Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 459 Encounter with the Masked Man

In another vast, tranquil, and profound region, the previously mirror-like void suddenly rippled with a strange and intense fluctuation. This fluctuation spread rapidly like ripples, distorting and deforming the air wherever it passed. Then, a jaw-dropping scene unfolded—an enormous, purplish-brown serpent, accompanied by the spatial fluctuation, suddenly appeared on the ground!

This colossal serpent was practically a moving mountain. Its astonishingly thick body was covered in a layer of purplish-brown scales that shimmered with a mysterious light; each scale was like a massive, indestructible shield. Its head was even more enormous, its gaping maw capable of swallowing several houses, its sharp fangs gleaming like swords. Yet, at this moment, this mighty serpent appeared unusually weak. It merely breathed a few shallow gasps, the heavy breathing echoing in the silent area, before it suddenly and without warning lost all life.

At this critical moment, an astonishing and unexpected scene unfolded once again. To everyone's shock, a mysterious and dark shadow was slowly crawling out of the mouth of the enormous python, which had previously appeared lifeless and dead. As time passed, the shadow gradually became clearer until it was fully revealed to the air. In an instant, everyone gasped—it was none other than the renowned Uchiha Sasuke!

At this moment, Uchiha Sasuke looked utterly wretched. His entire body was covered in wounds, gruesome cuts and bruises. Several parts of his body had suffered extremely severe injuries, with numerous broken bones, the number of which was countless. His once handsome face was now ashen white, devoid of any color, as if all life had been drained from him.

Moreover, judging from Sasuke Uchiha's tightly furrowed brows and the occasional twitching of his face due to pain, he was enduring unimaginable agony. Waves of excruciating pain, originating from deep within his brain, surged through him, preventing him from relaxing his brow and forcing him to grit his teeth and endure the agony. Clearly, all of this was a severe consequence of the complete depletion of his chakra.

In this battle, Sasuke Uchiha had exhausted all his strength. Not only was his chakra completely depleted, but he also suffered considerable injuries and nearly perished alongside his opponent, being dragged down with him to his death. However, victory still belonged to him in the end.

Sasuke Uchiha dragged his slightly weary body through the dense forest. He thought to himself: I need to find a quiet and safe place to rest and recuperate. Only by getting myself into peak condition can I be confident in dealing with the difficulties and dangers that may lie ahead.

Recalling the thrilling battle just now, Sasuke still felt a lingering fear. The Akatsuki's formidable strength and unfathomable schemes gave him a deeper understanding of this mysterious and dangerous organization. However, even knowing that the road ahead was fraught with thorns could not stop his resolute steps toward revenge.

Sasuke bit his lip, a resolute glint in his eyes. To him, Itachi Uchiha was his mortal enemy. The blood feud of his clan's massacre burned within him constantly. Even if a path to destruction awaited him, he would forge ahead without hesitation and personally settle this score.

Finally, Sasuke discovered a secluded valley. Surrounded by towering peaks, the valley was lush with green grass, and a crystal-clear stream flowed gently through it. Sasuke entered the valley, found a flat, large rock to sit on, and began to close his eyes to rest, regulate his breathing, and try to fully relax and recover his body and mind.

Suddenly, Uchiha Sasuke, who had been sleeping with his eyes tightly closed, abruptly opened them without warning! In that instant, the three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes spun wildly like burning flames, emitting a chilling light. Then, his gaze locked onto a specific direction with lightning speed.

Although his body was far from fully recovered from the previous fierce battle, he did not hesitate to enter a state of high alert. Every muscle was tense, ready to deal with any potential danger.

Not far from Uchiha Sasuke, the surrounding space began to fluctuate and distort abnormally. Like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, ripples spread outwards from that point. As this distorting force intensified, a mysterious figure gradually emerged from the warped space.

The figure was extremely eerie; it had only one eye, and that single eye emitted a chilling light, fixed intently on Uchiha Sasuke. It was as if this one eye contained endless killing intent and conspiracy, sending shivers down one's spine with just a glance.

When Sasuke Uchiha's sharp gaze fell upon the other person, his heart clenched. The man wore the Akatsuki's signature black robe with red clouds, as if an ominous shadow was looming over him. Sasuke's sense of vigilance ignited instantly, surging like a tidal wave, relentlessly assaulting his nerves. At the same time, a heavy pressure, like a mountain, weighed on his shoulders, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Sasuke's condition at this moment was extremely dire. His chakra had been completely depleted by the previous fierce battle, and he had not yet recovered to a level sufficient to deal with a powerful enemy. His physical injuries were like monstrous demons, relentlessly tormenting him; each wound sent piercing pain through him, making his movements slow and difficult. However, even in the face of such a desperate situation, Sasuke's eyes remained unwavering.

He gritted his teeth, thinking to himself, "I never imagined that an Akatsuki member would follow me all the way here! But no matter what, I will not easily give in before I complete my revenge, nor will I give up any chance to resist!"

Sasuke Uchiha's handsome face was now filled with vigilance, his eyes like sharp arrows, piercing straight at the masked man not far in front of him. The masked man, however, stood silently in the shadows, showing no intention of taking a single step closer.

In fact, ever since Uchiha Sasuke appeared, the masked man had been silently watching his every move from this hidden corner. Especially when Uchiha Sasuke and Deidara engaged in that thrilling battle, the masked man watched the entire process without blinking.

The masked man thought to himself: Sasuke Uchiha's astonishing talent and formidable strength are truly breathtaking! Such a brilliant individual, if he could be recruited, would undoubtedly be a tremendous asset. In contrast, the masked man had never trusted Itachi Uchiha, who was also in the Akatsuki, from the very beginning. He knew perfectly well that Itachi was very likely a spy secretly planted by Konoha within the Akatsuki.

Moreover, the burning hatred for Itachi Uchiha in Sasuke's heart was as turbulent as a raging torrent in a storm. The masked man firmly believed that one day, when Sasuke learned the truth he had meticulously woven, he would likely shift his intense hatred away from Itachi and turn it towards Konoha. In that case, this boy, once filled with resentment and solely focused on revenge, might be guided and transformed into an incredibly powerful ally in his hands!

The most crucial point is that, after long-term observation and analysis, the enigmatic masked man firmly believes that all of Itachi Uchiha's seemingly mysterious actions over the years have actually been secretly paving a path to power for his younger brother, Sasuke Uchiha. Moreover, the masked man is convinced that the upcoming fierce revenge battle is not accidental, but a meticulously planned drama orchestrated by Itachi. The underlying meaning is self-evident—He intends to use this life-or-death struggle to unleash the latent power within Sasuke, thereby enabling him to successfully awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan.

As is well known, Itachi Uchiha possessed the astonishing Mangekyou Sharingan, a powerful bloodline limit that granted him extraordinary strength. However, the masked man harbored a far more profound plan. He hoped that Itachi's eyes could be passed down to Sasuke Uchiha, fusing with the latter's existing Sharingan, thus making Sasuke the second Uchiha clan member to possess the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. If this goal were achieved, Sasuke would gain terrifying strength enough to dominate all others. In the turbulent and unpredictable future, this immense power would allow him to protect himself and potentially even influence the course of the entire war.

"No need to be so tense, relax. I'm not here to engage in a fierce battle with you. On the contrary, I've come specifically to lend you a helping hand. As for Itachi's exact location, it's at the original ruins of the Uchiha clan. You can go straight there and find him easily." The masked man said calmly to the wary Sasuke.

Sasuke Uchiha frowned, his eyes filled with suspicion. He stared intently at the masked man before him and coldly questioned, "As a fellow member of Akatsuki, why did you reveal Itachi Uchiha's whereabouts to me? And what ulterior motive do you have for doing this?"