Chapter 150 - The Bald Boss vs. the Thick-Browed Eyes
Nightfall – Uchiha Clan Compound
Uchiha Itachi, his hands wrapped tightly in crimson-stained bandages, trudged with difficulty past the gates of the compound. The once pristine white bandages were now soaked through with fresh blood from his hands.
The guards stationed at the gate were alarmed the moment they caught sight of his figure. They rushed to his side with worry plastered across their faces.
Who could've done this? Who had the guts to beat Itachi into this state?
Were they trying to provoke the entire Uchiha Clan?
This was no ordinary boy—he was the clan leader's son, the future of the Uchiha Clan, the hope of their lineage.
One of the guards immediately sprinted toward the clan leader's home. With injuries this severe, Uchiha Fugaku needed to be notified at once.
However, Itachi waved a hand, motioning the guard in front of him to stop. He was far too tired now—too exhausted to explain anything.
He broke away from the cluster of guards and headed straight for his house.
The clan grounds were quiet in the moonlit night. Only the moon hanging in the sky and his solitary shadow kept him company.
As he staggered to his doorstep, Uchiha Mikoto burst out of the house. She had heard from the guards and came running, worry etched across her face. She immediately wrapped her arms around him.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked at the bandages wrapped tightly around Itachi's hands, the dark red stains speaking of pain and hardship.
A mother's love is eternal.
With pain in her voice, Uchiha Mikoto asked, "Itachi, who did this to you? Weren't you training with Lord Kazane? Who could've hurt you like this?"
But Itachi didn't answer her question. Instead, he looked silently at Uchiha Fugaku, who now stood at the doorway, stoic and imposing. With cracked lips, Itachi finally spoke:
"Father... today I finally understood what true strength is."
He then raised his bandaged right hand with determination and declared:
"I will become as strong as Brother Kazane!"
Fugaku's eyes flickered with emotion as he looked at his son—those unwavering eyes, those bloodied hands. A trace of pain appeared in his gaze, but he quickly concealed it.
Still, a proud smile crept onto his face. He stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Itachi's head and said warmly:
"Itachi, you truly are my son."
The long-desired affirmation from his father filled Itachi's eyes with tears.
But he didn't let them fall. Instead, he nodded firmly toward Fugaku.
Father, I won't let you down. I will carry the Uchiha Clan forward!
---
Two Weeks Later – Back Mountain Training Grounds
BOOM!!!
Green steam erupted wildly from Might Guy's body. Across from him, Jiriku stood poised and focused, his expression grim.
A fierce battle was about to unfold.
As Guy's momentum peaked, he suddenly stomped the ground with tremendous force—his body vanishing from Jiriku's sight in an instant.
BANG!!!
A deafening clash of fists and feet exploded across the open forest, a shockwave rippling through the trees.
Guy's silhouette blurred through the air, disappearing again as the dust rose. He circled around Jiriku at breakneck speed, looking for an opening.
Then, as Jiriku instinctively turned his head, Guy seized the moment and launched a flying kick.
Dynamic Entry!
Shadow Night Dance! Lianhua! Front Lotus!
The kick landed squarely on Jiriku, though for someone of Jiriku's massive stature, it only disrupted his balance.
But Guy didn't stop there—he fluidly followed up with Leaf Shadow Dance, chaining high-speed kicks that launched Jiriku off the ground.
Guy leaped into the air, closing in behind Jiriku, then quickly unraveled his bandages, binding the large man midair.
Together, they spun with incredible speed as Guy slammed Jiriku's body toward the earth.
BOOM!!!
Dust billowed up—but Guy's body soon flew out from the smoke.
Itachi, watching from a distance, saw Guy's pained expression and knew—Guy had taken the worst of that exchange.
Welcome—Thousand-Armed Strike!
As the smoke parted under the force of countless fists, Jiriku stood calmly, one hand raised before his chest like a solemn Bodhisattva. Behind him, a massive glowing Thousand-Armed Kannon towered, radiating divine light.
Guy, still airborne, was helplessly pummeled by wave after wave of phantom fists—flung from one direction to another, beaten in a continuous loop midair.
Itachi stood nearby, witnessing this clash of titans.
Even with his Sharingan spinning at full power, he couldn't follow their movements. Their speed was still far beyond him.
But just as the fight seemed one-sided, the tide suddenly shifted.
As Guy was knocked toward Jiriku, he activated the Fifth Gate—Gate of Limit!
Leaf Great Whirlwind!!!
With a sudden surge of strength, Guy broke free from Jiriku's grasp and delivered a powerful spinning kick to Jiriku's neck.
CRACK!!!
A sharp sound rang out—but instead of Jiriku, the kick hit a wooden log.
Substitution Jutsu!
Guy's heart skipped a beat.
Despite his rugged appearance, Jiriku possessed a meticulous and cunning mind.
After learning the basics of the Three Body Techniques, he realized how powerful the Substitution Jutsu could be when used correctly—rivaling forbidden jutsu in effect.
So, he sought out Kakashi to master the technique.
Jiriku wasn't the kind of brute who arrogantly tanked every attack.
Guy's kick, combining peak speed and force, was deadly even to a body like his. Had he taken it head-on, the damage would've been immense—and the follow-up combo would've been even worse.
He had learned that lesson many times over the past year while being comboed into the air repeatedly by Might Duy's unrelenting training.
Jiriku didn't believe that these two thick-browed maniacs—father and son—wouldn't share the same set of devastating combos.
That feeling of hopelessness, of being juggled helplessly midair, was one he never wanted to experience again.
And the final blow at the end of each combo was always the most devastating.
Without Might Duy's help, Jiriku would never have reached this level.
He had gone from a scrawny, scholarly monk at 180 cm and 120 pounds to a towering 195 cm, 220-pound muscular behemoth.
He used to look like a spiritual master—now he looked like a wrathful guardian deity from the temple.
But I've grown. I've become stronger.
Though his mind was spinning through countless thoughts, in the real world, not even a second had passed.
Jiriku had already appeared behind Guy—his massive figure blotting out the sunlight that should've been shining on the Leaf jonin.
Guy felt the looming presence and a cold bead of sweat trickled down his forehead.
Fall for me!!!
Just as Guy instinctively turned his head slightly, Jiriku raised his fist, gathering all his strength, and slammed it down toward Guy's head.
BOOM!!!