The sword energy was incredibly sharp and extremely fast, arriving in the blink of an eye.
"Who's there?!" Hidan's black-and-white face showed shock as he subconsciously used his three-bladed scythe to block. The sound of clashing metal screeched as Hidan was thrown back dozens of meters, his clothes torn. The ground beneath his feet cracked, kicking up hot, fresh sand.
Hatake Kusuo walked forward step by step, sword in hand, his gaze cool. Kakuzu watched him, his eyes wary. He felt as if a giant hand was squeezing his heart, and he instantly realized the identity of the newcomer.
"You're Hatake Kusuo!"
Kusuo wasn't surprised that Kakuzu could recognize him. Sometimes he wondered if the Akatsuki had the most detailed information on him in the entire ninja world. Faced with the ruthless man who had defeated their leader, neither Kakuzu nor Hidan dared to be arrogant. Hidan quickly moved back to stand with Kakuzu, his eyes fixed grimly on the figure before them.
Kankuro and Temari clutched the pot containing the One-Tail Jinchuriki, Gaara, their expressions complicated as they looked at Kusuo. They never would have imagined that the first person to come to their rescue would be the very culprit who had destroyed their village.
"You two, take Gaara and step back," Kusuo said calmly, not looking at them. Now that he was here, there was no need for their involvement.
"Sun Breathing, Tenth Form: Beneficent Radiance!"
SWISH!~
A brilliant sword strike, as dazzling as the sun, shone so brightly that it was impossible to look at directly. The attack was imbued with the ultimate properties of Yang flame, its heat so intense that it scorched the sand in its path, turning it into black silicon crystals.
"Fall back!" How could Kakuzu and Hidan dare to block such a fierce attack? Kakuzu immediately shouted to Hidan, his own body already retreating.
But Hidan still wore a cruel smile, showing no fear at all. "I have the protection of Lord Jashin! A mere sword slash, what can it do to me!?" With that, he even charged headfirst into the golden slash.
Instantly, he was melted by the searing sword energy into a mangled wreck, not even a tenth of him remaining. The faint smell of burnt flesh hung in the air.
"Idiot," Kakuzu cursed, as if lamenting why he had such a pig for a teammate. Now that Hidan's body was mostly melted, it would be difficult even for him to help restore it. It wasn't impossible, but it would take time and effort—time their enemy clearly wouldn't give them.
"You should be more concerned about yourself."
A calm voice drifted over. Sweat instantly broke out on Kakuzu's forehead. He hadn't even sensed how the other had gotten so close. Kusuo had suddenly appeared three feet behind him, his hand moving in a light, almost casual slash.
It seemed like a soft, slow strike, but Kakuzu was horrified to find that he couldn't dodge it no matter what!
Pfft.
With a soft sound, a round head fell to the ground, rolled a few times, and then settled in the sand.
"This..." Temari and Kankuro were stunned. How did it happen so fast? Everything was over in an instant. Hidan's body was melted, and Kakuzu's head was on the ground.
"Gulp..."
"That's... just too monstrous, isn't it?" Temari said, her expression complex as she looked at Kusuo's sword-wielding figure, still so calm and graceful.
"I don't know why, but I feel like he's even more of a monster than he was a few years ago," Kankuro added, swallowing hard as he stared at Kusuo's red clothes.
"I know. I have the same feeling," Temari nodded in agreement. This feeling of immense power didn't come from Kusuo using some grand, overwhelmingly powerful ninjutsu or sword strike. Instead, it was in his every move, which was filled with the carefree grace of a master swordsman. With just a simple, effortless motion, he had dispatched his enemies.
Just then, Kakuzu's fallen body began to twitch violently. It then suddenly expanded, erupting with countless black, thread-like tendrils. The change was incredibly fast. Kusuo lightly leaped back to avoid it. Kakuzu's body abruptly grew enormous, its form like a black, nightmarish creature. Its gaping maw spewed out massive clumps of chakra as its aura surged. It seemed that losing one head hadn't affected his actions at all.
"ROAR!" The re-formed Kakuzu let out a deafening roar, bellowing at Kusuo.
Kusuo frowned slightly. "Still not settling down, even at this stage." He flicked his wrist, and a flower-like sword pattern bloomed, instantly slashing through Kakuzu's body.
"ROAR! Ugh...?" The azure sword energy had pierced his body in the blink of an eye. Kakuzu's surging aura quickly deflated, his expression one of utter astonishment.
'How is this possible!' Kakuzu looked down at his body, which was deflating like a punctured balloon, a storm of shock raging in his heart. One strike! That single strike had just destroyed all five of his hearts! That meant five of his lives had been extinguished with one slash!
He could even feel the violent sword energy still rampaging inside him, frantically destroying all signs of life. To be precise, his modified body was no longer that of a normal human. The toughness of his Earth Grudge Fear was far beyond what one could imagine. But even that was turned to dust under the azure sword strike, which had no elemental properties. It dissipated into specks of black smoke that floated away on the wind.
This veteran Kage-level powerhouse, who had lived since the time of the First Hokage in the Warring States Period, had met his end under just two of Hatake Kusuo's sword strikes.
"You two, come here," Kusuo said, sheathing his sword after dealing with the two Akatsuki members.
Temari and Kankuro were still in a daze, their minds enveloped in a slowly creeping shock. Hearing Kusuo's call, they shuddered and immediately scrambled over to his feet. They didn't dare to look him in the eye. This young man, who was the same age as them, possessed a strength that towered over the entire ninja world.
"Give Gaara to me. He'll be much safer with my protection than with yours," Kusuo said, looking down at them. His calm words carried an unquestionable confidence, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Temari put away her giant fan and exchanged a look with Kankuro. A silent understanding passed between them, and they quickly made their decision. Gaara was not only Sunagakure's One-Tail Jinchuriki but also their younger brother. So, if they could ensure the safety of both the One-Tail and their brother, they would of course agree.
After taking the pot containing Gaara and the One-Tail, Kusuo lifted it as if it weighed nothing. With a slight push of his feet, the ground cracked, and he shot into the sky, disappearing over the horizon.
-------
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