Chapter 38: The Swordsmen and the Earth Grudge Fear
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
Zabuza quickly formed the seals. A barrier of water erupted, just barely blocking Hidan's attack and saving Raiga Kurosuki, his fellow Seven Ninja Swordsman.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning!" Raiga roared. Electricity channeled from his blades onto the black threads. Kakuzu let out a muffled grunt and was forced to release his hold.
"Annoying pests." Kakuzu formed his seals. The ground suddenly split open, and debris shot from the new fissures straight at Zabuza's Water Wall.
The sudden Earth Style attack gave Zabuza no time to react. Distracted, a fine crack appeared in his Water Wall. Hidan seized the fleeting opening. He stomped hard on the stone floor, launching himself like an arrow from a bow. His Triple-Bladed Scythe carved an arc through the air, aimed straight at Zabuza's left shoulder.
"Watch out!" The moment Raiga's voice rang out, his twin swords were already crackling with lightning.
This time, the lightning was even more violent. Blue currents danced along the blades, forming two half-meter-long edges of pure plasma.
He pushed off his toes, spinning toward Hidan's flank, attempting to intercept the attack.
But Hidan seemed to have anticipated this, a mad grin twisting his lips.
He didn't dodge Raiga's attack. Instead, he deliberately exposed his left arm to the lightning blades.
"Nice one!" As he shouted, the blades struck his forearm. Intense electricity instantly shot through his body, making his muscles twitch uncontrollably.
But just as Raiga thought he'd succeeded, the chain on Hidan's scythe shot out, hooking Raiga's ankle and yanking him off his feet.
"Lord Jashin will love this offering!" Hidan's other hand quickly drew a short knife, slicing open the wound on his own scorched arm, dripping blood onto the strange scythe.
At the same time, he began drawing his strange ritual symbol on the ground.
"That guy's up to something!" Zabuza hurled three shuriken to interrupt Hidan's movements. "Raiga, don't let him finish that ritual!"
Raiga understood. He crossed his swords, unleashing another jutsu. "Lightning Style: Lightning Gate!" A cage of pure electricity formed, temporarily trapping Hidan.
Kakuzu seized the opening, bursting from the ground. His fist, hardened by Earth Style: Earth Spear, shot directly at Raiga's back.
CLANG!
The Executioner's Blade intercepted the blow, meeting the hardened fist head-on.
"A Mist rogue-nin, saving someone?" Kakuzu mocked, but his jutsu didn't stop. "Fire Style: Searing Migraine!"
The immense heat from the fireball burned away some of the mist.
As the flames rushed him, Zabuza actually looked relaxed. "Using Fire Style against a Water Style user? You're not as tough as you look."
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
A torrent of water erupted from Zabuza's mouth, forming a roaring dragon that slammed directly into Kakuzu's fire.
BOOM!
Water and fire collided, erupting in a massive cloud of steam that instantly enveloped the entire shrine.
"Hmph. Some skill." Kakuzu snorted. His body suddenly split apart, and four black, masked monsters tore themselves from his back, hovering menacingly in the air.
"What... what the hell are those?" Raiga's hand, holding his lightning sword, trembled slightly.
"Don't let your guard down!" Zabuza warned. "This guy is no ordinary shinobi!"
Hidan, still trapped in the lightning cage, was laughing maniacally, licking the blood from his own wound. "Hahaha! Lord Jashin will love you! Especially the one with the big sword!"
Hearing Hidan's ranting, Zabuza immediately threw several more shuriken straight at his throat.
CLINK! CLINK! CLINK!
Kakuzu's wind mask opened its mouth, and a blast of wind knocked all the shuriken off course.
"Hidan, just stay put," Kakuzu said coolly. "Let me finish them."
"Lightning Style: False Darkness!"
A thick bolt of lightning shot from the mouth of Kakuzu's lightning mask, aimed straight at Zabuza and Raiga.
"Dammit!" Raiga slammed his twin swords together, blocking the jutsu's path. "Ninja Art: Lightning Armor!"
Zabuza used the opening to flicker next to Kakuzu, his Executioner's Blade swinging at Kakuzu's neck.
CLANG!
Kakuzu's Earth Spear-hardened arm blocked the strike, and at the same time, the fire mask opened its mouth and spat a fireball.
"Raiga, back!" Zabuza yelled.
Raiga retreated, but the flames were already upon them!
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu!" Zabuza was forced to use another water jutsu. A massive wave surged, crashing into the fire and exploding into thick mist once again.
"Tch. What a pain." Kakuzu frowned. If he'd known these two would be so much trouble, he wouldn't have bothered. This was all Hidan's fault.
Neither Zabuza nor Raiga was a match for him alone, but together, their strength was on another level.
As members of the Seven Swordsmen, they weren't known for caring about their comrades' lives, but after years of training, they knew each other's fighting styles.
With just a little coordination, they could achieve an effect greater than the sum of their parts.
Inside the mist, Raiga grinned. "Zabuza, remember our old combo training?"
"Shut up and fight!"
Zabuza's voice echoed from different directions. His perfect Silent Killing movement made it impossible for Kakuzu to lock on.
Kakuzu stood his ground, his four masks floating around him, warily watching every angle.
"Mist rats. All you can do is hide."
Raiga suddenly attacked from the left, his twin swords sending two crackling bolts of lightning at Kakuzu.
Kakuzu's wind mask instantly blasted a gale, dissipating the lightning.
But in that same instant, Zabuza's Executioner's Blade swung in from the opposite direction!
CLANG—!
The Earth Spear hardening saved Kakuzu again, but the force of this blow made his arm go slightly numb.
A flash of surprise crossed Kakuzu's eyes. Their teamwork was trickier than he'd expected.
"Raiga, Formation B!" Zabuza barked.
"Got it!" Raiga laughed maniacally, leaping into the air and crossing his swords. "Lightning Style: Lightning Gate!"
A massive gate of lightning formed in the air, sealing the space above Kakuzu.
At the same time, Zabuza formed seals. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Water surged from the ground, taking the shape of a dragon's head, and lunged at Kakuzu from below. It was a pincer attack from above and below—unavoidable!
A vicious look flashed in Kakuzu's eyes. His four masks suddenly converged. "Combination Jutsu: Blazing Wind Rampage!"
Fire and wind combined, erupting in a violent, blazing tornado that blasted both the water dragon and the lightning gate.
The shockwave from the explosion blew all the mist away, revealing the three fighters clearly.
Raiga was thrown back, flipping in mid-air before landing hard, jamming his swords into the ground to stop himself. He spat out a mouthful of blood. "Is this guy's chakra reserve... monstrous?"
Zabuza was in better shape, but his breathing was also heavy. He stared at Kakuzu. "He has four independent hearts and chakra sources. It's like fighting five Jonin at once."
"What?" Raiga's eyes went wide. "How are we supposed to fight that?"
"We find a chance to destroy his masks," Zabuza analyzed calmly. "Each one represents an element. Destroy one, and we weaken him."
Kakuzu heard their planning and let out a low laugh. "A smart assessment. Too bad..."
He suddenly vanished, his speed incredible.
Zabuza barely had time to block before he was sent flying by an immense force.
"...you won't get the chance!"
Kakuzu appeared where Zabuza had been, his body shining with a black light as he reached for Raiga Kurosuki.