Chapter 38: Forbidden Technique Training, Following the Light!
Half an hour later, atop a massive boulder,
Tsukasa finished memorizing the scroll's contents. Without hesitation, he formed hand seals and unleashed a massive fireball, incinerating the scroll on the spot.
He then settled into a cross-legged meditation position.
Closing his eyes, he gradually focused his attention on his breathing. With each breath, the whistling of the early spring wind faded away.
Gradually, the thumping of his heartbeat grew thunderous in his ears.
A full moon loomed behind him, the vast expanse stretching to the horizon.
Beneath the cold, clear moonlight, Tsukasa suddenly opened his eyes.
Within his crimson Sharingan, the pitch-black tomoe slowly rotated, and everything before him seemed to move in slow motion.
He stared intently at his chest.
Through his Sharingan's perception, a wisp of fire-attribute chakra, refined through nature transformation, erupted from his heart!
In an instant, blazing flames coursed through his body, making Tsukasa feel as if he were back in that moment with the Kumogakure trio—when the explosive tags detonated, flames searing his body and soul.
Unlike then, this surging power was completely contained within his body, like a compressed bomb at its limit, ready to explode catastrophically.
His body suddenly sizzled under the blazing flames, emitting a crackling, burning sound.
A sharp, heart-wrenching pain suddenly gripped his chest!
Tsukasa's pupils contracted, and he immediately cut off the chakra supply.
A notification flickered before his eyes.
[You have learned Fire Release: Chakra Mode (Beginner Level, A-Rank, Extremely Dangerous)]
His breath came in ragged gasps—turbulent steam rose from Tsukasa's body.
He couldn't help but gulp air desperately, a wave of genuine fear washing over him.
If he hadn't mastered the exceptional chakra control techniques from Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna, possessing such precise awareness of his body that he instantly recognized something was wrong and stopped—he would have burned himself alive right then and there.
Furthermore, dying like this could only be considered suicide, not a legitimate death for insurance purposes.
"As expected, it's incredibly dangerous. Moreover, this process is irreversible. Once fully ignited, the chakra will begin burning more chakra, triggering a chain reaction similar to a runaway fire. At that point, there's absolutely no turning back."
Still trembling, Tsukasa waited for the excruciating pain to recede. He exhaled a long, condensed stream of white vapor, propped himself up, and with a thought, opened his status panel.
[Name: Uchiha Tsukasa]
[Title: Heaven-Sent Warrior]
[Abilities: Heart of Steel (SSS), Sharingan - Single Tomoe (B+), Combat Intuition (Beginner, S-Rank)]
[Techniques: Uchiha Style - Transcendent Shuriken Manipulation (Mastered, S-Rank), Absolute Encirclement Formation (Mastered, S-Rank), Fire Release - Great Fireball Jutsu (Beginner, C-Rank), Fire Release - Phoenix Flower Jutsu (Proficient, C-Rank), Fire Release - Phoenix Flower Nail Crimson (Mastered, B-Rank), Fire Release - Dragon Flame Jutsu (Beginner, C-Rank), Wind Release - Gale Palm (Mastered, B-Rank), Academy Three Basic Jutsu, Rope Escape Technique, Basic Taijutsu (Proficient)]
[Special Techniques: Fire Release - Chakra Mode (Beginner, A-Rank, Extremely Dangerous)]
[Mental Fortitude Stacks (Expandable)]
[Insurance Status: Active]
Looking at the words "Fire Release - Chakra Mode" now displayed on his status panel, Tsukasa's heart finally settled.
Besides this core forbidden technique, the scroll had also contained a sword technique called "Dance of the Sun God," but it required a weapon forged from chakra-conducting metal to reach its full potential.
Taken alone, this sword technique was only considered B-Rank, but when combined with the Sharingan, genjutsu, a chakra blade, and Fire Release Chakra Mode, it evolved into the ultimate S-Rank forbidden sword technique.
In the original timeline, Uchiha Shisui had mastered this sword technique, but perhaps because Uchiha Setsuna was already deceased by then, Shisui ultimately never learned the core Fire Release Chakra Mode component.
However, for someone like Shisui who could summon a Susanoo, this limitation had little impact on his combat effectiveness.
Tsukasa raised his head slightly, gazing at the full moon in the sky.
He took a deep breath, his gaze becoming resolute.
Now that all preparations were complete, all that remained was to head to the Jashin Cult headquarters and cause absolute havoc!
But—at this moment—
"Are you planning to go alone like this?"
A familiar voice suddenly called out from behind him, its tone filled with accusation and anger—
"You're just going to say some pretty words and then rush off to die by yourself?"
"Tsukasa, who's the one running away now?"
"Do you want your ideals to end in this remote corner of the Land of Hot Water?!"
"Huh?! Answer me!"
Tsukasa turned his head abruptly and immediately saw a young fist coming fiercely toward his face!
His body's instinctive combat reflexes made him subconsciously dodge, tilting his head to avoid the blow.
Then he saw Hidan's furious face behind that fist.
For a brief moment, his eyes wavered, and he relaxed his guard.
Hidan seized this opportunity to leap forward, grabbing the bandages around Tsukasa's neck with both hands and slamming him hard against a nearby boulder.
BANG!
His back hit the stone with a dull thud.
Hidan's eyes were red with emotion as he shouted angrily:
"Say something, damn it!"
"You..." Tsukasa was genuinely stunned.
He never expected that after telling Hidan to return to his hometown and stay safe, his little brother would completely ignore him. In less than an hour, Hidan had tracked him down again—and now looked ready to beat up his older brother.
"What do you mean 'you'? I'm seriously pissed off right now!"
"That's enough, Tsukasa!"
"Without me leading the way, can you even find the Jashin Cult headquarters?"
At Hidan's reminder, Tsukasa's expression froze as he suddenly realized a critical problem.
Wait—where exactly is the Jashin Cult headquarters?
Tsukasa's face twitched. He grabbed Hidan with one hand, lifting him up and setting him back in his proper place as the younger brother. Then his expression darkened as he sternly rebuked:
"Stop fooling around, Hidan!"
"Even without you, I could find their headquarters by capturing a cult member and interrogating them thoroughly."
Tsukasa shook his head, speaking with exaggerated righteousness.
"But since you've conveniently arrived..."
"Just tell me the location of the Jashin Cult headquarters, and your mission will be complete."
"I'll generously give you credit for participating in the destruction of the Jashin Cult."
"That way, when you return home, you can brag to the other ninja about fighting alongside Uchiha Tsukasa, the future ruler of the shinobi world."
"Well? Don't you think you're getting an amazing deal?"
Hidan stared at the righteously posturing Tsukasa, his eyes filled with utter disbelief, as if witnessing something incomprehensible.
How could such a shameless person exist in this world?!
Did he seriously just try to use such a childish trick to extract information?
Where did that caring older brother from just an hour ago disappear to?!
Give me back the gratitude I felt!
"You bastard!" Hidan gritted his teeth, violently pulling Tsukasa's hand away. With a cold snort, he turned aside and said stubbornly:
"I'm going with you!"
"Tsk." Tsukasa felt a sudden headache. "Why won't you listen, kid?"
At that moment, he understood exactly how Uchiha Setsuna must have felt when Tsukasa himself had refused to give up on dangerous missions.
There was a death trap ahead, and this kid didn't have any insurance—so what was he planning to accomplish by going?
Hidan shook his head, his expression determined.
"I have to go with you!"
"Tsukasa, I need to see it. I must see it with my own eyes."
"Whether you have what it takes—"
"To become my god!"
Hidan took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with resolve.
The light that Tsukasa had rekindled seemed to burn even brighter in his gaze!
"Just like you said, right?"
"I need to find someone worth following!"
"Whether it's you or that so-called Lord Jashin—it doesn't matter!"
"I will end the chaos in the Land of Hot Water, drive out all the foreign shinobi from this land, and become the next 'demigod' of the ninja world!"
"This is my ninja way!"
Hidan suddenly stopped, looking at Tsukasa with radiant determination.
"So first—let's eliminate this cancer called the Jashin Cult!"
Tsukasa took a deep breath and looked at Hidan in silence for a long moment. Although a tiny spark of emotion rose in his heart, his rational mind warned him that if Hidan went to the Jashin Cult headquarters, history would likely repeat itself.
Or possibly end even worse.
Just as he was about to refuse Hidan's request, a voice as clear as a silver bell suddenly rang out from behind him.
"Then come along, Hidan."
"I'll accept his promise on his behalf!"
Tsukasa was stunned. He turned his head and saw a girl with vivid green eyes, her arms folded across her chest.
She stood bathed in moonlight, a smile curving at the corners of her lips like a flower blooming in spring.
Then she slowly parted her lips and said:
"Besides—I'm coming too."
End of Chapter 38
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