The very air vibrated with the raw power unleashed by Raiga's Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning. Countless violet bolts tore through the ground, leaving scorched earth and splintered trees in their wake. For a fraction of a second, Sasuke was engulfed in the chaotic display of electrical energy, but then, with a subtle ripple in the air, his form vanished, reappearing several meters away in a burst of speed – the Body Flicker Technique executed with practiced precision.
'That jutsu is far more widespread and potent than I anticipated,' Sasuke thought, his Sharingan tracing the lingering arcs of electricity. 'Direct confrontation with that is suicide.'
Without a moment's hesitation, his hands blurred through a series of swift hand seals. Two puffs of smoke erupted beside him, solidifying into identical copies of himself – Shadow Clones. The coordination was seamless, a testament to Sasuke's growing mastery over the versatile technique.
The first clone instantly began to gather chakra in its palm, a swirling vortex of raw energy taking shape – the Rasengan.
The second clone's hand crackled with familiar blue energy, the distinct sound of a thousand birds chirping echoing in the tense atmosphere – the Chidori.
With a synchronized burst of speed, the clones launched themselves towards Raiga from the right and left, weaving through the remaining tendrils of the Lightning Burial. The real Sasuke, meanwhile, continued to utilize the Body Flicker, darting erratically to avoid any stray bolts of lightning while simultaneously closing the distance.
Raiga, still channeling the immense power of his jutsu, unleashed another surge of violet energy from the ground. The lightning spread outwards with alarming speed and intensity, turning the immediate area into a deadly electrical field.
Just as the clones were within a meter of Raiga, their respective attacks poised to strike, the intensified Lightning Burial erupted beneath them. Twin explosions of pure energy engulfed the clones, the raw power overwhelming their chakra constructs. With two soft "poofs," they vanished, dispelled by the sheer force of Raiga's attack.
'Ranmaru…' Sasuke surmised instantly. The uncanny accuracy with which Raiga's lightning had tracked and eliminated his clones could only be attributed to the young boy's unique perceptive abilities. The constant stream of information was giving Raiga an undeniable edge.
While his clones had served their purpose – a momentary distraction and a probing attack – the real Sasuke had been observing the subtle shifts in his vision. His Sharingan felt… different.
The clarity seemed heightened, the ability to perceive minute details even more acute. 'My ocular power feels like it's increasing,' he mused internally, a flicker of excitement mixed with the urgency of the present situation. 'The system have registered a change in my Sharingan stats.'
However, this was not the time for self-assessment. Raiga, having dealt with the immediate threat of the clones, turned his attention back to the real Sasuke, his violet eyes burning with anger.
Raiga lunged forward, the Kiba blades flashing in deadly arcs, still crackling with residual lightning. Sasuke, now wielding only the broken half of his katana, was forced to rely solely on the Body Flicker to evade the relentless assault. He moved like a phantom, appearing and disappearing in bursts of speed, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp edges of the Kiba blades and the lingering electrical discharge.
'This can't continue,' Sasuke realized, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. The constant use of the Body Flicker was draining his chakra reserves, and the longer this fight dragged on, the greater the risk of attracting unwanted attention. The sheer scale of Raiga's Lightning Burial would undoubtedly be noticeable to anyone in the vicinity. 'I need to end this quickly.'
He needed to close the distance, to find an opening where his broken blade could still be effective, or better yet, create an opportunity for a decisive Genjutsu. With a renewed surge of chakra, Sasuke initiated another Body Flicker, this time aiming to close the gap between himself and Raiga.
As expected, Ranmaru's voice, though inaudible to Sasuke, continued to guide Raiga's movements. The lightning user anticipated Sasuke's trajectory, lashing out with a Kiba blade wreathed in crackling energy towards his predicted landing point. But at the last possible instant, Sasuke executed another lightning-fast Body Flicker, shifting his position laterally, a feint designed to exploit Raiga's reliance on Ranmaru's information.
Their eyes met. For a fleeting moment, the crimson of Sasuke's Sharingan locked onto Raiga's violet gaze. In that instant, Sasuke poured every ounce of his Genjutsu prowess into his ocular technique.
"Demonic Illusions : Double False Surroundings!"
The Genjutsu slammed into Raiga's mind like a physical blow. The world around the lightning user twisted and distorted. The familiar forest vanished, replaced by a disorienting and shifting landscape. The sensation was akin to being trapped within a hall of distorted mirrors, each reflection a potential threat.
Even as the Genjutsu took hold on rsiga, Ranmaru's frantic voice echoed in Raiga's mind, urging him to break free. "Raiga! He's coming! Behind you! No, to your left!" The conflicting information, based on the illusory surroundings, only served to further disorient the already ensnared Raiga.
His attempts to dispel the Genjutsu were hampered by the constantly shifting sensory input, his chakra flow becoming erratic and ineffective.
Sasuke, seizing the opportunity created by his Genjutsu, moved with lethal speed. He closed the remaining distance, his grip tightening on the hilt of his broken katana. The jagged edge, though no longer a full blade, was still sharp, still capable of inflicting a deadly wound.
Raiga thrashed within the confines of the illusion, his eyes wide with confusion and a dawning sense of dread. He could feel Sasuke's presence drawing closer, a cold premonition of his impending doom washing over him. He fought desperately to break free, but the layered illusion held him captive, a prisoner in his own mind.
Then, before Raiga could fully unravel the intricate web of Sasuke's Genjutsu, the real Sasuke was upon him. With a swift, precise movement, he brought the broken half of his katana down in a lethal arc. The sharpened edge sliced through the air, finding its mark with brutal efficiency.
Raiga's eyes widened in a final, silent scream as the broken blade severed his head from his shoulders. His body slumped to the ground, the violet glow fading from his eyes, the crackling energy around the Kiba blades dissipating into the still night air. The head rolled a short distance, the expression frozen in a mask of shock and disbelief.
Sasuke stood over the fallen form of Raiga Kurosuki, the broken hilt of his katana still clutched in his hand. The silence of the forest was broken only by his own ragged breathing. He had done it. He had defeated the lightning-wielding rogue ninja and, more importantly, the legendary Kiba blades lay within his grasp.
"Finally, Kiba Blades," said Sasuke with triumphant smile.