met free Chapter 461 Brothers' Battle
Chapter 461 Brothers' Battle
Within that dark and utterly empty hall, a few candle flames flickered like restless sprites. Their faint light swayed gracefully in the endless darkness, seemingly the only life and hope in this pitch-black world, adding a precious touch of light to this eerie and terrifying environment.
Sasuke Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha stared at each other, and time seemed to freeze at that moment. This was their first reunion in many years, yet the air was thick with a suffocating sense of oppression and heaviness.
Sasuke Uchiha's deep and sharp eyes were fixed on his older brother, Itachi Uchiha. His Sharingan, the symbol of the Uchiha clan's immense power, was spinning rapidly involuntarily, its three tomoe gleaming with an eerie light, as if releasing all the pent-up anger and hatred within him.
In contrast, Itachi Uchiha's face appeared remarkably calm, even serene. He stood there quietly, his posture as upright as a pine tree, his eyes cold and profound, as if nothing in the world could stir the slightest ripple in his heart. However, only he himself knew just how complex his feelings were towards this younger brother whom he had once deeply loved but now harbored deep hatred for.
Sasuke Uchiha's entire body tensed, his muscles trembling slightly with extreme rage. He clenched his teeth, forcing out a low, hoarse voice: "Itachi Uchiha... today is the day to settle things between us! Your future is only death!" Every word was filled with his resentment and murderous intent towards his brother, and the rage seemed to be burning away the last shred of his reason.
Uchiha Itachi stared expressionlessly at the person before him. His deep, unfathomable eyes seemed to see through everything. His calm yet indifferent voice slowly rang out: "It seems the trials of these past few years have made you grow a lot. You are no longer as easily consumed by anger as before, charging forward recklessly after losing your reason. However, don't you remember? I warned you long ago that only when you possess eyes just like mine will you be qualified to stand before me again."
In Uchiha Sasuke's long, deep eyes, a raging fire seemed to burn, an intense killing intent almost bursting forth like a flood about to break its banks. However, despite the near-out-of-control rage within him, he managed to suppress this killing intent deep within his eyes with unwavering willpower and extraordinary rationality.
When he was being taught by Orochimaru, he deeply understood a crucial principle: when facing an enemy far stronger than himself, only by remaining calm and composed can one find the key to victory. This calmness is not merely emotional control, but a shift in mindset, enabling him to make swift and accurate judgments and decisions in the ever-changing battlefield.
Sasuke still vividly remembers his harrowing battle with Deidara, a member of the Akatsuki. At that time, Deidara's volatile and easily angered personality became his fatal weakness. Sasuke cleverly used his Sharingan, a unique ability of the Uchiha clan, to constantly provoke and provoke Deidara, successfully plunging this powerful opponent into a vortex of rage, causing him to lose his composure and judgment.
It was precisely because Deidara lost his composure that Sasuke had the opportunity to keenly seize the flaws in his techniques and decisively deliver a fatal blow. Otherwise, if Deidara had maintained a clear mind and a stable mentality, given his formidable strength, the outcome of this battle would likely have been unpredictable. After all, as a member of Akatsuki, Deidara was no ordinary person; his fighting power was terrifyingly high.
Seeing Itachi Uchiha's calm and composed demeanor, as if everything was under control, Sasuke's inner rage erupted like a volcano, growing ever more intense and almost uncontrollable. However, his years of experience as a ninja, filled with countless life-or-death trials, and the invaluable ninja experience he had received from Orochimaru, ultimately proved effective, allowing him to barely maintain a sliver of basic rationality.
He knew that for ninjas of similar strength, fierce battles were rarely decided by a mere clash of power; more often, they were a lengthy process of mutual probing and intelligence gathering. Therefore, although he was filled with endless resentment towards Itachi Uchiha, the traitor who had betrayed his clan, he did not let it cloud his judgment, nor would he easily assume that his own strength surpassed that of his opponent.
Itachi Uchiha, the prodigy of the Uchiha clan, possessed astonishing talent, a rarity even in the talent-rich Hidden Leaf Village. He seemed born to become a top-tier ninja, displaying extraordinary insight and ninjutsu comprehension from a young age.
That bloody night revealed his terrifying strength to the world. In a single night, he single-handedly slaughtered the entire Uchiha clan. Behind such cruel and ruthless methods lies not only formidable martial prowess, but also an unwavering will and a cold-blooded heart.
Although Sasuke Uchiha has greatly improved his strength through rigorous training, even possessing enough to be proud, he still harbors a deep sense of awe and apprehension towards his former brother, Itachi Uchiha. He knows that even though he is no longer the same as before, defeating this once-invincible man with certainty will not be easy. After all, Itachi's unfathomable strength and the combat experience accumulated through countless life-or-death battles are not easily surpassed.
However, none of these factors could possibly be an excuse or pretext for Sasuke Uchiha to abandon his revenge. On the contrary, they burned like a raging fire, constantly fueling his deep-seated desire for power and his relentless pursuit of success. Every time he faced hardship and setbacks, he would grit his teeth, clench his fists, and silently tell himself: I must not back down! Only by relentlessly improving his strength could he increase his chances of winning this life-or-death struggle. Therefore, whether day or night, no matter how exhausted he was, Sasuke Uchiha never stopped moving forward. Day after day, he diligently practiced ninjutsu, repeatedly honed his combat skills, and even risked his life to challenge those powerful and fearsome enemies. Because he knew that on this thorny path of revenge, only by giving his all could he find a glimmer of hope.
Sasuke Uchiha stared wide-eyed at the man before him—Itachi Uchiha—who had haunted his nightmares for countless nights. His gaze, filled with boundless hatred and rage, seemed to pierce through the man, yet even so, he couldn't completely suppress the surging killing intent within him.
Finally, Sasuke's body moved involuntarily. He gripped the Kusanagi sword Orochimaru had given him and charged towards Itachi Uchiha with lightning speed. However, just as he was about to strike, his years of experience as a ninja and his honed intuition told him that the enemy before him was no ordinary opponent and could not be easily defeated with just a few moves.
Despite his burning killing intent, Sasuke knew that calmness and rationality were paramount at this moment. Only in this way could he gather more information about Itachi's true strength, thus increasing his chances of victory. Therefore, as he charged towards Itachi, Sasuke subtly adjusted his breathing, focusing intently on his opponent's every move, not missing a single detail that might reveal a weakness.
In that instant, Uchiha Sasuke gripped the Kusanagi sword tightly, and a powerful and violent burst of lightning-style chakra erupted from his body like a surging wave! This power quickly gathered on the Kusanagi sword, instantly enveloping the originally unremarkable blade in dazzling lightning.
As lightning-attribute chakra was continuously poured into it, the Kusanagi sword began to extend its length at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, it had grown to several times its original size, resembling a winding, lightning-infused giant python, rushing straight towards the enemy with boundless power and killing intent.
At the same time, the raging lightning power did not stop its rampage. It flowed rapidly along the Kusanagi sword, intertwining and merging together, eventually forming a giant lightning sword five meters long! This giant sword, made of pure lightning power, emitted a chilling light, and its power was enough to tear apart the void and cleave mountains and rivers.
In the blink of an eye, Sasuke Uchiha wielded his terrifying lightning sword, thrusting it fiercely towards Itachi Uchiha with unparalleled momentum. The speed was like lightning streaking across the sky, leaving no time for reaction. It seemed the massive lightning tip was about to mercilessly pierce Itachi's body…
Surprisingly, Sasuke Uchiha showed no joy at successfully injuring Itachi Uchiha. On the contrary, a heavy and solemn expression appeared on his face. His Sharingan, gleaming with crimson light, was fixed on the distance, as if trying to see through the void.
Just moments ago, when Sasuke launched his fierce attack, he thought he could cause Itachi some minor trouble and create an opportunity for himself to strike again. However, to his utter surprise, the instant he made his move, Itachi used a substitution jutsu with unimaginable speed, easily dodging the sudden attack.