"You've actually got some skills."
Kawaki muttered to himself and glanced around.
Seeing this, Kakuzu instinctively crouched lower. He had no intention of being found out so easily.
The captain mistook Kawaki's remark for mockery. He opened his mouth but felt too ashamed to argue back.
So he kept his head bowed, hoping this awkward moment would pass quickly.
"Setting fire to the Hokage Building—what exactly does he hope to gain from this?"
Tsunade rubbed her big belly, speaking almost as if to the child within.
"No thefts, no breaking into the forbidden jutsu room."
"He probably wants to draw us out."
"To be precise, he wants to draw *me* out."
Kawaki mused briefly before reaching a conclusion. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, looking rather sharp.
"So you're saying this is targeted at you?"
Hearing that, Tsunade suddenly recalled the bounty contract and became fully alert.
Completely ignoring the captain, they continued their conversation.
"That must be it."
"If someone's aiming for three hundred and fifty million, making this little commotion would be ridiculous."
Kawaki smiled slightly, seemingly unconcerned about the matter.
The captain's heart, previously gripped by anxiety, finally eased slightly.
"You actually have the nerve to smile? Hurry up and catch that person!"
"If we let them escape, where will Konoha's dignity stand?"
Tsunade shot Kawaki an angry glare—this heartless guy!
"My beloved wife speaks wise words."
"There's nothing serious going on right now. I'll take you home first."
Saying so, Kawaki reached for Tsunade's arm, intending to send her back.
"Fine. Just remember to notify me once you've caught him."
"I'd like to see who has the guts to stir up trouble in my Konoha."
Pregnant and unable to personally pursue the culprit herself, Tsunade readily agreed.
Back in the past, she definitely would've insisted on chasing the criminal herself.
"Don't worry. By the time you wake up, he'll already be caught."
Without hesitation, Kawaki confidently threw out a bold statement.
Only after sending Tsunade home could he fully concentrate on hunting the culprit.
As for whether he could actually catch the person… Well, he'd think about that later.
"You start leading the search party first—I'll be back soon."
Giving the captain a brief reminder, Kawaki prepared to leave.
"Yes, sir."
The captain felt relieved, quietly wiping sweat from his brow before slowly straightening up.
This ordeal was finally over. From now on, he would definitely redeem himself by capturing that cursed bastard.
Before he could issue orders to his men, a terrifying Chakra Cannon came soaring from the distance.
Moving incredibly fast, its radiant light was blinding!
In the blink of an eye, the Chakra Cannon arrived dangerously close.
Wild and unstable chakra surged forward, carrying immense force even before impact.
Rushing forward with tremendous force, anything blocking its path along a straight line was instantly reduced to dust.
Just by appearance, one could tell its power wasn't to be taken lightly. If someone were hit directly, their survival would definitely be in question.
This was Kakuzu's attack—[Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot].
At that moment, the wind, fire, and lightning masks of Earth Grudge Fear still clung to his right arm, not yet retracted.
Three masks gaped open with bloodthirsty mouths. Kakuzu's face twisted into a sinister grin, his eyes locked intensely on the figure ahead.
If this attack could kill Lord Kawaki Hatake, it would be perfect!
Fuelled by this pleasant fantasy, Kakuzu tightened every muscle in his body.
A flicker of excitement deep within him steadily grew as the Chakra Cannon shot through the air.
"Lord Kawaki, quickly dodge!"
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, there was no time to use Earth Release for defense. Many ninjas cried out in alarm, urging Kawaki—who stood directly in harm's way—to move aside.
Tsunade, standing beside Kawaki, cast a calm glance toward him.
She had no intention of interfering herself. If the baby got startled, who would take responsibility?
Her expression stayed calm and unshaken, perfectly reflecting the dignified aura of the Hokage.
As long as Kawaki was around, Tsunade felt no fear.
Kawaki didn't let Tsunade down either. In an instant, lightning-infused chakra flared up around him.
Before anyone could even blink, he had already shot forward at a speed far beyond human perception.
"So fast."
The Konoha ninja only saw a blur before Kawaki vanished from sight.
Dodging wasn't an option—Tsunade was right behind him, and the Hokage Building couldn't withstand an impact of this scale either.
[Lightning Strike Fist!]
Kawaki roared fiercely as he thrust out his right fist, crackling with electricity, clashing head-on with the Chakra Cannon.
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion erupted, sending shockwaves rippling outward in all directions.
Ninjas of lesser strength staggered back from the blast.
Dust and wind filled the air, prompting everyone to raise their hands to shield their eyes.
Only Tsunade, shielded by a protective veil of red chakra, remained unaffected.
She clearly witnessed everything unfold before her eyes.
This combined nature transformation jutsu of Kakuzu's was incredibly powerful.
In ordinary circumstances, such an attack could easily cost someone their life.
Too bad his opponent was Kawaki—the God of the Ninja World, whose mastery of Lightning Release Armor was unparalleled.
Once the dust settled, Kawaki's silhouette appeared not far away.
He casually brushed off his sleeve, his hair still perfectly in place.
Not a single wound could be seen.
Lightning Release Armor strong enough to withstand Tailed Beast Balls really shouldn't have been so absurdly defensive.
"How is this possible?"
Kakuzu's mouth hung open so wide it could've fit a light bulb inside.
Stunned, he froze in disbelief, unable to believe what had just happened.
Final Appraisal was his most powerful single-target offensive technique—no one had ever survived a direct hit.
At this moment, Kakuzu's confidence crumbled into nothingness.
He felt the terrifying gap between himself and Kawaki—an endless, bottomless abyss.
Just like back then against Hashirama Senju, he was the fool once again.
Unable to even land a scratch, how could he possibly kill him?
Was he supposed to do it in his dreams?
No wonder that reward of three hundred and fifty million ryo had gone unclaimed for so long.
It wasn't that the money wasn't tempting—it was just that others were smarter.
Right now, only one thought echoed through his mind: *Escape. I must escape.*
Terrified, Kakuzu didn't dare stay a moment longer. He turned and fled immediately—the last attack had revealed his position completely.
Konoha ninjas were already closing in on him.
"You go chase him! Why are you staring at me?"
Tsunade barked at Kawaki. She could tell Kakuzu was no weakling.
Those Jonin probably wouldn't be able to stop him even if they gave chase.
"Right away. Then you be careful yourself."
Kawaki gave Tsunade a quick glance. She still had access to the Tailed Beast's power, so defending herself wouldn't be an issue.
"Hurry up!"
Tsunade waved him off dismissively, signaling that he shouldn't worry.
"Fine."
The moment he spoke, Kawaki vanished from sight.
Konoha was his domain; every nook and cranny bore his Flying Thunder God marks.
That's why he wasn't worried about it.
If someone managed to escape right under his nose, he'd eat his hat — Kawaki Hatake.
Kakuzu was fast. The Konoha ninjas chasing behind could only see his back.
The gap between them kept growing.
"Captain, he's too fast!" one of the Konoha ninjas shouted to their leader.
"We have to keep chasing even if we can't catch up!" the captain growled through gritted teeth, speeding up even more.
"Know your place, fools!!" Kakuzu roared angrily as he glanced back.
He just wanted to get out safely, but these guys weren't letting up.