It was Monday, the start of a new week.
The Genius Class had theoretical lessons today, so Kitazawa didn't need to go to the Ninja Academy. Normally, he would spend the morning cultivating Wood Release, but today was different.
He had promised Konan to spar with Kakuzu using Wood Release. More importantly, he needed to complete his system mission.
Kitazawa had never met Kakuzu in person, but he knew him extremely well.
Kakuzu's greatest secret was Earth Grudge Fear — a forbidden Secret Technique from Takigakure.
Earth Grudge Fear allowed Kakuzu to release black tentacles and steal a target's heart. Including his own original heart, he could carry up to five hearts.
These hearts served two major functions:
First, each stolen heart retained its elemental affinity, allowing Kakuzu to use the corresponding elemental Ninjutsu.
Kakuzu possessed all five natures: Earth, Water, Fire, Lightning, and Wind — effectively making him a master of all Five Elements.
If one of his hearts was destroyed, that element's Ninjutsu would also become unusable.
Second, hearts could be replaced at any time and even carried the previous owner's lifespan. This was why Kakuzu was one of the longest-living Ninjas in the entire world. In the original story, he died at ninety-one.
Given the harsh lifestyle and missions of Shinobi, surviving past fifty was already considered rare.
Technically, Kakuzu was immortal — provided he still had hearts.
Once all five hearts were destroyed, he would die. In the original work, Kakashi, Naruto, and Shikamaru succeeded in doing exactly that.
Kakuzu had five signature techniques in the original story, and Kitazawa had already acquired three of them through system rewards — including Strange Mask Exploding Flame, a composite Ninjutsu.
But Kakuzu's true ultimate technique was the three-element composite Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot.
"It's already half past eight, Kitazawa," Konan reminded softly.
Kitazawa opened his eyes — and his vision was blocked. He was currently resting his head on Konan's lap, so he couldn't see her face directly.
"Then let's go," Kitazawa said, sitting up.
Konan nodded and followed him out of the ANBU Base.
The Valley of the End was located north of Konoha Village. At the pace of a typical Ninja, it would take roughly twenty to thirty minutes to reach.
In other words, no matter how intense the battle became, it would pose no threat to Konoha itself.
Kitazawa stopped when they reached the edge of the Forest of Death. He glanced at Konan, cleared his throat, and said, "We're short on time — fly me there."
Then, without hesitation, he stepped forward and embraced her.
Konan's breath hitched. Her body stiffened for a moment before gradually relaxing. She didn't say a word — only unfolded her paper wings quietly.
They took flight toward the Valley of the End.
Kitazawa felt the softness of her body, the faint fragrance she carried, and then looked down.
In the distance, two colossal statues stood on either side of a roaring waterfall — Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
Konoha had built these statues to commemorate their legendary battle.
The Valley of the End itself didn't exist originally; it had been carved into the land by Hashirama's Sage Art Wood Style: True Several Thousand Hands.
One could imagine how terrifying his battle with Madara must have been.
Before reaching the valley, Konan slowly descended. She released Kitazawa, looking as if she wanted to speak but hesitated.
Normally, she would have landed directly in the Valley of the End. But she was clearly worried Kakuzu would see her arrival.
If Kakuzu reported this to Nagato… explaining it would be troublesome.
Kitazawa glanced sideways at her. He understood her thoughts immediately.
Frankly, with her personality, she normally wouldn't care about appearances — unless she felt guilty.
"Let's go," Kitazawa said casually, walking forward.
Konan exhaled in relief and followed behind him.
Kakuzu had already arrived. He stood beneath Hashirama's statue, waiting silently.
Upon hearing footsteps, he turned and looked at the two approaching figures. He wore the Akatsuki's red-cloud robe and a black mask, his eyes the only visible feature.
"Kakuzu, this is Kitazawa," Konan introduced.
"Pleasure to meet you," Kakuzu said curtly. "Shall we begin?"
"Let's go over there." Kitazawa pointed toward an open area. "If we damage the statues, I'll have to repair them later."
Kakuzu said nothing. He simply walked with Kitazawa to the clearing.
"Please," Kitazawa said, taking his position.
Kakuzu nodded and slowly removed his robe.
Underneath was a vest-like garment that exposed his shoulders and arms — both of which were stitched with thick black threads.
Kitazawa immediately thought of Frankenstein from his previous life.
Kakuzu clapped his hands.
His body split open, releasing a surge of black, thread-like tentacles. The threads writhed, and four masks crawled forth — the iconic elemental masks.
Each mask had a different-colored mouth, representing:
Fire, Wind, Water, and Lightning. His own original heart represented Earth.
Kakuzu stared at Kitazawa solemnly.
It was rare to see someone remain so calm after witnessing Earth Grudge Fear. Those who did were usually extraordinary.
Lightning Release: False Darkness! Kakuzu wasted no time.
The Lightning mask lifted its mouth slightly. A bolt of lightning shot out — then rapidly expanded into a massive curved spear midair.
It was frighteningly fast, reaching Kitazawa in the blink of an eye.
Kitazawa knew very well how powerful Lightning Release: False Darkness was. It could pierce straight through a gigantic boulder without effort.
Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!
A row of wooden pillars rose on both sides of Kitazawa. The pillars curved inward, forming an arch that completely enclosed him.
A second later, the lightning spear smashed into the wooden wall and pierced it, but only managed to penetrate about ten centimeters before coming to a halt.
Kakuzu's gaze sharpened. He immediately unleashed a second Ninjutsu.
Fire Release: Intelligent Hard Work!
The Fire Release mask opened its mouth, spitting out a fireball that burst upon impact, transforming into a blazing sea of flames.
A sea of fire roared into existence, engulfing the wooden wall and Kitazawa entirely.
With a boom! The wooden wall ignited—then exploded.
A scorching aura swept outward as rolling heatwaves blasted through the forest.
Wood Release: Spontaneous Tree Summoning!
Within the inferno, several thick vines burst forth. The vines intertwined rapidly, forming a giant tree.
The towering tree blocked the flames, creating a stalemate between fire and wood.
Kitazawa stood atop the giant tree, looking down at Kakuzu with complete calm.
Wind Release: Pressure Damage!
Kakuzu formed another seal. The Wind Release mask spat out a high-pressure sphere of wind.
The moment it landed, it exploded violently.
A roaring storm erupted—but the sea of flames created by Fire Release: Intelligent Hard Work still surged.
The two combined into Kakuzu's compound technique: Compound Ninja Art: Strange Mask Exploding Flame.
The wind-fed flames spread rapidly, raising the temperature in an instant. The giant tree beneath Kitazawa couldn't withstand the heat and was consumed, collapsing into ashes.
Without the tree, the flames surged wildly.
Kitazawa stood alone amidst the raging inferno, like a small boat about to be swallowed by a vast ocean.
Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence! Kitazawa calmly formed hand seals.
The earth quaked, and dense vines erupted from below, rapidly growing into massive trees. Countless branches stretched outward, intertwining endlessly.
The raging flames abruptly ceased expanding.
In theory, Fire Release counters Wood Release—but reality was different.
Because Wood Release was alive.
Kakuzu's expression changed. In mere seconds, his vast sea of flames had been completely devoured by the spreading forest.
Kakuzu had heard of Deep Forest Emergence, but had never seen it with his own eyes.
Back then, Senju Hashirama had beaten him half to death before he even had the chance.
But he had no time for nostalgia. Branches and vines surged toward him in a colossal green wave. A living ocean of wood bore down on him, threatening to devour him whole.
Wind Release: Pressure Damage!
Kakuzu retreated while forming seals. A violent gale erupted, blowing directly into the green ocean.
Boom!
The storm exploded, ripping a swirling vortex through the dense forest. Leaves were shredded, vines snapped, and scattered.
But Kakuzu felt no relief.
The forest regenerated instantly—the vacuum zone filled in the blink of an eye.
Kakuzu immediately understood the problem.
Kitazawa could control the entire forest. As long as Kitazawa's Chakra held out, the forest couldn't be destroyed.
There was only one solution: Target Kitazawa—not the forest.
But Kitazawa was within the forest. Entering it would expose him to instant, overwhelming attacks.
If he stayed outside, it would be a battle of attrition.
Could he outlast Kitazawa? He doubted it.
Kakuzu quickly mobilized the three masks of Wind, Fire, and Lightning. All three masks converged onto his right arm.
He raised his arm, aiming at the wall of green surging toward him.
Branches writhed frantically, converging into a monstrous mass—an overwhelming sense of dread spreading through the air.
Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot!
The three masks opened their mouths at once. A torrent of Chakra erupted, forming a devastating beam of light.
The beam tore through the forest at extreme speed—turning everything in its path, whether leaves, vines, or tree trunks, into dust.
Kakuzu charged forward, racing down the path blasted open by the Chakra cannon.
He scanned the forest—and quickly found Kitazawa's familiar silhouette.
Earth Release: Earth Spear!
Kakuzu clapped his hands. His skin hardened instantly—not into an actual spear, but into near-impenetrable armor.
He lunged forward, black tentacles whipping around his body like a massive sea urchin. Upon reaching Kitazawa, the tentacles shot out, twisting into eight enormous threads.
The eight threads, each as thick as an arm, came at Kitazawa from every direction—leaving him no escape.
Wood Release: Great Forest Technique!
Kitazawa raised his right arm.
The skin rippled. Eight wooden strips burst forth. The strips flew outward, curving and entangling with Kakuzu's eight threads.
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed. He dug his feet into the ground, abruptly halting and pulling with all his strength.
But the force opposing him was overwhelming—Kitazawa's strength dragged him forward.
His heels gouged two deep trenches into the earth. Realizing brute force wouldn't work, Kakuzu instantly severed his right hand.
Thread-like tentacles spewed from the stump and shot toward Kitazawa like a rainstorm of black needles.
Kitazawa didn't move. Branches and vines around him surged forward to block the attack.
Lightning Release: False Darkness!
Kakuzu pulled his tentacles back. The Lightning mask opened its mouth again, unleashing another lightning spear.
The spear punched through the branches and vines effortlessly.
But just before it struck Kitazawa—
Rumble—A thick vine erupted from the ground. Its hardened surface absorbed the lightning head-on.
The lightning dispersed harmlessly.
Kakuzu was stunned.
Kitazawa withdrew the Wood Release: Great Forest Technique.
Kakuzu's eight massive threads immediately lost their target, throwing his balance off and sending him stumbling forward.
At that moment, Kitazawa rose from the ground. A vine beneath him shot upward at high speed, lifting him into the air.
Kakuzu's pupils widened involuntarily in shock.
A Wood Dragon over fifty meters long materialized before him. The Wood Dragon twisted its massive body, and its enormous tail whipped toward him with crushing force.
Space itself seemed to tremble as suffocating pressure crashed down on him.
Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot!
Kakuzu raised his right arm without hesitation. The Wind, Fire, and Lightning masks expelled Chakra simultaneously.
The Chakra cannon struck the Wood Dragon and exploded instantly in front of Kakuzu.
A violent gust tore through the battlefield, and the shockwave blasted outward, scattering leaves and lighting up half the sky.
Kakuzu retreated rapidly, eyes fixed on the explosion's center. Suddenly, countless branches shot toward him from all directions, attempting to bind him.
Kakuzu's focus sharpened, and he immediately leaped upward. But the moment he reached mid-air, the Wood Dragon's tail wound around him.
"What?" Kakuzu's expression twisted with shock.
His response was swift—black tentacles surged violently from his body, stabbing into the Wood Dragon.
But it was pointless. The Wood Dragon constricted around him with overwhelming force.
Just as Kakuzu attempted to form hand signs, an unprecedented wave of weakness swept through his body.
Most of his Chakra had been drained instantly.
Kakuzu's face paled. A horrifying realization struck him.
If Kitazawa had used Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique from the beginning…Would he have been killed instantly?
Because even his strongest attack, Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot, couldn't damage the Wood Dragon at all.
"I surrender!"
Feeling the Wood Dragon's tightening grip grow more terrifying by the second, Kakuzu shouted immediately.
If he hesitated even a moment longer, he was certain he'd be crushed into paste.
The Wood Dragon released him at once. Kakuzu fell to the ground, panting heavily.
His remaining Chakra was less than ten percent. A moment slower, and he would have been completely drained.
And to think—he possessed five hearts, each one capable of providing Chakra. One person with the Chakra capacity of five.
Yet against the Wood Dragon…he couldn't even last five seconds.
Kakuzu fell silent.
After his defeat at Senju Hashirama's hands, he had trained obsessively. After acquiring Earth Grudge Fear, his power had grown by leaps and bounds.
Yet the moment he encountered Wood Release again…he was instantly defeated. The gap in strength was far greater than he had imagined.
And Kitazawa had only used Wood Release from start to finish.
Before his Wood Release was exposed, Kitazawa was already famous for Water Release and Medical Ninjutsu throughout the Ninja World.
Meaning he felt no pressure at all—he didn't even need to use any techniques besides Wood Release.
And indeed, that was the truth.
Realizing this, Kakuzu sighed inwardly. Perhaps he would never defeat Wood Release in this lifetime.
Konan, who had witnessed the entire exchange, remained calm and aloof.
She had anticipated this result.
Kakuzu was strong, but he wasn't stronger than Mōryō, and his Chakra was far inferior. Losing here was completely expected.
[Current Mission: A challenge from Kakuzu, defeat him using Wood Release.]
[Mission Reward: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.]
[The Host has completed the mission, reward issued.]
Kitazawa stood still, processing the flood of information that surged into his mind.
In the original story, countless variations of the Rasengan existed. However, officially, there were only three basic forms: Rasengan, Great Ball Rasengan, and Rasenshuriken.
Everything else was merely a derivative.
On the surface, Wind Release: Rasenshuriken resembled a giant shuriken, but in truth, it was composed of countless microscopic Chakra blades.
Its effect was like a poison—directly destroying the target's cells.
A microscopic-level assault. Once struck, the victim was guaranteed to die, generally beyond saving.
But because of its structure, Rasenshuriken must hit directly—throwing it prematurely damaged the user as well.
Kitazawa stroked his chin.
He felt he might be able to endure the side effects. After all, he had the Yin Seal, Hand Sign-less Healing, Senju Chakra Mode, and Yang Release Chakra Mode.
But just because he could endure it didn't mean it wouldn't hurt. There was no need to injure himself.
Wind Release: Rasenshuriken was undeniably powerful, but Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence and Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique were no less overwhelming.
"Thank you for the instruction." Kakuzu walked up to Kitazawa and said seriously, "We'll spar again if the opportunity arises."
"There will be a chance," Kitazawa replied calmly. "This time was only a spar, out of consideration for Konan. Next time may not be the same."
If Kakuzu stayed in the Akatsuki Organization, conflict with Konoha Village was inevitable. And when that happened, they would meet on the battlefield.
Kakuzu's heart trembled. He said nothing because Kitazawa's words were true. He picked up his black robe and turned to leave.
Konan bit her lip subconsciously. Her guess had been correct.
Kitazawa had accepted the spar because of her. Which meant she now owed him yet another favor.
"It's time to go back, Konan." Kitazawa dispelled Deep Forest Emergence and Wood Dragon Technique as he spoke.
Konan came back to herself. She walked up to him and embraced him without hesitation.
White wings unfurled behind her, and the two of them rose into the sky, flying back toward Konoha Village.