SFF: 075 - Detonation (Patreon)

AMEGAKURE

The storm raged on, heavy rain pounding the rooftops and streets and creating a cacophony of noise that reverberated through the narrow alleyways. The oppressive gloom of the city was only intensified by the relentless downpour, a perfect backdrop for the chaos unfolding.

Sasuke stood amidst the turmoil, Susanoo shimmering around him in a spectral glow. His eyes, crimson pits of abyssal power, scanned the battlefield with an unsettling calm. Itachi, despite his great disappointment and distress, could not help but feel proud as he stared at his brother. Each of the child’s movements was calculated. Deliberate. Like a force of nature, he dictated the pace of the battle from within the eye of the storm.

Around Sasuke, his opponents closed in. Kakuzu's lightning attacks crackled through the air, illuminating the rain-soaked streets. Tobi—no, Madara—stood off to the side, his Sharingan glowing menacingly through the eyehole of his mask. Even the legendary Uchiha seemed hesitant to approach. Konan hovered above, her paper wings cutting through the rain as she prepared her next assault.

And yet, the child remained unphased.

"I am not impressed," he intoned impetuously. "Is this your grand plan?” he asked, looking about at his opponents. “To throw everything you have my way and hope for the best?"

Sasuke raised a hand, and a skeletal right arm manifested from the ribcage around him, its ethereal fingers stretching outwards to catch the lightning-infused tendril Kakuzu sent snaking his way. The air crackled with energy as lightning danced along the bones before spilling hazardously about around him. The Akatsuki members all momentarily retreated, but the shockwave from the result detonation sent them skidding across the wet rooftops.

Konan dove to gain airspeed before rising into the air once more, paper wings beating furiously against the rain. Her movements were graceful, almost ethereal, as she circled Sasuke, each flap scattering a hail of razor-sharp paper shuriken that dinged harmlessly on spectral bone. At that moment, Itachi set the child’s Susanoo ablaze; engulfed in black flames the amour melted like wax in the sun.

Again, Konan dove in, a paper chakram forming in her hand and then spinning through the air, before detonating within the compromised ribcage. Sasuke reappeared a few meters to the left. He used Hiraishin, Itachi realised with a frown. Even if it was for only a few meters, the fact that he was still able to use Hiraishin within the rain dome’s confines didn’t bode well. 

Frowning, Itachi watched as Madara took the opportunity to strike. The ancient Uchiha’s Sharingan flared as he disappeared in a swirl of space-time distortion, reappearing behind his mark. His hand reached out to grasp Sasuke's throat. But as he tightened his grip, the genjutsu broke revealing a mud clone covered in explosive tags that all simultaneously detonated a split moment later. Itachi’s eyes flickered about the battlefield in search of the boy only for him to turn around and catch the spinning haymaking coming down on Kisame's hunched form. Tobirama immediately leapt to his aid, forcing Sasuke back with a lethal jet of water. The child tsked as he retreated to another rooftop.

Then suddenly, from behind Sasuke came the keening cry of Chidori. Kakashi emerged from the shadows with his arms poised to skewer his former student from behind. But in a move that astounded even Lord Second, Sasuke slapped the ball of lightning out of his sensei’s palm, his body lighting up with a Chidori Nagashi as he met the ambush head-on. 

A fist shot out of the crackling current to punch the white-haired shinobi in the chin.

Through the haze, the Six Paths of Pain also emerged seeking to capitalise on the chaos, their Rinnegan eyes glowing ominously. The Asura Path transformed its arm into a cannon and fired a barrage of missiles at Sasuke, uncaring of Kakashi falling from through the air with him. Simultaneously, the Human and Preta Paths lunged forward, to get within melee range. 

Sasuke kicked the still-disoriented Kakashi in the chest, propelling himself out of the path of the missile barrage. Itachi loosed another conflagration of black flames at the airborne child and his vision dimmed further. Sasuke spat a great fireball in retaliation. The crimson flames stood no chance against his black demonic flames, but they proved enough of an obstacle for Sasuke to cruise by unharmed…

At least until Tobirama tagged him in the shoulder with a pressurised jet of water. A crimson flower blossomed on the child’s shoulder as he tumbled into the path of Konan’s explosive barrage. Somehow, the younger Uchiha still had the presence of mind to conjure a wall of sacrificial mud clones to guard against the attack.

Sasuke crashed through several buildings and the Human and Preta Paths pursued, closing the distance almost immediately. It was done, Itachi thought. Even one laying their hands on him would be rough to put him out of commission; there was no way Sasuke could defend against both.

But as if to prove him wrong, a wave of chakra exploded out of the ruined building. From it emerged a Susanoo of unnatural proportions. Six skeletal wings extended from its back. Six skeletal arms extended from the torso. Three disturbing heads rose from its shoulder. In one of its arms was a hiltless blade shaped like the crescent moon.

“Ḙ̴̏̂͘N̸̡̻͙̺̩͗̌͆́̀̔̽̚̚͝Ǫ̵̟̗͚̫̭̮̺̟̐̈́͌̋̏͑͘͠Ü̷̢̡̱̦̭̻̹̞̰̝͂̈́͊͐́͒͜͝G̸̡̫͖̙͍͑͒́̑̐̇̍̈͋͝͝ͅḨ̵̞̫̠̈̃!”

The Susanoo raised its blade before cleaving horizontally across the battlefield. For a moment, nothing happened, until suddenly, reality remembered to react, sending shockwaves rippling for miles. The cleave reached the red translucent barrier Jutsu at the edge of the battlefield, sending traumatic tremors throughout the entire structure. Great swathes of buildings collapsed seconds later, cut neatly in half by the blade.

The animal path summoned a swarm of summons in an attempt to overwhelm the towering spectral but they were cut down without remorse. The Deva Path was the only entity on the battlefield capable of standing before the Susanoo; the great blade that cleaved all in its path was caught by the Path’s repulsive technique. 

Itachi took the chance to attempt another Amaterasu, but his body screamed in protest. It was only then, he realised his chakra reserves were nearly empty. 

“Is this the best you can do?" Sasuke’s voice taunted them all from within his Susanoo. "I expected more from you lot."

The child sneered, his gaze searching the battlefield before locking onto Itachi.

Panting, Itachi attempted one last jutsu. His Mangekyo spun as he activated Tsukuyomi, attempting to stall the child if only momentarily. But Sasuke's eyes flashed with a counter, breaking the genjutsu before it could take hold with a mere thought. 

Sensing weakness, the Susanoo immediately abandoned its attempts to pummel the Deva path into submission as it phased to stand in front of Itachi. Tobirama attempted to resist but was cleaved in twain alongside Kisame in one move. Itachi stared defiantly as his kid brother finally turned his attention to him. 

“Done running?” the boy asked, more irritated than anything else. When Itachi said nothing in response, he reached out with one skeletal arm to grab him. It was only then, that Itachi realised his upper torso was no longer connected to his lower half.

“Oh,” he thought to himself as his vision slowly darkened.