"How… how did you become this strong?"

The Taki-nin captain trembled as he pointed at Kakuzu. A simple Suiton had been unleashed with terrifying force.

Hadn't they just beaten him half-dead days ago? How had his power skyrocketed as if riding a rocket?

"Are your last words done? Then close your eyes."

Facing comrades who once tried to kill him, Kakuzu felt no mercy.

"Don't be so smug yet!"

The captain forced his shaking hands into seals. A whip of water lashed from his palm.

"Suiton: Suiryūben (Water Whip)!"

The whip cracked toward Kakuzu's face.

"Smack!"

The captain felt the satisfying feedback of impact, joy flashing in his eyes.

But then—

"…Is that all you've got?"

Kakuzu's cold voice rang out. The captain's face froze in horror. Kakuzu held the whip firmly in his bare hand.

"Raiton: Gian (False Darkness)!"

Lightning surged through the whip. The captain shrieked as electricity coursed into his body, his flesh smoking black before he collapsed unconscious.

Kakuzu glanced at the fallen Taki-nin. He didn't bother killing them—no bounty meant no profit. Killing for free was a waste of time.

Instead, he picked up the kunai thrown at him earlier. Turning it over in his hand, his eyes gleamed.

High-grade steel—worth at least 3,000 ryō.

"Leaving already?"

A bandaged man emerged, flanked by Iwa shinobi. Mu.

"So you're the reinforcements he called."

Kakuzu wasn't surprised. That arrogant Taki-nin clearly had backup. Too bad they waited until their comrades were down before showing themselves.

"We simply share the same goal."

Mu ignored the fainted Taki-nin, his eyes fixed on Kakuzu.

"You must be Kakuzu. Tell us what you know of the Seven-Tails, and you can join Iwagakure."

"…I'm a missing-nin."

"That's fine. Join us, and we'll settle things with Taki."

Kakuzu only sneered. "…Heh." He turned to leave.

"You think I'll let you walk away?"

Rage surged in Mu. First the Ghost Soldier Squad, now this rat of a missing-nin dared spurn him?!

"I don't know this Seven-Tails thing you speak of."

Kakuzu's eyes glowed faint green.

"Still playing dumb? Take him down!"

Mu waved his hand. Countless stone spikes shot toward Kakuzu.

"Doton: Doryūheki (Earth Wall)!"

A stone barrier rose, blocking the assault. Kakuzu looked at Mu calmly.

"…Do you have a bounty?"

"What?"

Mu blinked, baffled.

"As Iwa's second-in-command, of course I do!"

"Good. I hate working for free."

His seals flew.

"Fūton: Atsugai (Pressure Damage)!"

A vortex of compressed wind howled forward. The Iwa-nin scattered, but the vortex detonated, shredding them with invisible blades. Screams rang out.

"Damn it!"

Mu's eyes blazed. He lunged with his great sword.

"Clang!"

Steel met steel as Kakuzu's kunai clashed against Mu's blade. Sparks flew as the two traded blows fiercely.

On a nearby tree, Itama shouted, "Hey curly-haired monkey! They're fighting already, hurry!"

"…Yare yare, what a lively crowd."

Gin perched lazily, picking his ear.

"Gin, should we act?"

Beside him, Hikari frowned. She felt something strangely familiar from Kakuzu.

"Not yet. Watch a little longer."

"But if we delay, the other villages—"

"We're already the last to arrive."

Hikari froze.

Down below, Mu's blade smashed down, shattering Kakuzu's kunai.

"Give up. I haven't even used my full strength yet."

He pressed the advantage.

Kakuzu grimaced but stashed the broken kunai fragment—he could still sell it. His hand drifted toward his pack, ready to reveal his hidden weapons.

"Hahaha! Bandage man, did you miss me?!"

A flamboyant laugh rang out. From the forest leapt Gengetsu, his mustache twitching arrogantly.

"You damn mustache pest, stay out of this!"

Mu abandoned Kakuzu, charging at his old rival. Their battle tore stone and water through the field.

The girls glanced at Gin. He simply smiled knowingly.

"Gin-sensei, now's our chance!" Osamu urged, watching Kakuzu eyeing escape.

"Patience. The mantis stalks the cicada, but the oriole waits behind."

Kakuzu, arms still tingling, saw Mu and Gengetsu locked in combat. His eyes shifted—time to slip away.

But a bald, tattooed giant blocked his path. Shamon. The Suna delegation had arrived.

"Missing-nin, why don't you share the Seven-Tails' location with us?"

His "friendly" smile chilled Kakuzu's blood.

"I know nothing! Lies spread by traitors of Taki!"

Kakuzu's hand drifted toward his pack again.

"In that case, you'll have to come with us."

Shamon's aura swelled, no weaker than Mu or Gengetsu.

"Oioioi~ even desert rats think they can claim the Seven-Tails?"

Two deep voices rumbled. From the treetops descended two giants—Kinkaku and Ginkaku, leading squads of armored Yūnin.

"…Eh?! Gold and Silver brothers?!"

Gin rubbed his eyes. "What did they feed you in Kumogakure to make you grow so fast?!"

"You're the brothers of Kumo!" Shamon barked, steel in his tone.

"The Seven-Tails has no master. Strength will decide."

Mu and Gengetsu both paused, eyeing the newcomers.

Now four factions surrounded Kakuzu.

Kakuzu sneered bitterly. "What a scene. Four of the Five Great Nations chasing me. Is Konoha hiding somewhere too?"

"?!!"

On the treetop, Itama nearly fell. "Curly-haired monkey, he knows we're here!"

"Shh! Keep quiet!" Gin shoved her head down.

"…Konoha? They're not interested in Bijuu." Gengetsu mused.

"Indeed." Mu agreed.

But Shamon and the brothers stiffened—they'd recently encountered Konoha shinobi. Coincidence? Perhaps not.

"Since our goal is the same, why not unite against him, and share the intel?" Shamon suggested.

"Impossible!" Gengetsu and Mu barked together.

Shamon turned to the brothers. "What do you say?"

Kinkaku grinned. "Kill them all!"

At his signal, their Black Lightning troops surged forward, electricity crackling as they struck at all sides.

"Crazy! They're challenging all three forces at once!"

Chaos exploded. Sand, stone, water, and lightning tore across the battlefield.

From his perch, Gin marveled. "These men are all elite jōnin at least… trained to fight Kage-level enemies."

His gaze narrowed. "To hunt… me?"

"Boom!"

Shamon staggered back, bloodied from a heavy punch by Kinkaku himself.

"Shamon-sama!" the Suna shinobi cried.

"I'm fine. Stay cautious!"

He rallied, unleashing "Fūton: Shinkūgyoku (Vacuum Bullets)!" His signature wind jutsu cut down several Yūnin.

But Kinkaku's massive fist sent him flying through trees, arm dislocated.

Gritting his teeth, Shamon looked at Mu and Gengetsu.

"We must unite, or none of us will leave alive!"

"Tch! Bandage man, beg me and I'll ally with you!" Gengetsu called.

"Hmph! On your knees first, then I'll consider it." Mu retorted.

But when lightning coursed through Gengetsu's liquefied body, he screamed, forced back into human form—straight into a kneel before Mu.

"…I only asked for kneeling, not kowtowing." Mu mocked.

"Damn you—!" Gengetsu snarled.

"Enough. Since you're so sincere, I'll join hands this once."

The three begrudgingly joined forces.

Kinkaku only laughed. "Weaklings need allies. Come at me together!"

The battlefield roared again as their jutsu clashed with the giant's Bashōsen fan.

Meanwhile, Kakuzu tried to slip away—only for Ginkaku to block him.

"You'll stay put until big bro's done."

"…And if I refuse?"

"Then I'll break all five of your limbs first."

Cold eyes locked on him. But as Kakuzu studied the man, a familiar aura prickled at his senses.

"That's… Matatabi."

"What?!" Kakuzu muttered.

The Seven-Tails inside him stirred. "He's like me. Chosen by a Bijuu."

Kakuzu's brows furrowed. This silver-haired brute carried a beast as well?

While they stared each other down, Kinkaku roared, scattering Mu, Gengetsu, and Shamon like leaves.

Their combined power barely held against him.

"Damn! Baldy, don't you have any secret arts?!" Gengetsu hissed behind the safety of Mu's wall.

"…I don't." Shamon flushed.

"You useless—fine! Time to go big!"

Gengetsu clapped his hands, summoning his secret jutsu.

"Jōki Bōi (Steaming Danger Tyranny)!"

Mist billowed, condensing into a round, chubby figure with a strange grin.

"Run if you can…"

Kinkaku sneered, thinking it mere mist concealment. His flames lashed out.

But the doll dodged nimbly, swelling larger with each surge of heat.

Mu's fists hardened with stone.

"Doton: Gankuken no Jutsu (Rock Fist)!"

Shamon added another "Fūton: Shinkūgyoku!"

"…Seriously? You're supposed to be Second Kazekage, not some budget Naruto spamming wind bullets."

Gin sighed from his perch.

(End of Chapter)

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