Chapter 160: The Fourth Sword—The Decisive Strike!
Ebizō originally intended to use the Three Treasures Puppet formation again, in conjunction with the Puppet Technique: Manipulated Kunai, to kill Tsukasa once more.
However—
When he saw the brilliant sun rising slowly in the desert, when he saw the massive, towering, and visually overwhelming flaming sword held high—
Ebizō swallowed hard, his face filled with disbelief, and abruptly stopped his movements.
"What the hell is this?!"
"How can he still use such a technique?!"
Tonight, the shock this Uchiha brat had delivered had reached a point where Ebizō was questioning reality itself!
According to the intelligence he had gathered in the Land of Hot Water, the technique Tsukasa was currently using was undoubtedly a forbidden jutsu that surpassed normal classification limits, and he should only be able to use it twice at most!
Combined with the fact that he'd had his Sunagakure subordinates searching through their archives day and night, compiling information on various Kekkei Genkai clans, he roughly understood how this technique was unleashed.
Uchiha Style: Solar Halo Dance!
This was a technique that only appeared during the Warring States period, even before the era of the hidden villages. It could burn through the body of a mortal and unleash a sword strike comparable to divine judgment!
The version Tsukasa wielded now was far weaker than the power described in the historical records, which was perhaps why he'd been able to use this technique twice in succession back in the Land of Hot Water.
But even a weakened version—how many times had this brat used it tonight?
Earlier, when the two were ten miles apart, the sky had turned crimson three times in succession, proving this brat had swung his sword three times already.
Three sword strikes, and not a single one of the three hundred Sunagakure soldiers who were supposed to report back had shown up.
And now, this was the fourth sword strike!
Did this inhuman technique have no cooldown? No cost?!
Where was the justice? Where was the balance?!
Gazing at the massive flaming sword, Ebizō gritted his teeth. After a moment's hesitation, he immediately withdrew, pulling his Three Treasures puppets aside as he retreated.
While moving, he formed hand seals, controlling a dense swarm of lion puppets to cover his escape.
It wasn't that he couldn't withstand such an attack—the ultimate techniques of Wind Release and Puppet Arts could unleash even greater destructive power. However, this sword was clearly aimed at breaking through his formation, and he didn't need to take it head-on, wasting his final defensive measure.
A tactical retreat was the wiser choice at this moment.
Besides, he refused to believe this brat could unleash a fifth sword strike.
As Ebizō abandoned his advantageous position and chose to sacrifice the sealing formation—
The boy standing in the midst of the blazing sun, raising the slowly forming heaven-piercing flaming sword, suddenly laughed.
Yes, Tsukasa laughed.
"I won!"
He declared with absolute certainty.
With eyes blazing with fiery light, watching Ebizō flee, Tsukasa couldn't help but smirk.
With his current chakra reserves, he could probably use: four Orochimaru Style: Oral Rebirths, two Sage Mode techniques, one full-burst Fire Release Chakra Mode, and several standard ninjutsu and genjutsu. (One Oral Rebirth was roughly equivalent to four Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu in terms of chakra cost; how many he could use depended on how many regenerations he had left.)
If Ebizō had stayed, choosing to counter his attack and block the Flowing Flame Greatsword from breaking through the formation, then Tsukasa would have had no choice but to use Oral Rebirth to force his way through, conservatively estimating he would consume all his remaining uses.
Even if he managed to break through to Ebizō's side and engage in close-quarters combat, he probably wouldn't have many tricks left up his sleeve.
In his mental model, based on Ebizō's sister Chiyo, Ebizō still had two trump cards remaining.
The outcome would have been uncertain.
But Tsukasa still chose to gamble!
He was willing to bet his visual spectacle surpassed Ebizō's expectations!
He was willing to bet that even if Ebizō had intelligence on him, when the veteran shinobi truly saw this massive, godlike flaming greatsword with its overwhelming visual impact—
He would be afraid!
If he won this bet, he would win the entire battle!
If he lost, he would simply die.
In this long night of assassination, this fourth sword strike would decide the fate of the battle—the decisive moment!
And now—
Ebizō had abandoned his defensive fortress, terrified by his technique's overwhelming presence!
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Old man, take this Victory-Assured Dragon Ascending Blade!"
Tsukasa laughed uproariously, raising his flaming greatsword high, twisting the hilt, and unleashing a devastating slash accompanied by towering flames!
BOOM!
The greatsword swept across, unleashing a raging inferno that crushed, scorched, and shattered the seemingly impregnable Lion Shield Formation!
A mushroom cloud instantly rose in the desert!
A shockwave, visible to the naked eye, swept outward in expanding rings, sending both Ebizō and Tsukasa flying high into the air, carving through three sand dunes and creating a massive sandstorm!
Finally, they crashed into the barrier, blasting countless fractures across its surface!
A deathly silence descended upon the battlefield.
In this stillness, amidst the silent rainfall of sand—
Tsukasa casually wiped blood from his ruptured eardrums mid-air, then threw two shuriken, embedding them in the sand. Pulling on the attached wires, he spun 720 degrees, landing steadily with his hands digging into the sand to halt his momentum.
Immediately, he raised his Serpent Sage Sharingan, locking onto Ebizō, who was hiding behind a Puppet Technique: Mechanical Light Shield not far away.
He twisted his feet, shattering the sand beneath him, lowered his body, gripped his blade, and charged forward like a wild beast!
"Old man—DIE!"
Ebizō was still reeling from the previous attack. Even after running a considerable distance, he couldn't avoid the aftershocks. In desperation, he'd only had time to deploy the Puppet Technique: Mechanical Light Shield to defend himself.
Hearing the Uchiha brat's howl again, his eyelids and white eyebrows twitched involuntarily.
His clouded, aged eyes lifted, and he saw the boy charging toward him like a rabid animal.
This time, there was nothing between them—no obstacles, no distance.
He only felt ice flood his veins, and a look of shock and fear instinctively rose in his eyes.
Then, this fear transformed into furious rage!
He, Ebizō—elder of Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and supreme commander of the Sunagakure forces on the Land of Rain battlefield—
Had been forced into such a pathetic state by a twelve-year-old brat! Forced to retreat!
This was an utter disgrace!
But... but...
He had to endure this humiliation.
Close combat wasn't his specialty. He couldn't fight using his weaknesses against the boy's strengths. He had to retreat!
Yes, he had to run!
Create distance, reorganize his formation, regain the advantage, and then slowly grind this brat down to nothing!
With this thought, Ebizō, without another word, released the Mechanical Light Shield seal and immediately began his desperate retreat, controlling his three puppets.
However—
With the Cursed Seal of Heaven enhancing his abilities, Tsukasa's speed was now far superior to Ebizō's!
Ebizō had no room for tactical maneuvering. He could only unleash everything he had in this battle of life and death and fight Tsukasa head-on!
Soon, he realized that tactical retreat was impossible—the boy was simply too fast.
He abruptly turned around, revealing a wrinkled old face twisted with shame, fury, and desperate rage!
"EBIZŌ!!!"
Looking at Tsukasa charging toward him with explosive momentum, surging battle intent, and a ferocious war cry—
Ebizō's face contorted with rage.
The humiliation and anger in his heart finally erupted at this moment!
His body trembled, his face twitched, his teeth ground together—
And finally, he reached for the scroll at his waist, roaring furiously:
"DAMN UCHIHA BRAT!!!"
"I'll show you the pinnacle of puppet mastery!"
"Summoning Jutsu: Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets!"
He tore the scroll apart, slammed his palm into the ground, and emerged from the summoning smoke.
Behind him, ten masterwork puppets materialized—
And eleven figures leaped high into the air together, accompanied by Ebizō's furious roar:
"Secret Red Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets!"
End of Chapter 160
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