Chapter 252: Counterattack! Ninjutsu – Supersonic Vibration Vacuum Blade!
[Talent: Battle Instinct (S+) has been activated.]
Seeing the sudden notification appear before him, Uchiha Ci couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.
This talent, in regular battles, almost never triggered a notification. Only in moments of extreme crisis—when both his body and soul instinctively judged the situation as nearly fatal—would this warning appear.
It was a feedback mechanism from his own body.
However, something about this time felt different.
In past instances, even though his battle Instinct was extraordinary, it had never provided such a clear premonition of what was about to happen—let alone form a visual representation right before his eyes.
At this moment, Uchiha Ci finally understood what had just transpired.
Right after he cast Illusion: Reversal, the Third Raikage had reacted just as the Fourth Raikage did in the original storyline—dodging Amaterasu unleashed by the Mangekyō Sharingan with sheer speed.
Just as his genjutsu was about to take hold, the Third Raikage, relying on his terrifying neural reflexes and immense speed, evaded at the last moment. In an instant, he maneuvered around and launched a surprise grapple from the front.
His speed had already surpassed the limit of what the human eye could perceive at close range.
Even with his Two-Tomoe Sharingan, Uchiha Ci could no longer track the opponent's movements.
Realizing this, Uchiha Ci felt his heart sink.
Previously, he had deduced from the original work that the Lightning Release Armor evolved differently depending on the user. But at this moment, that theory was completely shattered.
It wasn't that the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Armor specialized in speed while the Third Raikage's specialized in defense.
It was simply that the Third Raikage was stronger.
His mastery of the Lightning Release Armor was deeper.
That was all.
Lightning Armor was Lightning Armor. It fundamentally enhanced both defense and speed. The core principle remained the same—both father and son practiced the exact same technique.
The difference in defense came from the extent to which the Lightning Armor was trained.
The difference in speed came from their innate neural reflexes.
The Fourth Raikage's Lightning Armor allowed him to dodge Amaterasu at point-blank range when Jūgo launched his speech-fueled attack. Naturally, he could also dodge other visual jutsu.
Now, Uchiha Ci faced the Third Raikage—a man just as capable of evading dojutsu.
Perhaps his neural reflexes weren't as fast as the Fourth's, but they weren't far behind either.
Even more troubling—
Uchiha Ci's gaze instinctively locked onto the crackling blue lightning that enveloped the Third Raikage's body.
At the same time, the Third Raikage narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced at his empty palm.
"This reaction speed… it's almost like precognition."
"In this aspect, this kid might even surpass A."
"But…"
The Third Raikage turned his head slightly, his cold gaze falling on Uchiha Ci, who had just tumbled to the side in a disheveled state, one hand spread open against the ground for support.
"You're still too weak."
Before his words could fully echo—
Lightning flashed.
The Third Raikage vanished from sight.
"He's gone?!"
Seeing this, Uchiha Ci's heart tensed. His crimson snake-like pupils darted left and right, tracing trembling red streaks in the darkness.
"Where will he attack from?"
Even with his mutated Snake Pupil Sharingan, which had enhanced his observation ability, he still couldn't visually track the Raikage's movements.
This situation brought him right back to the time when he had only a single Tomoe Sharingan and had to face Kakuzu.
His eyes weren't enough.
So—
Uchiha Ci simply shut them.
He fully immersed his mind in sensing his own body.
Like standing at the center of a calm lake, he let the ripples caused by disturbances on the surface tell him where the enemy was.
Gradually—
Everything around him became eerily quiet.
The crackling of wildfires burning the earth.
The night breeze whispering across the sky.
The tense, hurried breaths of the surrounding ninja beyond the fire's glow.
And—
A barely perceptible current of electricity—like the faint sound of paper scraping against paper.
The instant he heard it, a chill ran down his spine.
Uchiha Ci's eyes snapped open. Without hesitation, he twisted his hand against the ground and flipped into the air!
The next moment—
A blinding bolt of lightning erupted below him!
Staring intently at the streaking figure beneath him, the one who had just attempted a single-legged downward kick, Uchiha Ci's eyes turned icy.
Midair, he pressed his hands together—
"Forbidden Art: Earth Grudge Fear!!"
Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!
The ground beneath them suddenly split apart as three masses of pitch-black threads burst forth.
These threads—dense and interwoven—merged into massive tendrils that shot toward the Third Raikage!
This was Earth Grudge Fear!
A technique that hid one's life beneath the battlefield, waiting to strike with its sinister, writhing black tendrils.
Uchiha Ci had deliberately remained on the ground earlier, pressing his palm against the earth, precisely to prepare this trap.
The Third Raikage furrowed his brows slightly. His kick, aimed squarely at Uchiha Ci's back, had missed.
And just as he tried to pivot his foot against the ground to continue his pursuit, the area around him was already filled with these sturdy black tendrils.
If he wanted to reach Uchiha Ci, he would have to cut through them first.
Without hesitation, he surged his Lightning Armor once more, his entire body flickering with lightning.
With a swift motion, he raised his hand, forming a Four-Finger Nukite.
Like a hot knife through butter, he sliced through the tendrils in an instant.
However—
The severed tips of those tendrils suddenly glowed with three cryptic symbols.
At the same time, high above, Uchiha Ci, still midair, pressed his palm downward—revealing the same symbol in his hand!
"Sealing Technique – Tri-Seal Formation!"
Green beams of light shot out from the symbols, linking together in a triangular formation, instantly forming a luminous prison around the Third Raikage.
Then—
The triangular cage began to contract inward!
The Third Raikage lifted his head slightly and shook his head.
"These petty tricks… won't work on me."
As his words fell, lightning erupted once again.
Before him, the Tri-Seal Formation crumbled like a mere toy.
He hadn't even needed to use his Four-Finger Nukite—a simple shoulder charge, amplified by the Lightning Armor, was enough to shatter the sealing technique.
Yet—
Uchiha Ci didn't respond.
His gaze merely sharpened as he flipped his body midair and landed.
Tightening his grip around the hilt of his fully charged Kusanagi Blade, he abruptly dashed forward!
Earth Grudge Fear and Tri-Seal Formation had never been intended to defeat the Raikage.
They were meant to restrict his movements—
To create an opening for Uchiha Ci to seize control of the fight, rather than allowing the Raikage to dictate the pace with his overwhelming speed.
Battlefield Control.
Just two words.
Yet their impact on the battle's outcome was immeasurable.
These two words—
Were the core of every combat strategy Uchiha Ci had devised.
Now—
The blade in his hand trembled slightly.
But there was no fiery glow.
No swirling water edge.
It appeared as if he was out of options, relying solely on the weapon's inherent sharpness.
Yet, only Uchiha Ci knew—
This sword contained compressed Wind and Lightning Chakra, fused into a seamless whole.
The razor-sharp wind concealed within the vibrating blade.
The high-frequency tremors amplifying its already lethal edge.
And because the vibrations surpassed the range of human hearing—
This blade's killing intent remained utterly silent.
This was the technique Uchiha Ci had prepared for the Third Raikage—
Composite Ninjutsu – Supersonic Vibration Vacuum Blade!
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