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Lightning Release: Chidori.
Sasuke appeared behind him.
Crack!
The Water Release mask on Kakuzu's back suddenly split apart.
The heart hidden behind the Water Release mask was destroyed by Sasuke's Lightning Release: Chidori.
Kakuzu didn't even have time to process the loss of his Water Release heart; he was far more shaken by Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan dōjutsu.
So this was actually a highly troublesome space–time ninjutsu?
With a roar, Kakuzu sent his black threads lashing out, seizing Sasuke's right hand and racing up toward his heart.
Sasuke's expression sharpened. He swung the Thunder God Sword at once, severing the black threads and springing back to gain distance.
Lightning Release: False Darkness.
The Lightning Release mask snapped its jaws and spat out a spear of lightning.
The bolt's speed was terrifying, but just as it was about to hit Sasuke, his figure vanished again.
"It really is space–time ninjutsu!"
Kakuzu felt his scalp prickle.
Just how troublesome space–time ninjutsu could be—one only had to look at Namikaze Minato.
Earth Release: Earth Spear.
Kakuzu didn't know where Sasuke would appear next, but at least Earth Spear protected his entire body.
The shrill cry of a thousand birds rang out once more.
Sasuke appeared at Kakuzu's left.
Lightning wrapped his right hand, turning it into a sharpened blade that slashed toward the Fire Release mask on Kakuzu's shoulder.
"It's not that easy!"
In a flash, Kakuzu shifted the Fire Release mask out of the way and lunged, both hands reaching to grab Sasuke.
Lightning Release: Chidori Nagashi!
Sasuke instantly altered the shape of his Chidori.
A surge of lightning exploded outward, cloaking his entire body in crackling electricity.
Kakuzu's body jolted the moment his hands plunged into the lightning. His movements slowed, his speed sharply reduced.
Mangekyo Sharingan: Genjutsu!
A deep crimson light flashed across Sasuke's eyes.
Even though Kakuzu had been on guard against Uchiha genjutsu from the start, his gaze went blank as he was pulled into the illusion.
He had never forgotten that Sasuke was an Uchiha, even if his Sharingan was a little… unusual.
More importantly, Kakuzu possessed five hearts.
That meant he was essentially five people in one, with five different Chakra natures, allowing him to break free from genjutsu far more quickly than normal.
Although now, only four hearts remained.
Even so, dispelling genjutsu still required a sliver of time. Less than a second—but more than enough for Sasuke.
Sasuke tightened his grip on the thunder god sword and slashed toward the nearest Lightning Release mask.
Kakuzu snapped out of the illusion just in time to hear the crack of the Lightning Release mask shattering.
He immediately realized things were going south, but he had no time to worry about the lost mask.
Tentacle Fist!
His fists shot forward as a mass of black tendrils erupted from the severed ends of his arms.
Sasuke's vision darkened. The black tentacles surged toward him in a wave, blotting out the light.
Forced into a corner, Sasuke invoked his Mangekyo Sharingan dōjutsu once more.
Although he could teleport infinitely as long as he had placed a Yin Release mark, each teleportation was equivalent to casting the jutsu again.
In other words, the Chakra cost was enormous.
If not for the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and Amanoiwato, he would have collapsed after using that teleportation four or five times in a single battle.
The instant Sasuke vanished, Kakuzu withdrew his fists.
But contrary to his expectations, Sasuke didn't appear behind him for another surprise attack.
Instead, he stood in plain sight beneath a nearby tree.
Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, then felt a surge of delight.
Sasuke's shoulders were heaving, his breathing ragged. He looked like he'd burned through far too much Chakra.
Only then did Kakuzu remember: this was an eleven-year-old child.
His body and Chakra reserves hadn't reached their prime.
The fact that he'd been able to fight Kakuzu to this extent was already terrifying.
"Your space-time Ninjutsu eats away at your chakra."
Kakuzu sneered. "Looks like this fight is already decided."
"Is that so?"
Sasuke let out a slow breath, his tone calm. "I haven't even used my full strength yet. How can you say the outcome's decided?"
Kakuzu's heart gave an involuntary jolt.
He still hasn't used his full strength?
His first reaction was simple disbelief.
The boy was too young. Kakuzu himself was nearly ninety.
He was already close to going all out, and yet this eleven-year-old claimed he hadn't?
How was that supposed to make sense?
For a moment, Kakuzu felt like his ninety years of cultivation had been completely pointless.
Amanoiwato!
Sasuke's body trembled slightly—and then his Chakra erupted.
Kakuzu's eyes widened.
In an instant, Sasuke's Chakra output had tripled, far surpassing his expectations.
What kind of Secret Technique was this?
"Again."
Sasuke's figure disappeared.
Earth Release: Earth Spear!
Kakuzu reacted instantly, hardening his entire body.
Yin Release: Rasengan!
Sasuke reappeared behind him.
A chilling aura spread out as a spinning, green sphere of Chakra slammed into Kakuzu's back.
A scorching pain tore through him.
Even with Earth Release reinforcing his body, he couldn't completely neutralize the Yin Release: Rasengan.
The black threads binding his body snapped one after another under the crushing rotation.
Gritting his teeth, Kakuzu used the Body Flicker.
After putting some distance between them, he immediately formed hand seals.
Compound Ninja Art: Flame Wind Wild Wave!
The Wind Release mask and Fire Release mask opened their mouths at the same time.
Wind fed flame, and in an instant, a vast sea of fire roared to life.
To guard against Sasuke's sudden teleportation and ambushes, Kakuzu unleashed flames in every direction, keeping himself at the very center.
Sasuke frowned.
He hesitated briefly, then raised the thunder god sword.
Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!
Lightning Release: Kirin!
A massive fire dragon shot into the sky, followed an instant later by a thunderous bolt of lightning.
The heavens rumbled.
The gloomy sky lit up as countless bolts of lightning converged, taking on the form of a mighty Kirin.
The Kirin descended, plunging straight into the blazing sea of fire.
Earth Release: Earth Spear!
Staring at the oncoming cataclysm of lightning, Kakuzu retreated without a second's hesitation, reinforcing his body again.
A deafening roar shook heaven and earth.
Lightning and fire twisted together, erupting into countless, devastating shockwaves.
Kakuzu swallowed hard.
This was the first time he had ever witnessed a Lightning Release Ninjutsu of such overwhelming power.
Fortunately, with Earth Release: Earth Spear, he managed to avoid being torn apart by the aftershocks of the lightning storm.
"Is this your full strength? To push me this far at your age—you should be proud."
Kakuzu said, eyes fixed on Sasuke.
He had seen many prodigies in his long life, but compared to Sasuke, they all seemed mediocre.
"It's still not my full strength."
Sasuke drew in a deep breath, then spoke.
"...?"
Kakuzu couldn't help but stare at him in disbelief.
What kind of monster are you?
How is this still not your full strength?
Is this really an eleven-year-old?
Sasuke slowly raised his hand.
bi
A crushing, oppressive aura erupted outward.
A gigantic, spectral hand materialized out of nowhere and grabbed toward Kakuzu.
Kitazawa's brow twitched.
This was the initial manifestation of Susanoo.
But it wasn't exactly surprising—Sasuke possessed the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, after all.
The only question was how far he could push it.
Given his age, a Perfect Susanoo was likely out of reach. He was probably limited to the first or second stage.
"What is this…?"
For the first time in a long while, Kakuzu felt that his nearly ninety years of experience and insight were useless in the face of Uchiha Sasuke.
Again and again, the boy revealed Ninjutsu—or rather, Secret Techniques—that Kakuzu simply could not comprehend.
Wind Release: Pressure Damage!
Kakuzu spat out a compressed sphere of wind.
The instant it struck the ground, it exploded into a howling storm, tearing up the battlefield.
The enormous hand was blocked at once.
Sasuke's Sharingan flickered, and a bony, translucent torso formed around him, ribs locking into place.
The first stage of Susanoo.
A heartbeat later, a massive shadow fell over Kakuzu.
The skeletal giant's fists clenched and hammered down on him again and again.
A chill shot through Kakuzu.
He hurriedly activated Earth Release: Earth Spear, his body turning as hard as stone.
But in that same moment, Sasuke's figure vanished.
Lightning Release: Chidori Blade!
Using teleportation, Sasuke reappeared behind Kakuzu.
He sprang upward and, while Kakuzu was still focused on Susanoo's assault, drove his sword forward.
With a sharp crack, the Fire Release mask on Kakuzu's body was pierced clean through.
Sasuke pressed the attack, twisting his wrist as the blade redirected, stabbing straight toward Kakuzu's main heart.
"I surrender!"
At the decisive instant, Kakuzu shouted.
He had already been beaten down by Susanoo until he could barely move.
If the fight dragged on, all five of his hearts would be destroyed. He would die here.
Sasuke's lightning-wreathed sword froze a breath away from its mark.
He curled his lip, clearly dissatisfied.
But since Kakuzu had surrendered, there was no reason to continue.
"Well done."
Kitazawa smiled in praise.
With his vast experience and mastery of all five natures, Kakuzu was an opponent an ordinary Jōnin couldn't hope to handle.
For Sasuke to defeat him meant his strength was already approaching Kage-level.
With a bit more real combat experience, he could have ended it even faster.
After all, his doujutsu were simply too overwhelming.
"Kakuzu."
Kitazawa turned to him. "Admit your defeat."
"I won't go back on my word," Kakuzu replied coolly. "Not that I'm in any position to anyway."
"I'll send you back to Konoha Village first."
Kitazawa stepped forward and activated the Flying Thunder God.
In the blink of an eye, the three of them appeared inside the Uchiha clan compound.
"Who's there?"
Fugaku immediately sensed their arrival.
"Father!"
Sasuke's expression lit up. "I defeated Kakuzu!"
"Kakuzu from the Akatsuki Organization?"
Fugaku was momentarily stunned.
These days, every member of Akatsuki was infamous across the shinobi world, so he reacted at once.
"Exactly!"
Sasuke said proudly, "I beat him all by myself!"
"As expected of my son!"
A broad smile spread across Fugaku's face.
"You two talk."
Hearing this all-too-familiar exchange, Kitazawa gave a brief farewell and took Kakuzu to the Anbu.
His plan was to have Kakuzu join the Anbu.
Since Kakuzu had been a member of Akatsuki, there was no way he could appear openly in Konoha. The anonymity of the Anbu was perfect for him.
[Current Mission: Capture Kakuzu alive.]
[Mission Reward: Mastery of Earth Release Chakra nature transformation.]
[Host has completed the mission; reward distributed.]
Kitazawa glanced at the three lines of text before him and gave a small nod.
Now, only Fire Release nature transformation remained before he mastered every chakra attribute.
He wondered what new abilities would awaken then.
"Kakuzu, I've already planted a Flying Thunder God Mark on you. No matter where you go, I can find you."
Kitazawa's tone was calm. "Since you've joined the Anbu, then do your job properly."
Kakuzu nodded silently.
He understood the unspoken warning well enough: don't stir up trouble in Konoha, and don't even think about running.
After arranging things with Kakuzu, Kitazawa went to find Antelope.
Just as he had done for Naruto, he used the same method to build up Sasuke's fame.
There was one difference this time.
For Sasuke's moniker, Kitazawa personally chose the title "Konoha's Kirin."
Once the Anbu began their information campaign, they would spread this title along with the story of his victory.
After finishing his instructions, Kitazawa returned to Takigakure.
Shibuki and the others were waiting anxiously at the village entrance.
The moment they saw him, they hurried over.
"Lord Kitazawa, how did it go?"
Shibuki asked impatiently.
"The two Akatsuki members were defeated by us."
Kitazawa replied.
"That's a relief."
Shibuki let out a long breath. "Takigakure has finally made it through this crisis."
"It's too soon to say the crisis is over."
Kitazawa shook his head. "The Akatsuki Organization won't just let this go. They will definitely send more people."
Shibuki's expression shifted sharply, tension tightening his features.
"I have a plan."
Kitazawa spoke calmly. "Let Fū stay in Konoha for the time being and use her to draw the Akatsuki toward the village."
"But…"
Shibuki's hands clenched at his sides. He was torn.
"If you're worried, you can send people to Konoha to look after Fū," Kitazawa added.
Shibuki fell silent, sinking into thought.
Keeping Fū in Takigakure would always be a hidden danger.
First, Kitazawa and the others had to return to Konoha.
Second, Takigakure itself could be attacked at any time.
Third, Fū would never truly be safe.
"…I agree," Shibuki finally sighed.
"After I return, I'll announce to the entire ninja world that I personally brought the Seven-Tails' jinchūriki to Konoha," Kitazawa said with a nod.
"Thank you for the trouble, Lord Kitazawa," Shibuki replied sincerely.
As long as Akatsuki knew Fū was no longer in Takigakure, they wouldn't come for the village again. In that sense, Konoha would be shouldering all the danger.
"There's no time to waste. Send someone to accompany me to Konoha immediately," Kitazawa urged. He had already completed the corresponding system mission and had no intention of lingering in Takigakure.
"Kogen, take a team and go with Lord Kitazawa," Shibuki ordered after a brief pause.
"Yes, Leader."
Kogen quickly chose three shinobi.
Seeing that they were ready, Kitazawa formed the seal and used the Flying Thunder God Technique.
In an instant, the five of them appeared in the Forest of Death.
Two violent chakra auras immediately surged toward them.
"Is this Fū's chakra?" Kogen narrowed his eyes.
He soon found the source of the clashing chakra.
One was Fū's — the other belonged to Uzumaki Naruto.
Kogen stared, momentarily stunned.
The Fū who had always been practically invincible in Takigakure… was actually at a disadvantage.
But he relaxed a little once he took a closer look. After all, she was up against the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
"Kogen?"
Fū noticed him right away and shouted, "We'll fight more later!"
She hurriedly ran over.
"Takigakure is fine now, don't worry," Kagen said first, knowing exactly what she wanted to ask.
"That's great!" Fū beamed, her smile bright.
"I told you, with Kitazawa-sensei around, there wouldn't be any problems," he added.
Naruto flashed a thumbs up. "Kitazawa-sensei's power of youth is unmatched!"
"Fū, the Leader has one more thing for you to do," Kogen continued, then relayed Shibuki's order for her to remain in Konoha.
"Eh?"
Fū blinked, caught off guard.
But the surprise didn't last long. She quickly grew excited.
She had always wanted to leave Takigakure and see the outside world. Now, she finally had her chance.
"During this time, you can join the Genius Class," Kitazawa said, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips.
With Fū joining, the Genius Class's overall strength rose yet again.
Meanwhile, news of Uchiha Sasuke defeating Kakuzu was spreading rapidly throughout Konoha.
No one was more excited than the Uchiha clan—especially Fugaku and Itachi.
They knew very well that to become Hokage, strength alone wasn't enough. The most crucial factor was reputation.
The greater the renown, the brighter the Hokage prospects.
When Uzumaki Naruto had started making a name for himself, they'd felt a faint sense of unease.
Now, with Sasuke's fame soaring to rival Naruto's, that worry began to fade.
—
Hidden Rain Village, Land of Rain.
Sitting beside her bed, Konan suddenly heard a knock at the door.
She froze for an instant, then rose quickly, her face smooth and unreadable.
She already knew the one knocking was certainly not Kitazawa.
Konan opened the door.
A White Zetsu emerged from the corridor's shadows.
"Kakuzu and Hidan's mission failed," White Zetsu reported. "Kitazawa and Uchiha Sasuke appeared in Takigakure and captured them."
At the mention of Kitazawa, Konan's heart gave a small tremor.
But if he had personally intervened, Kakuzu and Hidan's failure was only to be expected.
As for Uchiha Sasuke, she dismissed him without a second thought.
"The Seven-Tails' jinchūriki was also taken to Konoha by Kitazawa," White Zetsu added.
"I understand. You may leave," Konan said coldly.
White Zetsu sank into the floor and disappeared.
Konan stood there, listening to the endless rain, her mind drifting.
Now that the Seven-Tails' jinchūriki was in Konoha, Akatsuki's remaining targets were only Konoha and Kumogakure.
Given the strength of those two villages, there was no doubt that Nagato would personally move next.
Konan bit her lip unconsciously.
What was destined to come would come.
She didn't want to see Kitazawa and Nagato fight to the death, but she understood it was inevitable.
Snapping out of her daze, Konan turned and walked toward the tallest tower in the Hidden Rain Village.
Soon, she stood before the Deva Path of Pain and relayed White Zetsu's report.
"Two more members gone?" Deva Path murmured. After a short pause, he said, "Recruit new people first. I'll head to Kumogakure in a while."
Konan instinctively let out a small breath of relief.
If Konoha was being left for last, then Kitazawa and the others would still have some time to prepare.
But she quickly forced that thought away.
In front of Nagato, the wielder of the Rinnegan, preparation wouldn't mean much.
Konan's heart twisted.
For a moment, she didn't even know which side she wanted to win.
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