Naruto: Fire-Release system

Chapter 127: It Seems You Haven't Despaired Enough!

Hellfire, a unique flame from the Ghost Rider universe, was among the more intriguing fire-style techniques Uchiha Yi had drawn over the years.

One of its abilities, Judgment Flame, directly attacked the target's soul. As long as the target was deemed guilty, it inflicted severe damage.

The criteria for guilt? Simple—it aligned with the moral standards of the current world.

For instance, if someone attacked you and you fought back, killing them in self-defense, this would be deemed innocent in the ninja world. However, in another world with stricter laws, like Earth, such retaliation might be considered guilty depending on the circumstances.

In short, the Judgment Flame assessed guilt according to the laws and values of the world it was used in.

In the ninja world, while there were no definitive written rules for what constituted guilt, Uchiha Itachi's actions—genocide, betrayal, and manipulation—were undeniably heinous. He was a sinner, deserving judgment.

As the blazing skull's hollow eyes locked onto Itachi, the Judgment Flame activated instantly.

Unfamiliar with the skill's mechanics, Itachi initially met Yi's gaze without hesitation.

However, the moment their eyes connected, the Judgment Flame seized Itachi's soul, wrapping it in relentless, scorching flames.

These flames, born of hell, were designed to torment the souls of sinners. For Itachi, his soul became the perfect feast, drawing the flames to engulf him entirely.

In an instant, Itachi felt as if his entire being had been torn into countless fragments, only to be submerged in a searing cauldron of boiling oil. His body screamed with sizzling pain, riddled with gaping wounds, and yet he was utterly powerless to resist.

The torture didn't end there. The cycle of agony repeated endlessly, an infinite loop of suffering, where each instance only deepened his awareness of the pain.

Time lost all meaning. In this hellish space, where Itachi endured unending torment, he could no longer comprehend the passage of seconds, minutes, or hours.

Yet, through it all, a single unyielding thought kept him from collapsing entirely—a fierce determination to protect his brother Sasuke.

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"Stubborn, aren't you?" Yi's voice cut through the infernal torment.

In the world of Judgment Flame, Itachi had endured eighty-one cycles of pure torment. His once-focused Sharingan gaze had dulled into an empty, lifeless stare, teetering on the edge of complete mental collapse.

Yi observed Itachi for a moment, understanding what fueled the man's resilience.

"Is this what gives you strength? The thought that as long as Sasuke lives, your suffering is worth it?"

Yi chuckled darkly. "Fine, then. After I kill you, I'll take care of Sasuke next."

"After all, a family should be reunited, don't you agree?"

The mention of Sasuke's name struck a nerve. Even amidst the relentless torment, Itachi's fragmented consciousness flared to life, driven by his protective instincts.

"Sasuke... mustn't... die..."

"Brother... must clear the way... for you..."

"Uchiha Yi... you must... die!"

Itachi's words came in broken, rasping whispers, yet his sheer willpower pushed him to defy the overwhelming agony. His spirit surged with a fierce yet desperate resolve.

Yi smirked, genuinely impressed by Itachi's resolve.

"Persistent to the bitter end. Fine, let's see how far you'll go for this 'brotherly bond' nonsense."

"Then again... perhaps I've been going about this all wrong."

"The greatest punishment isn't your death—it's watching Sasuke die right in front of you."

With this thought, Yi decided to keep Itachi alive, for now. He wanted to see what new depths of despair Itachi could reach.

"Let's leave the best part for later," Yi muttered. "You've entertained me enough for today."

With a snap of his fingers, the Judgment Flame world crumbled like glass, shattered by Yi's overwhelming mental force.

Though Itachi had endured what felt like years of torment in the flame world, in reality, only a single second had passed.

Back in the real world, Itachi collapsed unconscious, his body appearing unharmed but his mind ravaged by the backlash.

Yi casually placed a Flying Thunder God mark on both Itachi and Kisame.

"You can take him and leave now," Yi told Kisame coldly before canceling his shadow clone.

Kisame hesitated, the tension in his body lingering even after Yi's departure.

Slinging the unconscious Itachi over his shoulder, Kisame muttered under his breath, "That guy is an absolute monster..."

---

Meanwhile, as the shadow clone's memories flowed back to Yi, he smirked at the decisions it had made.

"Itachi's a fool, clinging to his misguided ideals. Let's see how he handles this new game."

The fact that Itachi and Kisame had appeared in the Leaf confirmed Yi's suspicions—Akatsuki was moving against the Nine-Tails and One-Tail.

Killing Itachi and Sasuke now would only disrupt the show. Instead, Yi would let the drama unfold, enjoying his role as a spectator until it was time to take center stage.

For now, he shifted his attention back to the Third Round of the Chūnin Exams, which was about to begin.

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(Author's Note: Don't worry, Itachi will meet his end. I'm just delaying it a little for the sake of the plot!)

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