Chapter 225 Two Chidori

Electric sparks lit up the scene, emotions laid bare as words cut like knives. Logan listened to the questioning, pressing his lips together in silence.

Snap!

Logan grasped the hand that was clutching his collar, trying to apply force.

The electric currents crackled even more violently in the air, their powers clashing and intensifying. The force of their encounter sent the inverted waterfall in the distance splashing into erratic waves. Sasuke, with his crimson Sharingan, stepped forward again, "Tell me!"

Logan ground the stones under his foot, taking half a step back. He watched the sinister black markings of the Cursed Seal spread further, creeping up Sasuke's face, and frowned.

The hidden truths Itachi carried and the complicated considerations behind them couldn't be explained to Sasuke right now. Logan had hoped to change the vengeful relationship between the brothers, but revealing the truth without prior discussion with Itachi and without preparation could easily turn good intentions into disastrous outcomes.

"Let go." Logan said calmly. The lightning around him began to flare like fire, the volatile lightning chakra coursing through his body with both restless aggression and smooth control, creating a striking visual contrast.

He slowly pried Sasuke's hand off his collar. The electric currents intertwined with the unstable current of Sasuke's youth, suddenly bursting forth like a breached dam, a landslide overwhelming Sasuke's grip.

"..."

Sasuke poured every ounce of Chakra he could muster into his efforts, but his hand still trembled and began to loosen. Unwilling to relent, he shouted, his Chakra turning darker. He swung his left hand, the kunai slicing through the air with a dark, heavy glow even in the night, aiming at Logan.

However, a brighter, more dazzling light cut through the darkness, a white flash that instantly cleaved through the dark glow of Sasuke's kunai.

Ding!

The kunai snapped apart. Sasuke, bewildered, caught sight of the irregularly shattered metal. His body twisted from the misplaced force, and in the brief loss of control, the white light imprinted itself on his eyes, chasing him down to the tip, a short blade as fluid as water.

In that fleeting moment of vulnerability, Sasuke was struck by immense force. His vision blurred as he was hurled backward, smashing through a rock, tumbling relentlessly.

His hands clawed at empty air, feeling the cool splash of water droplets for a few seconds as he was launched dozens of meters away, crashing onto the other side of the Valley of the End.

"Itachi being in that organization… it's just a coincidence." Logan finally spoke.

Sasuke spat out blood, the weight on his chest from the rocks alleviating slightly. After several painful attempts, he rolled over, and heard Logan's response.

"A coincidence?"

The simplicity of the answer completely defied Sasuke's expectations. He coughed a few times, letting out a cold laugh. Half of his face, marred by the Cursed Seal, showed disbelief.

It was a dismissive response, clearly evasive. Sasuke knew there was something he wasn't being told. His anger, layered with hatred, fueled his pessimism, and he could only envision the concealed truth as a demonic abyss.

The Cursed Seal continued to grant him power, 'What a useful thing…' Sasuke thought as he stood up, glaring at Logan on the statue across the river, once more releasing the evil Chakra.

'Could such an unforgivable thing be brushed aside with just a 'coincidence'?'

Logan gazed at the chakra emanating from Sasuke's body, now fully turned black, 'If this continued, he might trigger the Cursed Seal Level 2 state.'

Chirp chirp chirp…

The screech of a thousand birds echoed above the Valley of the End. The original blue-white glow of the lightning was now engulfed in darkness. The thunder roared and leapt about. It was a sound Logan knew all too well, as it was the technique he had first taught Sasuke: Chidori.

Logan watched as Sasuke thrust his hand downward, the black Chidori ripping through the ground. He remained silent, focusing all his emotions and will into this all-out attack.

'Perhaps this would be the final blow,' Logan thought. The Cursed Seal Level 1 could no longer provide Sasuke with greater power, and Logan didn't want to see his student resort to the humiliating state of Cursed Seal Level 2. This would be the point where their battle would be decided.

Without forming any hand seals, Logan's Chakra followed the path honed by thousands of battles, and the familiar crackling of Chidori resounded through the night sky as well.

Chirp chirp chirp chirp…

…

Naruto lay on a protruding rock, drenched from crawling out of the water. He had no time to care about the discomfort of his wet clothes sticking to his skin, and his attention was entirely focused on the intense battle unfolding before him.

After recovering from the shock in his mind, Naruto saw Sasuke and Logan engaging in a one-on-one fight.

Sasuke managed to push Logan several times, fighting on almost equal footing, but after a brief surge, he fell into a disadvantageous position.

Naruto wanted to help, but his body's weakness kept warning him to stop. He stumbled to his feet, tried to wade across the river, but was swept back by the waterfall's powerful current. Using Chakra only made him feel weaker, and he had no choice but to halt his actions.

Naruto had just fought a battle at Chunin Exams during the day and then engaged in an intense fight with Gaara. After a brief rest, he chased after Logan with Sasuke and the others through the night, pushing himself to the brink. If it weren't for his resilience from being a Jinchuriki, Naruto would have collapsed before he could come out of the village.

'Damn it, the unhealed wound hurts again.' Naruto sucked in a breath, the cold water slapping against the rocks and his face. He could only watch as Sasuke and Logan fought desperately, with Sasuke teetering on the edge of defeat.

Naruto was especially worried because Sasuke, in his desperation to defeat Logan, had resorted to unleashing the power of the Cursed Seal. Naruto knew how hard they had worked to suppress it and prevent Orochimaru's schemes.

'Hattori-sensei is very strong. I can't just sit here… I have to do something!'

Naruto couldn't stand watching his comrades fight while he was a bystander. To him, this was more painful than taking a beating.

But what should he do? Naruto watched the two clashing figures, Lightning Attribute Chakra filled every corner of the battlefield. Tiny arcs of lightning occasionally sparked and scorched the ground, and the ferocity of the battle resembled an enraged tyrant, thunder and lightning resounding like war drums beating against his heart.

'I can only go to 'that guy' and ask him to pay more rent.' Naruto thought to himself. Under Jiraiya's guidance, he knew about the Kyubi residing within him, 'I just went to him this afternoon, he won't refuse, right…? Whatever, I have no choice!'

With two identical yet distinct Chidoris manifesting, the piercing screech warned of the critical situation. Naruto knew he couldn't wait any longer and made his decision without hesitation.

…

Chidori flowed seamlessly into Logan's hand as he gazed at Sasuke across the battlefield, showing no underestimation of his opponent. Lightning continued to flare as Logan bent down slightly.

On the two statues, relics of a fateful conflict, one black and one blue light shone brightly, dividing the Valley of the End into two contrasting halves, like a split daylight. Words became unnecessary as their unspoken resolve clashed.

At a certain moment, they charged toward each other.