The air crackled with unbearable tension as Lord Phenex stood amidst the swirling inferno, his presence like a golden sun, burning with divine fury. His expression remained calm, but the deadly seriousness in his glowing eyes sent shivers through the onlookers. His voice rang out like a tolling bell, resonating with finality.
"It's time to end this, Uchiha."
Phenex's body erupted into searing flames, the fire consuming him completely as he transformed into his true form: a colossal phoenix of blazing gold and red, towering over the battlefield. The temperature soared as he inhaled deeply, his chest glowing with unimaginable heat. When he exhaled, a torrent of golden flames spiraled outward, roaring like a divine beast unleashed from the heavens.
"Sacred Phoenix Flame Breath!"
The flames surged forward, an unstoppable tide of destruction. The battlefield melted, rivers of magma forming in the wake of the inferno. Everything in its path was reduced to ash and molten ruin. The golden fire lit the horizon, turning night into day.
Inside the grand hall where the Devil Kings and nobility observed the battle through magical projections, silence fell. Even the most seasoned warriors leaned forward, their expressions grave. This technique, this overwhelming display of power, was only said to have been used during the Phenex Civil War—a time of legend and bloodshed.
As the golden flames engulfed Itachi Uchiha, the projection turned white-hot, rendering everything invisible. For a moment, it seemed as though nothing could survive the divine blaze. When the flames finally subsided, all that remained was molten rock, smoke, and silence.
But then, through the dense haze, a colossal figure emerged, glowing with an ominous red light. Itachi's Susanoo stood tall, its ethereal armor shimmering defiantly against the flames. The Yata Mirror in its left hand gleamed, having absorbed and deflected the remnants of Phenex's attack.
Behind Itachi, the battlefield was unrecognizable—a charred, molten wasteland. Inside Susanoo, his voice cut through the suffocating heat, cold and calculating.
"What was that technique? It feels... holy and demonic at the same time."
Lord Phenex, still hovering amidst his flames, smirked. His wings flared, illuminating the battlefield. "That's none of your concern, Uchiha. Focus on surviving—if you can."
Susanoo began to shift and grow, its armor thickening and solidifying. The glowing construct expanded into its third stage, towering at nearly 100 meters, its massive sword gleaming like a beacon of death.
Phenex snarled, his body erupting once more in flames. His phoenix form grew even larger, reaching 120 meters, his wings stretching wide and ablaze with golden fire. He raised one flaming talon, a massive magic circle appearing beneath him. Symbols and runes glowed fiercely, their energy pulling in ambient power from the battlefield and sky.
The two titans faced each other, their immense power warping the air. Every breath they took sent shockwaves rippling through the molten ground.
Phenex dove toward Itachi, his entire body wreathed in spiraling flames. His talons glowed with destructive energy as he aimed for Susanoo's core. Itachi raised Susanoo's sword, meeting Phenex's attack head-on. The impact sent a deafening explosion across the battlefield, magma and debris flying in every direction.
The sheer force of the clash shook the heavens.
Itachi's Sharingan spun furiously, predicting Phenex's movements with precision. He swung Susanoo's blade, aiming for the phoenix's wings. But Phenex twisted mid-air, evading the strike with terrifying speed. In retaliation, he unleashed a barrage of golden firestorms, filling the battlefield with blinding heat. The Yata Mirror absorbed the flames, but even so, the pressure forced Susanoo back, its glowing feet sliding through the molten ground.
Inside his Susanoo, Itachi's eyes burned as he tried to push the construct to its final form. But despite his efforts, the transformation would not occur.
"System," Itachi muttered through gritted teeth. "Why can't I access the final form? I've never been pushed this far in battle."
The system's voice replied, cold and unyielding.
[You lack the chakra of Indra or Ashura. Without their essence, the full power of Susanoo is beyond your reach.]
Itachi's eyes narrowed, blood streaming from them. "So I'm not at my peak…"
Above him, Phenex rose higher into the sky, his body glowing like a living sun. With an ear-splitting screech, he summoned another massive magic circle, its runes pulsating with divine and demonic energy. The circle expanded, encompassing the entire battlefield, pulling in molten lava and loose debris, gathering power for a cataclysmic strike.
"It ends now, Uchiha!" Phenex's voice boomed, shaking the heavens themselves.
He dove at full speed, his body encased in a spiraling inferno of golden and crimson fire. His attack burned with a force that seemed capable of splitting the world in two. Itachi, his Susanoo barely holding together, raised both the Yata Mirror and the sword in defense.
The titans collided, the explosion of energy ripping through the battlefield. The molten ground split open, magma spewing into the sky as cracks spread like veins of destruction. For a moment, the world seemed to stand still, the power of their clash erasing all sound and light.
When the dust settled, Itachi stood amidst the devastation, his Susanoo fractured but still standing. Blood streamed from his eyes, but his resolve was unbroken.
Phenex reformed, his phoenix body flickering with exhaustion but still radiating unmatched power. His voice echoed with both admiration and grim determination.
"You are remarkable, Uchiha. But you cannot stop what is to come."
The battle was far from over. The air remained thick with power, and the world braced for their next clash.