearing the masked man's words, Itachi lightly raised his hand, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and said reluctantly:
"...I can."
Although he had been solidly hit by that moon-white slash just now, he had still avoided vital points in the extremely short moment, so he wasn't completely unable to move.
In order to win the trust of Madara, Itachi didn't want to just go easy and end his fight like this.
He decided... to use his Mangekyo.
Itachi silently stood up unsteadily from the dust of the shrine.
Then, he abruptly opened his eyes.
A blood-red gleam shone in the darkness, the black pattern within his pupils rapidly spun and changed, finally transforming into the shape of a shuriken.
This was Itachi's strongest trump card—the Mangekyo Sharingan!
"Ha..."
After exhaling slightly, Itachi's gaze focused on Kyo ahead, and his pupils instantly constricted!
"Tsukuyomi!"
Hum!
Invisible Chakra instantly surged forth, the Mangekyo Sharingan activated!
Tsukuyomi—
Itachi's strongest Genjutsu!
Just by making eye contact with the enemy, he could instantly pull them into the world of "Tsukuyomi", where time, space, quality—everything—was dominated by Itachi!
It could be said that once this move was used, it equated to declaring the end of the battle.
Itachi was absolutely confident in this move.
If not for reaching such a disadvantageous situation now, he wouldn't have used it.
However,
A moment passed.
Nothing happened.
Under the moonlight, a cold wind gently blew by.
Kyo, wearing the fox-like ogre mask, although standing directly facing Itachi, had... not been pulled into the Tsukuyomi's space at all!
"?!"
Itachi's heart suddenly jolted, his expression slightly changing.
'What?'
'What's going on!?'
'My Tsukuyomi... failed?!'
'No,'
'Impossible!'
'Tsukuyomi had clearly activated successfully!'
'No, it can't be——'
'Could this guy have simply... closed his eyes...??!'
'???'