Sasuke's Victory

Amaterasu's black flames keep devouring the battleground as Zetsu looks on in silence, eventually accepting that Itachi has genuinely died even after coming within reach of claiming Sasuke's eyes. His right side proclaims the outcome a win for Sasuke, though the left side remains baffled by the whole affair. Both agree the bout felt off: Itachi moved sluggishly, never fought at his real level, failed to dodge or counter strikes he should have managed easily, and coughed up blood throughout. The right side floats the idea that some serious ailment sapped him before the clash even began, with overuse of the Sharingan raised as a possible cause.

Finding no firm answer, the two halves depart, the left one noting how narrowly Itachi missed taking his brother's eyes. Sasuke, at last steadied, grasps that he is out of danger and allows himself a smile at having finally slain Itachi before exhaustion drops him. Far off, the Konoha shinobi chasing Sasuke exhaust every theory for why their attacks leave Tobi unharmed, and choosing to seize him rather than wound him, Shino readies his kikaichū.

Placed in Volume 43 within the Fated Battle Between Brothers arc, the chapter plants deliberate seeds of doubt through Zetsu's commentary, hinting that Itachi's underwhelming performance concealed a truth about the fight that had yet to surface.