The humid air of the Land of Lightning carried the smell of salt and pine. Deep within the valley, Team Taka advanced under Sasuke's lead, their footsteps quiet against the earth. It had been days since Obito set them on this mission: capture the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki.
The thought of it made Sasuke's chest tighten with anticipation. He touched the bandages still wrapped around his eyes, where Itachi's had been transplanted. Even beneath the cloth, the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan pulsed like fire. For the first time, he could feel it—power without the creeping blindness that had haunted him before. A new horizon.
This strength… I'll use it to surpass everyone. Naruto. Konoha. The entire world.
"Yo," Suigetsu muttered, swinging his sword lazily across his shoulder. "You sure this is the place? Feels too quiet for a jinchūriki's hideout."
Karin adjusted her glasses, her expression sharp. "Don't doubt my senses. His chakra… It's enormous. Bigger than anything I've felt since—" She cut herself off with a shiver. "He's close. Careful."
"Finally," Jūgo said softly. His voice carried that strange calm, but his fists flexed, the tension in his body. "An opponent worthy of Sasuke."
Sasuke said nothing. His eyes lifted toward the rocky slope ahead, where a figure leaned casually against a boulder, strumming a guitar.
Killer B's voice rang out, loud and offbeat:
"Yo, yo, Taka crew, you've come for me?
But you'll get stung worse than a killer bee!
I'm the jinchūriki, perfect and free,
Eight tails, no fail—let's see if you flee!"
Suigetsu grimaced. "Oh, great. He's a rapper."
B stood, spinning the guitar onto his back. His shades gleamed in the sunlight, and seven swords slid free from their sheaths with a clatter, balanced in elbows, underarms, even between his knees. His grin was wide, dangerous.
"You're Sasuke, right? Uchiha boy with revenge in his sight?
Come test your bite—against my might!"
Sasuke's Sharingan whirred to life, tomoe spinning scarlet. "You talk too much."
And then he moved.
Their clash was instant. B surged forward, swords flashing in chaotic arcs, no stance, no rhythm—yet each slash carried lethal precision. Sasuke's Sharingan tracked them, but the sheer unpredictability of B's movements forced him onto the defensive. Sparks erupted as Kusanagi met steel, the clang of metal ringing like thunder.
"Tch—he's fast!" Suigetsu cursed, watching as Sasuke barely slipped past a blade aimed for his throat.
Karin's eyes narrowed. "It's not just speed. His movements are… unnatural. Even the Sharingan can't predict him perfectly."
Sasuke gritted his teeth. He had seen countless styles, memorized countless patterns, but this… this was different. Killer B fought like a storm—wild, erratic, yet each strike landed exactly where it threatened to. His swords darted like vipers, finding angles no orthodox kenjutsu master would attempt.
B's grin widened. "What's the matter, lil' hawk? Can't follow my flow? Too slow, bro!"
Sasuke countered with a burst of Chidori Nagashi, lightning crackling from his body in a sudden wave. The shock forced B back a step, but the jinchūriki only laughed, spinning away with acrobatic ease.
"Nice trick! But against me? You'll need more electricity!"
Sasuke's expression hardened. So this is the Eight-Tails' host. No wonder Akatsuki wants him.
The battle escalated. B lunged again, his seven-sword dance faster, sharper, pushing Sasuke onto his heels. Each clash reverberated through his arms. The Eternal Mangekyō's sight sharpened his perception, slowing the world, yet Killer B's unorthodox style bent around prediction itself.
Suigetsu rushed forward with a snarl, swinging his massive blade. "Like hell I'm letting you hog the fun!"
B sidestepped effortlessly, two swords clamping Suigetsu's weapon between them. With a twist, he sent the water-nin staggering.
"Outta my lane, water brain! This fight's Uchiha's pain!"
Suigetsu spat. "He's mocking us—damn rapper!"
But B was already twirling, blades raining toward Sasuke again.
Karin shouted from the sidelines, "Sasuke! His chakra's flaring—it's building!"
She was right. B's aura surged, crimson bubbling at the edges. His strikes grew heavier, tails of raw chakra flickering faintly behind him.
Sasuke's gaze narrowed. "Version One cloak…"
Lightning blazed along his blade, a piercing Chidori Katana. He thrust forward in a deadly lunge, piercing B's shoulder—only to feel resistance as chakra armor blunted the blow.
B's grin widened, even through the pain. "That tickles! Time to show you the beast in me!"
The ground shook. Red chakra erupted, enveloping B's frame, eight massive tails whipping into the sky. The full might of the Eight-Tails pressed down like a crushing tide. Rocks splintered, trees bent, and Team Taka staggered under the weight of killing intent.
Suigetsu swore, eyes wide. "What the hell—this pressure…!"
Jūgo's face twisted, his body instinctively shifting toward his cursed form to withstand it.
Karin's voice trembled. "This… this isn't like the One-Tail or the Four-Tails. His control is perfect—he's fusing with the beast's chakra completely!"
Sasuke stared into the monstrous form before him. His Mangekyō spun, hatred and pride fueling the flame in his chest. "So this is your true power…"
He raised his hand, black flames roaring to life. "Amaterasu!"
The inextinguishable fire leapt, clinging to B's cloak. The jinchūriki roared as the black blaze devoured his tails. But then—chakra surged, monstrous and defiant.
With a snarl, B shed the burning portion of his cloak, forcing the flames away with raw bijū power. The Amaterasu writhed in midair, failing to consume him completely.
Sasuke's eyes widened. He resisted…?
B's voice thundered, resonant with the Hachibi itself: "Nice try, little Uchiha. But I'm not some half-trained host. I'm perfect. And Gyūki—we're one!"
And then he charged.
The Eight-Tails slammed forward, a mountain of chakra and muscle, horns lowered. The ground split beneath his weight.
Sasuke's body screamed in warning. He barelGyūki and I summon Susanoo's ribcage, ethereal bones forming around him. The impact shattered stone, sending shockwaves through the valley. Sasuke skidded back, his Susanoo cracking under the pressure.
Blood dripped from his lips. For the first time since gaining Itachi's eyes, he felt his life dangling by a thread.
On the ridge, Team Taka reeled in silence.
Suigetsu whispered, "We're… we're up against a monster."
Jūgo's fists clenched. "If we don't support Sasuke, he'll be killed."
Karin, pale, pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the violent storm of Sasuke's chakra inside Susanoo. Her voice was firm despite her fear. "He's not done yet. Not Sasuke."
Below, Sasuke rose, blood smearing his face, Mangekyō blazing with fury.
"Killer B…" he said hoarsely, his voice trembling with rage and awe. "I'll capture you. Even if it costs me everything."
The Eight-Tails' massive eyes glowed red as the jinchūriki's laughter echoed.
"Come on, Uchiha! Show me the real fight!
Or tonight… It's lights out, good night!"
The valley trembled once more as their battle continued, thunder and fire clashing beneath a sky darkened by the rage of titans.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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