Itachi struggled wildly, the chains clattering as they bit into his flesh.
But he seemed unable to feel the pain. He only glared at Liuyu, the hatred and despair in his eyes almost taking physical form.
He would rather be sliced to pieces, rather fall into hell for eternity, than see his little brother transformed into a monster neither human nor ghost.
Liuyu did not even glance at Itachi.
His gaze remained on Sasuke, who had undergone the initial mutation and now lay on the ground, gasping violently, his eyes shifting between vacant and savage.
By now, the extreme pain and the torrent of berserk power had pushed Sasuke's mind to the brink of collapse.
He felt only boundless power filling his body, a frenzied desire to destroy everything and tear everything apart roaring within him.
At the same time, countless hallucinations, whispers, and malicious thoughts rampaged through his mind, threatening to crush his sense of self completely.
Liuyu crouched, reached out, and pressed his hand against Sasuke's forehead, slick with cold sweat.
A cool, gentle stream of reiatsu flowed into him, temporarily suppressing the rampaging power within his body and the chaos in his mind.
Sasuke's unfocused eyes sharpened slightly, meeting Liuyu's calm, unruffled gaze.
"Remember this feeling, Sasuke."
Liuyu's voice seared itself directly into the depths of his muddled consciousness like an indelible brand.
"Hate. Suffer. Struggle."
"The power inside you is called the 'Hōgyoku Seed.'
It will absorb your hatred, your pain, and your despair, feeding on them to grow and evolve without end."
"When the hatred in your heart is enough to burn the world, when the pain you endure is enough to drown your reason, when your loathing for this fate reaches its absolute limit..."
A cold, cruel smile curved Liuyu's lips.
"This power will