A canvas of black and blood-red hues stretches infinitely. The sky above is a shifting expanse of crimson, streaked with jagged lines resembling cracks in glass. The ground beneath me is an endless abyss, yet I feel the pressure against my feet-a contradiction, fitting for this fabricated reality.

A wooden cross looms behind me, rough and unyielding against my back. My arms are splayed outward, wrists pinned. The cold bite of steel lances through my chest. Itachi's katana. My heart pulses sluggishly around the blade, as if confused by the violation. Blood drips in slow, deliberate rivulets down my torso. Each droplet gleams under the scarlet light before vanishing into the void.

Itachi stands before me, his expression as hollow as the space around us. His Sharingan glows like molten coals, the hypnotic pattern twisting with every flicker of his eyelids.

"This is Tsukuyomi," he says, his voice smooth and precise. "The power of the Mangekyo Sharingan. Within this world, I control everything. Three days here are but a single second in reality."

So the evolution is called Mangekyo Sharingan. I only know about Shisui and Itachi to have unlocked this ability. How many more are there? 72 hours. 259,200 seconds compressed into a single moment. An absurd ratio-time stretched by a factor beyond natural comprehension. Has he used this ability before, or does the Mangekyō impart such knowledge innately? If this is his first time, how does he possess such certainty?

Without a shift in expression, he pulls the blade from my chest.

Pain erupts. Not merely physical-something deeper. My nervous system screams as the sword pierces my right palm, nailing it to the cross. The agony spikes beyond what a human body should endure. My muscles spasm, involuntary tremors radiating along my arm.

Blood wells from the puncture, warm and thick, only for the wound to seal within moments. His manipulation of reality extends to healing-an efficient method to prolong suffering. So this can't kill me.

Two more Itachi's materialize beside the original. Illusions? No-here, they are as real as the pain they inflict. Each one wields a blade. Without a word, they strike.

Steel carves through flesh. My shoulder. My stomach. My thighs. Each cut is measured, precise. The edge twists inside my body, rupturing muscle fibers before retracting. The sensation of my lungs being pierced is distinct-a sharp pressure followed by the sluggish burn of collapsing tissue. My blood stains the cross, a stark contrast against the dark wood.

Yet my face remains still. This makes me curious. How much pain can I feel before collapsing? Unfortunately his chakra would probably run out before i can find out.

Itachi's expression remains composed, but his eyes betray something else. He expected resistance, but not indifference. His blade finds my ribs, twisting cruelly, and yet I do not react. This unsettles him.

More minutes pass. More blades. More blood. The world trembles with every impact, but the result does not change.

I break the silence.

"Is this your best method of persuasion?" My voice, calm and without inflection, slices through the void. "I expected more from someone of your intellect."

Itachi's grip tightens on the hilt. There is no outward change in his demeanor-but the subtlest shift in his posture confirms my analysis. My composure is destabilizing his assumptions.

The world shatters again.

I am no longer bound to the cross.

Instead, I kneel in an endless field of broken bodies. The air is heavy, metallic-a cloying scent of blood saturates my lungs. Corpses stretch to the horizon, twisted and torn. Some wear the insignia of the Uchiha; others bear no markings at all.

My arms are bound behind me, chakra threads coiling tight against my wrists. Itachi stands above me, the katana gleaming in his grip. Without a word, he drives the blade through my thigh.

A precise puncture-the femoral muscle splits beneath the edge. The pain is sharp, immediate. It sears through the limb in waves, as if the tissue is aflame. My body instinctively trembles against the intrusion.

"Is that all?" My voice does not waver.

The blade twists. For the first time, his composure fractures-barely. A fraction of a second. But I see it.

"Danzo didn't fear Shisui because of his ideals," I continue, "He feared the Kotoamatsukami-a power beyond his control. Killing Shisui wasn't about the village. It was about eliminating competition."

His grip tightens further. Pressure builds along the blade as it tears through more muscle.

Pain burns through my body-raw, unfiltered agony. Each nerve feels as though it has been set ablaze, but I do not scream. The air is thick with blood, an oppressive heat pressing against my skin. My hands remain bound behind my back, the sword impaled through my thigh sending sharp pulses through every nerve ending.

"You tell yourself you're protecting Sasuke," I say, my voice level despite the pain. "But can you truly accomplish that?"

For a fraction of a second, the swirling tomoe in Itachi's Sharingan falters.

"What makes you so sure you will not die after this?" His tone is cold, impassive, but I can detect the tension beneath the surface.

I meet his gaze without hesitation. "Sasuke's survival is attached to mine."

It is a bluff. One with no direct proof.

His expression does not change, but I note the faintest tightening at the corners of his mouth. It is enough.

Without warning, the illusion deepens. Ravens, black as night, burst from the shadows. Their wings beat against the air in chaotic fury as they descend upon me. Beaks tear into my flesh-ripping muscle from bone with methodical precision. The pain escalates. My body trembles under the intensity.

The pain makes my vision blur constantly.

"What is your goal?" Itachi asks. His voice is low, and I detect a subtle undercurrent of frustration beneath the calm exterior.

"I want to make a deal," I answer without hesitation. My words cut through the sound of tearing flesh. "I know that you will end the Uchiha coup. But you still have one uncontrolled problem. Danzo has the Kotoamatsukami-and the way he will use it is unpredictable."

The atmosphere shifts. For the first time, his composure falters-not visibly, but the weight of his attention sharpens. He did not expect me to know about Shisui. That alone reveals a weakness. Information he thought hidden is now exposed.

His eyes narrow, and the illusion shifts again. Thousands of swords materialize in the void-each one a razor-edged specter of pain. They strike in rapid succession, impaling my body without mercy. The sensation is excruciating. My body is reduced to a vessel for suffering, pierced over and over with mechanical precision.

This is getting boring..

"You think Sasuke will hate you," I say, my voice steady despite the agony. "But that's not the real danger."

Itachi steps closer. His movements are smooth, controlled-but I detect the slight stiffness in his frame. Prolonged use of the Mangekyo Sharingan takes its toll, even on him.

"Then what is it?" he asks.

"That Danzo will kill him," I reply. "Or worse-turn him against you."

A shadow passes through his eyes, barely perceptible, but I see it. This possibility had crossed his mind-but hearing it aloud forces him to confront it.

"In that case," Itachi says, his voice colder, "I will release classified intel to all the other nations. I will use this to keep Danzo in check until Sasuke is strong enough."

"You are delusional," I state, my tone cutting.

His grip on the sword tightens-an involuntary reaction. His control is slipping.

I press on, my voice an unyielding blade. "If he plays the card right, Konoha might not even be a priority for him."

The silence between us is heavy. I hold his gaze without flinching, allowing the weight of my words to sink in.

"I can make sure Danzo will die," I say. "But I need your help."

The world around us trembles-cracks spiderweb through the crimson sky. For all his composure, Itachi is struggling to maintain the illusion.

Without a word, the Tsukuyomi shatters.

We are back in reality-standing exactly where we were before the illusion began. My body trembles briefly, the aftershocks of the pain still echoing through my nervous system. I raise my hand, watching it shake for a few moments before I force it to stillness. My heartbeat slows.

Itachi stands across from me, his face impassive, but I notice the faint tremor in his hands. Blood leaks from his left eye-a consequence of prolonged Mangekyo use.

"Who are you... really?" His voice is quieter now. Not confusion, but curiosity-tinged with something else.

"The answer is simple. I am a very important person to Danzo. Not as family-but as strategy."

The Sharingan spins slower now, but the tension between us sharpens. I press forward.

"Soon," I continue, "he will use Kotoamatsukami on me. Not because he values me personally, but because I am a tool that fits his ambitions. Once he does, my will no longer belongs to me."

A pause. Silence stretches between us like taut wire. Itachi's expression does not shift, but the way his hands still reveals the gravity of my words.

"And this," I add quietly, "indirectly solves one of your problems."

A faint crease forms between his brows. I note the precise moment his thoughts shift-a slight twitch of his fingers along his sleeve.

"If Danzo uses Shisui's eye on me," I explain, "you no longer have to take contingencies against it. I would become the target."

I allow the implication to sink in before continuing.

"However, if I were to escape-or become uncontrollable-Danzo might turn the Kotoamatsukami elsewhere. Someone more... vulnerable."

"Sasuke," Itachi murmurs.

"Exactly," I confirm. "Without a countermeasure, nothing prevents him from shifting his focus." My voice does not waver, but my heartbeat has stabilized-a sign that my body is adapting to the strain.

For a moment, Itachi says nothing. The wind carries the faint scent of blood-the residue of the illusion clinging to the air.

His gaze sharpens. "You want Shisui's other eye." The statement is delivered without emotion, but I sense the weight behind it. "To protect yourself." He stares at me: "It is a ridiculous proposal."

"No," I correct him. "I want you to use Kotoamatsukami on me. To prevent Danzo's order from ever taking hold."

His eyes narrow slightly, the faintest glint of suspicion flickering through the crimson swirl of his Sharingan.

"You overestimate your value," he says quietly. "Why waste such a power on you, when I could use it on Danzo directly-commanding him to stay away from Sasuke permanently?"

I allow myself a small breath before speaking.

"You're lying," I state flatly. "If you planned to attack Danzo, you would have done it yesterday."

A faint pause. I watch the tightening of his jaw-the subtlest crack in his composure.

"Even if you succeeded," I continue, "eliminating Danzo only solves the immediate threat. Another will rise. Another shadow will fill the void. But if you had someone inside his organization-someone he trusts implicitly-you would maintain control without risking direct exposure."

A silence follows, heavier than the last. I observe every micro-expression-every flicker of thought passing behind his eyes. He understands the offer now.

When he finally speaks, his tone is quieter. "I see," he murmurs. "You want me to give you a command. One that would force you to kill Danzo if he ever moves against Sasuke."

I nod, my heartbeat steady. "Precisely."

His gaze sharpens as he continues, "And the reason you've dragged this conversation on for so long-is to prove that you are capable. Or at least, that you have the potential to serve this purpose."

He is correct. But I offer no affirmation.

Another pause, longer this time. The wind stirs between us-cool, sharp against my skin.

"Very well," Itachi finally says. "But what command do you even need to oppose Danzo? Kotoamatsukami can alter the mind-but you must anticipate his precise actions to prevent them."

I have already prepared for this.

Without a word, I reach into the inner pocket of my coat and retrieve a folded slip of paper. I extend it toward him.

He takes it, unfolding it carefully. His eyes scan the contents-quickly at first, then more slowly. The crimson of his Sharingan dims, replaced by a colder, more calculating light.

When he speaks again, his voice is unreadable. "So this is your plan." His eyes lift from the page to meet mine. "It is... meticulous. The parameters align with the technique's limitations."

He hesitates for the first time. "But are you certain? Once both of Shisui's eyes are used, the command will become permanent. There is no reversal."

"I am," I answer without hesitation.

He took a step back, his hand raising toward the air. The crow materialized on his arm, black feathers shimmering. It turned its head sharply, the Sharingan in its right eye glowing . Itachi raised two fingers.

"Kotoamatsukami."

The world fractured.

Red. Everywhere.

Shisui's pattern-those hypnotic spirals-spread infinitely across the void, stretching in all directions. It was as if reality itself was consumed by the eye's influence. A chilling pressure settled over my body, deeper than any ordinary illusion. This was Kotoamatsukami-Shisui's ultimate technique. I couldn't resist it. No one could.

Itachi's voice came from everywhere and nowhere, he started reading from the piece of paper I gave him.

"From this moment onward," he began, his tone carrying a weight that felt as absolute as law itself, "under all circumstances, including but not limited to external manipulation, Genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami, mind-control, psychological conditioning, spiritual influence, and any other known or unknown form of interference or alteration-whether physical, mental, or metaphysical-Your mindset, personality, will, goals, internal wiring, conditioning (including but not limited to all psychological, intellectual, and emotional conditioning from the White Room), and the entirety of your current and future mental, emotional, and cognitive state will remain absolutely and permanently unchanged, immutable, and resistant to any external or internal force, ensuring no deviation, dilution, or modification now or at any point in the future."

A precise, unyielding command-I left nothing open to chance. Every loophole was closed, every possibility accounted for.

The mention of the White Room will give him some curious ideas but i had no choice. That man ideals are the best countermeasure against any other command.

I knew the cost of this. By locking my core identity in place, I was sacrificing something essential-any possibility of genuine emotional discovery. Whatever fleeting thoughts I could've have of understanding normal human feelings would be sealed away permanently. But in return, I would remain myself. Always.

It was a trade I had to make.

It's fortunate I went to ANHS I thought to myself. That experience would forever remain ingrained in me, however all the progress will stop there. A small victory.

And as for that man-he would be preserved too. Even here. Even now.

Itachi's voice continued, sharp and unwavering.

"Furthermore, no person, entity, or force-including myself-shall have the ability to perceive, identify, or interfere with this preservation command or its effects, ensuring its perpetuity across all realities, timelines, and dimensions without exception. This command cannot be counteracted, revoked, overwritten, bypassed, or undone by any known or unknown ability, technique, or entity, including the user of this command."

Perfection.

I had crafted the ultimate safeguard, an unbreakable prison for my mind. In order to protect my freedom, I have to sacrifice my freedom. How much the last part will work it's unknown, there is a chance there are jutsu's more powerful than Kotoamatsukami but it remain to be seen

A breath of silence hung between us, heavy and final. Then, Itachi's voice shifted-cold, cutting.

"If Danzo Shimura ever attempts to harm, manipulate, or threaten Sasuke Uchiha directly or indirectly, you will kill him immediately without hesitation or failure."

The words settled deep into my consciousness, heavier than any pain he had inflicted. There would be no room for error, no margin for second thoughts. It was a binding order-unyielding and eternal.

Around me, the crows began to move. Hundreds of them-shifting, twisting-until only one remained. Its crimson eye burned brightly, the final signal of Kotoamatsukami's activation. The illusion fractured and dissolved.

I returned to reality.

The cool night air brushed against my skin. My body trembled faintly-an echo of the genjutsu's invasive force-but my mind was still. Stable. The crow perched on Itachi's arm fluttered its wings before vanishing into the darkness.

Itachi turned his back to me, his voice distant yet edged with lethal intent. "If you ally with Danzo, I will kill you."

I stared at his retreating form, my expression cold and unreadable. There was no need for pretense. I answered him truthfully.

"I count on that."

He vanished into the night, leaving nothing but silence in his wake. I remained there for a moment longer.

There was no going back now.

My victory is already set in stone.

Author's notes:

Thank you for 2k votes.