The flames began to dissipate, drawing alarmed gazes from everyone as they tried to discern what was happening.
"I'm starting to get angry too," Shiki said.
Shiki reappeared atop the flames, his red hair scorched badly, his once-pristine white clothes now in tatters. But now, his eyes finally radiated a terrifying gaze.
Yet another voice immediately followed, equally confrontational in tone.
"Is that so? Then this fight just keeps getting more interesting."
Sasuke's voice emerged from the dust. His silhouette appeared—dusty and disheveled, but otherwise unharmed.
Chapter 132: Life-or-Death Struggle
No one knew exactly how many beasts had smelled the blood and rushed here in haste. But when they reached a certain range, all of them halted. Although the area ahead appeared no different from any other part of the forest, something ominous lay beyond these trees, preventing them from taking another step forward.
If these creatures lacked even the slightest ability to foresee danger, they would have been wiped out long ago.
Within this small circle of people, everyone's attention remained fixed on the two figures.
One wore blue clothing, his jet-black hair appearing neatly combed under the silver Forehead Protector of Konoha. If judged solely by appearance, he definitely fell into the classic brooding heartthrob category—radiating icy confidence and quiet arrogance.
Yet right now, dark markings covered parts of his face, adding an aura of dread.
The other figure looked far more ridiculous—his red hair burned into chaos, his white clothes blackened in multiple spots. His appearance was chaotic, yet his expression remained unusually grave.
Not a single person dared laugh at Shiki's current state. He was still regarded with the same unwavering respect and trust as always.
Shiki stood quietly watching Sasuke, his Seiquan not raised defensively but instead dangling loosely at his side.
Looking at Shiki's disheveled state, Sasuke couldn't help but feel slightly relieved.
How many years had it been since someone who called him the Uchiha genius last gained an advantage over Shiki Uzumaki?
Yet the earlier oppressive, heavy black mass—one he hadn't fully controlled—had truly awed him.
"That was your Weights, wasn't it? It's way heavier than before. I thought even if you progressed gradually, your burden would still be at a level I could handle. But it seems I underestimated you after all."
"But judging from your tone, it doesn't sound like you really respect me any more," Shiki sneered.
Regardless, he had already decided—to give his all and teach Sasuke a lesson.
Rules were meant to control actions—not to be ignored by those in power. Even himself—if he did something wrong, he deserved punishment.
He wouldn't act like Naruto, nor would he shield others recklessly like Sakura.
"Why should I think you're stronger just because your weights have gotten heavier? Do you really believe that gives you greater power than others?"
Shiki Uzumaki shook his head. "Whether it grants strength or not, I don't know. But from what I can see, you're not thinking straight in this state. You've become nothing more than a mindless killer."
That statement was indeed true—at least from how Shiki saw it—and seeing Sasuke like this told him he'd have to be cautious if ever attempting to replicate the method of drawing upon Sage chakra in the future, especially regarding its impact on one's mind.
"I actually liked that—mindless killer. But I'm not just some killer. I'm a vengeful spirit, bearing hatred deeper than you can imagine."
As he spoke, Sasuke quickly formed seals again. He didn't speak aloud, but Shiki Uzumaki already recognized the jutsu pattern:
[Hand seal sequence:] Rat → Tiger → Dog → Ox → Rabbit → Tiger — the traditional hand seals used in this jutsu.
This was [Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique].
Shiki Uzumaki identified it immediately, yet instead of concern, his eyes gleamed with rising battle spirit.
Ever since the performance evaluations back at the Ninja Academy, he hadn't fought seriously while still carrying his extra weights.
Hard work could make up for lack of talent, and since he couldn't use ninjutsu, he had only one option—keep adding more weight to his body and push himself harder.
Even Lee managed to learn advanced taijutsu techniques and improved faster through them.
But that also told him one thing—Shiki was carrying more weight now than even Lee ever did.
He wasn't sure whether he could defeat Sasuke in his cursed seal form, but that didn't mean he wasn't willing to fight.
At the very least, physically, he was stronger than Sasuke, and his speed was more than capable of matching Sasuke in the cursed seal state.
Then, several fireballs came rushing toward Shiki Uzumaki, as fast as fired cannonballs and filled with unstoppable force.
Interwoven among them were shuriken, difficult to completely evade.
But if defense was complicated, then there was no need for defense at all.
With a sudden flash, Shiki vanished, catching his opponent completely off guard. His speed was so great it almost created the illusion that he had never been there at all.
For Shiki, now free of his weights, those fireballs moved far too slowly.
With a sonic boom cracking behind him, Shiki abruptly reappeared near Sasuke, sword drawn and technique unleashed, radiating sharp momentum and skill.
The blade arcs flowed like ripples on water after a stone's impact—neatly arranged, yet subtly intricate and difficult to anticipate.
To the observers' eyes, it seemed as though Shiki's blade sealed every possible escape route for Sasuke, like a net woven entirely from blades.
"Uzumaki Shiki… is he some kind of monster?"
Choji couldn't help exclaiming once again. He still remembered when he last saw Shiki Uzumaki; there hadn't been a black-sheathed sword strapped to his back then.
Yet after only a month, he now carried that sword.
And in just a single month, he had already mastered swordsmanship to such an extent!
Actually, everyone was visibly shaken—not just Choji.
Only Seiji Ito remained calm while watching everything take place. To him, although Shiki's swordplay appeared precise and clean, it certainly wasn't refined or sophisticated yet.
He was merely a newcomer who had just completed the basic Sword Training for battle. His swordplay lacked variety.
The true source of this illusion lay in his speed—an overwhelming, head-spinning blur.
Any Swordsmanship, once reaching a certain level of mastery, could become a peerless sword art. Because your enemy simply wouldn't have time to think about how to defend against it.
But—
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