The expressions on the faces of the four Mizukages were quite a sight to behold.
They had never imagined Sasuke could capture the Nine-Tails so simply, so effortlessly.
And what were those black pillars that had materialized out of nowhere? It was as if they'd been summoned directly from thin air, without the slightest warning. This had occurred without any prior sign.
Under these circumstances, all four former Kages stared at Sasuke, their faces etched with shock.
Not only had he effortlessly suppressed the Nine-Tails, but the beast had now fallen completely silent, almost as if it had lost its very soul.
Even powerful sealing techniques couldn't possibly quiet the Nine-Tails this fast! When they had previously sealed the beast, the monster had roared and raged for an entire day before finally falling silent. Yet now…
Sasuke had silenced the Nine-Tails instantly with just a single glance.
It almost seemed as if Sasuke had terrified the Nine-Tails into submission with that one look.
Even Sasuke himself found it a bit baffling. He couldn't quite grasp what had happened. How had the beast suddenly transformed from a ferocious tiger into a kitten? It was almost disturbingly docile.
"The Nine-Tails' eyes... how could they..." the Fourth Mizukage murmured, staring first at the beast, whose eyes now bore the pattern of the Sharingan, and then back at Sasuke in astonishment.
Had this man actually controlled the Nine-Tails with his Sharingan? How was that possible?
"It seems you are unaware," Sasuke said with a faint smile. "The Sharingan of the Uchiha clan inherently possesses a suppressive power over the Tailed Beasts."
As for why the Sharingan holds such sway over the Bijuu, the likely reason is that the Sharingan itself is a derivation, perhaps a mutation or devolution, of the Rinnegan. It exerts immense pressure on the mind, and the Tailed Beasts possess very little resistance to attacks on the mental plane. Standard genjutsu works by using one's own chakra to disrupt the flow of the enemy's. However, the Uchiha's visual genjutsu incorporates potent ocular power, rendering the Tailed Beasts utterly defenseless against it.
Seeing the group gaping in astonishment, Sasuke offered another slight smile before addressing them directly. "I'll be taking the Nine-Tails."
With that, Sasuke made a casual gesture, and in the next instant, the Nine-Tails vanished completely from their sight.
The Mizukages stared, dumbfounded by another display of Sasuke's terrifying power – the ability to make the Nine-Tails disappear with a mere wave. If he had used such an ability against them… the battle they just fought would have been utterly pointless. They would have stood no chance.
'So this is what near invincibility looks like,' the Second Mizukage thought, a helpless, bitter smile twisting his lips. Gazing at Sasuke, he finally grasped the terrifying power wielded by the strongest shinobi of this era. Initially, the Second Mizukage had felt that the ninja of this time were pathetically weak, that this era lacked any true powerhouses. But now, he sensed something entirely different. This age did have its titans, and some, like Sasuke, were powerful to an almost unbelievable degree.
Sasuke clapped his hands together once, ready to signal Boruto and the others to leave. Before departing, however, he walked over to Mei Terumi.
"Ah, right," Sasuke began, a hint of concern in his voice. "Haku... how has she been lately?" With the recent chaos, ninja from different timelines appearing one after another, Sasuke worried. "She must be overwhelmed with everything, surely."
But the instant Haku's name was mentioned, a subtle change flickered across Mei Terumi's expression. She seemed reluctant to meet Sasuke's eyes.
Sasuke immediately sensed something was amiss. He studied Mei's face. Even though she remained silent, Sasuke seemed to grasp the unspoken implication. "What happened to her?" he asked, his voice sharpening.
Mei Terumi's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. The faces of the Second, Third, and Fourth Mizukages also darkened considerably. It seemed Sasuke knew Kirigakure's Sixth Mizukage, and quite possibly, their relationship was close. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked about her with such concern. With Haku being perceived as female and Sasuke, though young-looking, being male, they speculated it was likely a relationship involving affection... perhaps Sasuke was a suitor?
And the three of them had attacked Haku earlier, even... If Sasuke found out, the consequences would likely be dire.
"Speak!" Sasuke suddenly shot out a hand, grabbing Mei Terumi by the throat and lifting her clean off the ground.
Mei gasped, unable to breathe, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at Sasuke. She could feel the intense killing intent radiating from him, so potent it felt almost physical. Dark, smoke-like chakra began to swirl around Sasuke, enveloping the area within a ten-meter radius. In that instant, with his crimson eyes glowing amidst the black miasma, Sasuke looked utterly demonic. Even the spectral form of his Susanoo began to manifest slowly behind him, its immense purple figure resembling a wrathful deity, gazing down menacingly at Mei Terumi.
"Haku... Haku... she's... injured!" Mei finally choked out.
Hearing this confirmation, a dangerous crimson light flared violently within Sasuke's eyes. He glared down at Mei. "Who did it?"
Mei didn't answer, but she didn't need to. The answer was painfully obvious.
Sasuke released his grip abruptly, letting Mei crumple to the ground. He then slowly turned his head to face the three former Mizukages. "You did this?"
The three former Mizukages of Kirigakure could feel the crushing weight of Sasuke's murderous aura. Under such intense killing intent, they knew Sasuke was on the verge of slaughter. The thought sent an involuntary shiver down their spines as they faced the deadly glare of Sasuke.
"That's right! I did it!" The Second Mizukage stepped forward first. Since he'd done it, he wouldn't shrink from admitting it, even though Sasuke radiated palpable menace. One wrong word now could mean death. Forcing himself to stand tall despite the pressure, the Second Mizukage glared back at Sasuke. "If you want blood, come take it from me, boy!"
Hearing this, Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously. The next instant, his ocular power flared. He didn't move. There was no surge of chakra. Just a look. Yet, the Second Mizukage was violently thrown backward as if struck by an invisible force, sent flying a dozen meters before crashing hard onto the ground.
Sasuke watched the Second Mizukage. Pain contorted his features, but his gaze remained defiant, unwavering. There was no fear in his eyes; he was a Mizukage, after all. What was death to him?
A cold, humorless smile touched Sasuke's lips. "Very well," he sneered. "You're nothing but relics dragged into this time from your own eras! Haku is the Mizukage of this age, yet you dared to injure her. And the Mist ninja... those shinobi actually followed your orders instead of hers." His voice dropped, filled with venom. "Despicable. Truly despicable!"
Sasuke began to turn away. Killing the Second Mizukage now... wasn't the priority. First, he needed to see the extent of Haku's injuries. Besides, while these former Kage were the instigators, the ones who truly enabled this were the Mist shinobi who should have been loyal to Haku. Those ninja had effectively betrayed their Kage. Being defeated due to a lack of strength is one thing, but for her own shinobi to turn against her... If they had stood firmly by Haku's side, she likely wouldn't have feared even these three former Kage attacking simultaneously.
"Where are you going?" Mei Terumi called out suddenly as Sasuke started to walk away.
Sasuke glanced back at her over his shoulder. "Let's hope, for your sakes, that Haku's injuries aren't too severe."
With that final warning, Sasuke gathered Boruto and the others, and utilizing his Amenotejikara, instantly vanished in a warp of space-time.
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