Naruto: Just Want To Be A Death God

Rain had begun to fall.

But the sparse trees of the Land of Fields couldn't shield against the wind and rain.

The "pitter-patter" was crisp and clear.

In a clearing in the forest...

Two black-haired, red-eyed men faced each other.

"Itachi, we finally meet again," Sasuke glared at the man opposite him, gritting his teeth. "Finally—"

"You've grown a lot, Sasuke," Uchiha Itachi stood with hands in his pockets, his tone calm. "But it's a pity..."

"You still haven't awakened the Mangekyō."

Sasuke reached for the sword at his waist. "I'm surprised that you came to me first."

"Saves me the trouble of hunting you down."

In a flash, he moved, slashing his sword toward Itachi.

"There's something I must ask you!"

"Tell me—who has that other Sharingan?"

Itachi drew a kunai and engaged in close combat.

But…

To outsiders, the two men just stood motionless, seemingly doing nothing.

"What are they doing?" Karin frowned as she sat on a branch, swinging her legs. "They're not fighting, and not talking either."

"A battle of genjutsu," the Yin Nine-Tails replied in a low voice.

"The Sharingan is especially good at genjutsu."

"That jutsu called Tsukuyomi, right?" Naruto focused on Itachi's transforming eyes.

He recalled what happened the last time he faced him—

The technique that dragged one's soul into a world under complete control.

Karin nodded thoughtfully.

Over ten minutes passed.

Inside both men, chakra surged violently.

Sasuke lifted his head, forming a single-hand sign before his chest.

Uchiha Itachi clutched his left eye. "Impressive, Sasuke."

"You broke through my Tsukuyomi."

Natural energy surged into Sasuke's body as he spoke calmly: "No matter how many illusions you cast with those eyes, my hatred will turn illusion into reality."

His body began to transform.

Purple markings appeared around his eyes. In the scarlet Sharingan, each tomoe became wrapped by a barbed black seal, twisting into vertical pupils with a golden sheen beneath the red.

His skin paled; scales emerged densely.

Two small horns sprouted from his head.

And from his back, a tail lashed out.

A formidable aura erupted.

"I'm no longer who I used to be."

His voice was even colder than before.

"Sage Mode?" Uchiha Itachi murmured. "I didn't expect..."

"You to have mastered such a power."

Sasuke lunged forward, slashing with his blade.

This time, it wasn't genjutsu—

It was a real, physical fight.

Itachi raised a kunai in defense.

But—

"Sage Transformation" brought more than just a shift in energy type—it increased power and speed.

Within a few moves,

Itachi was clearly at a disadvantage.

His face showed no panic. He used ninja tools and jutsu to supplement his attacks, and occasionally mixed in genjutsu. But with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and Sage Mode enhancing his resistance, Sasuke had strong defense against illusions.

Both formed hand signs simultaneously.

Itachi was faster.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

A giant fireball burst from his mouth, roaring toward Sasuke.

Sasuke was slightly slower—

But he used the same technique.

His version, empowered by sage chakra, was even larger and brighter, instantly devouring Itachi's flames.

Just then—

"Amaterasu!"

Itachi's low voice sounded as chakra surged in his right eye.

Black flames appeared within the giant fireball.

Though not massive or intense, these flames were on a higher level—capable of burning even sage chakra, though more slowly.

Sasuke flickered backward.

The black flames followed, tracking Itachi's gaze.

And—

With the Sharingan known for its insight, Itachi's gaze locked onto Sasuke's form no matter how fast he moved.

The flames spread in a circle, engulfing the forest.

Sasuke clicked his tongue.

He clapped his hands, forming a summoning seal.

White smoke burst—

A massive purple snake emerged, coiling around him.

"Sasuke! You summoned Lord Manda—" It didn't get to finish its sentence before black flames climbed its body, tearing into it in moments.

"You damned brat!"

It cursed before vanishing with a poof.

But in the brief moment it delayed—

Itachi faltered.

Sasuke, at the center of the coiled serpent, had vanished.

Where?

Itachi looked down instinctively.

From the shifting earth, lightning surged.

"Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear."

A straight, swift, and precise strike pierced Itachi's chest.

But at that instant—

A flock of crows burst apart.

The lightning spear exploded in a flash of electricity, obliterating every crow, black feathers and rain falling together.

"A crow clone!"

Sasuke frowned, spreading his senses.

When had Itachi used the jutsu?

Had he already anticipated Sasuke's intent the moment he summoned the beast?

He snapped his head to the left.

Itachi stood on a branch, leaning on the tree, breathing heavily.

"Amaterasu really takes a toll on you," Sasuke said softly. "If that's all your Mangekyō can do..."

"Then you're even weaker than I imagined, Itachi!"

He raised his hand.

"Die under the first jutsu I developed after mastering Sage Mode."

Natural energy surged—

Some rising into the sky.

The rest flowed into the earth, racing toward where Itachi stood.

Thunder rumbled in the clouds, stirred by the sage technique.

The land around Itachi began to emit strange energy, drawing electric clouds overhead.

"Sage Art: Ten-Thousand Flash Kirin!"

A bolt of lightning struck.

Electricity erupted, earth and trees shattered and scorched.

A blinding light allowed only the faint silhouette of a weakened figure to be seen.

But the technique wasn't done.

Another bolt fell.

And another—countless flashes of lightning rained down. The earth and forest were charred, the air thick with burnt smell.

Minutes passed before the charges in the clouds were spent and the jutsu ended.

Sasuke panted heavily.

The technique had originally been a lightning-style concept—he aimed to summon a lightning strike, using minimal chakra for maximum power.

After mastering Sage Mode,

He refined the idea with natural energy into a true Sage Art.

Though it consumed a lot of chakra,

Its power was tremendous.

Under such a bombardment, even Naruto would probably—

A weak voice interrupted his thoughts: "Such a powerful technique."

"But as an Uchiha..."

"As one who has unlocked the final evolution of the Sharingan..."

"My power is not limited to just those two ocular jutsu."

"You're wondering why I dared to come here, why I didn't run even after Uzumaki Naruto appeared."

"This is the answer."

Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief.

He's still alive?

After enduring that jutsu?

The rain cleared the smoke and ash, revealing a massive red skeletal armor, dozens of meters tall, enveloping Itachi completely.

Of course—

Taking the attack head-on cost him.

His face was flushed; blood stained his lips and teeth.

The half-body skeletal armor was riddled with cracks.

"This is the ultimate ability of the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"Susanoo."

Sasuke frowned, his features tightening.

Susanoo?

A power he'd never heard of.

Itachi raised his hand, trying to express something—but the loss of chakra, stamina, even life force, made it impossible.

"I have to commend the strength of that technique."

"You've truly grown, Sasuke."

"But if..."

"That was your trump card."

"Then hand over your eyes."

He summoned the last of his chakra.

The crimson skeletal armor solidified, its cracks healed. Muscles formed between the bones and armor, creating a full-bodied warrior.

It now stood tall, wielding two weapons—

A gourd in its right hand and a mirror in the left.

Just using the technique made him cough blood again—his life force growing ever weaker.

Susanoo struck with a massive swing.

Sasuke dodged.

Fortunately, the technique had no speed boost.

But his previous jutsu had drained him—his sage chakra nearly exhausted.

He needed one decisive blow.

He evaded several strikes, increasingly frantic.

He gritted his teeth, his eyes dark.

This giant's defense was overwhelming—tools and normal jutsu couldn't harm it.

Only a natural-energy infused Chidori technique might do damage.

But—

He couldn't use it lightly.

Itachi was confident in Susanoo's defense. He didn't think Sasuke could break through.

So Sasuke had one chance—

Kill him when his guard was completely down.

If that one strike failed, it'd only get harder.

Itachi looked calmly at Sasuke. "Looks like..."

"You really have no backup plan."

"Orochimaru didn't do anything to you either?"

Sasuke said nothing.

He was still trying to figure out how to break the situation.

Itachi glanced toward Naruto. "Looks like Orochimaru held back because of Uzumaki Naruto."

"That guy really is an unstable factor."

With that, he made his move.

The massive crimson Susanoo raised its right hand high—the gourd began to build overwhelming chakra.

Sasuke's eyes lit up.

A massive opening—his chance!

He just had to watch out for the gourd...

He approached cautiously, secretly gathering natural energy in his palm.

But—

Unexpectedly, the gourd didn't aim at him.

Its direction...

Was toward Naruto.

A crimson beam shot out from the gourd, growing in length and hurtling toward Naruto.

(End of Chapter)