The battlefield was still, save for the faint crackle of energy in the air. Yami, standing with his back to the destroyed mountain, loomed like a dark figure, his demonic aura radiating out from him like a violent storm. His body was a twisted amalgamation of human and demonic energy, a terrifying, otherworldly form that even Orochimaru and Sasuke had never seen before.
Yami's gaze locked onto Orochimaru, who was struggling to recover from the brutal onslaught he had just endured. His body was battered, blood dripping from his mouth, and his movements were sluggish. Yami was not done—he was moments away from ending it all. Orochimaru, a once-feared figure, would meet his end today.
But as Yami stepped forward, a flicker of movement caught his eye—faster than the wind, Sasuke appeared in his peripheral vision, charging toward him with the deadly intent of his Chidori. The blue, crackling energy of the lightning-based technique swirled around Sasuke's hand like a spear of death, and he aimed for Yami's chest with precision.
It was a perfect strike. Or so it seemed.
In an instant, the entire scene seemed to slow. Yami's eyes flared with an unnatural intensity, his demonic energy flaring as his body reacted before his conscious mind could even process the threat. His reaction time, honed over years of combat and amplified by the pact with the demon, kicked in. Sasuke's Chidori, moving at lightning speed, was a blur—a deadly spear of pure energy aimed at his chest.
But to Yami, it was like watching a leaf fall in slow motion.
His body flickered like a shadow, and in the blink of an eye, Yami was there—his hand snapping out with the speed of light, intercepting Sasuke's wrist with a grip of iron. Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief as he tried to pull back, but Yami's strength was overwhelming. Without hesitation, Yami yanked Sasuke downward, the force sending him crashing face-first into the ground, only for Yami to raise his other hand high into the air.
Sasuke gasped as Yami's hand collided with his throat, lifting him off the ground as though he weighed nothing. His windpipe constricted under Yami's grip, and the young Uchiha's eyes began to bulge, the air leaving his lungs as he dangled helplessly in the air. Sasuke's legs kicked weakly, his Sharingan spinning wildly in a desperate attempt to break free, but Yami's grip was unyielding.
The speed with which Yami had moved was incomprehensible. Sasuke couldn't even form words, his body frozen in place by Yami's overpowering force.
"Not fast enough, Sasuke," Yami's voice growled, cold and detached, as he held Sasuke aloft by his neck. His golden eyes locked onto Sasuke's with a chilling intensity. "You still have so much to learn."
Sasuke's vision blurred as he struggled for air, his hands clawing at Yami's wrist, but it was futile. Yami's form remained unwavering, like a mountain that no storm could topple.
But just as Yami prepared to finish Sasuke, a sharp, hissing sound broke the stillness. Orochimaru, still recovering but with malice in his eyes, launched one final desperate attack. From his mouth came a massive snake, coiled and ready to strike, its fangs bared with deadly intent. The creature moved with lightning speed, aiming to sink its fangs into Yami's exposed side.
Sasuke, his breath still rasping, managed to turn his head toward the snake's advance. His vision was clouded, his throat constricted, but he could still see it—a massive serpent closing in, fangs gleaming.
But Yami was already several steps ahead.
In a flash, he let go of Sasuke and flicked his wrist. A crackling, intense burst of energy shot forth from Yami's body—a surge of dark, destructive power that filled the air with an overwhelming presence. It wasn't just a strike; it was the essence of Azaroth, the demon bound to his soul.
From Yami's back, a massive, ethereal figure began to form, an avatar of Azaroth, cloaked in black and surrounded by flames of eerie, hellish light. The being towered above him, its eyes glowing like molten gold, its presence like a cataclysm unleashed. The snake that Orochimaru had summoned charged forward, but it was met by an infernal blaze that engulfed it in an instant.
The serpent let out an ear-splitting shriek as its body was consumed by the flames. Its flesh burned to ash in mere moments, the acrid scent of charred scales filling the air. Yami's power was absolute.
Orochimaru watched in stunned silence, his eyes wide with fear and disbelief as the snake disintegrated into nothing but ash and smoke. The avatar of Azaroth faded as quickly as it had appeared, but the mark of its presence lingered, the air thick with its dark energy.
"Foolish," Yami muttered coldly, his eyes shifting back to Orochimaru, who stood frozen in place, his mind reeling from the sheer power Yami had just displayed. "Did you think I was powerless? Did you think your tricks would work?"
Yami's hands clenched into fists, and in a single motion, he hurled Sasuke to the ground like a ragdoll. Sasuke hit the ground with a sickening thud, his body limp and unmoving. His chest heaved as he gasped for air, his body aching from the pressure of Yami's grip. He had never been so helpless in his life.
Yami's cold eyes flickered toward Orochimaru next, his body still crackling with energy. He wasn't finished. Not by a long shot.
Orochimaru's throat tightened as he backed away, his usual smirk replaced by uncertainty. He wasn't sure what kind of being Yami had become, but it was clear that he had crossed a line. Orochimaru wasn't just facing a powerful ninja; he was facing something beyond even his comprehension.
Yami took a step forward, the ground beneath his feet cracking under the sheer force of his energy. His voice was a low growl as he addressed Orochimaru.
"You came here to destroy me. To take everything I hold dear. But you're already too late."
Orochimaru's eyes flicked to Sasuke's fallen form, and he hesitated. The thought of retreating was there, but his pride wouldn't allow it. He wasn't one to run. Not from a challenge like this.
But then Yami did something that froze both him and Sasuke in place—he released a burst of energy so intense that the very air seemed to distort, bending under the pressure. Yami's aura expanded outward in a surge, shaking the trees and ground around them. It was like the world itself was being torn apart by his presence.
Orochimaru looked at him, his breath shallow, realizing too late that this was not a fight he could win.
Sasuke, still struggling to recover, looked up at Yami with a mixture of awe and fear. He couldn't believe the power radiating from him. Yami wasn't just a man anymore. He was something far greater—something that even he, with his Sharingan, couldn't begin to comprehend.
Yami took a final step toward them, and the world around them seemed to hold its breath. This wasn't just a battle—it was the end of an era.