Caught off guard, Hyuga Kaze's powerful palm strike seemed to transcend the limitations of time and space, slamming heavily into Uchiha Itachi's body. The immense force caused Itachi's body to bend violently into a lobster shape.

"Itachi!"

Seeing Itachi's miserable state, Mikoto couldn't help but take a step forward to check on him, but she quickly restrained herself. Given Itachi's sins, whatever punishment Lord Yukage gave him was justified, as long as he could be spared for the time being to fulfill his last wish.

The other Uchiha clan members nearby grinned with glee at the sight of Itachi's miserable state. They wished Hyuga Kaze would be even more ruthless and kill the sinner outright.

However, the seemingly powerful attack did not leave Itachi in a miserable state for long; he soon struggled to stand up again.

Surprisingly, Itachi appeared completely unharmed, even the fatigue from the previous battle seemed to have vanished, and his physical condition seemed to have returned to its peak.

"Lord Xueying, this is..."

Uchiha Jie found the scene before him hard to understand and couldn't help but ask a question. The others were also puzzled. Just then, Itachi's calm face suddenly twisted.

"ah--"

The moment Itachi felt his mental and physical strength recover, an indescribable pain surged through his limbs, as if an invisible force had shoved him into a giant blender. His body was mercilessly shattered and churned by that force, every cell suffering unbearable torment.

"Ugh—"

Veins bulged on Itachi's forehead, his face contorted so grotesquely it was almost unrecognizable. His teeth were clenched tightly together, making a grinding sound as if he wanted to crush them. His once blood-red eyes now bulged outwards, as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.

Normally, a person would faint as a self-protective mechanism when faced with such pain, but strangely, Itachi's physical and mental state became even better amidst this boundless suffering.

It was as if an invisible force was surging from the middle of his palm, forcing him to maintain his energy and clear mind to experience this pain.

Itachi Uchiha could clearly feel every bit of pain emanating from every part of his body, and he could clearly hear the sound of his teeth clashing together!

He even pounded his forehead desperately, trying to pass out and escape the pain, but that inexplicable force kept him awake!

"No, I absolutely cannot fall here!"

Itachi's body trembled uncontrollably as he roared inwardly, "For Sasuke's sake, I must persevere!"

At this moment, Itachi was like a wild beast trapped in a cage, unable to escape or resist, and could only let that force mercilessly ravage him. Yet even so, he gradually stabilized his body.

"Because of Mikoto, I will spare your life for now. That palm strike just now will stimulate your physical vitality and your spirit, helping you to complete your final plan."

However, after being hit by this palm strike, you will suffer extremely intense pain all over your body at any time and place. Even if thousands of needles were constantly piercing your internal organs, it would only be to this extent.

Perhaps death is a relief for you now.

"I've given you your chance. If you can't bear it, just stimulate your heart several times with your chakra. That way, the power I've reserved will kill you instantly, freeing you from this boundless pain."

Hyuga Kaze's words and Itachi Uchiha's miserable appearance left everyone speechless. Although the Uchiha clan members hated Itachi to the core, their willingness to continue fighting diminished considerably after hearing about the torment Itachi was suffering.

"Is it painful? Ouch, perhaps this is what I have to endure. Now that the great Lord Yukage's punishment is over, may I leave? This sinner is about to face his final judgment."

After swaying for a while, Itachi Uchiha overcame the immense pain with his indomitable will and forced himself to stand up. However, his twitching eyes and the occasional clenching of his teeth showed that he was not as relaxed as he appeared.

"Itachi!"

Seeing Itachi's miserable state, Mikoto was heartbroken. No matter what, he was her child, and hearing about the pain he was enduring, Mikoto felt her heart clench.

Moreover, based on previous information, Itachi was clearly going to his death. For a moment, Mikoto didn't know whether to hope he died quickly or to hope he continued to live in pain.

After learning about the punishment Itachi Uchiha received, the Uchiha clan members around him all turned bloodshot, and their eyes basically turned into three-tomoe Sharingan!

Despite their deep-seated hatred, the pride of the Uchiha clan prevented them from further harassing Itachi. They walked past Itachi one by one, abandoning their attempt to surround him.

Pooh

Several Uchiha were still filled with resentment as they walked past Itachi, so they spat angrily on the ground.

Despite the insult, Itachi remained unmoved, forcing his exhausted body to leave. His time was running out; he had to accomplish his predetermined goal: to give Sasuke the power to protect himself.

"Weasel"

Seeing her rebellious son turn to leave, Mikoto couldn't help but step forward and say, "Let me treat you."

As she spoke, three tomoe appeared in Uchiha Mikoto's pupils, and the next moment they formed a windmill shape.

"The Flame of Nirvana"

With that soft shout, an invisible flame emanating a warm and gentle aura rose from Mikoto's body and then projected onto Itachi.

Although it appeared to be flames, Itachi's clothes didn't even catch fire when they landed on him. Instead, he felt his hidden injuries and the wounds from the previous battle rapidly healing. Unlike Hyuga Kaze's palm strike that forcibly boosted his spirit, this was a repair from the root. Itachi even felt that his completely blurred vision had recovered somewhat, at least not much different from that of an ordinary person.

"This is the last thing I can do for you, you... sigh."

Tears welled up in Mikoto's eyes, her voice filled with boundless sorrow. She knew her child was about to die, but she was powerless to stop it.

Itachi glanced at Mikoto, whose body was swaying even more violently than his own, and froze for a moment. After a moment of silence, Itachi resolutely turned and left. But in that instant, Itachi's lips twitched, and he silently uttered three words, "I'm sorry."

Over the past few years, Itachi had reflected on his actions. Coupled with the light screen projection shown by Hyuga Kaze, it was true that Itachi's resolve wavered, but there was no turning back. He had sacrificed so much, killed so many people; to deny his past actions now would be tantamount to completely negating his entire life!

Enduring excruciating pain, Itachi silently walked step by step toward the end of his planned life. He would be fighting under such constant agony, and he needed to get used to it first; he couldn't let Sasuke suspect anything from the start.

As Itachi walked forward with his head down, he murmured, "I've paid the price I had to pay, Sasuke. I hope you can forge a different path in life."