Chapter 45: Sasuke’s Strength and Breaking the Tsukuyomi
In the Projection:
[Sasuke closed his eyes, and memories flooded his mind like an unstoppable tide. Moments from the past replayed vividly.]
["As the one you must surpass, I'll always be there for you."]
["Sorry, Sasuke, I have a mission today. Maybe next time."]
["Hate me, and keep living in this miserable existence until that day..."]
["My ambition... is to kill that man!"]
["Why are you so weak? It's because your hatred isn't strong enough."]
[Scenes of happier times, the night of the Uchiha massacre, and everything in between... all surfaced in his mind.]
[Sasuke slowly untied the bandage on his forehead, letting it fall. He threw off his black cloak, revealing his full form. His Sharingan glowed menacingly in the dimly lit cave, radiating an eerie, crimson light.]
["So, it's all been for this..."]
["Finally..."]
["The time has come to achieve my goal." Sasuke's cold voice echoed as he glared at Itachi.]
"This is it... The real fight is starting now!"
"I can't wait to see what happens next. Uchiha versus Uchiha—this will be legendary!"
"Count me in for Sasuke! He's got this!"
"Same here. Betting on Sasuke for the win!"
The shinobi world buzzed with excitement as bets and cheers echoed across villages.
["You said you wanted to see me die," Itachi said calmly.]
["But you will never defeat someone with the Mangekyō Sharingan. Your goal is nothing but an illusion. This is reality."]
[Sasuke remained unfazed, his expression cold and composed. He smirked slightly. "No matter how much you use those eyes..."]
["My hatred will turn illusions into reality."]
["And the reality you must face... is death."]
[Their eyes locked, and the tension reached its peak.]
[BAM! BAM! BAM!]
[Shuriken flew from their hands, clashing mid-air with a deafening rhythm. The cave echoed with the sharp sounds of steel colliding.]
[Flashes of sparks lit up the cavern as the two unleashed a barrage of perfectly aimed shuriken, each deflecting the other's attacks.]
[Both combatants were unrelenting, their Sharingan enhancing their precision to an extraordinary level.]
[Finally, the exchange of projectiles ended, and they charged at each other for close combat.]
"So fast!"
Hiashi Hyūga activated his Byakugan, barely able to follow the high-speed movements of their shuriken. His face showed disbelief.
"This level of accuracy... I've never seen anything like it."
[In the battle, Sasuke summoned a massive windmill shuriken, spinning it in his hand before hurling it at Itachi.]
[Clang!]
[Itachi countered with a kunai, but Sasuke's shuriken was infused with Chidori chakra. The sheer force cracked the kunai and sent the shuriken ripping through Itachi's shoulder.]
[For a moment, Sasuke's smirk widened. But then, Itachi's body dissolved into crows once more.]
[From the flock of crows, Itachi reappeared and delivered a powerful kick to Sasuke, sending him crashing into the cave wall, shattering the rock.]
["Forgive me, Sasuke," Itachi said coldly. "This is reality."]
[Itachi pinned Sasuke down and reached for his eyes with his fingers, moving in for the kill.]
["I need the light!" Itachi declared.]
["Ahhhhh!!" Sasuke screamed as Itachi seemed to gouge out one of his eyes.]
The entire shinobi world collectively gasped in horror.
"Itachi... actually tore out his eye?! No hesitation at all?!"
"This guy's insane! How could he do that to his own brother?!"
"Sasuke doesn't deserve this. No one does!"
[Sasuke sat frozen, his face pale, his empty eye socket exposed. As blood dripped down his cheek, his back erupted with grotesque wings from the Curse Mark, flapping ominously.]
["That other eye... I'll take it too," Itachi said, advancing again. But Sasuke's remaining Sharingan flashed, and the scene shattered like glass.]
[It was a genjutsu. Sasuke had broken Itachi's Tsukuyomi.]
"Genjutsu?! Again?! How much of this fight has been an illusion?!"
"This feels like a cheat code! Is there anything the Sharingan can't do?"
"Wait, is this video itself genjutsu? I'm so confused now."
"There's no doubt about it now. Both of them have Kage-level strength!"
"They're just kids! How is this even possible?"
"I've hired elite jonin before, but none of them could compare to this level of power. It's beyond belief!"
"Excuse me, can I be your apprentice? Or your servant? I'm not picky."
In the Projection
["You broke my Tsukuyomi?" Itachi gasped, kneeling on the ground. He panted heavily, his face etched with disbelief.]
[Sasuke stood tall, smirking with arrogance. "I told you, no matter how much you use those eyes..."]
["I will turn illusions into reality."]
[Itachi, unshaken, stood back up and declared coldly, "Then let me turn the world of Tsukuyomi into reality."]
[He began forming hand signs, but Sasuke interrupted him with another massive shuriken. The weapon split apart mid-air, its fragments embedding into Itachi's legs, drawing blood.]
["Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"]
[Sasuke seized the opportunity, forming quick hand signs and launching a massive fireball at Itachi.]
[Itachi attempted to dodge, but his wounded legs slowed him down. He barely escaped the attack, leaping weakly into the air.]
[But Sasuke was already waiting. His hand crackled with Chidori as he thrust it toward Itachi's chest.]
[Boom!!!]
[The impact shattered the cave's ceiling, exposing the ruins of the Uchiha Clan's old grounds above.]
The shinobi world watched in awe, the battle leaving them breathless. For those unfamiliar with ninja combat, this fight seemed like something out of a myth.
"This... this is beyond anything I've ever seen!"
"This level of power could shake nations! No wonder the Uchiha Clan is so feared."
"For the rest of us, this kind of battle is something we can only dream of witnessing."