Chapter 87 : Konoha's Crush Plan

"Fig-..."

"You want to fight me?"

Uchiha Madara's Sharingan eyes gleamed with a menacing light as he crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head, clearly eager to face Uchiha Ran in combat.

"I truly wish to spar with you."

Uchiha Ran smiled and replied, "Even though you are in a state of Impure World Reincarnation, if I'm not mistaken, you can still harness the power of the First Hokage."

"Indeed," Uchiha Madara nodded and pointed towards his Rinnegan.

His reincarnated body possessed its own power and a substantial amount of chakra, allowing him to once again wield the Rinnegan. However, these eyes would vanish upon his true resurrection.

"I want to test the limits of my Mangekyō Sharingan, Madara. You make for an excellent sparring partner," Uchiha Ran stated seriously.

"A sparring partner, you say?" Uchiha Madara chuckled, but his tone turned frigid. "Aren't you afraid you might break yourself?"

"No, we don't have any conflicting interests. In fact, I believe I can be of great assistance to you. You wouldn't harm someone who offers you aid, would you?"

"Perhaps. Should I employ the power of the Rinnegan?"

Madara certainly had a tsundere side.

"One step at a time, towards the eternal Mangekyō," Uchiha Ran replied.

"Very well."

"Wait a moment."

"Wait a moment?"

"Yes, let's wait until Sasuke and Gaara's match concludes."

Uchiha Ran glanced towards the live broadcast room.

"Sasuke's showy  Fire Style ninjutsu is bound to backfire, and it did. He boasted of it earlier, but now he's struggling against the perfected Jinchūriki, Gaara."

Sasuke found himself vexed. He had trained with Kakashi for over half a month, and his speed had nearly caught up with that of Uchiha Ran under normal circumstances. Yet, facing Gaara, he seemed overmatched.

"In my presence, you won't emerge victorious!" Sasuke activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan.

This enhanced ocular power heightened his perception to its limits, allowing him to finally find an opening for a counterattack.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu! Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

Sasuke summoned three Shadow Clones and, along with his original self, unleashed the Great Fireball Jutsu simultaneously.

"Continuous Sand Rain!" Gaara remained composed, using the dense barrage of sand bullets to quickly disperse the four Great Fireballs.

The arena filled with smoke. It was then that Sasuke shouted, "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

The Uchiha clan's B-level Fire Style was exclusive to them. Sasuke had the potential to use it, but his chakra had been lacking. With his Three Tomoe Sharingan, however, he now had the confidence to perform it. Instantly, a sea of flames surged towards Gaara.

Gaara responded swiftly, encasing his body in a protective sand sphere.

"Boom!"

The flames battered the sphere relentlessly, but it remained unyielding.

Observing this, Sasuke snorted. He agilely landed on the nearby wall and swiftly formed hand seals.

"Lightning Style: Chidori!"

A fierce blue lightning bolt erupted from Sasuke's left hand, accompanied by the shrill cry of a bird, echoing throughout the arena.

"Is that...?" The spectators were astounded.

Uchiha Madara raised an eyebrow and commented, "It does resemble it."

[ Uchiha Fugaku: It's quite something! @Hatake Kakashi, Kakashi, are you Sasuke's sensei?]

[Hatake Kakashi: Well, whether it's for Obito or Sharingan, it's the best choice for me to train him. Just when I inquired about Sasuke's abilities, I started teaching him. )

[ Uchiha Fugaku: As a father, I want to thank you for imparting your ninjutsu to him!]

[Hatake Sakumo: Kakashi developed his own Lightning Style Ninjutsu, right?]

[Hatake Kakashi: Yeah, it's not too shabby, is it?]

[Hatake Sakumo: It's quite impressive. How about the Hatake family's swordsmanship?]

[Hatake Kakashi: ...]

[ Uchiha Obito: Once he got my Sharingan, he completely left behind the Hatake swordsmanship. (grinning)]

[Hatake Kakashi: Obito, you!)

[Uchiha Obito: Misunderstanding, I haven't forgiven you, but I'll find a way to resurrect Rin. Then, the one responsible for her death won't be able live, and you'll see us happy together. That's your punishment. As for the teacher, his wife, and Naruto, I'll make amends for that myself. )

[Hatake Kakashi: Ah, well... Obito, you and I are both in our thirties, and Rin is only thirteen. ]

[Uchiha Obito: Hahaha, Obito died twelve years ago, and the one who lived on is Tobi. When Rin is resurrected, Obito will be resurrected too. ]

[Hatake Kakashi:... I'm just kidding myself.]

[Hatake Sakumo: Kakashi, about the White Fang's sword and Hatake swordsmanship, did you abandon them?]

[Hatake Kakashi: I'm sorry, Father. After you took your own life, I grew to despise swordsmanship, so…]

[Hatake Sakumo: I see. It's all in the past. I was a coward back then, but if you can, please remember to pass on my swordsmanship. ]

[Uchiha Ran : Well, it's the White Fang, your formidable swordsmanship has been passed down quite well. ]

[Hatake Sakumo: Ran?  To whom?]

[Uchiha Ran: Senior White Fang,  I am the junior. In order to inherit this technique, I personally wrote a scroll that surpasses the IchaIcha Paradise called "Intimacy" for Kakashi. ]

[Hatake Kakashi: The second part of the sentence is basically self-explanatory. ]

[Hatake Sakumo: I just read it during our chat. It seems IchaIcha Paradise is a publication by Jiraiya. So, Kakashi abandoned White Fang's swordsmanship just to read this?]

[Hatake Kakashi: Well, the Fifth Hokage is incredibly talented and can uphold this swordsmanship. Father, you have to trust me. ]

[Jiraiya: @Uchiha Ran, what confidence does my younger brother has, surpassing the works in my book? I can't believe it. ]

[ Uchiha Ran: You can ask Kakashi. )

[Hatake Kakashi: Ah, well, uh, Jiraiya-sama, you have to accept the fact that there are heavenly works in this world. "

[Jiraiya: You actually agree with my younger brother's claim? I can't believe it... unless I see it for myself. ]

[Onoki: My dear, this old man has almost lost his youthful spirit. Unless this scroll is published for everyone to see, it's unbelievable.]

[ Fourth Raikage Ai: It seems there is indeed a time when I agree with this old man. ]

[Killer Bee: Mingming, Gyūki wants to see it too.]

[Eight Tails Gyūki: Hush, you've completely lost face. ]

[ Uchiha Ran: Is this why your buildings are so crooked? ]

(.....)

Poor Sasuke wanted to act tough, but he was ignored and everyone focused on this conversation.

Fortunately, his father loves him.

[Uchiha Fugaku: Kakashi, how long did it take Sasuke to learn this technique?]

[Hatake Kakashi: Seven days!]

[Uchiha Fugaku: Not bad, it didn't disappoint me.]

Sasuke was uncertain if he had seen it or not, so he remained silent in the live room.

However, the curve of his mouth was unmistakable.

He always had a feeling that he had glimpsed it.

It wasn't easy.

But in the next moment, his smile froze.

He had just thrust his hand towards the sand, even with the pull of gravity, but it had only cracked the surface of the sand sphere enveloping Gaara, failing to penetrate it entirely.

The reason being Gaara's sand-sealing ability.

This was the unique power of Shukaku!

"Sand Waterfall!"

A calm voice emanated from the sand sphere.

Everyone witnessed an immense amount of sand surging into the hole created by Naruto nearby, shooting high into the air, and then dispersing to form a shimmering sand curtain, covering the entire arena.

"Hey, is this the power of perfect Jinchūriki!?"

There were many shinobi who understood.

To the average onlooker, it might have been puzzling, but they couldn't help but find it worth the price of admission.

"Quicksand Waterfall!"

A voice declared.

Countless grains of sand began gathering, forming a torrent that precisely targeted Sasuke.

Seeing this, Kakashi's expression shifted slightly, his gaze swept across the arena, and soon he noticed an airborne eye.

Evidently, this was the foundation for Gaara to remain aware of the outside world, even within his sand.

Judging from the situation, Uchiha Sasuke appeared to be at a disadvantage.

In the Pure Land, Uchiha Mikoto murmured, "Fugaku?"

"I'm quite content," Uchiha Fugaku said, folding his arms. "Sasuke has exceeded our expectations at the age of seven, showing such strength without our guidance."

"After all, his opponent is a Jinchūriki!"

But in that moment, Sasuke's voice resonated throughout the audience: "Fire Style - Great Dragon Fire!"

Under the deluge of the sand waterfall, several fire dragons spiraled upwards, blocking the incoming sand.

"Crack quack!"

The increasingly loud chirping filled the air as all the birds cried in unison.

The pupils of Gaara's suspended eyeballs outside the sand sphere constricted.

A streak of purple-black lightning, accompanied by Sasuke's transformation, soared into the sky.

It was Uchiha Sasuke.

Yet, he appeared entirely different at this moment, with ashen-yellow skin, a black star-shaped mark on his nose bridge, grayish-blue hair, and enormous fleshy wings sprouting from his back, making him resemble a monster.

His entire aura had become violently charged, and from the looks of it, he seemed brimming with confidence.

Witnessing this transformation, everyone stood in shock.

Had Uchiha Sasuke mastered the power of the Cursed Seal?

Orochimaru sneered, "Impressive!"

Uchiha Itachi, residing far away in the Land of Rain, gazed at this spectacle with a glint of killing intent in his eyes.

"A twisted path," Uchiha Madara muttered disdainfully.

"Cursed seal? It's a disgrace for Uchiha to rely on external power," Uchiha Fugaku commented, closing his eyes.

Among those well-versed in the ways of the shinobi, few held appreciation.

Only Orochimaru, disguised as Kazekage, licked his lips with fervent eyes. "This talent is truly remarkable. In just over a month since applying the curse seal to himself, and despite being hindered by Kakashi's additional seal, Sasuke has mastered the curse seal's power. Even with the aid of the Gold List, and Three Tomoe Sharingan, he's achieved such strength. That's quite impressive. However, I've lost interest in you."

Orochimaru averted his gaze.

Understanding the secrets of the Ōtsutsuki clan, the Sage of Six Paths, the Ten Tails, and more.

Another Gold List was his new goal.

His perspective had evolved.

"Ah..."

Inside the sand sphere, Gaara watched as Sasuke, with his black and purple lightning, descended upon him.

The overwhelming aura left him with no room for doubt.

"That's it!"

Gaara formed seals.

"The power of the Covenant."

"Shukaku, complete form!"

At this moment, the horrified audience looked on.

"Boom!"

Amidst the rising smoke, a grotesque figure, seemingly composed entirely of sand and adorned with intricate seals, now stood in the vast arena.

Uchiha Sasuke: ???

Audience: ???

This was no ordinary jutsu.

It was at that precise moment that Orochimaru shouted, "Do it!"

"Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation!"

"Ninja Four Purple Flame Formation!"

Simultaneously.

Uchiha Ran initiated the live broadcast and called out to Uchiha Madara, "Lord Madara, let's begin."

"Susanoo!"

**********

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