Secret Technique!

"Asai, isn't it a bit excessive to use genjutsu on a ghost?"

Seeing Sasuke's eyes closed and his expression pained, Okada teased.

Taking a kunai from his pocket, Asai smiled, "It's not yours, don't be careless!"

Without waiting for Okada's response, Asai walked slowly toward Sasuke and sneered, "Ghost, goodbye!"

As the laughter faded, Asai's arm jolted, and the kunai gripped tightly in his right hand thrust toward Sasuke's heart.

However, just as Asai made his move, Sasuke suddenly opened his eyes, his blood-red two-tomoe Sharingan instantly appearing.

Immediately after, Sasuke's figure vanished before Asai like a phantom.

"What..."

"This... how is this possible?"

With his kunai stabbing into empty air, Asai was struck with immense shock at this sudden turn of events.

Just as Asai was reeling in shock, in the blink of an eye, Sasuke appeared behind him with his blade drawn, whispering softly, "Since you chased me all the way to Konoha to kill, you should have been prepared to be cut down by others yourself."

As the whisper faded, Sasuke's long blade pierced through Asai's body without hesitation.

"Squelch!"

The dull sound of the puncture caused Asai's pupils to constrict sharply, and bright red blood immediately began to flow rapidly from the wound.

"This is the cruelty of the ninja world!"

Sighing helplessly, Sasuke pulled his blade out.

"Ah..."

With a scream, Asai's body lurched forward, but his legs went limp and he collapsed. With a look of horror still frozen on his face, Asai closed his eyes.

"Hehe, I really didn't expect you to possess those eyes. Asai's genjutsu was ineffective against you!"

Ignoring the death of his companion, Okada looked at Sasuke's Sharingan and chuckled.

"Even without relying on the Sharingan, he wouldn't have been able to kill me!"

Surprised that Okada could remain so indifferent to his companion's death and still manage to laugh, Sasuke paused for a moment before responding.

"What an interesting fellow. If it weren't for the box in your hands, I really wouldn't want to kill you!"

Taking off his jacket to reveal his rock-hard muscles, Okada laughed.

"Could it be that a very important secret is hidden inside that box?"

Sasuke asked tentatively.

"Yes. If you were to hand it over to the Hokage, Kusagakure might be destroyed."

With intense killing intent rising in his eyes, Okada spoke bluntly, without a hint of concern.

"Since that's the case, I'll have to get serious too!"

Feeling that Okada wasn't joking, Sasuke became increasingly interested in the contents of the box, so he prepared to fight with all his might.

"Come on! Ghost!"

With a bloodthirsty grin curling his lips, Okada let out a sinister laugh, then stomped his feet heavily against the ground. Like a giant beast, he charged headlong toward Sasuke.

Watching Okada charge in with fierce momentum, Sasuke raised his blade to strike.

His originally bronze skin rapidly turned black. Okada didn't dodge Sasuke's sharp blade, and the cold, shimmering edge of the sword struck heavily against his rushing body.

"Clang!"

The blade hit Okada's body, but instead of a scene of flowing blood, a crisp sound rang out, as if striking solid rock.

"An earth-style ninja?"

Although he didn't know what jutsu Okada had used to harden his body, Sasuke was certain that Okada was an earth-style user.

"Too weak!"

With Sasuke's attack proving ineffective, Okada countered with a heavy punch that struck Sasuke's body at close range.

"Boom!"

With a dull thud, Sasuke's body was sent flying backward. He dug his heels into the ground, carving out a deep trench several meters long before finally coming to a halt.

Wiping the blood from his mouth, Sasuke pressed his hands together and quickly formed hand seals.

"Don't waste your effort!"

Watching Sasuke form seals, Okada took a step forward, hunched his body, and lunged toward Sasuke again like a leopard.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Just as Okada rushed over, Sasuke spat out a massive fireball, which collided head-on with him.

"Boom!"

At the point of impact, a thunderous explosion erupted across the field, sending countless shards of rock and flames bursting out from the dust.

Sasuke stood his ground holding his short blade, his face as pale as paper. His chakra was heavily depleted, and at this moment, he could only hope that his fireball had been enough to defeat Okada.

However, Sasuke's hopes were finally shattered when a figure faintly emerged from the dust.

"Haha, physical attacks are useless against me."

Amidst the swirling dust, Okada's figure slowly stepped out, and he laughed triumphantly at the shocked Sasuke.

"Don't get cocky; every technique has a weakness!"

Hearing Okada's smug laughter, Sasuke frowned slightly before speaking slowly.

"That remains to be seen!"

Glaring at Sasuke with a gloomy gaze, Okada moved his hand seals.

"Earth Style: Mud Slab Coffin!"

A low shout suddenly erupted from Okada's mouth, and immediately, several slabs of condensed mud appeared on the ground beneath Sasuke, quickly squeezing him in between them.

The specialty of Kusagakure ninjas was imitating the ninjutsu of other nations; this Mud Slab Coffin of Okada's was a direct imitation of Iwagakure's Rock Slab Coffin. Although it lacked the power of the original, it was still a decent technique.

"It's all over!"

Seeing Sasuke completely buried by the mud slabs, Okada gave a sinister, bone-chilling laugh.

"It won't be that easy to kill me!"

However, just as Okada prepared to leave, a low voice drifted over.

"Impossible, that brat was clearly..."

Sasuke had already been buried, so how could he still be talking?

Hearing that familiar voice, Okada cried out in sheer terror, and he immediately spun around.

"Chidori!"

Though it was only for a fleeting moment, by the time Okada turned around, Sasuke's face was already inches away, his right hand crackling with lightning as he thrust it forward violently.

"Don't kill me! I surrender, please spare me!"

Every hair on Okada's body stood on end; having survived many bloody battles, he caught the thick scent of death and hurriedly shouted.

Based on his past experience, after he shouted this, the enemy would pause to gloat, allowing him to exploit their lapse in concentration to launch a counterattack and turn the situation around.

Yet, Sasuke's expression remained cold, showing no intention of stopping; the Chidori in his hand transformed into a bolt of lightning, piercing mercilessly into the region of Okada's heart.

"Don't treat me like a three-year-old; even if I spared you, you would still kill me!"

As the excruciating pain set in, Sasuke's low murmur reached Okada's ears.

(A new week has begun, let's get those 500 recommendation votes!)