"What 'Senbonzakura' Inn? It's my first time here too. Who knows if there's even an inn by that name?"
Night Namikaze strolled leisurely through the streets of the Land of Iron town. Recalling the nonsense he had spewed to Kakuzu earlier, a playful smile curled his lips.
He had merely been struck by the rare opportunity to provoke a wild Kage-level powerhouse.
In this era, without a powerful backing and not yet in his "invincible" multi-heart state, Kakuzu was the perfect sparring partner.
As for why he stopped at the end? It wasn't because he was afraid. It was just that a full-blown fight in the town would inevitably harm innocents. Night still considered himself someone who valued human life.
He casually found the most conspicuous inn in the town center, checked in, and took a comfortable hot bath, washing away the fatigue of his journey.
"That old monster wouldn't really go looking for a 'Senbonzakura' Inn, right?"
With that thought, he quickly drifted off to sleep.
---
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of town, Kakuzu was searching with a dark expression.
"Senbonzakura Inn?"
He grabbed a passing merchant by the collar, his emerald pupils filled with hostility. "Tell me where it is!"
The merchant turned pale with fear. "L-Lord, I've lived in this town for over ten years, and I've never heard of an inn by that name..."
"Useless!" Kakuzu shoved the merchant aside and continued searching in the cold wind.
For the entire night, he practically turned the town upside down, asking everyone who might know, but found absolutely nothing. As dawn approached, the fury in Kakuzu's eyes was ready to erupt.
"Minato Namikaze...!!"
He ground out the name through gritted teeth, his green eyes bloodshot. In all his long years, it was the first time he had been played like this!
---
The next morning, Night walked out of the inn feeling refreshed. After a good night's rest, he felt better than ever.
"Time to hit the road."
He adjusted the long sword at his waist. His samurai kimono was worn slightly loose as he strolled toward the edge of town.
However, not long after leaving the town, he sensed a familiar chakra signature—cold, heavy, and carrying undisguised killing intent.
"Good morning, Mr. Kakuzu."
Night looked at the figure blocking the road and raised an eyebrow in mock surprise. "You... didn't stay up all night, did you?"
Kakuzu indeed looked a bit ragged. His emerald eyes were bloodshot, and the dark circles under them were prominent. He radiated an aura of pure ferocity.
He had searched all night. There was no such inn. And seeing Night's sleepy, well-rested appearance, he knew Night had slept comfortably in town while he, an elder ninja, had been running around all night.
"Senbonzakura Inn..."
Kakuzu's voice was frighteningly raspy and heavy. He enunciated every word: "Where. Is. It?"
Night blinked, putting on an innocent expression. "Oh dear, maybe I remembered the name wrong. You know us wandering swordsmen, always drifting from place to place. It must have been the name of the inn at the last town..."
"Enough!"
Kakuzu roared, his chakra exploding around him. "You will pay for this! I'm going to hang your corpse at the entrance of the Bounty Station!"
"Earth Grudge Fear: Tentacle Punch!"
Kakuzu's arm extended bizarrely, the joints replaced by dense black threads, and he punched ruthlessly toward Night's face.
Night's gaze sharpened. The long sword at his waist unsheathed instantly. The blade flashed like a ribbon of light, slashing precisely at Kakuzu's incoming fist.
CLANG—
The sword clashed with the heavy fist, sparking upon impact.
"Mr. Kakuzu, don't be so angry."
Although Night spoke lightly after blocking the hit, his hands dared not slacken. He focused intently on Kakuzu's next move.
As an ancient relic, when Kakuzu got serious, his strength jumped more than a notch.
Kakuzu was also surprised that Night blocked the hit. His Tentacle Punch was enhanced with Earth Release: Earth Spear, making his fist incredibly hard. Combined with the brute force of the Earth Grudge Fear threads, it was essentially a composite jutsu.
To be blocked so casually... this opponent was indeed no pushover. But why had he never heard of "Minato Namikaze"?
However, a night's worth of resentment wasn't so easily dissipated. Seeing Night parry like a samurai, Kakuzu changed tactics.
"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"
A blinding bolt of lightning tore through the air, aiming straight for Night's vitals. If Night were a true samurai, he could only dodge, which would mean losing the initiative.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall."
A massive stone wall rose rapidly from the ground. The lightning of False Darkness slammed into it, nearly piercing through the thick rock.
Seeing the "samurai" named "Minato Namikaze" use such a heavy Earth Release jutsu, Kakuzu was now certain that not a single word out of this guy's mouth was true.
The lingering dog-head sculptures on the earth wall were particularly jarring. No matter how he looked at them, they felt like mockery.
Before the dust settled, Night's figure flashed out from the side like a ghost. His sword cut through the air, carrying sharp killing intent straight for Kakuzu.
"Cheap tricks!"
Kakuzu snorted. His arms transformed into countless black thread tentacles, enveloping Night like a spiderweb.
The sword light weaved through the net of black threads. Every slash precisely severed the most dangerous tentacles.
Night's movement was incredibly agile, swimming through the dense attacks like a fish, constantly closing the distance.
"Water Release: Water Encampment Wall!"
Kakuzu seized an opening and spewed a torrent of water from his mouth. The area of effect was vast, sealing off almost all escape routes.
What happened next made Kakuzu's jaw drop. Night didn't dodge. As if courting death, he charged straight into the massive torrent, disappearing instantly.
But a moment later, "Minato Namikaze" burst out of the jutsu range almost unscathed, rushing right in front of him. Kakuzu couldn't help but doubt if his jutsu had malfunctioned.
But there was no time to think. Night's sword was already falling. Too late to weave signs, Kakuzu had to block with his left arm.
The sword seemed to meet no resistance. Sharp to the extreme, it sliced through his left arm and forearm effortlessly.
Kakuzu, having lost an arm, feigned panic and tried to retreat.
Night pressed his advantage, his speed exploding again. The tip of his sword aimed straight for Kakuzu's heart.
Countless black tentacles erupted from Kakuzu's body, dancing madly in an attempt to block the lethal blow.
However, Night's blade extended bizarrely at that moment. Upon closer inspection, a section of white bone followed the blade, extending its reach. The sword tore through the tentacle barrier as easily as piercing thin paper.
Squelch—
The sword pierced Kakuzu's heart with precision, the tip emerging from his back.
Kakuzu's body froze. A look of disbelief flashed through his emerald eyes before they dimmed rapidly. His body swayed, but he didn't fall immediately.
Night found the "dead" Kakuzu amusing. He pulled out his sword and prepared to slash down at Kakuzu's back again.