Uchiha Lieyang's Collapse

Even though Uchiha Lieyang was burning with anxiety, his years on the battlefield taught him that the more critical the situation, the more one must endure. He was covered in wounds, and his body simply could not hold up much longer.

Focusing his attention, he found a gap in Yu's assault. With a sudden shift, he quickly wove hand seals.

[Fire Style: Dust Hiding Mist Technique]

Uchiha Lieyang spat out a massive amount of black dust. As the particles drifted, the entire Training Ground seemed to be shrouded in a thick, black fog.

This move was quite clever; it blocked Yu's line of sight while simultaneously concealing his own figure. Relying on the powerful dynamic vision of his Sharingan, Uchiha Lieyang had returned to the same starting line as Yu within this black mist.

However, Uchiha Lieyang was destined to be disappointed. He did not realize that Yu was actually more formidable with his eyes closed than open.

Watching Uchiha Lieyang move cautiously through the black mist, Yu had to admit that this guy was quite excellent at handling battlefield situations.

But unfortunately for him, he was up against Yu!

"Kid, let's see what other tricks you have!" Looking at Yu standing motionless in the mist, Uchiha Lieyang felt a surge of hatred. This intense malice added another two thousand Malice Points to Yu's total.

Taking a kunai from his ninja tool pouch, Uchiha Lieyang threw it at Yu without hesitation. He had been tortured so miserably by Yu's Sword Control Technique; it was time to let this brat taste the feeling of being forced to dodge and hide.

Yet, as his Sharingan stared intently at Yu, his pupils contracted rapidly.

Yu, eyes still closed, tilted his head and turned his body, dodging almost all of his kunai. At this moment, the Fire Sword hovering above Yu's head acted like a shark that had caught the scent of blood, its tip pointing directly at him.

Fear! Tension!

Uchiha Lieyang felt like a monkey unable to escape the palm of a Buddha; no matter what he did, he could not break free from Yu's control.

In the moment he lost focus, a Fire Sword, swift as a meteor, precisely slashed across his right shoulder.

The moment the blood splattered, it was evaporated by the heat of the blade, and a smell of burnt flesh wafted through the air.

Before Uchiha Lieyang could make another move, the sheer speed of the Fire Sword sent him spinning three hundred and sixty degrees, crashing heavily to the ground.

As a breeze swept through, the Training Ground cleared once more, and everyone stared in a daze at Uchiha Lieyang, who lay sprawled in the dust.

For a moment, the entire Training Ground fell into silence.

Uchiha Lieyang struggled to pull himself together. He could hear the chirping of insects in the distance and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

But he could not hear Yu's calm, clear voice.

A sense of absurdity welled up in Uchiha Lieyang's heart, as if he were trapped in a cage and the entire world was rejecting him.

"No, I absolutely will not lose like this, not to such a little brat!" At this moment, anger and resentment constantly pricked at Uchiha Lieyang's nerves.

The three tomoe in his eyes spun faster and faster, almost merging into a circle. As his emotions spiraled out of control, the spinning circle suddenly paused, forming a pinwheel shape.

Governed by his emotions and barely standing up, Uchiha Lieyang felt the world become clear once again.

A vague consciousness told Uchiha Lieyang exactly what had happened.

The previously furious Uchiha Lieyang now had a hint of madness in his eyes.

"Hahahaha! Uchiha Yu, I have to thank you. Without you, how could I have obtained these eyes! Let me show you the power of the ultimate Uchiha. You will regret not being able to awaken these eyes yourself!"

"Oh! So it's a Mangekyo! I didn't expect you to be so unwilling to accept defeat at my hands!" Yu glanced at Uchiha Lieyang indifferently. If this guy hadn't been providing him with a massive amount of Malice Points, Yu wouldn't have kept him around until now.

"But what would happen if I shattered his pride at his moment of greatest triumph?" A faint smile curled the corners of Yu's lips.

Yet, it was this very look of contempt that stung Uchiha Lieyang's heart once more.

"Uchiha Yu, this time I absolutely will not lose!"

"Mangekyo Technique: Instant Flash!"

In an instant, Uchiha Lieyang vanished from his spot. When he reappeared, he was already behind Yu, his katana raised high, slashing down toward Yu's back.

However, Yu did not turn around. A Fire Sword in the sky quickly blocked Uchiha Lieyang's path of attack.

"Clang!"

The sound of metal clashing echoed throughout the Training Ground, and a broken blade flew high into the air. This sight caused the tense hearts of Mikoto, Itachi, and Izumi to quickly settle.

"Brother Lieyang, I am very disappointed in you. As an Uchiha, you have actually lost your wisdom in battle."

"Look at yourself now—crazy and paranoid. Is there even a shadow of a ninja left in you? To use a tool as your final straw is simply ridiculous. Without those eyes, what do you have left? Is this your pride?"

"I always thought that the Uchiha were strong because they possessed sufficient power themselves, not just because of a pair of eyes. It seems I was mistaken."

"Since you believe so much in those eyes, let me show you the true gap between us. It is definitely not something a pair of eyes can bridge!"

Uchiha Lieyang stared blankly at the broken tachi in his hand, then looked up at Yu in a daze.

"How is it possible? I have already awakened the Mangekyo ability, and my speed is almost catching up to the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique. Even with such speed, Uchiha Yu was able to block my move with his back turned."

"Pick up your sword and make me feel the pressure. The same tool has different power in different hands. Why were the ancestors of the Uchiha so strong? What was powerful was never the Mangekyo, but the person!"

After saying this, Yu unhesitatingly commanded five Fire Swords to pierce toward Uchiha Lieyang.

Uchiha Lieyang's expression turned to panic, and he hurriedly activated his Mangekyo ability, flashing behind Yu once again.

Holding the broken half of his katana, he lunged at Yu.

"Is this the ability of your eyes? I must say, it is very useful. But you, who rely entirely on its power, haven't even unleashed a tenth of its potential. What is the use of just flashing quickly? You need your sword swings to be fast—fast enough that I can't even sense a breeze!"

Blocking Uchiha Lieyang's strike, Yu casually commanded a Fire Sword to leave another gash on Uchiha Lieyang's body.

"The more powerful the ability, the more powerful the person required to control it. Calm your mind and perceive—perceive how I swing my sword!"

Having said this, Yu gripped the incoming Fire Sword, ignoring the pained expression on Uchiha Lieyang's face. "Hand and foot must align, elbow and knee must align, shoulder and hip must align, spirit and intent must align, intent and qi must align, qi and strength must align..."

As Yu's words echoed throughout the Training Ground, no matter how Uchiha Lieyang dodged, that crimson sword seemed to follow him like a shadow. Every place he appeared, the tip of that sword would inevitably be pressed against his throat.

Standing in the distance, Itachi and the others watched the scene with wooden expressions.

Uchiha Lieyang's expression gradually turned helpless. Following his final attempt to evade Yu's attack, the longsword in Yu's hand, acting like a serpent of fire, once again came to rest against his throat.

Uchiha Lieyang closed his eyes in despair and sank weakly to his knees. "Why is it like this! Why are you so powerful!"

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