Hiruko stared intently at Yakumo, the bandages around his jaw unable to hide the upturned corners of his mouth, as if he'd found something worth destroying, worth crushing, and it thrilled him!
Yakumo's heart tightened, but she wasn't intimidated. She continued whispering to Shinji, "His appearance is different from our previous intelligence. He seems… shorter."
Shinji nodded slightly.
Hiruko, a contemporary of Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, was at least in his forties or fifties. Yet the Hiruko before them had the stature of a youth, with unnaturally pale skin—nothing like a man of his age.
There was only one explanation.
Hiruko had likely completed his ritual, using the "Chimera Technique" to seize others' Bloodline Limits, achieving immense power.
"He might now possess five Bloodline Limits…"
Shinji thought to himself, growing wary.
In the original timeline, Naruto disrupted Hiruko's ritual at a critical moment, saving Kakashi, whose Sharingan was the ritual's most vital component. This failure not only cost Hiruko the Sharingan but also left the four Bloodline Limits he'd absorbed in an unstable state, unable to reach their full potential, planting the seeds for his eventual defeat.
Even so, the incomplete Hiruko in the original timeline was strong enough to overwhelm Kakashi and Naruto's team. If not for his arrogance in showing off his newly acquired "Dark Release," he would have won!
Now, without Naruto's interference and with the Akatsuki's support, Hiruko had likely perfected his ritual.
The only thing Shinji couldn't confirm was which five Bloodline Limits Hiruko had fused with the "Chimera Technique" and whether they included the Sharingan.
"No wonder the Akatsuki ended their dormancy at this moment…"
Shinji vaguely guessed the reason behind the Akatsuki's actions.
Clearly, Shinno's success in creating the "Zero-Tail" and Hiruko's completion of his ritual had significantly boosted the Akatsuki's capabilities.
The Zero-Tail Jinchuriki Shinno aside, a Hiruko who had perfectly completed his ritual was at least at the high Kage level.
As a peer of the Sannin, Hiruko was undoubtedly a jonin-level ninja even without the ritual. Otherwise, he couldn't have repeatedly evaded the Leaf's pursuit.
In the original timeline, with an interrupted ritual and only four Bloodline Limits, Hiruko nearly swept Kakashi's team. Kakashi, an elite jonin, was no match in a one-on-one fight, proving Hiruko's raw power was at least Kage-level then.
Now, with a completed ritual, whether or not he obtained the Sharingan, Hiruko's strength surpassed his original timeline self.
At that moment, Kurotsuchi spoke up. "Return our village's Jinchuriki!"
The Hidden Stone ninja were filled with righteous anger.
They had cornered Shinno and were on the verge of rescuing the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, only for two more Akatsuki members to appear. How could they accept this?
Darui, shedding his usual laid-back demeanor, grew serious.
Hiruko's lack of renown or notable feats didn't matter. Retreating now was not an option.
"Hmph!"
Hiruko's gaze swept over them, letting out a disdainful snort.
"I'll go first!"
Darui, burning with anger, began forming hand signs.
"Water Release: Waterfall Technique! Lightning Release: Gratitude Wave!"
His hands moved so fast they blurred, completing both techniques in mere moments.
Whoosh.
A massive wave surged toward Hiruko, crackling with dazzling lightning!
Yet, facing this combined Water and Lightning Release technique, Hiruko neither dodged nor flinched. He merely raised his left arm slowly.
"What's he doing!?"
Everyone, including Darui, was puzzled.
Under their confused gazes, the combined "Waterfall Technique" and "Gratitude Wave" halted before Hiruko's raised arm!
More precisely, they were absorbed by it!
"How… how is that possible!?"
Darui froze.
He had hoped his combined technique would catch Hiruko off guard, but he hadn't expected it to be neutralized so easily.
Whoosh.
In the next instant, Hiruko appeared before Darui without warning.
"You!?"
Darui's face showed shock.
THUD.
Before his expression fully formed, a punch struck his abdomen, sending him flying.
Seeing this, Kurotsuchi instinctively moved to assist, throwing a punch at Hiruko.
Her fist, coated in hard rock, used the Hidden Stone's taijutsu technique, "Fist Rock Technique," enhancing both defense and destructive power. It could be paired with the "Weighted Boulder Technique" for even greater effect, though Kurotsuchi hadn't mastered that yet.
Hiruko glanced at her, his lips curling slightly.
Eager for the challenge, he swung his right arm to meet her rock-clad fist!
As he struck, his pale arm turned pitch-black, its texture becoming steel-like.
CLANG!
Their fists collided, producing a heart-pounding thud.
Kurotsuchi was sent flying, crashing into a tree.
Hiruko slowly withdrew his fist, his blackened arm returning to its pale state, his smirk intact.
"So strong!"
Seeing Hiruko dispatch Darui and Kurotsuchi in moments, not just the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone ninja but even the Leaf side were quietly shocked.
Darui and Kurotsuchi weren't ordinary ninja—they were groomed as the next generation's core for their villages. Their crushing defeat by Hiruko was unexpected.
"Could this Hiruko be stronger than Shinno?"
A reluctant thought arose in everyone's minds.
Worse still, another Akatsuki member stood atop the fusion beast overhead, yet to act.