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For the first time in his life, Uzumaki Ming felt the true weight of powerlessness.
No matter how hard he chased, he could only remain behind—watching the backs of his comrades from a distance.
In Suchang Town, the battle raged on.
Even though both sides were holding back, nearly 20% of the town was reduced to rubble by the sheer aftermath of their clash.
At that moment, Ye Dou's body radiated light. He raised his blade high with both hands—like the legendary strike to split Mount Hua—and brought it down with devastating force.
Boom!
The strike shattered the ground beneath, and even Susano'o, crimson and imposing, was knocked back from the impact.
Uchiha Itachi could barely stand. Through Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), Ye Dou could sense his chakra rapidly dwindling.
"He can't last much longer," Ye Dou said coldly, closing his eyes.
"Don't underestimate the Uchiha clan," Itachi retorted, his voice like glacial wind.
Susano'o surged forward. With immense force, it shoved aside Gamabunta and brought its massive Yata Mirror down upon Ye Dou.
This time, no one came to aid him. Ye Dou raised his sword to block, but the divine shield crashed against him without mercy.
Boom!
The blow sent him flying like a cannonball. He smashed through two buildings before skidding to a halt.
This wasn't just an ordinary shield bash—it was an overwhelming, full-force strike from the Yata Mirror, the ultimate spiritual defense said to repel all attacks. With a shield that massive, the sheer kinetic force was unimaginable.
But Ye Dou rose again, seemingly unharmed. He leapt from the ruins and charged at Uchiha Itachi once more.
"The Uchiha are already gone. What clan do you think you're defending? You die here today."
Anger surged from him, his hair flaring wildly in the wind. Even with his eyes shut, he radiated a bone-chilling intensity.
His blade, Rushing Snow, struck the Totsuka Blade again. Susano'o stumbled back two steps. Blood trickled from Itachi's lips.
There was no need for Ye Dou to shout commands—Jiraiya and the Great Toad already knew their roles.
"Gamabunta, oil!"
"Got it!"
"Katon—Gamayu Endan!"
In perfect sync, the toad spewed oil, and Jiraiya unleashed his Fire Style: Flame Bullet. The resulting inferno engulfed the battlefield, crashing toward Susano'o like a tidal wave of fire.
The fiery explosion scorched the heavens—but Itachi's Susano'o withstood it, protected by the Yata Mirror.
"Even that didn't work..." Jiraiya muttered in disbelief.
"This combo technique could even threaten a tailed beast," Gamabunta added, equally stunned.
Still, the pressure was working. Susano'o began to flicker, unstable, strained under the repeated assaults.
Sensing the weakening defense, Jiraiya and Gamabunta poured in more chakra, unleashing jutsu after jutsu against the cracking ethereal warrior.
This was no mere skirmish—it was a clash on par with battles between Kage. The sheer power leveled nearly a quarter of Suchang Town.
Pfft!
Itachi coughed blood and dropped to one knee.
His entire body ached, every nerve screaming with pain. His vision blurred. He was nearing his limit.
"If I stay, I'll die here..." he thought grimly.
Ignoring the searing pain in his eyes, he snapped them open.
"Amaterasu!"
In an instant, black flames ignited on Gamabunta's body.
"AAARGH!"
The great toad screamed, flailing violently—but Amaterasu could not be extinguished by conventional means.
These flames—the "black fire of the sun"—were said to burn anything to ash and never stop until their target was destroyed.
"Gamabunta!" Jiraiya cried out.
Without hesitation, he unsealed a scroll and quickly used a Fire Sealing Method to suppress the Amaterasu burning on the toad's body.
"Kisame!" Itachi called hoarsely.
But his chakra was nearly spent. He couldn't maintain Susano'o any longer, and Amaterasu's drain had pushed him to the brink.
Seizing the moment, the demonic shark-man Kisame Hoshigaki swept aside Might Guy, rushing to Itachi's side to extract him.
But Ye Dou had been waiting for this exact moment.
He had known—once Susano'o faded, Itachi would be vulnerable.
And now, he struck.
"I told you... you die here today, Uchiha Itachi!"
Ye Dou's aura erupted again as he roared:
"Six Kings Gate—OPEN!!"
"Impossible—he's still growing stronger?!" Kisame's shark-like face twisted in disbelief.
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