Ch. 681Light Victory
Chapter Summary: “Taking Lightly”
Key Plot Points and Events
- Sasuke Uchiha attacks Suigetsu Hozuki using Chidori, moving at extraordinary speed and leaving lightning damage across the arena.
- Suigetsu counters with the enormous Kubikiribōchō, relying on the sword’s reach and his superior swordsmanship to strike Sasuke first.
- Sasuke narrowly avoids Suigetsu’s initial horizontal slash by leaping over him, then attempts a second Chidori attack from behind.
- Suigetsu surprises Sasuke by reversing his grip and swinging the sword backward. Sasuke uses his Sharingan to predict the attack, pierces Suigetsu with lightning, and catches the sword’s hilt before it can hit him.
- Suigetsu appears to be defeated, dissolving into a puddle of transparent liquid. Spectators assume Sasuke has won, and Yuri criticizes Suigetsu for losing so quickly.
- The liquid reforms into Suigetsu, revealing that the battle is not over. This shocks the spectators, especially those aware that the Hozuki clan’s Water Transformation Technique is traditionally vulnerable to Lightning Release.
- Seven Frost explains that Suigetsu has mastered a secret technique developed by the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki. By incorporating oil-like properties into the transformation, the technique insulates the user from lightning and grants immunity to Lightning Release.
Character Developments
- Sasuke demonstrates impressive speed, Sharingan perception, and tactical adaptability. Although his newly learned Chidori is poorly controlled and causes excessive collateral damage, he quickly recognizes when his first attack will fail and adjusts his strategy.
- Sasuke is initially overconfident after defeating Suigetsu with one lightning strike, underestimating the Hozuki clan’s advanced techniques.
- Suigetsu displays expert swordsmanship, quick reflexes, and deceptive restraint. He intentionally appears less capable than usual, leading others to suspect that his early defeat was deliberate or part of a larger plan.
- Suigetsu’s mastery of the Second Mizukage’s secret oily transformation marks a significant advancement beyond the standard Water Transformation Technique.
- Seven Frost establishes himself as knowledgeable about Kirigakure’s history and hidden techniques, while Yuri shifts from mocking Suigetsu to questioning the suspicious nature of his performance.
Significant Themes
- Underestimation and hidden strength: Sasuke assumes Lightning Release has completely neutralized Suigetsu, but Suigetsu’s apparent defeat conceals a stronger defensive ability.
- Appearance versus reality: The arena’s destruction makes Sasuke’s Chidori seem overwhelmingly powerful to ordinary spectators, even though experienced ninja recognize that the damage reflects his lack of control.
- Adaptation and inherited knowledge: Gengetsu Hozuki’s modification of the Water Transformation Technique demonstrates how weaknesses can be overcome through innovation and the preservation of secret techniques.
- Combat intelligence versus raw power: Both fighters rely on prediction, timing, and tactical deception rather than strength alone.
- Public spectacle versus expert judgment: The crowd is impressed by the visual destruction, while the Five Kage and other skilled ninja focus on the technical flaws and unusual circumstances of the fight.
Character Interactions
- Suigetsu taunts Sasuke about the advantage of his sword’s reach, while Sasuke silently evaluates the attack using his Sharingan.
- During the exchange, Sasuke and Suigetsu repeatedly surprise one another: Sasuke evades the first slash, while Suigetsu unexpectedly reverses his swing from behind.
- Yuri harshly criticizes Suigetsu for disgracing Kirigakure, and Seven Frost agrees that his performance is unusually poor.
- Sasuke impatiently urges referee Gekko Hayate to declare him the winner, unaware that Suigetsu is reforming.
- Seven Frost explains Suigetsu’s secret technique to Yuri and the other observers, reframing the battle and revealing that Suigetsu’s apparent loss was not genuine.