Your Will of Fire Isn't Pure Enough!

Uchiha Yoru's palm pierced ruthlessly through Uchiha Sasuke's chest, blood spraying out like a fountain as the night grew increasingly frigid amidst the crimson hue.

Sasuke's pupils dilated slightly, his face a mask of shock and agony, his body suspended helplessly under Uchiha Yoru's control like a bird with broken wings, forever unable to take flight again.

The scent of death permeated the ruined battlefield in silence.

Uchiha Itachi's pupils constricted sharply, his gaze turning hollow and vacant in an instant.

He had never imagined that one day, the younger brother he had staked everything to protect would be mercilessly stripped of his life right before his eyes.

Uchiha Itachi was filled with profound regret—not for the clan massacre, but for why he hadn't checked the bodies one last time after the slaughter.

With his brother gone, everything he had done was rendered meaningless.

The clan and Konoha, all the burdens that had once plagued him, were nothing but fleeting clouds in the face of the dead Uchiha Sasuke.

"No!!!--"

Itachi's roar tore through the silence, his feet lunging forward as he moved on pure instinct, desperate to rush over and snatch Sasuke back from those blood-stained hands.

Alas, it was already too late.

"Why so agitated?"

Uchiha Yoru's low voice rang out, shattering all of Itachi's illusions, his face still wearing that same cold, heartless expression.

"Or perhaps..."

"Your Will of Fire is not pure enough!"

A mocking curve tugged at the corner of his mouth, his gaze deep as an abyss, cold and unfeeling.

"For the sake of your so-called 'Will of Fire,' you could personally slaughter the entire Uchiha clan and kill my parents... you even killed your own parents with your own hands."

"And as for me, killing your brother for the sake of my own 'Will of Fire'—what could possibly be the problem with that?"

Uchiha Itachi's body trembled slightly, his fingertips as cold as iron, rage and grief weaving into a storm that burned fiercely within his chest.

At this moment, his fury triggered a massive influx of special chakra into his eyes.

And in this very instant—

Uchiha Itachi's pupils expanded abruptly, his Mangekyou Sharingan spinning wildly, the scarlet light threatening to swallow the entire night!

"Uchiha Yoru--!!"

In a flash, violent chakra swept across the surroundings like a gale, the rubble on the battlefield sent scattering, the very air seemingly frozen in place.

"Susanoo--!!"

A deafening roar exploded through the void!

In the pitch-black night, a massive crimson figure rose from the ground, the skeletal structure of the Susanoo forming rapidly, followed immediately by scarlet armor coating its frame!

The half-body Susanoo stared fixedly at Uchiha Yoru, its killing intent solidified, as if it meant to tear him to shreds!

BOOM!!!

The Susanoo abruptly drew the Totsuka Blade from its waist, the blade wreathed in sealing power, the air distorting violently the moment the edge cut through it, staining the night with a smear of crimson.

Uchiha Itachi spoke no more; his rage required no words to express.

The sword of the Susanoo was his fury made manifest!!

A heaven-shaking beam of light tore through the sky, carrying a destructive momentum as it slashed down toward Uchiha Yoru--!!

--However.

"Getting desperate?"

Uchiha Yoru crossed his arms over his chest, looking at the crimson half-body Susanoo with a scoff, a playful curve touching his lips.

"Desperation is useless..."

"Weakness is the original sin!"

"My pain is far greater than yours!!!"

A torrential surge of chakra instantly swept across heaven and earth, an indescribable pressure erupting from within Uchiha Yoru!

Purple chakra, like a violent storm, instantly tore through the night, manifesting as a colossal warrior towering into the clouds!

Perfect Susanoo!!!

The behemoth stood tall upon the battlefield, wreathed in lightning, the violent Kamui ravaging the world; the surrounding space seemed unable to withstand such terrifying power, visible cracks spreading through the air!

Compared to the Perfect Susanoo, Uchiha Itachi's Susanoo was like an infant facing a giant, insignificant and unworthy of mention.

Although the Totsuka Blade possessed the power of sealing, the prerequisite was—it had to actually hit the target!

At this moment, the Perfect Susanoo was like a god descended; Uchiha Yoru looked on at the incoming Totsuka Blade with indifference, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes.

"To hell with all that!"

The giant katana in the Perfect Susanoo's hand was raised slowly, purple chakra condensing into substance upon the blade, lightning dancing across it as space trembled slightly.

The next instant—

BOOM!!!

The giant blade tore through the sky like a divine punishment descending upon the world, carrying a force capable of crushing all resistance as it slashed down!!

Uchiha Itachi's pupils constricted sharply. His Susanoo crossed its arms, and he gritted his teeth, circulating his chakra frantically while raising the Yata Mirror high with his other hand, pushing his defense to the absolute limit!

--BOOM!!!

The giant blade slammed into the Yata Mirror, triggering an earth-shattering explosion of energy!

BOOM--!!!

The violent shockwave raged like a hurricane. The entire battlefield collapsed under the weight of this single strike; the earth shook violently, rocks shattered, and distant mountains crumbled into ruin!!

The Yata Mirror held firm against the blow, its surface rippling with waves of energy, yet the terrifying power still pierced through the defense, hammering against Uchiha Itachi's Susanoo like a tidal wave!!

"Urgh!!!"

Uchiha Itachi let out a muffled groan as a sweet taste rose in his throat, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth as his knees nearly buckled!

The armor of his Susanoo cracked under the strike, forming hideous, jagged fissures!

The next second!

The crimson Susanoo shattered with a roar, and Uchiha Itachi's figure was exposed beneath the purple lightning!

The giant katana plunged deep into the ground, the aftermath sweeping outward to whip up a monstrous storm!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

As if an earthquake had struck, the surrounding buildings were instantly reduced to ruins, and the distant forest was uprooted by the terrifying pressure, pulverized into dust that filled the sky!

Uchiha Yoru slowly retracted his Perfect Susanoo, the massive tide of chakra dissipating as the battlefield under the night sky lay in total disarray.

The cracked earth, broken trees, and ruined buildings all bore witness to the cataclysmic scene that had just unfolded.

His gaze narrowed slightly, and he looked toward the distance with an expressionless face.

At the edge of the Uchiha compound, the once-dense forest had been razed to the ground.

And upon that desolate land, a flock of crows suddenly gathered, black feathers fluttering as their cawing echoed through the silent night.

The next moment, the crows transformed into a human figure—Uchiha Itachi, carrying Sasuke's corpse on his back, reappeared in the night.

At this moment, he did not look overly disheveled, save for the blood-tears on his face, which appeared particularly jarring under the moonlight.

His chest heaved violently, his breathing heavy and rapid; it was clear that the recent battle had dealt him a massive blow.

Yet, more than his physical injuries, what truly shook his spirit was the near-unbeatable strength of Uchiha Yoru.

Why?

How could this man... be strong to such a degree?!

At this very moment, Uchiha Itachi's mind was in chaos. After witnessing the Perfect Susanoo, he knew he was no match for Uchiha Yoru.

His only thought now was to leave Konoha as quickly as possible, to find a way to resurrect Sasuke, and to find a way to put an end to Uchiha Yoru once and for all!

However--

A cold, ghostly voice rang out through the night.

"Yo? Still not dead yet?"