Chapter 76: A Brother's Lesson Ren’s kick sent Sasuke sprawling once more across the cold stone floor. “Damn it!” Sasuke snarled, trying to push himself up, but Ren was already upon him. A foot planted firmly in his back, driving him downward with a grunt of pain. “Is this all you’re capable of?” Ren asked, his voice dripping with contempt as he loomed over his brother. “Bastard…! I’ll kill you… I’ll kill you!” Sasuke gritted out through clenched teeth, his words laced with pure, unadulterated hatred. Huh? Ren’s brow furrowed. He sensed a surge of malevolent chakra—a foreign, twisted energy erupting from Sasuke. Suddenly, the Curse Mark on Sasuke’s neck flared violently. Black, ink-like patterns spread across his skin, twisting and stretching as they consumed him. The air thickened, charged with a palpable aura of corruption and raw power. “Hmph. The Curse Mark,” Ren murmured, frowning. He knew its dangers—power at the cost of sanity and vitality. “KILL YOU!” Sasuke roared, now infused with unnatural strength. He shoved upward, forcing Ren to leap back, creating a safe distance. “Not bad,” Ren said, a hint of dark amusement in his tone. “You’ve been hiding quite a bit.” “Hehehe~ Surprised? This is my true strength now!” Sasuke’s grin was feral, twisted. “Oh? Borrowed, corrosive power? And you call that your own? This will destroy you, mark my words,” Ren retorted coldly. “Tch! I don’t care if it’s borrowed! It makes me stronger! To kill him, I need this! I’d sell my soul if I had to! A little damage to my body is nothing!” Sasuke’s words were frantic, unhinged. “You’ve lost your mind. That power will consume you,” Ren warned. “Do you truly believe this curse is enough for revenge? I could end you right now without even touching my Sharingan.” “Humph! Maybe I am crazy! You look down on this power? Then I’ll make you die by it today!” Sasuke lunged again, the Chidori crackling black with corruption. Ren’s patience snapped. Sasuke was beyond reason. It was time for a lesson, harsh and unyielding. He sidestepped the Chidori with ease, then leapt backward to avoid a wild swing. Frustrated, Sasuke dispersed the Chidori, forming seals for another attack. “Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!” he roared, exhaling a massive sphere of flames. “Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!” Ren’s hands moved in perfect synchrony. His fireball took shape, denser and hotter than Sasuke’s. When the two collided, Ren’s superior inferno absorbed Sasuke’s, growing larger and hurtling toward him with unstoppable force. “Damn it!” Sasuke barely avoided the oncoming inferno, flinging himself sideways. The enhanced fireball slammed into the wall, obliterating a large section of stone. Before Sasuke could recover, Ren materialized in front of him. A reinforced fist smashed into his jaw. Sasuke flew backward, pain radiating through his body. “You’re still too weak,” Ren said coldly. “Do you know why? Because you’ve never truly pushed yourself. Revenge against Itachi? A joke!” “What right do you have to say that?!” Sasuke screamed, scrambling to his feet, body trembling with rage. “I’ve trained every day to get stronger! And you… you deceived me! You dumped all the pressure on me! You hid everything!” This update is available on noⅴelfire.net Ren’s composure shattered, fury finally breaking free. “I did nothing? If I had truly done nothing, you’d be captured and brainwashed! Would you still be screaming at me?!” “You… you hid everything! You played me for a fool!” Sasuke shot back, consumed by anger. “I’ll never forgive you! I’ll kill you!” The Curse Mark pulsed violently. Dark patterns surged further, warping his body grotesquely. His hair lengthened, teeth sharpened into fangs, and bat-like wings sprouted from his back. The Chidori now glowed a sinister black. “Hmph! Enough games. Lie down!” Ren’s patience had run out. He vanished and reappeared less than half a meter behind Sasuke. The black Chidori swung wildly, but it never connected. Ren’s right hand snatched Sasuke’s wrist, unbreakable, while his left clamped the back of his head, forcing their eyes together. Sasuke’s widened in horror at the sight—the six-pointed star pattern of Ren’s Mangekyo Sharingan, a presence far more terrifying than any Curse Mark. Before he could react, Ren’s devastating genjutsu slammed into his mind. Sasuke’s consciousness shattered. The black Chidori flickered and died. The grotesque Curse Mark receded, leaving behind a pale, unconscious Uchiha. He slumped to the floor, caught briefly by Ren before being released. What just happened? Orochimaru leaned forward, his interest piqued. He hadn’t seen the Mangekyo, but the result was undeniable. To overpower Sasuke’s Sharingan and Curse Mark state instantly… he must have awakened the Mangekyo already! That explains everything—his sudden, immense power, his victory over Kakashi! Orochimaru’s eyes glimmered with unrestrained obsession. Ren straightened, cold and composed once more. He stepped over his brother’s prone form and walked toward Orochimaru. The fraternal conflict was over. Now, the real negotiation would begin. Follow My Insta At gehrmansparrow9