A massive hand rose from the tsunami, gripping the blazing wave tightly. The once-mighty flames were now flickering weakly, reduced to twisted wisps of white smoke curling upward.
Hiss!
The seawater boiled under the intense heat, sending scalding steam soaring into the sky. The already heavy, lead-gray clouds grew even denser. Kakashi and the others tilted their heads back, watching as the white smoke spread across the sky, tangling with the gray clouds, a clear dividing line visible between them.
Right then.
A black shadow flashed through the gray-white divide in the sky.
Whoosh!
A figure wreathed in steaming heat burst through the swirling white smoke. Slender, dense black tendrils trailed a tail of vapor, rocketing like a cannonball toward Hikari, who was controlling the tsunami!
"Boring tactics," Hikari said coolly, shaking her head. Her Byakugan granted her perfect insight as she faced Kakuzu's sneak attack. With a flick of her fingers, she pressed down on the air, and the towering tsunami was instantly flattened.
The massive weight of the water crashed back into the sea, the resulting tidal surge nearly flooding the shores of the Land of Waves.
At the same moment.
Buzz—
Six terrifying floating cannons spun wildly, chakra building up inside them under immense pressure.
In less than a quarter of a second.
Multiple torrents converged into a single, thick laser beam, blasting toward Kakuzu as he descended from the sky!
The torrent attack was faster than a wind bullet, with even greater piercing power—impossible to dodge!
The instant it made contact, the water-wind torrent punched straight through Kakuzu's blackened body. His so-called "all-purpose" Earth Spear technique crumbled like a shoddy construction project.
The floating cannons in sniper mode had high firing speed and long range, perfect for mid-to-long-distance combat. The high-pressure water-wind cannon, however, excelled at close-to-mid-range devastation but required a longer reload time.
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At that moment, the sixfold power of the floating cannons was Hikari's most devastating ninjutsu. Even she would have to dodge an attack like this—there was no way she could block it!
Kakuzu, of course, knew the defensive limits of his Earth Spear technique.
He was well aware that his enemy had wide-range sensory abilities and S-rank long-range ninjutsu. There was no way he'd come charging in unprepared.
Rip!
Like a sheet of paper torn apart by a pencil, Kakuzu's three distinct masks and his main body split apart. Each took a portion of his black tendrils, leaving only the central mass of black threads to be obliterated in the terrifying laser's windstorm.
"Scatter," Hikari commanded.
The concentrated torrent suddenly dispersed.
Straight laser beams sliced toward the separated Kakuzu, carving through the sky. The steam clouds were cut into neat, square shapes, with faint golden light spilling through the gaps.
But the lasers' horizontal and vertical cutting speed was far slower than their initial burst, giving Kakuzu time to react.
Kakuzu and his three elemental masks moved like ace fighter pilots, piloting their tendrils with rolls, dives, sidesteps, and ascents to evade the six laser beams' encirclement.
His agile flight, paired with a tendril-based body that had no weak points except his hearts, meant that even if a laser sliced him, he could shift his heart and adapt effortlessly.
No wonder he was the longest-living ninja in the shinobi world, aside from the Otsutsuki clan.
Watching Kakuzu maneuver in the sky with more grace than a bird, Hikari quietly marveled.
The average lifespan of a ninja in the shinobi world was just over twenty years. During wartime, many children as young as four or five would clutch kunai and charge into battle, dragging the average lifespan down to the teens.
Kakuzu, who had survived since the era of Hashirama, was at least eighty or ninety years old by now.
He'd single-handedly raised the ceiling on ninja lifespans.
Back in the war-torn days of small ninja villages, he likely started fighting around age five. Decades of thriving on the front lines of the black market had honed his eighty years of combat experience and skills to a mirror-like polish.
In the original story, he was taken out in one hit by Naruto purely to showcase the Rasenshuriken's plot-driven power.
Among all the powerful foes Hikari had faced, Kakuzu was, without a doubt, the most masterful in chakra nature transformation and the most skilled in combat experience and technique—a true elite ninja!
Ugh, that flight ability!
Enviously watching Kakuzu twist and turn in the sky, Hikari found herself momentarily stumped.
She felt like a boss in a soul-like game facing a high-level player with lightning-fast reflexes and agile movement. Despite her overwhelming mechanics and stats, her opponent always found a sliver of opportunity to slip through her attacks.
The high-speed floating cannons had their limits.
After several failed cuts, the power in the water shuttles began to wane, wisps of steam rising from the barrels. Hikari's heart surged with chakra, recharging them.
"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"
Seizing the gap with his unmatched combat experience, Kakuzu's bull-shaped mask opened its mouth and fired a terrifying lightning spear!
The lightning spear descended from the sky like a bolt of thunder, striking Hikari directly.
Crackle!
A red polyhedral barrier rapidly expanded, hard as diamond, completely blocking the incoming lightning spear.
Zzzzt!
The spear, brimming with extreme piercing power, hammered the barrier, making it flicker like a short-circuiting lightbulb.
Crack!
Inch-long fractures appeared on the barrier's surface—a massive wound even Raiga, who died fighting, had never seen.
But the barrier's power ultimately prevailed. The lightning spear's energy fizzled out, vanishing into nothingness, while the cratered and cracked barrier still stood strong!
Before Kakuzu could react.
Pale purple chakra flooded the barrier's surface, acting like adhesive to mend the cracks. The craters filled, and the fissures vanished at a visible pace.
Inside.
The fully recharged floating cannons began spinning again. As Hikari looked up, terrifying lasers once again carved golden streaks across the sky!
I'll wear you down!
The moment the laser pierced his earth-based heart with no counter, Kakuzu's mental defenses crumbled.
He'd barely found an opening to attack, only to discover his opponent was guarded by an instant-cast, omnidirectional defensive barrier.
Not only could the barrier withstand his most piercing Lightning Release, but it also had rapid self-repair functions!
The most infuriating part was that the barrier could identify threats and attack while defending. Those terrifying ultra-long-range light cannons had barely any cooldown, and her chakra seemed limitless. In all his years, he'd never seen such a cheat-level ninjutsu ninja!
Rip—
Down to three lives, Kakuzu split head from tail again, pulling off spiraling maneuvers in the sky that would make an ace pilot scream in awe. Hikari, on the ground, watched coldly, directing the floating cannons around her to unleash a barrage into the sky.
Kakuzu's extreme maneuvers were undeniably impressive, but Hikari's five years of grueling training were designed to avoid competing on skill. Her overwhelming mechanics and stats meant she could afford countless mistakes, while her opponent could only slip up five times.
No, wait!
The initial ultra-long-range sneak attack cost him one life, and another was lost in the sky.
Three lives left!
"Naruto, watch out!"
As Naruto stood mesmerized by the air-to-ground battle on the shore, Sasuke's urgent shout snapped him back.
Instinctively turning, Naruto saw a massive red scythe swinging horizontally toward his face. The three-segmented blade gleamed with menace, its surface stained with dark blood.
Whoosh!
The air hummed like a stick swung at high speed, signaling the ferocity of the taijutsu attack!
Five years of training under Gai weren't for nothing.
Naruto's body jolted, his core tightening.
Knees bent, waist lowered, jaw tucked, center of gravity dropped—a textbook series of taijutsu moves. Naruto dodged the scythe with a perfect crouch, his blue eyes snapping upward, locking onto the black-and-white figure wielding it like a predatory wolf.
The first rule of combat:
Stay focused in a fight, never get distracted!
This basic ninja academy lesson hit home hard. If not for Sasuke's warning, Naruto's distraction watching the shore battle would've gotten him killed by Hidan's sneak attack.
Sasuke, nearby, was also shaken.
He'd been watching Hikari's fight too. If not for his Sharingan's exceptional dynamic vision catching a flicker of unusual chakra, he might've missed the enemy's attack entirely.
Their combat experience and awareness were still lacking!
Kakashi sighed inwardly.
Despite Naruto and Sasuke's rapid progress over five years, they couldn't hide their inexperience as fledglings who'd seen little real life-or-death combat.
They could handle training spars or mop up small-time thugs without issue, but facing ninjas stronger than them exposed their weaknesses clearly.
"Whoa!"
Hidan, charred black as coal, let out a bizarre yell. He yanked the scythe back with its steel cable and charged at Naruto again!
Unlike Kakuzu, Hidan's true immortality meant tactics rarely crossed his mind.
His combat style had three steps: kill, sacrifice, please the evil god.
The giant scythe swung viciously at Naruto's throat. Unable to set up a ritual on the water, Hidan had lost his key sacrifice method, leaving him with only one option: kill the target directly.
Clang!
Wind-enhanced knuckles clashed with the scythe's blade, sparking. Naruto raised his right fist, the wind chakra colliding with the scythe's immense force. "So… so heavy!"
Even with ninjutsu boosting him, Naruto felt the overwhelming strength behind Hidan's attack.
It was like catching one of Gai's whirlwind kicks head-on—his arm trembled under the impact!
But he wasn't fighting alone!
Seeing Naruto under attack, Sasuke and Kakashi didn't just stand by.
Lightning Release: Lightning Cutter!
Uchiha Style: Sword Leap Flame!
Lightning and fire intertwined as the two blurred into afterimages, striking Hidan from both sides.
Their teamwork was seamless.
The moment Naruto saw their ninjutsu, he used his knuckles to hold the scythe in place, grabbing its handle with his other hand to lock Hidan's weapon.
Hidan smirked coldly, ignoring Kakashi and Sasuke's attacks from both sides. He twisted the scythe, applying relentless pressure.
Creak!
The blade grated against the knuckles. The three-segmented scythe, already long, sliced into Naruto's shoulder as it shifted, leaving a shallow red gash.
Naruto didn't even flinch at the minor wound, which would heal in seconds. His trembling hands held the scythe firm, creating an opening for Kakashi and Sasuke to strike.
"Hey, kid, you're already dead!"
Seeing blood on his scythe, Hidan burst into maniacal laughter. He hadn't sacrificed an Uzumaki to his evil god yet—surely it would be pleased!
Step, step…
Ripples spread across the water. Sasuke and Kakashi closed in, their Lightning Cutter and flaming blade aimed at Hidan's chest and abdomen.
Facing attacks that would kill an ordinary person, Hidan didn't dodge, neck stiff with defiance. Seeing Naruto cling to the scythe, he kicked straight at his waist!
Naruto, undaunted, countered with a kick of his own.
Orange and black shadows collided in midair. Hidan let out a scream!
Crackle!
Kakashi and Sasuke passed Hidan, leaving trails of lightning and fire. Hidan's charred arms were severed, flying into the air, their pale bone stumps marked with scorch marks.
Hikari had warned them about Hidan's immortality—why would they waste effort on pointless attacks?
They feigned ignorance of Hidan's abilities, targeting his chest and abdomen to exploit his overconfidence, then severed his dangerous arms. Decapitation would be much easier now!
They'd wanted to go for the head directly.
But shifting from a chest-abdomen strike to the arms required only a slight arc adjustment. Aiming for the head would've been too obvious, giving Hidan time to react and dodge.
With his arms gone, beheading him would be straightforward. Both chose the safer option of disarming him first.
Splash!
The arms hit the sea, making a single splash. "Damn it!"
Hidan roared in shock and rage, his eyes no longer wild with arrogance.
His immortality wasn't invincibility. His greatest fear was losing limbs, and his enemies had struck his weak point as if they'd known it all along.
With Kakuzu tied up fighting the shore-based enemy, no one could reattach his limbs. Unable to use his curse ritual on water, Hidan was now completely combat-incapable.
Of course.
He could never die.
His "panic" was just an act.
As long as Kakuzu defeated the enemy and came to help, Hidan could be pieced back together, even if torn apart. His current task was to stall, buying Kakuzu time to operate!
"How do you know my abilities?"
Seeing Hidan's apparent panic, Kakashi stayed wary, refusing to engage.
Hikari had warned that any injury allowing Hidan to reach the shore would mean their instant death. She hadn't detailed his abilities, but he was clearly more dangerous than he appeared.
Naruto and Sasuke had been stunned by Kakuzu's combined ninjutsu and distracted by Hikari's fight, nearly paying a heavy price. Now was the time for utmost caution!
The three moved carefully, forming a defensive triangle with their backs to the shore, boxing Hidan in.
Naruto gripped the captured scythe, standing in front of Hidan. Kakashi and Sasuke flanked him, maintaining a tight formation to follow Hikari's order: "Don't let him reach the shore."
At that moment.
Kakuzu was dodging relentless laser barrages, scrambling like a rat. Hidan, armless and weaponless, was blocked from the island.
The immortal zombie duo was completely cornered!
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