Naruto: I, Uchiha, Just Want to Die

Chapter 90: The Heart Ablaze at the Brink of Despair!

The barrier shattered, and the two figures in the arena froze momentarily.

Uchiha Ci's pupils constricted sharply as he stared at the long sword before him.

"Isn't this the same Kusanagi Sword that Orochimaru used in the future to stab his own teacher?"

The sight of the sword made him immediately realize—

Orochimaru had arrived!

Thinking further, Uchiha Ci quickly pieced together the reason for Orochimaru's presence based on the original storyline.

Orochimaru's appearance here was a result of the butterfly effect he caused!

Initially, Hidan's sacrificial "offering" was supposed to be Shinno. The two of them would have entered the cavern only to be ambushed by Orochimaru, who had been lying in wait.

The ambush would have forced Shinno to surrender his forbidden jutsu to escape with his life, only to be killed later by the protagonist duo.

However, because Uchiha Ci had obtained Shinno's forbidden jutsu: Body Revival, Orochimaru's attention was diverted. Instead of chasing Hidan into the cavern, Orochimaru had chosen a different course of action.

Without the advantageous terrain of the cavern, capturing Shinno in an open area would be challenging for Orochimaru.

After all, Shinno, a pioneer in ninja technology, was decades ahead of the current era. With his inventions like aircraft carriers, fleets, and flying devices, he could easily evade Orochimaru once airborne.

Failing to acquire a higher-level forbidden jutsu, Orochimaru naturally turned his sights on the immortality of the Jashin cult.

And thus, he witnessed Uchiha Ci using Body Revival!

Uchiha Ci's breath caught as he stiffly turned his head.

Footsteps echoed closer from the darkness—urgent, fervent, and fanatical, like the pounding rhythm of drums.

A pair of golden serpentine eyes glimmered from the shadows, locking onto him like a cold-blooded predator sizing up its prey.

Every hair on Uchiha Ci's neck stood on end.

At that moment—

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Three kunai shot out from an unknown direction, embedding themselves just before Orochimaru's feet.

From the cavern's ceiling, five pairs of crimson Sharingan glowed simultaneously!

Orochimaru froze mid-step, lifting his head and narrowing his dangerous snake-like eyes as he gazed upward.

On the ceiling, four elite Uchiha jonin surrounded him, flanking him on all sides.

Standing directly in front was Uchiha Fugaku, whose fierce crimson eyes remained calm and indifferent as they bore into Orochimaru.

Even though Orochimaru was one of the legendary Sannin, the Uchiha clan was unshaken.

In the future, a three-tomoe Sharingan Sasuke could forcibly control Manda. Against these Uchihas, who had fully inherited their clan's techniques, Orochimaru's summoning jutsu would be rendered utterly ineffective.

Though Orochimaru, having studied countless forbidden jutsu, had confidence in defeating the four Uchiha jonin, the presence of Fugaku, a top-tier Uchiha expert, tipped the scales into uncertainty.

The tension in the air became palpable.

Uchiha Ci wasn't sure what caused Orochimaru to halt his advance toward him, but he knew he had no time to waste!

The duration of Body Revival had less than ten seconds remaining!

Without hesitation, Uchiha Ci vaulted over the diagonally embedded Kusanagi Sword like a high jumper, wielding his water blade as he lunged toward Hayato Tōgō.

"Die, you beast!"

His blood-red eyes glinted with savagery as he leaped forward, water splashing underfoot.

With the enemy mere steps away, Uchiha Ci slashed out with his water blade!

The blade arced like a crescent moon, producing a shrill, cutting sound as it trailed a gleaming water curtain.

If this strike landed, it would at least sever one of Hayato Tōgō's arms, halting his spellcasting!

Following that, Uchiha Ci would unleash shuriken strikes and thread-blade techniques to dismember him completely!

However, as Uchiha Ci bore down on him, Hayato Tōgō's face twisted into an expression of manic ecstasy.

That expression was grotesque, a blend of pain and hatred, seething with malevolence.

"Again!"

"Again!"

"Again!"

"This agony of losing everything… this despair of being crushed by overwhelming power!"

"But this time—hahahahahahahahaha!"

"Fate is on my side!"

Hayato Tōgō's crazed eyes glinted as he roared,

"Now it's your turn to taste this pain!"

As his words fell, a burst of blood blossomed from his chest, directly from where his heart was!

Blood sprayed high into the air, splattering across Uchiha Ci's face!

The next moment, a notification flashed:

[Special Equipment: Earth Grudge Fear Heart destroyed. Retained experience in water nature transformation.]

Uchiha Ci's pupils contracted sharply as a wave of weakness overwhelmed him, sending him crashing heavily to the ground.

He lowered his head slightly, and there it was—a gaping, bloody hole in his left chest where his heart should have been.

The heart imbued by Earth Grudge Fear, which should have been beating in his chest, had been pierced, shredded, and obliterated by an invisible force!

Bang!

"Urgh!" Uchiha Ci's gaze dulled as he vomited a mouthful of blood. Crimson poured from his chest wound and spilled from his lips.

Barely able to process his injury, Uchiha Ci's eyes snapped toward Hidan's direction.

There was only one explanation for what had just happened—

In the instant Orochimaru shattered the barrier, Hayato Tōgō had seized the opportunity to throw a spear, striking Hidan's heart!

The attack had linked their lives, inflicting damage on all three of them!

Not far away, Hidan knelt on the ground, lifelessly raising his head to look at Uchiha Ci.

A black spear jutted from his heart, while blood streamed from gaping wounds on his abdomen, thighs, and chest. His deathly pale face was unrecognizable, as frail as a vampire forced to ingest three tons of garlic holy water and mercury.

"Guhh…" Hidan gasped for air like a drowning man, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Uchiha Ci.

Through trembling lips, he let out a faint, voiceless cry:

"Ci…"

"Brother…"

"I'm so cold…"

Shaking uncontrollably, his face contorted with regret, fear, and unwillingness as he stammered,

"I… I guess I won't get to see you… become the Jashin God…"

Those words sent Uchiha Ci into shock. His pupils shrank to pinpoints as he watched Hidan's head slump lifelessly before him.

The Sharingan tomoe in his eyes spun wildly.

In that instant, an intense murderous aura surged from his core!

Fueled by the Zero-Tails, his dark chakra erupted in waves.

Boom!

Uchiha Ci's face twisted with fury, his crimson eyes wide and trembling. His lips, teeth, and entire face twitched uncontrollably.

Then, he turned stiffly back toward Hayato Tōgō, whose face brimmed with a sickly, delighted grin.

Gritting his teeth, Uchiha Ci roared,

"What did you do?!"

"What have you done?!"

"You bastard!!"

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!"

His voice was filled with malice, his expression contorted with rage as if he were a cornered, feral beast.

The violent chakra stirred fierce winds, sending debris flying and shaking the blood pool violently.

Full-power Body Revival activated!

The empty space in his chest began rapidly regenerating a new heart at a speed visible to the naked eye.

From its very first beat, the heart burned with a blazing, white-hot intensity.

This was no ordinary heart; it was one forged for forbidden jutsu.

At this moment—

Fire Release Chakra Mode—

Unlocked!