Chapter 50: Between, A Clash of Waves
Bang!
As Uchiha Ci's hand struck his chest, a chilling sensation pierced Kakuzu's heart, as if ten thousand ants were crawling over it, spreading a cold terror through him.
The last time he felt this was 45 years ago.
Bearing an inescapable responsibility, he had stepped forward, trembling, to face the Wood Clone of the God of Shinobi.
What had filled him with despair was that the Wood Clone stood atop a 200-meter-tall wooden giant.
At this moment,
Fire chakra was wildly surging from Uchiha Ci's body, causing the surrounding air to grow dry, scorching, and almost unbearable.
A blazing sun was slowly rising before Kakuzu's eyes!
This familiar yet distant fear awakened the deepest weakness and terror buried within Kakuzu's heart.
As this emotion tore apart the layers of greed and ambition numbing his soul, Kakuzu's eyes widened involuntarily.
The tendrils of Earth Grudge Fear began pouring uncontrollably from the stitches on his body, standing on end like the fur of a frightened beast, instinctively curling inward for protection.
The moon was gradually obscured, and the world fell into silence.
Kakuzu was engulfed in an endless darkness, but the ever-brightening sun before him left no place to hide.
Under this merciful and all-encompassing light,
Kakuzu,
was forcibly dragged back into his past.
His expression began to break apart.
"You've got to be kidding!!"
"Madman!"
"Madman!"
"A suicidal madman!"
"How could a technique like this appear on someone with a single tomoe Sharingan!?"
Kakuzu immediately realized that this was a forbidden technique! And without a doubt, it was beyond any ordinary forbidden jutsu—a deadly move!
Kakuzu cursed madly inside.
What kind of grudge did this kid have against him?
For him to use such a technique on him—was this a joke?
This was their first meeting, wasn't it?
Seeing Uchiha Ci's aura growing increasingly terrifying, Kakuzu felt a tingling in his scalp.
Without hesitation, he sprang into action!
Kakuzu instantly released Earth Release: Earth Spear, allowing his body to be sliced apart by the Earth Grudge Fear threads, spraying blood everywhere.
His body, organs, Earth Grudge Fear hearts, head, limbs, and fragments scattered, only to be reassembled by the pulling of the tendrils.
Kakuzu couldn't even begin to count how many pieces of himself were missing, and he had no time to care.
"RAAAAAHHH!!!"
Facing Uchiha Ci, who was now roaring uncontrollably due to his overwhelming power, Kakuzu—having forcefully broken free—quickly formed the hand seals for the Snake.
Four dark figures emerged from Kakuzu's back—three stood in a row, while one remained by his side.
The three figures represented hearts of three different elements:
Wind, Fire, Lightning!
The Earth Grudge Fear masked creatures opened their mouths wide, glowing in white, red, and blue light!
The three ninjutsu combined, merging together, accumulating energy.
They coalesced into the terrifying form of a blue chakra cannon, still gathering power.
What was about to be unleashed was far more fearsome than the Combined Ninjutsu: Flame Storm Chaos, Strange Mask Exploding Flame.
Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot!
At that moment,
Uchiha Ci let out one final roar:
"Now,"
"It's my turn!!"
Uchiha Ci watched as Kakuzu rapidly summoned four masked creatures.
The leading Earth Grudge Fear water mask released Water Release: Water Formation Wall, generating a large amount of water.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu formed hand seals, releasing a massive water formation wall, blocking Uchiha Ci's view and hiding the actions of the other masks.
But having read the original work and knowing Kakuzu's abilities in detail, how could Uchiha Ci not guess that Kakuzu was preparing for the most powerful combined jutsu from the three remaining masks—Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot?
His opponent had gathered strength, ready for a ferocious exchange of attacks with him.
How could Uchiha Ci possibly disappoint?
Gripping his blazing long blade in both hands, Uchiha Ci couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile of extreme excitement.
At this moment, he felt like he could cut a mountain in half with a single strike!
This power, which transcended that of mere mortals, came at a price, the very death Uchiha Ci had always longed for!
And his opponent, was a Kage-level powerhouse, Kakuzu.
Whether he cut Kakuzu down with his blade or Kakuzu obliterated him with Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot, for Uchiha Ci, either outcome would be a victory.
As long as he died in a full-force battle against such an opponent, he could return home with 500 million yuan.
500 million!
That's 500 million!
Even with a bit of thought, he realized that just by depositing it in the bank, he'd earn over 7.5 million in interest every year!
He could spend the rest of his life living in luxury!
His glorious future was right before him!
With this thought, Uchiha Ci's eyes were filled with determination.
He suddenly stepped forward, raising his blade high!
With that single step, fiery and violent chakra erupted from his entire body, a radiant sun seeming to rise behind him.
Cracks spread across the cliffside, forming a dense web.
Wielding such overwhelming power, Uchiha Ci felt as though he had returned to his childhood, like the young hero from Shinryu Warriors.
Raising his sword high, he shouted with passion, "Victory! Dragon Sword!"
The excitement was overwhelming, as if someone had shouted from behind, "Now's your chance, Ci!"
At that moment, Uchiha Ci would have felt pure joy, perhaps even exclaiming something cheeky like,
"You think I'll use the Dragon Sword? Wrong! I'll just become a firecracker-holding kid and shout 'Holy Sword, my Holy Sword!'"
After all, that was the life Ci had truly lived.
In this instant,
In his mind's kaleidoscope of memories from his year in the ninja world, countless faces flashed by:
Shisui Uchiha, Setsuna Uchiha, Seijiro Uchiha, Obito Uchiha, his grandmother, the ninja tools shop owner, Hidan, Mei Terumi, Shinnō, Kakuzu, the three from the Cloud Village, the trio from the Jashin Cult...
One by one, the faces passed in fleeting yet seemingly endless recollection.
Finally,
Uchiha Ci's gaze sharpened as he twisted the sword's hilt, positioning it above his head.
Like King Arthur raising Excalibur, the six-foot-long fiery sword surged with a towering flame!
The blazing inferno ascended, reaching the heavens!
Like a radiant sword of justice rising from the sun!
And then,
Uchiha Ci lifted the sword high, raising his voice in a final roar:
"If this is the end, then let this sword be called—"
"Endblade: Farewell!"
The massive sword slashed downward, splitting even the clouds in the sky!
At the same time,
Kakuzu's face twisted in fury as he roared back:
"You think you can kill me? Keep dreaming!"
"Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot!"
With that,
The chakra cannon boomed, firing a blue beam filled with the aura of death!
In the next moment,
A subtitle flashed across the screen.
[Clang!]