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The purple giant reached out and casually caught the red Susanoo's massive blade.
Then it squeezed.
The crimson chakra sword shattered instantly, breaking apart into fragments of energy that scattered into the air.
With its other hand, the purple giant grabbed the red Susanoo by the head and slammed it straight into the ground.
Boom!!!
The earth shook violently. Buildings in every direction collapsed one after another, and a massive crater caved into the ground.
The red Susanoo was pinned down, crushed into the earth. It simply didn't have the strength to break free from the purple one's grip.
Inside, Itachi clenched his teeth and forced his Susanoo to form another greatsword, thrusting it toward the purple giant to push it back and buy himself room to stand.
But the crimson blade had only just taken shape when a huge purple hand caught it—
—and crushed it again.
"Too weak. Your Susanoo isn't even enough to warm me up."
Akira's voice was calm as he looked down at the red giant struggling beneath him.
"Damn it!"
Itachi's face darkened.
Genjutsu—overpowered.Taijutsu—overpowered.Even Susanoo—completely crushed.
This wasn't a fight. It was a total, merciless stomp from every direction.
Who the hell is this guy?!
The purple giant raised its right arm high. An enormous amount of chakra gathered around its fist.
Then it came down.
Boom!!
The punch hit the red Susanoo's head like a Tailed Beast Bomb detonating on impact. A deafening explosion ripped through the air.
A circular shockwave blasted outward, flattening every surrounding structure into rubble.
Luckily, when Akira had used Amenotejikara earlier, he had teleported himself into an abandoned section of the Uchiha district. Most of the buildings here were unoccupied.
If these two Susanoo had clashed like this in a residential area, the civilian casualties would have been unimaginable.
Boom!!
Another punch followed the first.
The red Susanoo's head exploded on the spot.
"—!"
Inside the chakra construct, Itachi coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Susanoo itself was a manifestation of chakra, so damage to it didn't directly injure the user. But maintaining it consumed an enormous amount of chakra. Every time its body was destroyed, it ripped a huge chunk of energy straight from the caster.
The purple Susanoo lifted its fist again, ready to smash the red one's torso next—
When black flames suddenly ignited across its body.
"…Hm?"
Akira paused, staring at the pitch-black fire clinging to his Susanoo.
Amaterasu.
Itachi endured the stabbing pain in his eyes and unleashed the power of his other Mangekyō.
The inextinguishable black flames—Amaterasu.
Also known, somewhat mockingly, as the "Flame of Mercy."
Because despite all its hype in the original story, it never actually managed to burn anyone to death.
Seizing the moment Akira hesitated, Itachi quickly pulled his red Susanoo free and staggered back.
"Tch. That kind of thing doesn't work on me."
Akira clicked his tongue. His right eye's Eternal Mangekyō ability activated—
—and the black flames vanished instantly.
"Oh? Still planning to struggle?"
He watched as Itachi reformed the head of his red Susanoo.
"I won't fall," Itachi said coldly. "Not until I kill you."
No matter what, he would avenge Izumi.
Just then, Fugaku arrived with a large group of Uchiha shinobi.
"What are those monsters?!"
"Why are they in our clan grounds? Did that old dog Hiruzen send them?!"
"I've read about this in the archives—this is the Mangekyō's ultimate technique. Susanoo!"
The less experienced Uchiha were shouting in shock.
Fugaku stared at the two figures inside the towering chakra warriors, his expression grave.
He recognized his son, Uchiha Itachi.
But the other one? A two-meter-tall muscular brute he'd never seen before—yet he possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Stop! This is Uchiha territory. Show some restraint!"
Fugaku shouted at Akira.
One was his son. The other was a stranger. Of course he'd side with his son.
"Shut up, idiot," Akira snapped. "Hiruzen's already brought people to surround the entire Uchiha district, and you're still wandering around with your fodder squad?"
…That tone.
Fugaku froze.
There was only one person who would dare speak to him like that.
So this was the real face of the fake "Akira."
He hadn't expected a burly musclehead. And this guy had been pretending to be his seven-year-old son? Ridiculous.
Fugaku grumbled inwardly.
At that moment, Itachi spoke up.
"Father. He's telling the truth. Danzō and the Third Hokage have completely surrounded the Uchiha district."
"What?!"
Fugaku's face changed drastically.
He no longer cared why the two had been fighting. With a sharp order, he led the Uchiha ninja away to prepare for battle.
Akira let out a cold laugh.
"So Danzō hasn't moved yet. Planning to reap the benefits after we weaken each other, huh? Fine. If he won't come in, I'll go find him."
He looked at Itachi inside the red Susanoo.
"Alright. Warm-up's over. I'm done playing with you. Time to go pay that old dog Danzō a visit."
"Playing?!"
Itachi's expression twisted with fury.
"You think this is a joke? I'm going to kill you to avenge Izumi! And you say you were playing with me?! Don't you dare look down on me!!"
"AAAHHH—!"
Roaring in rage, Itachi recklessly squeezed every last drop of chakra from his body. Two massive chakra blades formed in his Susanoo's hands.
He raised them to strike—
But the purple Susanoo vanished.
"…What?"
The target was gone.
Then he saw Akira standing there, having dispelled his Susanoo entirely.
"You want to fight me with your real body?" Itachi's confusion turned into delight. "Then pay for your arrogance!"
Trying to face two Susanoo greatswords with flesh and blood?
That was suicide.
He swung both blades down—
And in that instant, his vision blurred.
The Akira who had been over ten meters away appeared right in front of him.
What?!
I'm inside Susanoo. How did he get in?!
Shock exploded across Itachi's face.
Then realization struck.
Akira hadn't entered the Susanoo.
He had moved Itachi out.
Before he could react—
A fierce gust of wind.
A massive palm.
Smack!!
The slap echoed loud and clear.
The force sent Itachi spinning through the air before he crashed into a pile of rubble. His head lolled to one side, and he blacked out instantly.
[Ding… Mission 1 complete. Congratulations, Host. Sign-in attempts +2.]
Honestly, against space-time techniques like Amenotejikara, Susanoo's defense might as well not exist.
Akira looked at the severely injured Itachi lying motionless in the ruins and felt quite pleased.
Beating you this badly? Consider it a little punishment for a "filial son" who was about to slaughter his own parents.
"..."
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