"Sky Slash!"
The invisible slash cleaved Takeshi in half just as Setsuna had anticipated. Watching his opponent's body split in two, Setsuna felt an unprecedented surge of exhilaration.
Unfortunately, that exhilaration didn't last long. The creaking of Susanoo above reminded him that the Wind Release technique was not yet over.
"Boom."
Takeshi's body dispersed into smoke, revealing that the attack had struck nothing more than a shadow clone.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!"
Takeshi's true body burst forth from the ground. After using Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall to block Setsuna's vision, he had dived underground with Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique, waiting for the perfect moment when Setsuna exposed a weakness.
Through testing, Takeshi discovered that Sky Slash's attack interval was about three seconds. Within those three seconds, unless Setsuna used Izanagi, there was no way he could defend against a Wind Release at such close range.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it—!"
With a roar of frustration, Setsuna was blasted out of Susanoo by the Vacuum Serial Waves.
Feeling his body gradually falling apart, Setsuna knew that even though he was unwilling to give up his Mangekyō Sharingan, he had to make a decision at this moment.
As his flesh was torn apart completely by the Wind Release, his scattering body turned into smoke and drifted away.
A ninja blade stabbed forward from behind, but Takeshi sidestepped as if he had anticipated it, then drew White Fang Blade in a reverse grip and knocked the attacking blade aside.
"Damn you, you actually noticed I wasn't dead?"
Setsuna's left eye had already lost its luster; he found it hard to accept.
"Izanagi… the Uchiha clan's secret technique. Using it with a Mangekyō Sharingan is indeed a waste."
Without sparing a glance at his opponent's remaining eye, Takeshi tightened his grip and infused White Fang Blade with both lightning and fire chakra.
Feeling the scorching heat radiating from Takeshi's blade, Setsuna found it increasingly difficult to endure his assault.
I should have brought a few more Sharingan…
Setsuna thought bitterly.
Right now, he absolutely could not afford to lose his last eye. Otherwise, the grand plan to resurrect Uchiha Madara would never be completed.
He didn't trust Yōwan, that naïve brat, and believed he would only hinder Uchiha Madara's plan.
Let that effeminate freak and the monster who loved screeching stay behind and cover the retreat.
The thought of retreat began to surface in Setsuna's heart.
He had to protect his own life.
"Susanoo!"
At point-blank range, skeletal armor suddenly enveloped his body, its massive arm smashing down.
Takeshi instinctively dodged, bracing himself for another attack—only to realize Setsuna had suddenly turned and fled, as if having made some sort of resolution.
That bastard… he ran?!
Burning with the urge to avenge Akira and Ikku, Takeshi immediately gave chase. But halfway through, he realized something was wrong.
"Isobu, let's fire a Tailed Beast Bomb."
Noticing that none of his allies were in the path of escape, Takeshi steadied himself and spoke with Isobu inside him.
"Alright."
Without another word, Isobu took control of Takeshi's body.
A massive tailed beast materialized on the battlefield, startling Fuen into a shudder.
No wonder his leader had never mentioned capturing the Three-Tails and had only used its tails to fight… so the Three-Tails was inside this troublesome brat all along.
Fuen's gaze toward Takeshi was filled with dread. The oppressive aura Takeshi exuded was no less than Hatake Sakumo's.
Thanks to Takeshi drawing Fuen's full attention, Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu finally had a moment to catch their breath.
But they were also shocked—so their Hokage was actually a Jinchūriki? They had never heard any villager mention it before. And… was the Three-Tails even Konoha's?
"Taste this, you bastard!"
Takeshi had no time to bother with what others thought. All of his focus was locked on Setsuna.
As chakra condensed, a black sphere formed at Isobu's mouth.
With a sharp whistle, it fired toward Setsuna's escape route.
The explosion rang out, and sensing that one wasn't enough, Takeshi launched two more blasts.
The forest, which had stood on the Land of Fire's soil for who knew how many centuries, was reduced to a giant crater after three Tailed Beast Bombs.
"That masked man is probably done for."
Fuen sighed, then kicked his opponents away and submerged entirely underground.
Yōwan's order had been to seize an opportunity to kill Takeshi, and if possible, eliminate Setsuna as well.
But Takeshi was far beyond his ability to handle, and Setsuna was certainly dead beyond recovery. Staying here was meaningless.
In fleeing, he directly abandoned Hidan.
Obsessed with fighting Uchiha Hikari, Hidan didn't even notice Setsuna's fate. All he wanted was to slaughter the girl in front of him.
His scythe was already disconnected from its chain. During their very first exchange, Uchiha Hikari had noticed how troublesome the chain was, and in subsequent attacks, she had used explosive tag kunai to sever it.
She then widened the distance and continuously wore him down with ninjutsu.
Her Mangekyō Sharingan's perception allowed her to easily evade Hidan's reckless charges.
But she was also somewhat surprised. She had thought Takeshi was joking when he mentioned Hidan's immortality. Yet after several Fire Releases, Hidan was still screeching and fighting, proving Takeshi hadn't been exaggerating.
"Enough, I can't waste chakra anymore."
Hidan's taijutsu was strong, and whenever Hikari tried to cast genjutsu, he simply avoided eye contact.
If the fight dragged on, unexpected things might happen. Changing tactics, Uchiha Hikari suddenly dashed in for close combat.
"Ahaha, come on then!"
Realizing her intent, Hidan let out his trademark insane laugh, swinging his scythe with renewed ferocity.
"I win~!"
Seeing his scythe about to slash across Hikari's cheek, Hidan's face was full of triumph.
But then, a red skeletal frame appeared, shattering his smugness.
His scythe was caught and forced aside, leaving him completely exposed.
A kunai slashed across his neck, cutting halfway through as blood spurted wildly.
"Too shallow?"
Uchiha Hikari frowned, then kicked him and, mid-leap, yanked his hair and sliced again.
Steel flashed with blood spray—an instant later, Hidan's severed head dangled in her hand.
"Oi, that hurts, you know!"
Coldly watching his headless body collapse, Hikari was just about to fling away the disgusting thing in her hand when she felt it twitching. The sensation was like a fish struggling in her grasp when she had gone river fishing days earlier.
Hearing Hidan's voice despite holding only his head, even battle-hardened Hikari was shaken.
She had never seen something like this before.
"You damn brat! I'll chop your head off and let you taste this agony yourself, bastard!"
Hidan's head kept shouting, while Takeshi, having released his tailed beast form, walked over.
"Hm? Another brat? Hmph. Brats and more brats—you'll all be sacrifices for Jashin-sama! Fuen, Fuen, where are you?!"
Hidan's eyes darted wildly, searching for any sign of Fuen.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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