The morning streets of the village were filled with chaos. Heavy dust clouds rolled over the roofs, and the smell of smoke hung thick in the air.
Asuma jumped across the broken stone pavement, his boots slamming hard against the ground as he sprinted toward the destroyed dango shop.
Kurenai was running right behind him, her eyes wide with worry as she struggled to keep pace with his long, urgent strides.
Suddenly, a sharp, piercing sound cut through the heavy smoke.
CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP!
It sounded like thousands of birds all screaming at the exact same time. The high-shrieking sound vibrated through the air, making the ground beneath their feet tremble.
It was the Chidori.
Kurenai's eyes narrowed in panic. She reached out, her hand tightly grabbing the sleeve of Asuma's jacket to pull him to a sudden stop just outside the ruined entrance.
"Asuma, wait!" Kurenai whispered, her voice shaking with anxiety as she stared at the bright blue sparks glowing through the thick dust inside.
"Listen to that sound... the battle inside is completely out of control. Gai went to get the police headquarters. We need to wait for the reinforcements before we step foot in there!"
Asuma stopped, but he didn't look back at her. He pulled his arm out of her grip, his fingers wrapping tightly around the silver handles of his kunai.
"We don't have time to wait for the police, Kurenai..." Asuma said, his voice deep and completely steady. He looked at the smoking building with absolute determination.
"My father, the Sandaime Hokage, dedicated his entire life to protecting this village and every soul in it. As his son, it is my duty to stand on the front lines and face the danger, not hide outside while others fight."
Without waiting for another second, Asuma took a deep breath and charged straight ahead, rushing directly into the blinding cloud of smoke.
As Asuma charged through the shattered front entrance, the thick, heavy dust immediately swallowed him whole. The air inside the ruined dango shop was hot and tasted like ash.
Because the smoke was so incredibly dense, absolutely no one noticed the young ninja slipping inside.
Through the grey haze, Asuma could hear voices. He stopped moving, staying perfectly quiet. Right in front of him, a dark-haired man—Sasuke—was standing tall, loudly explaining to his opponent exactly how he had just figured out and beaten the movement-inversion rules.
Asuma took a slow breath, his hand tightening on his trench knife. 'Great, they didn't notice me enter...' he thought, his eyes scanning the area.
Then, his eyes dropped to the floor, and his stomach completely turned. The sheer horror of the room hit him all at once. He looked around the shattered shop and saw the lifeless body of the shopkeeper. Asuma let out a low, pained grunt in his throat, a wave of deep anger washing over him.
He snapped his gaze back toward the center of the room to find the killers. Through the drifting smoke, he saw two men facing each other. He looked at their faces, and his breath caught.
Both of them had glowing, blood-red eyes.
'The Sharingan...' Asuma's mind raced in pure shock. 'Two of them?!'
He didn't know who the rogue man standing near the back wall was, but Asuma locked his gaze directly onto that man's left eye.
The moment his vision connected with that spinning, red eye, the entire world silently tilted. The ultimate illusion instantly hijacked Asuma's senses, completely rewriting the reality inside his brain.
Suddenly, the smoke in front of Asuma seemed to part. At the exact spot where Sasuke was actually standing with a roaring lightning attack, Asuma's manipulated brain didn't see Sasuke. Instead, he saw a familiar figure with spiky silver hair and a masked face, holding a crackling blue sphere of piercing chakra.
'Kakashi?!' Asuma's thoughts scrambled in total confusion. 'How come Kakashi reached inside so fast? And why is he charging forward with a Chidori like that?!'
Asuma didn't realize that the illusion was making him see everything backward. He honestly thought Kakashi was about to accidentally strike down the wrong person in the confusion. 'I need to warn him about the rogue man!'
Thinking he was protecting a comrade, the boy bravely stepped forward to stop the attack. Asuma put his own body directly in the path of the oncoming lightning, moving right in front of the real Sasuke, completely blocking the path.
In the back corner, the real Hikaru stood completely untouched, his lips curling up into a dark, wicked smirk as he watched the puppet strings dance perfectly.
Asuma held up a hand, shouting out into the smoke, "Wait, Kakashi—!"
But through Sasuke's perspective, everything looked completely different. Sasuke's own eyes had caught a glimpse of that lefteye during the chaotic exchange.
Because of the absolute illusion, Sasuke didn't see the boy at all. To Sasuke's eyes, the person standing right there was Hikaru. Sasuke saw the enemy make a sudden, threatening movement with his hands, and a fierce, roaring shout ripped from Sasuke's throat.
"I told you!" Sasuke screamed, his voice sending a terrifying chill through the ruins. "Your tricks won't save you from me!"
With a terrifying burst of speed, Sasuke drove his roaring Chidori straight forward.
CRACKLE!!!!
The intense lightning chakra tore violently through the clothes and scorched deep into the flesh.
Sasuke stood tall amidst the falling wood dust, his hand buried deep in the body, thinking he had won. But then, the strange details began to leak through.
The figure of 'Hikaru' standing in front of him didn't even bother to wipe the blood dripping down his arm. He just stood there, giving a dark, hollow smirk.
Suddenly, a smooth, mocking voice drifted through the room.
"A master tactician... Your logic is absolutely flawless, Sasuke. Truly brilliant."
Sasuke's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan narrowed. He was looking right at the face of the bleeding 'Hikaru' in front of him. His mind raced, a sudden, cold sweat breaking across his neck.
'Wait... Hikaru's mouth isn't even open right now. His lips aren't moving at all... so how is he speaking?'
But Sasuke's frantic thoughts were cut completely short as the chilling voice dropped into a terrifying whisper that seemed to echo from the walls themselves.
"But tell me... What if the one you attacked right now... is not me?"
Sasuke's heart stopped.
Slowly, fearfully, Sasuke snapped his head back, looking over his shoulder toward the darkest corner of the room.
There, standing completely safe in the shadows, totally unhurt and untouched, was the real Hikaru. The rogue man was casually brushing his dark hair back with his hand, looking down at Sasuke with a playful, demonic smile.
Sasuke's breath hitched. His head violently whipped back around to face the front.
The silver, glowing lines of the illusion finally shattered like broken glass, peeling away the fake reality. The image of the rogue man vanished entirely.
Lying there on the broken floorboards, with Sasuke's lightning-charged hand buried deep into his bleeding shoulder, was the young Sarutobi Asuma. The brave boy was coughing up dark blood, his eyes blurry and fading fast as the raw chakra short-circuited his chest.
Sasuke stared down at the boy's face in absolute, paralyzed horror. He hadn't defeated the enemy. He had been tricked into cutting down one of his own.
Outside the door, the smoke cleared just enough for Kurenai to see inside. The terrifying realization hit her like a physical blow, and a piercing, agonizing scream echoed across the entire village.
"ASUMAAAAAAA!!!"
Sasuke dropped to his knees, completely turning his back to Hikaru. The intense guilt and pressure in his chest made everything else fade away.
He couldn't care less about the rogue man behind him right now; his only focus was the dying boy on the floorboards.
Behind him, Hikaru let out a loud, mocking laugh, deeply enjoying the dramatic scene.
"Awww, don't cry, Black Devil!" Hikaru mocked, his voice dripping with fake pity.
"Look on the bright side. I bet you will get a really good rogue ninja photo in the bingo book after this! "
A sudden wave of anger surged through Sasuke's veins. He didn't even turn around to look at Hikaru. Instead, he channeled his chakra directly into his hand.
FWOOSH!
Sasuke released a sharp, sudden burst of Katon chakra, slamming his hand right over Asuma's bleeding shoulder wound. The intense heat instantly seared the open flesh, burning the blood vessels shut to stop the fatal bleeding.
Just as the flames sparked, Kurenai sprinted through the front door. Seeing the fire burst from Sasuke's hand onto her comrade, her eyes went wide with pure terror.
"What are you doing to Asuma?!!!" Kurenai yelled, her voice cracking as she began running wildly toward them.
"DON'T MOVE!!" Sasuke screamed back, his voice roaring with an intense, furious authority that actually made her feet freeze on the floor.
Kurenai fell to her knees, crying openly in sheer helplessness. Right then, Kakashi finally entered the shop. The moment his gaze landed on Asuma's smoking, burned chest and the dark-haired man standing over him, something inside Kakashi completely snapped.
Using a lightning-fast Body Flicker Jutsu, Kakashi vanished from the doorway and reappeared directly behind Sasuke's back, a sharp kunai clutched firmly in his hand.
"You bastard!!!" Kakashi screamed, swinging the blade down with absolute fury.
But Sasuke didn't even turn his body around. With perfect, instinctual speed, his hand flew backward, drawing his Kusanagi sword in a reverse grip.
CLANG!
The back of Sasuke's sword perfectly guarded the strike, blocking the kunai completely. Before Kakashi could even recover from the shock, Sasuke fluidly pushed his weight backward, hitting Kakashi hard with the flat side of his blade.
The physical force sent Kakashi flying backward, his body crashing heavily across the room and smashing into a pile of broken wooden tables.
Suddenly, Hikaru gasped loudly, putting on a dramatic, fake expression of shock.
"Oh my god, Kakashi!" Hikaru cried out, completely acting like he was an innocent civilian on Konoha's side.
Hikaru quickly rushed over to the pile of wood dust where Kakashi was struggling to stand.
Bending down, Hikaru's hands began to glow with a soft, green light. He actually knew high-level medical ninjutsu. But as he began applying the healing chakra to Kakashi's bruised shoulder, his lips twisted into a sly, lying grin.
He started pouring false information directly into Kakashi's ears.
"You have to stay down, Kakashi! This man is a complete demon!" Hikaru lied frantically, pointing a trembling finger toward Sasuke.
"He just made a horrific massacre in broad daylight inside this shop! He was completely after me, and look what he just did—he has literally just killed Sandaime's son right now!"
Sasuke remained totally silent, his back still turned as he kept pressure on Asuma's seared wound.
Kakashi lay there, his breathing heavy as the green medical chakra washed over his pain. He looked at Hikaru's glowing hands, and then he looked back at the silent, bleeding Sasuke sitting over his dying comrade.Deep, analytical rage burned inside Kakashi's mind.
Suddenly, Kakashi's hand shot out like a lightning bolt.
He tightly grabbed Hikaru's wrist—the exact hand that was actively healing him—and squeezed it with a terrifying, crushing grip.
Kakashi glared directly into Hikaru's eyes, his voice exploding into a furious, guttural yell that shook the entire ruined shop.
"IF HE IS KILLING ASUMA RIGHT NOW... THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING SITTING OVER HERE AND HEALING ME!!!"
Kakashi's crushing grip on Hikaru's wrist completely shattered the man's innocent act. The clever lie was blown. Hikaru's eyes narrowed instantly, and his fake, panicked expression melted into a cold, dangerous glare.
"Die—" Hikaru whispered.
With his free hand, Hikaru instantly aimed a burst of sharp, compressed chakra right at Kakashi's exposed chest at point-blank range.
The attack was too close and too fast for Kakashi to block or dodge.
But before the strike could pierce Kakashi's body, Sasuke moved.
With blindingly fast reaction speed, Sasuke drew his Kusanagi sword. The blade was already coated in black flames that seemed to swallow the light around it. With a fierce swing, Sasuke executed an offensive attack, slicing his flame-bathed sword directly through the empty air right in front of Kakashi.
TAAARRR!
A distinct, heavy tearing sound—like thick canvas being forcefully ripped apart—echoed through the shop. A sudden drop in air pressure hit the shop as the alternative space was exposed.
Sasuke's blade literally burnt through the coordinates of space, ripping open a black scar in the empty air. The spatial tear acted like a gateway, completely absorbing Hikaru's point-blank chakra attack and dumping it into an entirely different dimension.
The dimension snapped shut a second later, stitching itself back together. The sheer shockwave of the spatial severance exploded outward, pushing Hikaru back and forcing his boots to slide across the broken floorboards.
Hikaru's single right eye widened slightly as he stared at the vanishing black scar in the air.
"Kagutsuchi: Totsuka..." [1]Hikaru muttered, his voice filling with a twisted sort of respect. He slowly straightened his back, his gaze locking onto Sasuke.
Hikaru took a slow step backward, his lips curling into a wicked smile. He raised his hands, looking completely relaxed now that his cover was blown. He began to speak aloud, his words carrying a dark weight meant to explain the very power they were using.
"The ultimate weapon of the Uchiha...used only by the former UchihaHead before you..." Hikaru spoke smoothly, his voice echoing through the ruined shop.
"A space-time distortion fueled by the absolute control of black flames. To shape the unquenchable fire into a blade that can tear open alternative dimensions... truly, you have a terrifying mastery over those eyes."
While Hikaru's smooth voice echoed through the room, Kakashi staggered back, breathing heavily. He looked at the empty air where the attack had just been swallowed into nothingness, and then he looked at the silent, dark-haired man who had just saved his life.
Deep confusion and suspicion burned in Kakashi's mind.
"Why-Why did you save me?" Kakashi questioned, his hand tightly clutching his kunai. "Who are you!?"
Sasuke didn't even turn his head. His eyes remained fixed on Hikaru, his dark cloak shifting slightly as the black fire continued to burn along the steel edge of his weapon.
"Relax—" Sasuke said, his voice incredibly calm, cold, and dripping with an undeniable confidence.
"I'm an ally."
The sheer weight of Sasuke's tone left no room for argument. He adjusted the grip on his sword, his red eyes gleaming in the dim light.
"Now go—" Sasuke added smoothly. "Your friends are waiting....Get out of here!"
Kakashi's gaze shifted toward the shattered entrance of the dango shop. Through the settling dust, he saw Kurenai kneeling on the floor.
Her hands were desperately applying pressure to the damaged shoulder wound of young Asuma. She looked up, her tear-stained face meeting Kakashi's eyes, and gave him a sharp, urgent nod. She was silently begging him to help her carry the boy away.
Hikaru paid absolutely no attention to them. He kept speaking, his voice growing louder, filled with a dangerous obsession as he continued analyzing Sasuke's power.
"But such eyes come with a heavy, bloody history, don't they?" Hikaru laughed coldly, his single iris spinning faster.
"You took the eyes of Uchiha Daisuke. The very eyes that Uchiha Fugaku was supposed to get to unlock his own ultimate power. Because of your actions, Fugaku remains without the Eternal... while you stand here, carrying the full, unchecked curse of the evolution!"
Suddenly, Hikaru's hand whipped forward with blinding speed. Three sharp shuriken tore through the air. They were aimed directly at Kakashi's back as the silver-haired ninja turned to run toward Kurenai.
"Do not ignore me!" Hikaru shouted, his face twisting with a sudden rage.
The blades whistled through the air, closing the distance in a fraction of a second. But before the cold steel could even touch Kakashi's cloak, a violent wall of black flames erupted directly behind him.
FWOOSH!
The Amaterasu roared, swallowing the shuriken instantly and turning them into melted ash before they could hit the ground.
Sasuke stood firmly in the center of the room.
Both of his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan eyes were wide open. The absolute dominance of his visual power radiated through the entire building, making the air feel impossibly heavy.
Kakashi didn't waste another second. He sprang forward, grabbing the unconscious Asuma alongside Kurenai, and they rapidly ran out of the destroyed shop, fleeing toward the village hospital for safety.
Hikaru watched them run, but he didn't chase them. He slowly turned his gaze back to Sasuke, a mocking, arrogant smirk returning to his lips.
"All your cards are out, Sasuke..." Hikaru taunted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Amaterasu, Kagutsuchi, and even your precious Kagutsuchi: Totsuka. You have shown me your entire playbook. You have nothing left to surprise me with."
Sasuke didn't look bothered at all. He slowly walked forward, his boots stepping over the cracked floorboards as he drew closer to the man.
He raised his Kusanagi sword, the cold steel reflecting the dark, flickering light of the black flames around them.
Suddenly, a layer of dark black flames began to coat the edge of his blade, crackling with a terrifying, silent heat.
Sasuke stopped walking, his gaze piercing directly into Hikaru's soul. A cold, arrogant smile played on Sasuke's lips as he deliberately baited Hikaru, his voice dripping with absolute disrespect.
"Your battle is with me—" Sasuke whispered, his tone incredibly sharp and mocking. "Not with children. Try to keep up... if your eyes can even track my movements."
The black flames of flared violently around Sasuke's sword, casting dark shadows across his face as the ultimate clash was set.
"AMATERASU!!!"
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⚡NEXT CHAPTER⚡
Sasuke's confidence has been shattered.
An enemy who can twist reality itself... an illusion that even the Sharingan cannot see through... and a battlefield where every sense can become a lie.
As Kakashi and Kurenai race to save Asuma's life, an unexpected face emerges from the smoke of the battlefield!
Meanwhile, trapped inside a deadly game of perception and deception, Sasuke is forced to confront a terrifying truth:
What happens when even your own eyes can no longer be trusted?
As dimensions collide and psychological warfare reaches its peak, the hunter and the ghost prepare for their most dangerous clash yet!
Will Sasuke break free from the nightmare... or will Hikaru finally claim victory?
👉Chapter 39: Reverse Check
SNEAK PEEK LINES 💬
"....You have to take his full weight for a second."
".... Except... I never used an ice jutsu...."
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—With love, one forehead poke away from collapse,
Sakura Shinomiya 💫
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[1] Note: This is the name of his power which Sasuke obtained by awakening the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan