"It seems you're all in trouble now."
Kin continued to watch the spectacle, allowing the purple currents to engulf him.
The violet waters submerged everyone, quickly rising to the ceiling and flooding every crevice. Kakuzu's body floated in the water, with no footing above. Hanzo moved through the currents like a fish, darting straight toward Kakuzu.
He needed to eliminate the most troublesome shinobi first—the others posed no threat.
"Coming for me, huh?"
Kakuzu sneered.
A mask tore through the fabric on his back, its body woven from black threads. The masked creature opened its maw toward the approaching Hanzo.
"Water Release: Water Curtain Barrier!"
A powerful surge of water pressure erupted from its mouth, amplifying the surrounding currents and crashing toward Hanzo. Hanzo swiftly arched upward, evading the attack, but the water's density dragged him down with its residual force.
As Kakuzu prepared to fire another blast, the massive claw of the salamander lunged at him. Kakuzu yanked the masked creature aside, barely dodging.
The delay gave Hanzo the chance to form hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Bullet!"
A condensed sphere of water shot toward Kakuzu like a cannonball, striking him instantly and slamming him into the wall. The impact forced the air from Kakuzu's lungs in a violent gasp.
No time to dwell on the pain—oxygen deprivation would cripple him in prolonged combat. He kicked upward, swimming frantically.
Hanzo moved to intercept, but the masked creature unleashed another torrent of pressurized water, barring his path. By the time the onslaught ceased, Kakuzu had already reached the surface.
Raising an arm toward the ceiling, Kakuzu summoned three additional masks—wind, fire, and lightning—coalescing around his limb.
"Earth Grudge Fear! Final Shot!"
A blue chakra blast erupted from his palm, obliterating the ceiling with a thunderous roar. Sunlight poured through the gaping hole. Kakuzu shot through it without hesitation.
The mask harassing Hanzo followed suit, streaking upward. Hanzo frowned, turning his attention to the remaining trio—only to find them gone.
"When—?"
He hadn't even noticed their disappearance.
Aboveground, Kakuzu landed on solid footing, his extra masks retracting into his back—all except the lightning-aligned one, which aimed its gaping maw at the hole.
"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"
A jagged spear of lightning plunged into the flooded chamber below. Water conducted electricity, amplifying the technique's lethality. The subterranean space flashed violently before falling silent.
Only then did Kakuzu spot Kin casually tossing two soaked figures onto the ground.
"Were you trying to kill us?!"
Hizure snarled at Kakuzu. The water-based attack had nearly claimed him—had Kin not teleported him away, he'd be dead.
"If you die, it's because you're weak."
Kakuzu's tone was merciless.
"You bastard!!"
Hizure gritted his teeth, seething. What kind of madmen did Uchiha Kin recruit? Even for an ambitious schemer, his subordinates were absurd. He'd thought Kakuzu was more tolerable than Hyuga Kiyoshi, but this guy was worse.
Ignoring Hizure's growls, Kakuzu turned to Kin.
"You'll need to find better allies. The so-called 'Hanzo of the Salamander' is a far cry from Hashirama Senju."
Eight hundred miles away, throwing shuriken?
Kin's smile didn't waver. "I'd advise against underestimating Hanzo, Kakuzu-san."
He pointed behind Kakuzu.
Too late.
Hanzo's form phased through Kakuzu's body. Bare-chested, Hanzo landed in a crouch, sickle in hand.
"One."
Kakuzu's head toppled from his shoulders.
Hanzo's cold gaze locked onto Kin.
"You're next."
With the strongest threat neutralized, the rest would be easy.
"Not quite, Hanzo-san."
Kin's warning came just as shadow engulfed Hanzo. The latter whirled, blocking a flying punch with his sickle. The clash sent both combatants skidding apart.
The battlefield now belonged to Hanzo and Kakuzu. The other two were too outmatched to intervene.
Hyuga Kiyoshi lay on the ground, staring blankly at the sky. If only I were stronger...
Kin glanced at him. "Keep training. You're still young."
Holding his own against Hanzo for even a move or two was impressive.
Kiyoshi stood silently, watching the duel.
"Hey," Hizure suddenly asked Kin, "that was the Flying Thunder God Technique, wasn't it?"
"Yep." Kin nodded. After all this time, he'd mastered the basics.
Hizure's face darkened. "Someone actually learned that jutsu..."
He'd seen it on the Scroll of Seals—a technique with absurdly high天赋 requirements,苛刻到近乎 impossible. No wonder no one else had succeeded.
Damn these geniuses.
He clenched his teeth.
I need to accelerate the Kekkei Genkai Absorption Technique. With powerful bloodlines, I'll reach their level.
His eyes flicked back to the fight—and to Kin, who watched with leisurely amusement, utterly unconcerned.
Just how much are you hiding, Uchiha Kin?
The battle shifted again.
One of Kakuzu's masks suddenly tore free, stumbling before collapsing. Seizing the opening, Hanzo charged, sickle clashing against Kakuzu's tendril-laced fists. Their movements blurred, neither gaining ground.
Then—
The ground split open as a massive maw erupted, aiming to swallow Kakuzu whole.
At the last moment, all four masks burst from Kakuzu's back, unleashing flames, lightning, wind, and water into the salamander's gaping mouth. The creature recoiled, snapping its jaws shut in pain. Kakuzu kicked off its snout, flipping backward to land safely.
Hanzo lunged again—
Only for wooden branches to erupt from the earth, lashing toward him. He barely dodged in time.
"Wood Release?!"
Hanzo's expression twisted as the lead youth appeared before Kakuzu.
Kakuzu retracted his masks, eyeing Kin.
Kin tilted his head, studying Hanzo.
"Hanzo-san."
"Have you ever experienced despair?"
...
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(End of Chapter)