Chapter 222 : Amaterasu!

"Is this...?"

"How is it possible? Tsukuyomi is shattered!"

Off-screen, Obito wore an incredulous expression.

Madara's eyes held a similar astonishment.

[Sasuke gasped for air, and after a few moments of hesitation, he glanced at the figure half-kneeling on the ground, chuckling:]

"This is the illusion cast by the Mangekyō Sharingan, indeed formidable, but it appears less impressive under the Chakra onslaught of the Heaven's Curse Seal!"

[Simultaneously, Black Zetsu, concealed above the secret chamber, spoke up:]

"Tsukuyomi isn't as feeble as it seems. There's only one explanation now: Itachi's physique is failing him; those eyes must be on the brink of blindness!"

[White Zetsu blinked, seemingly in agreement with the assessment.]

"Mr. Itachi, you don't look quite yourself, do you?"

Kisame Hoshigaki in the cavern smiled and remarked:

"Shall we dispose of Sasuke now? As your ally, I stand ready to assist."

Itachi turned his head slowly, not with anger but with a slight furrow of his brow:

"Kisame, you don't appear well."

The former Kisame wouldn't have been so articulate, nor would every word carry underlying implications.

In that moment, the smile faded from Kisame's face, no longer a facade.

His gaze pierced through the screen, and he spoke with a twinge of anguish:

"I'm just... more conflicted."

The multitude of truths revealed in the video clashed with his convictions!

Obito?

Nagato?

Uchiha Madara?

Infinite Tsukuyomi?

The layers of shadows enveloping him feel reminiscent of his days in Kirigakure!

And you, you're nothing but a pawn, bound by Akatsuki's beliefs till the end!

But now, I'm even more perplexed.

I don't know what lies ahead in the future.

Itachi sighed, mustering a rare smile for his companion.

He then placed a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder and spoke:

"Go ahead, delve into the secrets I've kept buried in the past.

"As for what comes after,

"Heh, perhaps there's a chance we won't be part of this world anymore."

["The world is just, Itachi!]

["The sins you committed in the past shall be repaid today!"

[Sasuke shows no mercy to Itachi. As soon as he utters these words, he summons the colossal Fūma Shuriken from its seal and hurls the sword from his grasp!]

[The speed of the shuriken catches Itachi off guard, leaving him no time to activate his defensive seals, forcing him to evade!]

[Simultaneously, Itachi spots another hidden Fūma Shuriken in the shadows!]

[This is a shadow shuriken!]

[But Itachi remains composed, slamming his palm against the ground, allowing his body to phase through the two massive shuriken!]

[However, in the next moment, the sound of taut steel wire reverberates!]

[Sasuke retracts his hands, revealing the gleam of the concealed wire!]

[At the same time, the two enormous Fūma shuriken begin to emit mechanical whirring!]

[But these aren't just any Fūma shuriken!]

[They're explosive shuriken!]

[The two rapidly spinning Fūma Shuriken explode into shards, launching eight massive blades in all directions!]

[First comes the sound of air being torn apart, then the piercing sound of blades slicing flesh!]

[Itachi, unable to maneuver further in midair, felt a sharp blade pierce his left thigh, causing him to plummet to the ground!]

"The Hokage World!"

Off-screen, a profound silence hung.

No matter how the other ninjas contemplated, none could fathom that Uchiha Itachi would be the first to sustain injury after just two rounds!

"It's peculiar. At Itachi's level, evading such a technique should be impossible," pondered one ninja.

In the desert, the esteemed artist Deidara halted abruptly.

How could someone of Itachi's stature fall victim to such a rudimentary move?

"Perhaps it's a consequence of Tsukuyomi being shattered?" speculated Sasori in a raspy tone.

Deidara shook his head, deeming such tactics beneath Itachi's level.

Then, after a moment of consideration, Deidara rubbed his chin and proposed, "Is there a chance that Uchiha Itachi might be leaking information?"

Sasori dismissed the notion. 

"In a life-and-death struggle, that's highly unlikely! It's utterly inexplicable."

"Let's move on."

[As a single strike lands, Sasuke wears a triumphant smile on his face:]

["Surprised, Itachi? Don't be. I've rehearsed this scenario countless times!"]

[Sasuke's pride is evident as he gestures to his Three Tomoe Sharingan:]

["And these eyes have foreseen your every move!"]

"Unfortunately, your prideful eyes may have seen the action, but they failed to perceive the bitter truth!"

In that moment, a sneer played upon the lips of Uchiha Madara, a notion stirring in his mind.

Perhaps there was truth in what Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, summoned by Black Zetsu through him, had said!

This bloodline had been cursed by her since the day Six Paths sealed her away!

But that was of little consequence now; what mattered was the future!

Pushing aside his ruminations, Uchiha Madara returned his focus to the screen.

[As his illness overcomes him!]

[Now with the advantage, Sasuke launches into a second round of attacks immediately!]

[First, a feint with the Great Fireball Technique, then, as his opponent leaps to evade, the Chidori Senbon strikes swiftly, piercing through!]

Boom!

The ensuing explosion shrouds the surroundings in thick smoke and dust, utterly obliterating the top floor of the secret chamber!

[However, amidst the absence of smoke and injury, Itachi leaped into the sky unscathed, simultaneously unleashing the Great Fireball technique to retaliate!]

[The fiery inferno engulfed the massive cavity, transforming it into a sea of flames that surged and billowed!]

[The air distorted entirely, with the searing heat causing even the distant Black Zetsu to recoil in pain, forced to retreat dozens of meters away!]

"Are you ensnared in a cocoon?"

"In such confined quarters, this level of intense flame likely exceeds thousands of degrees; Sasuke's fate seems sealed!"

A ninja pronounced the verdict, echoed by those nearby:

"Truly, Uchiha Itachi's mastery of Fire Style is awe-inspiring. It's as though Fire Style was inherently theirs, destined for the Uchiha clan!"

Yet, the subsequent moment left both observers dumbfounded!

[The flames dispersed, revealing a colossal grey-black palm!]

[Unbeknownst to all, Sasuke had ascended atop the dome, his form enveloped by the colossal palm!]

(Not only was he unscathed, but not a single mark marred his body!)

[In the blink of an eye, the brothers unleashed simultaneous attacks once more!]

(Once again employing Fire Style!)

[Two titanic Fireballs clashed!]

(Yet these were no ordinary Great Fireballs!)

[Infernos roared from their mouths, akin to colossal waves vying to engulf each other in an instant!]

[Soon, Sasuke's flames surged with greater ferocity, steadily pressing towards Itachi!]

[In terms of swiftness, within a mere five seconds, contact would spell engulfment in flames, resulting in certain death!]

[But in this critical moment, Itachi's right eye, hitherto sealed, began to bleed!]

[In the next instant, he unfurled his eyes!]

[Transparent ripples suddenly materialized, accompanied by an inexplicable sharp sound resonating through space, as if something invisible was swiftly frictioning!]

[Soon after, a tiny black flame flickered into existence amidst the sea of fire!]

[At first glance, it appeared insignificant, yet it swiftly proliferated!]

[In a matter of seconds, the radiant yellow sea of flames transmuted into a murky black expanse!]

(However, it wasn't just suppression!)

"It's the transformation of the yellow flame into the black flame, becoming its own fuel!"

[This is Amaterasu!]

[This fire spares nothing in its path!]

[Even flames themselves are not immune!]

****

Support me on my ko-fi account and read upto 15 early chapters,

https://ko-fi.com/aayume