Rōshi swung his massive fist, engulfed in blazing chakra, and blasted toward Fugaku like a cannonball.
The sheer force of his punch caused the air to tremble, producing a sharp crack, while the wind pressure kicked up a cloud of dust from the ground.
Fugaku, however, simply shifted his body slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
With the extraordinary insight of his Sharingan, he precisely predicted the trajectory of the attack and effortlessly dodged it.
The moment Rōshi's fist smashed into the ground, a thunderous boom echoed.
The earth trembled violently as a massive crater formed instantly, sending shattered rocks flying in all directions like bullets.
Without hesitation, Rōshi followed up with a spinning kick, the force of his leg creating a sharp whistling sound as it tore through the air.
The sheer momentum of the strike seemed capable of ripping the atmosphere apart.
Unfazed, Fugaku raised his scythe, blocking the incoming attack just in time.
A slight tremor ran through his arm, but he firmly absorbed the impact.
The moment their blows connected, a powerful shockwave erupted from the point of collision, spreading outward in all directions.
The surrounding trees shuddered violently under the force, and leaves scattered through the air.
Then, Fugaku counterattacked—so fast that Rōshi had no time to react.
With a casual flick of his flame fan, a raging inferno, enhanced by Wind Release, surged forward, engulfing everything in its path.
The flames roared like a ferocious fire dragon, baring its fangs as it lunged toward Rōshi, incinerating everything in its wake.
Rōshi quickly leaped backward to evade the flames, but before he could steady himself, Fugaku was already upon him, his scythe slashing down at an incredible speed.
The curved blade carved a deadly arc through the air, radiating an aura of death, as if it could slice through anything in existence.
Before long, under Fugaku's relentless assault, Rōshi found himself completely on the defensive.
Fugaku alternated between long-range attacks with the flame fan and close-quarters strikes with his scythe.
Forced to keep up, Rōshi struggled against the unrelenting pressure, his body accumulating more and more wounds.
A fresh gash appeared on his arm, blood gushing out and dripping onto the ground, forming scattered crimson stains.
Moments later, Fugaku's scythe tore into his leg, carving a deep wound that exposed raw, torn muscle. The sight was gruesome.
Gritting his teeth, Rōshi fought to endure, but he knew the battle was slipping further and further out of his control.
"You look pathetic."
Fugaku flicked the blood from his scythe and looked down at Rōshi with an air of absolute superiority.
His condescending expression was infuriating.
Rōshi didn't respond.
As he took in the increasing number of wounds on his body, his frustration and unyielding will ignited like a fire within him.
He knew that if things continued this way, his defeat was inevitable.
Just as Fugaku swung his scythe for another strike, a resolute glint flashed in Rōshi's eyes.
Taking a deep breath, he began drawing forth the chakra surging within his body.
His energy flared wildly, shifting in color to a fiery red interwoven with streaks of orange.
With a deafening roar, he activated his Lava Release Chakra Mode.
His entire body became enveloped in a scorching layer of Lava Release chakra, making him resemble a figure wreathed in flames.
The heat distorted the air around him, warping the scenery with its intensity.
"Now this is getting interesting."
Fugaku remained composed, slightly rotating his wrist as he prepared for another assault.
Still silent, Rōshi took advantage of his transformation.
With Lava Release Chakra Mode activated, both his speed and strength had surged exponentially.
In the blink of an eye, his figure became a blazing streak, streaking through the air like a shooting star.
What had once been Fugaku's unpredictable and overwhelming attacks now became clear in Rōshi's vision.
He could react at a faster pace, effortlessly dodging the slashes of the scythe and evading the roaring flames from the fan.
Now, when Rōshi attacked, Fugaku could no longer predict his movements with precision.
In a sudden burst of speed, Rōshi appeared directly in front of Fugaku, his fist surging with molten chakra as it rocketed toward him like a meteor.
Fugaku barely managed to raise his flame fan to block, but the sheer impact sent him skidding several steps backward.
"Not bad."
Fugaku didn't hold back his praise, but it didn't change the outcome.
Rōshi still had to die.
"Again."
Seeing that he had gained the upper hand, Rōshi finally spoke.
He unleashed a relentless barrage of punches and kicks, each strike radiating searing heat and destructive power. His expression grew more and more frenzied.
With a powerful side kick, his attack howled through the air like a raging tornado, carrying intense heat and crushing force as it blasted toward Fugaku.
Caught off guard, Fugaku was unable to dodge in time and took the full brunt of the kick, his body sent flying far into the distance.
"So the Uchiha aren't that special after all."
Having landed yet another solid hit, Rōshi could feel the tides of battle shifting in his favor.
"Hahaha! You're celebrating a bit too soon."
Fugaku pushed himself up from the ground, casually dusting the dirt off his clothes.
Other than some scorch marks on his garments, he hadn't sustained any real injuries.
He wasn't sure whether to laugh at Rōshi's arrogance or his ignorance—he had yet to truly understand the weight of the name "Uchiha."
"Let's see how long you can keep that attitude."
Rōshi dismissed Fugaku's composure as mere bravado.
With a furious roar, he smashed his fist into the ground. The earth quaked as a massive crater of molten lava erupted, the surrounding rock instantly liquefying from the sheer heat.
With a mere wave of his hand, a surge of Lava Release chakra created a shockwave powerful enough to cleave a massive tree clean in half.
Then, Rōshi quickly formed hand seals and shouted, "Lava Release: Scorching Stream Rock Technique!"
At once, the ground trembled violently.
Countless streams of burning lava erupted from below, surging forward like a raging river toward Fugaku.
The scorching heat was suffocating, and wherever the lava passed, the earth melted instantly, releasing thick plumes of black smoke.
Fugaku quickly leaped to evade, but the lava was fast, closing in on him in an instant.
With another sharp wave of Rōshi's hand, the molten flow shifted direction, cutting off Fugaku's escape from all sides.
Fugaku swung his flame fan, trying to use Wind Release to disperse the lava, but the intense heat turned the very air scorching, making his efforts almost useless.
For the first time, a flicker of seriousness crossed Fugaku's face—Rōshi was proving to be a troublesome opponent.
But Rōshi wasn't thinking that far ahead. He had only one goal—to burn Fugaku to ashes.
The Lava Release chakra burned fiercely around his body, radiating an overwhelming, oppressive heat.
His eyes locked onto Fugaku's airborne form, and without the slightest hesitation, he launched another devastating assault.
With a sudden burst of speed, he appeared at the exact spot where Fugaku was about to land, moving so fast it was as if he had teleported.
With both hands thrust forward, he unleashed a massive blast of Lava Release chakra, forming an enormous wave of molten fire.
The attack carried the sheer force of destruction itself.
Everything in its path was instantly scorched, the very air twisting from the heat, while the ground split apart, leaving behind a deep, charred trench.
In midair, Fugaku forcefully twisted his body, narrowly dodging the deadly blast.
But Rōshi was relentless.
Without pause, he swiftly formed another set of hand seals—"Lava Release: Rock Melting Technique!"
Immediately, the surrounding rocks melted into pools of bubbling lava, which surged forward like an unstoppable tidal wave toward Fugaku.
Fugaku swung his flame fan again, attempting to block the incoming flood, but the sheer power of Lava Release was overwhelming. His defenses wavered as the molten surge crashed down.
Forced to retreat, Fugaku searched for an opening to counterattack.
But Rōshi had no intention of giving him that chance.
With another burst of speed, he charged forward, his fist blazing like a miniature sun, fueled by Lava Release chakra.
He slammed it down toward Fugaku with devastating force.
Gritting his teeth, Fugaku raised his scythe to block, but under Rōshi's immense strength, the weapon trembled and let out a sharp, vibrating hum.
The battle had taken a drastic turn—Fugaku was now on the defensive.
He knew that relying solely on the Three Tomoe Sharingan wouldn't be enough to match Rōshi's Lava Release Chakra Mode.