Unstoppable?!

In Uchiha Lihuo's eyes, this was no humanoid creature walking toward him.

It was the embodiment of all the terror in the world. If anything could truly be defined as terror, Lihuo could swear, based on the experiences of his past and present lives spanning nearly thirty years, that the "thing" before him was exactly that.

It was a sensation composed of a murderous aura reeking of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, coupled with a bone-chilling, piercing malice.

Lihuo couldn't stop his body from trembling, for he felt that if he were to move even an inch in front of this person...

He would surely die!

How could I possibly win? How could it be this terrifying!?

Lihuo's mind screamed frantically, yet his body remained paralyzed by fear, unable to react. He could only watch helplessly as the enemy stepped closer, one pace at a time.

Think of something! Think of something fast!

Suddenly, Lihuo thought of Sasuke. When Sasuke first encountered Orochimaru during the Chunin Exams, he too had been so intimidated by Orochimaru's presence that he couldn't move a muscle.

How did he break the deadlock back then?

That's right! Pain! He had stabbed himself with a kunai!

A flash of clarity crossed Lihuo's eyes. He immediately bit the tip of his tongue, and the piercing pain allowed him to regain control over his body.

He immediately sensed that the "Genjutsu Talent Amplification" he had acquired was taking effect, which meant the opponent had used a genjutsu!

Using genjutsu to amplify their own presence! What a brilliant technique!

Thinking this, Lihuo didn't move. Instead, he continued to feign terror, watching as the enemy closed in.

Looking at Lihuo's terrified expression and slightly trembling body, he could truly win an Oscar Statuette.

The enemy before him didn't notice anything amiss and continued to speak with a chuckle.

"Heh, so this is the newly emerged genius, Uchiha Lihuo? Nothing more than this."

His tone and demeanor were filled with unbridled arrogance!

Watching the enemy slowly approach, Lihuo understood that now was the best opportunity.

If he couldn't succeed with a single strike now, the battle ahead would only become harder.

Lihuo's mind raced, striving to find the optimal method of attack.

Finally, he steeled his heart and settled on a plan that was both the most "risky" and the most "reliable."

Just as the enemy was about to reach him, Lihuo moved!

He exerted force through his legs and retreated backward. Having fully mastered the technique of Strength of a Hundred, the massive recoil even caused the ground to crack.

While in motion, Lihuo's hands moved at full speed. With the dual effects of Kage-level chakra control and hand-seal speed, he unleashed multiple ninjutsu in an instant.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Poof!

Two identical clones appeared beside Lihuo. After completing the preparations, Lihuo didn't even leave the enemy time to be surprised.

He pushed off the ground and charged straight at the enemy, while his two clones were far from idle. They quickly formed hand seals and spoke in unison:

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

Suddenly, a massive fireball carrying a scorching heat surged toward the opponent.

If Sasuke and Aotian's Great Fireball were considered the standard level for an Uchiha youth, then Lihuo's fireball was at the level of an elite Uchiha Chunin!

Following closely behind were countless smaller fireballs, flying toward the enemy in an arc, subtly sealing off all his escape routes.

At this moment, Lihuo's main body intentionally slowed his pace, using Uchiha kunai-throwing techniques to harass the enemy.

"Oh? Interesting. You've organized an attack this quickly?"

Facing such a formation from Lihuo, even a Chunin would have to focus to deal with it, yet this enemy remained completely at ease.

The first to arrive were Lihuo's kunai. Although he lacked the boost of the Sharingan, Lihuo had long since practiced this skill to perfection.

The kunai collided and flipped in the air, completely sealing off all of the enemy's evasion routes.

However, the enemy simply flipped his hand, and a kunai appeared. Without hesitation, he threw it.

The kunai collided with Lihuo's in mid-air, actually disrupting the inescapable trap Lihuo had set!

"Without the Sharingan, this kunai throwing is a bit too rigid."

The man actually had the leisure to critique him!

Next came the massive Great Fireball and the Phoenix Sage Fire. Despite the grand display of the two fire techniques, they were still far too easy to dodge for such a powerful opponent.

With just a few shifts and dodges, he exited the range of the ninjutsu.

Boom!

The massive fireball hit the ground, erupting with intense light and sound, kicking up clouds of dust, yet it never managed to strike its target.

Lihuo was not disappointed by this result, because his goal was never to injure the opponent, but to use the light and sound to attract the attention of the Police Force and the Anbu.

After all, if the mere presence of this opponent was this terrifying, he was definitely no simple foe. Recklessly fighting him head-on would only lead to an early death.

The enemy landed lightly, wearing a nonchalant smile.

"I advise you to put aside your little schemes. I've already set up a barrier here; no one outside can see what's happening."

But unexpectedly, Lihuo's main body, which had remained motionless, emerged from the billowing smoke like a phantom behind his opponent.

"Found you!"

Lihuo spread his palm, and a pale blue sphere of chakra suddenly appeared, radiating a dangerous aura!

This sudden, seal-less ninjutsu seemed to throw the enemy off balance.

Rasengan!

Without a moment's hesitation, Lihuo slammed the Rasengan toward the enemy.

But to his surprise, the opponent grabbed Lihuo's wrist and, with a force Lihuo couldn't resist, shoved the Rasengan straight into the ground.

BOOM!

The sound of the Rasengan striking the earth echoed, and in an instant, smoke billowed everywhere as the ground cracked!

Lihuo was shocked by the opponent's reaction and the sheer power behind that strength.

Just who is this person?

The enemy, however, didn't seem willing to waste this hard-won opportunity; he leaped forward and kicked Lihuo, sending him flying dozens of meters away!

"Cough, cough!" Lihuo was severely injured by that kick; his body, tempered through countless training sessions, felt fragile before this enemy.

Yet, Lihuo did not give up. On the contrary, an endless fighting spirit surged within him.

I've already sensed it. Just as this guy said, this place is sealed by a barrier. If I don't defeat him, I'll never get out!

Since transmigrating, Lihuo had been sailing smoothly, but this was the first time he had felt such a massive challenge.

This feeling of being on the edge of life and death... it's not half bad!

Sensing that his Simplified Sage Mode was about to end, Lihuo knew he had to finish this quickly.

He had to come up with an effective strategy to defeat his foe immediately. Since his own strength wasn't enough, he would have to use his cheat!

While quickly using Life Return to repair his injuries, Lihuo pondered his countermeasures.

Lihuo's eyes darted slightly, and a plan immediately formed in his mind.

Up until now, there was only one ability he hadn't revealed—Dark Release!

This was his greatest trump card. He had to use Dark Release to catch him off guard and seize the chance to touch his head!

Only by obtaining the opponent's power would he have a sliver of a chance at victory!

Lihuo quickly formulated his battle plan. By the time the thick fog cleared, his body had mostly recovered.

The final battle had officially begun!