Just as he was about to turn and leave, Kageyama Kogetsu looked back and smiled. "The Akatsuki's intelligence network isn't weak. Don't you even know how many girlfriends I have?"
Konan understood his meaning. Her frosty face flushed slightly, and she cursed, "As the Hokage, how can you be so shameless!"
"Hehe, I'm shameless just for defending myself?"
"Forget it. I'm too lazy to talk to you. Take her to Pakura's place."
Kageyama Kogetsu flicked his finger, and a chakra needle as thin as an ox hair struck Konan's mute point. He took a step, and a spatial vortex appeared, then he vanished.
Konan opened her mouth but couldn't make a sound, her heart filled with grief and indignation.
About twenty miles to the north, Jūzō Biwa and Hidan were fighting.
Besides his curse and pseudo-immortality, Hidan was not remarkable in any other aspect. In a one-on-one fight, how could he be a match for one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, a veteran of countless battles?
Jūzō Biwa didn't use many techniques either. He just used Water Release ninjutsu to create a favorable environment, surrounded Hidan with water clones, and struck with his main body when the opportunity arose. His swordsmanship completely suppressed Hidan.
If not for the fact that Hidan's taijutsu, which was necessary to use his curse ability, was decent, and that he could ignore most injuries, he would have been killed long ago.
Even so, Jūzō Biwa had left him covered in wounds. His left arm had even been cut off. He might not die, but his defeat was only a matter of time.
"Lord Hokage."
Seeing Kageyama Kogetsu suddenly appear beside him, Jūzō Biwa was a little startled. When he came to his senses, he quickly bowed.
"Mm. Let's cut through the mess. I'll take care of him," Kageyama Kogetsu said faintly.
"Yes."
After saying this, Jūzō Biwa's thoughts moved, and the water clones surrounding Hidan immediately dispersed.
"You want to kill me?"
"Hahaha... I am protected by Lord Jashin! I cannot be killed!" Hidan, covered in blood, his face fanatical, laughed up at the sky.
Compared to a normal person, Hidan had much less blood in his body. Otherwise, with the wounds he had, he would have bled to death long ago.
"Jashin? A cowardly, hidden evil god?"
"At most, he's just a shikigami painstakingly created by an onmyōji from ancient times."
"As for immortality... that's even more absurd!"
Kageyama Kogetsu was extremely contemptuous and disdainful. His tone and demeanor made the god of the Jashin religion seem like trash.
"Bastard! How dare you blaspheme a god! I will sacrifice you in the most brutal way!"
Hidan was furious. His face contorted as he lifted his blood-red scythe and ran across the water, charging at full speed, holding nothing back.
"A clown, utterly clueless!"
Before his words had faded, Kageyama Kogetsu had already disappeared from his spot. Hidan couldn't react in time and was hit in the chest by a punch, sent flying backwards.
This punch was not simple. The force was a blend of hardness and softness. The terrifying power spread throughout his body like ripples.
"Ah..."
Hidan screamed, his face contorted. The next moment, his entire body exploded, turning into a shower of flesh and blood that fell into the lake.
"Immortality?"
"Immortality my ass. It's just that the force hasn't reached your limit of endurance."
"Summon some sharks to eat the pieces of flesh. If he can still revive after that, I'll be impressed."
Having his eyes opened, Jūzō Biwa smiled broadly. "Yes, Lord Hokage."
Jūzō Biwa and Kisame Hoshigaki were very close. After all, they were both from Kirigakure, both wielded one of the seven ninja swords, and as rogue ninja, they shared the same dream.
Therefore, the two of them often exchanged insights on swordsmanship and ninjutsu. When he learned that Jūzō Biwa had no summoning animal, Kisame shared the shark clan, which was skilled in water combat.
Kageyama Kogetsu nodded. With a thought, a spatial vortex appeared. He stepped out and arrived at the western battlefield once more.
This was the battlefield of Itachi Uchiha and Deidara.
Although Itachi Uchiha didn't know Lightning Release and couldn't fly, and Deidara had specially trained his own genjutsu, Deidara still suffered more in the battle of wits.
If not for the fact that Deidara could use his large white bird to rest in mid-air, he would have already been defeated by Tsukuyomi.
Itachi Uchiha was one of Deidara's obsessions. Seeing that his previous techniques were not very effective, the thought of using his ultimate art had already arisen in his mind.
Just then, Kageyama Kogetsu suddenly appeared beside him. Deidara was startled and quickly jumped to the side with all his might.
Kageyama Kogetsu waved his right hand, and three sharp black rods shot towards Deidara's forehead, throat, and heart.
Deidara quickly released three bird bombs. With a shout of "Katsu!", the three birds exploded simultaneously. Flames surged, and white smoke billowed.
Squish, squish!
How powerful was Kageyama Kogetsu's strength? Even without using his full power, it wasn't something a simple bomb could block.
Only the black rod aimed at his forehead was slightly deflected, leaving a bloody scratch. His chest and left abdomen were pierced by the other two black rods.
"Not good! My chakra is out of control!"
Deidara had wanted to risk his life with his ultimate art, hoping to take out two enemies at once.
If he couldn't take them both out, taking out Itachi Uchiha alone would have been enough for him to die in peace.
But now his chakra was out of control. How could he risk his life?
"Even if I can't, I must! May the god of art bless me..."
Deidara's obsession with his ultimate art was deep. His will and body simultaneously erupted with potential. He reached out and grabbed the two black rods, trying to pull them out...
"Not bad. Not everyone can still use their strength after being hit by the black rods."
"But to let you use your ultimate move in front of me, what face would I have left?"
Before his words had faded, Kageyama Kogetsu flashed over using the Flying Thunder God Technique and grabbed the black rod, plunging it into Deidara's left chest.
"Ugh..." Deidara coughed up a mouthful of blood. He endured the intense pain of his heart being pierced and said through gritted teeth with a face full of regret, "My... ultimate art... wasn't... shown... I'm... so... unwilling!"
"Is that so? Then I'll grant your wish."
Kageyama Kogetsu's eyes moved, and Deidara instantly fell into a genjutsu. In the genjutsu, he saw Itachi Uchiha fleeing in disarray.
If not for Kageyama Kogetsu's proximity with his space-time ninjutsu, Itachi would have surely been blown to smithereens.
"U...chiha... Itachi... this time... I... won, haha."
His obsession gone, the breath supporting Deidara dissipated. He laughed twice and then breathed his last.
If Deidara had really been allowed to self-destruct, it was hard to say whether Itachi Uchiha would have survived. It would have depended on whether his full-power Susanoo could withstand a close-range explosion...
Upon closer inspection, the probability of Itachi Uchiha surviving was slightly higher.
Deidara's Patrick Star self-destruction had too large of an attack range and was not concentrated enough. The defense of his half-armored Susanoo should have been able to mitigate most of the power.
However, if Itachi Uchiha had taken the full force of Deidara's self-destruction, his illness, combined with the injuries, would have likely meant his life was not long.
Thud!
Deidara fell to the cratered ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Kageyama Kogetsu landed lightly beside him.
"Brother Kogetsu, I'm sorry to have troubled you."
The slightly injured Itachi Uchiha ran over, bowed, and his face was a little ashamed.
Kageyama Kogetsu smiled. "It's fine. Without me, your chances of winning were still greater."
"I'll leave this to you. Go north in a little while."
"Yes, Brother Kogetsu," Itachi Uchiha said respectfully.
Kageyama Kogetsu looked to the south. The cultist and the terrorist had been dealt with. Only the puppet fanatic remained.
The Human Puppet Technique—fortunately, it was made from dead bodies. Otherwise, even he would have found it cruel.
Cultists and artists were the most difficult to deal with. He was too lazy to bother trying to persuade them, so he just killed them directly.
Besides, after defeating the Akatsuki, he couldn't just walk away with nothing, right?
A spatial vortex appeared. Kageyama Kogetsu stepped in and disappeared...
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