Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 67: Sharingan, Shikotsumyaku

As the rapidly spinning Rasengan was about to strike Kisame...

The massive Samehada shifted sideways in a bizarre manner, blocking the Rasengan's path.

In the next moment, the Rasengan collided with Samehada.

It was as if an insatiable mouth had been activated.

Naruto watched in disbelief as his hopeful Rasengan was swiftly absorbed by Samehada, leaving no trace.

"Samehada says it tastes good. Got any more?" Kisame asked, smiling at Naruto.

"You bastard!" Naruto's face was filled with anger.

"Forget it, I'll take it myself."

Kisame raised the bandaged Samehada and slashed down heavily.

Naruto tried to dodge, but his feet had unknowingly sunk into the mud. Under the influence of ninjutsu, he couldn't move at all for a moment.

'Damn it!'

Seeing the enormous Samehada about to hit him, Naruto felt despair.

Suddenly, the sound of a thousand birds chirping rang out.

A blinding blue lightning streaked toward Kisame's back, aiming for his heart.

Kisame glanced behind in surprise and quickly moved, retreating from his original position.

"Sasuke!"

Naruto looked at the newcomer with a face full of joy.

He knew it; Sasuke was still the Sasuke he knew.

Facing Kisame, Sasuke didn't turn back to look at Naruto. He coldly said, "Naruto, you're as useless as ever."

"Huh? Hahaha~ That was just a mistake! Definitely a mistake just now!"

Under normal circumstances, if Sasuke had said something like that, Naruto would have argued with him.

But now, wrapped in surprise, he had no such thoughts.

"Sasuke, you..." An excited Naruto wanted to say more.

But Sasuke ignored him.

With the Chidori still active, Sasuke's three-tomoe Sharingan locked onto Kisame ahead.

Steadying himself and seeing those familiar Sharingan eyes, Kisame sighed with a bit of sentiment, "Compared to our last meeting, you've made some progress."

Sasuke remained silent.

He knew he had just evolved his Sharingan.

Initially, he had no intention of intervening in the battle between Naruto and Kisame; he had already withdrawn.

But as he walked, hearing the increasingly loud sounds of battle behind him, a fire of agitation rose within him that he couldn't suppress.

Ultimately, not fully understanding why, he turned back.

When he saw Naruto about to be struck by Samehada, he could no longer hold back. Under the intense emotional stimulus, his two-tomoe Sharingan instantly evolved into three-tomoe, and he rushed out to save Naruto.

"If Itachi could see you now, he'd be pleased," Kisame suddenly smiled.

Indeed.

With the Uchiha clan's massacre, and having experienced Tsukuyomi twice, anyone else would have long evolved into the Mangekyō Sharingan under such stimuli. Yet all this only kept Sasuke's Sharingan at the two-tomoe level, leaving Itachi undoubtedly puzzled.

Normally, an Uchiha who loses their "love" will be stimulated to open and evolve their Sharingan.

For instance, by killing their closest friend or experiencing the death of their closest person.

But in reality, each Uchiha's understanding and emphasis on "love" differ.

Just like now with Sasuke, the intense threat to a comrade's life caused his Sharingan to evolve into the three-tomoe state.

Even in the future, when Itachi dies before him, Sasuke doesn’t immediately awaken the Mangekyō. It is only after learning the truth from Tobi that his Mangekyō Sharingan truly awakens.

Repeating the massacre night over and over only made Sasuke incredibly angry but did nothing for the evolution of his Sharingan.

Only by understanding what he truly loves does the Sharingan ascend.

Kisame inadvertently ended up aiding Itachi.

"Don't mention that man's name in front of me!"

A flash of cold light appeared on Sasuke's face as he charged toward Kisame with the Chidori's glow.

"Sasuke, wait for me!"

Seeing this, Naruto eagerly rushed forward, ready to team up with Sasuke once more.

"A collaboration of the Sharingan and the Nine-Tails? Interesting."

Watching Sasuke and Naruto approach from either side, Kisame formed hand seals and said:

"Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique!"

One shark-shaped water bullet after another formed out of thin air, swiftly biting toward the two.

"I can see everything! It's all under control!"

With the three-tomoe Sharingan, Sasuke easily dodged the water sharks' attacks. He ignored the flustered Naruto on the other side and continued his charge toward Kisame.

"As expected of the Uchiha. But this alone isn't enough!"

As Itachi's partner, Kisame, well-acquainted with the Sharingan, saw the confident Sasuke approaching and grinned ferociously.

Boom boom~

The ground rumbled, and the forest shattered.

Sharp bones continuously emerged from the ground, and amidst the piercing sounds, the area within a hundred meters turned into a terrifying white bone forest.

Dance of the Seedling Fern!

Accompanied by violent coughing, Kimimaro, having broken free from Itachi's normal genjutsu at a considerable cost, unleashed his most powerful attack.

Seeing this scene, Uchiha Itachi, standing amidst the white bone forest, didn't hesitate. The three tomoe of his Sharingan swiftly morphed into the Mangekyō.

Boom~

A massive crimson skeletal upper body emerged, completely enveloping him.

But that wasn’t the end.

Quickly, the crimson skeleton was covered with tendons and flesh, growing ever larger.

Facing the relentless onslaught of the bone forest, Itachi decisively activated Susanoo.

In the ensuing moments, the sounds of fierce clashes echoed non-stop.

The renowned Shikotsumyaku and Sharingan displayed their full glory.

Crack.

Suddenly, a crack appeared on the crimson Susanoo.

As Itachi looked at it, Kimimaro's figure emerged on a nearby bone spike.

Holding a massive spiral bone spike, Kimimaro thrust it heavily into the crack on Susanoo.

Boom!

With the sound of shattering, the formidable defense of Susanoo was breached.

Kimimaro intended to charge in and strike Itachi.

Itachi looked at him without expression, doing nothing further.

There was no need to do anything more.

"Ugh... ugh..."

Violent, tearing coughs erupted from Kimimaro, accompanied by mouthfuls of black blood.

He finally couldn't hold on and collapsed just as he was about to charge.

"It's over."

Uchiha Itachi deactivated Susanoo and calmly spoke to Kimimaro.

"Yes, it's over."

No longer displaying his former prowess, Kimimaro looked up at the sky and spoke just as calmly.

To have fought this far with a dying body, besides the effects of medication, it was also due to his strong will.

But everything has its limits.

The man before him was too powerful.

The best he could do was reach this point.