Kakuzu's body writhed with black tendrils, the hallmark of his Earth Grudge Fear technique.
By stealing hearts, he extended his lifespan, achieving a form of pseudo-immortality. Each heart he claimed granted him access to its original owner's techniques.
However, hearts had finite lifespans. When one failed, Kakuzu hunted new prey to replace it, defying the ravages of time.
Earth Grudge Fear was the source of all his power.
"No matter if it's the Flying Thunder God Technique, I just need to keep you at bay." Kakuzu roared.
His black tendrils surged, and three grotesque creatures, each wearing a mask resembling those of the Anbu, detached from his body to stand beside him.
These were his masked beasts, manifestations of the stolen hearts, each specializing in a specific ninjutsu.
"Kakuzu, it seems my earlier attacks destroyed one of your hearts." Tengen said calmly.
Kakuzu's expression twisted in shock. Indeed, one heart had been obliterated by Tengen's strike, but how did he know?
"How did you know that?" Kakuzu rasped.
It felt as though he'd been stripped bare, every secret laid exposed before Tengen. Fear mingled with a nagging question: who was this person?
A mere Konoha Chunin? Impossible.
Neither Tengen's taijutsu nor his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique aligned with a Chunin's capabilities.
"I know, of course. And thinking you can counter the Flying Thunder God by outnumbering me? That's laughable." Tengen said with a faint smile, vanishing from Kakuzu's sight.
"Where is he? Where?" Kakuzu broke into a cold sweat, unnerved by facing such an elusive foe. Tracking Tengen's movements was nearly impossible.
"Right here." Tengen's voice sounded from behind.
"No, you didn't throw a kunai!" Kakuzu retreated swiftly, but Tengen made no move to attack. Killing Kakuzu would be simple for Tengen, given his arsenal, but that wasn't his goal.
He needed to destroy two more of Kakuzu's hearts to complete the mission and earn a standard video, a reward far more enticing than an ordinary one.
"No kunai?" Tengen chuckled. "That's because I've already marked you with a seal."
"A seal on me?" Kakuzu inspected his body, spotting an unfamiliar dragon-like emblem on his waist.
"That's the seal." Kakuzu muttered, his face darkening. When had Tengen managed this?
A Flying Thunder God seal, once placed, was nearly impossible to remove, at least for Kakuzu.
"Don't worry, Kakuzu. I'll make you submit, and then we can discuss cooperation." Tengen said with a smile.
"Damn you." Kakuzu growled, his expression grim.
A masked beast, resembling a winged creature with blue facial markings, opened its mouth wide. A tornado-like force surged toward Tengen, shattering nearby rocks.
Wind Release: Pressure Damage.
Tengen clenched his fist, enveloping it in Armament Haki.
"Armament Haki: Burst!" He struck.
An invisible force collided with the wind attack, the two powers clashing midair.
The gusts sliced the ground like blades, carving deep gashes into the earth.
With a resounding boom, both forces dissipated into nothingness.
"Not ninjutsu, just taijutsu?" Kakuzu stammered, stunned that his Wind Release had been shattered by a single strike.
"Kakuzu, if this is the extent of your strength, I wouldn't mind sending you to meet our First Hokage." Tengen said with a faint smile.
"Damn it." Kakuzu's face contorted in fury. Another masked beast, tall with a yellow nose and a demonic mask, parted its mouth slightly.
Silver lightning crackled, forming a sharp weapon of electricity.
Lightning Release: False Darkness.
This lightning-charged spear was faster and stronger than the previous wind attack.
Tengen drew the long blade from his back, infusing it with Wind Release chakra.
As the lightning spear closed in, Tengen vanished, not through teleportation but with a wind-enhanced sword technique. Combining physical prowess with chakra, he unleashed a swift slash.
To onlookers, it might seem as if he'd disappeared.
His blade, imbued with Wind Release, cleaved through the lightning spear, reducing it to scattered arcs. The spear's potent electrical energy was utterly nullified.
Wind Release naturally countered Lightning Release, rendering Kakuzu's technique ineffective, effortlessly blocked by Tengen.
Beyond his initial use of the Flying Thunder God, Tengen hadn't launched a single offensive move.
This made Kakuzu's expression even grimmer. Tengen reminded him of Hashirama Senju, evoking a sense of despair.
"I won't surrender!" Kakuzu roared.
"Fire Release: Searing Migraine!"
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
A combined ninjutsu assault.
***
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