Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 497 Izanagi 3

Just then, the shuriken that Shimura Danzo had just thrown collided head-on with the shuriken that Uchiha Sasuke had thrown. A loud clang rang out, sparks flew, and the sound of metal clashing was deafening. The shuriken that Shimura Danzo had thrown was instantly deflected by the powerful shuriken thrown by his oncoming opponent, landing far away on the ground.

Because the impact was so sudden and violent, Danzo Shimura had no time to condense another shuriken imbued with Wind Release techniques to counterattack. Faced with the ever-approaching Sasuke Uchiha, he had no choice but to quickly dodge to the side, attempting to avoid the opponent's attack. However, Sasuke Uchiha was simply too fast, and in the blink of an eye, he had already closed in on Danzo Shimura like a ghost.

As Sasuke Uchiha drew ever closer, Danzo Shimura silently pondered his next move. He had initially considered using ninjutsu for ranged attacks, but now he had to decisively abandon that idea. It wasn't that he feared close combat with Sasuke, but rather that he had several factors to consider.

It's important to understand that the risks of close combat are immeasurable. Moreover, at this very moment, the mysterious masked man is still lurking nearby, making Danzo Shimura extremely cautious. Therefore, just in case, he decided to avoid close combat with Sasuke Uchiha as much as possible.

However, it was too late. Uchiha Sasuke had already charged towards him, wielding an incredibly sharp longsword. The gleaming blade, carrying a fierce aura, slashed straight at Shimura Danzo. In that critical moment, Shimura Danzo's eyes instantly sharpened to the point of being like those of a hawk.

He stared intently at the opening revealed when Uchiha Sasuke leaped into the air, and attacked without hesitation! The eerie arm covered in countless Sharingan eyes moved with lightning speed, striking forward with astonishing speed! In the blink of an eye, the arm successfully broke through Uchiha Sasuke's tight defense, gripping his vulnerable neck like an iron clamp.

Danzo Shimura's withered lips curled into a mocking smile. He thought to himself, this guy named Uchiha Sasuke is far too naive and careless. Just because he's been deliberately avoiding close combat, does he think he's bad at close fighting? How utterly ridiculous!

Keep in mind, he's an elite ninja who has weathered countless brutal ninja wars! The years of experience have honed his skills to an unparalleled level. Furthermore, how could a true Kage-level ninja possess such an obvious weakness? Those ninjas who successfully break through to the Kage level are all outstanding in their respective fields. They may excel in certain specific areas, but they would never have a significant deficiency in combat ability.

Compared to ordinary Jonin-level ninjas, Kage-level ninjas are overwhelmingly powerful in every aspect. Even when compared to other Kage-level masters specializing in a particular area, while there are differences, it's impossible for one to be completely suppressed by the other. Therefore, Sasuke Uchiha's underestimation of his opponent is a grave mistake!

However, Danzo Shimura had not anticipated that he would severely underestimate Sasuke Uchiha's extraordinary combat intelligence. It must be understood that Sasuke was no longer the naive newcomer he once was. Since receiving the vast amount of combat experience from Orochimaru, he had undergone a complete transformation, no longer the inexperienced novice he once was.

In fact, even at the very beginning of this fierce battle, Sasuke had already devised a brilliant battle plan. Before anyone could react, the shuriken that had been launched first seemed to have eyes, hurtling towards the giant eagle with lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, the giant eagle spread its enormous wings without hesitation, snatched the shuriken, and hurled it with tremendous force!

This sudden attack caught Shimura Danzo completely off guard. With a crisp "crack," the thick arm that had been tightly gripping Uchiha Sasuke's neck was cleanly severed! Instantly, Shimura Danzo's control over Sasuke crumbled.

Sasuke, without the slightest hesitation, gripped his longsword like a nimble dragon, rapidly tracing its path through the air. With flashes of cold light, the sword, carrying unparalleled power, slashed directly towards Shimura Danzo's chest! The speed and power of this strike were astonishing, delivering a fatal blow to Shimura Danzo.

However, Sasuke Uchiha didn't pay much attention to Shimura Danzo, whom he had personally killed. He knew that since Danzo possessed the bizarre ability to repeatedly die and resurrect, his previous attack probably wouldn't have been enough to completely defeat him. Therefore, Sasuke maintained a high level of vigilance, not daring to relax his guard in the slightest.

After that thrilling close-quarters battle, Sasuke gradually grasped the secret behind Shimura Danzo's repeated resurrection. Sure enough, not long after, Shimura Danzo reappeared on a bridge pier. His face was calm as still water, his gaze indifferently fixed on Uchiha Sasuke below, and he slowly opened his mouth and said, "All of this has been in vain!"

Despite Danzo Shimura's provocative words, Sasuke Uchiha showed no sign of backing down. His sharp, hawk-like eyes were fixed on his opponent, the Mangekyou Sharingan within his pupils gleaming with a chillingly powerful aura. Sasuke had made up his mind to use his most proficient genjutsu to verify his suspicions. After all, only after confirming his suspicions could he be truly confident in defeating this formidable opponent.

In Shimura Danzo's eyes, filled with astonishment and fear, Uchiha Sasuke, who had been standing steadily on the bridge, began to slowly transform into countless jet-black crows, like a phantom. These crows took flight, their feathers drawing black streaks through the air, as if tearing the entire space into countless fragments. As the number of crows increased, they gradually gathered into a dense black cloud, sweeping towards Shimura Danzo in an overwhelming swarm.

Countless crows circled and soared around Shimura Danzo, their shrill, piercing cries rising and falling like the howls of demons from the depths of hell, sending chills down one's spine. Just then, Shimura Danzo suddenly sensed a powerful aura emanating from behind him. He instinctively turned his head and saw a familiar figure that terrified him—it was Uchiha Itachi, who had been dead for some time!

"This...how is this possible? This is Uchiha Itachi!" Shimura Danzo's face turned deathly pale, his lips trembled uncontrollably, and the voice that came out of his throat became hoarse and unpleasant due to extreme terror. He stared wide-eyed at the man who should have been sleeping in the ground before him, incredulous.

However, before Shimura Danzo could even catch his breath, Itachi Uchiha's cold, ruthless eyes were already locked onto him. Within Itachi's deep pupils, the Mangekyou Sharingan gleamed with an eerie light, like two blood-red gems burning with raging flames. The next moment, accompanied by a dazzling flash of light, the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan was fully unleashed, and the terrifying Amaterasu Technique was suddenly activated!

In an instant, Shimura Danzo felt as if his body had been thrown into a scorching furnace, with intensely hot black flames surging in from all directions and quickly engulfing him. These black flames were like monstrous, twisting venomous snakes, frantically tearing at and devouring his body, leaving nothing but charred remains in their wake.

Danzo Shimura's arm, covered in Sharingan eyes, was spinning wildly at a dizzying speed! Each Sharingan flashed with an eerie, scarlet light, as if it wanted to devour everything around it. His face, which had been twisted and contorted like a demon's, miraculously returned to calm in that instant.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed intently on Uchiha Itachi before him. A slight, approving smirk played on his lips: "Hmph, I didn't expect... you actually managed to put this old man under a genjutsu. You do have some skill, and certainly deserve praise." Just moments ago, Shimura Danzo had used the ultimate secret technique passed down through the Uchiha clan to confirm that he was indeed trapped in the genjutsu cast by the other party. It was precisely because of this that he could speak with such certainty and without hesitation.

However, that brief moment of distraction brought about a dramatic shift in the situation. Taking advantage of this perfect opportunity, Uchiha Sasuke, who had been secretly lurking, had already stealthily approached Shimura Danzo from behind. He gripped a gleaming longsword tightly in his hand, and like an arrow released from a bow, he lunged forward, the sharp tip of the sword aimed directly at Shimura Danzo's back—clearly intending to deliver a fatal blow!

In that instant, Sasuke Uchiha felt as if his body had been nailed to the spot by an invisible yet powerful force! No matter how much he struggled or tried, he couldn't move an inch. Standing not far in front of him was none other than the detestable Danzo Shimura!

Sasuke's eyes widened, burning with anger and resentment, but his enemy remained unmoved, as steady as a mountain. At the same time, Sasuke noticed countless mysterious and peculiar runes beginning to appear on his body. These runes spread rapidly like a spiderweb, tightly enveloping him.