1500 POWA STONES!! See even if I upload 1 chapter, I'll still have to upload 3 chaps a day, so W POWA STONES
Chapter 71: Bonds from the Other Side
Kakuzu's hands began forming seals as the black threads running through his entire body writhed violently like living creatures. With a sharp "tearing" sound, the four grotesque masks on his back began to transform—the manifestation of the four hearts stored by his Earth Grudge Fear technique.
The black threads covering Kakuzu's body suddenly trembled violently, emitting a teeth-grinding "creaking" sound. Those bizarre threads penetrating his entire body twisted like living things before suddenly bursting from his skin's surface. Accompanied by the sound of tearing flesh, four masses of pitch-black substance gushed from the wounds on his back.
"Splurt—"
Four pitch-black masked creatures broke free from Kakuzu's body, twisting into form in midair. Each had a different shape but was equally grotesque.
"Raiton: Gian!"
The mask representing lightning suddenly opened wide, brilliant blue light erupting from the void beneath the mask. In an instant, violent lightning chakra poured out like a bursting dam, thick lightning serpents carving scorched trenches across the ground.
Facing this destructive lightning technique, Menma simply raised his right hand calmly. The Nine-Faced Beasts scattered in perfect coordination.
BOOM—!
The blinding lightning completely swallowed Menma's figure, the explosion so loud it snapped surrounding trees in half.
Kakuzu stared fixedly at the center of the lightning storm. The raging electrical current continued for a full ten seconds before gradually dissipating. Through the rising smoke and dust, the ground had been reduced to scorched earth.
However—after the smoke cleared, Menma still maintained his raised-hand posture, standing in the same spot. His robe didn't even have a single scorch mark.
Naruto had considered using Hiraishin to dodge, but chose instead to test the new jutsu formula he'd been secretly developing this past year. Beyond practicing the jutsu scrolls gifted by the Third Hokage, he'd also repeatedly studied "Uzumaki Menma" abilities he'd briefly experienced.
This inspiration came from a scene in the movie—when Konoha ninja threw kunai at Menma, those ninja tools strangely suspended in midair the moment they touched his body, then fell powerlessly to the ground.
Through his experience with the ability card, Naruto had analyzed the essence of this technique.
It involved using wind-natured chakra through extremely refined nature transformation, spreading it evenly throughout his body and surrounding space to construct an invisible storm domain. This domain could both repel approaching enemy attacks and passively defend against assaults from all directions. Achieving this combined offensive and defensive effect required nearly harsh precision in chakra control.
Fortunately, Naruto's fuinjutsu talent drawn from the system became crucial assistance. As the ninja art category most demanding of precise control, long-term fuinjutsu practice had cultivated the delicate manipulation skills that, after a full year of repeated attempts, finally allowed him to recreate this technique even without the experience card. He named it:
Furan-ryu (Wind Storm Style)
At this moment, this invisible wind barrier perfectly deflected Kakuzu's Raiton: Gian. Naruto secretly sighed in relief—this was the technique's first real combat test, though he always kept backup plans ready, able to activate Hiraishin to escape if the defense failed.
The Kakuzu across from him didn't show excessive surprise. Given Menma's reputation in the ninja world, it would be more shocking if an attack of this level actually worked.
Kakuzu's hands formed seals again as two masked creatures responded simultaneously.
"Futon: Atsugai!"
"Katon: Zukokku!"
The wind-natured masked creature opened its fangs as violent airflow gushed from the mask's openings, instantly forming a massive wind pressure over ten meters in diameter. Almost simultaneously, towering flames burst from the fire-natured mask creature's crevices, the scorching fire waves perfectly fusing with the wind pressure.
"ROAR—!"
The moment wind and fire combined, a flame tornado over 20 meters in diameter rose from the ground. The searing heat waves instantly carbonized nearby trees.
Menma's figure remained motionless within the flames, his voice suddenly turning cold beneath the fox mask. Naruto decided to end the battle decisively.
"Playtime ends here."
Just as the flame tornado was about to consume him, his figure suddenly vanished. The next moment—
BANG!
CRACK!
Continuous shattering sounds exploded around Kakuzu. The Nine-Faced Beasts had somehow completed their encirclement.
Azure Dragon's body slammed the wind-natured mask creature into the ground, the mask already cracking under the rampage.
White Tiger and Vermillion Bird attacked from both sides, the fire-natured mask creature torn apart under their dual assault.
Black Tortoise's thick shell directly crushed the water-natured mask creature trying to escape.
Southern Dipper Sage and Northern Dipper Sage formed hand seals while under Death God's scythe, all chakra from the final lightning-natured mask creature was harvested, rendering it unable to fight.
Kakuzu staggered back several steps, black threads writhing frantically to repair the damage. Each of his four mask creatures possessed jonin-level strength, but facing nine beasts at least elite jonin level, some approaching kage level, this battle had been destined as a crushing defeat from the start.
The power gap was too vast...
Feeling his final earth-natured heart within his body, Kakuzu finally realized what kind of monster he was facing. The Nine-Faced Beasts' encirclement slowly tightened, each massive beast radiating dangerous pressure.
"It's over."
The voice suddenly rang beside his ear. Kakuzu spun around to find that eerie fox mask already close enough to see every fine detail of its patterns. Driven by instinct, he unhesitatingly swung his fist toward Menma's face—
BANG!
An invisible heavy blow precisely struck his wrist, bones emitting an unbearable crack. Kakuzu stumbled back two steps, green pupils full of shock and confusion.
What was that?!
He stared at the seemingly empty space around Menma. That strike's power was definitely no less than his full-strength punch, but why couldn't he see any attacker? The writhing black threads frantically repaired his wrist's damage.
Behind Menma, Crazy Diamond slowly withdrawing its fist, quietly hovering beside its master.
Kakuzu breathed heavily. The Nine-Faced Beasts remained unharmed around the perimeter while Menma—still stood spotlessly in place, not even his robe's hem showing the slightest disorder.
Couldn't even touch him once...
Nearly a century of combat experience seemed so laughable at this moment. Kakuzu clearly realized that if his opponent wanted to take his life, he would already be a corpse.
"What? Still want to fight?" Menma's voice came.
Kakuzu raised his hand to wipe his mouth corner, suddenly letting out a hoarse laugh. "No, I'm completely defeated..."
The mask fragments representing Earth Grudge Fear's hearts scattered across the ground. Kakuzu took a deep breath, green pupils looking directly at the masked man.
"I'll honor my promise... though I'm not without gain." His voice carried that familiar mercenary tone again. "Joining an organization with someone of your caliber isn't exactly a losing deal."
Menma nodded slightly as the Nine-Faced Beasts' forms began gradually fading. "Mm, I won't interfere with your pursuit of money. Let's go then."
Kakuzu nodded but suddenly stopped. "Wait, give me another moment. I only have one heart left now."
He turned toward the bandit leader's corpse not far away. "Need to replenish my hearts first—"
"No need. That's unnecessary." Menma interrupted, his hand already on Kakuzu's shoulder.
"What—" Kakuzu's question was cut short. The next moment, the sensation on his body made his eyes widen. Kakuzu watched in disbelief as the wounds on his body healed at visible speed.
Even more shocking, the scattered mask creature fragments on the ground suddenly trembled, reassembling as if drawn by invisible force and regaining new vitality.
"This... what exactly is this?!" Kakuzu's voice showed rare fluctuation. Those mask creatures that should have been completely destroyed now returned perfectly intact to his body, the sound of four beating hearts clearly audible.
"Just a special ability." Menma withdrew his hand, tone indifferent. "Let's go."
Kakuzu looked down at his completely restored body, immediately recognizing this ability's strategic value. Ultimately, all his shock condensed into one meaningful sigh. "Those who make enemies of you must have quite the headaches."
Just then, a familiar notification sound rang in Naruto's mind.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host: Initial bond established with original character "Kakuzu"!]
[Points earned: 150!]
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