Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 465 Black Flame

The ancestral home of the Uchiha clan, a place that was once solemn and majestic, witnessing countless glories and triumphs, is now ravaged by the breathtaking and intense battle between Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi. The ground is riddled with deep and shallow trenches, the walls have collapsed, and the stone pillars are broken, as if it had survived an apocalyptic catastrophe.

And this was just the beginning. As the battle escalated, the destruction suffered by the entire Uchiha ancestral land became increasingly severe. Exquisite buildings and ancient ruins were reduced to rubble under the impact of the two brothers' immense power. The once solemn and majestic gate was also blasted into pieces, scattered everywhere.

Just then, the two fighters, locked in fierce combat, had battled their way from the dark and oppressive hall to the rooftop. Their figures flashed and darted like ghosts, each collision sparking dazzling flames. After a brief but intense exchange, both seemed to realize the strength of the other and, without prior agreement, chose to temporarily create some distance between themselves.

Almost simultaneously, Sasuke and Itachi formed hand seals and chanted incantations. Then, a massive, raging fire erupted from their mouths—the Uchiha clan's most common and iconic Fire Release ninjutsu—Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!

Two enormous fireballs hurtled through the air, colliding and unleashing a deafening explosion. Flames shot skyward, illuminating the entire night. However, this contest had only just begun.

It's important to understand that Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique is not simply about releasing a fireball. It's more like an ultimate test of one's understanding of Fire Release ninjutsu and their control over chakra. Whoever can better comprehend and utilize this ninjutsu will gain the upper hand in this duel.

Therefore, neither Sasuke nor Itachi dared to relax for a moment. They focused intently on continuously channeling their chakra into the Great Fireball, attempting to further enhance its power and coverage. The two already enormous fireballs rapidly expanded with the continuous support of chakra, resembling two miniature suns about to fall, radiating terrifyingly high temperatures and energy fluctuations.

Young and energetic Sasuke Uchiha was in his prime, while Itachi Uchiha, suffering from Bloodstained Disease, appeared weak and frail in comparison. After all, Sasuke had not yet been afflicted by the disease, and his healthy and powerful physique became a major advantage in battle.

More importantly, Sasuke received meticulous guidance from Orochimaru. Orochimaru generously shared his years of accumulated ninja combat experience and unique insights into various ninjutsu. This significantly improved Sasuke's combat skills and ninjutsu application.

However, the situation was completely different for Itachi Uchiha. Having awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan too early, his body endured unimaginable pressure. The side effects of this overuse of his eye's power not only severely damaged his health but also triggered Bloodstained Disease, a condition highly prevalent among ninjas with bloodline limits in the ninja world.

Over the years, illness has constantly tormented Itachi Uchiha, exhausting most of his vital energy and life force. He should have been at the peak of his strength, but now he has to face the reality of his body's gradual decline.

Therefore, when the two clashed using Fire Release techniques, Sasuke's Great Fireball Technique gradually gained the upper hand, beginning to suppress Itachi's Fire Release attacks. Flames intertwined and collided in the air, Sasuke's Great Fireball Technique becoming increasingly fierce and intense, while Itachi's Fire Release techniques gradually showed signs of exhaustion.

Looking at his younger brother Sasuke, Itachi Uchiha felt a surge of pride. Sasuke's current strength had exceeded his expectations, which pleased him greatly. However, he knew that Sasuke still had a long way to go, especially when facing a power as strong as the Mangekyou Sharingan.

At this moment, Itachi Uchiha decided to demonstrate the true power of the Mangekyou Sharingan to Sasuke. He narrowed his eyes slightly, a mysterious and profound light flashing within them. With a thought, powerful ocular energy surged forth, like an invisible torrent sweeping towards Sasuke.

Sasuke felt the overwhelming pressure of the Sharingan's power and his heart tightened, but he didn't back down. Instead, he gritted his teeth and resisted the pressure with all his might. Seeing this, Itachi Uchiha's lips curled up slightly. He knew that only by letting Sasuke personally experience this powerful pressure could he truly understand the terrifying nature of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

At the same time, Itachi Uchiha began to unleash some powerful eye techniques unique to the Mangekyou Sharingan. He formed hand seals and chanted incantations, and strange beams of light shot from his pupils, weaving together a dazzling and colorful spectacle. These eye techniques possessed either world-destroying power or the ability to manipulate minds; each one was truly astonishing.

Sasuke stared intently at the various eye techniques his brother was using, trying hard to memorize their characteristics and patterns. He knew that only by fully understanding these eye techniques could he react quickly and formulate the best countermeasures when facing other enemies with the Mangekyou Sharingan in the future.

As Itachi used his eye technique, he observed Sasuke's expression and reactions. Seeing his younger brother's focus and seriousness, his heart was filled with anticipation. He believed that through this experience, Sasuke would become even stronger and would surely become an outstanding ninja in the future, able to live more safely in the turbulent ninja world.

In that instant, Itachi Uchiha's tightly closed left eye suddenly snapped open, and a crimson light burst forth from it. With this flash of light, Itachi's left eye successfully transformed into the Mangekyou Sharingan! A torrent of chakra surged within him towards this mysterious and powerful eye.

In an instant, an invisible force erupted from the Mangekyou Sharingan, seemingly breaking the shackles of space. Immediately afterward, a ball of jet-black flame appeared out of thin air above the Fireball Jutsu, where the two were locked in fierce combat. This black flame exuded a chilling aura; it was like a demonic fire from the depths of hell, carrying endless destruction and death.

Uchiha Itachi focused intently on controlling his chakra, continuously channeling it into his Mangekyou Sharingan. Each infusion of chakra made the black flames within his eye technique even stronger and more ferocious. What was initially a small cluster of black flames rapidly expanded, like a monstrous beast baring its fangs and claws, lunging towards Sasuke's Great Fireball Jutsu.

Despite Sasuke Uchiha's Fireball Jutsu, amplified by his own immense power, reaching astonishing levels of both power and temperature, it still seemed somewhat powerless against the sudden and ever-increasing black flames. The black flames swept in with overwhelming force, easily piercing the blazing outer barrier of the Fireball Jutsu and greedily devouring the energy it contained.

The raging flames inside the Great Fireball gradually dimmed under the encroaching black flames, and the once enormous and dazzling fireball slowly shrank. No matter how desperately Sasuke Uchiha channeled his chakra to maintain the Great Fireball's existence, he couldn't stop the black flames from relentlessly closing in and frantically devouring it. Finally, with a muffled roar, Sasuke Uchiha's Great Fireball completely vanished into the darkness, utterly engulfed by the black flames.

Sasuke Uchiha keenly sensed the situation and, without hesitation, instantly dodged the black flames that snaked towards him like venomous snakes. He could already feel the eerie aura and immense power emanating from the black flames, and was secretly alarmed.

He knew all too well that this black flame was no ordinary substance, containing endless dangers and unknowns. The mere heat emanating from it made him realize that even the slightest contact with his body could lead to unimaginable consequences. Therefore, he remained completely focused, not daring to relax for a moment, concentrating all his energy to deal with this sudden crisis.

However, at this critical moment, when Itachi's left eye slowly focused on Sasuke, Sasuke's heart tightened, and he instantly realized the urgency of the situation and the seriousness of the problem.

His eyes widened, fixed on the Sharingan eye that shimmered with strange patterns. At that moment, he finally understood: those black flame threads, winding and twisting like venomous snakes, were actually a bizarre ninjutsu performed by Itachi Uchiha's mysterious eye!

Even worse, Sasuke clearly sensed that once Itachi's gaze successfully locked onto him, the black flames seemed to come alive, sweeping towards him at an astonishing speed, as if to devour him completely.

Faced with such a dire situation, Sasuke knew that his time was running out. Without hesitation, he immediately unleashed all his power, maximizing his movement speed. In a flash, he became a blur, swiftly traversing the surrounding space.

At this moment, for Sasuke Uchiha, the only way to escape the threat of these terrifying black flames was to use his extraordinary speed to prevent the ever-spreading flames from catching up with his rapidly advancing figure. Only in this way could he have a sliver of hope to escape this life-or-death struggle.

Sasuke Uchiha moved through the space with the speed of a ghost. However, the black flames seemed to possess their own consciousness, closely following his movements and approaching him at an astonishing speed.