Chapter 181: Arrival of the Tree World

Quickly rising from the ground, Yugito Nii looked warily at the imposing figure of Susanoo. Although she didn't know exactly what technique Shisui was using, her instincts told her that this green, demon-like entity was connected to the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan. She sensed that this technique had the power to rival a tailed beast.

With this realization, Yugito began drawing a large amount of chakra from the Two-Tails within her. What had originally been a thin cloak of tailed beast chakra now enveloped her entirely, transforming her into the full tailed beast form—a massive, blue-flamed two-tailed cat.

In her beast form, Yugito flashed out of sight, circling Susanoo as she launched blue fireballs from her two fan-like tails. Wherever the fireballs hit, even solid rock was left with gaping holes. Yet, when they struck Susanoo, they caused little damage.

Seeing that her Fire Release attacks were ineffective, Yugito swiftly moved behind Susanoo, slashing her claws down towards its head, leaving three deep claw marks.

After jumping back to create distance, Yugito relaxed slightly and remarked, "Seems like the Mangekyō Sharingan isn't that impressive after all. The so-called Shinobi World's Demon is just an overrated name."

Despite this harsh critique of Madara Uchiha, Shisui's expression didn't change much. Awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan had granted him Susanoo, giving him the strength to fight a jinchūriki head-on. But maintaining Susanoo consumed an enormous amount of chakra. With the chakra he had left, he could only keep it up for another three minutes before his strength and chakra would be completely exhausted.

If he couldn't defeat Yugito within these three minutes, not only would he fail to avenge Yakumo, but he might also lose his own life.

Fortunately, along with the Mangekyō, he had also awakened the powerful illusion technique known as Kotoamatsukami. This genjutsu was much stronger than ordinary ones, capable of altering an enemy's will. However, it had a long cooldown after each use, meaning Shisui had only one chance. If he failed, he would have to flee.

With the intent to control Yugito using Kotoamatsukami, Shisui pushed Susanoo to its limits. It expanded and entered its third form, gaining flesh, armor, and a spiraling longsword in hand.

The surge of chakra startled Yugito, but she quickly saw through Shisui's façade, recognizing his waning strength. She lunged at Susanoo again, tearing through it with her claws. The once impenetrable Susanoo shattered like glass, and Shisui, now exposed, plummeted helplessly towards the ground.

Yugito caught him in one hand, a mocking smile on her face. However, just then, their eyes met once more before Shisui unleashed Kotoamatsukami. A single tear of blood slid from his eye as Yugito's expression turned blank, her tailed beast form dissolving at an alarming rate.

Freed from Yugito's grasp, Shisui looked at her, now under his control, and began to ponder her fate. Rationally, it made sense to spare her—taking Yugito back to the village would grant Konoha leverage in negotiations, and the Uchiha clan would receive significant credit. This might even improve relations between the Uchiha and the village.

Emotionally, however, he still felt the urge to kill her for having killed Yakumo. Letting her live seemed like a betrayal of his fallen comrade.

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind before Shisui looked towards the depths of the canyon. Yakumo, though severely injured, might not be dead yet. Perhaps there was still time to save him.

Just as Shisui moved towards the canyon, he sensed an overwhelming chakra locking onto him. Turning around, he saw that Yugito had somehow broken free from Kotoamatsukami's control and had re-entered her tailed beast form. This should have been impossible; the technique should have kept her under control.

A grim realization dawned on Shisui—he had successfully controlled Yugito, but not the Two-Tails within her. Without the jinchūriki to restrain it, the beast had broken free. Now, the Two-Tails' chakra was spilling out of Yugito, forming its full physical body once more.

With horror, Shisui saw the Two-Tails preparing to unleash a Tailed Beast Bomb. Powerless, he had no chakra left to summon Susanoo again. As the seconds passed, the once ping-pong-sized bomb swelled to the size of a millstone. If it detonated, the entire canyon would collapse.

At that critical moment, a figure appeared beside Shisui, patting him on the shoulder.

"It's been a while, Shisui. Looks like you've awakened some impressive eyes—the Mangekyō Sharingan, right?"

Shisui spun around, startled before he saw Byakuya, dressed in the distinctive Akatsuki cloak and wearing a Konoha forehead protector. His expression was peculiar.

Why was Byakuya here? And why was he wearing a Konoha forehead protector? Questions swirled in Shisui's mind, but there wasn't time to think them through. Pointing to the rampaging Two-Tails, Shisui shouted, "Byakuya, now's not the time for this! The jinchūriki is out of control!"

Byakuya nodded calmly. "I see it. It's about to fire a Tailed Beast Bomb, but that doesn't stop us from catching up, right? It's just a disobedient little cat."

Hearing this, Shisui broke out in cold sweat. Since when had a tailed beast, a force capable of destroying villages and ruling battlefields, been reduced to the status of a mere cat?

"Byakuya, this is no time for jokes! If we don't work together, we'll die here!"

"If you're that scared of this little cat, then let me make it behave for a while so it doesn't interrupt us."

With that, Byakuya strode towards the Two-Tails. As he approached the massive, mountain-like beast, he squinted slightly, calculating how best to handle it.

This was his first time facing off against a tailed beast. He had fought powerful humans like Hanzō and Sasori, but they were nothing like the chakra-formed tailed beasts. These creatures couldn't be killed easily unless one wielded Wood Release, the Sharingan, or advanced sealing techniques.

Conveniently, Byakuya had mastered all three. His only dilemma now was deciding which technique to display in front of Shisui.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Byakuya clasped his hands together and slammed them to the ground:

"Wood Style: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"