UTBW: Ch. 40

"Over in the One Piece world, three months passed in a flash. But time here hasn't moved at all. It really feels surreal..." Junichi walked into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror.

In the mirror, reflected was a broad-shouldered, muscular man with a powerful build. His muscles were full and solid. He had grown to 1.9 meters tall, and his features had become more rugged and masculine, with none of the gloominess of his former self.

"Armament Haki, Observation Haki, the realm of a Great Swordsman, Rokushiki..."

Feeling the power coursing through his body, he squinted. He felt incredibly at ease. He was now dozens of times stronger than before he crossed worlds.

Immense power brought a deep sense of security.

"They're here?"

He felt a flicker in his mind and looked toward the door. In his Observation Haki's perception, a young man with a chilling, ominous aura in his eyes was approaching his home.

"Hehehehe…" Junichi chuckled softly and drew the cursed blade that had returned with him.

---

Outside the door, Itachi flicked blood off his blade as he approached Junichi's home.

This is the place.

He glanced at the doorplate, nodded slightly. Once I'm inside, I'll use genjutsu to control him and interrogate the secrets.

Let's see what was really behind his reaction earlier. If nothing's wrong, I'll kill him.

Just earlier, when Junichi came out and saw him killing someone from afar, he didn't rush over angrily like the other clan members. Instead, he calmly went back into his home.

That calmness made Itachi feel something was off. But he didn't give it too much thought.

After all, Junichi was just chunin who hadn't awakened his Sharingan. Even if he had a secret, it couldn't be anything major.

While thinking, he raised his foot and kicked the door open.

Bang!

The door was violently blasted inward, flying into the house.

He was about to enter, when suddenly, a terrifying sense of danger spread through his entire body.

Goosebumps erupted inexplicably, and every muscle tensed. It felt like death was about to descend upon him.

Without hesitation, his eyes surged with power as he immediately unleashed the ultimate technique of the Mangekyō Sharingan: Susanoo!!

Whoosh!

A surge of ocular power fused with chakra, instantly forming a towering semi-humanoid skeletal figure, over ten meters tall.

At the same moment the skeleton appeared, a flying slash tore through the air, speeding toward him.

Screech!

Boom!!

Susanoo was directly blasted backward, sent flying dozens of meters, smashing through more than ten buildings.

He felt as if a mountain had crashed into him. Stars flashed in his vision, his head spun. His whole body surged with chaotic energy. He felt nauseated, on the verge of vomiting.

Cough, cough...

It took him a while to regain composure. He looked up. And with that one glance, his eyes widened, and his expression filled with horror.

His Susanoo had a deep crack torn through it.

That crack stretched almost all the way to his face, just three centimeters short of his forehead. It had nearly pierced Susanoo and wounded him.

It actually almost cut through Susanoo…

He couldn't believe it. Then he looked around.

Next to Susanoo, a deep gash had been carved into the street, stretching for over a hundred meters.

That slash... The other part sliced a hundred-meter gash into the street?

Tap. Tap. Tap...

He immediately looked up, staring tensely.

A tall, imposing man walked out.

"Who are you?" Itachi was taken aback, then spotted familiar traces on the man's face. His eyes widened in surprise. "Junichi?"

"Quick on the uptake, huh, Itachi." Junichi stepped out with his blade in hand. "Didn't think you'd survive that slash."

He smiled, then suddenly changed tone, his blade pointed straight at Itachi. As if sensing its master's killing intent, Oni-me began to emit a sinister, bloodthirsty aura, and the patterns on the blade glowed crimson like fresh blood.

"But that's fine. I'll send you off."

---

At the same time, around the Uchiha district, many clan members resisting Root's assault turned to look toward the source of the commotion.

"A red skeletal giant… That's Susanoo!"

"Someone awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"

"Damn, it's him, isn't it?"

"Most likely."

But instead of excitement, dark expressions crossed their faces. They all had the same thought, the one who awakened the Mangekyō could only be Itachi.

"Hold on, this might actually be a good thing," someone suddenly said.

Everyone paused, then quickly caught on. They looked out toward the distant half-formed skeletal figure. Some were guessing, some shocked, some deep in thought, some quietly amused.

"Did Susanoo get knocked down?"

"Who did it?"

"No idea, but definitely not someone from the Third Hokage's side."

"Seems like there are more secrets hidden in the clan than we thought."

A group of people started casually chatting. After all, the Third Hokage's forces had already come knocking, nothing that happened now could make things worse.

But in a corner, a masked man with a swirling pattern, and a shadowy black humanoid figure, watched silently.

These two weren't nearly as relaxed.

"Your clan is full of surprises," the humanoid figure said with a strange tone.

"It was only pushed back," the masked man replied coldly, "And that was just the initial stage of Susanoo, it hasn't revealed its true power yet. Just wait, once Itachi gets serious, no matter who's on the other side, they won't stand a chance."

---

Meanwhile, Fugaku stared in shock at the fallen red Susanoo.

"That's... Itachi's Susanoo, right? It actually got knocked down?"

He looked stunned, his eyes flickering with emotion.

Mikoto looked at him in confusion.

"Mikoto, things might be changing," Fugaku said with a rare look of hope. "It seems like the clan's destruction... might not be set in stone after all."

---

At the Hokage's office, Hiruzen and Danzō stared at the fallen Susanoo. Both were speechless.

They couldn't believe their eyes.

Wasn't Susanoo supposed to be the ultimate ocular technique of the Mangekyō Sharingan?

Yet it had been slashed to the ground?

"Does the Uchiha clan have any particularly skilled swordsmen?" Hiruzen asked, rubbing his forehead and frowning at Danzō.

When it came to knowing the Uchiha, no one surpassed him.

"To my knowledge, none!" Danzō said after some serious thought, shaking his head with certainty.

Hearing this, Hiruzen's expression grew grave.

If that's the case... this is bad. An unexpected variable has appeared.

"Support Root's operation," the Third Hokage ordered after a long pause.

From the corner of the office, an ANBU stepped out, bowed, and then leapt out through the window.

"…"

Danzō looked like he wanted to object, but stayed silent.

The ANBU's involvement would make it harder for him to secretly collect Sharingan. But considering the unexpected turn of events, and the possibility that Itachi might not be able to carry out the Uchiha extermination, he had no choice but to accept the backup.