Crushing

"Die!!"

Having found Sasuke's position, Itachi controlled his Susanoo and swung its sword fiercely at him.

Then, the red Susanoo greatsword was actually blocked, forcibly halted in midair, unable to advance even an inch.

Itachi froze for a moment. Then he saw dense purple chakra surge around Sasuke, solidifying first into a skeleton, then a torso.

"You're not the only one with Susanoo! I've got one too, and mine's bigger than yours!"

As he spoke, a towering purple giant rapidly took shape.

Sasuke had activated Susanoo as well. It was twice the size of Itachi's Susanoo, and it was likewise only in its third form, not its complete form.

This was the power of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Both were in their third forms, yet its size was twice that of an ordinary Susanoo.

"Damn it! That Mangekyō Sharingan of yours really is the legendary Eternal Eye! But even so, I won't back down!"

"Die!!"

Itachi gritted his teeth and once again controlled Susanoo to slash at Sasuke.

The purple giant reached out and casually grabbed the red Susanoo's greatsword. Then, with a squeeze, the red chakra blade shattered, dispersing into chakra energy that scattered in every direction.

The purple giant grabbed the red giant by the head and violently slammed it into the ground.

Boom!!!

The ground shook. The surrounding houses collapsed one after another, and a massive crater appeared in the earth!

The red Susanoo was pinned firmly beneath the ground. Its strength was inferior to the purple Susanoo's, and it could not break free at all.

So Itachi controlled Susanoo to form another greatsword, preparing to stab the purple giant and force it back so he could rise.

However, the instant the red chakra greatsword formed, a massive purple hand grabbed it and crushed it.

"Too weak! Your Susanoo isn't even qualified to serve as my warm-up!"

Looking at the red giant struggling wildly beneath him, Sasuke spoke calmly.

"Ah! Damn it!"

Itachi's expression was utterly dreadful. He had been crushed in genjutsu, crushed in taijutsu, and now crushed in Susanoo as well. It was a complete, all-around defeat!

Who exactly was this guy!?

The purple giant raised its right arm high. An enormous amount of chakra gathered around it, and then a fist carrying terrifying power smashed down onto the red Susanoo's head.

Boom!!

It was like a Tailed Beast Ball exploding on the spot. A terrifying blast rang out as a circular shockwave spread in every direction. Not a single surrounding house or building escaped destruction; all collapsed into ruins.

Fortunately, when Sasuke had used Amenotejikara to move himself earlier, he had transferred to an abandoned area of the Uchiha compound. Most of the buildings here were unoccupied.

Otherwise, if two Susanoo fought so recklessly, the Uchiha clan's civilians would likely suffer countless casualties.

Boom!!

One punch followed another, and the red Susanoo's head was smashed apart on the spot!

Pfft!!!

Inside Susanoo, Itachi suddenly spat out a huge mouthful of blood.

Although Susanoo was an energy construct formed from chakra, damage to Susanoo would not directly injure its user.

However, maintaining Susanoo required an enormous amount of chakra. Every time Susanoo's body was damaged, it meant a massive drain of chakra on the caster!

The purple Susanoo raised its fist again, about to smash apart the red Susanoo's torso as well, when black flames ignited across its body.

"Hm? What's this?"

Noticing the black flames burning on Susanoo, Sasuke could not help but pause.

—Amaterasu!

Enduring the agonizing pain in his eyes, Itachi used another of his Mangekyō Sharingan's ocular techniques on Sasuke's Susanoo.

The flames said to never go out—Amaterasu!

It had another name as well: the Flames of Mercy. In the original story, it appeared many times yet never burned anyone to death, thus earning that title.

While Sasuke was distracted, Itachi seized the opportunity and hurriedly controlled the red Susanoo to free itself from beneath the purple Susanoo.

"Tch! This kind of thing is useless against me!"

Sasuke curled his lip disdainfully. His right eye's Eternal Eye technique activated, directly extinguishing every black flame on Susanoo!

"Oh? You still intend to keep struggling pointlessly?"

Watching Itachi reform the red Susanoo's head, Sasuke spoke flatly.

"I won't fall before I kill you!"

Itachi's gaze was resolute. No matter what, he had to avenge Izumi.

At that moment, Fugaku arrived with a large group of Uchiha clan ninja.

"What are these two monsters!?"

"Why are these two monsters in our compound? Did that old dog Sarutobi send them?"

"I saw this in ancient records. It seems to be the strongest ocular technique that only the Mangekyō Sharingan can use—Susanoo!"

"..."

Those inexperienced Uchiha clan ninja all began shouting in alarm.

Fugaku looked at the two people inside the Susanoo, his expression extremely grave.

He knew Itachi Uchiha, his son.

But who was this muscular brute over two meters tall? He did not remember anyone like him in the clan. And he even possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Stop! This is the Uchiha compound. Sir, do not act recklessly here!"

Fugaku shouted sternly at Sasuke.

One was his own son, while the other was an unfamiliar stranger. Of course he would support his son!

"Get lost! What an idiot! That old bastard Sarutobi has already brought people to surround the Uchiha compound, and you're still leading your trash subordinates around like tourists!"

Sasuke cursed without the slightest courtesy.

Uh... someone who dared speak to him like that, he thought he knew who it was.

This had to be the true face of that fake Sasuke!

He had never expected the other party to be such a muscular brute, yet like pretending to be his seven-year-old son. What an old man trying to act young!

Fugaku grumbled inwardly.

At this moment, Itachi spoke as well.

"Father, he is right. Danzo and the Third Hokage have completely surrounded the Uchiha compound!"

"What!? That bastard Third Hokage actually dared to make a move against our Uchiha!"

Fugaku's expression changed. He no longer cared why the two were fighting here. With a call, he led the Uchiha clan members away to prepare for battle.

That old dog Danzo still hasn't attacked. Looks like he wants to reap the benefits while others fight. Since he won't come, I'll go find him instead.

Sasuke sneered inwardly. Then, looking at Itachi inside the red Susanoo, he said calmly:

"All right! Warm-up's over. I'm done playing with you. It's time for me to find that old dog Danzo!"

"Playing!?"

Itachi's expression darkened in rage, his face twisting fiercely.

"What kind of joke is that! I'm going to kill you to avenge Izumi! Yet you say you were just playing with me! Don't look down on me!!"

"Aaaahhh!!"

Itachi roared, heedlessly draining the chakra within his body as he formed two more chakra greatswords.

He was just about to slash them down at the purple Susanoo when the purple Susanoo before him vanished, leaving him without a target.

"What do you mean by this? Do you want to fight me with your bare body!? Then pay the price for your arrogance!"

Seeing Sasuke suddenly dismiss Susanoo, Itachi was initially confused, then overjoyed.

Wasn't using his flesh and blood to face two Susanoo greatswords simply courting death!?

At once, he prepared to control Susanoo to swing down its greatswords and smash the bastard before him into pulp.

However, his vision suddenly blurred. Sasuke, who had been more than ten meters away, instantly appeared before him.

What!?

I'm inside Susanoo. How did he get in?

Itachi was shocked. How could something so bizarre happen? Was his Susanoo's defense merely decoration?

But he quickly realized that Sasuke had not entered his Susanoo. Rather, some unknown method had transferred him out from inside Susanoo.

The next instant,

A fierce wind howled, and a fan-sized hand came into intimate contact with his cheek.

Slap!!

The slap rang out loudly and carried tremendous force. Itachi spun through the air and crashed into a pile of ruins. His head tilted to one side, and he immediately passed out.

[ Ding! Mission One completed. Congratulations, Host, you have obtained +2 lottery draws! ]

It had to be said that before a spatial ocular technique like Amenotejikara, Susanoo's defense truly was as good as nonexistent.

Looking at the severely wounded Itachi lying motionless amid the ruins, Sasuke was in high spirits.

Beating you so badly could count as a small punishment for you, you dutiful son who had been preparing to murder your own parents!