Jie instantly slipped into character, and his expression changed completely.
A faint, unreadable smile appeared on his face. He looked at Itachi and spoke lightly.
"So, it's you… my foolish little brother."
"It seems you've found yourself some new companions after leaving the village."
"Why step forward now?"
"Have you finally found the courage to face me?"
Hearing Jie's words, Itachi paused for a moment. However, he quickly realized that Jie was already playing along.
'As expected of my older brother. Not only is he powerful, but his reactions are just as quick,' Itachi thought inwardly.
Even so, his expression remained completely cold.
As a deep-cover spy, Itachi naturally possessed excellent acting skills. He quickly entered character, glaring at Jie with eyes filled with fabricated hatred.
"This is all because of you, Brother."
"You became Hokage, yet that still wasn't enough for you. You even took the position of the Uchiha Clan's patriarch for yourself."
"Even though I was clearly the more suitable candidate!"
The moment he heard those lines, Jie instantly understood the role Itachi had assigned him. The evil older brother who stole everything from his younger sibling.
For a moment, Jie was speechless.
'Itachi's scriptwriting skills still need work,' Jie thought silently. 'How is such a petty grudge supposed to move anyone?'
'Something like stealing his wife or destroying his lifelong dream would've made far more sense than fighting over a clan title,' Jie complained inwardly.
Even so, he continued playing along with the role Itachi had given him.
A skilled actor didn't need a script. As long as he understood the direction, he could carry the scene himself.
"My foolish little brother, do you still not understand?" Jie asked calmly.
"Whether it's the position of clan leader or Hokage, both are merely shackles."
"I simply didn't want your wings to be bound by such meaningless things. But I never expected my actions to make you misunderstand me so deeply."
Jie shook his head and let out a soft sigh, perfectly displaying the sorrow of a misunderstood older brother.
"Enough! Don't say another word!" Itachi shouted angrily.
"What do you mean it was for my own good?!"
"You stole the position that should've belonged to me, yet you still dare act self-righteous?!"
Seeing Itachi's explosive performance, Jie silently gave him a thumbs-up. 'As expected of my little brother. His acting skills are definitely S-rank.'
At this point, anyone watching would truly believe the two brothers had become enemies because of some tragic misunderstanding.
Through Pain, Nagato silently watched the exchange between Jie and Itachi, doubt slowly rising in his heart.
'Could it be that Itachi really isn't a spy?' Nagato thought to himself. 'Was it truly just a conflict between brothers?'
Beside him, Konan smiled slightly after hearing his muttering. "If Itachi Uchiha isn't a spy, wouldn't that be a good thing?"
Nagato slowly shook his head.
"We still have to be cautious," he said quietly. "This alone isn't enough to completely remove suspicion."
Seeing Nagato remain so wary, Konan did not continue the topic. Instead, she smiled and said...
"If this operation succeeds, the Akatsuki will gain an even stronger foothold. With the support of a major hidden village, your plan will definitely succeed."
A faint smile finally appeared on Nagato's pale face.
"It will," he said softly. "Yahiko's dream will become reality, and true peace will arrive."
Meanwhile, the competitors in the arena finally noticed the tense confrontation on the leaders' platform.
"Sasuke, isn't that your brother, Itachi?" Having activated her Byakugan, Hinata stared at the cloaked figure facing Jie and spoke in surprise.
Hearing her words, Sasuke quickly looked up, joy instantly appearing on his face.
"It really is Brother Itachi!"
Calling out loudly, Sasuke immediately tried to rush toward the podium, but Hinata quickly grabbed his arm and stopped him.
"Something feels wrong," Hinata said, her brows slightly furrowed. "Itachi and Brother Jie… they look like enemies right now."
"And Itachi is wearing the same clothes as the people behind him. They're probably from the same organization."
Her expression changed slightly.
"Could it be that Itachi was ordered to attack Brother Jie?"
Realizing that possibility, Hinata immediately grew anxious and prepared to rush toward the platform herself.
But this time, Sasuke stopped her instead.
"That's impossible."
"Even if he died, Second Brother would never hurt Big Brother," Sasuke said confidently. "And besides, even if Big Brother fought with both hands and feet tied, Second Brother still probably wouldn't beat him."
Naruto instantly fell silent after hearing Sasuke's absurd logic.
In a ninja battle, how was someone supposed to fight with both their hands and feet tied? Was he supposed to headbutt the enemy to death?
But after thinking about Jie's strength, Naruto quickly stopped worrying.
Big Brother Hokage was ridiculously strong. Even handicapped, he could probably still crush most opponents with ease.
The three kids gradually relaxed. Hinata continued watching the platform with her Byakugan while the others stayed quietly in the arena.
Meanwhile, on the leaders' platform, Jie had already figured out the flow of Itachi's act. The exchange between the two brothers became smoother, slowly building toward the climax.
"Enough. Talking any further is pointless," Itachi said coldly. "I'll show you how much I've grown over the years."
The moment he heard that, Jie immediately understood.
The talking phase was over. Now it was time to fight.
Jie shook his head and sighed.
"My foolish little brother… you still understand nothing."
"Fine, then."
"Show me what you've learned over the years."
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