Chapter 354: Instant Defeat of Sasuke
The interstitial space, in theory, cannot affect the real world.
Only those who can open and control this space can exert any influence from within it—and even then, only through physical force.
Ninjutsu and other forms of energy cannot be used inside the interstitial space.
Which is why Jiraiya, once inside, was unable to release any jutsu.
He hadn't entered the space of his own power, so naturally, he couldn't affect the real world like the shadows from Limbo: Border Jail could.
Li Yao placed him in the interstitial space so he could personally witness what consequences his damned coded message would bring upon Konoha.
In truth, Li Yao bore no grudge against Jiraiya. He simply wanted to enjoy the show.
…
Land of Lightning.
Among the brown mountain ranges, the sunset painted the entire landscape with a blood-red hue.
The "beaten-up" squad was traversing the rugged, blood-stained path toward Kumogakure, on a mission to capture the Eight-Tails.
After his battle with Itachi, Sasuke had received the so-called truth behind the Uchiha Clan's massacre from Tobi. His heart, struck by that cruel reality, burned solely with vengeance against Konoha.
Joining the Akatsuki was just the beginning.
"Who's there!"
Jūgo suddenly leapt ahead of the four, crouching slightly, his eyes fixed tensely on a mountain path twenty meters ahead.
Clang clang!
Sasuke and Suigetsu simultaneously unsheathed their swords, eyes sharp with vigilance as they stared forward.
But… there was no one there.
Sasuke, now with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan activated, couldn't detect any chakra presence.
Suigetsu, initially startled, now wore a baffled expression—there was no one ahead.
Instinctively, they both turned to Karin.
Karin, who had also been startled by Jūgo's sudden reaction, now looked just as confused.
Seeing Sasuke and Suigetsu glance at her, she shook her head. "I didn't sense anyone ahead. Jūgo, are you sure you didn't sense wrong?"
"Wait a minute…" Karin suddenly said, "You don't even have chakra sensing abilities!"
Among the four, Karin had the strongest chakra sensory skill—she could sense others from over ten kilometers away.
Sasuke's Sharingan allowed him to see chakra directly.
Suigetsu had some sensory capability, though very weak.
Only Jūgo had no chakra sensing ability at all. His power didn't come from ninjutsu, but pure natural energy.
If even she didn't sense anything, how had Jūgo?
Faced with his teammates' doubt, Jūgo only grew more alert. He didn't respond—instead, he picked up a stone and threw it toward the left side of the mountain path.
"See? No one there."
As expected, the stone passed through empty air and tumbled off the cliff to the left of the path—clear evidence that no one was there. Suigetsu smiled and shook his head, raising his Executioner's Blade to place it back on his back.
Sasuke said nothing, but sheathing his sword showed he too believed Jūgo had sensed incorrectly.
But just then, a voice of mild surprise came from ahead.
"Looks like you really can sense me."
"Who's there?!"
Sasuke and Suigetsu's expressions changed immediately. Their once-relaxed bodies tensed again, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads. They stared in shock toward the front.
Li Yao's shadow clone revealed himself from the air, looking at Jūgo with interest. "How did you do it?"
After locating Sasuke's team, the clone hadn't planned to attack outright. He'd intended to use his Hydration Permeation Technique to merge into the air, stealthily approach Jūgo, record his physical data, and leave unnoticed.
But while waiting on the mountain path for the group to approach, he was detected by Jūgo before even making a move.
At first, Li Yao assumed it was some sort of instinct. So he shifted positions—only to have another stone thrown his way.
Once he used Hydration Permeation to merge into air, his body essentially became gaseous. A stone should've passed right through him harmlessly.
Yet Jūgo still detected him.
This shocked and intrigued Li Yao. Even Black Zetsu and Madara couldn't sense him in that state—how had Jūgo?
Clearly, Jūgo had no intention of explaining.
And Sasuke was even less inclined to chat.
His thoughts a mess, he only wanted to fight.
So despite knowing this mysterious man was likely very powerful, Sasuke still raised his blade and—
So fast!
Just as he prepared to charge forward, Li Yao dashed in. His speed shocked Sasuke, who instinctively swung his blade to the left.
Li Yao's target was Jūgo. If he could capture him, he could figure out how Jūgo had sensed him while in Hydration Permeation.
Clang!
Li Yao reached Jūgo in an instant. Sasuke, with his Sharingan, had reacted just in time to swing his blade toward him.
Had Li Yao pressed forward with his attack on Jūgo, Sasuke's sword would have struck him.
Though Li Yao wasn't afraid of being hit, it was unnecessary.
With a thought, he summoned an ink-black staff in his left hand, infusing it with the Mass Technique—granting it a fictional weight of ten thousand tons. Then he struck the incoming blade with it.
BOOM!
The force surged through the blade and into Sasuke's hand.
Sasuke's pupils contracted—he felt like his full-force slash had slammed into a mountain-sized hammer. The recoil instantly blew the sword from his grip.
The skin on his right palm was torn away, leaving only mangled muscle.
And the real danger wasn't over yet!
"Dodge!"
Li Yao's ink staff continued swinging toward Sasuke's chest. Sasuke's Sharingan spun wildly, evolving into the Mangekyō Sharingan as he struggled to evade.
Though his visual response was fast, his body couldn't keep up. At that moment, he wasn't fast enough to dodge Li Yao's strike.
Just before impact, Sasuke managed to summon a thin layer of Susanoo over his chest as defense.
BOOM!
Sasuke was sent flying off the cliff like a cannonball. That meager layer of Susanoo couldn't stop the full force of Li Yao's ten-thousand-ton strike—it didn't even slow it down.
After swatting Sasuke away, Li Yao pivoted and kicked Suigetsu hard.
Unlike Sasuke, Suigetsu couldn't even react. He was launched into the mountain wall to the right, creating a deep crater.
The double takedown took only a moment.
By the time Li Yao reached Jūgo and grabbed him by the throat, both Jūgo and Karin were only just beginning to process what had happened.
"Sasuke!"
Karin, now aware of the situation, abandoned both Jūgo and Suigetsu. She leapt off the cliff, chasing after Sasuke's falling body.
To her, Sasuke was the only one who mattered. She couldn't care less about the lives of the others.
(END CHAPTER)
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