After considerable deliberation, Azrael finally settled on [Desperate Avenger]. The material proved perfectly suited for the background of the card he was preparing to create—a card forged from tragedy and fueled by the burning desire for vengeance.
[Your account has successfully spent 2,800 points, with a remaining balance of 420.]
As his phone notification chimed softly, Azrael successfully secured the material he had long coveted. This would serve as his final Silver-level card before advancing to the prestigious Gold rank.
"The last Silver-level card before my breakthrough," Azrael murmured with deep satisfaction.
After six months of intensive meditation and rigorous training, Azrael felt he had nearly reached the threshold of Gold-level mastery. Upon achieving Gold rank, he would be recognized as a key player in any competitive arena, capable of standing toe-to-toe with the nation's elite Lore Cardians.
The card he was preparing to create would serve as his most crucial trump card for the upcoming National Championship. Most of his other cards' capabilities had already been revealed through previous tournaments, making this new creation absolutely essential for maintaining his competitive advantage.
Azrael remained determined to secure first place in the individual competition. Only with a starting Gold-level card could he rapidly build upon his promotion and gather the necessary materials for even more formidable creations.
Given the impressive strength of his current Silver-level cards, he felt confident that he could accumulate sufficient Gold-level materials through dedicated effort and strategic planning.
The materials arrived at his residence within hours of purchase. Azrael carefully arranged them across his crafting table with practiced precision, then picked up a pristine blank card and began sketching a young man bearing distinctive six-pointed pupils—the unmistakable pattern of the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan.
[Please begin your story.]
[On a distant world, there exist extraordinary warriors known as shinobi.]
[These shinobi employ mystical arts called ninjutsu to battle their countless enemies.]
[Among shinobi, there exist powerful bloodline abilities known as Kekkei Genkai.]
[The Sharingan, often called "the eyes of Insight and illusions," stands as one of the most formidable of these Kekkei Genkai.]
[Possessing the Sharingan is the proud and mighty Uchiha clan.]
[Uchiha Sasuke, the second son of Uchiha Fugaku, patriarch of the prestigious Uchiha clan.]
[Sasuke's childhood was undoubtedly blessed, filled with the unwavering love of both parents and deep admiration for his prodigious older brother.]
[Unfortunately, his happiness was destined to be tragically short-lived. The young Sasuke remained blissfully unaware of the Uchiha clan's increasingly precarious position within the hidden village of Konohagakure.]
His older brother, Uchiha Itachi, was a prodigy who had displayed extraordinary talent from the earliest age, naturally becoming Sasuke's idol and ultimate goal to surpass. Having witnessed the devastating horrors of the Third Shinobi World War at the tender age of four, Itachi developed a profound hatred for meaningless conflict and joined the elite Anbu forces at just eleven years old.
After joining the secretive Anbu organization, significant ideological differences began to emerge between Itachi and their father, Fugaku. The steadily growing tension within both the clan and village caused Fugaku to gradually shift his attention and hopes toward his youngest son, Sasuke.
Just when Uchiha Sasuke believed his life was absolutely perfect and his future brilliantly bright, a devastating tragedy struck that absolutely no one could have anticipated.
One fateful evening, Sasuke returned home unusually late from practicing his shuriken techniques, eagerly anticipating showing his beloved brother his remarkable improvement.
However, when he slid open the familiar front door, he discovered his parents lying completely motionless in expanding pools of their own blood.
Standing ominously over their lifeless bodies was the unthinkable perpetrator, his beloved older brother, Uchiha Itachi.
"You're not even worth killing right now," Itachi declared with absolutely chilling indifference.
"Foolish little brother... if you truly want to kill me, then hate me, detest me, and survive in the most unsightly way possible. Run, run and cling desperately to your wretched life."
Hearing his brother's cold, utterly emotionless words, Sasuke felt as though he had been violently plunged into an arctic abyss. Driven by raw, pure, and completely overwhelming anguish, Sasuke awakened his Sharingan for the very first time.
The Sharingan, originally a dōjutsu driven by intensely powerful emotions, revealed itself to the world as a fearsome instrument of vengeance powered by hatred and devastating loss.
From that defining moment forward, Sasuke possessed only one consuming goal: make that man pay dearly for his heinous crimes.
Azrael, having completed numerous intricate card-creation sessions, had learned a crucial lesson: don't be afraid to write extensively and with great detail. The mysterious dimension that powered his unique abilities seemed to strongly favor detailed backgrounds, so adding comprehensive lore would only serve to strengthen the final product significantly.
Time passed relentlessly, and the once-glorious Uchiha compound gradually fell into neglect and visible decay. Sasuke's immense natural talent kept him consistently at the very top of his class at the Ninja Academy for several years, but academic success felt completely meaningless when measured against his true objective.
Soon enough, graduation day finally arrived, and Sasuke's real journey truly began.
Assigned to Team 7 alongside Sasuke were Uzumaki Naruto, commonly dubbed the "dead last" and secretly the jinchūriki of the legendary Nine-Tailed Fox, and Haruno Sakura, who harbored an obviously painful crush on the increasingly brooding Uchiha.
Their experienced jōnin instructor was the legendary Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi.
When Kakashi proposed his infamous bell test challenge, Sasuke, who had grown cold and distant due to his traumatic past, stubbornly attempted to complete the challenge entirely alone. His pride and rigid self-reliance, while certainly understandable given his tragic circumstances, led to inevitable failure.
Through this profoundly humbling experience, Sasuke gradually began to understand the fundamental importance of teamwork among shinobi. Slowly but surely, he started to accept Naruto and Sakura as more than mere obstacles to his personal goals.
After completing numerous mundane D-rank missions around the village, Team 7 finally received their first significant C-rank assignment: escorting bridge builder Tazuna safely back to the distant Land of Waves.
During their intense encounter with the mysterious rogue shinobi Haku, Sasuke finally reactivated his long-dormant Sharingan and, fighting in perfect coordination alongside Naruto, and managed to defeat their enigmatic opponent.
Azrael could have easily skipped the Land of Waves arc entirely, as he didn't consider it absolutely crucial to Sasuke's core character development. However, considering the high probability of creating Naruto-based cards in the future, he made the decision to include these events to establish and deepen the complex bond between the two destined rivals.
Upon returning triumphantly to Konoha, Team 7 learned that the prestigious Chūnin Exams were about to commence—a perfect opportunity for Sasuke to test his rapidly growing abilities against skilled shinobi from other villages.
After careful consideration and evaluation, Kakashi decided to enter Team 7 into the competition, feeling confident in their abilities despite their relatively rookie status.
Sasuke easily passed the first written examination by cleverly using his Sharingan to copy answers from more knowledgeable participants, a remarkably clever application of his bloodline ability.
The second test took place in the ominous Forest of Death. It was here that Sasuke encountered Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin and a shinobi whose terrifying power rivaled even Itachi's.
Working together with remarkable determination, Sasuke and Naruto managed to successfully drive off the serpentine Sannin through sheer determination and effective teamwork. However, before retreating completely, Orochimaru, genuinely impressed by Sasuke's tremendous potential and hungrily desiring the power of the Sharingan, implanted his most prized creation: the dreaded Cursed Seal of Heaven.
As both Sasuke and Naruto collapsed from complete exhaustion, Orochimaru's Sound ninja subordinates launched their coordinated attack on the unconscious trio.
When Sasuke regained consciousness, the cursed seal's malevolent influence had already taken firm hold. Dark markings spread ominously across his skin as foreign chakra flooded his system, temporarily overwhelming his rational mind with absolutely intoxicating power.
Fortunately, Sakura's desperate pleas managed to break through the seal's dangerous influence and calm Sasuke down before he lost himself completely to its corruption.
However, the damage was already done, Orochimaru had successfully planted a seed of darkness in Sasuke's heart, one that would grow progressively stronger with each passing day.
The third phase of the Chūnin Exams commenced with great fanfare and anticipation.
Sasuke's first opponent was Sound ninja Yoroi Akadō, whose chakra-absorption techniques proved troublesome but ultimately insufficient against Sasuke's skill. Sasuke emerged victorious without even needing to rely on the cursed seal's dangerous power.
Recognizing the serious danger posed by Orochimaru's mark, Kakashi chose to provide Sasuke with intensive private training during the intermission. During this crucial period, he taught his student his signature technique: the Lightning Release jutsu known as Raikiri, or Lightning Cutter.
Using this solid foundation, Sasuke developed his own unique variation: Chidori, a technique that would eventually become synonymous with his distinctive fighting style.
In the tournament finals, Sasuke faced Gaara of the Sand, a jinchūriki whose immense power stemmed from the One-Tailed Beast Shukaku. Using his newly mastered Chidori technique, Sasuke successfully wounded Gaara, becoming the first person to ever draw the sand-wielder's blood.
However, this significant achievement triggered Gaara's complete transformation into the monstrous Shukaku. Sasuke, despite his considerable growth, was overwhelmed by the Tailed Beast's immense power and would have certainly perished if not for Naruto's perfectly timed intervention.
The Sand Village then launched the devastating Konoha Crush operation, though as a mere genin, Sasuke played relatively little role in the larger conflict.
Shortly after Konoha's hard-fought victory, devastating news reached Sasuke's ears.
Uchiha Itachi had returned to the village and seriously injured Kakashi during a bold infiltration attempt. Upon learning that Itachi's actual target was Naruto, Sasuke rushed to confront his brother, finally facing the architect of his clan's complete destruction.
The confrontation was brutally one-sided from the beginning. How could a mere genin hope to stand against an S-rank missing-nin of Itachi's legendary caliber?
Itachi mercilessly defeated Sasuke while coldly mocking his obvious weakness and insufficient hatred. Only the timely intervention of Jiraiya, another of the legendary Sannin, saved Sasuke from certain death.
After recovering from his serious injuries under the careful medical care of the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, Sasuke came to a stark realization about his own glaring inadequacy. Staying in Konoha would only waste precious time that could be spent growing stronger.
The breaking point came when Naruto demonstrated his newly learned technique, the devastating Rasengan. Seeing his former "dead last" teammate surpass him in raw power left Sasuke feeling both envious and desperately inadequate.
It was then that Sasuke remembered the intoxicating strength Orochimaru's Cursed Seal had provided. Driven by his overwhelming desire for the power necessary to exact revenge, he made the fateful decision to defect from Konoha.
Despite Sakura's desperate attempt to stop him at the village gates, Sasuke rendered her unconscious and abandoned the village that had been his home.
On his journey to Orochimaru's hidden hideout, Sasuke was intercepted by the Sound Four, elite shinobi specifically sent to escort him safely to their master.
Naruto and a hastily assembled retrieval team managed to catch up with them, leading to the climactic battle at the Valley of the End, a location marked by massive statues of Konoha's founding fathers.
In their final, emotionally charged confrontation, Sasuke emerged victorious but chose not to deliver a killing blow to his former teammate. This decision stemmed partly from his desire to gain power through his own means rather than following Itachi's prescribed path, but perhaps also because, deep in his heart, Naruto had become an irreplaceable bond he couldn't bring himself to sever completely.
Two long years passed under Orochimaru's intensive tutelage. Sasuke trained relentlessly, developing innovative new applications for his Lightning Release techniques and fully mastering the Cursed Seal's dangerous power.
Eventually, Sasuke realized he had learned absolutely everything that Orochimaru could possibly teach him. More troubling still, he discovered the Sannin's true intentions: to claim his body as a new vessel.
When Orochimaru was at his weakest during the body-transfer ritual, Sasuke struck with decisive force.
However, the cunning Sannin had prepared extensively for this possibility. The battle that followed revealed both Sasuke's tremendous growth and Orochimaru's desperate determination to claim the Uchiha's body.
Ultimately, Sasuke's strength exceeded even Orochimaru's highest expectations. Without his various immortality techniques and significantly weakened from his deteriorating condition, Orochimaru suffered the same kind of crushing defeat he had once inflicted upon countless others.
After absorbing Orochimaru's remaining power, Sasuke chose to strike out independently. He recruited fellow prisoners from Orochimaru's experiments: Suigetsu Hōzuki, Karin, and Jūgo, each possessing unique abilities that would prove valuable in his quest.
This four-person team became officially known as "Hebi" (Snake), dedicated to hunting down Uchiha Itachi.
While searching tirelessly for his target, Sasuke encountered Deidara, a member of the criminal organization Akatsuki. Various circumstances led to a confrontation between the two explosive artists.
Sasuke emerged victorious from their intense battle, using his summoned snake Manda to shield himself from Deidara's ultimate self-destruction technique.
Finally, Sasuke succeeded in tracking down Itachi. The two brothers traveled to the abandoned Uchiha compound for their final, inevitable confrontation.
During their epic battle, Sasuke learned shocking revelations about their clan's hidden history and the existence of Uchiha Madara, one of Konoha's legendary founders who still lived in the shadows.
Itachi also revealed the secret of the Mangekyō Sharingan's evolution: by claiming the eyes of a close family member, a user could achieve the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, forever free from the blindness that plagued its wielders.
This was the true reason Itachi had allowed Sasuke to live and grow stronger.
To counter Itachi's sophisticated genjutsu techniques, Sasuke was forced to expend enormous amounts of chakra. When conventional methods proved insufficient, he chose to employ his most devastating technique: Lightning Release: Kirin.
Kirin required very specific conditions to activate properly. Sasuke first had to create storm clouds using Fire Release techniques. Once achieved, however, its power was absolutely terrifying, capable of splitting the very earth with lightning that seemed to tear apart heaven and earth itself.
At this point, Azrael couldn't help but laugh aloud with genuine amusement. Kirin had always been difficult to deploy due to its environmental requirements, but with Oliver's dragon abilities in his arsenal, Sasuke could potentially unleash this technique without the lengthy preparation time.
This synergy was one of the primary reasons he had been considering Oliver's card for so long.
To Sasuke's complete despair, a massive red skeletal warrior materialized around Itachi, deflecting even the might of heaven itself.
This was Susanoo, the third and most powerful technique of the Mangekyō Sharingan—simultaneously the ultimate offense and absolute defense.
As Sasuke reached the limits of his chakra reserves, Orochimaru's consciousness, still sealed within the Cursed Mark, attempted to possess his weakened body.
However, Itachi's Susanoo effortlessly sealed away the serpentine Sannin, simultaneously removing the source of the curse seal's power from Sasuke.
Confused and utterly exhausted, Sasuke couldn't understand why the man before him would protect him from Orochimaru's influence.
Both brothers had reached their absolute limits.
As Itachi approached his fallen brother, Sasuke braced himself for death. However, the killing blow never came. Instead, Itachi simply reached out and gently tapped Sasuke's forehead with two fingers, just as he had done countless times during their childhood.
"Forgive me, Sasuke," Itachi whispered with his final breath. "This is the last time."
With those words, Uchiha Itachi collapsed lifeless to the ground.
Staring at his brother's motionless form, Sasuke felt a confusing mixture of hollow victory and devastating loss before consciousness finally abandoned him.
When he awoke, he found himself in the custody of a masked man calling himself "Madara."
This mysterious figure revealed the truth behind the Uchiha massacre, a truth that painted Itachi not as a villain, but as a tragic hero who had sacrificed everything, including his own brother's love, to prevent a civil war that would have destroyed Konoha.
Perhaps Itachi had wronged everyone else in the world, but never Sasuke.
The overwhelming combination of rage, grief, and betrayal caused Sasuke's eyes to evolve into the Mangekyō Sharingan. His left eye manifested Amaterasu, the black flames of the sun goddess, while his right eye gained Kagutsuchi, the power to manipulate those flames into any shape or form.
"Hebi" was immediately renamed "Taka" (Hawk), and Uchiha Sasuke set his sights on a new target: Shimura Danzō and the other architects of his family's destruction.
Even for Azrael, writing such an extensive narrative in one sitting left him feeling somewhat exhausted but deeply satisfied.
Fortunately, the results more than justified the considerable effort.
Azrael took a deep breath and stored Sasuke's completed card within his mental collection, admiring the intricate details of the card's design.
[Mangekyō Sharingan - Uchiha Sasuke]
Rank: Silver
Quality: Red
Category: Creature
Skills:
[Chidori]: The user concentrates high-intensity electrical chakra in their palm to pierce targets. Developed by Sasuke from Kakashi's Raikiri, it possesses numerous advanced variations.
[Lightning Release: Kirin]: Sasuke's ultimate Lightning Release technique that harnesses natural lightning to devastating effect. Normally requires specific weather conditions, but can be enhanced through environmental manipulation.
[Fire Release Techniques]: Sasuke can perform various Fire Release jutsu through hand seals, including the signature Uchiha Great Fireball Technique.
[Amaterasu]: Manifests inextinguishable black flames that burn continuously until the target is completely consumed. These flames burn as hot as the sun itself.
[Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi]: Allows complete manipulation of Amaterasu's black flames, shaping them into weapons, barriers, or any desired form.
[Susanoo]: The ultimate manifestation of the Mangekyō Sharingan's power, a massive chakra construct that serves as both ultimate offense and absolute defense.
Traits:
[Mangekyō Sharingan]: The evolved form of the Sharingan grants enhanced perception, genjutsu capabilities, copying abilities, and access to three legendary techniques unique to this bloodline.
[Indra's Reincarnation]: As the chakra reincarnation of Indra Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths' eldest son, Sasuke's ninjutsu and combat abilities are dramatically enhanced beyond normal limits.
Description: A young man consumed by the flames of vengeance, but is revenge truly worth the price of one's soul?
Advancement Path: Bronze Rank [Team 7 - Uchiha Sasuke] → Silver Rank [Mangekyō Sharingan - Uchiha Sasuke] → Emerald Rank [Eternal Mangekyō - Uchiha Sasuke] → Master Rank [Six Paths - Uchiha Sasuke]
Bond Effects:
When paired with [Uzumaki Naruto] series: Activates [Fateful Rivalry] effect.
When paired with [Uzumaki Naruto] and [Haruno Sakura] series: Activates [Team 7 Reunion] effect.
When paired with [Uchiha Itachi] series: Activates [Brothers' Bond] effect.
When paired with [Suigetsu Hōzuki] series: Activates [Taka Formation] effect.
"Perfect. Everything is accounted for," Azrael said with deep satisfaction as he reviewed the card's specifications.
As his latest trump card, Sasuke was undoubtedly exceptional. Furthermore, since this was a summoned card rather than the actual person, Sasuke wouldn't suffer from the progressive blindness that normally plagued Mangekyō Sharingan users who overused their techniques.
"I'm genuinely excited for the National Championship!" Azrael declared with a wide grin.
He could already imagine the shock on his opponents' faces when they witnessed Susanoo deflecting their most powerful attacks, or when Amaterasu's inextinguishable flames turned the battlefield into an inferno of black fire.
The competition was about to become far more interesting.