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Uchiha Itachi calmly regarded Mujin. Since Tsukuyomi had proven ineffective, there was no reason to continue expending the massive chakra required to sustain the genjutsu. With a detached tone, he said, "I hope you survive until our next meeting."
Mujin gave Itachi an eccentric bow—a mock salute to this pinnacle of the shinobi world. "I'll do my best to ensure that happens."
With those words, the Tsukuyomi realm receded like a retreating tide, and Mujin returned to reality. Less than a second had passed since Itachi activated the genjutsu.
But immediately after, Itachi's voice rang out once more. His right eye locked onto Mujin, and a streak of blood tears streamed down his cheek.
"Amaterasu!"
Without missing a beat upon exiting Tsukuyomi, Mujin swiftly pulled a scroll from his pouch and unfurled it in front of him with his left hand. Simultaneously, his right hand formed a sword seal, channeling chakra into the pre-drawn sealing array on the scroll.
"Sealing Technique—Fire-Seal Barrier!"
The moment Mujin finished speaking, the newly emerged black flames of Amaterasu were abruptly sucked into the sealing scroll!
Thank goodness for this version where intelligence still mattered. If they were dealing with later iterations—like when Uchiha Madara summoned clones to pilot mechanical gods or Hashirama conjured colossal Buddhas—raw stats would overshadow even perfect knowledge. What good would knowing their moves do if brute force ruled the battlefield?
Meanwhile, sensing the Yin Release emanating from Mujin, Karin knew he had endured Tsukuyomi and opened her eyes in relief.
Mujin narrowed his gaze slightly, taking half a step closer to Sasuke. "Shall we continue, crow?"
Itachi's expression remained icy, but seeing that Amaterasu had also failed to yield results, he decided against further draining his already fragile life force. These powerful techniques only hastened his demise, yet he still needed this battered body to protect Sasuke until he truly matured. He couldn't afford to squander precious vitality tangling with Mujin.
Itachi refocused on the enemies before him. After unlocking the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, his strength surged anew. Even Might Guy struggled to suppress him now!
Guy considered opening the Eight Gates, but Kakashi held him back. They still didn't fully understand Mujin's intentions and needed to remain cautious.
Especially since the ominous feeling lingering in Kakashi's heart seemed to stem not from Itachi—but elsewhere.
At the same time, Kisame grew tense. He hadn't expected Itachi to follow up Tsukuyomi with Amaterasu so quickly—and for Mujin to emerge seemingly unscathed.
"Has intel leaked?" Kisame worried. Itachi's condition was already precarious, and those two jutsu placed immense strain on the user. He could no longer afford to spectate idly.
With that thought, Kisame hoisted Samehada and chuckled darkly. "Things are getting lively. My blood's boiling just watching. Count me in too!"
With a swing, Kisame hurled Samehada toward the battlefield!
And at that precise moment—
Karin suddenly appeared before Kisame, wielding a massive Executioner's Blade over two meters long as she charged forward!
BOOM!!!
The clash between Samehada and the Executioner's Blade unleashed a ring-shaped shockwave. The ground beneath Karin shattered violently, cracks spiderwebbing outward for dozens of meters!
Kisame raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. "Oh? Redirecting the impact into the ground the instant you're attacked—impressive chakra control."
"The same goes for you," Karin replied sternly. "You didn't amplify your attack with chakra, did you? I've never seen anyone wield such destructive power using sheer physical strength alone."
"Heh, fine-tuned chakra control isn't my style," Kisame smirked. "By the way, isn't that Zabuza's Executioner's Blade? I heard he died at Kakashi's hands. How'd it end up with you?"
Remembering Mujin's instructions, Karin smirked. "I dug up his grave and pried it from his bones. To think someone like Kakashi could kill him—were all of Kirigakure's Seven Swordsmen this pathetic?"
Kisame's smile vanished. His feelings toward the village were complicated due to its bloody mist policies. Zabuza had opposed those very policies when he attempted to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage, earning him respect among some Kiri ninja. By insulting both Zabuza and the village, Karin had effectively provoked Kisame's wrath. A murderous glint entered his eyes.
"Kids these days really don't know fear."
"Talk is cheap, Hoshigaki Kisame."
That remark ignited Kisame's anger. "When I rip your head off, you'll learn exactly what I'm capable of!"
"Funny," Karin shot back. "I say the same thing often…"
"… "
In an instant—
Both combatants unleashed a flurry of strikes, their weapons colliding repeatedly!
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM ——!!!
Shockwaves and gusts of wind erupted from each collision, cracking the earth, shaking the river, and scattering boulders. Kisame wielded Samehada like a mace, swinging it relentlessly with such speed that it left afterimages!
Karin gritted her teeth, matching Kisame blow for blow with the Executioner's Blade. The ground beneath her feet fractured continuously, cracks spreading farther and wider until the earth resembled tofu blocks, trembling high into the air!
Even the land itself couldn't withstand Kisame's ferocious assault!
Karin's arms began to go numb. She was gradually losing pace with Kisame!
Spotting her opening, the experienced Kisame lifted Samehada high above his head, aiming directly at Karin below!
"It's over! Repent in hell!"
With a roar, Samehada descended, stirring up a violent gale!
SPLASH!
Splash??!!
Kisame froze, feeling no resistance upon impact.
This was because Karin hadn't resisted at all. Samehada plunged straight into the ground and sank into the mud with a splash!
Mud?!
Kisame sensed danger. He yanked hard, but the mud instantly solidified into stone!
CRASH!
The earth trembled as Kisame found himself unable to pull Samehada free!
He was fighting against the entire expanse of the earth itself!!!
Meanwhile, Karin, her palms pressed against the ground, began sweating profusely.
Great Sword Samehada was the most unique among the Seven Ninja Swords of Kirigakure. It could instantly absorb the chakra from ninjutsu, nullifying them with incredible speed!
Karin's Earth Release was nearly drained dry within moments as Samehada greedily consumed the chakra embedded in the soil!
To compensate, she poured more and more chakra into the technique, determined to hold Samehada captive for even one extra second—to buy time for Mujin!
And Mujin didn't disappoint. Activating the Eye of Idou, he swiftly inscribed a complex runic array around Samehada, which began glowing brightly.
Pointing his finger like a blade, he commanded, "Seal—"
Before he could finish, chaos erupted!
Several flame-wrapped shuriken struck the connecting points of the array, severing the runes' links and rendering the seal useless!
The culprit? None other than Uchiha Itachi!
Mujin glanced over. In just that short span, Yuhi Kurenai had collapsed, Asuma clutched a bleeding arm, and Might Guy and Kakashi barely managed to hold their ground through brute effort.
Why hadn't Guy activated the Eight Gates yet?!
Frustrated but aware he couldn't delay any longer, Mujin seized an opportunity while Itachi was distracted. Swiftly flicking his wrist, he hurled a scroll through the air, landing it perfectly in Karin's hands!
Catching it deftly, Karin tore it open and aimed it at Samehada and Kisame. "Fire-Seal Barrier: Release!"
WHOOSH!
The eternal flames of Amaterasu surged forth, clinging to Samehada before rapidly engulfing Kisame as though trying to consume him entirely!
Fully aware of Amaterasu's lethality—a fire that wouldn't extinguish until its target was reduced to ash—Kisame abandoned Samehada and retreated hastily.
Left behind, Samehada writhed like a fish out of water, thrashing wildly under Amaterasu's blaze.
By then, Mujin had joined Karin. Pulling out another scroll, he once again sealed Amaterasu inside.
After all, an eternal flame would come in handy later.
Pocketing the scroll, Karin retrieved the scorched remains of…
Great Sword Samehada!