Chapter 8: Susanoo
"We got him!"
The opposing group cheered, smoothly dividing tasks with practiced precision.
One person grabbed the fallen Yamanaka Fu and rapidly retreated. Another stepped forward quickly, reaching out to catch the airborne Nine-Tails jinchuriki.
Their coordination flowed seamlessly, clearly the result of countless combat drills. The instant mind control succeeded, the entire squad immediately moved into predetermined tactical positions.
But before the advancing shinobi's hand touched Naruto's body, his vision suddenly brightened. Violent chakra currents erupted like an invisible wall slamming into him. He couldn't even assume a defensive posture before being blown away.
The mission imperative was steel-engraved into every Root member's heart. Even airborne, the shinobi forcibly twisted his body, arms desperately extending forward, reaching for Naruto who'd been blown away alongside him.
But suddenly a crimson energy hand appeared, grasping him like catching an ant. With a casual squeeze.
A bone-chilling sound of shattering bones rang out. Blood sprayed from between Susanoo's finger gaps, scattering under the moonlight, blooming into a vivid flower of life.
Like discarding trash, Yasushi casually threw the shinobi's mangled corpse to the ground while scooping Naruto back with the other hand.
"What is that thing!"
Yamanaka Fu violently coughed blood, groggily regaining consciousness. Propped against his companion, he stared at the towering half-body skeletal giant, his eyes widening in shock.
Having his jutsu broken injured him severely. Without his companion's protection, the chakra storm would have blown him away too.
"This is the Mangekyo Sharingan!"
Yasushi stood firmly on the ground, steadfast within Susanoo's rib cage. Wearing Itachi's face, he revealed his madness completely, laughing wildly: "So-called ninjutsu ultimately comes down to competing chakra intensity!"
"What secret techniques, forbidden jutsu—before the Mangekyo Sharingan, they're all just garbage!"
Everyone looked up in terror at the red chakra giant. Its overwhelming pressure made their breathing catch.
As Danzo's confidant, Yamanaka Fu knew many classified secrets, including information about Shisui and Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan.
But neither had previously displayed Susanoo's form in the village, so he'd somewhat misjudged this power.
Now experiencing it firsthand, he understood how vastly paper data differed from witnessing it personally.
Though only the first stage skeletal form, this power truly exceeded common sense—the kind of absurd thing that made ordinary shinobi despair upon seeing.
Under everyone's terrified gazes, Yasushi gripped the Nine-Tails jinchuriki in his left hand, pulling him close and placing him at his feet, protected by Susanoo. His right hand heavily struck down toward Aburame Ryoma who'd been blown away earlier.
The massive chakra palm descended with devastating momentum. Before the palm wind arrived, the ground already began cracking and sinking.
Ryoma panicked, hastily releasing destruction beetles for defense. But facing Susanoo's exaggerated attack, the insect sphere provided no obstruction whatsoever.
The dark swarm tore like paper before the giant palm, instantly scattered.
The destruction beetles emitted desperate buzzing, pulverized under the chakra's crushing force.
Ryoma had no choice but to sacrifice another insect clone to preserve his life.
Seeing Ryoma in danger, his two teammates rushed to rescue him.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
The composite jutsu unleashed its power again, overwhelming flames sweeping forth. But this time Uchiha Yasushi didn't even use ninjutsu. He simply swung the giant palm, breaking through the flame barrier, ignoring the scorching fire, directly tearing through the fire curtain. The resulting air currents reversed the flames into a vortex, falling toward both men.
Neither dared block directly, hurriedly dodging aside.
But Susanoo moved according to its user's will, sweeping horizontally to catch up with one figure. The giant palm opened, forcefully clenching.
"Ahh..."
Accompanied by a scream, that shinobi didn't even have a chance to use substitution jutsu before becoming a pile of meat paste, dying on the spot.
"Haha..."
Yasushi laughed wildly, filled with endless madness and pain, as if venting long-suppressed hatred and fury.
"See this?"
"This is what was obtained by trading the Uchiha clan's lives!"
"This is the power that old bastard Danzo obsessed over, desperately wanting to seize!"
"This is why the Third and those others feared from their hearts, determined to annihilate the Uchiha clan!"
With each wild declaration, Susanoo's offensive grew more violent. Crimson chakra roiled like boiling blood, the windmill pattern in his Sharingan spinning ever more frantically.
He used no jutsu at all, only slapping palm after palm. Each strike shook the earth, forcing everyone into desperate situations.
Yamanaka Fu and the others scurried about like rats. All their counterattacking jutsu only created ripples on Susanoo's body, not breaking its defense whatsoever.
"Damn it!" Yamanaka Fu gasped urgently. "How can Uchiha Itachi possibly be this strong?"
Aburame Ryoma's consumption was also severe. His already unhealthy complexion had turned transparently pale.
While continuing to release insects to interfere with the enemy's pursuit, he also exclaimed in amazement: "I only knew his genjutsu was formidable. The intelligence never mentioned he possessed something this absurd!"
"It seems Shisui also had Mangekyo Sharingan. If all Mangekyo Sharingan are this powerful, how did the Uchiha clan end up massacred?"
Yamanaka Fu silently glanced at him without saying anything, only shifting topics: "There's no point discussing this now. Susanoo's defense is too strong. We can't break through at all. Do any of you have powerful offensive jutsu you can use?"
Everyone shook their heads. "No. Even forbidden jutsu can't damage that energy giant."
Yamanaka Fu looked at Aburame Ryoma, who also shook his head: "If I'd known this guy's defense was so strong, we should have brought Torune. His Forbidden Technique: Jar Poison Technique is a large-scale poison gas attack, extremely difficult to defend against or cure. It might be able to penetrate."
"My insects can indeed absorb some chakra, but Itachi's chakra is absurdly abundant, practically like a Tailed Beast. Even if all my insects died, they couldn't drain his chakra."
"However, he's been standing stationary, and there's no trace of the giant's chakra beneath his feet. Perhaps we can attempt a breakthrough there."
"Beneath his feet?" While running circles around Susanoo, Yamanaka Fu glanced sideways and indeed spotted what seemed like a vulnerability. He immediately nodded. "This time I'll create the opportunity. You coordinate well."
"Remember, there's only one chance. You must strike true."
"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison, squeezing out their remaining chakra and rapidly circling Susanoo.