Chapter 66: The Susano'o Unleashed
Uchiha Itachi frowned slightly upon hearing this. "You deliberately provoked me into using this move?"
To this, Uchiha Naoki nodded sincerely. "After all, its power is impressive, so I wanted to test it."
But hearing this, Uchiha Itachi's frown deepened. "You seem to... know what abilities I possess? But this is the first time I've used this ability. How could you, who have never seen it before, resolve it so skillfully?"
"Moreover, this isn't an attack that can simply be diverted. Once it attaches, it cannot be extinguished at all and spreads extremely rapidly into an even more terrifying inferno!"
Amaterasu's black flames burned with extreme speed. Moreover, their temperature was so high that a ninja of the same level would be severely injured within two seconds without special means. But Uchiha Naoki had just broken this rule. It made him uneasy!
"Then why do you think... I would tell you the answer?" Uchiha Naoki smiled leisurely. "Of course, you truly make me wary."
"Amaterasu in the right eye, Tsukuyomi in the left eye—both are formidable."
"Or the technique Uchiha Shisui entrusted to you (Koto Amatsukami) is fine too."
"Whether it's the artifact with sealing properties residing in your Mangekyō (Totsuka Blade), or that technique that can trap people forever in infinite reincarnation (Izanami), I am very afraid! Before, now, and even in the future!"
Sensing Uchiha Itachi's increasingly fluctuating emotions, Uchiha Naoki's smile remained. "You don't need to worry about how I know this. If you insist on asking, just assume I have the power of foresight!"
Uchiha Itachi couldn't help but take a deep breath upon hearing this, trying to calm himself. Even for him, he couldn't settle down for a long time due to the information Uchiha Naoki had revealed. This lingering unease and growing tension were feelings he hadn't experienced in his 14 years of life.
"You... are indeed a more terrifying person than the masked man!" Looking at Uchiha Naoki, Uchiha Itachi's aura suddenly turned fierce. "It seems I must gather as much information about you as possible today!"
Deidara couldn't understand the conversation between the two, nor could the Scarlet Sand Scorpion. What was this about Tsukuyomi, a masked man? What riddles!
"I'm not very proficient with this move. Fighting you alone, I'm not confident I can suppress you. But fortunately, Sasori, Deidara, and the others are here to assist!" As Uchiha Itachi spoke, his Mangekyō spun at high speed, erupting with a power that even shocked the Scarlet Sand Scorpion. "Susano'o!"
Amidst the raging flames, an orange chakra warrior condensed, only its upper body formed. Clad in hard tengu armor, its face was completely covered, revealing only bright eyes shining like two suns. A shield in its left hand and a gourd in its right (the Totsuka Blade resided within the gourd). Uchiha Itachi's third-form Susano'o took shape!
"This... power, seriously?" Facing this towering Susano'o, the Scarlet Sand Scorpion couldn't help but change his expression. "Maintaining such a majestic and violent force in such a massive form. Is this really achievable?" He felt as if his body were filled with lead; the heavy pressure made him extremely uncomfortable.
"Is this... Itachi's... true strength?" Deidara was even more stunned, overwhelmed with shock. He had thought that as long as he guarded against Uchiha Itachi's terrifying genjutsu, he had the qualifications to compete with him. When he was first recruited and instantly defeated by Uchiha Itachi's genjutsu, he felt deeply ashamed. Thus, he had been researching how to counter genjutsu lately. But now, it seemed his efforts were laughable. To fight Uchiha Itachi, he still had a long way to go.
"You two, be careful not to be affected by me. It will be difficult for me to control my power later!" After Uchiha Itachi gave this order, the battle began.
"Susano'o, huh?" Facing the orange-red giant, Uchiha Naoki smiled excitedly, though a trace of fear flickered in his eyes. He solidified his body from the lava state. "It seems you're already planning to go all out! Then bring it on!"
As soon as he finished speaking, terrifying fist-sized rocks erupted from beneath the lava ground, blasting toward the Scarlet Sand Scorpion and Deidara like a torrential rain, forcing them to retreat quickly. Simultaneously, the ground under Uchiha Itachi's feet trembled violently, and a pillar of terrifying lava shot forth. This move was quite effective against a legless Susano'o.
"Yata Mirror!" Uchiha Itachi covered his bleeding eyes and manipulated Susano'o to block the lava with the shield on its left arm.
BOOM!
Heaven and earth trembled; scorching lava overflowed everywhere. The attack from below was blocked head-on by Uchiha Itachi. But this searing power still made Uchiha Itachi, now atop Susano'o's head, grit his teeth. Too hot! Even from twenty meters away within Susano'o, he felt as if he were about to melt. Moreover, Susano'o nearly showed signs of melting itself.
"Blocked head-on? Impressive!" Seeing this, Uchiha Naoki praised, then smiled even brighter. "You blocked this blow, but how many more can you handle? Too Slow!"
Uchiha Naoki roared loudly, waving his arms like a conductor. Two thick lava arms surged from the lava ground, slamming toward Susano'o. "Lava Burst Shot!" And beneath Susano'o's feet, even more terrifying lava erupted again.
"Totsuka Blade!" Facing this dangerous assault, Uchiha Itachi resisted the sweetness in his throat and the severe pain in his body. He manipulated Susano'o to swing the gourd in its right hand, spraying out a long sword, and slashed forward. At the same time, its left arm swung the Yata Mirror to block again.
BOOM!
Another tremor shook the sky. Amidst the terrifying splashing magma, Uchiha Itachi finally couldn't help but vomit a mouthful of blood. Gush!
The Totsuka Blade was extremely sharp, severing the two fierce lava fists. And after cutting through the giant lava fists, it swiftly stabbed toward Uchiha Naoki. This was an artifact that would seal one's soul upon being stabbed! Uchiha Naoki naturally didn't dare let it touch him, which was why he had solidified his body—because the lava form was too large a target.
But! "I've been waiting... for the moment you dodge!" Uchiha Itachi suddenly roared, disregarding the blood streaming from his right eye. "Amaterasu!"
Where his gaze fell, Amaterasu blazed fiercely.
Hiss!!
Uchiha Naoki had known Uchiha Itachi still had a trump card, but he hadn't expected him to be so direct, using Amaterasu again despite the strain on his body.
"As expected of Uchiha Itachi, so calm and terrifying!" In such a crisis, Uchiha Naoki's speed was also swift. Almost the moment the black flames descended, he completed his elementalization and stretched out a lava shield to block the black flames.