Black flames burned on Uchiha Fugaku.
To be precise, it was the Susanoo surrounding his body that was burning.
When he noticed the pattern on Uchiha Itachi's right eye rotating, he immediately understood Itachi's intent and activated Susanoo to defend himself.
At this moment, he was covered by a black, armored half-body Susanoo.
The black flames formed by Amaterasu ignited on the black Susanoo and burned toward it.
However, the third form of Susanoo possessed immense defensive capabilities. With the infusion of Fugaku's eye power, it could not be burned easily.
Boom—
The black Susanoo suddenly hurled the massive spear in its right hand.
With a fierce sound slicing through the air, it shot toward Uchiha Itachi.
"Susanoo—"
Uchiha Itachi's hair stood on end. Sensing imminent danger, he immediately activated his own Susanoo.
Blood tears flowed from his eyes, and an orange-red half-body Susanoo appeared around him.
In its left hand, it held a round shield; in its right, a gourd-shaped weapon.
Muscle and sinew covered the Susanoo's body. This was the second form.
Compared to Uchiha Fugaku, who had the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Itachi's eye power was far weaker.
The third form consumed too much energy, so he only used the second form.
Boom—
The massive black spear approached rapidly, and he raised the round shield.
This shield, the Yata Mirror, possessed the ability to nullify attacks by adapting to their attributes.
Boom—
The collision caused a loud roar.
Under the explosion, a huge crack appeared on the shield, and the left arm holding it was also damaged.
The orange-red Susanoo, along with Itachi inside, staggered backward.
Although the Yata Mirror could adapt to neutralize attacks, it still had limits.
The third form's attack exceeded those limits.
Swoosh—
A new black spear formed in Fugaku's Susanoo's right hand.
"Third form!"
Knowing his second form couldn't hold out, Itachi gritted his teeth and poured in more chakra and eye power.
His Susanoo's broken left arm and shield regenerated, and orange-red armor formed.
From the gourd in its right hand extended a blade of light—the Totsuka Blade—and it slashed toward Fugaku's Susanoo.
Peng—
Fugaku blocked it with Susanoo's shield.
The Totsuka Blade's illusion power was nullified, as the shield could reflect attacks.
"This pointless struggle will only show you our gap in power."
He snorted coldly.
Infusing more chakra and eye power, Susanoo transformed again.
What was once a half-body Susanoo grew legs, rising to a height of 30–40 meters.
But that wasn't the end.
It kept growing until it exceeded 100 meters.
Susanoo now towered like a small mountain.
Clad in black armor, it radiated overwhelming pressure, and every movement created gales.
The black flames still burned, but it was as ineffective as fire on steel.
This was the Complete Form of Susanoo.
"What is this...?"
Cold sweat drenched Itachi. He looked as if he'd been pulled from a river, completely pale.
Compared to Fugaku's Susanoo, his own looked like a toy.
Just its presence was suffocating.
The difference between them was more than just strength—it was several entire levels.
Though he knew his father was powerful and had defeated Shisui, he hadn't expected this.
"This is the Complete Body Susanoo—the fifth form after the third."
Inside Susanoo's head, Fugaku glared at Itachi and spoke coldly.
"The gap between realms... is this the difference between us?"
Itachi was shaken.
Even with Mangekyō Sharingan and Kage-level strength, there were still two entire realms between them.
It was hard to believe. Seeing it with his own eyes was the only way to understand.
Was his father's power on par with Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama?
How could he be so powerful?
Boom—
Fugaku made the weapon in Susanoo's hand vanish and stretched out a massive arm toward Itachi.
Guarded by his third-form Susanoo, Itachi quickly retreated.
However, even though the complete Susanoo was massive, its speed was not slow.
Snap—
Itachi and his Susanoo were caught in the giant hand of Fugaku's complete Susanoo.
Snap—
The hand clenched, and Itachi's Susanoo shattered like an eggshell.
Itachi was left exposed, caught in Susanoo's grip.
"Lost..."
Itachi's face was full of despair.
He had received the Uchiha clan's forbidden eye techniques from the Third Hokage, but hadn't yet learned them.
He couldn't use Izanagi to escape.
"So you haven't learned Izanagi yet—"
Fugaku's expression remained cold.
The reason he struck so swiftly was the fear that Itachi had learned the secret technique.
Even if he had, Fugaku was confident he could win.
But it might have cost him the Mangekyō Sharingan he'd saved for Sasuke.
Swoosh—
He teleported beside Itachi, still held by Susanoo's hand.
Before Itachi could react, Fugaku thrust his index and middle fingers toward his son's eyes.
"Ah—"
With a scream, Itachi's eyes were gouged out.
Having awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan less than a day ago, Itachi now lost it.
"My eyes..."
Blood streamed down his face, staining it completely. He looked utterly broken.
He writhed in pain and rage but couldn't escape Susanoo's grip.
Even if he still had his eyes, he wouldn't have been able to break free.
"What now?"
Fugaku stared coldly at the defeated Itachi, who thrashed like a dying animal.
(End of this chapter)