Chapter XX: The Taisega Prodigy
Itachi stares at Zuko, disbelief clouding his usually stoic features. The words echo in his mind, but he refuses to accept them. His teeth grit, a storm of thoughts clashing inside him as he dismisses the possibility of truth.
"There's no possible way that was a clone," he says, his voice cold but tinged with doubt, as he locks eyes with the black-haired boy before him.
Zuko smiles again, the expression sinister yet somehow calm. His Shaolin flares brightly in the dim light of the cave, glowing with an eerie, ethereal power that seems to pulse with each beat of the air.
"You had a difficult time defeating it, but the sad reality is that the clone only received minuscule fractions of Lord Gyatsō's true power," Zuko explains. The confidence in his tone is maddeningly calm, almost condescending.
Itachi shakes his head, disbelief still gnawing at him, but his mind begins to race.Could he be right?A subtle unease tugs at the edges of his consciousness. There had been something... off about Gyatsō's chakra. It hadn't felt right.
"If what you're saying is true... then I cannot hope to defeat him on my own," Itachi mutters, more to himself than to Zuko, the weight of his own words settling like lead in his chest.
In the blink of an eye, Zuko is suddenly in front of him, faster than Itachi can react. He grabs him by the neck with a swift, almost casual motion. Itachi's eyes widen in shock as he feels Zuko's cold, unrelenting grip tighten.
"I'm glad you see the picture," Zuko murmurs, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "However..."
A dark aura shifts around Zuko as his Curse Mark partially activates, the faint, dark lines in his eyes beginning to increase in number. Itachi feels an unnerving pulse of power radiate from him, and in the next instant, Zuko's Shaolin morphs ominously, evolving into the Mūgetsu Shaolin. The energy around him is suffocating, as if the very air is charged with an ancient, dangerous force.
"I'm an even bigger monster..." Zuko whispers, his voice barely a breath, and Itachi feels a shiver crawl up his spine. A violent gust of wind forces him backward, his body lifting off the ground and flying several feet away. He manages to recover mid-air, his feet hitting the stone floor with a heavy thud as he lands, looking over at Zuko with clenched teeth.
I have to defeat this boy in order to pursue Gyatsō, even if I could be outmatched. The thought fuels him, giving him a renewed sense of determination, even in the face of such overwhelming power.
Zuko appears above him, almost like a phantom, and before Itachi can fully register his movement, Zuko drives his foot forward, connecting with Itachi's chest. The impact is devastating, sending him crashing into the ground with enough force to crack the very stone beneath him. Itachi gasps, the wind knocked out of him, as pain shoots through his body.
The last Taisega clan member doesn't give him a moment's respite. He swiftly crawls onto Itachi's form, pinning him down with one hand. A wicked laugh escapes Zuko's lips as he looks down at the Uchiha, smirking.
"We can't have Lord Gyatsō fuse with a mere Reanimation, can we? That simply won't give him as much power compared to fusing with a live subject," Zuko taunts, his voice cold and mocking. "You can thank me for fully returning you to life later, Itachi!"
Itachi's eyes narrow as he stares up at Zuko, his confusion momentarily giving way to suspicion. What did he just say?
Zuko, still laughing to himself, begins performing hand signs with effortless precision, his gaze never leaving Itachi's face.
"Our comrade Nagato had certain limitations to this jutsu," Zuko says with an air of superiority, as if he's explaining a mere triviality. "But... my jutsu surpasses his thanks to the Taisega's Shaolin!"
He slaps his hands together, completing the final hand sign with fluid grace.
"And now... the Perfected Art of Rinne Rebirth!" Zuko declares triumphantly, his voice filled with a wicked excitement.
The air seems to tremble as a massive figure begins to emerge behind Zuko—the King of Hell. Itachi's eyes widen, his heart skipping a beat as he takes in the figure's imposing presence. The Rinnegan-bearing figure opens its mouth, releasing an unsettling, otherworldly energy. Green streams of light swirl rapidly within, coiling in a vortex before shooting out like a torrent, crashing violently into Itachi's body.
Itachi gasps, his chest burning as the light envelops him. He feels his body begin to shift—his eye sclera turning white, his form turning from a paper-like texture back into normal flesh. His mind races as his body rapidly recovers, the healing energy of the technique coursing through him.
With a sudden burst of speed, Itachi leaps from beneath Zuko, jumping backward and gaining distance between them. His chest heaves, but his eyes stay sharp, focused, calculating. He watches as Zuko stands there, smug and assured, the remnants of the King of Hell still swirling behind him.
Itachi stares at his own hand, flexing his fingers as he lets out a low breath. His mouth opens slightly, disbelief still etched on his face as he processes the overwhelming power he's facing.
"You..." he begins, his voice heavy with the realization of the new battle he's about to face.
Zuko nods, a wide grin spreading across his face, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. He stands tall, unbothered, and his words carry a hint of amusement.
"You're no longer a Reanimation," he says, his voice smooth and self-assured. "I only brought you back to life so Lord Gyatsō can receive the entirety of your powers."
Itachi scoffs, the sound laced with disdain, his sharp gaze narrowing as he looks up at Zuko.
"Careful. I'm no longer a weakened moving corpse," Itachi warns. "So, my chances of defeating you have increased significantly." His expression hardens, eyes flicking with suspicion as he focuses on Zuko. "But about the jutsu you just used... to my understanding, the Art of Rinne Rebirth jutsu cannot revive anyone who's been dead for so long."
Zuko's smile only widens, and he begins walking toward Itachi, his every step exuding a sense of unshakable confidence.
"As I said," Zuko replies, "my Shaolin allowed me to perfect the jutsu. If only Orochimaru had taught me the Reanimation. jutsu.. I could've forced you to fight your late father. Maybe even your entire clan!"
The words sting, but Itachi's focus sharpens. His fists clench as a flicker of rage threatens to break through his calm exterior. He grits his teeth.
"You talk too much."
Without warning, Itachi dashes forward, his hands moving in a blur, performing a series of hand signs with precision and speed. His muscles coil with energy.
"Your arrogance ends here, Zuko. Just like you."
He reaches into his pouch, pulling out several shuriken with practiced ease. With a flick of his wrist, the small blades burst into flames, their fiery forms cutting through the air toward Zuko. The heat of the fire adds an extra layer of danger to the weapons.
But Zuko moves with speed that matches his confidence. In a fluid motion, he leaps to the side, his cloak billowing behind him, narrowly dodging the shuriken. His face twists in mock disappointment, the corners of his lips curving down ever so slightly.
"A most pitiful display," the boy mutters, almost bored. "You'll have to do much better than that."
Itachi's eyes narrow, his mind already calculating his next move. He knows Zuko isn't finished. This battle is only beginning.
In a blur of motion, Itachi suddenly appears behind Zuko, his kunai flashing in the dim light. Without hesitation, Zuko raises two fingers, his gaze locked on his opponent with a calm, almost predatory focus. The moment the kunai strikes, it clangs violently against the mysterious, dark substance now coating Zuko's fingers. The blade shudders with the force of the impact, but it doesn't penetrate—only skimming across the impenetrable black material. The strange substance gleams with an eerie, unnatural luster, reflecting the light in a way that seems almost otherworldly.
Zuko's fingers remain steady, unyielding as ever, as he watches for Itachi's next move, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He's already several steps ahead, his mind calculating, waiting for Itachi's next strike.
Itachi swiftly releases the kunai, before launching himself into the air. In a single motion, he grabs onto Zuko's shoulder, using his momentum to swing his body around. He then skillfully shifts his weight, pulling Zuko in the opposite direction and sending him hurtling back with incredible force. Zuko crashes into the ground, skidding across the surface, dust and debris swirling around him. With a grunt, the younger male slowly pushes himself to his feet, eyes locked onto Itachi with renewed focus.
"That's the last time you touch me..."
Zuko then suddenly appears behind Itachi. As soon as Itachi whips his body around, Zuko harshly kicks him in the chin to send him flying upwards. He then appears next to Itachi's body, grabbing his arm and applying his full body weight to twist it. This results in making Itachi's body spin rapidly midair. Zuko then kicks the Uchiha in the stomach, sending him flying down at great speed.
"He's taking this a lot more seriously now,"Itachi says through a pained exhale. "Such spe—"
The Taisega appears below Itachi, directing a punch to his spinal cord. He then grabs Itachi's arm again, pulling him down to the ground then roughly pushing his body forward. He continues to land lightning-fast punches in the back, each blow connecting to his spinal cord. After one last punch, he kicks him forward, sending Itachi sliding against the stone ground.
"Not bad... but not good enough, Zuko."
Itachi's body shifts and warps, morphing into a cloud of crows. They swirl in the air with frenetic energy, all of them streaking towards Zuko. Without hesitation, Zuko pulls a kunai from his belt and tightens his grip on the handle. He leans forward slightly, his senses razor-sharp, ready to react if the crows turn into deadly shuriken.
"This little trick again? So boring," Zuko sneers, his tone dismissive.
The crows begin to gather, fusing together in a single cohesive form. Moments later, Itachi's body reappears from the mass of black feathers, standing tall and steady before Zuko.
"I suppose it's time I use my full ability. If I have to..." Itachi says lightly, a hint of anticipation in his voice.
Zuko raises an eyebrow, the faintest frown crossing his features as he watches Itachi.
"Stop holding back, then. It's pointless anyway," Zuko retorts, his voice sharp, full of confidence. A sick, evil smile spreads on his lips. "Do you think... that your slain Uchiha brethren are watching on right now? I will show them... the true power of the Shaolin."
Itachi's lips curl into a small smile of his own as he steps forward, his eyes gleaming with an unreadable intensity.
"Do your best to show me, Zuko Taisega. I'll see for myself how you compare to Gyatsō," he says, his tone light yet full of quiet authority.
Zuko takes a step forward too. He tears off his Osore cloak, tossing it aside effortlessly. Beneath it, he wears a sleeveless light blue shirt that clings to his frame, and slightly darker shorts. As he moves, the black seal on his neck pulses with an ominous red glow. Black markings begin to creep up from the seal, spreading across his neck and arms like ink spilling from an open wound.
"I have to thank you, though," Zuko continues, his voice colder now. "This battle will finally determine which clan is truly more powerful, Itachi. I wonder which clan has the superior visual prowess..."
The two shinobi are now mere inches apart, Shaolin and Sharingan locked in a deadly, unspoken challenge. They stare at each other, their breathing slow and deliberate, each preparing for what's to come.
"Uchiha or Taisega?" they both ask, almost in unison, as the tension between them builds to a near breaking point.