261-265

Chapter 261: Lightning Style - Kirin!

The distance between him and Killer Bee could be crossed in the blink of an eye—less than a single breath—for a ninja.

But standing in his way was none other than the Third Raikage, Ay.

Like a wall of impenetrable lightning, Ay blocked all paths forward, barring Uchiha Shinji's advance.

In this moment, Uchiha Shinji didn’t have the luxury of deliberation.

Could he muster enough strength to break through the Third Raikage's blockade?

Would he still have the power to stop Killer Bee from releasing the Tailed Beast Bomb after that?

What would be the consequences of failure?

All these chaotic thoughts were streamlined into a single, unwavering determination.

Taking a deep breath, Uchiha Shinji inhaled the frigid air and exhaled it in a long, dragon-like stream. Dragging the Kusanagi sword behind him, its blade shimmering in four hues, he dashed forward with explosive speed toward his target.

In that instant, his left hand reached toward his waist, drawing a blade. Without hesitation, he plunged it directly into his own throat.

The sharp edge of the kunai pierced through his windpipe and vocal cords, slicing downward and severing the trachea connecting to his lungs.

The human voice relies on organs such as the lungs, diaphragm, trachea, vocal cords, oral cavity, nasal cavity, and pharynx.

By severing the flow of air and temporarily disabling his vocal cords, Uchiha Shinji rendered himself unable to repair his ruptured eardrums or open his shut eyes.

At this moment, he became blind, deaf, and mute.

By not looking, he would not be deceived by lightning-fast movements beyond the capacity of the eye.

By not listening, he would not hear the Third Raikage’s calls.

By not speaking, he would not risk being sealed by the Amber Purifying Pot.

This legendary tool of the Six Paths, which required an enormous amount of chakra to activate, would instead become a burden on the Third Raikage.

Through brief but intense clashes, Uchiha Shinji had already gained a clear understanding of the Raikage's speed.

It wasn’t going to get any faster.

In the abyss of silence and blindness, a darkness brimming with unnameable terrors, Uchiha Shinji began to recall.

He forced himself to remember, tirelessly and desperately.

Without a heart capable of burning itself out like a sacrificial flame, he had only his memories to rely on:

The fundamental skills drilled into him over the past month and a half of grueling training, cementing the foundation of a true Uchiha ninja.

The timing of techniques, the interplay of jutsu, the integration of intelligence.

And, above all, the tireless honing of his swordsmanship day and night.

In that deep, soundless void, enlightenment dawned upon Uchiha Shinji.

He grasped a force beyond ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu—a power intrinsic to humanity itself, buried deep within his bloodline and utterly primal.

As the saying goes: Lose something on one end and gain something on the other.  

The dazzling, overwhelming jutsu he had relied on in the past, the endless combinations of techniques, and the unceasing pursuit of power had obscured his innate brilliance.

In abandoning all of that, he uncovered something extraordinary.

At that moment, a system message quietly appeared before his eyes:

> *[Talent: Combat Instinct (S+)] Development level has increased. You can now perceive the world more profoundly and wield your senses with even greater precision.*

> *[Current Rank: Combat Instinct (SS) - Mastery.]*

> *[Talent: Combat Instinct] has gained a new suffix: Omniscient Weaponry.*

> *[Omniscient Weaponry]: All your abilities instantly gain one level of proficiency upon acquisition (this includes innate talents).*

> *Under the influence of your talent, your skill [Uchiha Style: Solar Halo Dance (S)] has leveled up. Current Status: Mastery (0/1000). This skill has gained a new suffix: Foresight.*

> *[Foresight]: Derived from the Uchiha clan’s swordsmanship roots, passed down through generations by copying the world’s most refined kenjutsu, taijutsu, and nin-taijutsu techniques with the Sharingan. Within this domain, you can predict your opponent's movements through swordsmanship alone.*

The evolution of his abilities felt like rain gently nourishing the earth.

There was no overwhelming surge of power, unlike the time he awakened the Zero-Tails.

Yet Uchiha Shinji sensed, without a doubt, that the current version of himself could defeat ten of his past selves without breaking a sweat.

The newly awakened Combat Instinct, paired with his indomitable will, now revealed its true, unrelenting nature.

Omniscient Weaponry.  

Without prerequisites or conditions, it elevated every skill by one level of mastery, including the Sharingan’s innate potential.

In the next moment, Uchiha Shinji opened his eyes.

Two tomoe spun frantically around his vertical slit pupils. These serpent-like Sharingan, enhanced by natural energy, already possessed insight on par with a three-tomoe Sharingan.

Now, it was as if a barrier had shattered.

Though still a two-tomoe Sharingan, the world before him slowed to 0.5x, then 0.25x, then 0.125x speed. Every detail became crystal clear.

The Third Raikage charged at him, raising two fingers in preparation for his Hell Stab: Two-Finger Thrust.

Uchiha Shinji could see the slightest muscle movements, each strand of hair standing on end, the Raikage’s wide-open mouth shouting something in anger, and the arcs of lightning coiling around his body.

Uchiha Shinji saw it all with perfect clarity.

“So this is the true insight of the Mangekyo Sharingan?”

“Excellent.”

A grin spread across Uchiha Shinji's face as he locked onto his opponent with unyielding focus.

“If these eyes allow me to see through all your movements…”

“Then…”

His expression hardened. In a flash, he gripped the Kusanagi sword with both hands and raised his head with a fierce glint in his eyes.

“Raikage…”

"With this sword, I shall defeat you!"

Everything happened in just an instant.

The ferocious figure surrounded by pale lightning, and Uchiha Shinji dragging behind him the four-colored sword light, collided in a flash!

"Hell Stab: Two-Finger Thrust!"

Two fingers thrust straight toward him with lightning speed.

Once again, relying on his danger perception, Uchiha Shinji stepped down hard, spun, and leapt high into the air!

The lightning pierced through beneath him, streaking like a flash of light.

Ai's gaze turned cold and sinister as he spun around to look at Uchiha Shinji.

"The same evasive maneuver won’t fool me a second time!"

The lightning crackled violently, and Ai’s heart thundered like a drum!

Ai came to a sudden stop, his foot slamming onto the ground.

Crack! Crack!  

The ground beneath his feet split like a spiderweb, spreading rapidly before collapsing!

Halting his movement with sheer force, Ai crouched low, then quickly looked up at Uchiha Shinji, who was midair with nowhere to dodge.

Elbowing the amber purification jar strapped to his back, he roared:

"Uchiha Shinji!!

Now, let me hear your screams of despair!"

Bang!  

Electricity exploded!

Ai launched himself into the air again, swinging his arm in a wide arc.

A hand chop streaked toward Uchiha Shinji's temple!

The temple, long known as one of the body’s vital points, is not only packed with nerves but also a meeting place for arteries and veins. More critically, the bone here is incredibly fragile.

All Ai needed was a light strike to fracture the bone, piercing the artery into the brain. The nerves would immediately sense pain so excruciating, it would make one wish for death!

Yet, as the deadly blow came hurtling toward him—

"I see it!"

Uchiha Shinji’s mind sharpened in an instant, his eyes wide open!

"The taijutsu used by the Third Raikage shares the same roots as Cloud Style Kenjutsu!"

"And this hand chop is based on the technique Cloud Style: Shadow Lightning Thrust!"

"In that case..."

Uchiha Shinji twisted midair, turning to face Ai.

Without hesitation, he gripped the Kusanagi sword with both hands and slashed toward the Third Raikage’s incoming hand chop!

"Trying to sever my hand?"

Seeing this, the Third Raikage’s expression turned cold, but his movements didn’t falter. If anything, his face grew even more ferocious.

Even if it meant letting the Two-Tails escape, all for the chance to kill Uchiha Shinji—

If it required losing another arm to slay this brat before him,

so be it!

In that instant—

The dazzling longsword radiating golden, azure, indigo, and white hues clashed with the thunderous hand chop wreathed in lightning!

However—

The very next moment, Ai's expression abruptly changed.

The longsword, which seemed poised to collide with his hand chop, suddenly veered off course, grazing past his arm!

Uchiha Shinji used this opportunity to twist his body, quickly maneuvering behind the Raikage!

All he needed was to replicate his previous tactic from the battle atop the Hidan cult’s walls in the Land of Hot Water. A reverse thrust with the Four Symbols Sword—imbued with the fused attributes of wind, fire, lightning, and water—would pierce through the lightning armor and stab the Third Raikage’s heart, ending him right there!

But—

Instead of delivering the finishing blow, Uchiha Shinji, who had used the feint slash to maneuver behind the Raikage, leapt away.

He tumbled to the ground, disregarding his disheveled state and the possibility of the Third Raikage’s retaliation, and dashed forward!

Toward Killer Bee!

Toward the Eight-Tails!

His Sharingan burned crimson, locked on the Tailed Beast Bomb forming in the Eight-Tails’ mouth, ready to obliterate the elderly Uchiha Shanna.

Uchiha Shinji gritted his teeth, withdrew his chakra from the Kusanagi sword, and raised his hands to form seals!

He unleashed his final remaining chakra into a jutsu, aiming at the ominous sky above:

"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"

A torrent of flames erupted, roaring into the sky!

Yet, compared to the earth-shaking power of the Eight-Tails, this fire-style jutsu seemed utterly pitiful—like trying to burn an elephant with a lighter!

But—

Amid the ear-splitting roars that soon gave way to an eerie silence,

under the incomprehensible gazes of the Raikage, Killer Bee as the Eight-Tails, and the Leaf Village shinobi—

Uchiha Shinji wasn’t foolish enough to truly try burning an elephant with a lighter.

So instead—

He threw the lighter into the sky.

And then—

Ignited the endless storm clouds looming overhead!

With the fury of heaven and earth, he turned this hellish night into a spectacular crescendo!

After a brief moment of silence,

Before the stunned expressions of everyone on the battlefield could morph into ridicule—

Uchiha Shinji raised one hand, his eyes bloodshot, staring at the fully-formed Eight-Tails preparing to unleash its Tailed Beast Bomb.

Standing at the cliff’s edge, silhouetted by the terrifying lightning that cascaded down from the heavens—

He rasped hoarsely, with a silent cry:

"Lightning Style: Kirin!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 262: Thunder Roars, Eight-Tails Defeated in One Strike!

Lightning Style: Kirin.

Developed by the future Sasuke Uchiha in the original series, this technique is hailed as the pinnacle of Lightning Style jutsu.

It boasts wide coverage, immense destructive power, minimal chakra consumption, and a speed so fast that evasion is nearly impossible.

However, its flaws are equally notable—it requires specific weather conditions and the Sharingan's ability to perceive and guide the flow of lightning in the sky to execute properly.

Against the Third Raikage, who moves with the speed and power of lightning itself, this jutsu is ineffective.

The Raikage's speed is unparalleled, and while Kirin covers a large area, its power is dispersed, leaving uncertainty about whether it could even penetrate the Raikage's Lightning Armor.

Additionally, although Uchiha Shinji understood Kirin's mechanics and had attempted it during the month and a half of intense combat training, executing it with his Two-Tomoe Sharingan was extremely challenging and prone to errors.

Thus, Uchiha Shinji did not consider using it against the Third Raikage.

But now—

With mastery over multiple martial disciplines and his Sharingan enhanced through the influence of natural energy, his Two-Tomoe Sharingan had leaped two levels, granting him the insight of a Mangekyō Sharingan!

Coupled with the thunderclouds summoned by the arrival of the Third Raikage and the colossal Eight-Tails, which was preparing a Tailed Beast Bomb like a sitting duck,

The timing, environment, and opportunity were all in perfect alignment.

Uchiha Shinji instantly realized—

This was the only chance to save Uchiha Setsuna and the others from the Tailed Beast Bomb!

At this moment,

Raising his right hand, Uchiha Shinji channeled the last of his chakra into it. Wrapped in the blue glow of Lightning Style: Super Sonic Thunder Blade, a jutsu meant for swords but now electrifying his hand to the point of tearing the skin apart,

Zzzzzz—  

The overcast sky suddenly brightened!

It was as if the heavens themselves had bowed to Uchiha Shinji's will.

Brilliant lightning spread across the sky like a spiderweb, reaching beyond the limits of human vision.

The deafening roar of countless bolts echoed, resembling a field of blooming kale flowers.

The battlefield was bathed in blinding white light, revealing the stunned faces of everyone present.

"What is... that?!"

The Eight-Tails, Gyūki, raised its head, staring at the sky in shock and swallowing hard.

The next moment, its expression changed drastically as it shouted in terror within Killer Bee's mind:

"Bee, cancel the Tailed Beast Bomb now!"

"If that technique lands, it'll detonate the Tailed Beast Bomb along with it!"

However, Killer Bee, seated atop Gyūki's nose, was in a daze, staring at the sky as if he hadn't heard Gyūki's warning.

"It's too late... It's already too late," he murmured.

"That technique... It's absolutely impossible to avoid."

Pale-faced and utterly drained, Killer Bee leaned back and collapsed onto Gyūki's nose, whispering in despair:

"He's already completed his preparation."

"And lightning falls... in just a thousandth of a second!"

"Faster than the speed of sound!"

As he spoke,

In the outside world—

Standing before the towering Eight-Tails, Uchiha Shinji's expression twisted with determination as he clenched his outstretched fingers into a fist.

"Come!"

With an explosive roar from deep within,

BOOOOM!!!  

Lightning that had spread to the horizon suddenly converged under the guidance of the lightning in his hand.

In the next instant,

A colossal thunder beast—far larger, more majestic, and terrifying than the full form of the Eight-Tails—emerged from the stormy clouds.

Its massive head peeked out, its fearsome maw opened wide, glowing red eyes glaring down as its body, composed entirely of lightning, exuded an aura that none present would ever forget.

Then—

"ROAAARRR!!!"

The thunder beast unleashed an earth-shattering roar as it descended with unstoppable fury.

"Disappear with the thunder's roar!"

Fixing his gaze on the Eight-Tails, which was still charging its Tailed Beast Bomb, Uchiha Shinji silently growled in ferocious resolve.

Faster than the eye could see, quicker than the mind could process, and swifter than sound could reach the ear—

The massive bolt of lightning struck like a blazing pillar connecting heaven, earth, the Eight-Tails, and the Tailed Beast Bomb it held.

It wasn’t merely falling; it seemed to instantaneously weld the sky and ground together with its destructive force.

And then it crashed down with a deafening explosion.

Blinding white light engulfed everything!

The Eight-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb was crushed back into its mouth, driving it deep into its body, igniting a muffled explosion that unleashed a massive sandstorm, radiating outward from the cliffside battlefield!

Under the overwhelming might of this technique, mere mortals couldn’t even bear to look.

The crowd shielded their faces, blocked their ears with chakra, and cowered to avoid being deafened by the resounding shockwaves.

The entire cliffside turned into a scorched wasteland, littered with embers left by the devastating lightning—a testament to the sheer terror of this ultimate jutsu.

When the dust finally settled—

The crowd opened their eyes to see...

The mighty and towering Eight-Tails, once a terrifying beast of unimaginable power,

was now reduced to a pile of scorched and fragmented remains,

its immense form obliterated.

All that remained was Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki,

lying charred and lifeless on the rocky battlefield.

It was unclear whether he was still breathing.

Having taken the full brunt of the Lightning Style: Kirin’s widespread destructive force with his fully transformed tailed-beast body,

and then enduring a nearly max-powered Tailed Beast Bomb from himself,

even if Killer Bee had somehow survived, his grievous injuries rendered him incapable of further action.

However,

before anyone could recover from the shock and awe of the ultimate lightning technique’s devastating beauty,

they saw—

On the scorched battlefield, a blackened, bloodied figure dashed straight toward Killer Bee with unwavering determination!

It was none other than Uchiha Shinji!

Uchiha Shinji knew the situation all too well:

His chakra was completely depleted, and with the Third Raikage still standing strong, there was no one who could match him in combat.

His only option was to seize the defeated Killer Bee and use his life as leverage to force the Third Raikage, A, to retreat—

to buy even a few precious moments.

Only by doing this could he and the others have a slim chance of survival!

Although the battle seemed to have lasted an eternity, it had, in reality, only been a matter of minutes.

Even with the Flying Thunder God Technique, it would take Minato a full thirty minutes to travel from Konoha to Hell Valley,

as he had mentioned before.

Until then, the only hope lay with Killer Bee!

Yet—

“Ji, watch out behind you!!”

At that moment, everyone’s hearts leaped to their throats.

This was because Uchiha Shinji wasn’t the only one sprinting across the battlefield.

There was another figure—

someone faster, more ruthless, and who had moved even earlier.

It was none other than the Third Raikage, A!

His eyes glinted with a complex, unreadable emotion.

Just moments ago, that swift, precise strike—

the boy had clearly seized the opportunity and exploited the flaw in A’s technique.

He could have easily pierced through the Lightning Cloak and stabbed into A’s heart from behind.

But instead,

to protect the group standing behind him,

he had abandoned that opportunity and turned his attack on Killer Bee instead!

This decision momentarily shocked the Third Raikage.

Then, it left him silent and contemplative.

In this life-or-death moment, the boy’s choice made A truly understand the kind of person Uchiha Shinji was.

“So that’s how it is...”

“To you, the things that truly matter... are worth protecting, even at the cost of your own life.”

At this thought, A’s gaze toward Uchiha Shinji shifted, carrying a trace of respect.

Not all shinobi were deceitful and cunning.

To a warrior village like Kumogakure, which valued camaraderie above all,

someone like Uchiha Shinji was far more admirable than those who clung to power or sought survival through cowardice.

“Uchiha Shinji, there’s no doubt about it. You’re a true shinobi.”

“A young genius who already possesses the resolve of a Kage.”

“If only you had been born in Kumogakure, I would have passed the mantle of the Fourth Raikage to you without hesitation.”

With that, A spun his massive frame,

gripping the enormous halberd strapped to his back.

He planted one foot forward, bent his knee into a stance,

and pulled the weapon back with one arm as if preparing to hurl it like a javelin.

“But...”

A glint of ferocity flashed in his eyes, his expression suddenly fierce and unyielding.

It was a mixture of anger, shame, and perhaps a touch of regret—

but most of all,

resolve.

“You are far too dangerous!”

“Even if it means losing Bee,

I, the Raikage, must ensure that you are killed here and now!!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 263: Chaos Unleashed! The Demons Inside Uchiha Shinji Are Fighting Each Other!*

The instant the thunderous roar of the heavens faded,

another lightning bolt suddenly tore through the scene!

It was like a pale arrow, shooting out in an instant!

Then, it stopped, twisted to the ground, and assumed a bowing stance. With one hand, it swung the legendary weapon—*The Amber Purifying Flask*—from its back!

Ai's gaze was fixed on Uchiha Shinji, who was charging toward the lifeless Kirabi.

At that moment, the boy's ears were bleeding profusely, a kunai pierced through his throat, and his body was charred black. Yet, his blazing red eyes shone as brightly as the first rays of dawn!

Ai understood. For Uchiha Shinji, who could no longer hear or speak,

the Amber Purifying Flask was now useless for sealing him.

However—

"Kid, don’t underestimate the power of a ninja village."

Ai’s eyes grew cold as he recalled the intel he had seen and heard a month ago in the Raikage’s office.

In his ears, it was as if the voice of his subordinate, Gebui, echoed again—

"Lord Raikage, based on our prior investigations, the tailed beast inside Uchiha Shinji does not belong to the Nine Great Tailed Beasts."

"It is an artificial creation, cultivated by the remnants of the Sky Ninja Village after the Second Shinobi World War. Specifically, it was created by Shinnō, the Sky Ninja leader who Orochimaru pursued in the Land of Hot Water."

"Its name is..."

At that moment of recollection,

Ai’s gaze sharpened into a chilling glint as he stomped heavily on the ground!

Crack!  

Spiderweb-like cracks spread rapidly, with rocks flying and vegetation trembling!

Ai took a deep breath, yanked the yellow lid off the Amber Purifying Flask with one hand, and, holding it like a javelin athlete in perfect form, hurled it with all his might!

His eyes bulged, his hair bristled, and lightning crackled furiously across his body as he roared:

"Zero-Tails—"

"*Void*!!!"

With this thunderous bellow, the Amber Purifying Flask turned into a streak of yellow light and shot forward!

Just as Uchiha Shinji reached out his hand to strangle the shriveled Kirabi lying on the ground, the flask zipped into place in front of him!

Then—

From the flask’s mouth erupted a surge of chakra,

as if an invisible giant hand had reached out and grabbed Uchiha Shinji.

No, to be precise, it targeted Uchiha Shinji’s abdomen!

In that moment,

Uchiha Shinji was startled,

because despite being unable to hear anything, he suddenly heard a voice!

It came from his abdomen, like a stressed office worker shocked into attention by someone yelling in their ear:

"Boss! I’m not slacking!"

It was a childlike, high-pitched voice:

"—Chirp Chirp!?"

The voice resonated within his body, transmitted through chakra and bone conduction!

"Stupid snake!?"

"Damn it, you agreed!?"

Uchiha Shinji’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at his abdomen, where the confused Zero-Tails had just answered. His scalp tingled, and an electric shiver ran down his spine!

Indeed, the Zero-Tails had a name: *Void*.

Before Uchiha Shinji could ponder how such classified information had fallen into the Raikage’s hands,

a terrifying, irresistible force extended from the Amber Purifying Flask, plunging into his abdomen like a crab claw crushing its prey. It seized the Zero-Tails firmly, causing its features to bulge grotesquely, and then yanked it outward!

Bam! Bam! Bam!  

Suddenly, Uchiha Shinji could hear the sound of the Zero-Tails’ head being slammed against the Eight Trigrams Seal within his body.

And then, to his horror, he saw—

The Eight Trigrams Seal had been forcefully cracked open!

From the fissure, the Zero-Tails' dark chakra began to emerge.

The Zero-Tails, realizing what was happening, displayed a rare moment of fear in its pale eyes. It bit down hard on Uchiha Shinji’s abdominal muscles, clinging on like a red-and-black flag flapping in the wind as it was dragged toward the Amber Purifying Flask.

At the same time, Uchiha Shinji felt his strength draining rapidly. His body grew weaker by the second!

Thud!  

He collapsed helplessly to the ground, staring in terror at the airborne brown-yellow flask. For a brief moment, it felt like he was on the set of Journey to the West, with Silver Horn shouting at him:

"Hey, Uchiha Shinji, dare you answer if I call your name?"

Uchiha Shinji silently cursed, thinking, Fine, you win. I’ve turned myself into a deaf-mute just to play dead—what more do you want?  

But just as he thought he was safe—

Silver Horn suddenly shouted:

"Hey, Uchiha Shinji’s pants, dare you answer if I call your name?"

And, unbelievably, his pants answered!

Now, he found himself in the absurd predicament of desperately trying to pull up his pants to salvage what little dignity remained.

Tailed beasts—

They weren’t just a source of power for jinchūriki; their existence was tied directly to the host’s life.

Just as Uchiha Shinji had extracted the Two-Tails from Yugito, leading to her death,

if the Raikage succeeded in pulling the Zero-Tails out of him now,

even with Uchiha Shinji’s bizarrely resilient body and all the strange entities inside him,

it was anyone’s guess whether he’d survive.

However—

---

What truly horrified Uchiha Shinji was the realization that, without the ability of the Zero-Tails to absorb extreme emotions and convert them into chakra, he stood no chance of posing any threat to the Third Raikage in this battle.

In other words,

he was doomed to die!

However, just at that moment—

Uchiha Shinji suddenly felt a sharp pain at the spot on the back of his neck where the Heaven Curse Mark was located!

A familiar green chakra suddenly began to surge out!

It was the same emerald-green Sage Chakra that had been extracted as a glowing orb when he crushed the cat’s-eye stone during his fierce battle with Chiyo!

As the chakra emerged,

the Zero-Tails, which had been clamping down stubbornly on his abdominal muscles—its teeth nearly cracking—suddenly seemed to experience an electric shock, triggering a reactive spasm.

Then—

“Cough, cough, gag! Hurk! Cough, cough—”

The little creature began retching violently, its grotesque coughing noises like someone dry heaving early in the morning without brushing their teeth.

Moments later,

it spit out a glimmering object that left Uchiha Shinji both horrified and dumbfounded. It was an emerald-green necklace that looked incredibly familiar!

Uchiha Shinji stared at it, his confusion growing even deeper.

Wasn’t this… Tsunade’s necklace?!

Meanwhile—

In the dense forest near the cliff edges of Hell Valley, a spiky-haired, brown-haired young man crouching behind a tree, nervously covering his ears and secretly observing the battlefield, suddenly froze.

It was as if he had sensed something, and he jerked his head up sharply.

Yamato quickly extended his hand and removed the wrist guard he was wearing.

On his wrist, there was a curse mark identical to Uchiha Shinji’s.

At that moment, the mark began to heat up slightly, its patterns expanding and winding outward. In the center of his palm, the lines formed a single character—

“Zero.”

Seeing this, Yamato’s face grew tense. He looked up sharply at the battlefield, where Uchiha Shinji was collapsed on the ground, and not far from him, the towering and imposing Third Raikage stood like a god of war.

Clenching his teeth, Yamato’s eyes widened, and his face began to twitch involuntarily.

This sudden turn of events brought back a memory—

The words Orochimaru had spoken to him before taking him from Lord Danzo’s side when he left the village:

“Now is the time for you to burn for the sake of Konoha!”

And so—

Faced with the threat of King Kinkaku pulling down his pants,

standing on the brink of life and death,

all the demons and monsters inside and outside Uchiha Shinji finally burst forth and began to clash!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 264: The Battle Between Human and Immortal, Cloud Thunder Cannon!*

At this moment,

Dragon Earth Cavern.

In an unknown location, a rhythmic sound of wooden fish tapping echoed faintly.

Underneath a grand gateway and upon a massive throne,

a colossal white-scaled serpent, its body coiled and leaning against the backrest, suddenly opened its golden snake-like eyes as it awakened from slumber.

This serpent was none other than the master of Dragon Earth Cavern—the White Snake Sage.

It narrowed its eyes, the golden pupils glinting.

In the next moment, the events it had been tracking in the Shinobi World—the matters it had seen in its dreams—were projected in front of it through waves of its mental energy.

This was a unique ability of the White Snake Sage: to record past events and replay them, rendering the past visible once more.

The technique was called “Lingmiao Radiance!”  

The images appeared. Before the White Snake Sage was the scene where Uchiha Shinji was having the tailed beast extracted from him by the Amber Purification Jar.

Upon seeing this,

“Hissss!” The White Snake Sage's pupils contracted sharply, its expression immediately darkening.

“This pawn… I thought I could cultivate him until he awakened those eyes. Then, by taking them, I’d be able to seize the True Dragon's body and ascend the Dragon Transformation Stairway, bringing some benefit to myself. But...”

“He overestimated himself, provoking a powerful enemy he couldn’t possibly contend with. In the end, he met the fate of death and eradication.”

The White Snake Sage coldly stared at the partially extracted Zero-Tails, its gaze indifferent as it shook its head.

“Once a Jinchūriki has their tailed beast extracted, there is no path left but death.”

“Even the Uzumaki clan, with their Sage-like bodies, cannot defy this.”

“However...”

“Fortunately, I had prepared a contingency plan long ago!”

The White Snake Sage opened its blood-red mouth wide, letting out a chilling laugh.

“In the current situation, there’s no choice but to abandon this pawn. Using his immortality and the man-made tailed beast, I can re-cultivate a soulless body for my own use. And conveniently, I can also rely on the power of this artifact to achieve the perfect theft!”

“That saves me the trouble of dealing with this brat. The Sharingan is a nuisance—too valuable to waste, yet too bothersome to keep.”

“Then—”

With this thought, the White Snake Sage’s golden pupils turned icy cold, shining brightly in an instant!

“Sage Art: Distant Shadow Projection!”

---

*Meanwhile, in the Land of Lightning, Kumogakure.*

Above the collapsed and shattered Raikage Building,

Orochimaru stood with arms crossed in the mouth of the Eight-Headed Serpent. His indifferent gaze swept over the ruins below, the night air heavy with smoke. He watched as a trembling group of Kumogakure shinobi pushed a massive object toward him.

After sustaining heavy losses from an earlier attack, Kumogakure’s forces had finally managed to organize a counteroffensive.

However, with most of their army, the Third Raikage, and two Jinchūriki out of the village, the remaining defenses seemed laughably weak to Orochimaru.

Still, there’s always an exception.

“What is... that?”

Seeing the colossal object being pushed forward by Kumogakure’s forces, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes slightly.

It was a construct made up of three thick steel barrels mounted on a cylindrical frame. The frame featured various components: a recoil absorption system, a cradle, upper and lower mounts, elevation and traverse mechanisms, stabilizers, aiming systems, and mobility apparatuses. It resembled the recently popularized “cannons” that had emerged in the Shinobi World—albeit a more refined version.

Compared to standard cannons, this device appeared far more aesthetically pleasing. Its steel components were seamlessly integrated, giving it an oddly beautiful design.

However, its reliance on manual operation to adjust the barrels for aiming made it impractical against the swift movements of shinobi. Moreover, its explosive ammunition—essentially spheres packed with explosive tags—lacked the power to penetrate even the first gate of Orochimaru’s Triple Rashōmon.

Orochimaru had dabbled in research on such devices for a few days but quickly dismissed them after finding them far less effective than Fire Release techniques.

Now, seeing Kumogakure roll out such a contraption, Orochimaru shook his head, rasping in amusement,

“Shinobi relying on such tools… Kumogakure, how pathetic.”

As Orochimaru prepared to advance with his serpent, intending to crush the device with a single swipe of its tail,

the incomplete S-rank forbidden technique—the Eight-Headed Serpent Jutsu—suddenly malfunctioned. This caused the massive serpent, a manifestation of Orochimaru’s obsession, to falter in its movements.

Simultaneously, Orochimaru sensed that the Curse Mark he had implanted thousands of miles away had been triggered.

It seemed the failsafe he’d left inside Uchiha Shinji, fused with the Zero-Tails, had been activated.

Frowning, Orochimaru muttered,

“The forbidden technique ‘Flesh Regeneration’ I acquired through dissection is still flawed. The current materials are insufficient for further development.”

“I need to locate Shinnō and obtain the original technique from him.”

“Very well.” Orochimaru shook his head and bit his finger, forming hand seals before pressing his palm into the air.

“Summoning Jutsu: Triple Rashōmon!”

As his raspy voice fell, three massive gates rose abruptly from the ground!

The Triple Rashōmon, a technique derived from the First Hokage’s Five-Layered Rashōmon, summoned defensive walls to absorb all incoming attacks.

The first gate bore the brunt of the attack, the second weakened its force, and the third dispersed the pressure. Together, the gates significantly reduced the potency of any assault.

Given that the “cannon” couldn’t even penetrate the first gate, Orochimaru summoning the Triple Rashōmon—even while preoccupied with developments involving his disciple—was a gesture that inadvertently honored Kumogakure.

Standing behind the three gates and ignoring the cries of despair around him,

Orochimaru closed his eyes, extending his senses toward the events occurring thousands of miles away.

The Curse Mark, or more precisely, the Cursed Seal of Heaven, contained fragments of Orochimaru’s soul. This allowed him to perceive events remotely, operating on principles similar to the feedback mechanism of the Shadow Clone Jutsu, though Orochimaru’s method was far more sophisticated.

Before long, Orochimaru’s eyebrows arched slightly.

“The seal on the First Hokage’s necklace inside the Zero-Tails has been broken.”

“It seems the White Snake Sage is making a move.”

“Realized things were going south? Afraid Uchiha Shinji would die, so you decided to escape with your desired prize?”

“Heh heh heh.”

Thinking of this, Orochimaru couldn’t help but curl his lips into a sinister smile.

“As a so-called sage, you’re nothing but an impatient fool.”

Long before, when the White Snake Sage taught Uchiha Shinji the Sage Art: Shadow Projection Across Vast Distances, Uchiha Shinji had sent word of this technique to Orochimaru through the Uchiha clan's channels.

However, Orochimaru neither sent a reply nor provided any specific instructions.

Naturally, that was because he had already prepared a contingency plan!

Every gift from fate comes with a price.

Back during the Sand Hidden Battlefield incident, when Uchiha Shinji accepted the power of the White Snake Sage, a hidden trap was already planted.

Orochimaru was fully aware of this, being an expert in such matters.

Having merged himself with the Heaven's Curse Mark, Orochimaru was particularly attuned to any unusual energy within it, beyond just natural energy.

The White Snake Sage had hidden its consciousness within the chakra of Dragon's Den Sage Art, infused into the cat's-eye stone. It thought it could conceal itself without detection.

However, after Uchiha Shinji returned to the village and sealed the Nine-Tails during that mission, he was sent to Konoha Hospital, where Orochimaru’s examination revealed the hidden presence within him.

At that time, Orochimaru didn’t know what the White Snake Sage was planning, but he had already set up his own measures.

These measures included implanting Hashirama cells into Zero-Tails and obtaining the First Hokage's necklace from Tsunade.

Given Uchiha Shinji’s personality as a "Tsunade baiter," when Orochimaru made the request, Tsunade agreed without hesitation. She was more concerned about the potential ominous curse associated with the necklace itself.

Later, Orochimaru also extorted Yamato, who wielded Wood Release, from Danzo. Yamato was the only person capable of activating the hidden abilities of the First Hokage’s necklace.

Moreover, after learning of the White Snake Sage’s intentions from Uchiha Shinji,

Orochimaru deduced the Sage’s plans and the methods it would use to achieve them!

The Sage Art: Shadow Projection Across Vast Distances

—this technique was the crux of the issue!

Using this art, one could control two minds at once, forcibly stealing the consciousness of another.

Faced with Uchiha Shinji, who wielded the Sharingan, the White Snake Sage aimed to quietly seize control of the dragonified personality born from Uchiha Shinji’s use of the Curse Mark. It then pretended to be under the control of Uchiha Shinji’s Sage Art: Shadow Projection Across Vast Distances to deceive him.

Its ultimate goal was to feast upon Uchiha Shinji after he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and completely take over his body!

But now, sensing imminent danger, the White Snake Sage realized Uchiha Shinji might perish in Hell Valley.

Without hesitation, it activated its contingency plan.

It planned to forcefully take over the dragonified personality, becoming the new Zero-Tails Jinchūriki. Then, it would activate the Forbidden Technique: Physical Regeneration to create a new heart within Uchiha Shinji’s body, extract it, and use it as the foundation for its own rebirth.

Finally, it intended to use the power of the Amber Purification Pot to break free of the Eight Trigrams Seal, escape, and take Uchiha Shinji’s heart and Zero-Tails to the Dragon Vein in the Land of Wind, where it would complete its grand transformation into a dragon!

However—

“Heh heh heh. You think you can escape? Did you even ask for my permission?”

Orochimaru’s golden snake eyes snapped open as he let out a hoarse, chilling laugh!

Without hesitation, he raised his left hand and formed a seal—

Causing the symbol for “zero” to appear in his palm!

This was none other than:

*Hokage-Style Ear-Sealing Technique: Hollow Hermit Reaching Downward!*

Yet, in the very next moment—

A massive golden beam blasted forth from the Cloud Village forces!

With countless Cloud ninjas dying as their chakra was drained by the Chakra Cannon,

*“—Boom!!”*

This cannon, fueled by the wrath, will, and determination of countless Cloud ninjas,

obliterated Orochimaru’s triple Rashomon gates one after another!

Witnessing this scene,

Orochimaru’s smile froze on his face, his snake-like pupils contracting in shock.

He stared in horror at the three Rashomon gates that had been pierced through,

and at his side,

The golden beam continued its rampage, blasting through two heads of his Eight-Headed Serpent form!

“What… What in the world is that thing?!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 265: Transcendent Shadow, the Final Hour

*Hell Valley, at the cliff's edge.*

Clang!  

A massive brownish-yellow urn slammed onto the ground, spinning briefly before coming to a halt.

Moments later, a giant blue chakra hand materialized and flew out, forcefully pressing down on the abdomen of the collapsed Uchiha Shinji.

From within his body, a black-and-red masked creature resembling a serpent was being forcibly extracted!

This creature was none other than Zero-Tail Void, the Tailed Beast sealed inside Uchiha Shinji.

At that moment, as Zero-Tail regurgitated the First Hokage’s necklace, the creature's fangs, which had been deeply embedded in Uchiha Shinji’s abdominal muscles, loosened their grip. The serpent-like entity suddenly shot backward, seemingly about to fall into the urn.

The Third Raikage, charging forward at full speed, prepared to seal the creature by slamming the lid shut, completing the process once and for all.

If successful, while Kumogakure had lost the Two-Tails, they would have captured this unique, tailless Tailed Beast. Combined with the tactical advantages the Kumogakure forces would gain once they crossed Hell Valley, the operation would still yield substantial rewards.

However, at that very moment—

An icy, indifferent, and aged voice resounded:

*“Sage Art: Transcendent Shadow!”*

A surge of emerald-green chakra erupted from Uchiha Shinji’s neck, shooting skyward!

This sudden turn of events caused the Third Raikage, Ay, to halt abruptly, his gaze narrowing with suspicion.

As this stream of chakra burst forth, Uchiha Shinji’s expression instantly changed.

He realized, to his shock, that he had lost control over his body.

The Dragon Transformation personality, now dominated by the White Snake Sage, was no longer something Uchiha could extinguish with a mere glare as before.

On the contrary, Uchiha Shinji had now become prey.

The chakra surge triggered the forbidden technique: *Corporeal Rebirth!*

As if breaking through a boundary, the faint life force locked by the curse of immortality was extracted and compressed into chakra, converging in the hollow cavity of his chest.

Before his very eyes, strands of flesh and blood rapidly coalesced, forming a brand-new heart at an astonishing speed!

In the next instant, the emerald chakra transformed into the spectral form of a massive white-scaled serpent. It viciously bit into the newly formed heart, tearing away surrounding flesh before swallowing it whole. Leveraging the powerful suction of the Amber Purification Jar, the serpent broke free from Uchiha Shinji’s body and spiraled outward, entwining itself with the Zero-Tail, which was still being pulled into the jar.

The white-scaled serpent then opened its massive jaws and devoured both the Zero-Tail and Uchiha Shinji’s heart in a single gulp!

In that moment, with Uchiha Shinji’s heart as its core, the White Snake Sage as its vessel, and the Zero-Tail as its source of power,

a new Zero-Tail Jinchūriki, controlled entirely by the White Snake Sage, was born!

The spectral form of the white-scaled serpent began to swell, its white scales shedding as black-and-red flesh erupted from within, transforming it into the fully realized form of the Zero-Tail—a colossal being the size of a double-decker bus.

“Ah, I’ve succeeded!”

The White Snake Sage’s eyes gleamed with triumph. She swiftly severed a portion of her tail, transforming it with her unique Sage Art: Illusion into a replica of the fully-formed Zero-Tail. The illusion was so convincing that even the Amber Purification Jar was momentarily deceived, unable to distinguish the real from the fake.

Taking advantage of the confusion, the White Snake Sage broke free from the jar’s pull and began to slither southward out of Hell Valley.

Beyond the southern edge of Hell Valley, crossing the borders of the Lands of Fields, Waterfalls, Grass, and Rain would lead directly to the Dragon Vein in the Land of Wind!

Although she had failed to obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan, much of the White Snake Sage’s plan had already come to fruition.

However, just then—

At the cliff’s edge of Hell Valley, a brown-haired boy with spiky hair leaped out of the dense forest, gritting his teeth. He looked at the glowing "Zero" mark on his hand and hesitated no longer.

Gripping his left wrist, he transformed the "Zero" into the kanji for "Seat" and, trembling, shouted at the White Snake Sage:

*“Fire Shadow Style: Obedient Servant Technique – Kakuan's Hands!”*

With his youthful voice ringing out, the First Hokage’s necklace, which had fallen onto Uchiha Shinji’s abdomen, erupted with radiant light!

Emerald-green beams of light shot out, binding the White Snake Sage’s massive body and pinning her firmly to the ground despite her fierce struggles.

Meanwhile, under Orochimaru’s remote guidance, Yamato clasped his hands together and invoked:

*“Sage Art: Transcendent Shadow!”*

With the power of the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, the White Snake Sage was completely suppressed.

At that moment, another chakra surged from within the Zero-Tail—another consciousness emerged!

This was the curse mark formed by Hashirama’s cells that Orochimaru had implanted within the Zero-Tail. Orochimaru’s soul had been hidden there, lying in wait to deliver the final blow to the White Snake Sage!

The White Snake Sage was visibly shaken, her voice trembling with rage and alarm:

*“Orochimaru?!”*

*"How dare you scheme against me!?"*

On the other side of the battlefield, various techniques emerged endlessly, and schemes came one after another.

However, Uchiha Shinji felt only exhaustion.

No matter how things were unfolding over there, one thing was certain—

As a Jinchūriki, he had lost his Tailed Beast!

After having the Tailed Beast extracted, survival was already nearly impossible. On top of that, with Zero Tail removed, the loss of chakra supply caused even the last line of defense provided by his pseudo-immortality to begin collapsing.

If not for his Tailed Beast-enhanced physique, his fate by now would have been like that of Nii Yugito—decapitated in a single blow, with his corpse lost somewhere on the battlefield.

Even so, at this moment,

Uchiha Shinji felt his body growing heavier and his consciousness fading,

as if an unclosable valve had opened, causing something crucial to flow ceaselessly out of his broken body.

“Hah... hah...”

He gasped for breath, his face as pale as paper. Struggling, he raised a hand to press against the ground, attempting to flip his body over and lie flat. He then tried to push himself up to stand again.

But—

“Cough! Cough! Pfft!”

A mouthful of fresh blood spewed out. Uchiha Shinji bit his molars in frustration, a wave of unwillingness surging in his heart.

This body... had reached its limit.

In this long yet fleeting night,

he had gone toe-to-toe with three Kage-level opponents in succession.

First, he killed the Two-Tails' Jinchūriki right in front of Killer B.

Then he chased the Eight-Tails all over the place.

Afterward, he engaged in a brutal melee with the Third Raikage, A.

Finally, he unleashed a Kirin to blow apart a Tailed Beast Bomb, leaving Killer B in a wrecked state.

To have achieved all this, to be honest, even Uchiha Shinji himself couldn’t understand—

What exactly had kept him going to this point?

Why was he still unwilling to give up, even in this desperate situation?

And now, after losing everything, what could he still do?

Thud!  

Even the strength to keep his hand pressed against the ground seemed to drain away through the hollow in his abdomen.

Uchiha Shinji collapsed onto the ground, his body prone. He could only strain to lift his neck and look at the charred remains of Killer B, lying just within arm’s reach.

That’s right. He still needed this guy to threaten the Third Raikage.

Summoning some unknown reserve of strength, Uchiha Shinji reached toward the innermost pocket of his utility pouch, which had a small tear. With trembling hands, he pulled out a kunai through the hole,

and aimed it at Killer B’s throat.

But at that moment—

He heard the sound of heavy footsteps.

Straining to lift his head,

he saw only a pair of red-and-white-striped shin guards approaching him with steady strides.

Shortly after—

a voice, aged and heavy, tinged with either regret or indifference, sounded beside his ear.

It was the voice of the Third Raikage, A.

“You are incredibly hard to kill!”

At this moment,

A exhaled deeply, glancing to the side where Zero Tail, White Snake Sage, and other clashing forces fought fiercely for control. The battle between their alternating consciousnesses raged on, moving farther away.

He did not head in that direction to claim the Zero Tail.

Instead, he turned his gaze back, stepping heavily toward the prone and utterly battered Uchiha Shinji.

“Although the outcome is slightly off, it doesn’t matter.”

“I don’t mind staining my hands with a little more blood.”

“Uchiha Shinji... it’s over!”

With each step he took, the lightning chakra around him grew brighter.

Finally, he raised his hand in a knife-hand strike, curling his fingers together,

and prepared to unleash the Hell Stab: One-Finger Nukite.

Swiftly, he turned his attention to a group of Konoha ninja standing to the side of Uchiha Shinji. Most of them were trembling, fear etched on their faces,

yet none of them backed down even a single step.

Among them were Uchiha Setsuna, Aburame Ryoma, Aburame Shikuro, Hyūga Hizashi, and Hyūga Kenshi.

(To be continued...)