Chapter 120: Dark Release
"Snake-ojisan, hurry up and locate Hiruko," Yusuke said firmly.
"Very well. Follow me. I've already found his position," Orochimaru replied calmly.
"Give me a bit of chakra from one of your snakes. I'll just teleport there directly. Walking would be such a hassle."
"Hmph... Fine, but—"
"I know what you're thinking, Snake-ojisan. Don't worry, I'll give you what you want in return," Yusuke replied with a faint smile.
"You really do know what I want, don't you…" Orochimaru murmured, half-surprised, half-amused.
"Of course. I can pretty much guess what's on your mind," Yusuke said casually.
"In that case, let's proceed."
Without further delay, Orochimaru channeled his chakra into Yusuke.
"Place your hands on me," Yusuke instructed.
The moment their hands touched, their surroundings blurred—and in the blink of an eye, they appeared on a remote island. Not a single soul could be seen.
There, standing alone in the distance, was a lone figure.
"Heh… Jiraiya, you showed up too, huh?" Hiruko sneered, his smile twisted with madness.
"Hiruko, why are you doing this?" Jiraiya asked, his voice tinged with disappointment.
"Because I want to surpass all of you!" Hiruko's eyes burned with jealousy as he glared at the Legendary Sannin.
"We were once on the same team, remember? But you all became students of the Third Hokage, and I was cast aside. The gap between us only grew wider... and I couldn't accept it. But now, I've surpassed you all!" he shouted, madness flickering in his gaze.
"You betrayed your comrades... and the village you once loved, all for power?" Jiraiya questioned.
"You've got it wrong, Jiraiya! I didn't betray the village—the village abandoned me! The Third Hokage threw me away! We were a team, yet he never once considered me worthy of being his student. You were the weakest of us all, and still, everyone cared about you. But me? No one ever even looked my way."
"I was just a common shinobi, born to a family with no name. Always living in your shadows. I've had enough! I wanted to change my fate! Is that so wrong?!" Hiruko screamed, his voice trembling with rage and despair.
"But—"
"Enough, Jiraiya-nii. Don't waste your breath," Yusuke interrupted, his tone icy. "Answer me one thing—was it you who implanted the Puppet Curse inside Kakashi?"
"Oh? And who might you be, brat? And let's say I was—what would you do?" Hiruko asked, narrowing his eyes.
"In that case... you die," Yusuke said flatly, slowly lifting his blindfold.
"Hahaha! Arrogant little punk. You think I didn't know you'd come?"
As soon as Hiruko finished speaking, dozens of grotesque, otherworldly creatures appeared around them—summons unlike anything the others had seen before.
"What... what kind of monsters are these?" Jiraiya muttered, visibly disturbed.
"Beautiful…" Orochimaru whispered, his eyes gleaming with eerie fascination.
"Tsunade, the rest of you—stay out of this."
Yusuke stepped forward, raising his blindfold just slightly. A faint glow from his Rinnegan shimmered beneath.
"Oh? Just you, brat?" Hiruko laughed mockingly, puffed with confidence.
One of the summoned beasts charged toward Yusuke, its size even greater than Gamabunta.
"Don't interrupt me."
With one hand, Yusuke summoned a dense red sphere—Red—and crushed the creature effortlessly.
"Looks like Yusuke's really pissed off now," Tsunade observed grimly.
"Well, he is the overprotective big brother type," Jiraiya said, crossing his arms. "But didn't he say his eyes were damaged? Why is he revealing them again?"
"Fool. This isn't the time for questions. Watch closely," Orochimaru snapped.
Yusuke-kun… your body is truly magnificent, Orochimaru thought to himself. Yet even he knew—some powers were better left untouched.
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Meanwhile, Hiruko stared at Yusuke—equal parts admiration and fear stirring in his heart.
"Heh… Such overwhelming power. If I had met you earlier, maybe I wouldn't have chosen the Storm Release," Hiruko muttered.
Yusuke approached, step by step, until he stood right in front of Hiruko, gazing down at him.
"Is that all you have to say?" he asked calmly.
"Those eyes… What are they?!" Hiruko staggered backward, panic rising in his voice.
"You arrogant brat—!"
"No, the arrogant one is you," Yusuke cut him off, vanishing instantly and reappearing beside Hiruko.
"Monster Strength Punch!"
A heavy blow smashed into Hiruko's body, launching him into the ground with a thunderous crash.
"Steel Release!"
Hiruko immediately activated one of his Kekkei Genkai, encasing his body in a hardened metal shell.
"Oh? Not bad. Then let's try this—Armament Haki: Heavenly Guard Kick!"
Yusuke followed up with a fierce kick, coated in dark haki.
Hiruko raised his arm to block—but the sickening sound of bones shattering echoed across the field.
He quickly teleported away, trying to create distance.
"Impossible! He broke through my Steel Release?!" Hiruko yelled in disbelief.
"Steel Release? Is that supposed to be strong?" Yusuke asked, his cold eyes narrowing.
"Arrogant little—Stop acting so high and mighty!"
Hiruko retreated further, rapidly weaving hand seals.
"Storm Release: Thundercloud Lance!"
A dark storm formed above, hurling a deadly bolt of lightning straight at Yusuke. Lightning crackled violently, engulfing him in blinding flashes.
"DIE!!" Hiruko screamed.
But...
From within the storm, Yusuke stepped out slowly, completely unharmed.
"That's it?" he said quietly. "I think I've entertained you long enough."
In a blink, he teleported in front of Hiruko and slammed a heavy punch into his ribs.
Hiruko flew back, bones cracking under the pressure.
But Yusuke wasn't done. He instantly warped again, this time behind him, activating Infinity, and smashed Hiruko into the ground with immense force.
"Who... are you…?!" Hiruko gasped. The boy looked like Kakashi—but the power, the technique… was monstrous. What kind of creature is he?!
"Dead men don't need answers," Yusuke replied coolly.
He teleported once more, reappearing in front of Hiruko.
"Steel Release: Heavy Fist!"
"Dark Release: Suction Hole!"
A sudden shockwave sent Yusuke flying backward, slammed by a powerful counterstrike.
"Dark Release…? It disrupted my Infinity?" Yusuke muttered seriously.
"Yusuke got knocked back?!" Jiraiya exclaimed in disbelief.
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, deep in thought.
"Hahaha! Brat! I've found your weakness now!" Hiruko shouted triumphantly.
"Idiot," Yusuke said coldly.
The reason I was knocked back isn't because he broke through my Infinity.
The truth is, Infinity requires precise control between chakra and Rinnegan vision. My six-tomoe ability—Susanoo-no-Mikoto—allows atomic-level control over space. Techniques like Heavenly Subjugation of the Hand and alternate dimensions stem from that.
It's like knowing 1 + 1 = 2, but not understanding why. That's how the Sage of Six Paths was with Infinity. Even if you know the theory, you can't use it without the right foundation.
Dark Release interrupted me because I didn't fully engage the system's control.
But if I focus… that interference won't mean anything. Besides… I can see the future with my Observation Haki.
And honestly? I haven't even used it yet. I didn't think someone like Hiruko was worth the effort.
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