Chapter -1 - 0: Itachi's Valediction

Sasuke Uchiha watches his brother dumbfoundedly and unable to move as Itachi Uchiha slowly makes his way towards his kid brother. The bright light emanating as a result of the Edo Tensei's release was not enough to keep Sasuke from wholeheartedly watching his brother. Itachi's footsteps, although weak, echoed throughout the cavern.

"I have told you the whole truth. I won't have to ever again. I have always lied to you and asked…"

Itachi momentarily loses his balance as he speaks but keeps looking forward towards Sasuke as he weakly walks towards him. More pieces of Itachi's body are starting to separate themselves and fly away like shredded paper being blown by a strong breeze.

"...for forgiveness while keeping you at a distance...because I wanted to keep you out of this."

Itachi wobbles as he keeps treading forward towards Sasuke. Sasuke's body would not move as he could only watch as his dear brother approaches him all the while disintegrating pieces at a time into the air. Itachi slowly lifts his right forearm and weakly opens his hand, extending his index and middle fingers out partially.

"But now I think that perhaps you could have changed father, mother, and the rest of the Uchiha as well. If I 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. But, I want to impart at least this much truth to you."

Itachi takes one last step and puts himself right in front of Sasuke. Itachi raises his right arm higher and dotingly extends his index and middle finger to Sasuke. But that quickly changes as Itachi ċȧrėsses the back of Sasuke's head with his whole hand. Itachi leans his forehead in closer to an immobile Sasuke that is too overcome with emotions to say a single word back.

"You don't ever have to forgive me. And whatever you do from here on out know this."

Itachi and Sasuke meet foreheads, looking at each other eye to eye. Itachi has an affectionate smile on his face as he looks into Sasuke's sorrowed eyes.

"No matter what I will love you always."

Those were the last moments Itachi remembered with Sasuke as he finally departed into the afterlife. Itachi finally felt like a heavy weight was lifted from his shoulders. Itachi basked in the white light coming down from the heavens as he felt his ethereal body, now weightless, rise towards it. He closes his eyes and lets the warmth around him consume his being.