A scorching fireball with a two-meter diameter shot from Uchiha Itachi's mouth, speeding toward Daniel Davis. Even before it reached him, the air around him began to heat up.
"As expected of Uchiha Itachi, you can't underestimate him," Daniel thought, observing the fireball in front, with kunai and shuriken closing in from both sides and behind him. Itachi had effectively blocked all his escape routes.
Though the Uchiha clan was better known for their Sharingan, their mastery of projectile techniques and the Great Fireball Jutsu also carried a strong reputation in the ninja world. Especially for skilled Uchiha members, their kunai and shuriken could hit targets hiding in blind spots, as their projectiles could even change direction mid-flight.
The shuriken Itachi had thrown earlier were launched with a curved trajectory, circling around to Daniel's back, while the kunai clashed with each other, forming a barrier around him from both sides.
With such precision, it was no wonder Orochimaru had been so impressed by Itachi's throwing skills. This level of expertise was beyond the reach of most ordinary shinobi.
Daniel had already learned the Uchiha's projectile techniques from Sasuke. They were intricate, especially in their manipulation of force, which had opened Daniel's eyes to new possibilities.
The techniques Sasuke had learned weren't just the standard Uchiha throwing techniques but an improved version taught to him specifically by Itachi.
If an ordinary jōnin were in Daniel's place, they would likely get injured, even using a substitution jutsu. While substitution jutsu could be a lifesaving technique, it required precise timing and execution. Against a powerful foe like Itachi, there was a chance of being hit before the jutsu could be completed.
For elite jōnin or Kage-level opponents, substitution jutsu lost some of its effectiveness because it still required hand signs. The enemy might be fast enough to strike before the jutsu could be performed.
Nevertheless, elite ninja had developed their unique variations of substitution techniques. Itachi's crow substitution was a good example, allowing him to disappear mysteriously. There were other versions too, like earth, insect, and other creative substitutions.
However, the strongest substitution technique was undoubtedly Orochimaru's "Great Snake Substitution," which allowed him to perfectly evade damage, even escaping from Amaterasu's black flames. Though effective, it was admittedly somewhat grotesque.
"Underground or the sky, huh?" Daniel mused. To avoid Itachi's attack without injury, the best options were either to go underground or leap into the air, areas beyond the range of the projectiles and the Great Fireball Jutsu.
However, remaining in the air made one an easy target, and unless the ninja had earth-style abilities, hiding underground wasn't a viable option either. In this case, sidestepping to the left or right might result in some injuries from the projectiles, but it would be better than taking the full force of the fireball.
The Uchiha's Great Fireball Jutsu was not something that could be tanked by most. Apart from legends like Uchiha Madara, the First Hokage, or past Raikage, few could endure it unscathed.
With a bang, chakra burst from Daniel's feet, propelling him into the air. While diving underground might be a potential escape, the speed of the attack made that option impractical in a fast-paced battle. Even in the Hidden Stone Village, underground techniques were primarily used for ambushes or spying, not direct combat.
"It really is dangerous in the air," Daniel thought as he observed Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan spinning rapidly. He instantly realized what was coming: Amaterasu.
"Good thing I was prepared," Daniel smirked. He had anticipated Itachi would use Amaterasu. Sensing the spatial disturbance around him, he quickly performed a substitution jutsu, disappearing just as a black flame engulfed the wooden log he left behind.
The black flames of Amaterasu seemed deceptively harmless, but the way the wooden log was instantly reduced to ash proved its terrifying power.
"Preparing a substitution in advance? How is that possible? Has my ability been leaked?" Itachi was taken aback as he saw his Amaterasu evaded by a substitution jutsu. He felt an uneasy premonition.
While the Akatsuki knew of Amaterasu, very few outside the organization were aware of it.
"What are you looking at?" Daniel's voice rang out behind Itachi. Using the substitution, Daniel had swiftly reappeared behind him with a Body Flicker Technique.
The Body Flicker Technique was one of the simplest in the ninja world, using chakra to enhance movement speed. The effectiveness of the technique depended entirely on the user's skill and chakra control.
While the basic version of Body Flicker relied on physical movement, more advanced versions involved space-time manipulation, such as the Flying Thunder God Technique or Sasuke's Amenotejikara. Daniel's own ability to swap places using his Devil Fruit powers was a variation of this concept.
Interestingly, Daniel's spatial swapping technique was quite similar to Sasuke's Amenotejikara. However, Daniel's technique was superior, as he could swap multiple objects at once and didn't require direct line of sight, unlike Sasuke.
"Crow Substitution Jutsu!" Just as Daniel was about to strike, Itachi's body dispersed into a flock of crows, accompanied by a flurry of black feathers scattering into the wind.
Caught off guard, Daniel quickly moved his feet, using another Body Flicker to dodge. As soon as he left his position, black flames appeared where he had been standing.
"Is he really risking everything?" Daniel thought, dodging the spreading Amaterasu flames. Itachi's Amaterasu was powerful, but throughout the original story, it never produced any significant results because Itachi couldn't freely control it. The flames simply appeared wherever he focused his eyes.
Against ordinary ninja, Amaterasu would be unstoppable, but using it against high-level opponents was another matter. The subtle changes in the air around Amaterasu gave enough warning for quick reflexes, allowing targets to evade. Itachi was forced to repeatedly generate new flames.
Sasuke, on the other hand, could fully control Amaterasu, using the flames to pursue enemies or even coat himself in them as a shield. This was how Sasuke fought the Fourth Raikage, who sacrificed an arm just to land a punch on Sasuke.
Itachi, knowing his limitations, didn't rely solely on Amaterasu. Instead, he tried to trap Daniel within a ring of black flames, creating a deadly enclosure.
"You're trying to trap me in the Amaterasu?" Daniel observed. Though the flames appeared random, they formed an irregular circle, meant to cage him in.
Having already noticed this, Daniel had no intention of falling into the trap. If he wanted to, he could easily locate Itachi using his Observation Haki, as Itachi had been hiding nearby the entire time.
However, Daniel had a reason to hold back. Itachi was Sasuke's brother, and Daniel had promised Sasuke to meet with Itachi for a possible discussion. Itachi, however, didn't seem interested in talking and instead attacked with lethal intent.
Daniel had already dispelled Itachi's Tsukuyomi, and now Itachi was continuously using Amaterasu, exhausting himself. Blood was already trickling from his eyes due to the strain.
"Water Style: Water Shark Bullet Jutsu!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Just as Daniel dodged the Amaterasu, he heard a violent whooshing sound from the side. A massive, three-meter-long shark-shaped water projectile surged toward him with its jaws wide open.
Before Daniel could react, a five-meter-long water dragon swooped in from the side, crashing into the water shark and dispersing it. The water dragon dissipated as well.
"Still not finished, huh? Kisame Hoshigaki, are you running away?" Zabuza taunted, standing with his Executioner's Blade over his shoulder, staring proudly at Kisame on the opposite side.
"Run? You aren't worth running from," Kisame replied with a glance toward Daniel. He quickly formed hand seals.
"Hiding in the Mist Jutsu!" Kisame spat out a dense fog, soon enveloping the entire area. Within moments, visibility was reduced to zero.
"They're retreating," Daniel thought, sensing through his Observation Haki that Kisame had moved to Itachi's side and was now helping his weakened comrade retreat.
As Kisame and Itachi fled, the mist gradually dispersed, and the black flames of Amaterasu slowly began to extinguish.
"Tch." Zabuza clicked his tongue in frustration. His annoyance wasn't only due to Kisame leaving the battle unfinished but also the fact that he had to admit Kisame was stronger than him.
Despite his reluctance, Zabuza had to acknowledge that Kisame was the superior fighter.
"Why didn't you stop them?" Orochimaru and Kabuto emerged from the shadows once the fight had ended. Orochimaru glanced at the fading Amaterasu flames before speaking.
Given Daniel's displayed strength, it wouldn't have been difficult for him to stop Itachi and Kisame. After all, both Orochimaru and Kabuto had been lying in wait, ready to assist if needed.
Orochimaru had even considered taking advantage of the situation to strike, but upon noticing that Daniel wasn't fighting Itachi with full strength, he refrained.
"He's Sasuke's target. If we push too hard, he might go all out, and that would be troublesome." Daniel explained. Itachi wielded the full power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, including the abilities of
Susanoo, Izanami, and Izanagi.
"He's still hiding his true strength," Orochimaru mused, his curiosity piqued. He had once been on the same team as Itachi in the Akatsuki, believing he understood him well. But the battle revealed that Orochimaru had underestimated Itachi.
In this fight, Itachi had demonstrated abilities Orochimaru hadn't known about. Had Itachi used these against him, Orochimaru might not have died immediately, but his resurrection would've taken much longer.
From Daniel's words, Orochimaru inferred that Itachi still hadn't shown all his power.
"The Uchiha's Sharingan is indeed extremely powerful," Daniel remarked without elaborating further.
Afterward, the group returned to the base.
"Incredible how powerful the Uchiha clan is. Aren't you the least bit interested?" Orochimaru asked suddenly in the lab.
"While the Sharingan is strong, it's hard to fully wield its power if you aren't an Uchiha. Even if you took Sasuke's body, the result would be the same. Do you know what your biggest issue is?" Daniel glanced at Orochimaru.
"Oh? And what's that?"
"Your Reincarnation Technique. It's indeed powerful and creative, but it's also damaged your soul, which is why you're so vulnerable to genjutsu now."
"Don't assume the soul is immortal. The soul has a lifespan too, and every time you switch bodies, you're damaging it further. My advice to you is, unless absolutely necessary, avoid changing bodies too often."
The soul is more important than the body. Daniel was certain that even if Orochimaru obtained Sasuke's body, he wouldn't be able to unlock its full potential. Firstly, Indra's power would be lost, and secondly, the soul plays a critical role.
While human genes only differ slightly between individuals, the soul is what truly sets people apart. Even identical twins aren't exactly the same, and that's largely due to differences in their souls.
Although the soul is vital, the body is equally important. For ordinary people, the body provides energy to the soul. Most people die when their bodies fail, not because their souls have expired. After all, the average person lacks the ability to transfer their soul into a new body.
Orochimaru's Reincarnation Technique allowed him to gain a new, younger body that could sustain his soul for longer. However, this didn't mean Orochimaru could live forever. It only prolonged his life until his soul eventually decayed.
"The soul has a lifespan?" Orochimaru was stunned. It was the first time he had heard such an explanation.
"Indeed. Your so-called immortality has a time limit, even if that time spans a thousand, ten thousand, or a million years."
This was similar to the situation with Odin in Asgard.
Of course, there were some mystical items that could extend life indefinitely, such as the Immortality Surgery of the Ope Ope no Mi, the Long-Life Rice from the Dark Continent, or the Pure Gold from the One Piece world.
"So that's how it is. It seems you know quite a bit about the soul."
"Not that much, just a little more than others," Daniel replied modestly. Even Kamar-Taj, with its vast knowledge of mystical arts, didn't fully understand the mysteries of the soul.
"So this is Wood Release. I'd love to see the look on the teacher's face when he sees it," Orochimaru mused.
After Itachi and Kisame left, the Land of Rice Fields returned to a calm state, with no further interference from Akatsuki. During these peaceful days, Daniel helped Orochimaru fuse with the First Hokage's cells and also learned several new jutsu in the process.
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