**Boom!!** The flame sword pierced through Tobi's body, stabbing into the ground, flames erupting and burning the area!
*Whoosh!* Tobi sidestepped, phasing through the flame sword.
"It seems the surge in your ocular power has made you overconfident. Very well, Sasuke, I'll teach you a lesson!"
Sasuke sneered, "Arrogant fool!"
*Whoosh!*
Tobi charged straight at Sasuke, phasing through Susanoo.
Sasuke, arrogant yet calm, thought: As I suspected, his body can phase through any medium, but he must become tangible to attack!
*Whoosh!*
As Tobi approached, he reached out for Sasuke's face.
"Now!"
Sasuke's eyes sharpened.
**Kagutsuchi!**
*Fwoosh!!*
Black flames formed a protective wall around him!
*Whoosh!*
Tobi's hand passed through Sasuke's face, followed by his body.
Emerging from Susanoo's back, Tobi turned and said coldly, "I did nothing, and you've already used Kagutsuchi twice..."
*Slash!*
The black flame sword swung behind him, causing another explosion, but Tobi phased through it.
Sasuke shouted, "Are you just going to rely on your phasing ability to show off? I haven't seen your ninjutsu yet!!"
Tobi's eyes narrowed, "Ninjutsu, you say? Very well..."
*Whoosh!*
He moved aside, away from the black flames, quickly forming hand seals and pressing his right hand to the ground!
**—Wood Release: Bramble Killing Technique!**
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Vine-like wood sprouted from the ground, entangling Sasuke!
Sasuke's eyes flickered: He targeted Susanoo's feet, but he's tangible while casting the jutsu!
*Boom!* The flame sword struck again, but Tobi phased through it.
Tobi said, "Even if I phase, the effects of my jutsu remain."
*Slash! Slash! Slash!*
The wood continued to wrap around Sasuke, tightening its grip!
Sasuke: "So this is Wood Release, like that Konoha ninja Yamato. Hmph, nothing special..."
**—Chidori Stream!**
*Crackle!*
With the sound of crackling lightning, the wood binding him was cut!
*Whoosh!*
But Tobi had already phased into the ground, launching a surprise attack from below!
*Whoosh!*
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Sasuke, with Susanoo, leaped into the air, looking down at Tobi emerging from the ground, smirking, "Petty tricks are useless against these eyes!"
*Whoosh!*
In mid-air, Sasuke quickly formed hand seals.
**—Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!**
*Fwoosh!!*
A fireball, carrying intense heat, rushed forward.
"Fire Release, huh..."
This time, Tobi didn't phase through. Instead, he formed hand seals, his right eye releasing a powerful Kamui distortion field, enhancing the fire jutsu.
**—Fire Release: Storm Dance!**
*Fwoosh!*
The spiral storm of flames instantly suppressed Sasuke's Great Fireball Technique!
Sasuke: "Damn... Using his ocular power to enhance Fire Release, such power? But Amaterasu can burn even flames to ashes!"
*Drip...!*
Blood trickled from his left eye, focusing on the incoming flames!
**—Amaterasu!!**
*Fwoosh!!*
Black flames erupted, consuming the Storm Dance!
But the thermal convection created a powerful heat field, causing Susanoo to crash through the hideout's roof, emerging outside!
Tobi followed, the two facing off on a massive beast's skeleton.
Tobi flexed his shoulders, "Here, I can let loose a bit..."
Sasuke arrogantly said, "Your techniques so far have been useless against me. The legendary Madara is nothing special!"
Tobi's eyes under the mask glowed, "Is that so? I'll make you acknowledge my power..."
Sasuke coldly replied, "I'll return those words to you!!"
*Fwoosh!*
Susanoo's divine weapon, the Bow of Indra, formed, black flames becoming arrows, nocked on the string.
*Snap!*
The bowstring was drawn, aimed at the sky!!
*Whoosh!!*
The black flame arrow shot into the sky, exploding at high altitude, burning the atmosphere, creating an updraft, forming cumulonimbus clouds!
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Thunder rumbled, transforming into a roaring Kirin in the sky!
*Crackle!*
Lightning coiled around Sasuke's hand, resonating with the thunder above. He said wildly, "This is my strongest Lightning Release technique, Kirin. Without Susanoo's protection, no matter how powerful, everything will be annihilated in an instant!"
Tobi looked at the sky, indifferent, "This Lightning Release is powerful, but it won't harm me..."
Sasuke's lips curled into a dangerous smile, "It won't harm you, but it will destroy your hideout. Those white creatures, it doesn't matter if they're wiped out, right?"
Tobi's eyes darkened, "You're going too far, Sasuke..."
Sasuke arrogantly replied, "So what if I am? If your power is beneath mine, it proves Akatsuki is nothing! That puppet leader Nagato, who serves you, is nothing! He could easily destroy Konoha, and so can I!"
*Whoosh!*
Tobi waved his sleeve, "Then try it. But remember, not just the White Zetsu, the red-haired woman with you is also in the hideout!"
"..." Sasuke's eyes showed a moment of hesitation, but then turned ruthless, "That person doesn't matter anymore!!!"
*Whoosh!*
Sasuke raised his hand, commanding Susanoo to leap from the giant beast's skeleton. As he landed, he brought his raised hand down.
**—Lightning Release: Kirin!**
"Roar!!!"
Kirin roared down, unleashing a thunderstorm!
*Crackle! Crackle!*
Sasuke watched the destruction with cold eyes, clenching his fists, "Now, the obstacles are gone. Next is you, Naruto..."
*Whoosh!* But as the storm subsided, the sight before Sasuke left him stunned!
A grand purple flame barrier stood tall, perfectly blocking Kirin!
Sasuke: "How is this possible!?"
*Whoosh!*
Tobi phased through the barrier, saying calmly, "The Uchiha Flame Formation is the Uchiha clan's most advanced formation. Even you, born in the Uchiha, haven't seen it..."
*Whoosh!*
Sasuke quickly distanced himself, thinking rapidly: His ocular power is only effective up close. As long as I keep my distance, he can't touch me!
"Naive."
The Kamui vortex activated behind Susanoo, and Tobi emerged.
Sasuke remained composed, "Even if you get close, as long as I guard against your touch, you can't do anything!"
### Chapter 42: Establishing Authority in Darkness
**Sizzle!** Blood vessels burst in Tobi's right eye as he issued a genjutsu command to the Eight-Tails in the space-time dimension!
*Whoosh!* In the Kamui space, the Eight-Tails formed a Tailed Beast Bomb!
*Whoosh!* The Tailed Beast Bomb was released directly from Tobi's right eye, crashing into Susanoo!
*Crack, crack, crack...!!*
Susanoo's armor began to shatter!
Sasuke was horrified, "That's... a Tailed Beast technique!? How did it come from his eye!!"
Tobi said calmly, "I told you, Sasuke, this time I'll make you acknowledge my power..."
*Whoosh!* He immediately activated his phasing mode.
*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*
The Tailed Beast Bomb erupted with a deafening explosion!!
*Crack!!!*
"Ugh...!!"
Susanoo shattered into pieces, and Sasuke was blown out of the explosion zone, battered and bruised...
*Whoosh!*
Tobi appeared with a vortex, placing his hand on Sasuke's back. The second vortex from his right eye sucked Sasuke into the space-time dimension...!
*Snap!*
The vortex closed, and Tobi murmured, "Sasuke, you're still too inexperienced..."
*Rustle, rustle, rustle!*
White Zetsu emerged, "It ended faster than I expected. When will you let him out?"
*Fwoosh!* The Uchiha Flame Formation disappeared.
Tobi looked at the damaged underground hideout and said sternly, "Until we find a new base, let Sasuke reflect on his actions in there..."
White Zetsu shrugged, "Well, hopefully, this will humble him a bit..."
*Whoosh!*
Tobi waved his cloak and turned, his right eye under the mask glowing with a captivating light.
"It better be so, because no matter how fine a blade, if it doesn't serve well, it must be discarded. No one can override Akatsuki's will, not Sasuke, and not Naruto either..."