Sasuke was just as shocked as everyone watching when he saw his brother. Itachi just kept moving despite his brother's desperate call to him.
"Wait! Is that you, Itachi? I told you to wait!" Sasuke got impatient with Itachi ignoring him and used his Susanoo to make a grab for his brother. Itachi countered Sasuke by using his own Susanoo to block the attempt. It had confirmed to Sasuke that he truly was his brother.
"I'm impressed. I didn't know that you had been able to master the Susanoo as well." Itachi complimented.
"But what are you even doing here? You're dead!" Sasuke shouted with confusion and anger. Itachi gave a quick run through to his brother, "Kabuto's jutsu has caused me to become a reanimated shinobi. I have no time to talk right now. I have something important to do."
Sasuke did not like how his brother tried to brush him off at all, "So what! I don't care! You're here in front of me right now and I have questions for you!"
"Ask me later. Though you probably won't listen," Itachi replied coldly to his brother. Sasuke grew angrier and angrier the more he was being ignored by his brother, "You're the one who told me to come find you once I had the same eyes as you! But now you want to run away from me! Are you running out of guilt for being a liar?! You don't have the courage to tell me the truth. I already know everything about you anyways. That's why I'm going to destroy the Leaf!"
"I told you before when we fought against each other that we each live inside our own fantasies. I asked you to think about it that way and about how one's reality might be an illusion. However, my truth is real." Itachi said calmly.
"I no longer live inside of an illusion and I can see through your genjutsu! These eyes…are your eyes!" Sasuke said with so much pain in his voice.
Internally, Itachi saddened by how hurt and angry his brother was. Hearing about the change was one thing, but seeing it personally was something completely different. And deep down he knew this was his fault.
"I can tell that part of you is still the same, but I've heard from others what's happened to you. I know how much you've changed." Itachi started. Sasuke cut him off by declaring how wrong his brother was, "You're wrong! You're the one who change my world long ago. I was supposed to die too. You were also supposed to kill me along with our parents, but no…explain it. Why me?! Why was I the only one you spared?! Why me? What's so different about me than our father and mother?! Why only me?!"
Everyone watching grew sad of the sight of how hurt and confused Sasuke was. Itachi may have had a hard life, but they knew that it was Sasuke that was paying the price for it. It truly was a tragic story all around. It even made Superman start to internally reevaluate how he was treating Conner after seeing Sasuke like this. He had no desire to repeat Itachi's mistake.
"Because you didn't know anything and had no part in the Uchiha Clan's folly. You were just a child. And do you think I did it just for you? I wanted you grow up and judge me. I deserve to be dealt with only by another Uchiha. And so I helped foster and take advantage of the hate in your heart. That is why I failed in the end. Ultimately, I only filled you with hatred and made you go rogue. I turned you, my precious little brother, into a criminal. All I ever wanted was for you to walk the right path. Back before I died I…I tried to lead you down the path to righteousness. Down a path without any forks or turns. I even resorted to changing the signposts on it…with lies and my visual prowess." Itachi admitted sadly.
"Wow dude, that's…that's heavy guilt to be carrying all on your own." Wally said. Everyone got to see how hard Itachi was on himself. Artemis really got a close view of what was inside of Itachi's heart, 'I think I finally understand why he considers himself such a failure, though I still disagree with him. All he wanted was for Sasuke to live a happy life and redeem the Uchiha. Even though it didn't go the way he had planned, it doesn't make Itachi a failure. It makes him human.' She thought to herself while looking at her friend and the painful scene below them.
"And what, I was supposed to happily walk that one path while being ignorant of everything?! I couldn't…I never could have walked that path!" Sasuke proclaimed.
"Yes, you're completely right. You should be the only one to decide your journey in life. Neither I nor anyone else have that right over you." Itachi admitted.
"No matter how you try to obscure the signposts, my eyes can strip away all of you lies!" Sasuke declared.
Itachi smiled to himself and told his brother that the signpost weren't the only guides in his life while referring to Naruto and his friends, "Properly speaking, I'm dead now. There's no point in us talking any further."
Itachi then sped away, but Sasuke pressed on. He wouldn't let his brother brush him off again, "When you were alive you never paid any attention to me. You'd always flick my forehead while saying "forgive me" and running off! And even now that you're dead, you're still running away!"
"I'm not running away. There's something important that I must do. I must stop the Reanimation Jutsu." Itachi then summoned a flock of crows to distract Sasuke while he went on to complete his task.
He found the cave that the caster was hiding in and used his Susanoo to easily smash through the barrier that was protecting it. Through the rubble stood Kabuto, the person responsible for all of the dead shinobi being brought back to life. Kabuto expressed how impressed he was that Itachi found him so easily. Itachi explained that when he was under Kabuto's control he was able to pinpoint where Kabuto's chakra was coming from.
"It's one of the weaknesses of the Reanimation Jutsu. Though you won't need to remember that for next time" Itachi said stoically.
"Thanks for the tip. I didn't expect any shinobi to be able to counter this jutsu, so I didn't even worry about it. By the way, there's something I'd like you to know as well. This Reanimation Jutsu won't be undone even if you manage to kill me. I am the only one who can stop it. In other words, you can't kill me. If I die, you'll never be able to stop this jutsu. I guess my luck hasn't run out yet!" Kabuto shouted as he started laughing out loud.
"Things aren't always as the way we want them to be…" Itachi said as he sensed his brother behind him. Sasuke was still as persistent as when they were younger. Sasuke sensed the presence of Orochimaru and instantly got on the defensive. Much to his dismay, the hooded assailant turned out to be Kabuto, another student of Orochimaru's.
Kabuto reveled in his fortune for having Sasuke show up right now since he was the agreed upon compensation for Kabuto participating in the war. Itachi didn't know or care what he meant by that, he just wanted to end this Reanimation Jutsu fast.
"This jutsu has no flaws. I want you to understand that Itachi. Even if you made a move, I doubt Sasuke would just sit back and watch. Even if there was a way to defeating me, rushing would surely cause you to fail." Kabuto arrogantly said.
He then told Sasuke how he and Tobi were waging war with the other Shinobi nations. They were using the White Zetsu and the reanimated army to fight for them. The goal was to collect the nine and eight tails so that they could be used to cast a powerful genjutsu over the entire world. That way, they'd control everything and everyone.
Sasuke asked his brother why he was here if he was a reanimation created to fight in the way. Itachi responded by telling his brother that he broke Kabuto's control over him.
"To keep it simple, I hate taking orders" Itachi said to Kabuto. Kabuto smirked at that, "That's not how I heard it. But for the purposes of this fight, we'll go along with that statement."
"Kabuto, I came to kill you. Reanimation…you got your hands on a silly Forbidden Jutsu." Itachi scolded.
"It's because of this jutsu that you brother were reunited again. I honestly expected a little more gratitude." Kabuto slickly responded.
"Reanimation can't control the heart. You've desecrated souls that were purified and at rest. You use them to spread nothing but unnecessary sadness and hate. Can't you understand the pain felt by the dead who are forced to fight comrades and loved ones? The pain of the living is even greater. After finally getting over the grief and sadness your jutsu comes around and reopens those wounds all over again!" Itachi said with a hint of anger in his voice.
"Wow, I'm surprised someone who slaughtered their entire clan at the dead of the night could have such a tender heart. Does that mean that you regret doing it then? If so, then I'm not interested." Kabuto said dismissively.
"That guy, he's competing with that Danzo guy for my least favorite person award. What a jerk." Robin lamented.
"To use people and their feelings like it was so insignificant to him is disgusting, "Wonder Woman added.
"Sasuke, you want to bring down Itachi, the bane of the Uchiha once again, right? He is a nuisance to both you and me. Why don't we team up and take Itachi down together? We share the same power of the snake and the same master-" Kabuto started but was cut off by a defiant Sasuke.
"I have no intentions of calling that monster my master! Besides, it seems like you don't know anything, do you? I chased Itachi all the way here to talk to him, not fight him." Sasuke announced.
Kabuto asked what side Sasuke was on and got an answer by Sasuke throwing shuriken at him. Itachi deflected the shuriken, though, before they could reach Kabuto.
"Why? He's just like Orochimaru, which means he's my enemy. And right now, he's your enemy too, right?!" Sasuke asked. Itachi gave up and decided that he would wind up talking to his brother after all, "Alright, we'll talk later. But first, we must take him down…without killing him. If you kill the caster of the Reanimation, the jutsu can never be undone. We'll put him under my Tsukuyomi, and then we'll make him tell us how to stop it. And while he's still under the Tsukuyomi, I'll control him and break this jutsu." Itachi declared.
"Thanks for the play-by-play. I hope it goes as smoothly as you say. But as I told you earlier, this jutsu has no flaw-" Itachi cut him off. He was tired of Kabuto's foolishness, "Every jutsu has a flaw. This jutsu's flaw…is me!"
"Itachi, you've kept lying to me, telling me "next time" or "later", and then you died on me. So this time I will hold you to your promise." Sasuke said as he walked beside his brother in a reunion of the Uchiha.
"They say you take your secrets and promises to the grave. Well, I've already died once. I intend on honoring this last promise." Itachi said to assure his brother that he would finally talk after this battle.
Kabuto got ready for battle by releasing some snakes fro out of his hood and covering his eyes to avoid genjutsu. The snakes got larger before lunging to attack. The brothers leapt backwards to avoid and used their Susanoo to behead the snakes. Itachi had to warn his brother about being too violent because killing Kabuto would result in failure. Sasuke assured him that Kabuto wouldn't die easily and went to grab his hood to put him under a genjutsu. When he reached Kabuto, he discovered that it was just snakes under the hood.
Sasuke threw his sword at one of the snakes, but it slithered away despite being cut. Sasuke then started to taunt Kabuto for being a coward. Kabuto responded by explaining all of the preparation and studying he's done in order to get to this point. He modified his body and went to Ryuchi Cave. Kabuto started to reveal his true self as he emerged from one of his snakes' mouths. Sasuke wasted no time in using his Susanoo to try and shoot Kabuto down before he emerged, but much to his surprise Kabuto actually doge his arrow. Kabuto revealed that he could use Nature Energy.
'I see…so he's learned how to use Sage mode.' Itachi thought. Sasuke laughed and called Kabuto a cheap knock off of Orochimaru. Kabuto replied that he's evolved past a snake and had finally become a dragon. He used a powerful jutsu to block the senses of the brothers.
They could only writhe in pain as Kabuto slithered through because of his snake genetics. Kabuto took advantage of their temporary paralysis and tried to kill Sasuke. Itachi sensed that he would do that and used his Susanoo to protect his brother from harm.
He figured that since Sasuke was Kabuto's main goal in participating in this war that he'd likely go after him first. It was his best chance since neither of the Uchiha brothers knew how to undo the Reanimation Jutsu just yet.
"What sets you apart from the rest of the Uchiha Clan is that you have true visual prowess. You have the ability to peer into and read people's souls. And use what you learn in battle. That's why you were so good at deceiving people. You died telling a lie…all you are is a dirty, lying shinobi through and through!" Kabuto taunted.
Sasuke and Itachi's friends showed more emotion on Kabuto's claim than Itachi did. Sasuke used his Chidori to try and cut Kabuto in half and his friends looked like they wanted to help Sasuke do it. Kabuto dodged by jumping to the ceiling and continued to taunt.
"You think a makeshift team of you two can outwit my perception skills? You don't even know each other because Itachi lied so much throughout his life," Kabuto pointed out.
"Sasuke, do you remember the time you tagged along with me on my mission when we were kids? The wild boar?" Itachi inquired.
Sasuke nodded and powered up his Susanoo again. They both had their Susanoo in their humanoid forms. Itachi ran ahead as Sasuke stayed for long-ranged backup. He had arrows primed and ready for fire. Itachi used his Yasaka Magatama and shot it at Kabuto. The spread out attack neutralized his speed since he couldn't move anywhere. It allowed Sasuke to hit him with an arrow since Kabuto was a stationary target now.
The arrow lodged itself into Kabuto's snake tail. Kabuto acted fast and went to grab Sasuke's sword that was lodged into a pillar earlier. He was going to use it to cut off his own tail to escape. Itachi sped ahead to try and beat Kabuto to the blade. Kabuto got a hold of it and stabbed right through Itachi once he got close.
Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan started to rotate and then he disappeared into a burst of light and crows. The crows temporarily distorted Kabuto's senses just enough for Itachi to rematerialize, grab Sasuke's sword, and use it to cut off the tip of one of Kabuto's horns. It was a masterful turn around and counterattack that provided yet another example to Itachi's friend of just how good he was at being a shinobi as they watched in awe.
They both landed on the ground after the exchange, one completely unaware of just what really transpired. Kabuto made an offhanded comment about forgetting that he had horns now, but Itachi made sure that he wouldn't forget after this fight.
"It looks like you might be able to take down that wild boar now." Itachi said jokingly to Sasuke after seeing his fast improvement with a bow and arrow. Sasuke smiled at being acknowledged by his brother and then turned towards the present fight, "Instead of that giant wild boar, we'll take down this snake."
"Yeah…" Itachi said as the brothers were on one accord with each other. The scene touched M'gann, "Even despite everything you two went through…you still find the time to be brothers who love each other. Not too many can say that."
"I wish I could say that…" Artemis mumbled to herself sadly. Itachi patted her on the shoulder and smiled at her, "You will one day. I know it."
"Okay, Mr. Optimistic. I'll hold you to that." She replied.
"It's really funny. You two actually look like you love each other. But what happened to the brothers who fought and hated each other? It's not hard to guess that something happened between you two back when you killed him. But what could you possibly want to ask of a dead man?" Kabuto asked.
"The truth," Sasuke answered frankly. Kabuto grinned at that, "Oh really? By the sounds of it, you really don't trust Itachi after all. Sasuke, did you ever consider that you already know the truth about Itachi? It's no wonder that you didn't return to the Leaf after killing him. It's why you joined the Akatsuki and plotted the Leaf's destruction! You want to destroy the village that caused your brother so much pain. You don't even deny it. So you followed your brother, who you happened to encounter, all the way here to find out the truth once and for all. Everything in complete detail from the time it happened to how it happened. I'm sorry to tell you this, but your brother is a liar! Itachi was willing to kill his own family to protect the village. The very same village you aim to destroy. That doesn't mix well. I'm the one who wants what you want, Sasuke! Since Lord Orochimaru couldn't destroy the Leaf, the tasked has been left for me to do. All you have to do is stab Itachi in the back like how he did you and your clan. Do that and join me. You don't have to feel guilty about it at all. He's already dead; you made sure of that. This is nothing but an imitation." Kabuto said while trying to lure Sasuke to his side.
"Jeez, is this the throne scene to Return of the Jedi? He's laying it on thick." Wally commented.
"It's because he's getting desperate." Itachi answered. Robin got curious why that was and asked Itachi, "Why? I thought his jutsu had no flaws so he should have been calm."
"Not about this fight. Something else was making him desperate." Itachi answered.
"What was that?" Conner asked. Itachi sighed, "The same thing that makes us all desperate in a way. The need to feel like there's someone else like us in the world. The need to not feel alone anymore."
Sasuke rebuked Kabuto's claims about them being alike and stated that his reasons for wanting to destroy the Leaf were his and his alone.
"I understand why Itachi chose that life. I was just like him. It was nice being found by a Leaf Shinobi, but since my origins were a mystery I was raised to be a spy. I learned medical ninjutsu so that people could trust me more. I went from village to village being a spy. Pretending to be someone else and living a life of lies. There was no place for the real me…no one knew the real me. I had done it for so long that even I didn't know the real me anymore, and that's when the Leaf Village stopped trusting me. They ran me out of the village. Itachi and I worked for the good of the Leaf Village, but in return, all we got was dishonor and disgrace! What has the Leaf Village ever done for any of us? How Itachi lived caused you to be how you are now. And I am similar to you too because of the Leaf, Sasuke. No one understands you better than me. I will be your new big brother and stand by your side." Kabuto promised.
"Don't listen to him, Sasuke. He as an even better spy then I was, which means he's also a better liar than me too. No matter what darkness or contradictions lay within the village, I will always be Itachi Uchiha of the Leaf! Sasuke…it's my fault you're like this right now. I know I have no right to advise you in any way, but please hear me out because I have something to tell you. But first, let's stop him together." Itachi said trying to get to his brother before Kabuto did.
"You can't kill me as long as I am the caster of the Reanimation Jutsu. I can instantly recover from any injuries so it would all be meaningless. I shut down my eyesight so your genjutsu is useless against me. You brothers can't beat me! Because I casted it, the Reanimation Jutsu is invincible!" Kabuto gloated.
"Though I hate hearing his voice, he did explain the situation perfectly." Itachi lamented.
"I don't need you to tell me that. We need to find a way to beat him." Sasuke responded.
"He doesn't know the true power of the Uchiha. The Uchiha have a visual jutsu that can be used on an opponent without eyesight. The price for using it is losing the light in one's eye forever." Itachi revealed.
"The Izanagi?" Sasuke asked. Itachi was shocked his brother knew about that technique since it was forbidden, "Danzo used it when I fought him."
Itachi revealed that he had no intentions of using the Izanagi, "There's another forbidden jutsu that is considered the Izanagi's other half. I've already laid the grounds for it. An ultimate jutsu that will hold Kabuto's fate within its grasp. The Izanami!" Itachi said as he blocked a charge from Kabuto with Sasuke's sword.
The two backed off of their deadlock and returned into their neutral positions, "The Izanagi is a jutsu that changes one's fate, while the Izanami is a jutsu that decides it. Sasuke, don't leave my side."
"I don't know what you're up to, but it won't work. It seems you still don't understand just who I am! Sage Art: Inorganic Animation!" Kabuto used his jutsu to control the cave they were all in and use it to attack the brothers. He was able to impale Itachi with multiple rock spikes because Itachi had used his Susanoo to protect Sasuke. It slowed his movement just enough for Kabuto to get him.
Kabuto ran forward to try and regain control of Itachi, but was stopped by Sasuke's circle of Amaterasu. The heat from the flames also caused the cave to revert back to normal and release Itachi. Kabuto then went on about how superior he was and that he was like the Sage of Six Paths. Itachi had noticed a pattern in him and addressed him.
"Kabuto, when I look at you it's like I'm seeing the old me. That is why you will lose." Itachi warned.
"I'm not on the sidelines anymore. I am the central figure of this war. I've manipulated everyone into doing what I want. So much so that now I have both of the Uchiha brothers backed into a corner. I'm not losing anything!" Kabuto replied.
"I don't like you, but I do understand you. We were both spies who lived false lives in this world. I had forgotten who I was at one point too. But now I finally understand that knowing yourself doesn't mean achieving everything and being perfect; it is knowing what you can and can't do." Itachi spoke.
"Sounds like the words of a loser! Acknowledging what you can't do is the same as giving up." Kabuto replied.
"No, it's being able to forgive yourself for the things you can't do by yourself. You can't do everything alone. That's why you have comrades who can help you. It also makes sure that you don't miss the things that you actually can accomplish. If you want to know who you are, you have to look at your true self and acknowledge what you see. I failed to do that. I lied to everyone…including myself. Those who can't accept who they really are will always fail…just like I did." Itachi wisely spoke.
Kabuto started laughing before acknowledging that out of all of the pawns and shinobi that he reanimated for the war, Itachi was by far the greatest one. He even had begun to praise the Uchiha name and voiced his desire to be one. Itachi responded that his last name only identified what his bloodline was and which clan he belonged to, so it was meaningless to a guy like Kabuto to claim it.
Kabuto's mood shifted to anger. He refuted Itachi and claimed that having a last name did mean something since all his life all he wanted was a name that told people where he belonged in the world. Sasuke asked Itachi again if they could kill Kabuto, but Itachi again said no because the field was in his advantage and they still needed him alive to undo the Reanimation Jutsu.
"I've already put him under the genjutsu; it's just taking some time to take effect." Itachi said to the surprise of everyone.
"When did you put him under the genjutsu? Why isn't it working by now?" Aqualad asked.
"From the first series. A jutsu that alters reality takes time to use." Itachi answered as Kabuto started using the chakra and jutsu of all of Orochimaru's former pawns. He das that Orochimaru once told him that in order to know one's self, you must gather every single thing and piece of information that exists in the world.
They had to work together and use their Susanoo to defend all of the jutsu Kabuto was using. He even put them under a genjutsu using sounds waves like how a former pawn of Orochimaru used to do. They were immobilized. Kabuto planned on using Orochimaru's jutsu to absorb Sasuke into his body. He had completely deluded himself into thinking that he was Orochimaru.
"Kabuto, you are not Orochimaru. It's fine to imitate someone you respect, but never to the extent when to attempt to remake yourself into him." Itachi said finally understanding the turmoil inside of Kabuto.
"Everyone starts off by mimicking someone. Look at how Sasuke mimicked you." Kabuto retorted. Itachi ignored his jab and replied, "Imitating someone you respect is something you do to grow, but you can't use it as a disguise to pretend to be someone you clearly aren't. You gain nothing from attacking your self-value. Especially when it's just for something external that's admirable and praiseworthy to you. I'll say this one last time. Stop fooling yourself with lies. Those who can't acknowledge their real selves are bound to fail." Itachi warned.
"Fail? I could never fail the way I am now!" Kabuto replied as he launched an attack. Itachi told Sasuke to look into his eyes so that they could use genjutsu of their own to break the genjutsu Kabuto had them under. They then used their Susanoo to trample though Kabuto's attack.
"I'm going to engage the Izanami. You have failed, Kabuto." Itachi announced. Kabuto suddenly fell to the ground. Sasuke assumed that it was Itachi's doing. That was until Kabuto sprouted from the snakehead of Orochimaru behind them and bisected Itachi.
"A genius who had everything could never understand that I just want to be who and what I am! I won't let anyone stop me." Kabuto said as Itachi fell to the ground.
Sasuke moved fast and threw his sword at Kabuto who in turn used his snake-tail to catch it. Sasuke then used his Susanoo to make Kabuto retreat to the ceiling before shooting fireballs at him. Kabuto countered with a wave of water that cancelled the fire out and washed Sasuke away. Mist filled the cave because of Kabuto and Sasuke's clash, which allowed Itachi time to recover and sneak up on the former. Kabuto sensed it and stabbed right through Itachi. Itachi's left eye went colorless while Itachi turned into a flock of crows. The crows knocked Sasuke's sword out of Kabuto's hand and into Itachi's as he rematerialized and cut off Kabuto's horn again.
"Wow, you used the same moves as before…and got the same result. What gives?" Wally asked.
"I don't see what type of strategy your employing either Itachi." Canary added.
"Just watch. It's already over." Itachi replied as everyone one the battlefield had reset into their original positions with Sasuke joining Itachi and Kabuto off a whiles away.
"I already told you that as long as I have my power of recovery, wounding me is meaningless. And since I shut off my vision, genjutsu won't work on me either. You have no chance of winning." Kabuto proclaimed.
"Your fate is already in my hands. Thanks to the Uchiha's other forbidden jutsu…the Izanami." Itachi replied calmly. Kabuto decided to put that theory to the test by attacking again. He lunged at Itachi, who in turn used Sasuke's blade to defend and push Kabuto back as Sasuke joined his side.
Kabuto noted how it felt like déjà vu to him and decided that he wanted to end this fight now. Itachi had other plans, "Your fate may be in my hands now, but you're the only one who can truly decide your destiny. Remember what I've told you and think hard." Itachi advised.
Kabuto had had enough of Itachi's words and begun his assault. Itachi got ready to defend just like before, "Those who forgive themselves and are able to accept who they really are, they are the most powerful of all."
After that a series of events happened. Kabuto got in possession of Sasuke's sword, used it to stab Itachi, lost it to Itachi when he turned into a flock of crows, and had his horn cut off before backing away. It was too similar to what had happened twice before and let him know that he was in a genjutsu somehow.
The series of events repeated themselves again as Kabuto got in possession of Sasuke's sword, used it to stab Itachi, lost it to Itachi when he turned into a flock of crows, and had his horn cut off before backing away. No matter what Kabuto did, he would always repeat that series of events. Itachi truly had Kabuto's fate in his hands.
As Kabuto tried to figure a way out, Itachi warned him that it was worthless. Itachi then advised him to recall his advice from earlier, but was brushed aside. To Kabuto's misfortune, he was trapped in this loop of events. In reality, Sasuke and Itachi stood calmly as Kabuto was in a genjutsu induced trance.
"It makes it easier to cast my genjutsu on him when he's trapped in the loop I made." Itachi noted.
"So wait, that's what you did to him? I'm so confused." Artemis said as most of the others agreed. Batman had a different question, "When did you cast it?"
"The first time Kabuto stabbed me with my brother's blade." Itachi answered. Batman got curious, "You mentioned that you had a visual jutsu that could work without sight, but from what I gather, sight is the requirement for your Sharingan to be at its most effective. So how did you do it?"
"Izanami is a visual jutsu that works with the physical senses of both yourself and the opponent." Itachi explained.
"How is that possible to do?" Canary asked.
"As I was battling my opponent, I took a photograph of the physical senses that both myself and my opponent are feeling during that instant with the visual jutsu. We'll call that A. As time progressed, I found another moment in time to record; B. Then I recorded C and so on with Sharingan. Next is to recreate those exact same physical sensations. When I finally recreated an exact copy of A, I created A'. By overlaying and connecting A to A', the Izanami does the rest and will like a path for B' and C' to create fluctuations within a fixed time. In other words, it's the power to trap your opponent in an infinite loop. Just like with the Izanagi, it costs the caster their vision in the eye that used the jutsu."
"So what you're saying is that Kabuto guy is trapped inside of the time loop while fighting phantom versions of you and your brother forever? " Flash asked.
"No, there is a way out of the jutsu. The Izanami was created to rebuke and save uses of the Izanagi." Itachi explained.
"What the heck is the Izanagi? I heard you mention it before to Sasuke. Is it some type of genjutsu?" Conner asked.
"The Izanagi is the Uchiha's prized jutsu that allows the caster to literally change destiny in the real world. If something doesn't go the way you want it to, it allows you to erase the outcome and start all over. It allows you to select the most desirable end result." He elaborated.
"So if you or a loved one died, you'd be able to change that with your jutsu?" Robin asked.
"Yes, anything is subject to change within a reasonable timeframe when using the Izanagi. Though, I wouldn't recommend doing it. Messing with destiny can have tricky side effects and is why Izanami was created." Itachi answered.
Itachi went on to explain the painful history of the Uchiha and how they used to abuse the Izanagi for personal convenience and to rebuke that, the Uchiha came up with the Izanami. It also was designed to save the Izanagi user by trapping them in an infinite loop. The only way out of the loop is for the person trapped inside to finally accept the original outcome and stop trying to change it. It forces people inside to accept their fate, no matter how bad or tragic it may be. The very fact that it has such an easy escape route out of it makes it dangerous to use in combat. It is why the Izanami is forbidden.
"How would Kabuto be able to escape then?" Kaldur asked.
"All he has to do is stop trying to transform himself and accept who he really is. After that the loop would stop." Itachi answered.
Sasuke had begun to understand why the two visual jutsu were forbidden and how much damage they did to the Uchiha clan. He also understood that it was important to learn from the past to accept one's fate and move forward anyways. What he didn't understand, though, was why Itachi used such a jutsu on someone like Kabuto.
"He reminds me of the old me. He thinks by getting everything, he'll accomplish whatever he wants to. He even makes himself believe that he can't fail even if that means lying to himself. I stopped listening to what anyone else said and I stopped letting myself trust anybody. In his case, Kabuto is so deluded that he thinks all of these powers are his and his alone. I understand him too well. Both of us were used by the shinobi world. He can't forgive himself or accept himself for who he really is. It's clear that what he's doing is wrong, but he's not completely to blame for not having realized that. My chance has passed me by, but he can still forgive himself. Itachi explained.
"But why big brother? Why would you feel you needed to help him do that? He is not like you. No, you were perfect-" Sasuke started.
Itachi stopped him, "Sasuke, you know…I was going to control you. I planned on using the visual jutsu, Koto Amatsukami. I treated you like you were a child and thought that you needed my protection. I didn't trust your strength. There is no such thing as a perfect being in the world. Sometimes, two people who appear to be complete opposites are actually two sides of the same coin. And can only succeed when they work together; like the Izanagi and Izanami. Look at me and find in yourself what I couldn't find in me, but please do not say that I was perfect. First off, I should have acknowledged and appreciated myself for the person I was. If I had just done that, I never would have had to lie to anyone…to myself or to you. If you lie to yourself, how can you have friends or be trustworthy? In the end, all these lies will keep you from seeing your true self."
Itachi's words cut deep into a lot of people watching. Artemis, M'gann, even Kaldur and Captain Marvel all took his words of accepting themselves for who they really were to heart. Even without directly speaking to them, Itachi still found a way to move their hearts. It even made Robin regret the harsh words he said to Itachi before all of this. It also made them start to see that Itachi really was like them and made no bones of hiding who he was or any of his flaws. They knew that after this, they could trust him again.
Itachi had decided that now was the time to stop the Reanimation Jutsu. He was going to return all of the dead to where they belonged and bring the war to an end. Sasuke and everyone else knew what that meant; Itachi would leave this world forever. Itachi acknowledged that, but still felt it was the right thing to do because it meant that he succeeded in protecting his village. It meant that he was Itachi Uchiha of the Leaf once again.
"I have no more regrets." Itachi said peacefully. Sasuke couldn't accept that, "But why?! Why help the very village that did this to you?! You may be able to forgive the Leaf, but I can't! You have no more regrets, but what about what you made me become? What about that, huh?!" Sasuke vented angrily.
"I'm not the one who can change you, Sasuke. But I can stop this Reanimation Jutsu. By doing that, I can fulfill my promise to Naruto." Itachi then lifted Kabuto's sealed eyelids to put him under the Tsukuyomi and forced him to reveal how to stop the Reanimation Jutsu.
Sasuke and the others watching had a sad look on their faces. They knew that as Itachi forced Kabuto to weave the hand signs required to reverse the Reanimation Jutsu, it would mean that these were his last moments. Sasuke voiced this as his brother focused on the task at hand.
"I guess…it won't matter what I say, will it? As soon as I found you, I tailed you because I wanted to confirm whether or not Tobi and Danzo were telling me the truth. But that wasn't the only thing I was able to verify. When I'm with you, I remember things…childhood feelings of adoring my big brother. That's the reason why the closer I get to you…the closer we become to how we were as brothers and the more I understand you, the more I come to hate the Hidden Leaf Village for causing you so much pain. I hate it more now that I had ever hated it before. I know what you want me to do and how you want me to be. You're my big brother…so I know you're going to disapprove, but it's because I'm your brother that no matter what you say to me it won't change anything. Even if you protect the village now, I'll still destroy it someday. So I guess…this is goodbye." Sasuke said sadly.
Itachi finished having Kabuto reverse the Reanimation Jutsu and instantaneously Itachi, along with the other reanimations, started to glow. Their souls were being called back to the afterlife. As Itachi began to glow and slowly wither away, he turned to head towards his brother. He still had things he needed to say before time ran out for him.
"There's still time…I can feel myself slowly losing consciousness now. I must tell you everything…before I say goodbye and we part for good. There's no reason for me to lie anymore. The night I left you…I did everything Danzo and Tobi…told you I did. I'll show you the entire truth." Itachi said as he put Sasuke under the same genjutsu he had the others under. Sasuke was going to see the Uchiha Downfall along with the events beforehand from Itachi's perspective.
He and the others saw Shisui beg Itachi to stop the war, the elders coming up with the plan to murder the Uchiha Clan, Danzo coercing Itachi to doing the dirty work in order to save Sasuke, Itachi making the deal with Tobi to help exterminate the Uchiha, and they even saw Itachi standing before his and Sasuke's parents as they had resigned themselves to dying by their son's sword. They all heard the turmoil in Itachi again the promise he made to his father to take care of Sasuke. The tears Itachi shed as he murdered his parents just as they had called him kind and the pain of Sasuke as he walked in on it moments later. Sasuke had finally seen the truth from Itachi. It was painful for the others to see again too. Itachi kept slowly pushing forward while speaking to his brother.
"There is nothing more to say. I have told you the whole truth. I won't have to ever again. I have…always lied to you and asked for your forgiveness while keeping you at a distance…all because I wanted to keep you out of this. But now I think…that perhaps you could have changed father, mother…and the rest of the Uchiha as well. If had only come to you from the start, looked straight into your eyes and told you the truth, then I wouldn't have to stand before you as a failure telling you all of this. So this time, for once…let me tell you one small truth," Itachi said as he reached his brother. He gently put his hand behind Sasuke's head and laid his forehead against his brother, almost symbolizing how intimate and precious this last chance meant to Itachi.
"You don't ever have to forgive me. And whatever you do from here on out, or what you choose to become know this…I will always love you." Itachi said with as much love as he could to his brother.
The light around Itachi started to grow brighter, indicating that his time was coming to an end. Everyone saw the literal spirit of Itachi leave the reanimated body. Itachi's spirit had the biggest, most content smile ever. As he went to return to the afterlife, everyone heard his last dying thoughts as he reflected on his life.
'This…is the last time. I truly…thank you, Sasuke. No matter what darkness surrounded me in my life, in the end I can die with a smile because being able to live as your brother…made me…happy.' He thought as he disappeared in a flash of light.
"Wow, I don't know what to say…" Superman said. M'gann went to hug Itachi, "I do. Thank you for sharing this with all of us. As dark as it was for you, I'm glad that in the end you got to pass away in a flash of white light while looking into your brother's eyes."
"Yeah, it was a beautiful moment. I can only hope to go out in such a peaceful way." Hal Jordan said.
"It's not over yet. I still have to show you, how I was placed in your world and why I'm here." Itachi said as he changed to the next thing he saw. Next thing they all knew, they were standing before the God of Itachi's world.
After Itachi said goodbye to Sasuke, he was summoned by the Sage of Six Paths, who is the God of the shinobi world. Itachi kneeled in reverence, but was told to stand.
"I have a mission for you Itachi, only you can complete it." Itachi wanted to outright say no to the mission but, out of respect and reverence, he heard him out. The others looked on in confusion before asking about what they were watching.
"This is your God? Is this a normal thing that he does?" Marvel asked. Itachi shook his head, "As far as I know, no it isn't. It must have been dire for him to resort to this."
"What mission do you need me to complete?" The Sage then started to shed tears, "I am truly sorry, Itachi. You have lived a hard life. I know that you deserve to rest, but the world needs you to do one more thing for it."
Itachi wanted to refuse, but the thought of Sasuke being in danger made him accept. He has already proven that he would kill and die for his brother. "What more does the world need of me? I have murdered my entire clan, been marked as a terrorist, and killed by my own brother. I did all of it willingly and still died smiling, but still I can't be in peace. Why?"
The Sage pointed his staff at Itachi and immediately Itachi felt a surge of power flowing through him, "My child, it is true that you have sacrificed much for this world to remain at peace. Death should be the ultimate release, but I require more of you."
"What more can I do for this world past dying for it." He asked now curious and frustrated about his mission.
"You have already died for the good of the world, but now your mission is to live for the good of the world." The Sage then performed a jutsu and soon Itachi felt a great flash before feeling nothing.
"Good luck child, I hope you very well may succeed." The Sage then turned towards the Great War happening and continued to observe it.
'Perhaps you can succeed where I failed. You may not have been the one the change your brother, but maybe you can be the one who changes…no best not to get my hopes up.' The Sage thought before the scene went black.
"This is getting so confusing. So you were revived by God and sent on some special mission to save our world. But from what?" Canary asked. Itachi shook his head, "I don't know. Whoever it is that is threatening your world also means to cause harm to mine as well. They must be powerful if not even the Sage of Six Paths could apprehend them. I don't know how he expects me to do what he can't" Itachi replied.
"Together…as a team." Artemis said while smiling at her friend. She also got treated to seeing Itachi's first memory of waking up in this world. He opened his eyes to seeing Carson as she had the biggest look of concern to him, "So you got you wake up the same way you died; staring into the eyes of someone who cares about you."
Itachi nodded as he inwardly smiled. Robin though voiced his shock and glee, "Wait, you know Carson?! This is so good!"
And just like that the inward smile went away and he went back to his normal brooding as the memory genjutsu was over.
Batman and the other Leaguers had a lot to consider. Seeing Itachi's complicated past really put them into a jam about what to do about him. They were in the conference room discussing it while the others sat in the living room. Artemis got impatient as to why the Leaguers were taking so long.
"What's there to discuss? Itachi is a good person and he's one of us. They just need to hurry up and announce it," She ranted.
"It is not that simple. I feel the same way as you do. Itachi is our friend, but that doesn't change the fact that his past is filled with darkness. That darkness scared them." Aqualad explained.
"But he couldn't control that. You saw his world. It's corrupt and evil to the core. Surely they can see that and understand." M'gann spoke up.
"They won't," Itachi said. The others looked at him in disbelief. Robin spoke up in agreement with him, "He's right. They are really strict with the no killing rule. Even though all of this…happened in another world under impossible circumstances, I know for a fact that it won't dissuade Batman off of his stance."
"Especially after they saw Itachi himself admit that there was probably another way he could have saved his village. I don't see how this ends well for him," Wally added.
"Of course you two would say that. You guys were on the forefront of the "Itachi is a murderer" club." Conner spat out. His words made Robin and Wally recoil out of shame.
"Look Itachi, we're sorry. We didn't know about your past or what went into why you did what you did. It was wrong of us," Wally stated humbly.
"You don't have to apologize to me." Itachi replied. He knew the tough position his past put them in and was sympathetic towards them because of it. Robin shook his head, "No, we do. You're our friend, but instead of giving you the benefit of the doubt, we judged you and called you harsh things. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us."
"There's nothing to forgive. We're comrades…and friends. Harsh words won't change that." Itachi replied. Robin and Wally were about to express their gratitude when the Leaguers emerged from the conference room, each having serious looks on their faces.
"Here we go," M'gann thought to the others. Superman was the first to speak, "Itachi Uchiha, I'd like to start off by saying how sorry I am for the life you've lived. I think I speak for everyone when I say that no one should have to be force to do half the things that you've had to do. You were put in a difficult position having to choose between your home and your people, at such a young age too. You killed, lied, and died because you thought it was the only thing to do to preserve peace and save your brother. We could all learn from the self sacrifice you exuded."
"So does that mean that you're letting him stay on the Team?" Artemis asked. The leaguer got quiet and avoided eye contact. The teens knew that this was going to end well after that. Batman spoke next.
"With that being said, it doesn't change the fact that you did commit the crime of murder. We cannot turn a blind eye to that just because of complicated reasons. There would be no justice in that. Effective immediately, you will be indefinitely suspended from the Team. Your access to the Cave will be revoked along with any access to League assets." He announced much to the dismay of the Team.
"That's not fair! Itachi is just as much a victim as anybody else in his story. Where is his justice?"Artemis said while lashing at the caped crusader.
"How could you all vote for this?" M'gann asked her uncle with confusion and hurt in her voice. J'onn could barely look his niece in the face, "Given the circumstances, we felt this was the best course of action. Itachi isn't evil, but we can't just ignore his crimes."
"This isn't permanent. It's just until we can decide whether or not we can fully trust Itachi again. Not all of us wanted this, but the majority vote ruled out the rest of us." Canary said.
Canary, Green Arrow, Captain Marvel, Martian Manhunter, Red Tornado, and surprisingly Superman were the ones who voted to keep Itachi in. Everyone else thought it was best to distance the League from him just until they could further gage how trustworthy Itachi was.
"This isn't fair! Itachi is just as much a hero as any of you are. He's saved all of us plenty of times, and even helped saved your city when you couldn't step up and do it yourself!" Conner said while pointing at Batman. He ignored the clone's jab at him and kept a straight face.
"We understand why some of you are upset, but please see it from our perspective. How can we go to battle with and send you all on missions with someone whom we don't fully trust. It's not fair to you all and it's not fair to Itachi. When we feel like we can fully trust Itachi again, he will have a place on the Team. It'll just take time." Wonder Woman said while trying to quell their anger.
The members of the Team were all disappointed and angry about the decision. Artemis and Conner were the angriest. Itachi was their friend and for him to go down for things he couldn't control that happened in another lifetime really didn't sit well with them. The Leaguers all understood their frustration, but for the moment this was the only option for them.
Itachi understood why the League came to the decision that they did. He wasn't angry at them in the slightest bit. He was more relieved that they all knew about him and that he didn't have to lie anymore. The only person left who didn't know about his past was Carson, but he still wasn't comfortable enough to tell her. He didn't want her perception of him to change.
"I understand your decision and accept it. This is your world and I will abide by your rules." Itachi said. Artemis looked at him incredulously at how easily he accepted these results. He gave her a look that quelled her down, "We're comrades whether we're on the same team or not, that will never change."
"I don't care what happened to you in the past. I will always trust you, Itachi." She replied. The whole Team got behind her and nodded in agreement.
"Thank you. I couldn't ask for better friends." Itachi replied. Superman walked up to him and gave a sad smile, "I'm sorry we couldn't keep you on the Team. Trust me when I say that this will be temporary. The Justice League will help you save the world from whatever threat that has come here. You have my word."
Itachi nodded before heading to the zeta-tube. He turned to look at his comrades one last time before saying, "If you need me…for anything. I'll be there."
Itachi then went into the zeta-tube and left for Gotham. It was quiet in the Cave after Itachi's departure. The League went back into the Watchtower while the others stayed in the Cave and reflected on everything that they had seen today. They would never forget any of it.
When Itachi got back to Gotham, he went to Ms. Yumi's place. It was empty and all of the lights were off. She had left him a note saying that she would be gone till the morning because she was securing a new shipment of masks for the shop. Itachi hated when she did that. He's gone with her a few times to get shipments and each time they were greeted with sleazy scum. He didn't want her going out alone and getting hurt.
His thoughts soon shifted to someone else that he cared about. Itachi wanted to visit Carson, but decided against since she would have picked up on his mood and started asking too many questions. Plus, with how late it was into the night, he didn't want to disturb her since this was is her first day off since she started working at the mask shop. He ultimately decided to sleep in. Being the Crow could wait until tomorrow. He didn't know how things would end up with the League or his friends, but he knew that as long as he had breath in his lungs, he would always be there for them. After watching his life and all of the mistakes he made, Itachi was determined to never repeat them.
'I will trust them to know what to do. I'm not alone in my mission. I have the Team on my side and together we will save the world.' Itachi thought before falling asleep.
Elsewhere, Wrath and the Masked Stranger were standing on top of a rooftop. Wrath questioned why the Masked Stranger decided to take him here, "Why are we here? I thought you were going to show me how to change the world and deliver true justice. How is this place supposed to help me with that?"
"It's not the place…it's the person inside who will help." The Stranger replied while pointing at the window with the open blinds. Through the other side of the window, Wrath saw a young woman with long, brunette hair. She had pale skin and wore glasses. The girl struck something in Wrath. He'd never seen this girl before, but for some reason it felt like he's known her his whole life.
"Who is that woman?" Wrath said while worried about the reaction he was having. He could feel his heart start to race at the sight of her. The Masked Stranger smiled inwardly at Wrath's reaction, "She is someone who is in love with Itachi Uchiha. She may not know it yet, and for that matter Itachi doesn't either, but he feels the same way. Her name is Carson and that sensation that you're feeling now is what Itachi feels whenever he's in the same room as her; love."
"Why did you feel the need to bring me here? Are you testing me?" Wrath said as he was getting angry.
"Yes, I am testing you. I want to know if you're just like Itachi and your father, or are you more like Madara and your brother Sasuke. Do you have what it takes to do what is right despite knowing that you could hurt someone that you love? You're father and Itachi couldn't. They chose death over killing the one they loved the most, but you can. Or am I wrong about you? Does this woman give you doubts?"
Wrath kept staring at her longingly. After seeing the rest of Itachi's memories, including his final goodbye to Sasuke, nothing had changed. All it did was buffer the reason why he hated Itachi as much as he did. He ruined their brother's life. Itachi is a living symbol of how twisted the world is; people who try to do good, but only succeed in creating more evil. Wrath planned on changing the world and making it a better place.
But in order to do that, he would have to kill a lot of people. Wrath started to wonder if he could kill Carson if the situation were to arise. The Stranger felt the doubt in Wrath and decided to give him some advice, "Look deep inside yourself and steel your resolve. In your crusade to change the world, that may include taking that girl out of it. You have to be willing to be hated by someone you love if you're going to bring about a change in the world."
"But I don't love her. I don't even know her…Itachi knows her. Itachi is the one who loves her…" Wrath started.
"…and," The Stranger said while trying to lead Wrath on. Wrath started to connect the dots, "She loves Itachi. Itachi loves her. I look like Itachi, so that means she will love me too. I can use her to get to Itachi. That's why you brought me here! To show me how to change the world and to show me how to beat Itachi."
The Masked Stranger nodded, "Excellent, my child. I knew you were special. You may not be able to directly get to Itachi, but she can. And since you and Itachi are identical, you can get to her. All of the pieces are in place. I've arranged for the heroes to be in the same place, at the same time here in Gotham in two months. It's up to you to get Itachi and Carson there as well. Then, you can eliminate everyone who opposes you all at once."
"How did you manage to pull that off?" Wrath asked. The Stranger pointed back towards where they came from, "The wrath of the dead will be felt."
Wrath instantly knew what she meant and smiled. The Masked Stranger slowly started got up to leave, but not before imparting these last words to Wrath, "And just to let you know. If I were as powerful as you, I wouldn't let a pest like Waller or James have control over me. I wouldn't even let someone like me have control. You are the catalyst for change in the world; what's right is what you say is right. Remember the downfall of Itachi and the Uchiha; never let that happen to you. Don't let scum corrupt that beautiful dream of justice. The people will see what you see and follow behind you. Make all of the deaths of both worlds mean something; that's all I ask of you."
The Stranger then disappeared into the night as Wrath kept staring at Carson. He had everything he needed; the venue, the right people, and the right time. He just needed to make it happen. Carson came to the window and stared at the moon above, but didn't seem to notice him. As he stared into her eyes, that sensation came back.
'I don't love her. I'm not weak like Itachi…but why can't I stop staring at her then. The thought of her dying, kills me…' He thought sadly. Carson soon closed her blinds and Wrath snapped out of his trance. He took that as his cue and started to go back to Argus. One thing he knew for sure, if he was going to be all that he was meant to be, he had to get out from under Waller's thumb. Just as Wrath was about to leave, he found a vanilla envelope that was left by the Masked Stranger.
Inside were the pictures of a family. The pictures all had labels on them. When Wrath got to the father, he saw that his picture had the name Dollmaker written on it. He also saw that the picture of a little girl that he assumed was his daughter had word first written on it and she was carrying a doll in her hand. She looked sad and like she wanted to be anywhere but by her family. Wrath looked at the other contents and found two addresses, schematics to what looked like a church, and an unfiled police report that was thrown away by GCPD. When he put the pieces together, his blood started to boil. This would be his first step in changing the world.
He left and went back to Argus after hiding the contents of the envelope where he knew his superiors wouldn't find them. They questioned why it took him so long, but he replied that he wanted to verify that they were all dead. They reluctantly accepted that answer and put him in his stasis tube so he could go to sleep.
Wrath had a lot going through his mind. Itachi's past was one of them. Seeing it all play out like that strengthened Wrath's resolve to kill Itachi and change the world. Wrath thought on Itachi's advice to Kabuto and looked deep inside to see who he really was. Wrath knew that he was the advocate of the dead; of both the Uchiha and the dead of this world. He'd make sure that they receive true justice. He started when he killed the Suicide Squad, and he'll finish with Itachi's death. Once he finished with Itachi and the Justice League, he'd focus on the Masked Stranger and taking out whoever is behind the mask, along with any co-conspirators that they may have. The world Wrath planned on creating had no room for cowards who wore masks and operated in the darkness. To him, that's just another version of Itachi to worry about.
He also thought on Carson and how she made him feel. Wrath planned on meeting her in person to get a better feel as to why she confused him so much. His last thoughts went to that little girl in that picture and of how much pain was in her eyes. Wrath planned on making sure that the father felt that very same pain that the daughter felt, 'The Dollmaker will feel her despair…and her wrath.'
(Final part of the truth done!) Whew! That took a lot longer than I had expected. Oh yeah I almost forgot, I'm back! It's been too long. With boot camp and "A" School, I was always swamped for time. But that's all done now! I've missed you guys so much! Thanks for all of the support you all gave me and now that I am a U.S. Sailor, I know that more love is to come. Wrath is on a mission to make change and I can't wait to show you all how he plans on doing it. It won't take me three months this time, I promise. Thanks for all of the favorites, follows, and reviews while I was gone. Let's keep it up and get this ball rolling again! Don't forget to send me a review or a PM to let me know what you think of these last few chapters! Until next time guys and gals!