Dark Hearts

The sun was beginning its descent.

Jada waited for the last drop of light to filter through the trees. The moment it did, her eyes widened, and she glided toward Arthur.

Each footfall seemed to lift her off the ground rather than press down. As she closed the distance, her eyes locked onto his, scanning him lethally.

With a relaxed demeanour, he awaited her approach. He caught her initial punch with an effortless palm. But her strike was a feint. Before he could fully process the deception, she shifted her weight and aimed a palm strike at his chest.

Reacting swiftly, he smacked her hand away. She quickly dropped to the ground, her body low as she attempted to sweep his legs. Arthur, however, was already anticipating her move; he hopped over her leg in one fluid motion. As she regained her footing, she formed a hand sign.

"Water style: raging waves!"

A powerful torrent from her mouth was unleashed. The sheer force of the water propelled him several feet backward, soaking him through.

Letting the water wash him while in the air, he considered her ability; such a technique, wielded by a lesser ninja, would have produced only a trickle.

Landing gracefully, he raised his chin, only to find she had already closed the distance. He pivoted, executing a spinning kick aimed at her head.

Not to his surprise, she evaded the attack with a simple yet effective sidestep. In the same fluid motion, he launched a backhand strike, but she blocked it with a deft twist of her wrist.

He continued to jab at her chest, but his fist slipped past her face as she moved in closer. In such a close proximity, she aimed to land a palm strike against his chest, but he anticipated her intent, catching her wrist before it could connect.

They locked eyes momentarily, both unyielding in the tension that thrummed between them.

He had to be careful. One simple error and he would forever be branded with her flying raijin mark.

Without breaking eye contact, she used the grip on her wrist to skillfully flip herself upside down. Arthur barely had time to react before she aimed a kick at him.

He dodged by moving back, narrowly avoiding the strike. Using her momentum, she planted a palm on the ground and flipped right side up.

He remained stoic, despite how admirable that attempt was.

Without losing focus, he went in with a forward jab, but in a split second, she leapt back several paces, gesturing nonchalantly for him to come at her again. A silent challenge.

Rising to the occasion, he sprinted towards her, his feet shifting in a subtle manner that produced multiple afterimages—blurred figures of himself designed to confuse her.

Yet Jada stood resolute, her expression calm as he closed in on her.

Arthur lunged, but she deftly dodged his initial strike. He found himself throwing two more punches in rapid succession. She ducked elegantly beneath his fists, but at the last moment, he aimed a kick toward her head.

In one fluid motion, she raised her forearm, blocking the kick with consummate ease. Using her block as leverage, he propelled himself off her arm, twisting in mid-air to deliver two precise kicks aimed at her torso.

Both attacks were intercepted by her defenses. She kicked him back during his fall, sending him spiraling away.

It became clear to him: she wasn't merely reading his moves—she was dissecting his style, countering with an intuition that felt almost instinctual.

The more this fight dragged on, the less of an advantage he would have.

Before he could formulate a new strategy, a second Jada materialized next to her, already rushing toward him.

He narrowed his gaze and thought, 'A shadow clone?' Then an immediate realization struck him: 'No, it's a water clone.'

The instant the clone reached him, it was too late. It suddenly exploded into a deluge that draped the battlefield in a heavy rain.

Arthur had managed to shield himself by crossing his arms.

Just as the moisture settled, he caught sight of the true Jada descending from above, the Totsuka Blade clasped firmly in her hand.

Now he understood: the clone was a distraction for her to grab her weapon.

Instinct took over again as he recoiled, evading the strike by mere inches. The blade whooshed as it sliced through the air, nearly touching his skin.

She pressed her advantage, delivering a flurry of slashes, each swing precise and well-calibrated. Arthur sidestepped every incoming attack with apparent calm.

"What's the matter?" she taunted, her face smirking as she pressed forward. "Afraid to get hit?"

In a sudden shift, Arthur caught her wrist mid-swing, locking their gazes in an unyielding war of wills.

"You're getting too cocky..." he replied in a steady tone.

With a deft twist, he forced her to relinquish the Totsuka Blade, sending it skidding across the ground.

Her brows furrowed at the slip, so she rotated her body, snapping a kick aimed for his jaw. It connected with a thud against his forearm, resulting in a deep bruise.

Arthur was forced to release her wrist, stepping back to reassess his opponent. She regained her stance, the glow of her determination to win still very much present.

The bruise she had inflicted began to fade before her eyes, slowly healing—a telltale sign of regeneration.

The fluctuation of his chakra alone was enough to let her know that Arthur had developed a surreal healing technique, one that was not naturally conceived by this world's standards.

In their sudden stop, both fighters exchanged silent acknowledgments.

He recognized her perfection over the ferocious fist taijutsu technique, something capable of breaking bones. While she herself understood the depth of his durability and intuition.

"Still won't back down?" she whispered.

"Never planned to," he replied with no emotion. "Keep this up and you'll run out of chakra."

It was a psychological trick, a mind game to throw her off.

The Mangekyō Sharingan did indeed use up a lot of chakra, but it was truly Arthur that needed to conserve his own reserves. This was considering that he recently fought Team 7 prior.

She furrowed her brows, their adrenaline pumping once more. Both weren't even close to giving up.

The two moved at the same pace, meeting in the center. They exchanged blows with lightning speed. Each punch and each kick was blocked or evaded by the other.

She aimed her fist at his chest. He responded with a counterattack, his hand meeting hers. The impact was absorbed by both fighters.

He was impressed by her speed and agility. She was a worthy opponent, her fighting style a perfect blend of power and strategy.

If he was going to land a good hit on her and come out of this alive, he had to adjust his tactics.

The two continued to clash in what seemed like a stalemate. When she noticed his movements changed, she unleashed a flurry of blows. Arthur blocked each one of them, hardly breaking a sweat.

Now she had to change her strategy.

Suddenly, she launched a surprise attack. She disappeared from sight, reappearing behind him in an instant. Electricity coursed through her palm.

"Lightning Blade!"

Arthur, anticipating the attack aimed at his kidney, twisted his body, avoiding the blow. He then countered with a kick, but she was ready. Her technique ceased as she blocked it with her forearm.

Neither fighter was able to gain a decisive advantage.

As their epic clashes continued, the sunset began casting long shadows across the grassland.

Jada finally came to a halt, her breaths ragged. Yet Arthur was still calm, only sweating a little bit.

The two stood at the heart of the scene. But something felt odd with Jada's figure.

A stillness fell over her—a calm before the storm.

Slowly, she closed her eyes, and a subtle shift occurred as she said, "Arthur… You leave me no choice."

Chakra, a tangible force, began to emanate from her body. It was as if the very air around her was being charged with something potent.

Arthur felt it before seeing it. A framework of rose-coloured chakra began taking shape around her. Bones materialized, ethereal and translucent, forming the outline of a colossal figure.

As the process continued, muscles and organs began to form, filling out the skeletal frame. The figure grew larger and more defined until it stood before Jada like a towering guardian.

"Susanoo…"

This was truly it, an Uchiha's ultimate power that Arthur's mainly read about.

This colossal, humanoid avatar was written to only be summoned by those who possess the Mangekyō Sharingan in both eyes. It acts as an extension of the user's will, protecting them and amplifying their offensive capabilities.

The creation and maintenance of it consumes vast amounts of chakra, making it a technique reserved for the worthiest of Uchihas.

The process of manifesting one involves gradually shaping chakra into a humanoid form, starting with a skeletal structure and progressing to muscles, skin, and finally armour.

The user can control the level of development, choosing to stop at any stage based on their needs.

"Complete Susanoo," also known as "Perfect Susanoo," is the ultimate form, a colossal giant akin to that of a shogun with enhanced abilities and armaments.

Each Uchiha's Susanoo possesses unique characteristics, reflecting their individual personalities and fighting styles.

Itachi's was known for its defensive capabilities, equipped with the Yata Mirror and the Totsuka Blade. Sasuke's Susanoo, which wouldn't be acquired for another three years from now, was more aggressive with a focus on offensive power. Madara's was the largest and most destructive, something that most who've seen it at least once eventually die on the spot.

While the Susanoo offers excellent protection and offensive potential, it is not without its limitations.

It is vulnerable to attacks that bypass its physical form, such as genjutsu or long-range ninjutsu. Additionally, maintaining a Susanoo for extended periods can drain the user's chakra reserves to dangerous levels.

Despite these drawbacks, it remains a symbol of the Uchiha clan's power and a technique reserved for only the greatest.

Now Jada would be talked about in their history books. Not just as a user of it but also as the first woman recorded to draw it out.

The sun finally dipped below the horizon, leaving only the pink glow from Jada's Susanoo to radiate across the grassland. All Arthur could hear was the sound of its flames fluttering in the air.

And what was staring down at him was the Susanoo's obscured face by a hood.

It's eyes were glowing with the same intensity as Jada's, and it stood protectively around her like an armoured knight.

This thing was almost as terrifying as being in the presence of a Tailed Beast. No one could understand this saying unless they saw what Arthur did.

He watched its breathtaking display of power and artistry. And yet, there was a sense of melancholy in it, a reminder of how she even obtained this level of power.

Was she truly engulfed in a pattern of hatred—a curse that was nothing more than superstition?

Not even on earth did Arthur believe in curses. They existed, but he was and still is a faithful man, constantly praying in Jesus's name to thwart all manner of evil.

Why was this woman so bent on killing him? Does she truly not know that if he dies in this world, he dies in real life?

It was different than when Sasuke Uchiha expressed his hatred of him earlier.

She was foolish, to the point of insanity.

All these things ran through his mind in less than a fraction of a second. If she didn't want to open her eyes to the truth, then he would stop at nothing to ensure his own survival. Those that were not with him were against him. And those seeking to murder him were enemies.

Arthur relaxed himself, taking a subtle breath. After being in this world for so long, he had forgotten the real nature of man. These last few months here felt like years, constantly maneuvering his way around programmed artificial intelligence.

Now that a real person was doing the same, showing clear signs of malice, he remembered just how dark man's hearts were. (Mark 7:23).