The Sarutahiko works by using the Mangekyō Sharingan to direct its point of appearance. Once chosen, the user activates the technique and an orb of black flames spontaneously comes into form at the directed location. The orb is made up of such powerful flames that anyone that looks at it directly will immediately scorch the retinas of their eyes leaving them blind, an effect similar to exposure to the rays of the Sun for an extended period of time. The orb can also scorch and eradicate the flesh of anyone that comes within close proximity to it but cannot be actively moved by the user without reactivating the technique, which takes up a lot of chakra and stamina.