Chapter 28: The True Power of Ryūjin Jakka
Upon hearing his older brother Hiashi's words, Hizashi immediately focused his Byakugan to observe the chakra flow within Yusuke.
"What? Uchiha Yusuke is using Yin Release chakra to create those flames on his weapon? That's impossible!" Hizashi exclaimed in shock.
"That's exactly what puzzles me," Hiashi said gravely. "The flames on his weapon aren't genjutsu, and their temperature is incredibly high. I can't understand why Yin chakra is being used to fuel it."
After all, the unknown is what people fear the most. Yusuke's mysterious power made Hiashi uneasy, especially because he couldn't fully comprehend it.
What Hiashi didn't know was that the flames weren't chakra-based at all—they originated from Ryūjin Jakka, Yusuke's Zanpakutō. The weapon drew its power from spiritual energy, and in the world of Naruto, spiritual energy was typically categorized under Yin chakra.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Shisui was beginning to run out of stamina. Though his Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) and Phantom Clones were less draining than pure taijutsu like Might Guy's, the exertion still took its toll.
Yusuke, who had been relentlessly pursuing him using the Blazing Trail Technique (Enrou no Jutsu), noticed the change. As Shisui's stamina and chakra dwindled, his speed decreased, causing the number of Phantom Clones sustained by his Shunshin technique to gradually drop—from sixteen to just eight.
Seizing the opportunity, Yusuke launched a sweeping slash, his blade wreathed in an extended trail of fire, instantly engulfing seven of the clones.
At that very moment, Yusuke knew: the remaining, untouched clone had to be the real Shisui.
He activated Enrou no Jutsu once more. Half of his body surged out from the blaze behind Shisui, Ryūjin Jakka blazing in his hand, poised for the final strike.
"Shisui, if you have no trump card left, then this ends here."
Sensing the overwhelming killing intent behind him, Shisui had no time to dodge. With no choice left, he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan. The three-tomoe pattern in his eyes instantly morphed into a spinning shuriken-like design with four sharp spokes.
"Susanoo!"
A towering green skeletal structure materialized around him, shielding Shisui from the crimson arc of flame.
Yusuke swiftly used the recoil from his slash to leap back, widening the distance between them. Landing lightly, he observed the newly-formed half-body Susanoo before him.
Gasps erupted from the audience. Most had never heard of the Mangekyō Sharingan, let alone witnessed the legendary Susanoo.
At the arena's edge, Uchiha Fugaku—his own Mangekyō already activated—recognized the ability immediately.
After a moment of stunned silence, Fugaku's expression turned conflicted. On one hand, he was thrilled: Shisui had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, meaning the clan had gained another Kage-level powerhouse. On the other hand, he was troubled: not only had Shisui hidden his awakening, he was now using the Mangekyō's precious and irreplaceable visual power in a public match—against a fellow Uchiha.
If possible, Fugaku would've rushed into the ring to stop them. But under the scrutiny of the entire village during an official duel, all he could do was wait anxiously on the sidelines.
Elsewhere in the stands, the Third Hokage remained calm. Danzo, however, was visibly shaken.
"Shisui has already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan! What is his ability?" Danzo asked the Third, his voice tense.
"It's a genjutsu," the Third replied slowly. "One powerful enough to permanently alter a person's thoughts."
Danzo's expression darkened. "That's far too dangerous… It must be under my—" He caught Hiruzen's gaze and quickly corrected himself. "—our control."
"Shisui is someone we can trust," the Third said simply, turning his attention back to the battle.
"No," Danzo snapped. "No Uchiha can be trusted. The risk is too great. We must take action."
But Hiruzen didn't respond, his gaze lingering on Yusuke, whose face remained completely calm despite the appearance of Susanoo.
On another side of the arena, Genma Shiranui narrowed his eyes at the massive green skeleton. "What is that thing? Some sort of summoning? I've never seen a creature that strange before."
Kakashi's face was serious. "No… it's not a summoning technique. This is likely a unique power of the Sharingan. Look at Shisui's eyes."
Everyone turned their attention to Shisui's eyes and immediately noticed the difference—the tomoe had transformed into an unfamiliar, ominous design.
"What kind of Sharingan is that?" Asuma asked, looking to Kakashi.
Kakashi shook his head. "I don't know. But maybe because I also have a Sharingan, I can feel it—this skeletal figure… its chakra feels malevolent."
Back in the center of the arena, Yusuke stared calmly at Shisui's Susanoo.
"So it's Susanoo, huh? You do know that the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan can't be replenished, right? Is wasting that power on this fight… really worth it?"
"Of course it is!" Shisui replied. "You recognized the Mangekyō and Susanoo—so you must understand the gap between us."
"I don't want to hurt you, senpai. Please, just surrender."
Yusuke shook his head. "The Mangekyō is powerful, no doubt. But it's still not enough to defeat me."
As he spoke, Yusuke released the power of the Dual Polarity Cursed Seal (Ryōgi Jūin). Though the Nine-Tails' chakra stored within hadn't fully recharged yet, he felt it was more than enough for Shisui.
"In that case…" Shisui said, his eyes blazing. "Senpai, prepare yourself!"
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Just as Shisui was about to make his move, he suddenly noticed a shocking transformation occurring in Yusuke.
Dark curse marks began to spread from Yusuke's neck, climbing up to cover his entire face. His exposed hands were quickly enveloped by the same black markings.
As the marks covered more of Yusuke's body, all the chakra-sensitive shinobi in the area could sense his chakra rapidly intensifying—far beyond what any normal ninja should possess.
Not only Shisui, who stood directly in front of him, but also everyone in the audience was stunned by Yusuke's sudden transformation.
Both Yusuke and Shisui had already displayed extraordinary, never-before-seen abilities during today's match. It left the entire crowd in awe—once again proving that the Uchiha Clan truly lived up to its reputation as the strongest in the Leaf.
"How could there be such an overwhelming Yin Release chakra… Even a Tailed Beast couldn't compare," murmured Hiashi Hyuga, who was observing from the stands with his Byakugan active.
Through his enhanced vision, he could clearly see the immense surge of Yin chakra coursing through every pathway in Yusuke's chakra network.
Beside him, Hiashi's elder brother, Hizashi, stood silent with furrowed brows. As the head of the Hyuga Clan, he felt a growing sense of unease—an overwhelming sense of danger.
Despite both clans being elite families of the Leaf, it was becoming increasingly clear that the Uchiha's top talents vastly outclassed the Hyuga. Even the two young men battling before him now—he had to admit, he wouldn't stand a chance against either of them.
At the center of his towering green Susanoo, Shisui began to strike. The skeletal arms of the Susanoo extended outward, one of them forming a massive spiral sword.
With a swift motion, the Susanoo raised its blade and lunged at Yusuke. Though gigantic, its movements were incredibly fast.
Yusuke didn't budge.
Instead, he began drawing on the immense reserves of Yin chakra from the Nine-Tails sealed within him. At the same time, he activated the power of his Zanpakutō—Ryūjin Jakka.
Suddenly, the flames on Yusuke's blade surged violently, their color shifting from crimson red to radiant golden-red. A blazing ring of fire trailed behind him, forming a burning halo.
"This… this is the true power of Ryūjin Jakka. I've done nothing but disgrace this legendary flame-type Zanpakutō until now," Yusuke thought, feeling the blade pulse with joy in his hand.
The entire arena grew unnaturally dry under the influence of his sword. The crowd's gaze shifted from the colossal Susanoo to the inferno blazing on Yusuke's weapon.
"Enkyo."
(Blazing Barrier)
With a sweeping motion, Yusuke summoned a ring of golden-red flames around himself. It intercepted the spiral sword in an instant.
When the Susanoo's weapon collided with the fiery barrier, a violent explosion erupted. The shockwave forced both Shisui and his Susanoo several steps backward. Worse, the spiral sword was blown in half—only a broken fragment remained in its grip.
Enkyo was the first time Yusuke truly unleashed one of Ryūjin Jakka's core abilities. Though he had previously achieved Shikai, his lack of energy made it impossible to access the sword's true potential.
Now, with the Nine-Tails' near-limitless Yin chakra behind him, Yusuke finally had the power to wield it properly. However, the sword's techniques were so energy-intensive that even the Nine-Tails' reserves could only support a few moves before being drained.
Staring at the shattered blade in his Susanoo's hand, Shisui's expression twisted in disbelief. "Impossible…"
He knew the durability of the Susanoo better than anyone—how could its weapon be destroyed so easily? What kind of fire was that?
Ignoring Shisui's shock, Yusuke spoke calmly:
"Shisui… you'd better push your Susanoo to its highest form."
"Because my next strike—could very well kill you."
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