6. Itachi Uchiha vs Kakashi Hatake

During the intense battle between Asuma and Kisame and Kurenai against Itachi, Kakashi arrived as reinforcements. He came to assist Kurenai and Asuma, who were starting to struggle against the formidable Itachi and Kisame.

Kakashi held a kunai to Itachi’s neck and questioned his reason for infiltrating the Hidden Leaf Village. Itachi responded that they were searching for something but was reluctant to elaborate. Itachi then prepared shurikens in his hands to distract Kakashi, as his real target was the water below Kakashi’s feet. However, Kakashi managed to deflect Itachi’s attack with a Water Jutsu.

Afterward, Kakashi moved Kurenai away from Itachi’s clone, which suddenly exploded. Kakashi quickly realized that Itachi was about to use Genjutsu and ordered Kurenai and Asuma to close their eyes. Confident in his own Sharingan, Kakashi believed he could counter Itachi’s Genjutsu. However, Itachi warned him that a regular Sharingan would not be enough to withstand the power of his Mangekyo Sharingan.

In the end, Kakashi was caught in Itachi’s Tsukuyomi Genjutsu. Itachi explained that within the Tsukuyomi, he could control space, mass, and time. Although only seconds passed in the real world, Itachi ensured that Kakashi would be trapped and repeatedly stabbed by swords for three days in the Genjutsu world.

As a result, Kakashi endured the agony of being stabbed continuously for 72 hours. It is said that one second in reality feels like hours—or even days—for those ensnared in the world of Tsukuyomi. Although it was just an illusion, the pain Kakashi experienced felt as real as the physical world.

After being released from the Tsukuyomi, Kakashi’s body, which had been standing firm, suddenly collapsed. He was utterly exhausted. However, he was puzzled as to why Itachi didn’t finish him off. Kakashi was certain that Itachi could have ended his life easily while he was trapped in the Genjutsu if he had wanted to.