Moon Fang Sky Strike

"Ding! Congratulations, host! You've completed a main-branch mission!"

"Experience Sharingan Genjutsu once (1/1): complete. Rewards: Reiatsu +5, Hollowfication Experience +1!"

"Break free of Sharingan Genjutsu once (1/1): complete. Rewards: Reiatsu +5, Hollowfication Experience +2!"

Hearing the notification, Chen Xiaoxi felt a slight stir in his heart. Beneath his mask, a smile appeared.

That's right.

Chen Xiaoxi had indeed just fallen under Itachi Uchiha's Sharingan Genjutsu.

And it had been the technique Itachi was highly practiced in: "Genjutsu: Golden Binding Technique." At the time, Chen Xiaoxi had seen nothing but darkness. His body had felt as if it were pinned in place by golden pillars, leaving him completely unable to move.

But only a moment later,

Chen Xiaoxi released the Reiatsu he had been suppressing all along. In an instant, he shattered the genjutsu!

Sharingan Genjutsu,

by nature, interfered with the mind through chakra.

However,

within Chen Xiaoxi's body, there were two souls of different natures—

a Soul Reaper and a Hollow!

Although Chen Xiaoxi was currently in Masked State, this form was essentially the Soul Reaper's soul borrowing the Hollow's power!

Therefore, what Itachi had controlled was merely Chen Xiaoxi's Soul Reaper soul.

The Hollow soul within him could still think and act freely, even while he was under the genjutsu.

Just as a Perfect Jinchuriki could use a Tailed Beast to break free of genjutsu,

Chen Xiaoxi could also use the presence of his Hollow soul to break Sharingan Genjutsu directly.

The principle was simple.

Still,

what surprised Chen Xiaoxi was that

after completing these two branch missions, he had received not only the basic Reiatsu rewards, but also extra Hollowfication Experience. It was probably related to the fact that he had entered battle in his current Hollowfied state.

At present, Chen Xiaoxi's Hollow power was still only at LV. 1.

So the power of all his techniques, whether Cero or Sonido, was still limited. Once he gained more experience, the increase would surely be even more astonishing.

As Chen Xiaoxi pondered, the Masked Man, watching from the side, suddenly spoke in a deep voice.

"Fox Ghost, that move you just used... what was it?"

"Hm?"

Chen Xiaoxi turned to look at the Masked Man and smiled.

"You mean that slash just now?"

"Yeah. I'll call it 'Moon Fang Sky Strike' for now. It's great for cutting people down."

"What, want to learn it?"

"I'll teach you."

"..."

"Oh, and by the way, my name isn't Fox Ghost. Don't go giving people nicknames, one-eyed Masked Man."

"..."

You've been giving me a nickname this whole time, haven't you?

The Masked Man lowered his eyes slightly, then looked toward Itachi Uchiha on the other side and asked in a low voice,

"Yi Da Qi, how bad are your injuries... can you still fight?"

The Masked Man wasn't asking out of concern.

He had gone to the trouble of finding the Akatsuki a capable fighter. He didn't want Itachi to die just like that.

Sure, the guy looked like a Leaf Village brainwashed double agent, but as a pawn, he was pretty useful...

At the Masked Man's question, Itachi raised a hand and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He answered with difficulty,

"...I can."

Although he had taken the full force of that pale moon-colored slash, he had managed to avoid any vital areas at the last moment. He could still move.

To earn Madara Uchiha's trust, Itachi didn't want to hold back and end the fight just yet.

He decided... to use his Mangekyō.

Itachi staggered to his feet amid the shrine's swirling dust.

Then he suddenly opened his eyes.

A blood-red light gleamed in the darkness. The black pattern in his pupils spun and shifted rapidly, finally taking the shape of a shuriken.

This was Itachi's strongest trump card—the Mangekyō Sharingan!

"Phew..."

After letting out a soft breath, Itachi looked toward Chen Xiaoxi. His pupils contracted in an instant!

"Tsukuyomi!"

An invisible surge of chakra burst forth. The Mangekyō Sharingan activated!

Tsukuyomi—

Itachi Uchiha's strongest genjutsu!

All it took was eye contact to pull an enemy into the "Tsukuyomi World" in an instant. Within it, Itachi controlled time, space, and even mass!

It was no exaggeration to say that using this technique meant the battle was over.

Itachi had absolute confidence in it.

He wouldn't have used this technique if he hadn't been in such a disadvantageous position.

And yet,

moments later,

nothing happened.

Beneath the moonlight, a chilly breeze drifted by.

Chen Xiaoxi, wearing the Fox Ghost mask, stood facing Itachi Uchiha, but... he hadn't been pulled into Tsukuyomi Space!

"?"

Itachi's heart lurched, and his expression changed.

What?

What was going on?

Had my Tsukuyomi... failed?

Impossible!

It had definitely activated!

No, could it be—

Had this guy simply closed his eyes...?

Itachi fell silent.

He gritted his teeth slightly and tried casting Tsukuyomi again.

But,

a moment later,

the result was still the same.

The genjutsu failed.

The invisible chakra released by the Mangekyō Sharingan had been stopped before it could reach Chen Xiaoxi's eyes. It couldn't go any farther.

There was only one explanation—

This guy really had closed his eyes!

Realizing this,

Itachi froze completely.

Ever since awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, he had never encountered an opponent who acted so strangely!

Facing his Tsukuyomi,

the man had simply closed his eyes, as if he already knew everything about the technique?

Even Shimura Danzō himself didn't know about this ability!

"..."

Seeing this, the Masked Man furrowed his brow slightly and asked in a puzzled, low voice,

"What's going on, Yi Da Qi?"

"Did that guy... enter the Tsukuyomi World?"

But,

before Itachi could answer, Chen Xiaoxi suddenly turned around to face the Masked Man and said coolly,

"You Uchiha Clan members are really something."

"You're always so inexplicably confident."

"Why don't I ask you instead—"

"When did you start imagining that I'd fall for Tsukuyomi?"

"?"

At his words, the Masked Man and Itachi Uchiha both froze.

Chen Xiaoxi chuckled and continued,

"I only pretended to fall for that Sharingan Genjutsu just now."

"Did you really think I was afraid of genjutsu?"

"Come on."

"Even without using my eyes,"

"I can still 'see you' perfectly well."

"Like this—"

As he spoke, Chen Xiaoxi suddenly raised the pale blade in his hand and swung it behind him without even looking.

"Moon Fang Sky Strike."