Chapter 18: Sasuke's Rage: The Clash of Wills
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: DIRECT CONFRONTATION IMMINENT. PREPARING FOR VERBAL DESTRUCTION AND UCHIHA FURY.]
The air in the underground hideout crackled with raw, untamed power. Sasuke was here. And judging by the palpable surge of his chakra, he was livid. My subtle prodding had worked. He wasn't just here to confront Naruto; he was here to confront me. Or at least, to incinerate me on principle. This was going to be glorious.
"Ah, Sasuke. The Uchiha drama llama. He's finally here, and he's clearly not happy. Probably because my mental commentary on his fashion choices hit too close to home. You know, for a guy who prides himself on being so cool and detached, he's remarkably easy to annoy. It's like kicking a particularly angsty hornets' nest. And I, Adam Izuku, am wearing very comfortable shoes."
Sasuke emerged from the shadows, his Sharingan blazing, a look of utter contempt on his face. He ignored Naruto and Sakura, his gaze fixed directly on me. Even Yamato stiffened, sensing the sheer malice emanating from the Uchiha.
[ADAM IZUKU: PREPARING FOR FINAL PSYCHOLOGICAL ONSLAUGHT. WARNING: MAY RESULT IN HIGH LEVELS OF UCHIHA FRUSTRATION.]
"You," Sasuke hissed, his voice low, guttural, dripping with venom. "You… insufferable civilian. You dare to mock me? To pollute my mind with your idiotic thoughts?"
"Oh, Sasuke, darling!" I chirped, stepping forward, a wide, confident grin on my face. "You finally decided to grace us with your presence! I was starting to think you got lost on the way. Or maybe you were just busy practicing your 'brooding in a corner' pose. It's very dramatic, really. But a little cliché, don't you think?"
[SASUKE UCHIHA HATE METER: 50%]
His Sharingan spun faster. A pulse of raw intent emanated from him. Naruto, always the big brother, stepped in front of me.
"Sasuke! Don't listen to him!" Naruto yelled, clenching his fists. "He just likes to annoy people! Focus on me!"
"Silence, Naruto," Sasuke snarled, his eyes still locked on me. "This… worm… has earned my undivided attention."
"Worm? Oh, that's harsh, Sasuke," I said, putting a hand over my heart, feigning hurt. "And here I thought we were building a beautiful, hate-filled relationship! But really, 'idiotic thoughts'? Is that all you've got? For a genius, your insults are as bland as your personality. And frankly, your whole 'avenger' schtick is getting tired. You're like a broken record, Sasuke. A very moody, very repetitive broken record."
Sasuke actually trembled. Not with fear, but with a pure, unadulterated rage. He raised his hand, chakra crackling around it, forming a Chidori.
[SASUKE UCHIHA HATE METER: 70% - ACQUIRABLE SKILLS: CHIDORI (ADVANCED), LIGHTNING STYLE JUTSU (IMPROVED EFFICIENCY)]
"You know," I continued, unperturbed, "you talk a big game about power and revenge, but what have you actually done? You ran away from your friends, you aligned yourself with a snake-themed pedophile, and you're still chasing a ghost. Your brother, Itachi, he's probably up there, watching you, shaking his head. 'Oh, look at little Sasuke,' he's saying, 'still throwing temper tantrums instead of actually growing up.'"
That hit a nerve. A very raw nerve. Sasuke's eyes blazed with a fury I hadn't seen directed at me before. The Chidori in his hand flared, turning into a blinding beacon of lightning.
"YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!" he roared, lunging forward with a speed that defied logic.
I didn't try to dodge. Not fully. I just wanted to feel the connection, to copy the skill. As Sasuke lunged, I instinctively activated my Body Modification, stretching my torso to the side, allowing the Chidori to graze my shoulder instead of striking my chest. It was a searing, agonizing pain, but it wasn't fatal. And in that brief, agonizing moment of contact, my system whirred.
[ACQUIRING SKILLS: CHIDORI (ADVANCED) - 80% COMPLETE. LIGHTNING STYLE JUTSU (IMPROVED EFFICIENCY) - 90% COMPLETE.]
"Ooh, spicy!" I gasped, clutching my smoking shoulder. "A little less direct next time, darling! You nearly singed my eyebrows! But good to know you can still pack a punch. Now, about that fashion sense..."
Sasuke's face contorted into a snarl of pure frustration. He couldn't believe I was still talking. Still mocking him. He followed up with a burst of Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu.
I knew this one. My own Basic Fire Style was still, well, basic. But I could feel the heat, the chakra shaping the flames. I used my still-awkward Wood Style to summon a small, pathetic wooden shield that immediately burst into flames. Not effective, but symbolic. And annoying.
[SASUKE UCHIHA HATE METER: 80% - ACQUIRABLE SKILLS: SUSANOO (BASIC), AMATERASU (BASIC)]
"Really, Sasuke?" I scoffed, dodging another wave of fire, my clothes smoking slightly. "Still with the fireballs? That's, like, Ninja Academy 101. Where's the innovation? The surprise? Are you telling me your entire Uchiha legacy revolves around setting things on fire and brooding? Because honestly, it's a bit one-dimensional."
Sasuke's entire body trembled. He let out a wordless roar, his Sharingan blazing with Mangekyo patterns I recognized. He was pushing himself. He was breaking down his own carefully constructed emotional walls. And it was all because of me.
Naruto and Sakura, shocked by Sasuke's unprecedented level of rage, tried to intervene, but Sasuke lashed out at them with blinding speed, clearly desperate to get to me. Even Yamato was visibly unnerved.
"Adam, what have you done?!" Sakura yelled.
"Just pushing his emotional limits!" I yelled back, narrowly avoiding a burst of lightning. "It's for his own good! He needs to feel something other than self-pity!"
Sasuke charged again, his intent to kill palpable. And I was ready. Not for death, but for acquisition. The stage was set for the final, infuriating push.