The world fell silent, listening to the sound of space-time warping!
"Kamui!"
What?
Kakuzu was startled. Of course he knew whose technique it was—that power to warp space was enough to make even an immortal like him wary.
He hurriedly fled, trying to get out of Kamui's range. Nothing else mattered for now; as long as he escaped its range, everything would be fine.
But Kamui was still faster than Kakuzu, and space began to twist.
In the blink of an eye, Kakashi twisted off Kakuzu's left arm.
After putting some distance between them, Kakuzu's expression darkened.
At least, that was how it looked to Kakashi and the others. Losing his right arm would greatly affect Kakuzu's combat ability. They had to act while he was still caught off guard.
They might as well press their advantage and finish Kakuzu off in one go.
That was Kakashi's plan. He gathered Chidori in his hand and charged forward. Kakuzu used Earth Style: Earth Wall to block him. Seeing Kakashi advance, Josuke followed, eager to grab some credit in the melee.
Two Flying Thunder God Kunai appeared in his hands.
He held one and waited for the right moment to throw the other behind Kakuzu.
Caught between them, Kakuzu was done for. If Josuke didn't take him down, he might as well stop calling himself an Uchiha. The joy of victory being within reach filled Josuke's heart.
So the Akatsuki weren't all that strong after all.
The Flying Thunder God Kunai quickly reached Kakuzu's back. Just like last time, Kakuzu didn't block it. Without a second thought, Josuke teleported over.
Having been caught by that trick once already, Kakuzu wasn't foolish enough to fall for it again.
He'd already figured out how to handle the two of them. As an old monster who'd lived for ages, what kind of storms hadn't he weathered? He hadn't even been afraid when he'd gone toe-to-toe with the First.
Had he really arm-wrestled him? Just an old guy talking big.
The attack from straight ahead came just as Kakashi's Chidori struck. One of Kakuzu's clones used Earth Release: Earth Style: Earth Wall to block it.
Kakashi's Chidori smashed into the wall, leaving a huge crater but causing no real damage. He immediately gathered another Chidori.
At the same time, behind Kakuzu—
Josuke used Flying Thunder God to appear behind Kakuzu, then tossed his Kunai into the air. A Rasengan had already formed in his hand, and he charged at Kakuzu.
Kakuzu had been ready for him. Why would he fall for the same trick twice?
His left hand rose to block, while a mask unleashed Fire Release at him. Josuke grinned. You think I don't know? Sorry, but this is Flying Thunder God: Second Step!
Josuke teleported from behind Kakuzu to right in front of him, using the Flying Thunder God Kunai he'd thrown earlier. A Rasengan gathered in his right hand, and he slammed it toward Kakuzu's crown.
How naive!
The scene Josuke had imagined—a shattered mask on Kakuzu—never came to pass. Instead, Josuke himself was tightly bound in the air by a rope!
What?
How could this happen?
Looking closely, he saw that the rope binding him was the cord connecting Kakuzu's right arm to his body. From the very beginning, both Josuke and Kakashi had fallen for Kakuzu's trap.
Kamui was indeed powerful, but Kakashi and Josuke had forgotten that even if Kakuzu's arm was severed, he could repair and regenerate it with his masks. As long as he had a mask to do the repair, he could restore it.
Kakuzu's original target had been Kakashi, but who could have expected—
Josuke had delivered himself right into his hands.
Then you'll just have to die, Josuke! Die!
The rope was about to pierce Josuke's chest like a sword. Kakashi and the others were frantic, but Kakashi was held back by the fire mask in front of him.
All they could do was watch helplessly!
Was this really how it ended? Josuke felt his life flash before his eyes. He might not die—it depended on where Kakuzu stabbed him—but there was still a good chance he would. Maybe he'd be brought back with Impure World Reincarnation, like Itachi.
Then he'd fight the Shinobi Alliance. He'd probably end up as some kind of boss guarding the final stage.
His life flashed before his eyes. He was so unwilling to accept it!
So unwilling!
Ino, I'm sorry... It's all my fault for underestimating him. Naruto should be here soon. Then you can avenge me. Man, if only I had Amaterasu right now.
I could burn through these ropes...
Maybe people only understood things in the final moments of their lives... Josuke opened his eyes and looked at the attacks rushing toward him, strangely calm.
His eyes just felt so itchy, as if something black was trying to come out.
It seemed to have neutralized all of Kakuzu's attacks. What was that?
Josuke stared at the black, flame-like substance, utterly shocked. What was this?
"Amaterasu!"
More black matter poured from his eyes. It had no color as it left them, but the moment it reached its destination, it became inextinguishable black flames!
What was going on?
Why was this happening?
When had he awakened his eyes?
Josuke could hardly believe it, but he was absolutely certain that he'd awakened them. The right hand binding him was also burned to ashes by Amaterasu.
Now Kakuzu had no way to repair his arm.
Josuke fell toward the ground, but Kakashi quickly summoned a clone to catch him.
"Mangekyō Sharingan..." Kakashi heard Josuke murmuring. "Mangekyō?"
That was right. Josuke's eyes had become an eerie crimson, shaped like Fuma Shuriken. His first impression was that they were a pair of terrifying eyes.
Crimson blood welled from both of Josuke's eyes. He knew this was the Mangekyō's backlash. Unless he obtained and transplanted the Mangekyō of someone just as close to him, he would never gain Eternal Light.
Josuke felt that his vision had deteriorated a little. The symptom was barely noticeable, but he still sensed it keenly.
"Josuke... are you okay?"
While Josuke was still stunned, Kakashi called him back to his senses.
Right, they were still fighting Kakuzu. This wasn't the time to space out. Josuke took a few deep breaths and steadied himself. Since he had Amaterasu, did that mean he could also get the Susanoo mecha?!
Susanoo was the third power unlocked only by those who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, and was known as the power of the gods. Susanoo symbolized destruction. People said that anyone who saw it with their own eyes was doomed to die.
It had several stages: the initial stage, which manifested arms and ribs; the first stage, shaped like a skeleton; the second stage, in which meridians and flesh covered the skeleton; the third stage, which added Tengu Armor to Susanoo's original form; and the fourth stage, which added a lower body and legs to its second form. The third and fourth stages weren't successive evolutions.
And then there was the final form: Perfect Susanoo!!!
Only those who had brought the ocular power of the Mangekyō Sharingan to its absolute limit and possessed immense Chakra could awaken Perfect Susanoo.
Susanoo grew extraordinarily large, and its Chakra became stable. Its strength could easily split mountains and meteors, and it could also fly. It could even form Hand Seals and use the techniques its wielder excelled at.
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