Han gathered Tailed Beast Chakra in his mouth. The powerful chakra gradually condensed into a purple-black sphere.
This was the Tailed Beasts' ultimate technique: the Tailed Beast Bomb.
A Tailed Beast Bomb was formed by bringing the shape transformation of Tailed Beast Chakra to its utmost limit, then mixing and compressing it in the mouth at a Yin-to-Yang ratio of 2:8 into an ultra-dense sphere before releasing it all at once.
At its full power, a Tailed Beast Bomb could easily destroy a mountain.
Gulp.
Han swallowed the purple-black chakra sphere.
In an instant, his body swelled dramatically. After a brief buildup, he opened his mouth, and a high-density stream of chakra shot out.
The terrifying stream tore through the earth, and the gale it kicked up uprooted the nearby trees.
"Rho Aias!"
Uchiha Iori struggled to his feet and squeezed chakra out of his body, barely managing to project a shield.
Boom!
The shield he had barely projected had only five petals. Iori's remaining chakra was no longer enough to power a complete Projection.
The Tailed Beast Bomb smashed through three petals in quick succession.
Just as the last petal was about to give way, the Tailed Beast Bomb finally came to a stop.
"You managed to block it. To still defend yourself after suffering such severe injuries—you're impressive," Han said coldly, a trace of wariness in his eyes.
"But what about the next attack? Just lie down and die!"
Han stood at a distance and spoke.
After being badly wounded by the Demonic Spear, he had grown afraid of Iori's Noble Phantasms and refused to fight him at close range.
Iori might not be so lucky to survive the next time.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Uchiha Iori burst into wild laughter.
His left arm hung limp; his shoulder was broken.
He was covered in blood from head to toe, and could barely remain standing.
"What are you laughing at? That your death is near?"
Han couldn't see how Iori could turn things around, but to prevent any more complications, he still chose to kill him as quickly as possible.
"I'll remember you, young man of the Uchiha Clan."
Han gathered Tailed Beast Chakra once again.
"You're so damn noisy, talking to yourself like that."
"You couldn't kill me just now. Now you've lost your chance."
Uchiha Iori was unusually arrogant now. At the moment he had been on the brink of death, he had gained the Uchiha Clan's ultimate power.
At death's door, he had finally recognized the ugliness within himself.
What he wanted wasn't a fight. He wanted a fight he could win and enjoy.
And so the Sharingan reflected his heart and began to evolve. The three Tomoe spun wildly.
At last, they fused into the shape of a six-pointed star.
The Mangekyō Sharingan had finally been born.
Han didn't swallow the sphere. Instead, he directly unleashed the power of the Tailed Beast Bomb.
The purple-black chakra sphere quickly condensed and flew toward Iori.
"That's all you've got? Susanoo is the embodiment of destruction!"
Uchiha Iori spoke arrogantly, his eyes gleaming with fervor.
Unholy black chakra emerged around his body.
A skeletal arm and its corresponding ribs appeared beside him.
With a casual swing, he knocked the Tailed Beast Bomb away.
The Tailed Beast Bomb exploded in the distance, sending a shockwave sweeping outward.
"Could that really be the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Han said, unable to believe it.
As Ōnoki's loyal subordinate, he naturally understood how wary Ōnoki was of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
The darkest memory of Ōnoki's life was standing before Madara Uchiha outside Konoha.
Susanoo had towered over them, and with just one strike, he and his teacher had been knocked down before Madara.
The only reason they had survived was that Madara Uchiha hadn't considered them worth killing.
"My theory was right after all. I really did awaken these eyes."
There was a hint of rapture in Uchiha Iori's voice. A steady stream of power flowed from his eyes, stirring the darkness and pressure within him.
He continued to unleash his ocular power. The skeleton appeared in full, completely encasing his body.
Iori's Susanoo had six arms, each holding a sword and a spear.
He raised a hand, and Susanoo swung at Han. Despite its enormous size, it moved with terrifying agility.
Han used steam to leap into the air and evade the strike.
"Kokuō, I'm going to undergo Complete Tailed Beast Transformation. Lend me your strength," Han said gravely.
He didn't choose to flee. Instead, he decided to stake everything on one final effort.
Uchiha Iori was now severely injured, and this might be his best chance to kill him.
"Very well. I'll lend you my power."
Vast chakra surged out of him and enveloped his body.
In an instant, a colossal beast stood upon the earth.
"Good, good! Keep fighting me!" Iori laughed wildly.
He continued to unleash his ocular power. Meridians and flesh spread over Susanoo's skeletal frame, which was then covered in chakra like a robe.
He shouted, "Yasakani no Magatama!"
A string of Tomoe appeared in Susanoo's hand and were hurled at the Five-Tails.
The Five-Tails raised its head, and a Tailed Beast Bomb quickly took shape.
It spat out the Tailed Beast Bomb, sending it crashing into the Tomoe in midair.
A deafening boom rang out, and a gale blew from the point of impact.
The nearby hills were flattened.
"Is that your limit? The Tailed Beasts are nothing special after all!"
Affected by his surging ocular power, Uchiha Iori unleashed his strength without restraint.
Armor appeared on Susanoo's body. This was already Susanoo's third stage.
"Horn Break."
The Five-Tails didn't flee. It charged straight at Iori, thrusting the five enormous horns on its head toward Susanoo.
Susanoo's six weapons slashed at the Five-Tails, holding it back as the two sides locked in a stalemate.
"Now I'll let you see my ocular technique, as a final offering before your death."
"Susanoo-no-Mikoto!"
The enormous Susanoo rose from the ground, its size nearly matching Sasuke Uchiha's Complete Body Susanoo.
Iori's position shifted to Susanoo's head. He looked down at the Five-Tails from on high.
"The game is over," Iori said. Various Noble Phantasms appeared in Susanoo's hands.
The six hands each held Gae Bolg, Gae Dearg, Gáe Buidhe, Moralltach, Gan Jiang, and Mo Ye.
He merely released Moralltach, but amplified by Susanoo, the three blades it produced were enormous.
In an instant, the three blades dismembered the Five-Tails.
Before the gigantic Susanoo, the Five-Tails was like a toy.
Iori took out a sealing scroll with one hand and sealed the Five-Tails' limbs, saving them as materials for future use.
As his ocular power waned, he gradually regained his composure.
He looked at Han, who had left Tailed Beast Mode and was on the verge of death.
Iori dispelled Susanoo, walked over to him, and spoke.
"What I said earlier was all meant to provoke you. I actually admire people like you, who are willing to give everything for their village."
"You're an excellent shinobi. I acknowledge your resolve."
"I'll bring this era of chaos to an end. Wait quietly for that day in the Pure Land."
Then Iori used a spear to cut off Han's head as proof.
His head could not only serve as a military achievement, but also intimidate the Iwagakure Ninja.
After taking a Military Ration Pill, Iori recovered some of his chakra.
His Mangekyō Sharingan was badly damaged and couldn't be used for the time being.
Iori projected Pain Breaker to heal his injuries.
After confirming that Pain Breaker could also heal the damage to his Mangekyō Sharingan, Iori finally relaxed and stopped worrying about going blind.
The healing was slow, but at least it worked.
There was no time to spare, so Iori stopped after treating only some of his external wounds.
He hurried toward the place where they had split up earlier. He had to make sure his teammates were safe and confirm whether they had completed the mission.