The power of the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu left the watching Uchiha clan members in awe. Itachi truly lived up to his status as the clan's top genius. Only someone of his caliber could unleash such a potent fire jutsu. His affinity for Fire Style was undeniable.
Even Uchiha Fugaku was pleased with his son's display. Yet in his heart, he sighed. He didn't know where Itachi's loyalties now lay. Perhaps he really had chosen Konoha's side.
Every time Itachi reported back to the clan, he insisted the village leadership bore no hostility and had taken no action against them, asking the clan to remain calm. But even Fugaku couldn't believe such claims—let alone the rest of the clan.
Ryōsuke watched Itachi cast the jutsu and scoffed internally. Even a guy like Itachi liked using Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu—a technique with no real use beyond looking cool.
Which is why, naturally, he'd fallen in love with it.
He refined his chakra and swiftly formed hand seals.
"Snake – Ram – Monkey – Boar – Horse – Tiger."
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu."
A giant fireball erupted from his mouth, massive as a house—larger even than Itachi's.
Ryōsuke clearly had more chakra, and the result was more power.
The two fireballs collided in midair and exploded, scattering flames across the darkened sky. Fire surged outward in every direction. Some fireballs even flew toward the watching Uchiha, though they easily dodged or scattered them. By the time the flames reached them, they had lost most of their force.
Aside from those who had seen Ryōsuke fight before, everyone was stunned. Itachi's strength was well known—but Ryōsuke matching him like this? Unthinkable.
He too had strong Fire Style affinity. Even Uchiha Izumi stood with her mouth agape. She'd seen Itachi's power before. But Ryōsuke? He had hidden his strength deeply. His fireball was even larger than Itachi's.
At the same time, she felt helpless. Why did two top clan geniuses have to stand opposed? Ryōsuke was clearly fighting to protect the clan—so why was Itachi standing in his way?
If only they could unite. The Uchiha might truly reclaim their past glory.
In the center of the field, Itachi was shocked by the size and force of Ryōsuke's jutsu. Still, he seized the chance and charged straight at him.
He trusted his taijutsu. In the past, even a shadow clone of his had defeated his peers. His real body was far stronger.
Ryōsuke saw Itachi rush in. It was obvious he wanted a taijutsu fight. A smile crept to his lips. Shuriken throwing? Itachi had the edge. Sharingan power? Probably even. But taijutsu? He had the absolute advantage.
Itachi's taijutsu was decent, but nothing more.
Ryōsuke easily evaded his attacks and countered with a heavy punch.
Itachi didn't expect him to dodge so easily. He quickly blocked, but the blow made his arms ache. He was startled. While his technique might be superior, Ryōsuke's raw physical strength was overwhelming.
After several exchanges, Itachi was clearly being suppressed. His body felt the strain, and he was forced to retreat step by step.
He couldn't keep this up. If he continued trading blows, he'd lose for sure.
The watching Uchiha were amazed. This was beyond anything they had imagined.
Their clan wasn't known for taijutsu, but they were no slouches either. Yet Ryōsuke was overwhelming Itachi. His taijutsu was frighteningly strong.
Many in the crowd—if they faced Ryōsuke—knew they wouldn't stand a chance.
Some, like Uchiha Yatsushiro, Uchiha Inahō, and Uchiha Fugaku, weren't surprised. They had already seen Ryōsuke's taijutsu firsthand.
And this wasn't even him using the Eight Gates. If he opened those, he could defeat Itachi in an instant.
If Itachi insisted on continuing, he would only lose.
This result aligned perfectly with the hardliners' interests. Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui clearly represented the moderates—favoring dialogue and submission to Konoha's leadership.
It was Shisui, after all, who supported the clan's forced relocation.
No one doubted Shisui's power. Even the radicals respected his ability.
But the radicals lacked a strong champion of their own.
Itachi's instincts told him the same—taijutsu was a dead end. He had to create distance or he would lose.
He quickly retreated, but Ryōsuke wouldn't allow it.
He was faster now and closed the gap instantly, smashing his fist toward Itachi's chest.
Itachi couldn't dodge in time. Pain contorted his face as his body flew back and skidded across the ground, barely stopping himself.
He looked pale. How could a genius like him end up like this?
Yes, Ryōsuke was a few years older—but still, it felt like utter defeat. Rage flared in his chest.
'How is this guy so strong?'
He had hoped to crush Ryōsuke and end his influence over the clan. But now, Ryōsuke had trampled him, only bolstering his authority.
Ryōsuke, meanwhile, wore a satisfied smile.
He'd already kicked Uchiha Obito. Now he'd punched Uchiha Itachi. His original dream was complete.
These two traitors were no longer his match.
Maybe one day they'd awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan—but he held the power of dual systems. Wouldn't he become even stronger?
And the more kids he had, the more rewards he'd earn.
Even the seemingly unreliable Auto-Cultivation System had proven surprisingly effective. As long as it boosted his strength, that was enough.