Having lived for eighty-two years, Kakuzu was practically a living fossil in a Ninja World where the average lifespan barely reached thirty. He had weathered countless storms in his lifetime, and there was no scene he hadn't witnessed before.
'A combination of the Uchiha and Uzumaki Clans?'
'What the hell? I've never seen that before!'
'This is some real ghostly nonsense…' Kakuzu inwardly clicked his tongue.
'Those scarlet Sharingan eyes… there was no mistaking them!'
Back when Kakuzu was still in Takigakure, he had clashed with numerous Konoha's Ninja and had even attempted to assassinate the First Hokage, Hashirama.
…Only to be beaten half to death by Hashirama.
Even after defecting from Takigakure and becoming a bounty hunter, Konoha's Uchiha Clan remained one of the groups Kakuzu least wanted to provoke.
Those red-eyed lunatics were infamous throughout the Ninja World as battle maniacs. The only clan that could rival their madness was the Kaguya Clan of Kirigakure.
Any Uchiha who awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan was easily Elite Jonin-level, and their combat prowess ranked among the very best of their peers across the nations.
'And then there was the Uzumaki Clan…'
'That distinctive red hair… no way I am wrong about that!'
'Rumor had it the Uzumaki Clan had been wiped out seventeen years ago. Where on earth had the leader dug up this woman?'
What was even more baffling was-
'Weren't the Uchiha supposed to be holed up in Konoha Village? How did one of them end up outside the village?'
'And why had I never heard of these two before?'
As a seasoned veteran of the underworld and a frequent patron of the bounty exchange, Kakuzu found himself genuinely stumped.
"Ah, greetings! I'm Gato, a merchant with no combat abilities. I handle the organization's funding." Gato said, rubbing his hands together as he stepped forward, his demeanor humble.
He ushered the two into the center of the camp, careful not to underestimate them just because they are women.
"I'm Kakuzu." Though inwardly wary of this bizarre pairing, Kakuzu's tone remained gruff: "Humph, You're late. The leader said you'd take care of Hoshigakure ahead of us."
"Apologies. We were coming from the Land of Water, so it took some time." Kanon replied, settling by the campfire with Karin before smiling faintly: "It's just Hoshigakure. It'll be dealt with quickly."
Hikari cut straight to the chase, addressing Gato, "Location."
Her icy, no-nonsense tone sent a chill down Gato's spine, which made him reminded of the leader's presence. Flustered, he quickly handed her a map scroll.
"I'll handle it." Hikari took the map scroll, opened it and took a look. After determining the coordinates of Hoshigakure, she left instantly.
"I'll go see watch the show." Kakuzu remarked with interest before disappearing into the night as well.
Now, only Gato and Kanon and Karin remained in the camp.
This made Gato a little nervous, and he quickly rummaged through his supplies for some toys to entertain Karin.
Meanwhile, Kanon pulled out a scroll containing the Uzumaki Clan's secret techniques and resumed her studies.
…
As she raced through the night, Hikari sensed Kakuzu trailing behind her.
Gradually, Kakuzu caught up, moving parallel to her.
"Don't give me that look." Kakuzu chuckled, his green eyes flicking toward Hikari: "It just so happens that I'm going to Hoshigakure to capture a Ninja with decent strength to replenish my secret technique."
"Don't expect me to lift a finger for anything else."
Truth be told, Kakuzu had always been intrigued by the Uchiha Clan. If not for the fact that the other party had no bounty and was a member of the same organization, his money-grubbing instincts might have already kicked in.
After all, a pair of Sharingan could fetch a hefty price on the black market.
"Just don't get in my way." Hikari snorted, picking up speed.
"Heh." Kakuzu matched her pace.
…
Hoshigakure is located in the eastern part of the Land of Bears, bordered the Lands of Earth, Lands of Birds, and Lands of Wind.
It was surrounded by the poisonous Devil's Ravine, a natural barrier that also shielded the village from invasions from those three nations.
It is precisely because of this treacherous terrain that Hoshigakure had enjoyed over two hundred years of relative peace, despite many coveting its Meteorite.
But the Meteorite seemed to emit some kind of radiation, slowly corroding the bodies of those who trained with it. Over the centuries, every practitioner of the Mysterious Peacock Method had met a gruesome end!
By the time Hikari stood before Hoshigakure's entrance, night had fully fallen. The flickering lights of the sparse village reflected in her Sharingan.
Kakuzu also watched with his arms folded, looking at Hikari beside him, wanting to see what approach she would take.
But Hikari strode straight into the village.
"A decapitation strike, huh?" Kakuzu mused.
Such a small Ninja Village's strongest combat force is nothing more than a few elite Ninjas, including its leader. The majority of the other Ninjas are just Chunin and Genin, posing no real threat.
As long as the village's leader is controlled, half the village is already under your grasp.
Sure enough, before long, explosions tore through the night sky!
Thick smoke rose from the center of Hoshigakure.
Kakuzu also went to watch the fun.
When he arrived at the center of Hoshigakure, he saw that the so-called Hoshikage Building, a wooden structure only three or four stories tall, had already been mostly destroyed, with the remaining parts engulfed in raging flames.
From the wreckage, the Third Hoshikage crawled out in disarray, a deep wound visible on his right shoulder, the bone exposed.
Staring at the figure slowly emerging from the flames, the Third Hoshikage widened his eyes and demanded: "Who are you?"
"Are you here to steal the [Star]?!" The Third Hoshikage, with his distinctive mustache, trembled as he spoke.
"With strength like yours, you dare call yourself a Kage?" Hikari stepped out from the flames amidst the ruins, glancing at the small old man wearing the Hoshikage's hat with a hint of disdain.
When she heard that Hoshigakure had a Kage, she had expected a formidable opponent.
As a result, a single Fire Release Ninjutsu from her was enough to blow up the so-called Hoshikage Building, and this Third Hoshikage was already severely injured.
It left Hikari utterly disappointed.
"Hoshikage-sama!" At that moment, dozens of Hoshigakure's Ninjas rushed to the scene.
The radical faction led by Akahoshi and Hoshikage's Anbu's Ninjas, some wearing forehead protectors with star patterns, others donning animal masks, stared at the young girl standing in the flames of the Hoshikage Building, their expressions tense with alarm!
'How had the enemy crossed Devil's Ravine? How had they infiltrated Hoshigakure's territory?'
They had no idea!
"Attack! She's alone! Kill her!" Akahoshi shouted, forming hand seals and activating the [Mysterious Peacock Method]!
A surge of pale purple Chakra erupted from Akahoshi's body, solidifying into a dragon-like form behind him before charging toward the enemy on the ground.
The other Hoshigakure's Ninjas also formed hand seals, unleashing their own versions of Mysterious Peacock Method.
In an instant, their Chakras took the shapes of tigers, eagles, bears, leopards, and other beasts, attacking the intruder from all directions!
"Come at me all at once!" Hikari shouted, darting straight toward Akahoshi, who had been the loudest.
Akahoshi's expression changed drastically, and he manipulated his Chakra Dragon to lunge at Hikari.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!" The girl's hands moved swiftly, and a blazing wave of fire erupted from her mouth.
The raging flames clashed with Akahoshi's Mysterious Peacock Method!
The Ninjutsu of both sides collided in the air, erupting into a violent explosion.
Akahoshi's Chakra Dragon was completely overwhelmed and consumed, the flames surging forward!
But faster than the flames was a lithe figure.
Before Akahoshi could even react, Hikari had already burst through the fire, her hand clamping onto his head.
And then… she slammed him down!
Boom!
Akahoshi's face smashed into the ground, his entire body cratering the earth with a thunderous impact, debris flying everywhere!
A Chakra Tiger pounced from the side, but Hikari tilted her head to dodge its claws, then closed the distance in an instant, driving a fist into the Hoshigakure's Ninja's chin and sending him flying several meters into the air!
Before the enemy could even land, Hikari continued weaving through the Hoshigakure's Ninjas, her scarlet Sharingan spinning rapidly, precisely tracking every movement of the hostile Ninjas.
Like a ghost, she darted through the enemy camp, every strike of her fists and kicks accompanied by the sickening crunch of shattered bones.
Using only Taijutsu, she sent Hoshigakure's elite Ninjas into complete disarray!
In the blink of an eye, their strongest forces were crushed!
Kakuzu stood atop a tree branch, watching Hikari's dance of destruction, and couldn't help but mutter in awe: "As expected of the Uchiha Clan."