Chapter 19: Desperate Struggle! Sealing Technique: Billion Vengeful Souls!
The Point of No Return
At this critical juncture, after Uchiha Setsuna's extreme declaration that bordered on self-destructive madness, the battlefield situation had become completely polarized.
On the Kumogakure side: trembling with fear, faces pale as death, awaiting their doom.
Meanwhile, on the Uchiha side: one preparing for suicide bombing, the other for martyrdom—a relay race toward destruction.
It truly was the Uchiha way—come one, come all, if you're insane enough!
Tsukasa realized at this moment that his words had been perhaps too emotionally charged.
Look how deeply he had moved the old man Setsuna.
But his original intention had simply been to achieve a relatively peaceful resolution and return home with everyone alive.
To accomplish this, he had deceived everyone present!
Tsukasa's premise was that the defenders of Hell Valley would be annihilated by Kumogakure's Two-Tails Jinchuriki, causing catastrophic losses to the Uchiha.
However, this was actually a false assumption.
The Uchiha would soon no longer need to maintain their defense of Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Water.
The alliance between the Blood Pond Clan and Kumogakure had already been effectively shattered by the death of the Lightning Country's diplomatic envoy.
The woman who had accompanied that envoy to meet the Lightning Daimyo was the wife of the Blood Pond leader, Miyashiro En.
After returning to Hell Valley, she had already taken her own life, unable to bear the shame and condemnation from her clan members, combined with the crushing pressure of the failed mission that had doomed her people to war.
She left behind only her young daughter, Chinano of the Blood Pond Clan.
Miyashiro En himself—
Upon learning of his wife's suicide, was consumed by regret, self-blame, and rage, lashing out at all those in the Blood Pond Clan who had driven her to death!
His Blood Dragon Eyes had likely evolved to a level comparable to the Mangekyō Sharingan.
And like the Mangekyō, the price was the same: madness!
But he had also gained tremendous power—in an era where combat still followed traditional ninja methods.
One day in the near future, he would personally slaughter every member of his own clan, flee Hell Valley with his daughter, and establish a fortress called Miyashiro Castle on a small island in the Land of Water.
He would become the shinobi world's premier black market dealer, the mastermind behind underground fighting rings, and the ultimate trafficker in bloodline limits.
However, such deception could save the lives of his two teammates at the cost of only his own sacrifice.
For Tsukasa, this was undoubtedly the optimal outcome.
At this moment, Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna turned to look at Tsukasa, his eyes filled with sorrow and regret, yet his tone carried an unexpected gentleness.
"Tsukasa, go ahead and die."
"As long as I draw breath, this vendetta will never be forgotten!"
"Not even Sarutobi Hiruzen can stop me!"
Tsukasa's forehead beaded with sweat as he thought: Great Elder, you're being way too extreme! Under your leadership, the hawkish faction will surely end up in history's trash heap.
However, he glanced around at the situation.
With things having reached this point, and Setsuna already making final arrangements, it would seem unreasonable for him not to follow through now.
Tsukasa's gaze immediately sharpened, and with a determined look at Setsuna, he declared in a resolute voice:
"This way, my death will have true meaning!"
The Final Gambit
The three Kumogakure shinobi suddenly focused their full attention on Tsukasa.
Previously, struck by the Lightning Release: Thunder Binding, he could barely move his arms, only pretending to detonate the tags.
In reality, his fingers had been so numb he couldn't even twist the explosive papers properly.
But in these crucial moments, Tsukasa had gradually adapted to the numbing sensation, and his fingers regained enough strength to manipulate the detonating tags.
Then, with decisive force—RIP!
"No! He's actually going to blow himself up!"
"Dodai, retreat immediately!"
Raimei watched Tsukasa tear at the explosive tag on his chest. He gritted his teeth, turned toward Moroi within the barrier, and shouted with difficulty:
"Moroi! Use that technique!"
"You must survive! Otherwise the entire mission fails!"
"What?!" Moroi's eyes widened within the barrier as he replied hesitantly:
"But Captain, the Third Raikage said that was an emergency measure reserved for dealing with the Blood Pond Clan!"
"He specifically ordered it could never be used prematurely, even under threat of death!"
Raimei clenched his fists, caught in an impossible dilemma, but time was running out.
His eyes reddened as he stared at the two Uchiha, and after a moment of internal struggle, his expression became grimly resolved.
Raimei ground his teeth and shouted: "Who the hell could have predicted we'd encounter two complete lunatics on this mission?!"
"If you don't use it now, you'll be blown to smithereens, crippled, the mission will fail completely, AND that psychotic old Uchiha will place massive bounties on our heads!"
"Think about it—your life versus this damned mission!"
"Deploy it now, and we can regroup to kill Uchiha Setsuna before he has a chance to issue those bounties!"
"Otherwise, we're all dead men!"
Raimei's beard trembled with anxiety.
As a veteran shinobi who had survived the Warring States period, he understood exactly how seriously to take Setsuna's threats!
When that old lunatic said he would kill you, he meant every word!
His tone grew heavier as he bellowed at Moroi:
"If the Uchiha clan truly mobilizes their full resources, they'll hunt us down before we can even leave the Land of Hot Water! Not only will our mission fail—we'll lose our lives too!"
"Think this through, you fool!"
One hundred million ryō per head.
Even if they returned to the Land of Lightning, countless organizations would infiltrate the country, eager to claim those bounties!
Within the barrier, Moroi's expression shifted through multiple emotions.
Finally, he gritted his teeth, glared coldly at Tsukasa, and shouted with bitter self-mockery:
"Tsukasa, is that so?"
"Fine! You're impressive! I'll remember you!"
"But do you really think you've won?"
Tsukasa raised an eyebrow at the familiar phrasing, thinking: Are we playing some kind of turn-based game here?
He gave Moroi a cold glance and didn't even bother responding, remaining completely unmoved.
This infuriated Moroi even further.
Tsukasa was covered in explosive tags—wherever he struck, the walking time bomb would inevitably detonate.
But if he didn't eliminate him, he would certainly be killed himself!
Shinobi specializing in sealing techniques generally employed two primary combat methods.
The first involved prepared seals that could be quickly activated with the aid of sealing scrolls, like the Fire Sealing Method and Lightning Release: Thunder Binding that Moroi had just used.
Similar techniques included the Evil Sealing Method, Cursed Seal Suppression, and Limb Binding Seal.
The second type required constructing complete sealing arrays. This method was time-consuming, complex, and involved drawing intricate formulaic patterns—making it difficult to deploy during emergency situations like this.
However, to rapidly create a sealing array on the battlefield, one could use valuable prepared scrolls containing semi-complete sealing formations that could be quickly activated.
This was similar to the binding barrier he had deployed earlier.
Now, watching Tsukasa approach with explosive tags crackling with increasing intensity, Moroi's eyes blazed with bloodshot fury, his pupils contracted to pinpoints.
The terror of imminent death hammered against his mind!
Moroi trembled, his thoughts racing frantically.
But finally, his eyes hardened with determination as he pulled a special sealing scroll from the pouch at his waist.
Tsukasa kept his gaze fixed on his opponent's movements, prepared for any potential complications.
Despite the numbing pain coursing through his arm, he fiercely yanked at the explosive tag over his chest!
RIIIIP—
A burst of brilliant light suddenly blazed forth!
Simultaneously—
Moroi tore the binding cord from the scroll's clasp and unfurled it with a sharp snap.
He plunged his hand into his own wound, enduring excruciating pain to draw out a handful of thick, viscous blood.
Moroi's eyes blazed with desperate fury as he slammed his blood-stained palm down onto the scroll's surface. Lifting his head, he roared at Tsukasa:
"How could I possibly lose to a worthless genin like you?!"
"Witness this!"
"Sealing Technique: Billion Vengeful Souls!"
End of Chapter 19
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