Uchiha Itachi exploded!
No, wait—it was his clone that detonated.
Clone Great Explosion was an A-rank jutsu created by Itachi himself. By infusing chakra into his shadow clone, it would explode with devastating force.
The blast rippled outward in a fiery shockwave, sending clouds of smoke and waves of flame in all directions. Scorch marks and debris filled the area. Amid the chaos, the puppet body of Sasori—the crimson-armored Hiruko—was blasted into fragments.
Moments later, a handsome figure with fiery red hair emerged from the flames—it was Sasori's true body, transformed into a human puppet.
The instant the others realized Itachi's "death" was just a clone, they quickly honed in on the direction of his real chakra signature.
Immediately, attacks from Orochimaru, the Six Paths of Pain, and Konan all shifted course, streaking toward the waterfall's edge.
From Orochimaru's sleeve, two massive serpents slithered out, snapping their fangs toward Itachi.
However, Itachi had already prepared for this. Using his shadow clone as a distraction, he had taken the opportunity to complete his hand signs.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Raising his head slightly, Itachi exhaled a massive sphere of flame, aiming directly at the serpents. The fiery orb engulfed the two snakes midair, consuming them in a roaring inferno. As the flames burned hotter, the serpents' bodies turned to ash, disintegrating into nothingness.
But Itachi's troubles had only just begun.
Before he could catch his breath, the mechanical arm of Asura Path unleashed a volley of missiles, bombarding Itachi with relentless precision.
Itachi's form blurred as he employed Body Flicker Technique, evading each explosion with pinpoint accuracy. Each reappearance was perfectly timed, leaving him unscathed despite the onslaught.
Once the barrage ceased, Itachi pivoted and charged toward Orochimaru.
Surrounded by so many enemies, Itachi knew his only chance to escape was to exploit a weak point—and Orochimaru's susceptibility to genjutsu was something Itachi had noted years ago. The constant soul transfers through Living Corpse Reincarnation had eroded Orochimaru's resistance to illusions.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
The voice of the Animal Path rang out, cutting through the chaos.
A massive three-headed hellhound and a colossal, bird-like creature with menacing Rinnegan eyes materialized, their sights set on Itachi.
Unlike Naruto, who could rely on Sage Mode to battle these beasts barehanded, Itachi lacked such power. If these summoned creatures struck him, even a glancing blow could leave him critically injured.
But Itachi wasn't planning to go down that easily.
His Sharingan spun rapidly, transforming into the intricate pattern of the Mangekyō.
With a slight tilt of his head, a stream of blood trickled from his left eye.
"Amaterasu!"
Black flames burst forth, engulfing the hellhound in an inextinguishable blaze. The beast, which could normally divide and multiply to evade attacks, let out agonized howls, unable to resist the unrelenting flames of Amaterasu.
The giant bird fared no better, screeching as it plummeted from the sky, wreathed in black fire.
Nagato, controlling the Animal Path, frowned deeply as the tide shifted.
Though releasing Amaterasu caused a momentary pause in his movements, Itachi quickly resumed his charge toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru smirked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Itachi-kun, are you planning to use genjutsu to incapacitate me and then make your escape? Such sharp instincts!"
Orochimaru easily saw through Itachi's intent, and he had no intention of giving him the opportunity.
While Itachi's Mangekyō illusion, Tsukuyomi, was powerful, it had a critical flaw—a limited range of just five meters.
"Can't let him get close!" Orochimaru hissed, his tongue flicking out as his eyes flashed with menace.
His hands blurred through a series of hand signs as Itachi closed in.
"Water Release: Hiding in Mist Jutsu!"
Thick, pale mist enveloped the battlefield, shrouding Orochimaru's form completely.
Though the technique was traditionally used for stealth and assassination, Orochimaru's purpose here was defensive, which puzzled Itachi.
But the answer came quickly.
From within the mist, Orochimaru's sinister grin emerged briefly before he slammed his hands onto the ground.
"Crystal Release: Crystal Shuriken!"
The moisture in the air crystallized into countless razor-sharp shurikens, glittering ominously as they shot toward Itachi in a deadly barrage.
Even Itachi couldn't hide his surprise.
"Crystal Release?" he murmured, halting in his tracks. Though he didn't know how Orochimaru had obtained this rare Kekkei Genkai, the danger was clear.
The sheer number and range of the crystalline projectiles made advancing nearly impossible. Orochimaru had deliberately filled the air with mist to saturate it with water vapor, enhancing his Crystal Release and creating a deadly minefield.
Realizing the risk, Itachi leaped backward, evading the attack as he spat fireballs to intercept the incoming shuriken.
"Don't let him recover!"
Seeing that Orochimaru remained unharmed, the Deva Path issued a command.
"Shinra Tensei!"
A powerful force erupted toward Itachi, amplifying the efforts of everyone present.
From every direction, attacks rained down—venom-laced weapons, blazing flames from Sasori's puppets, and even swarming paper bombs from Konan.
Itachi's Mangekyō spun faster, blood flowing from both eyes.
At the last moment, crimson chakra erupted around him.
"Susano'o!"
The ground cracked and shattered as a colossal red chakra warrior formed around Itachi, towering over the battlefield.
The ethereal giant wielded a massive chakra blade in its right hand and a shimmering shield in its left.
With a single sweeping slash of the sword, the attacks were obliterated—puppet weapons turned to shards, and Orochimaru's serpents were sliced into ribbons.
The shield effortlessly blocked the rain of fire and even deflected the Deva Path's almighty force.
Itachi's Susano'o loomed over his enemies, equipped with the fabled Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror.
Orochimaru's eyes glimmered with greed, his desire for Itachi's eyes nearly consuming him.
"Don't stop! He's at his limit!" he shouted.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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