Chapter 248: Black Thunder Slashes the Sun!
Under the night sky,
A dark red phantom shot toward the heights of the battlefield with ferocious momentum!
Hot on its heels were the Two-Tails and Uchiha Ci, their target clear—they were going to take down Killer Bee and the Eight-Tails at all costs!
Following them closely was a squad of elite Konoha shinobi, rushing to intervene.
From south to north, from the outer perimeter to the inner battlefield, the sheer volume of chakra surging out of Hell Valley created a shockwave that sent shattered stones and water droplets flying into the air.
One figure after another sped across the battlefield, as if competing on a winding racetrack.
The air grew thick, the atmosphere heavy.
The night without a moon carried an eerie, restless silence—like the ocean moments before a storm, or the pause in a nightclub before the strobe lights burst into a dazzling climax.
Everything was oppressed under a stifling stillness, even the sky was unknowingly shrouded in heavy clouds.
Crack!
A bolt of blue lightning tore through the clouds, roaring—
Accompanied by the thunderclap, a voice filled with killing intent, laced with the exhilaration of defeating a powerful foe, roared out in youthful rage:
"Killer Bee!!"
"Where do you think you're running?!"
His voice was raised, his head tilted back in arrogance, his eyes wide with fury.
Standing atop the Two-Tails' head, Uchiha Ci locked his gaze onto the man desperately zigzagging ahead, dodging like a rat—Killer Bee!
This feeling—this perspective, as if he were the victor, a cat toying with a mouse—was something Uchiha Ci had never experienced before.
After suffering so many humiliating beatings on his journey, the sheer pleasure of this moment made his lips curl uncontrollably, his eyes dancing with excitement!
Then,
On the fifty-meter-tall feline head, he slowly stood upright, looking down from above. His left hand pressed against the sword's sheath, while his right hand drew the gleaming, flame-lit Kusanagi Blade from his waist!
Thanks to the Zero-Tails' ability to devour extreme emotions, he quickly absorbed a new surge of dark chakra from the Two-Tails' true form. Through his body's intricate conversion process, his energy reserves were fully restored!
In fact, there was so much chakra coursing through him that it gave him an overwhelming, almost bursting sensation.
Yet, this was merely a fraction of the massive reserves beneath his feet—he could extract more, endlessly amplifying his power!
With this realization, Uchiha Ci took a deep breath, intoxicated by the sensation of unprecedented strength.
Then—
His face twisted into a savage expression, ablaze with the flames of hatred!
At this moment—
Step!
A foot clad in the standard red-and-white shin guards of the Hidden Cloud came to an abrupt stop at the edge of Hell Valley's cliffside.
Rustle—
Pebbles tumbled over the precipice, falling into the swirling, ominous mist below.
No sound returned from the abyss—
And it was only then that Killer Bee realized—he had nowhere left to run.
The spot where he stood was the very same cliff where, years ago, a young Ay had brought him to gaze upon the depths of Hell Valley.
A jagged precipice clawing at the sky.
One step forward meant plunging into the endless chasm.
But now, the elder brother he trusted completely was nowhere near, and he was left with only two choices—
Either—
Die here at the hands of that Uchiha brat.
Or—
Take a desperate leap, betting everything on a slim, uncertain chance.
"Is this really the end for me, Big Bro?"
Standing at the cliff's edge, staring into the churning, blood-hued mist below,
Killer Bee felt utterly drained, as if his blood had frozen over, his heart turned to stone.
At that moment—
"Run! Why aren't you running anymore?"
With a hint of mockery, Uchiha Ci sneered as he raised his sword, gripping the hilt firmly. Flames surged in his palm, rising toward the sky!
The next instant,
As thunder roared, beneath the overcast night sky—
A great sun suddenly blazed into existence!
Everything caught in its radiance was painted in an intense, searing white!
Immediately afterward—
A crimson line shot up from the sun, piercing straight into the heavens in an instant!
Under countless horrified gazes—
A colossal blade of flowing fire, spanning sixty meters, was beginning to take form!
Staring up at the terrifying construct rising from Hell Valley's peak,
The unexpected spectacle left the Hidden Cloud shinobi in stunned silence.
"W-what is that?!"
"There's no record of such a technique—is that… a forbidden jutsu?!"
At the front lines of the Cloud army, Otogui's face was ashen as he trembled, voicing his report:
"Killer Bee's chakra signature… is plummeting."
"At this level of disparity… He… he can't possibly withstand such a monstrous attack!"
Hearing this, Mabui's face turned pale. She had lost count of how many bad news reports she had received today.
She could only raise her trembling face to the sky, clutching her notebook tightly in her arms, her whole body shivering as she let out a quiet, sorrowful murmur:
"Third Raikage-sama… did I… fail?"
Back in Hell Valley, at the cliff's edge—
"Hahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!!"
Holding aloft the breathtaking giant blade, basking in the glorious moment of absolute dominance,
Uchiha Ci couldn't contain his laughter.
"Are you deaf, Killer Bee?!"
Then, his expression turned ice-cold, as if coated in frost.
He glared at the tiny figure below, his voice laced with malice:
"I asked you a question!!"
"Why aren't you running?!"
Killer Bee dumbly tilted his head back. In that silence, the weight of the moment was deafening.
"…"
Reflected in his sunglasses was the gargantuan blade, piercing the heavens—an image of overwhelming terror.
His face turned deathly pale.
He swallowed hard, murmuring to himself:
"This move's power… it's nearly on par with a Tailed Beast Bomb. And with the Two-Tails' chakra, he can unleash this multiple times…!"
"But how…? Even with the Two-Tails, this should be impossible…!"
"This… this…"
Seeing Killer Bee's reaction, Uchiha Ci smirked coldly, then barked:
"Nothing left to say?!"
"Or is this your answer?!"
"If so—"
A fierce glint flashed in his eyes.
There was no need to wait for the sword's full power to peak—this was already enough to obliterate the Hidden Cloud's Eight-Tails Jinchūriki,
This man who would one day play a pivotal role in the Fourth Great Ninja War!
For so long, he had feared altering the original timeline, afraid of an unpredictable future, daunted by the unknown.
Living like that, always hesitating, had worn him down.
But now, with this unparalleled strength surging through him—
He was filled with absolute confidence!
He could do it!
He would do it!
This was the ultimate reward for all he had fought for—
If he could maintain a steady chakra supply, he could wield power greater than any Jinchūriki!
This path was crystal clear—
He didn't need anyone else. As long as he kept fighting, kept pushing forward, mastering every technique—
One day, he would reach the level where he could beat the Nine-Tails like a mere beast!
And then, even the so-called Sage of the Six Paths would be within reach!
So what if his opponents were the Two-Tails Jinchūriki or the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki?!
A wild grin spread across Uchiha Ci's face.
Then,
He planted his feet firmly on the Two-Tails' head, twisting the sword hilt with both hands as he roared:
"Die, you beast!"
"Ultimate Blade—Eight Million Divine Might!!"
In the next instant—
A blazing sun descended from the heavens!
Burning, searing, engulfing the sky in an apocalyptic inferno!
Killer Bee stood frozen, his face ashen.
Just as the blade was about to descend—
A streak of white lightning shot from the heavens.
Then—
In an instant, it turned black!
"—Hell Stab: Four-Finger Nukite!!"
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