271-275

*Chapter 271: The Battle Between Father and Stepson*

A man and his two ninja dogs strolled casually down a street in a small village in the Land of Fire.

As Chika brushed past Pakkun, one of the ninja dogs suddenly spoke to her: "Hey, Chika, I think I caught Sasuke Uchiha’s scent. It’s faint, but very close by. Are you sensing Sasuke's chakra?"

"I’m not," Chika replied, shaking her head. But her gaze shifted to Pakkun, whom she'd just walked past. Reading his heart, Chika realized he was hired by Sasuke and even planned to cause trouble for her father.

How reckless of him.

But this might be the perfect chance to locate Aizen.

After all, Aizen had the ability to block sensory detection.

"That's strange. I’m sure I smelled it," the ninja dog replied.

The other ninja dog nodded in agreement. "Same here."

"I think he’s probably one of Sasuke's recruits. Among the crowd, he’s the only one with notable chakra. Smell him yourselves; see if it’s him," Chika suggested, pointing toward Pakkun.

The two dogs focused their senses and, sure enough, picked up Sasuke's scent on Pakkun.

So, Chika and her two dogs followed him.

Wasting no time, Chika caught up, dragged him into an empty alley, and gave him a beating before interrogating him right in front of the dogs.

Meanwhile, in the forest outside the village:

Sasuke had already arrived at the rendezvous point, joined by Jugo and Suigetsu.

"Strange, where's Pakkun?" Suigetsu looked around, noticing Pakkun's absence.

"He might be in the village. He has some personal info channels and probably went to gather intel," Jugo replied, feeding the birds nearby.

"Gathering intel? More like gambling. That guy’s a hopeless gambler. Sasuke gave him money last time, but he blew it all in no time," Suigetsu said in disdain, turning to Sasuke. "Hey, Sasuke, are you going to let that guy go on like this? He could easily give away our info."

"It doesn’t matter. We might even be able to use it to lure out some Akatsuki members. Besides, that’s not the point right now," Sasuke said, forming lightning in his left hand before releasing a flurry of Chidori Senbon into the forest behind him.

"Whoa, dangerous! Using the same jutsu as Aizen-senpai? How terrifying," a sly voice suddenly spoke as a masked man in a red cloud and black cloak emerged from the trees.

"This outfit... Akatsuki?" Suigetsu exclaimed in shock, unsheathing his Executioner’s Blade to shield Sasuke.

Jugo did the same, activating his curse mark transformation, his left hand morphing into a monstrous claw.

"So you’re Sasuke, huh? Nice to meet you. I’m Tobi," Tobi, or rather, Obito, introduced himself in a goofy manner.

"Suigetsu, catch him," Sasuke ordered, skipping the small talk and signaling his team to attack.

Having just ‘killed’ Orochimaru and awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan, Sasuke was now brimming with confidence, viewing anyone other than Aizen or Itachi as weaklings.

And given Tobi’s comical behavior, Sasuke was even less concerned.

"Just waiting for that," Suigetsu said, noticing the man wasn’t Aizen and charging in with his massive blade.

As Suigetsu's sword swung toward him, Tobi dodged frantically, taunting in an exaggerated manner, "Can’t catch me, can’t catch me!"

No matter how hard Suigetsu tried, his Executioner’s Blade couldn’t touch him.

"This guy, why’s he so agile?" Suigetsu cursed internally, frustrated.

"Looks like Suigetsu can’t handle him alone. Sasuke, I’m going to help him," Jugo said, running toward Tobi after getting Sasuke's nod.

Tobi, feigning ‘distress,’ called out, "Hey, this wasn’t part of the plan! Deidara-senpai, Aizen-senpai, Pakura-senpai, help!"

"Aizen, has he arrived?" Sasuke muttered, looking up to see Deidara swooping down on a massive clay bird.

At the moment the bird reached the ground, Deidara leaped off, performing a seal and shouting, "Take this!"

Boom! The two giant clay birds exploded in unison.

"Sasuke!" Suigetsu and Jugo, realizing too late they’d been duped, braced themselves against the blast, shielding their faces from the shockwave.

Once the dust settled, they saw Sasuke safe and sound, encased within a giant white snake.

Relieved, they exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Where’s Aizen?" Sasuke asked coldly, eyeing Deidara, who stood in front of Tobi. With a puff of smoke, the snake shielding Sasuke vanished.

"You? Worthy of being Aizen’s opponent?" Deidara sneered.

"Guess he’s not here. Then let me ask something else," Sasuke activated his Sharingan, the three tomoe spinning as he asked, "Where is Itachi Uchiha?"

"The eyes…" Deidara, seeing Sasuke’s Sharingan, was reminded of his defeat by Tobi and felt an overwhelming sense of irritation.

Seeing Deidara distracted, Sasuke seized the moment, drew his Kusanagi Sword, and lunged at him with a Flash Step.

Deidara, quickly reacting, was about to dodge when, to his surprise, Sasuke’s sword was blocked by a single finger from Aizen, who appeared out of nowhere.

"Sorry for the delay. I was supposed to be the bait, but you found me first," Aizen said nonchalantly, glancing back at Deidara, completely ignoring Tobi behind him.

"Tch," Sasuke, knowing Aizen’s strength, pulled back, retreating to Suigetsu and Jugo’s side.

"Come on, Aizen-senpai, that was close. Little Itachi’s younger brother sure is fast," Tobi said in mock relief, patting his chest.

He then looked around with exaggerated concern. "Where’s Pakura-senpai? Didn’t she come with you?"

"I sent her to get drinks and food. A battle this entertaining needs refreshments," Aizen replied casually, though he had actually sent Pakura to intercept Chika, sensing her chakra and not wanting her to get too close.

"Well then, watch me. I’ll use my art to blow up this ‘little brother’ in no time!" Deidara clenched his fist, feeling validated by Aizen’s recognition of his art.

"Then I’ll look forward to it. But before that, I want to see how much stronger Sasuke has gotten since absorbing Orochimaru’s power. You just watch," Aizen said, turning to Sasuke and his team, standing with his back to Deidara.

"Fine, but leave this little brother to me afterward, okay?" Deidara replied, respecting Aizen’s request and stepping back with Tobi to a nearby tree.

The battle between father and stepson was about to begin.

*Chapter 272: The Serpent Squad's Ordeal*

While Aizen and his companions engaged in casual conversation, the atmosphere around Sasuke's group was tense to the extreme.

"Is this guy really Fujiwara Aizen?" Suigetsu's eyes widened as he stared at Aizen, who had just caught Sasuke's Kusanagi sword with a single finger. A bead of cold sweat trickled down his temple.

"Yeah, that’s him," Sasuke nodded, his gaze fixed on Aizen with a serious expression.

With the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, the White Snake, and the Cursed Seal, Sasuke had confidence in his abilities. Yet, facing Aizen again made him realize he couldn't afford to be careless. The stronger he grew, the more he understood how unfathomable Aizen was.

Reports from encounters and intelligence gathered suggested Aizen had never truly revealed his full power.

Jūgo spoke in a low voice, "Sasuke, there are three Akatsuki members here, and it sounds like another is on the way. This isn’t looking good for us."

"It doesn't matter. We'll take them all on," Sasuke said, regaining his composure. "Besides, the Akatsuki members are too prideful to fight together."

Aizen took a few steps toward them, stopping four or five meters away, a playful smile on his face. "Looks like you know a lot about the Akatsuki. Well then, I'll be your opponent—if you can make it interesting for me."

Sasuke's fists clenched, his shoulders tensed. The indifferent look Aizen gave him was unnerving, like how Sasuke himself dismissed other Akatsuki members, save for Itachi.

But this disregard worked to Sasuke’s advantage. The more underestimated he was, the better his chances. No one knew he had activated his Mangekyō yet—not even Orochimaru, who was 'dead'. This would be his trump card.

He gritted his teeth, suppressing his rage, and issued orders to his teammates: "Suigetsu, from the left."

"We’re partners, not subordinates, stop ordering me around," Suigetsu grumbled, taking position to Sasuke's left.

"Jūgo, from the right," Sasuke ignored the protest, and Jūgo moved to the right without a word.

This formation was something they had planned in advance. Suigetsu would lure the enemy, impervious to most physical attacks except for Lightning Style. Jūgo would use his strength to create an opening, and Sasuke would deliver the decisive blow. Ideally, Karin would have been there for support as their healer, but she couldn’t make it in time.

"This formation... It feels familiar," Aizen mused, recalling Team Taka’s ill-fated battle against Killer Bee.

Suigetsu frowned as Aizen walked forward confidently, without any defense. "Is he underestimating us?" Suigetsu muttered, pulling out a hilt and attaching it to the Executioner’s Blade. "No time to second-guess. Let's go!" He charged at Aizen with full force, slashing down hard.

Aizen casually lifted his hand. The ground erupted with a boom, debris flying everywhere.

“Did that do it?” Jūgo glanced at Sasuke, who shook his head.

As the dust settled, it revealed Aizen holding Suigetsu's Executioner’s Blade between two fingers.

“He stopped it... with just two fingers?!” Suigetsu's heart raced. “How strong is he?” Aizen's calm voice cut through, “A weak attack, Ghost Clan boy.”

“Ghost Clan?” Sasuke’s eyes widened. “Suigetsu, fall back! He knows about you!”

“I would if I could! I can’t pull the sword away!” Suigetsu strained, veins popping on his forehead. He shifted to a stance as if in a tug-of-war, but the blade wouldn’t budge.

“Let go of it!” Suigetsu yelled.

“Shouting won’t help, Ghost Clan boy. It only makes you look weak,” Aizen whispered, moving his finger slightly.

Sasuke saw the crackling chakra at Aizen’s fingertips and shouted, “Let go, Suigetsu!”

It was too late. Sparks flared, and lightning coursed through the blade, engulfing Suigetsu.

“Agh!” Suigetsu screamed in agony.

“Jūgo, now!” Sasuke ordered.

Jūgo didn’t need to be told twice. His right arm transformed, muscle bulging, and he lunged forward with all his strength. Chakra burst from tubes at his elbow as he aimed a massive punch at Aizen's head.

Another deafening boom, the ground shattered, but Aizen was unharmed, holding Jūgo’s fist with his other hand.

“What kind of monster is this?” Jūgo’s pupils contracted in shock. He had never felt fear—until now.

“Good strength, but wasted without proper use,” Aizen remarked, tightening his grip.

A sickening crack, and Jūgo fell to his knees, screaming in pain. Aizen kicked the still-convulsing Suigetsu aside and, before he hit the ground, hurled Jūgo into him. The two crashed at Sasuke’s feet.

Sasuke didn’t look at them; his eyes were locked on Aizen.

On a branch above, Deidara sneered. “Hah, fools thinking they could take on Aizen head-on. Pathetic, hmm.”

“Exactly, Deidara-senpai,” Obito muttered, scratching his head as his wariness of Aizen grew. Aizen had gotten even stronger since they last fought.

---

*Chapter 273: Giving Lessons to Sasuke*

"Damn, that hurt! Jugo, get off me!" Suigetsu complained.

"Oh, sorry." Jugo quickly got up, and the two stood by Sasuke's side. Sasuke looked at them and asked about their injuries, "Jugo, Suigetsu, how are you feeling?"

"I’m… okay, I guess. But my right hand's probably out of commission for now. This guy is really strong," Jugo said, eyeing Aizen on the opposite side, his back facing Sasuke.

"Really strong? He's off the charts strong! This guy doesn’t even have a curse mark and doesn’t look that tough. Where does he get this power, and what's with that annoying Lightning Style?" Suigetsu muttered, his body still steaming from the shock.

"He's a ninja skilled in all techniques—ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, he's versatile. He was even in the Leaf’s Anbu, an expert in gathering intel. He’s probably analyzed all your strengths and weaknesses before we even got here." Sasuke commented with a calm face.

"Well, great. How are we supposed to fight him then?" Suigetsu looked like he’d swallowed something foul.

"Don’t get it wrong. The analysis was on you two—not me." Sasuke's lips curled up almost imperceptibly. As he formed hand signs, he launched a powerful fireball while summoning two giant shuriken connected by metal wire, hiding them within the flames.

"Fireball and manipulated shuriken attack? Not bad. But I bet it’s just a feint." Aizen swung his oversized blade, causing it to spin rapidly through the air before catching it and making a powerful slash.

The fireball split in two. Sasuke directed the hidden giant shuriken to flank Aizen from both sides, while he calculated the distance and charged with Chidori Sharp Spear from afar.

Faced with three attacks coming from different directions, Aizen remained calm, making only slight movements. With a swift slice of his blade, he cut the metal wires attaching the shuriken, taking a step back.

The shuriken flew past him, embedding in the ground, while Sasuke's Chidori Sharp Spear missed by a hair’s breadth.

"Did it fail?" Sasuke clicked his tongue in frustration, retreating to reassess the distance, watching Aizen closely.

Aizen wiped an imaginary bead of sweat, taunting, "Close one, Sasuke. If you'd come just a bit closer, or if your Chidori Sharp Spear could reach beyond five meters..."

Aizen’s smile faded as he raised a hand and pointed at Sasuke, "Sasuke, remember what I told you? Never challenge a Lightning Style master with Lightning Style, a sword master with swordsmanship, or a genjutsu expert with illusions. That rule applies to all styles."

"Today, I’ll teach you what a real Chidori Sharp Spear is."

While speaking, Aizen effortlessly released his own Chidori Sharp Spear.

Hearing this, Sasuke’s competitive spirit flared up. He had always lived in Aizen's shadow. During his three years of training under Orochimaru, every time he developed a new jutsu, Orochimaru would praise him with, "Impressive, Sasuke, developing a technique just like Aizen."

The Chidori techniques were the most prominent example.

Determined, Sasuke activated his curse mark state and released his own Chidori Sharp Spear, moving forward to meet Aizen’s.

To Sasuke’s shock, his Chidori Sharp Spear shattered into pieces upon contact with Aizen's.

Aizen’s Chidori Sharp Spear kept advancing, aimed at Sasuke’s chest. At the last moment, Suigetsu and Jugo tackled Sasuke to the ground. "Careful, Sasuke!" Suigetsu shouted.

Aizen’s Chidori Sharp Spear swept past, cutting through trees, boulders, and hills in its path, leaving a trail of destruction as far as the eye could see.

The landscape was sliced in two, trees and rocks neatly split.

"That attack was way too close! If that had hit Sasuke, it would’ve been bad," Suigetsu said, glancing back at the path of destruction left behind by Aizen’s technique.

As the three struggled to get up, Aizen’s voice rang out again, "Next, swordsmanship."

"Are you kidding me?" Suigetsu cursed aloud.

Just as he thought Aizen would charge forward, Aizen swung his oversized blade with a single sweep, unleashing a powerful green slash that sliced through the forest, heading straight for Sasuke, Jugo, and Suigetsu. "Kid from the Hozuki clan, pay attention. This is how you wield a great sword."

As the slash approached them, all three turned pale and instinctively ducked.

They watched the green slash pass overhead, feeling a shiver run through their spines. Gazing at the forest ahead, they saw every tree neatly cut down. Even a mountain several kilometers away was sliced in half.

They all had the same thought: This is insane. Suigetsu cursed inwardly, thinking, Is this really swordsmanship? Even the legendary wielder of this blade, known for slicing through a Tailed Beast Bomb, never did anything like this.

They weren’t the only ones stunned; Deidara and Obito were watching from afar, equally amazed.

Deidara, who had previously seen a fraction of Aizen’s power through a shadow clone, was especially impressed. "Aizen’s skill is remarkable. That one move alone could probably cut through even my ultimate art, hmm." He soared above on his clay bird, overlooking the scarred landscape and the mountain sliced in two.

As Aizen unleashed the slash, Deidara had immediately summoned his clay bird to take to the skies. This left Obito stranded below, complaining to Deidara about being left behind.

"This is my last move. If you survive, I’ll stop." Aizen made a hand sign with his right hand, "Fire Style: Hiding in Ash and Dust."

A small fireball shot from Aizen's mouth, but in an instant, it expanded into a massive wall of flames engulfing Sasuke, Jugo, and Suigetsu.

In the blink of an eye, the flames consumed the entire forest.

---

*Chapter 274: Disappointing Sasuke*

---

"What a magnificent sea of flames," Deidara remarked while perched on a giant clay bird, gazing down at the inferno below. "I doubt anyone could survive that attack... hm." He thought of his partner, Tobi. "Strange, where’d that guy Tobi go? Could he have been caught in the flames?"

As if sensing Deidara’s thoughts, Tobi, in Obito’s guise, stumbled out of the flames, dodging the surging fire as he called up to Deidara in a panic. "Deidara-senpai, help! Quick, save me!"

With an annoyed "tch," Deidara directed his clay bird to pursue.

"We're done for! This isn't even on the same level!" Suigetsu collapsed in fear, glancing at Sasuke and urgently shouting, "Sasuke, use the Reverse Summoning Technique!"

"It's too late," Jugo responded, shaking his head. As his body began to transform under the curse mark, he positioned himself in front of Sasuke and Suigetsu, saying, "I'll activate my fully cursed form to block the flames. You and Sasuke, escape while you can."

"We can't take on that kind of monster."

Sasuke looked at Jugo, who had injured an arm defending them, then at Suigetsu, who was already covered in wounds. He realized he had miscalculated this time, underestimating a true monster.

Memories of his friends risking their lives flashed through his mind. Sasuke closed his eyes briefly, a trickle of blood falling from the corner of his left eye. He placed a hand on Jugo’s shoulder, stopping him from transforming further. Suddenly, Sasuke opened his left eye wide, his pupil contracting, blood vessels spreading ominously.

At the last moment before the flames reached them, a swirling black flame erupted, creating a barrier in front of the three.

As the sea of fire touched the black flame, it began to burn away.

"What is that?" Deidara, who had just "saved" Tobi, noticed the black flame and looked grim. "It can actually burn through flames."

Obito, grasped by Deidara's clay bird, thought to himself, "Amaterasu."

"Looks like Sasuke’s Sharingan awakened an ability like Itachi's. Quite a surprise."

"But Amaterasu alone won't be enough to defeat Aizen. I wonder what ability his other eye holds."

"If he has awakened the ultimate technique of the Mangekyo Sharingan, he might stand a chance."

As the flames receded, Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Jugo emerged.

"Amaterasu, huh? It seems Sasuke has awakened that ability after all."

The creator of the inferno, Aizen, revealed himself as well. The once-vast forest had turned barren, a massive crater marking the explosion of his Fire Release technique. Before Sasuke stood the remnants of the flames, blackened and smoldering, not yet dissipated.

"What’s this black fire? It’s burning even my chakra-infused flames!" Suigetsu stared in shock, unable to contain his amazement.

"This is likely the ability of my left Mangekyo eye," Sasuke replied.

A sudden, searing pain in Sasuke's left eye forced him to grip it, falling to one knee with a scream.

"Amaterasu, huh? So, even though Sasuke’s hatred has changed targets, his fury still manifested as Amaterasu."

"The Sharingan reflects the heart, with abilities that usually match its user’s strengths."

Sasuke, adept at chakra shape transformation… I wonder if his right eye will be like Kagutsuchi. After all, Orochimaru’s influence will linger over him."

Aizen, dragging his giant sword, began walking slowly toward Sasuke and his team.

"Looks like that ability is quite taxing for Sasuke." Suigetsu moved to support him, only to hear the sound of metal scraping against the ground. He turned to see Aizen approaching and shouted urgently, "Sasuke, Jugo, he's coming!"

The memory of ten torturous days in Orochimaru’s lab flashed through Sasuke's mind. His remaining eye gleamed coldly as he looked toward Aizen, releasing his left eye. Both eyes focused, and the scattered black flames suddenly gathered, forming a dense wall of fire around Aizen, converging from all sides.

Having expended his energy, Sasuke clutched his eyes, his face streaked with blood.

Aizen showed a hint of disappointment and muttered, "Is this all?"

Seems Sasuke is still too naive.

"I had hoped the ordeal with Orochimaru would awaken something stronger in him."

"In the end, it’s still just Kagutsuchi."

"What kind of ninjutsu is this?" Deidara, watching from his clay bird above, felt a cold sweat. Sasuke’s Amaterasu reminded him of the time Kakashi severed his arm with Kamui. Although not as terrifying as Kamui, he thought to himself that Aizen—or anyone else—could never evade that.

Seeing Aizen engulfed in Amaterasu, Deidara, one of the few in Akatsuki who actually cared about his comrades, forgot that Aizen could fly and instinctively shouted, "Brother Aizen, do you need me to get you out?"

"No need; there’s no reason to," Aizen replied, pausing to make a hand sign. He smiled and said to Sasuke, "Sasuke, you’ve gotten a lot stronger, awakening your brother's Amaterasu in your left eye and Kagutsuchi in your right."

"Those are two impressive abilities."

"However, they’re not without counters."

"First, Earth Release: Earth Land Reversal."

As he spoke, the ground under the black flames cracked, swallowing the burning area beneath Aizen’s feet.

"And next, Wind Release: Gale Palm."

Aizen expelled a high-pressure wind ball that expanded into a massive vortex, sweeping across the ground and extinguishing the remaining black flames.

*Chapter 275: Black Zetsu’s Risky Mission to Save His Mother Nearly Comes to an End*

The storm showed no signs of weakening, and its powerful aftershock swept toward Sasuke and the other two.

Jūgo grabbed Sasuke, hoisting him over his shoulder as they fled as fast as possible. Suigetsu followed closely, occasionally glancing back over his shoulder. "What the hell is that monster? It doesn’t just use Lightning and Fire Style, but also blade techniques, and even Earth and Wind Style... What can’t it do?"

They were running out of options.

In a critical moment, Suigetsu instinctively moved to shield Sasuke and Jūgo, using all the moisture in his body to swell up, forming a large barrier to protect them from the crushing wind pressure.

When the wind subsided, the ground, already scorched by Fire Style attacks, was left with a massive crater. Suigetsu, drained of nearly all his moisture, looked like a pale, dried-out puppet, much like he did in the original series when struck by a Tailed Beast Bomb.

Although Jūgo and Sasuke had been shielded from most of the impact, they were still caught by the residual shockwave.

But luckily, before they landed, Jūgo, who saw Sasuke as the reincarnation of Kimimaro, cradled Sasuke in his arms to cushion the fall, preventing him from getting hurt.

Even so, Sasuke, who had pushed himself hard using his dual Mangekyō Sharingan for the first time, was clearly at his limit.

"Suigetsu... Jūgo..." Sasuke was moved by their selflessness. He looked at the barely recognizable Suigetsu and the heavily injured Jūgo, asking if they were okay.

"I'm fine, Sasuke, but Suigetsu..." Jūgo replied painfully, looking at the unconscious Suigetsu. Both fell silent.

"Sasuke, this fight is beyond what we can handle. Take Suigetsu and use Reverse Summoning to escape. I'll hold him off for a while," Jūgo suggested.

After a moment of hesitation, Jūgo struggled to his feet and charged at Aizen, leaving behind a heroic silhouette.

Before he got far, a massive tree suddenly sprouted beneath him, wrapping around his body and leaving only his head exposed, with everything below his nose sealed by the tree.

Jūgo struggled, letting out muffled cries, but he couldn’t break free.

"None of you are going anywhere without my permission, my foolish Sasuke," Aizen mocked.

Due to the effects of Amaterasu and earlier Fire Style attacks, the sky had darkened. Clouds gathered thickly, crackling with lightning, and it seemed as if a downpour was imminent.

Sasuke, panting heavily, glanced at the hypnotized Jūgo and the unconscious Suigetsu. Staring up at the sky, he thought, Do I have to use that move? I was saving it for Itachi, but there's no choice now.

Resolving himself, Sasuke flipped backward onto a nearby hill, gathering Chidori in his hand and lifting it toward the sky.

Just as he was about to use Lightning Style: Kirin, he realized that the lightning wasn’t obeying him; it was gathering toward Aizen instead.

"Is that what you were planning, Sasuke?" Aizen smirked beneath the stormy clouds, holding a similar sphere of lightning in his right hand.

The lightning shifted forms repeatedly, turning into birds, dragons, and then a Kirin before finally taking the shape of Aizen himself and landing on the ground.

With a massive boom, the enormous lightning giant shattered the earth beneath its feet, leaving deep fissures. Sasuke, dwarfed by the colossal figure, struggled to stay upright from the impact alone.

Even Deidara and Tobi, who were airborne, seemed as insignificant as sparrows before the giant.

This kind of lightning power was beyond any normal understanding. It was terrifying to imagine the destruction it would unleash if unleashed.

"What a terrifying guy... He’s on another level entirely," Tobi muttered from atop Deidara’s clay bird, sweat pouring down his face as he realized they couldn’t win.

Deidara, on the other hand, was awestruck—not out of fear, but in admiration for the artistic brilliance of Aizen’s techniques.

"What kind of monster is this?" Sasuke looked up at the lightning giant towering over him and collapsed to his knees. It was the third time he had felt such crushing hopelessness, first after the Uchiha massacre and then after being humiliated by Orochimaru.

This level of power was something he couldn’t overcome, no matter how much he trained or relied on his Kekkei Genkai.

"What a disappointment," Aizen said, bored by Sasuke’s surrender. He then sensed Zetsu's movements and formed a plan.

With a flick of his wrist, the lightning giant leapt into the air, passing right over Sasuke’s head and crashing into the distant, deserted mountains, where Zetsu happened to be passing through.

Aizen didn’t even turn around, but the earth trembled violently. A massive, pale mushroom cloud, brighter than Deidara’s most powerful explosion, slowly rose from the mountains.

Boom!

The deafening explosion sent blinding light and heat into the sky. The shockwave pushed the air outward in a pale blast wave, tearing apart mountains and forests like paper before turning everything to ash.

Even from a distance, Konoha ninjas like Kiba, Hinata, Yamato, Kakashi, Naruto, and Shino instinctively shielded their faces from the fierce wind carrying dust and debris.

Tobi and Deidara, who were much closer, were thrown off their clay bird by the blast, crashing into the distant forest.

Aizen, Sasuke, the petrified Jūgo, and the unconscious Suigetsu were all that remained.

The daylight turned to darkness, with only the lightning-lit mushroom cloud providing any illumination.

"Looks like I went overboard," Aizen muttered, gazing at the mushroom cloud and discarding his beheading sword. He then spread his purple wings and flew toward the nearby town.

With Aizen gone, Jūgo snapped out of the genjutsu controlling him. Without hesitation, he grabbed Sasuke and Suigetsu, desperately running for the hideout.

Nearby, a half-charred pitcher plant emerged from the ground—it was Zetsu.

"What was that? Was it Deidara's self-destruction?" White Zetsu asked, still in shock.

"No, I didn’t sense Deidara’s chakra," Black Zetsu replied, equally shaken. If not for the fact that lightning dissipates upon hitting the ground, allowing him to escape using Mayfly Technique, the mission to save his mother would have ended prematurely.