After landing a successful strike, Sasuke quickly retreats.
*SWISH!* *SWISH!* *SWISH!*
As expected, a barrage of enlarged black rods pierces the spot Sasuke just vacated.
"You've weakened!"
"But that's enough to kill a lowly creature like you!"
Jigen, furious and humiliated, rapidly repairs the wounds on his left arm and back using Kama, then relentlessly attacks Sasuke.
Sasuke feels a surge of confidence. Against a full-strength Jigen, he'd stand no chance. But this weakened, near-death Jigen? He might just defeat him!
Moreover, using his opponent's Juubi chakra fuels Sasuke's excitement, unable to contain his thrill.
Instantly, both sides plunge into fierce combat. They transform into streaks of black and purple light, clashing and weaving through the air at breakneck speed, leaving Kawaki on the ground dumbfounded.
Compared to Jigen and Sasuke, Kawaki's earlier skirmishes feel like child's play.
Sasuke is familiar with some of Jigen's abilities. He knows Jigen's eye jutsu can enlarge or shrink any inanimate object, even ninjutsu. And his Kama can absorb all ninjutsu, rendering him nearly immune to such attacks.
Thus, Sasuke minimizes ninjutsu, relying primarily on Shunshin no Jutsu, taijutsu, kenjutsu, and Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to counter Jigen.
At the same time, he deliberately misfires several massive Gōkakyū no Jutsu into the sky, setting up for Kirin later. Natural lightning isn't chakra-based, so Jigen shouldn't be able to absorb it.
Sometimes, one can't help but admire Tobirama for creating such practical and advanced ninjutsu!
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu alone allowed Naruto to dominate all of Shippuden. Against Jigen's omnipresent black rod attacks, without shadow clones to block and delay, even Sasuke could be caught off guard.
A single hit from a black rod might not kill, but it's essentially a loss.
So Sasuke is extremely cautious, ensuring Jigen has no chance to strike his real body.
Don't think Kage Bunshin is just Naruto's signature move—Sasuke is highly proficient too. He just can't handle the mental backlash of dispelling hundreds or thousands of clones like Naruto can. But a few dozen clones? Sasuke can manage.
While his real body stays on the sidelines, Sasuke seeks openings to activate Amenotejikara, swapping places with a shadow clone to get close to Jigen and deliver a fatal strike.
If Jigen were at full strength, Sasuke wouldn't dare approach so recklessly. But with Jigen in such a weakened state, this is the perfect chance to defeat him!
Soon after, following a second Amenotejikara swap, Sasuke's sword cleaves through most of Jigen's chest!
After a third swap, Sasuke even severs half of Jigen's neck!
Only because Jigen shrinks himself in time does he avoid decapitation!
These near-death experiences leave Jigen sweating coldly, forcing him to become more alert and composed.
He realizes his dire condition makes defeating a full-strength Sasuke impossible. Worse, the cracks in the Kama seal's core in his abdomen are growing…
This signals Jigen's worsening state and chakra depletion. If this drags on, forget reclaiming the Juubi and Kawaki—he might die at Sasuke's hands!
Soon, the weakened Jigen, sensing a grave threat, changes tactics. He stops grappling with Sasuke and shrinks himself, darting toward the distant Juubi and Kawaki!
His targets are only Kawaki and the Juubi. There's no need to fight Sasuke to the death. If he reclaims them and achieves perfect resurrection, he'll have infinite time and power to crush these disgusting native ninjas!
Seeing Jigen vanish, a chilling sense of crisis grips Kawaki. Instinct tells him the enemy is coming for him!
Kawaki flees in a panic. But how could his speed compare to Jigen's, especially while dragging the massive Juubi sapling?
In mere seconds, Jigen zooms behind the Juubi and Kawaki, grinning as he prepares to seize his precious treasures.
Kawaki can't even see Jigen, utterly defenseless!
But… Amenotejikara!
Sasuke forcibly swaps places with Jigen again!
He appears beside the Juubi and Kawaki, while Jigen is teleported thousands of meters away.
This is why Sasuke didn't rush to assist earlier. With Amenotejikara, what's the point?
What's more satisfying than forcibly swapping positions?
As long as Amenotejikara remains active, Jigen will never reach Kawaki or the Juubi in his lifetime. This is why Sasuke confidently left them by his side.
"You bastard!"
"That damned Rinnegan jutsu!"
Teleported far away, Jigen is stunned, then roars in fury.
(That cursed Rinnegan, one day I'll blind it!)
Beyond his anger, Jigen accelerates again, charging toward Kawaki and the Juubi.
Meanwhile, Sasuke proactively moves away from Kawaki.
Seconds later, as Jigen nears Kawaki and the Juubi again, Sasuke unexpectedly activates Amenotejikara, swapping their positions once more, keeping Jigen far from his targets!
Jigen is so furious he's practically steaming, itching to tear Sasuke apart.
"You bastard! Let's see how many times you can use that eye jutsu! Let's see how much chakra you have left to waste!"
"Really? Then try me!" Sasuke retorts, touching the Juubi sapling and activating chakra absorption again, forcibly draining more of its chakra!
This refills his massive chakra consumption.
Amenotejikara's cooldown is actually short, but each use demands significant chakra, even for a near-Six Paths-level Sasuke. In normal combat, he could use it three or four times before running dry.
But now, with the Juubi' chakra, Sasuke can spam Amenotejikara without worrying about depletion!
"You bastard, you beast!"
"Stop touching my precious treasure!"
Seeing Sasuke exploit the Juubi again, draining its chakra, Jigen's eyes blaze with rage, nearly fainting from fury.
The last time he was betrayed, he nearly lost his will to fight. Now, it's happening again, right before his eyes. It's soul-crushing!
Too cruel…!
"Come on, keep trying. Don't you want to test how many times I can use this eye jutsu?"
"Impossible! Even if you have enough chakra, you can't use it endlessly!"
Sasuke responds coldly:
"You're right. But before that, this Juubi might give out first."
"In fact, it might be better if this monster dies."
The Juubi matters to Isshiki, not Sasuke. If it's temporarily useless, Sasuke could kill it to prevent another Divine Tree from growing.
Sasuke has no attachment to the Juubi. If necessary, he wouldn't hesitate to drain its chakra until it dies—a maximal utilization.
The already weakened Juubi sapling might only withstand two or three more forced absorptions before dying suddenly…
"No way!"
"The Juubi must not die!"
"I won't let you touch it again!!" Jigen roars uncontrollably, unable to accept this.
He senses Sasuke isn't bluffing—the enemy truly doesn't care about the Juubi' life!
The Juubi must not die! It's Isshiki's bottom line, his only vessel to return to the Otsutsuki Clan.
With Amenotejikara and his current condition, Jigen can't defeat Sasuke or reach the Juubi. If this continues, Sasuke might truly drain it to death!
Thus, despite his fury, for the Juubi' sake, Jigen dares not push Sasuke further. Suppressing his rage, he adopts a dignified expression and softens:
"Uchiha Sasuke, what do you really want?"
"We can talk!"
If force fails, Jigen resorts to diplomacy—all for the Juubi' safety.
But inwardly, Jigen seethes with hatred, vowing to destroy Sasuke and all of Konoha once he reclaims the Juubi and Kawaki!
Seeing Jigen show weakness and attempt negotiation, a flicker of scorn and contempt flashes in Sasuke's eyes:
"Negotiate?"
"Not impossible, but I have one condition!"
Jigen's heart leaps, secretly relieved that these foolish ninjas are so easily swayed, and quickly soothes:
"Speak! If you hand over the Juubi, I'll grant any wish!"
"My condition is your death!"
Forbidden S-Rank Ninjutsu: Lightning Release: Kirin!
Sasuke never considered negotiating with an Otsutsuki. He knows these aliens' nature too well.
They don't see humans as equals.
Can you expect someone who calls others "lowly creatures" to honor a negotiation or exchange hostages fairly?
That's a pipe dream!
Even if hostages were retrieved, those who plant Divine Trees aim to kill all life on the planet. There's no room for reconciliation between ninjas and Otsutsuki.
All of Sasuke's resistance and delays were to wait for the high-altitude thunderstorm to form, harnessing nature's terrifying power to deliver a fatal blow to Jigen!
Now is the time for Kirin to shine!