Chapter 134: No Wonder It Was So Familiar, It Had Been Rehearsed

After many years, Uchiha Tajima's Mangekyo Sharingan finally saw the light of day again. The pinwheel-shaped pattern spun rapidly, and the cold, leaking ocular power slowly dispelled the black energy in his other eye, allowing him to regain control of his body.

"Kotoamatsukami, what a troublesome ability."

Withdrawing his hand, which was numb from the massive force of the backlash, the old jailer possessed by Uchiha Yao retreated a few steps, stared at the pattern in Uchiha Tajima's eyes, and spoke slowly.

"Hoo~"

Letting out a long breath, Uchiha Tajima stretched the body he had just reclaimed. He looked at Uchiha Yao with his bewitching eyes, refusing to back down, and said,

"These tricks of yours are all futile in the face of these eyes of mine."

Having regained control of Kotoamatsukami, Uchiha Tajima arrogantly raised the sword in his hand, preparing to settle things with Uchiha Yao.

"I had originally decided to release you after this matter was over and let Uchiha Gin reunite with you."

Uchiha Tajima said in a flat tone as he swung his sword forward. He had decided this beforehand, but he had not expected Uchiha Yao to be so restless even in prison, attempting to incite Uchiha Gin to turn against him.

"Heh, so should I be moved to tears of gratitude for you?"

The old jailer merged into the shadows again to avoid the attack, but Uchiha Yao's voice came from all directions, his words dripping with mockery.

"Truly a rat in the gutter."

Uchiha Tajima was not panicked after losing his target; instead, he evaluated Uchiha Yao's behavior.

"As long as I can avenge Jin, I am willing to sacrifice myself to a demon."

Half of a body emerged from the shadow behind Uchiha Tajima, and Uchiha Yao controlled the old jailer to brandish a dagger toward his heart.

"Clang~~~"

The sound of clashing metal rang out. Without turning his head, Uchiha Tajima backhanded his sword against the sneak-attacking dagger. The massive impact from the collision of iron sent the dagger in the old jailer's hand flying. Seeing the situation turn against him, he shrank back into the shadows to hide once more.

"As long as shadows exist, you will never be able to catch my true body."

In the shadow of a nearby tree, Uchiha Yao manipulated the old jailer to poke his head out, a hint of smugness in his eyes.

Shadows, huh? Hearing Uchiha Yao's words, a faint glimmer flashed in Uchiha Tajima's eyes, and he slowly sheathed his long sword.

"Hmph, it is too late for repentance now. Drown in the shadows of Wangliang."

Diving back into the shadows, the black images on the ground began to stir, rise, and merge as if they had a life of their own, sweeping toward Uchiha Tajima like countless viscous tentacles.

"How can the glow of rotting grass compare to the bright moon in the sky?"

Facing the tidal wave of shadows, a suffocating sensation washed over him. Uchiha Tajima, standing still, did not show any panic. He lowered his eyelids and said arrogantly,

"Let me show you the glory of Kotoamatsukami! This is the ultimate genjutsu."

As Uchiha Tajima's voice fell, Uchiha Yao in the shadows found that he could not move. Feeling himself being watched, he subconsciously looked up through the shadows toward the sky.

In the sky, which had been covered in dark clouds and gloom, a full moon bearing a Mangekyo pattern rose at some unknown moment, scattering endless light that pierced through the clouds above Uchiha Yao's head.

"This is???"

The old man, restrained by an invisible force, showed a panicked expression for the first time. This scene had never appeared in the ancient records of Kotoamatsukami. He realized that the situation was subtly slipping out of his control.

【Kotoamatsukami: Radiance】

A streak of golden light flashed in Uchiha Tajima's right eye, and the golden light scattering in the air illuminated the entire battlefield.

Countless golden swords descended from the sky, shattering all the shadows manipulated by Uchiha Yao. The tentacles formed by the black shadows melted like spring snow, vanishing between heaven and earth in an instant.

"Huff, huff, huff..."

As the last of the shadows disappeared, the full moon in the sky slowly hid behind the clouds, and the heavy pressure on Uchiha Yao dissipated as well.

As the light faded, Uchiha Yao lay on the ground, pale and panting heavily. His ocular technique's creation had been completely obliterated by this golden light.

"You actually had such a trump card; I underestimated you."

Having lost the support of the shadows, Uchiha Yao lay flat on the ground. The one eye that still retained some spirit flashed with complex light. The old man struggled to prop himself up, his tone filled with undisguised weakness, looking like a man whose time was running out.

"Master."

Looking at the withered Uchiha Yao, a flash of reluctance crossed the eyes of Uchiha Tajima, the victor. He did not know what misunderstanding existed between them that made his master hate him so much.

Thinking of their many years as master and student, Uchiha Tajima walked over, wanting to hear if Uchiha Yao had any final wishes.

"Tajima, you..."

As if anticipating that the other would come over, Uchiha Yao, who looked like he was about to pass away, had a flash of obscure black light in his eyes and spoke tremblingly,

"What?"

Thinking the other was about to leave some final words, Uchiha Tajima let down his guard and leaned in to listen.

"You are not good enough yet!"

Black light erupted from the weak old man's eyes. The eye that still held spirit flashed red, and the three tomoe transformed into a regular triangle. Obscure and gloomy ocular power poured out instantly.

Uchiha Tajima's heart tightened, and cold sweat broke out all over his body. He wanted to dodge, but it was already too late.

A black-and-white figure suddenly emerged from the shadow behind him, using lightning-fast speed to press a pitch-black hand against the back of his head.

"Hehehe, this time, you cannot escape."

Wangliang's familiar voice rang in his ears. Turning his head with difficulty, he saw the old jailer, whose entire body was crisscrossed with black, his originally dull eyes now filled with mockery and the satisfaction of having his great revenge fulfilled.

Uchiha Tajima had just used another form of Kotoamatsukami at full power; his chakra was not enough to sustain the Mangekyo's consumption, and coupled with the sudden sneak attack, a flaw inevitably appeared in his heart.

"Finally caught you, hehe."

Wangliang seized the flaw in Uchiha Tajima's heart and finally detonated the dark thunder that had been hidden for years.

As a mass of black mud deep within his skull was activated, countless negative emotions erupted. Cruel and dark thoughts flooded his entire brain. The black Wangliang detached from the gray-white old jailer and seized the opportunity to turn into black mud and burrow into his body.

After the clan grounds invasion incident twelve years ago, Uchiha Tajima, whose eyes were in a long-term cooldown, was at his weakest. Wangliang had seized the opportunity to inject a clone into Uchiha Tajima's body, waiting for the right moment to detonate it.

This was why Uchiha Gin had once sensed malice from Uchiha Tajima.

"Uchiha Gin! Why didn't you save them!"

The controlled Uchiha Tajima now acted like a madman. After scanning the area, he stared fixedly at Uchiha Gin, who was watching from afar. Recalling the scene of his wife and child's tragic death, his will, twisted after being possessed by Wangliang, was left with only hatred for Uchiha Gin.

"Hehehe, that's it, go kill them quickly!"

Wangliang's face emerged from Uchiha Tajima's body, urging him to hurry up and finish off the remaining people present.

"Wangliang! You dare to defy my orders?"

Uchiha Yao, who had just feigned being near death to sneak attack Uchiha Tajima, realized the script was wrong. He shouted, stood up shakily, and looked at Uchiha Tajima, who was entangled in black mud, with deep confusion in his single eye.

"Hehehe, who is Wangliang? Isn't your Wangliang over there?"

The black face possessing Uchiha Tajima finally stopped acting. Having occupied the body of the strongest person on the scene, he felt he was capable again.

The old man was greatly shocked and turned his head, only to find the gray-white old jailer standing quietly on the shadow behind him, his dull face devoid of any human spirit.

"Wangliang, tell me, who exactly is he?"

(End of chapter)