241-245

Chapter 241: "What Did You Realize? Beast!"

Screeeech—

In a moment that felt both fleeting and eternal,

the sound of a train chugging seemed to echo faintly in his ears.

As his thoughts whirled frantically, a slideshow of memories began to replay before his eyes—

scenes of battles fought up to this very moment flashed by in rapid succession.

Uchiha Shinji suddenly understood: this was the harbinger of power spiraling out of control.

The jutsu in his hands—*Sage Art: Super Massive Dark Tailed Beast Ball Rasengan*—was about to lose stability and detonate. If that happened, it wouldn’t just obliterate him, but everything in the vicinity. Everything would be reduced to ash!

To put it bluntly, this was a power no human was ever meant to wield.

This modified jutsu, developed from inspiration drawn from the Tailed Beasts, was powered by their chakra and amplified with Sage Art. Such a force far exceeded the limits of what he could control.

In future terms, its comparable counterpart would be the technique known as:

*Sage Art: Super Tailed Beast Rasenshuriken.*

This ultimate ninjutsu would only make its appearance during the Fourth Great Ninja War when the protagonist, Naruto, faced Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.

But now? At this point in time, such a move was an apocalyptic monstrosity.

At this moment, Uchiha Shinji could still hold onto the jutsu because it hadn’t yet fully expanded.

But judging from the ominous sense of impending doom in his heart, he estimated that if this continued to grow unchecked, it would take just two seconds before the thing exploded—taking with it two Tailed Beast Balls, himself, the Konoha camp behind him, and everything within a kilometer radius.

All of it—*gone.*

Thankfully, Uchiha Shinji had one saving grace: the Zero-Tails within his body was too pathetic to supply enough chakra for a complete Tailed Beast Ball. Combined with the extreme control over his body granted by the second stage of the *Cursed Seal of Heaven*, he had just barely managed to stay on the edge of disaster.

Of course, there were likely deeper reasons at play, but this was all he could rationalize for now.

He gave up thinking altogether.

At this moment, there was no room for failure.

Raising his hand, he pressed down and thrust forward!

“*RAAAAAHHHH!!!*”

Uchiha Shinji’s eyes widened in fury as the massive, thirty-meter-diameter black Rasengan completely eclipsed everything in sight.

He relied solely on the trajectory burned into his Sharingan, pushing the dark orb of destruction with one hand toward a critical explosion point.

And then—

His fingers curled.

He twisted his palm and wrist.

“*BOOM!!*”

In an instant, the darkness erupted into blinding white light!

An unstoppable beam of energy tore through everything in its path.

The two Tailed Beast Balls were obliterated in an instant, their explosive energy scattered and neutralized by the beam’s sheer force.

The valley of hell itself was plunged into utter chaos.

The sunset dipped below the horizon, but instead of darkness, the land was illuminated in blinding, fiery brilliance, akin to the blazing heat of midsummer.

BOOM!  

The thirty-meter-wide beam shot through the valley like a spear, carving a hundred-meter-wide path of destruction. Everything within this radius—be it earth, trees, or stones—was obliterated and sent flying.

The momentum didn’t stop there. It punched through five mountains at the border between Hell Valley and Hot Spring Frost Country, leaving them shattered and hollow.

The beam continued into the heavens, becoming a distant, fiery comet streaking across the sky.

At that moment, whether it was the densely packed Kumogakure forces outside Hell Valley or the Konoha shinobi stationed within it, everyone instinctively raised their heads.

They gazed at the world-shattering white beam of light in awe.

“Stay alert!”

At the forefront of the Kumogakure forces, Motoi’s face was painted with shock as he shouted:

“Something’s heading straight for us!”

Beside him, Mabui had already tilted her head upward. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed involuntarily, murmuring,

“There’s no need to watch out—it already flew past us.”

“This…”

“What kind of power is this? It’s even more terrifying than the Third Tsuchikage’s Dust Release!”

“And that kid… Is he really only twelve years old?!”

As the beam of light finally disappeared, the shockwaves it left behind swept across the land.

Billowing sand and dust, splintered rocks, uprooted trees, subterranean roots, and even insects and beasts—

all of it was thrown into the air. A massive cloud of white smoke rose, blanketing everything in sight.

On the northern side of Hell Valley:

“Gulp.”

The fully Tailed Beast-transformed Nii Yugito stared at the aftermath, her body trembling slightly as she instinctively swallowed.

“Was… Was that my doing?”

Yugito seemed momentarily dazed.

Due to her vantage point, she hadn’t seen Uchiha Shinji leaping away from the aftermath like a flea.

All she knew was that a gust of wind had suddenly roared past her ears. Then, in an instant, her surroundings had been engulfed in a blinding white flash,

and everything in front of her was reduced to ruins, shrouded in that massive plume of smoke.

*But why were those things in the background also destroyed?*

Was it Senior Killer Bee’s doing?

Or was this the so-called recoil?

*"Yugito, are you okay?!"*

In her ears, Killer Bee’s concerned voice rang out, mixed with the deep tone of Gyūki, the Eight-Tails. There was a slight tremor in his voice, as if he had just witnessed something terrifying.

Only Killer Bee, standing to the side, saw it—

That Uchiha brat had leaped into the air, wielding a pitch-black Tailed Beast Bomb with a diameter of thirty meters, colliding it head-on against the ones they had just fired!

And then—he actually grabbed both of their Tailed Beast Bombs with one hand and crushed them outright! The resulting blinding white beam of energy streaked past Yugito’s ear, nearly hitting her!

Just the thought of it made both Killer Bee and the Eight-Tails break into a cold sweat. If that attack had landed, even Yugito in her fully transformed Tailed Beast state…

She would have likely lost all combat ability in an instant.

*"I’m fine,"*

Yugito, still unsure of what had just happened, shook her head and forced herself to respond.

*"I can feel it—Matatabi is rejecting me. It doesn’t seem willing to cooperate in the fight."*

*"I think I can barely manage to fire one more Tailed Beast Bomb."*

Her gaze steadied as she turned to the Eight-Tails.

*"Senior Bee, let’s stick to the plan and execute our mission!"*

But Killer Bee immediately shook his head, his voice turning serious.

*"The plan has changed, Yugito. We need to split up immediately!"*

*"Circle around from both sides and fire Tailed Beast Bombs from two directions! He won’t be able to block both!"*

*"Mabui should have seen what’s happening by now. She’ll use the Heavenly Transfer Jutsu to bring the Amber Purifying Pot here soon. With that divine weapon, combined with our strength, we can suppress that brat!"*

*"Him? Who is he?"*

Yugito froze for a moment.

But after processing Killer Bee’s orders, she quickly regained her focus.

Attacking from both sides—this was likely to eliminate the opponent’s remaining resistance.

*"Understood, Senior Bee!"*

As soon as she finished speaking, Yugito sprang into action, dashing out with Killer Bee from the east and west flanks.

*Boom! Boom!*

In their fully transformed Tailed Beast forms, each step covered dozens of meters, shattering the ground and sending the hot springs’ water exploding into the air.

As she ran, she opened her mouth, preparing to condense another massive Tailed Beast Bomb.

However—

Just as she took her second step, before she could even begin forming the attack—

*Whoosh!*

A violent gust of wind surged!

Yugito’s pupils shrank as she saw it—

A massive hole had been torn open in the towering gray wall of dust and ash.

From within the smoke, a battered yet imposing young man emerged, wielding a blazing greatsword straight out of legend. He cleaved through the dust, sending shockwaves through the air as he charged forward with unstoppable momentum!

Uchiha Shinji’s face twisted in fury, his voice hoarse as he roared:

*"What the hell do you understand, you beast?!"*

*(End of Chapter)*

Chapter 242: Immortal Art – Twin Serpents’ Bite! The Two-Tails Defeated by the Sword!

Wielding the massive Flowing Flame Greatsword, he slashed out a colossal blade aura, stretching forty meters long.

Harnessing this terrifying thrust, Uchiha Shinji shot forward like a soaring bird, covering several hundred meters in an instant.

Piercing through the dust cloud, he spun his blade in a sweeping arc.

With a twist of the hilt, he swung his sword downward, aiming directly at the fully transformed Two-Tails, which was still frozen in shock!

Even for the Two-Tails' complete form, standing at a towering fifty-one meters, a forty-meter-long greatsword was impossible to ignore!

If that strike landed, even Yugito couldn't be certain whether she would remain conscious and maintain control over the fully transformed Two-Tails.

And if she lost control—would the Two-Tails go berserk?

Her mind raced as she urgently commanded the beast to raise a massive paw, attempting to swat the giant sword aside.

However—

Suspended in midair, Uchiha Shinji suddenly grinned menacingly.

In an instant, his greatsword exploded into a shower of flames, countless embers scattering in all directions. The fiery glow reflected off his bloodshot eyes, now bulging with pulsating veins!

His crimson, serpentine pupils locked onto the Two-Tails, the whites of his eyes consumed by a surge of blood vessels!

"Submit to the Uchiha's eye techniques!!"

"Not good!"

Yugito's heart sank as she finally grasped the true challenge of facing an Uchiha alone.

Her instincts screamed at her to shut her eyes.

But even as she averted her gaze, refusing to meet Uchiha Shinji’s eyes, she still caught sight of the countless embers falling like rain.

And within that fiery haze, she saw them—

A pair of crimson, burning serpent eyes, emerging from the inferno!

This was the culmination of Uchiha Shinji’s relentless training—

A fusion of Genjutsu and Kenjutsu, an illusion both mesmerizing and inescapable—

Uchiha Style: Solar Eclipse Dance!

In the next moment—

"Sage Art: Sharingan – Blinding White Gaze!"

A blazing crimson dragon erupted from the fire, stretching its body and soaring into the sky!

Within the realm of illusion, whether Yugito wanted to see it or not, she had no choice but to witness—

The fiery dragon coiling around the Two-Tails, its jaws wide open, spewing forth a radiant orb of energy.

Blinding white light burst forth!

Zzzzzzt—!

A deafening screech shattered the air, vibrating through her very bones. The blinding light devoured her vision entirely!

Trapped within the inescapable Genjutsu,

Uchiha Shinji seized the moment. Midair, he bit his finger, raised his palm, and formed a series of seals—

Boar – Dog – Rooster – Monkey – Ram!

"Summoning Jutsu!"

He slammed his palm downward.

A massive, intricate summoning seal spread across the sky, blanketing half of the horizon!

Boom!

A split second later, a towering azure serpent descended from the sky amidst a swirl of white smoke!

Crash!

The monstrous creature struck the ground, sending a violent shockwave rippling outward, kicking up a fierce storm of dust and debris!

"Blue Serpent! Assist me!"

Uchiha Shinji’s voice rang out, his presence commanding.

With the Heaven’s Cursed Seal and his mutated Sharingan, he had gathered a vast amount of natural energy. Now, he activated his second-stage curse transformation, continuously refining and fusing his unique Senjutsu chakra.

This Blue Serpent—Sasuke’s second summon after the death of Manda—was a formidable beast among the Ryūchi Cave serpents, second only to Manda himself.

As the serpent landed, it quickly took in the situation.

Upon seeing the massive Two-Tails as its opponent, a shiver ran down its scaled hide.

But the creature, simple-minded and obedient, didn’t know how to refuse. It could only respond in its deep, gravelly voice—

"Understood, Lord Shinji!"

With the serpent's confirmation, Uchiha Shinji’s Sharingan flickered as he nodded.

Scales of pale white began creeping up his skin.

Then—

Pressing his palms together, he bellowed from amidst the swirling embers:

"Sage Art: Twin Serpents’ Bite!"

This technique—

A devastating fusion of Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation and the Ryūchi Cave’s Blue Serpent!

The ground trembled violently, shifting and rising.

Stone and earth twisted and coiled, forming an enormous white serpent, nearly the same size as the Blue Serpent itself!

One blue. One white.

Two colossal serpents slithered forward, their movements shaking the battlefield.

Within moments, they reached the Two-Tails—

Their massive bodies coiling tightly around the beast!

Under the combined force of their efforts, they frantically compressed, twisted, and pulled toward the center!

For a moment, the Two-Tails was tightly restrained in place.

At this time, Uchiha Shinji moved swiftly and without pause. From mid-air, he drew the Kusanagi Sword, channeling both water and wind chakra properties into the blade.

The opponent was the Two-Tails, fully transformed into its tailed beast state. Its body was enveloped in flames that surpassed the nature of ordinary fire release, known as "Flames of the Fire Rat." Using fire-style attacks would only tickle it.

Therefore, to defeat the opponent in the shortest time possible, Uchiha Shinji unleashed—

“Ninja Art: Hurricane Vortex Blade!”

A thin blue line instantly extended from the Kusanagi Sword, directly targeting the Two-Tails’ head!

Then, centered around this line, a massive blue waterspout erupted!

Like a blooming mandala flower,

white wind blades and blue water blades radiated around the core,

spinning fiercely, slicing, and striking with precision!

The dazzling blue-and-white brilliance illuminated the Valley of Hell!

The Two-Tails’ head was instantly split open by the strike, revealing part of its body. Emerging from the wreckage was a shocked, golden-haired girl, stunned and almost speechless.

“How is this possible?!”

“Even in full tailed beast form, it can still be defeated?!”

This completely defied her understanding of the limits of a Jinchūriki. Yugito Nii could not believe it!

Moreover,

All of this—from the moment the boy leaped out of the Dust Wall with his sword to the instant he severed the Two-Tails’ head—

happened in less than half a minute!

The reality of ninja battles, where life and death can be decided in an instant, was vividly demonstrated at this moment!

Uchiha Shinji, however, had no thoughts of mercy.

If he hadn’t risked everything by using the Expanding Rasengan earlier, the Konoha camp might have already been obliterated!

The fight was far from over. Although he hadn’t encountered the Third Raikage, which allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief, the two Jinchūriki were already putting immense pressure on him.

At this moment,

rather than getting entangled with the experienced and highly skilled swordsman Killer Bee, it was better to seize the opportunity to take down the younger and less mature Yugito Nii first!

“Injuring ten fingers isn’t as effective as severing one!”

As he descended, the Kusanagi Sword rotated in his hand, its light dancing as dazzling sword flowers bloomed one after another.

Uchiha Shinji gripped the sword tightly with a reverse hold,

then aimed the tip precisely at Yugito Nii’s forehead below.

Without hesitation, he plunged the blade downward with full force!

During this process, the Kusanagi Sword began to glow a brilliant white, emitting crackling lightning and splashing water.

This was the combination of Lightning Release: Sonic Thunder Blade and Water Release: Water Fang Blade—

Compound Ninja Art: Sonic Thunder Water Fang Blade!

Using the Sonic Thunder Blade’s properties to enhance the sharpness of the Water Fang Blade, the combination of water and lightning could paralyze the enemy in a single blow, rendering them completely unable to resist!

Uchiha Shinji’s eyes gleamed as he stared intently below, a faint smirk curling at the corner of his lips.

“That takes care of one!”

But just at that moment—

“Ugh~~~AH!!!”

“Lariat!”

A voice with a wild, dual-toned roar erupted suddenly!

A hand blade, three times the size of Uchiha Shinji, wrapped in lightning and inky octopus ink,

burst through the smoke in an instant, accompanied by fierce lightning, aiming directly for Uchiha Shinji’s back!

Uchiha Shinji twisted his head sharply,

and upon seeing this scene,

he neither panicked nor showed any fear. The tomoe in his crimson Sharingan didn’t even rotate, his expression unnervingly calm.

A mocking smile tugged at the corner of Uchiha Shinji’s mouth. He spread his arms open wide,

and astonishingly, he made no attempt to defend himself, letting the strike land and pierce through him!

“Killer Bee.”

“You’re exactly the one I’ve been waiting for!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 243: A Blade Hidden in the Serpent's Mouth! A Clash of Wills!

In the Sharingan’s crimson gaze, a massive lightning-infused palm was reflected, radiating a blinding brilliance.

In an instant,

the air around compressed and froze, with explosive booms roaring in Uchiha Shinji’s ears as layers of air folded in on themselves.

The incoming attack was none other than the Lightning Plow Hot Knife, executed in the form of the Eight-Tails’ colossal body. It hurtled with devastating force, aimed directly at Uchiha Shinji’s back!

It felt like a speeding dump truck at 200 km/h smashing into him from behind.

*PONG!*

Without any resistance, Uchiha Shinji was instantly launched into the air, violently thrust away!

His body cut a straight line through the sky, headfirst, plunging like a missile toward the earth.

*"Whew..."*

“Bee-senpai, thank you!”

Uchiha Shinji, who was moments away from finishing off Yugito Nii, was sent flying. Both Killer Bee and the Two-Tails’ Jinchūriki exhaled deeply in relief.

But just then, Killer Bee’s expression shifted. He suddenly realized something was off—something about that strike didn’t feel right.

Turning his head sharply, a horrifying realization dawned as he heard a loud *BANG!*

The figure of Uchiha Shinji, who had just been struck away, burst into white smoke mid-air.

At the same moment,

a green serpent coiled around the Two-Tails’ body abruptly opened its massive, bloody maw.

Standing atop the serpent’s tongue, Uchiha Shinji leaped out with terrifying speed!

“What were you expecting?” A cold laugh accompanied his icy words.

Landing on the Two-Tails’ body, Uchiha Shinji reached out and caught the falling Kusanagi Sword as it spun down from the sky. He gripped its hilt with both hands near his chest. The blade ignited with an incandescent white glow, compressed to an extreme degree.

*Fire Release Chakra Mode: Sonic Blaze White Flame Sword!*

Clutching the sword, which looked like it belonged on a Star Wars set, Uchiha Shinji wasted no time. Lowering his stance, he dashed forward with incredible speed across the Two-Tails’ blue-flame-wreathed body, charging at Yugito Nii, whose face was frozen in shock.

His crimson snake-like pupils glared fiercely. The skin on his face contorted grotesquely as veins bulged from his forehead.

“*Die!!*”

“When did this happen?” Killer Bee’s expression darkened as he tried to intervene, but his earlier move had left him out of position. Uchiha Shinji had already passed beyond the range of his elbow strike. It was too late to stop him. Helplessly, Bee could only watch the scene unfold, his eyes wide with frustration.

Even the Eight-Tails, with its usually calm demeanor, now wore a grave expression. It spoke in a deep voice, offering its deduction:

“It must’ve been during the smoke from summoning that serpent.

“Afterward, he likely used genjutsu to communicate the plan to the summoned creature.”

“Damn it!!”

Killer Bee clenched his fists, his face darkened with anger. His piercing gaze was like two sharp swords, radiating fury.

At this moment,

as Uchiha Shinji rushed toward her with murderous intent, Yugito Nii’s shock quickly gave way to icy determination.

“That sword... is it Fire Release?”

“Do you think you can kill me, a wielder of the Two-Tails’ power, with Fire Release?”

Her face turned cold as frost, her voice sharp with disdain:

“Unfortunately for you, you’ve chosen the wrong opponent!”

As her words fell, Yugito Nii swiftly formed the *“Tiger”* hand seal.

*“Fire Release: Flaming Tail Orbs!”*

In the next instant, dozens of fiery chakra spheres, blazing with blue flames, erupted from her mouth. With her ten fingers, she controlled their trajectory, sending them hurtling toward Uchiha Shinji with relentless force.

This was a unique jutsu exclusive to the Two-Tails’ Jinchūriki. The flaming orbs were homing projectiles that caused massive explosions, far surpassing the power of standard Fire Release techniques.

However,

the glowing blade in Uchiha Shinji’s hands was far from an ordinary Fire Release technique.

This sword was the condensed result of the *40-meter Flowing Flame Greatsword*.

It was the culmination of his own chakra, combined with that of the Zero-Tails and the Cursed Seal of Heaven, drained to the very last drop to form this ultimate strike.

When survival hangs by a thread and all bets are off, such was the desperation behind Uchiha Shinji’s gambit.

Faced with a foe as formidable as a Jinchūriki of the Two-Tails—one of the strongest beings in the ninja world—Uchiha Shinji had no choice but to unleash every ounce of his power from the very start.

If this attack failed, his life would end here.

Killer Bee, who had previously witnessed this blade melt through seven of his swords, knew full well how absurdly dangerous it was. Seeing Yugito Nii standing her ground, even believing she could counter it, made his frustration boil over.

Not only that,

upon closer observation, he realized this sword was even stronger than when he’d last fought Uchiha Shinji.

To his astonishment, he sensed something familiar within its essence—an element of his own Lightning Release: Sonic Shock Blade.

In a mere month and a half, this brat had not only copied his Lightning Release with those damned eyes but had also gone a step further, incorporating it into his own techniques. The result was a terrifyingly enhanced sword!

“Yugito Nii, run!!” Killer Bee shouted urgently.

But Yugito Nii stubbornly shook her head, her eyes fixed on Uchiha Shinji as he charged toward her.

“Bee-senpai, his entire body is full of openings. I can kill him!”

This was her first mission of such importance, and she could not afford to fail.

To do so would be to betray the faith, care, and love her village had poured into her since the age of two, when she was first implanted with the Two-Tails.

In the Hidden Cloud Village, where bonds of brotherhood reigned supreme, that was a fate worse than death.

"You"—Killer Bee's scalp tingled as he struggled to understand why this little girl would make such a mistake at such a crucial moment—something a ninja should never do.

And the one who orchestrated all of this? Naturally, it was meticulously planned by Uchiha Shinji!

To kill the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, a combination of wind and water attributes, or water and lightning-infused sword techniques, would undoubtedly be the best choice.

But instead, he deliberately chose to use Fire Release at this critical juncture—for one reason: to gamble that Yugito wouldn’t run.

Of course, if the intelligence from the original story about this woman differed from the young opponent in front of him, and she decided to flee, it wouldn’t matter.

With the overwhelming propulsion of Uchiha-style swordsmanship, Uchiha Shinji's speed was superior to hers.

Yugito Nii was doomed!

However, with this approach, the number of strategies Uchiha Shinji could execute had multiplied exponentially!

Upon seeing this,

Uchiha Shinji's lips curled into a sinister grin. He took a swift leap, weaving through three tail-ball fire orbs, sidestepping into the gaps of this ninjutsu, and continued to close the distance!

“Dodging is useless!”

Yugito Nii sneered and immediately clasped her hands together.

Under her control, dozens of tail-ball fire orbs arced chaotically yet precisely through the air, encircling Uchiha Shinji from six directions—front, back, left, right, above, and below—leaving no room for escape!

If Uchiha Shinji tried to evade the fireballs, even for a fraction of a second, that would buy Killer Bee the time he needed to provide assistance. With the unity of the Hidden Cloud Village, Yugito was confident that her senior would not hesitate to support her!

Relying on the feline-like keen perception she had acquired from the Two-Tails, she had completely seen through the weakness hidden beneath Uchiha Shinji’s formidable exterior!

As long as she could withstand this one strike!

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!  

One by one, the tail-ball fire orbs sealed off all of Uchiha Shinji’s escape routes in an instant!

It was the moment of judgment—life or death.

Yet, Yugito couldn’t see even a hint of panic or fear on the young man's face just a short distance ahead.

He was unlike any of the young shinobi she had ever seen in the Hidden Cloud.

At this moment,

All she could see—all she could hear—was:

"Hoh hoh hoh... Hahahahahahahahahaha~!!"  

A twisted, frenzied grin spread across the young man's face. His eyes gleamed with madness as he swung the incandescent white sword that split dusk from night with absolute clarity.

“Good! Very good! This kind of resolve—I acknowledge you!”

“To die under this technique, Yugito Nii—you will not have sullied your name!”

In an instant,

The young man swung his luminous sword, swallowing the last trace of twilight from the sky.

Then,

Under the moonless night, he carved a searing arc like the sun, like the moon—

"Uchiha-Style: Momentary Void Slash!"  

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 244: Reversal! The Two-Tailed Beast Emerges!

The Uchiha Style: Instant Air Slash,

was a sword technique first unleashed by Uchiha Shinji to stop Uchiha Shi from killing Seiichiro during their mission to the Land of Hot Water.

This technique resembled the wind wall ability of a certain swordsman in a popular MOBA game, capable of severing airborne objects within a three-foot radius in front of the user.

Born from countless battles where survival was uncertain, it was a move honed to perfection through sheer desperation and grit.

“I will never betray Uchiha Shi!”

In an instant,

Uchiha Shi unleashed a sweeping slash around his body, moving from left to right. A bright, moonlit arc appeared,

cutting through the fiery onslaught as smoothly as a hot knife through butter or a master butcher slicing meat.

The arc sliced through the chakra forming the fireballs with uncanny precision,

causing every blue, flame-tailed projectile within a three-foot radius to split in half and explode into sparks.

However,

fireballs coming from other directions erupted violently, conjuring a sea of blazing flames.

A fierce wind rose from the inferno!

Engulfed in the firestorm, his body scorched and seared,

Uchiha Shi gritted his teeth and roared,

“HAAAAHHHH!!”

“DIE!!!”

Veins bulged on his forehead as his face twisted into a grotesque snarl of rage.

Despite his burned and battered body, his speed increased yet again!

He dashed, dashed, and dashed along the colossal body of the Two-Tails,

like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, both hands gripping the hilt of his sword as he raised it high. He aimed directly for the heart of Yugito Nii!

“Tsss—”

Facing his crazed gaze, Yugito gasped sharply.

A chilling sensation crept up her neck, sending shivers down her spine. A deep and primal fear took root in her heart.

“Is he insane?!”

“Madman!”

Yugito’s eyes widened in horror as Uchiha Shi closed the distance. Her scalp tingled, and her limbs began to go cold and numb.

“He’s a lunatic! A complete lunatic!”

“He’s going to die doing this! What does he stand to gain? Why—why is he doing this?!”

“—!!”

Yugito had believed that her loyalty to the village, her willingness to sacrifice everything for it, could overpower the dread of death.

But she was wrong.

As the original story described, even though she had mastered full Tailed Beast transformation, she was still far from being a perfect Jinchuriki, far from earning the Two-Tails’ full approval.

Because she had never found her own purpose, her own will.

In the face of this soul-shattering, primal confrontation with life and death,

her resolve faltered!

“Stop hesitating!”

Seeing this, Killer Bee’s eyes burned with rage. He let out an earth-shaking roar,

“RUN, YUGITO!!”

Though he knew it was too late, Killer Bee still reflexively turned the massive body of the Eight-Tails, desperately trying to shield against the unstoppable force that was Uchiha Shi.

Hearing Killer Bee’s shout, Yugito felt a cold sweat break out on her forehead. Every hair on her head stood on end.

She swallowed hard,

and in a moment of sheer panic, she abandoned all resistance. Turning away, she broke free from the Two-Tails’ body, fleeing without looking back!

“Another one trying to run?!”

This sight sent a torrent of memories surging through Uchiha Shi’s mind. The ghosts of the past came crashing down on him, reigniting his anger. His face, which once bore a hint of twisted admiration, now darkened completely.

“Can’t you at least struggle a bit before you die?!”

His fury exploded. His expression turned icy, like frost spreading across his face.

With a firm stance, he planted his feet, gripped the sword tightly, and swung it around.

“Coward!”

“Taste my ultimate flying sword technique!”

In a flash, Uchiha Shi leapt high into the air,

and with a tremendous motion, he hurled the trembling, white-hot blade of his Kusanagi Sword straight down!

——Whoosh!

The sword’s brilliance tore through the moonless night. In that instant, its radiance shone like the blazing sun, illuminating the battlefield.

The three-foot blade transformed mid-flight into a forty-meter-long flaming sword of destruction.

Surging with unstoppable force, cloaked in raging winds, crackling lightning, and blistering flames,

it hurtled forward like a meteor.

In that moment, Uchiha Shi resembled a legendary flying swordmaster, commanding his blade with supreme power.

With a single slash,

it traversed the hundred-meter gap between them in the blink of an eye!

Squelch!

A single sword strike shot forth, instantly melting both of Yugito Nii’s legs from the roots!

The lingering thunder and embers on the blade cauterized the wounds, charring them black and unexpectedly stopping the bleeding.

At that moment—

Uchiha Shinji, his face filled with rage, leaped down from the sky. His five fingers clenched into a claw, driving a Black Tiger Pierces the Heart strike straight toward Yugito Nii’s chest!

“No!!”

Upon witnessing this, Killer Bee’s eyes widened in shock, his face turning pale as his body trembled.

And in that fleeting moment before death, Yugito Nii suddenly realized—

There was no way out!

She could have resisted using her Two-Tails’ Cat Claws in a semi-Tailed Beast transformation, and even Uchiha Shinji wasn’t certain whether his Kusanagi Sword could cut through that.

After all, those claws were strong enough to send Madara Uchiha flying.

But in that instant, this seven-year-old child felt fear.

Regret, resentment, and unwillingness surged within her. She took a deep breath, her face contorted in terror, her body trembling, her teeth clenching so tightly they rattled.

“It’s my fault… It’s all my fault…”

Finally, she tightly shut her eyes, lifted her head, and screamed at Killer Bee with a sorrowful voice:

“Bee-senpai!!”

“Take me with him! Use a Tailed Beast Bomb!!”

“Don’t forget his ability—you must never let the Two-Tails fall into his hands! Hurry!!”

“KILL HIM!!”

Hearing this, Killer Bee gritted his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.

Rage, hatred, and extreme emotions ignited within him like wildfire!

“——ROAR!!”

The Fully Transformed Eight-Tails let out a mournful roar, shaking all of Hell Valley to its core.

For miles around, everyone could feel the sorrow carried in that one, anguished cry.

And then—

A pitch-black sphere expanded from its mouth, rapidly forming at a Yin-Yang ratio of 2:8, growing at an alarming speed!

“You evil little Uchiha brat!!”

“I’ll kill you!!”

“I SWEAR I’LL KILL YOU!!”

At this moment, despite being a Perfect Jinchūriki—one who should have been able to suppress extreme Tailed Beast emotions with an unshakable mind—

Killer Bee lost control!

But then—

“Hohoho… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!”

A burst of maniacal laughter interrupted Killer Bee’s grief!

At that moment—

Uchiha Shinji stood right in front of Yugito Nii, showing no mercy, his hand already plunged into her chest!

Tearing through fabric, shattering the mesh armor beneath, piercing through flesh and bone—

His palm pressed against the Iron Armor Seal engraved within her—

A sealing technique passed down through the generations of the Hidden Cloud Village!

“I thought you didn’t feel pain!”

“Killer Bee!!”

“Before you tried to kill someone precious to me, did you ever think about this outcome?!”

“You beast!!”

His Sharingan gleamed crimson with fury, glaring directly at Killer Bee, who was about to unleash a Tailed Beast Bomb. His face twisted in pure ferocity.

Then, he lifted one hand to his forehead, laughing like a madman:

“Hohoho… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!”

“Let me tell you—”

“This entire situation…”

“IS ALREADY TOO LATE!!!”

As his voice fell—

Uchiha Shinji raised his hand, a sealing formula glowing in his palm—

The Four Symbols Unsealing Technique!

In the next instant—

This Uzumaki Clan sealing technique and the Hidden Cloud’s Iron Armor Seal clashed violently!

Crack!

A fissure split across the Iron Armor Seal—

Crack! Crack! Crack!

More fractures spread like spiderwebs—

Until, finally—

The entire sealing technique shattered completely!

A deep, malevolent, and searing-hot chakra erupted silently from Yugito Nii’s chest—

Standing within this pure Tailed Beast power,

Uchiha Shinji’s lips curled into a twisted grin. He let out a wild, playful, and deranged laugh:

“Now then~”

“Come forth once more into this world—”

“*TWO-TAILS!!*”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 245: Tailed Beast Brawl! A Fugitive and Prisoner's Shared Resolve

Dark blue with streaks of jet-black patterns!

It was as if a colossal entity was being pulled from a tiny, confined box.

A deep, malevolent, and searingly intense chakra surged wildly from Yugito Nii's chest, climbing higher and higher until it shot straight into the sky.

Chains of hatred linked the two opposing figures on the battlefield at that moment, leaving no room for retreat.

Witnessing the scene—seeing the young girl, his junior, pierced by Uchiha Shinji's hand—Killer Bee ground his teeth audibly. Rage flickered in his wide, ghostly white eyes.

"Uchiha Shinji!"

"I will kill you!!"

Fueled by the flames of hatred, the fully transformed Eight-Tails coiled its muscular body and anchored its eight tails into the ground with a deafening crash.

"—ROAR!!"

With a massive, gaping maw, the bull-headed beast swallowed a black orb brimming with terrifying chakra.

In an instant, the Eight-Tails' body visibly swelled, growing larger with each passing second.

Uchiha Shinji immediately recognized the move. His opponent was preparing a true "kill shot"—

*Continuous Tailed Beast Bombs!*

Unlike the weaker imitation, this technique stored the power of Tailed Beast Bombs within the fully transformed body of the tailed beast. It could then unleash them in rapid succession, exceeding the limits of a half-transformed state and earning its reputation as a weapon of mass destruction.

"This is the true power of a tailed beast!"

"This is power that transcends human limits!"

Confronted by such overwhelming strength, Uchiha Shinji’s eyes widened involuntarily.

At this point, his chakra was nearly depleted to the point where he could no longer sustain his Sharingan. His body was utterly exhausted, and he began to pant heavily.

Having faced off against two Jinchūriki, ambushing one and taking down Yugito Nii under Killer Bee's watchful eye, Uchiha Shinji had paid a steep price—draining himself, the Zero-Tails, and the Heaven's Curse Seal completely.

Yet, as his crimson eyes dimmed, turning jet black,

an unstoppable fury ignited within him!

The extreme emotion of confronting death surged, clashing violently in his heart.

Even his blood seemed to boil.

"Killer Bee!"

The skin on Uchiha Shinji’s face twisted into a grotesque snarl as he suddenly shouted:

"Do you think you're the only one with that kind of power?!"

The moment his words dropped,

a fierce wind rose, whipping his black hair into the air!

Blue flames erupted around him, soaring high as a colossal figure emerged from the ground beneath him, lifting him into the air.

The terrifying chakra, blazing like unquenchable blue fire, solidified into the form of the mightiest cat demon of this world beneath Uchiha Shinji!

As the monstrous figure landed, it moved with startling agility, accompanied by Uchiha Shinji's enraged roar.

Its rear legs coiled like springs, and in one swift motion, it leapt high into the air, becoming a streak of indistinguishable blue.

*Slash!*

Under the moonless sky, three gleaming streaks of light flashed!

Blades as sharp as divine weapons extended from its claws.

With a single swipe, the monstrous cat severed a massive tentacle blocking its path.

Then, with the crushing force of its paw, it delivered an upward punch to the Eight-Tails' jaw.

*Bang!*

The Eight-Tails’ ox-head was forced to tilt upward in astonishment. At the same time, the Two-Tails, Matatabi, drove its claws deep into the bull’s lower jaw, prying its tightly closed mouth open.

*Click!*

The sealed maw of the ox was wrenched apart.

The terrifying energy stored within its body erupted upward into the sky, transforming into a beam of bright yellow light that dyed everything in its path.

As the light gradually faded, Matatabi—now fully unleashed—pounced onto the Eight-Tails’ body, pinning it to the ground with tremendous force. The colossal feline opened its jaws wide and let out a ferocious roar that resembled a cat hissing in rage:

"Ha—!!"

However, the Eight-Tails was only momentarily stunned. It quickly regained its senses.

Its face twisted with a distinctly human-like expression of anger.

Swinging its muscular arms and bracing itself on the ground with its eight tails, the Eight-Tails launched a devastating punch directly at Matatabi’s face!

The Eight-Tails, naturally skilled in combat, combined its brute strength with Killer Bee's techniques. The punch sent Matatabi flying hundreds of meters away, tumbling violently through the air.

*Whoosh—*

Dust and sand filled the battlefield.

"Hah... hah..."

Slumped atop Matatabi's head, Uchiha Shinji gasped for air, struggling to keep himself upright.

But on his face was a radiant smile!

Because he knew—

*He had won the gamble!*

After breaking through the ironclad seal of the Hidden Cloud, the Two-Tails had been freed.

And a liberated Matatabi would never allow Killer Bee to unleash a barrage of Tailed Beast Bombs at point-blank range, especially not at its own head.

In doing so, it had indirectly saved the now-exhausted Uchiha Shinji’s life!

Two ancient and ferocious beasts faced off from a distance in the Valley of Hell.

Transforming into the complete Eight-Tails form, Killer B, after grasping the situation, immediately glared with his pale white eyes, suppressing his voice as he questioned:

*"Matatabi, do you even know what you're doing?!"*

In response to the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki's interrogation, the two-tailed Matatabi's feline face showed a hint of disdain.

It was as if the question was so foolish that even a cat couldn't be bothered to answer.

*"How utterly stupid!"*

Meanwhile, atop Matatabi’s head, Uchiha Shinji couldn't help but chuckle.

Killer B's questioning was laughable, as if he had been the perfect Jinchūriki for so long that he had forgotten—

The relationship between a Jinchūriki and a Tailed Beast was never one of harmony and friendship!

More precisely, it was the relationship between a jailer and a prisoner!

Expecting a prisoner to empathize with their jailer? The mere thought was as ridiculous as a fairy tale—especially for a proud and arrogant cat spirit like Matatabi.

And so, at this moment,

Matatabi completely ignored the furious Killer B in the distance.

Instead, it lowered its gaze to the broken figure of Nii Yugito, lying on the ground, her chest torn apart.

She gasped desperately for air, like a fish stranded on the shore, dying of thirst.

Once a Tailed Beast left its Jinchūriki, the fate of the host was sealed.

This girl, who was destined to shine brilliantly in the Hidden Cloud Village’s future—Nii Yugito—had now reached the end of her life.

A rare moment of lament arose within Matatabi’s heart.

*"Sigh..."*

*"What a pity. I truly thought she had potential."*

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Shinji, still sitting atop Matatabi, couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Without hesitation, he coldly cut Matatabi off:

*"Matatabi, you sent her to her death yourself!"*

*"A Tailed Beast can temporarily lend power to its Jinchūriki. Don't tell me you didn’t know that?"*

*"Of course, if you had stayed inside her and gotten blown to bits along with me by a Tailed Beast Bomb, she’d still be doomed either way."*

Uchiha Shinji's voice turned eerily calm as he asked:

*"But why didn't you?"*

*"Why didn't you choose to live and die with the Jinchūriki you supposedly believed in?"*

Hearing this, Matatabi’s expression instantly darkened.

Its once-gentle voice turned sharp and cold.

*"You little Uchiha brat, you—"*

But before it could continue, Uchiha Shinji interrupted, speaking with utter composure:

*"Because you know—"*

*"No matter how much Nii Yugito tried to empathize with you, you could never truly understand her!"*

*"Because you’re the one who was imprisoned!"*

*"And only I can give you freedom!"*

With that, he staggered to his feet atop Matatabi’s head, swaying unsteadily, his breath ragged.

Then, he declared outright:

*"And conveniently, I need you too!"*

*"Our relationship is just like that of a fugitive on the run and a prisoner escaping from jail!"*

Uchiha Shinji cast a sinister grin toward Killer B in the distance.

*"So, our goals are the same."*

*"Aren't they?"*

(End of Chapter)