Chapter 47: Akira vs Itachi, Mangekyō Showdown!
The Naka River's water shimmered with a cold glint under the moonlight. Uchiha Itachi stood alone by the bank. After Shisui's death, the situation grew increasingly tense. Uchiha Akira rose forcefully, integrating both the Hawk and Dove factions with an iron fist and uniting the entire Uchiha with an almost brutal stance.
This should have been a good thing. Yet, Uchiha Itachi felt fear. The direction Uchiha Akira was leading them was not towards reconciliation. Now, the relationship between the Uchiha and the Village was more strained than before, with war on the verge of breaking out. This ran counter to everything he and Shisui had pursued.
Itachi decided he could no longer stand idly by. His figure melted into the night, reappearing outside Uchiha Akira's courtyard.
"Itachi."
"Elder Akira." Itachi stepped out of the shadows, the moonlight outlining his delicate yet melancholic face. "Elder Akira, you are leading the clan to ruin."
Hearing what Itachi said, Uchiha Akira shook his head helplessly. "I thought Shisui's death would have made you see reality clearly."
"Precisely because I see it clearly, I cannot let you continue." Itachi took a step forward, his gaze fixed on Uchiha Akira. "Such belligerence will only cause the conflict between the Village and the clan to fully erupt, and by then, blood will flow like rivers, and no one will be spared."
"Peace?" Akira laughed. "Itachi, your so-called peace is nothing more than a false tranquility built upon the Konoha high-level's charity. What I seek is true dignity earned by the Uchiha through their own strength."
Uchiha Itachi could not agree with these words. This was not dignity at all; it was arrogance leading to hell.
"If that is your answer…" Uchiha Itachi's eyes changed, finally no longer concealing his strong aura. "Then let's prove it with strength. If I win, Elder Akira, please abandon this radical approach and seek a path of coexistence with the Village alongside me."
Itachi had absolute confidence in the power of his awakened Mangekyō. He believed he had the ability, and the right, to correct this mistaken path.
Uchiha Akira looked at Itachi, his eyes showing no surprise, but rather a hint of playfulness. "Alright."
In a deserted valley outside the Village, the two stood facing each other, an invisible killing intent clashing and rising in the air. The next moment, both moved simultaneously.
Whoosh!
The sharp clang of kunai colliding echoed through the empty valley. In both their eyes, three black tomoe spun rapidly, capturing every subtle movement of the opponent. The taijutsu exchange was as fast as lightning.
Uchiha Akira's attacks were broad and powerful, every punch and kick carrying immense force. Itachi's movements, however, were more agile and graceful, always able to deflect force with minimal effort, seeking openings for counterattacks.
Bang!
After another brief exchange of blows, Itachi's body was shaken back several meters, his arm slightly numb. In taijutsu, Uchiha Akira's strength and reactions subtly suppressed Itachi.
Realizing he couldn't win in taijutsu, Itachi immediately distanced himself, his hand seals changing rapidly.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
The enormous fireball spat out by Itachi carried a scorching heatwave, almost illuminating half the valley. Uchiha Akira stood his ground, not dodging, and formed hand seals as well.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Two fireballs collided mid-air with a deafening roar. Amidst the violent shockwave, several senbon shimmering with lightning had already pierced through the smoke and dust, aiming directly at Itachi's vital points.
"Lightning Release: Chidori Senbon!"
Itachi's pupils constricted sharply, and he activated his Body Flicker Technique, narrowly dodging the deadly barrage. As soon as he stabilized, he no longer hesitated, his hand seals forming even faster.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Dozens of fist-sized fireballs, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, blocked all of Uchiha Akira's escape routes from different angles. Hidden within the fireballs were kunai, their cold gleam flashing.
However, a mocking smirk played on Uchiha Akira's lips.
Zzzzt—!
Uchiha Akira's body was completely enveloped by violent blue lightning. Lightning Release Chakra Mode! Facing the sky-full of fire rain, Akira's figure flickered, turning into an afterimage, moving freely through the gaps between the fireballs. Those deadly fireballs and kunai couldn't even touch Akira's clothes.
Itachi's expression grew more serious; he hadn't expected the opponent's speed to be so fast. He took a deep breath, concentrating more Chakra.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
A roaring fire dragon, carrying an aura that could incinerate everything, charged towards the blue lightning.
"Too slow, Itachi." A cold voice sounded in his ear.
Itachi only had time to hold his kunai horizontally in front of his chest.
Boom!
An irresistible force struck him, and Itachi was blasted away like a cannonball, crashing hard against the distant mountain wall, sending gravel flying. Before Itachi could catch his breath, the blue lightning approached again. Itachi could only evade clumsily with the Body Flicker Technique and the Substitution Jutsu. With each dodge, the destructive attacks left a deep gully or a spiderweb-like crack in the ground.
Uchiha Itachi was completely suppressed.
"Give up, Itachi." Uchiha Akira's figure stopped not far away, the lightning around him slowly dissipating. "You can't defeat me."
Itachi leaned against the wall, slowly stood up, coughed out a mouthful of blood, but a desolate smile appeared on his lips.
"Is that so…?" He suddenly raised his head. "Then let me show you my true capacity!"
Those eyes were no longer three tomoe. Three black blades slowly rotated around his blood-red pupils, emitting an ominous and disastrous aura. Mangekyō Sharingan! The air, at this moment, seemed to solidify.
"Do you see, Elder Akira." Uchiha Itachi's voice carried a confidence of being in control of everything. "This is…"
"Is this your confidence?" Akira interrupted him, his tone filled with undisguised disappointment. There wasn't even a hint of surprise on his face. "Do you think you are unique?"
Under Itachi's disbelieving gaze, Uchiha Akira's eyes slowly closed, then snapped open.
Buzz—!
A wave of pupil power, deeper and more terrifying than Itachi's, swept through the entire valley like a tsunami! It was also the Mangekyō Sharingan!
"This… impossible!" Itachi's breathing completely stopped at this moment. His trump card, which he was so proud of, the power he thought could change everything, was so ridiculous in front of the other party.
No! I don't believe it!
Extreme shock turned into frantic killing intent.
"Tsukuyomi!"
Itachi's left Mangekyō suddenly contracted, pouring all its pupil power into it. He wanted to use this strongest Genjutsu to completely destroy Uchiha Akira's will!
"Your mental prison is ineffective against me." Uchiha Akira still stood in place, not even a ripple in his eyes.
Itachi's body trembled violently, and blood slowly flowed from his left eye.
Tsukuyomi… was broken? No, not broken! It was directly immune!
Uchiha Akira hadn't fallen into Tsukuyomi at all. What was going on? Uchiha Itachi couldn't understand.
[Previously, Uchiha Akira had specifically exchanged for the Mental Barrier skill to resist Kotoamatsukami. This skill specifically immunizes against Genjutsu attacks attached to the Mangekyō. Shisui's Kotoamatsukami and Itachi's Tsukuyomi were both within the immunity range. Therefore, Uchiha Akira was completely unafraid of Itachi's Tsukuyomi attack.]
Fear, for the first time, crept into the heart of the genius Uchiha Itachi.
"Amaterasu!"
Itachi let out a final roar, the Mangekyō pattern in his right eye spinning rapidly. A cluster of black flames appeared out of nowhere on Uchiha Akira's body, burning fiercely! That was the unquenchable flame that could even incinerate other flames!
However, Uchiha Akira still did not move.
Boom—!!!
An overwhelming and suffocating surge of Chakra erupted from Uchiha Akira's body, soaring into the sky! A gigantic, lightning-shrouded energy skeleton rose from the ground, enveloping him. The black Amaterasu flames were easily repelled by the massive energy body.
Susanoo!
And it wasn't the first stage; this was the second stage of Susanoo. Itachi himself could also use Susanoo, but currently, he could only summon the first form's skeleton.
He was thoroughly defeated. His Mangekyō's pupil power was rapidly depleted, his vision began to blur, and his body swayed precariously. Finally, Itachi could only collapse weakly to the ground, dejectedly giving up all resistance.