Chapter 232 – The Brothers' Battle (Part 1)
"Damn it… why is he so strong? Just his aura alone was enough to crush me…"
Sasuke's eyes were blank, his mind replaying the memory over and over again.
He knew he wasn't yet on the same level as Hatake Yusuke, but he never imagined the gap would be that vast. The sheer difference in power—one that could be felt from mere presence alone—was far beyond anything he'd experienced against Orochimaru or even Itachi when he was younger.
"Hatake Yusuke… just how powerful is that man?" he muttered under his breath, his hands clenched tightly.
"Hatake Yusuke?" Jūgo turned to him, surprise flashing in his eyes.
"How much do you know about him?" Sasuke asked, his tone calm but heavy.
"I heard a little from Kimimaro," Jūgo said slowly. "He told me Hatake Yusuke was the body Orochimaru desired more than anything. But Orochimaru never dared to make the attempt—he didn't even dare to observe Yusuke's power directly. Because Hatake Yusuke… was too strong."
"How strong are we talking?" Suigetsu asked, crossing his arms with his usual smirk.
"Unbeatable," Jūgo replied, his voice solemn.
"Unbeatable? Hah, don't joke with me." Suigetsu scoffed, clearly unconvinced.
"No, Kimimaro wouldn't lie. Even Orochimaru himself once said—Hatake Yusuke isn't someone who can be killed. The only way to face him… is to seal him away. And even then, only temporarily."
"Tch… sounds like a damn monster," Suigetsu muttered.
Even Orochimaru—the man who dared to provoke the Rinnegan bearer, Nagato—feared only one person. That fact alone spoke volumes about how terrifying Yusuke truly was.
"But that name—Hatake…" Suigetsu suddenly grinned. "I just remembered. Hatake Kakashi from Konoha, right? Didn't he have a legendary blade said to be stronger than the Seven Swords of the Mist?"
"Don't get distracted," Sasuke said coldly. "We don't know the full extent of Hatake Yusuke's strength."
In truth, throughout all his years in Konoha, Sasuke had never truly understood that man.
Every time Yusuke intervened, the battle ended instantly. It never looked like a fight—more like he was simply playing around.
He still remembered the day Yusuke faced Shukaku. He wasn't even serious. Yet back then, Sasuke—blinded by pride—had ignored the warning signs.
"Prepare yourselves," Sasuke said quietly, his tone firm.
"Uchiha Itachi," he whispered, his crimson eyes spinning with the three tomoe of the Sharingan. "This time… I'll use your blood to redeem the honor of the Uchiha clan."
After fully recovering, Sasuke began his search.
The long-awaited battle was finally about to begin—two brothers, bound by fate, by blood, and by a tragedy that could end only one way.
The day of reckoning had come.
He had waited years for this moment.
Today, Sasuke would end Itachi's life with his own hands.
But for Itachi, this battle would be his greatest trial. He would have to pretend to be pushed to the brink—he could not, under any circumstances, kill his little brother. Every move had to be measured. One wrong step, and Sasuke's life would be snuffed out.
Sasuke led Team Taka toward the Uchiha clan's ancestral grounds.
"Stop. Only Itachi's younger brother may enter," said a man with shark-like features, a massive sword resting across his shoulder—Kisame Hoshigaki.
"You stay here," Sasuke said flatly. That was his intention all along. This was something he had to finish himself.
"Senior Kisame…" Suigetsu's eyes gleamed with greedy curiosity as he eyed the Samehada in Kisame's grip.
Sasuke continued forward, step by step, until he reached a dark chamber. There, waiting silently, was Itachi Uchiha.
Outside, Kisame turned a sharp gaze toward Suigetsu. Suigetsu had already taken a step forward, clearly planning to snatch Samehada. But the moment Kisame narrowed his eyes, a killing aura flared between them like a blade.
Before things could escalate further, a calm voice cut through the tension.
"Oh? It's been a while, Kisame."
Everyone turned.
Hatake Yusuke approached at an unhurried pace, hands in his pockets, followed by Tsunade and Kurenai.
"Hatake Yusuke…? What are you doing here?" Kisame's usual grin vanished, replaced by wary seriousness.
"Of course, I'm here to watch the show," Yusuke said casually. "Carry on. Don't mind us."
He walked past them with the two women, stopping at a slightly elevated ledge—a perfect vantage point to observe the coming battle.
"So that's Hatake Yusuke, huh? Hm. Doesn't look that strong," Suigetsu said with a smirk.
"Shut up, idiot!" Karin yelled, smacking him on the head. "That man's aura alone was enough to make Sasuke lose consciousness! You think you can judge him with your eyes?"
Suigetsu grumbled, his head turning to liquid before reforming back into shape.
"Oh? A liquid-based transformation ability?" Tsunade remarked, intrigued.
"Yes, he's from the Hōzuki Clan," Yusuke said nonchalantly.
He gave Suigetsu a single glance—nothing more. But that brief look sent a chill down Suigetsu's spine. In that instant, he knew—if he so much as thought about doing something stupid, his life would end right there.
Kurenai followed Yusuke's gaze. "You seem interested in that boy," she said, her tone curious, eyes landing on Jūgo.
"A little," Yusuke replied. "He's fascinating. That one absorbs Natural Energy passively. He's most likely the source of Orochimaru's Cursed Seal."
"Passive absorption of natural chakra? Impossible," Tsunade said in disbelief. "Even my grandfather couldn't do that. Isn't Sage Mode incredibly difficult to control?"
"You're right," Yusuke said calmly. "That's why he can't control it. And that's why he loses himself so easily."
"So, if he managed to master Sage Mode, he could stabilize his chakra flow and suppress that rage, right?" Tsunade asked, intrigued.
"To some extent, yes," Yusuke nodded. "But never perfectly. Unless he could merge three Sage Modes from three different sacred places."
Tsunade snorted. "Hah, even learning one is nearly impossible. You think that boy can master three like you did?"
"I didn't say that," Yusuke replied with a faint smile. "Those three Sage Modes reject one another—they can't be merged so easily. Besides, the Shikkotsu Forest's nature energy isn't compatible with his body. If he had a physique like Senju Hashirama, maybe it'd be different."
He studied Jūgo carefully, then added, "Mastering even one Sage Mode is a monumental task. Even the Sage of Six Paths, even Naruto at his peak, truly mastered only one. Sasuke never learned it—not because he was weak, but because Sage Mode requires a rare, specific kind of aptitude."
The only reason Yusuke could master it was because his body had been perfected—enhanced by the power of nature's fruit and strengthened beyond human limits.
Jūgo, despite his potential, lacked that stability. Without guidance, his gift would always devour him from within.
"What a waste," Tsunade murmured.
"Not necessarily," Yusuke replied calmly. "If a person can't control their own power… sooner or later, that power will consume them."
Tsunade nodded in quiet agreement.
"So," Yusuke said, his tone light once more, "the real show's about to start, huh?"
Out of nowhere, he pulled out a massive paper umbrella, propped it open, and set up a folding chair. He put on dark sunglasses, unfolded a small table beside him, and within seconds, the table was filled with snacks and sweets.
With a satisfied sigh, Yusuke leaned back in his chair, munching calmly as he looked down at the battlefield.
Both Team Taka, Kisame, and even Tsunade and Kurenai could only stare, dumbfounded.
'Is this… a theater?' they all thought simultaneously. This was supposed to be a life-and-death battle, not an afternoon performance!
"This man… he's still as infuriating as ever," Kisame muttered, exasperated.
"This guy…" Suigetsu and Jūgo whispered in unison, beads of cold sweat forming on their foreheads.
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