Chapter 255: Hell Stab – One-Finger Nukite!
The sixty-meter-long Flowing Flame Greatsword shattered, and the Two-Tails was struck down. Yet, from the moment the thunderous roar of the heavens erupted again, the battle that had repeatedly pushed Uchiha Ci to the brink of death had lasted less than two minutes in total.
At this moment—
The Konoha and Uchiha ninja, who had no choice but to rely on their own legs to travel, were already lagging behind Uchiha Ci due to the disparity in speed. After finally managing to push through the raging sandstorm and sea of fire caused by the clash between Hell Stab – Two-Finger Nukite and the Eight Million Divine Might,
They were once again shaken to near deafness by a sharp and continuous thunderclap.
Then, another wave of violent storms was unleashed as lightning struck down from the sky.
In this world where immense power was concentrated in the hands of a few, ordinary ninja found themselves struggling just to withstand the aftershocks of a battle between true titans.
And when the group, led by Uchiha Setsuna and Sarutobi Shinnosuke, finally overcame all obstacles and arrived at the battlefield—
They were met with a horrifying sight—
The once intact battlefield had been completely reduced to a charred wasteland.
Standing at its center, like a victorious champion in the ring, was the elderly man known to the world as the Third Raikage.
His entire body was wreathed in terrifying lightning, strands of electricity crackling through the air with a pressure so immense that even the atmosphere seemed to tremble and wail.
Upon seeing him, the sheer intensity of the old man's aura caused the Konoha ninja to involuntarily hold their breath, swallowing hard as they instinctively turned their gaze toward the figure he held aloft.
"That's... Uchiha Ci!?"
The moment they recognized him, the faces of the Konoha ninja turned pale, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
That young man who had raced through the heart of danger, who had stood against despair itself—
The one who had saved them once before right outside their camp,
The Konoha ace who had single-handedly suppressed two Jinchūriki, making victory seem within their grasp,
The second Konoha Jinchūriki, the genius elite Uchiha Ci—
Had lost!
The boy was being held aloft in the Third Raikage's grasp!
His entire body was drenched in blood, his clothes tattered, exposing skin covered in scorched lightning burns. His left arm was pitch black, charred like burnt wood.
And on his left chest—
Where his heart should have been beating,
Was a gaping, piercing hole, running straight through his body!
A sight so gruesome, so shocking—
"Ci!!"
Upon witnessing this scene, Uchiha Setsuna's eyes nearly split apart with rage. His single scarlet eye contracted into a pinprick, and the three tomoe spinning around his pupil began rotating violently, linking together into a single line—
It looked as if it was about to transform into an entirely new pattern.
But—
"Why... Why... WHY!!"
Uchiha Setsuna clenched his fists tightly, his entire body trembling.
He had forgotten.
He had forgotten.
Even though he had awakened that forbidden eye, he had forgotten how to use it! Was there ever a crueler joke in this world?!
And why—why at this very moment?!
Before anyone could react—
"UOOOHHH!!"
"Lightning Release: Thunderclap Bomb!!"
The old man's face twisted into a savage snarl. With a furious roar, his muscles bulged as he gripped Uchiha Ci and slammed him into the ground!
With an ear-shattering boom—
Uchiha Ci was driven into the earth like a ragdoll!
A storm of raging lightning surged out like a monstrous battle-axe, carving deep scars into the battlefield.
Centered around Uchiha Ci, the ground collapsed and rose in concentric shockwaves, massive cracks spiderwebbing outward for a hundred meters, reaching all the way to the feet of the approaching Konoha ninja!
In their horrified gazes—
The boy's head hit the ground first, his neck snapping into a grotesque 'V' shape. His spine burst through his skin, shattering upon impact. Then came his arms, his ribcage, his pelvis, his legs—
Sitting at the edge of the cliff behind the Raikage, Killer Bee couldn't help but let out an excited remark:
"Old man Third actually used this move...!"
"To this day, no one has ever survived after taking it head-on!"
"That Uchiha brat is done for!"
However—
Just then,
Three flaming shuriken streaked through the night sky, tracing a brilliant arc!
In an instant, they closed in on the Third Raikage!
A moved slightly, raising an eyebrow.
"Shurikenjutsu? That won't work on me."
Yet, just as he was about to casually swat them away like flies—
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The three shuriken collided midair, rebounding in unexpected directions, narrowly avoiding his strike and whizzing past him!
"Ninja Art: Phoenix Fire Shuriken Dance!"
With a furious glare, Uchiha Setsuna's hands flashed through rapid seals, finishing with a Tiger seal!
This jutsu—originally belonging to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen—was something Uchiha Ci had taught Setsuna during their training.
Since the Third Hokage had never explicitly forbidden its transmission, Uchiha Ci figured he might as well spread it among the Uchiha, adding another powerful technique to the clan's arsenal.
And Setsuna, already highly skilled in both shuriken techniques and Shadow Clone Jutsu, had swiftly modified it to better suit the Uchiha clan—
Thus, he developed the Phoenix Fire Shuriken Dance!
It was originally meant to be taught to Ci today, but now—it was his only chance!
In a flash—
The three shuriken behind the Third Raikage split into two, then four, then eight—
Until they lit up the entire night sky!
One by one, the blazing shuriken whirled violently through the air, their trajectories utterly unpredictable.
And in an instant—
They transformed into a downpour of fire, sweeping toward the back of the Third Raikage!
"His target is Bee?!"
A's brows furrowed slightly. He initially considered intercepting the attack, but after a moment, he simply scoffed coldly.
"He's underestimating Bee—this won't hurt him."
However—
As he turned toward Killer Bee, watching him partially transform to summon an Eight-Tails tentacle for defense—
Two kunai, hidden in the shadows, shot forward silently toward the battlefield!
Wrapped around the kunai—
Were thin wires, fastening onto Uchiha Ci's battered, seemingly lifeless body on the ground!
Then—
Uchiha Setsuna exhaled sharply, raising his hands as he swiftly pulled back the wires!
The taut threads instantly retracted, yanking Uchiha Ci's body into the air, dragging him at high speed back toward the Konoha ninja's formation!
"That old bastard... he's snatching him right in front of the Third Raikage?!"
A's forehead twitched violently, veins bulging in rage.
"Another one of these Uchiha trick plays..."
His eyes flashed with murderous intent.
That damned teleportation jutsu had prevented him from killing the Uchiha brat in one strike!
Which was the only reason the battle had dragged on this long!
And he had had enough of these sly Uchiha tactics!
"Fine."
"My body's recovered enough."
A's cold gaze swept across the Konoha ninja. He took a deep breath—
"Then I'll end all of you in one go!"
The air grew even hotter.
The howling night wind seemed to mourn, swirling ominously under the rolling thunderclouds above.
The Third Raikage's eyes turned ice-cold.
Raising his hand, he locked onto his targets—
His eyes traced a direct line through the battlefield—
Through the rapidly retreating Uchiha Ci—
Straight toward the white-haired, one-eyed old man controlling the wires.
"KRA-KOOM!!"
Lightning roared.
He raised one finger.
A colossal surge of lightning converged upon its tip—
A force brighter than the very storm above.
The legendary strongest spear of the ninja world—
"Hell Stab – One-Finger Nukite!!"
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