241-245

Chapter 241: Mastering Jigoku Tsuki: Ippontsume 

“Young man, you’ve really impressed me!”  

Seeing Kazama stand unscathed after being hit by his Nibontsume (Two-Finger Piercing Hand), the Third Raikage couldn’t help but feel deep admiration.  

“But if you think you can defeat me, regular attacks won’t cut it. You’d need Ippontsume (One-Finger Piercing Hand), but that’s impossible. Even my son, the Fourth Raikage, couldn’t master that technique!”  

“Jigoku Tsuki: Ippontsume!”  

“What?!”  

Right after the Third Raikage spoke, he saw Kazama focus all his chakra into his index finger.  

“You’ve even mastered Ippontsume?!”  

The Third Raikage was utterly shocked, his eyes wide with disbelief.  

Meanwhile, the Fourth Raikage, watching from behind, collapsed to the ground, paralyzed by the sight of Kazama’s technique. He had trained for decades and still hadn’t grasped Ippontsume. Yet here was Kazama, performing it with ease. Though the Fourth Raikage had long known Kazama was extraordinary, he couldn’t help but marvel in awe.  

“No offense!”  

BOOM!  

With a single strike, Kazama’s Ippontsume pierced straight through the Third Raikage, whose body was said to rival a Tailed Beast in durability.  

“As expected of the so-called Strongest Spear, Ippontsume is incredible!”  

Seeing Kazama’s victory, the Fourth Raikage let out a sigh of relief. But the next moment, his jaw dropped again.  

The Third Raikage, who had been split in two by Kazama’s attack, miraculously reformed.  

“Haha! Edo Tensei ninja are immortal! No matter how strong you are, you can’t kill him!”  

Yakushi Kabuto smirked, glancing at Kazama through the Third Raikage’s eyes. He was hoping to see a look of frustration on Kazama’s face.  

But to his surprise, Kazama showed no trace of annoyance. Instead, a smile slowly spread across his face.  

“You little punk, still grinning when you’re about to die? I may not be able to kill you, but I’ll wear you down! My Edo Tensei ninja are endless. Let’s see how long you can last—wait, what?!”  

Just as Kabuto prepared to control the Third Raikage to attack Kazama again, he suddenly realized the Third Raikage had slipped out of his control.  

“This is impossible! My Edo Tensei technique is nearly perfect. There’s no way I’d make such a basic mistake!”  

Panicking, Kabuto ordered the Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, and Fourth Kazekage to retrieve the Third Raikage and reapply the sealing talisman.  

What he didn’t know was that the Third Raikage’s rebellion wasn’t due to a flaw in his Edo Tensei. It was because Kazama had used Betsutenshin (Other Heavenly God) to take control of him.  

Kazama hadn’t used Betsutenshin right away because he wanted to absorb the Third Raikage’s abilities first. He waited until he had mastered the Third Raikage’s ultimate technique before turning him into an ally.  

Though Kabuto knew Kazama could use Betsutenshin, he had always believed it couldn’t affect his Edo Tensei ninja. After all, he had implanted Black Zetsu’s cells into them, thinking it would block Kazama’s technique.  

What he didn’t realize was that Kazama’s Betsutenshin could control even those with Black Zetsu’s cells. And Black Zetsu himself had deliberately withheld this information from Kabuto.  

Why? Because Black Zetsu was using Kabuto’s Edo Tensei army to buy time for capturing the Tailed Beasts.  

“Another powerful enemy is coming!” 

Chapter 242: Getting Ready to Crush the Three Kage  

Kazama had just used Betsutenjin to take control of the Third Raikage. 

Meanwhile, Yakushi Kabuto was manipulating the Second Tsuchikage, the Second Mizukage, and the Fourth Kazekage, sending them charging toward the scene. 

“What?! More powerful enemies?”  

Hearing Kazama’s words, the Fourth Raikage, standing nearby, was stunned once again. 

“What are we supposed to do? We haven’t even defeated the Third Raikage, and now more strong foes show up?!”  

The Fourth Raikage was pacing frantically, like an ant on a hot pan. 

“Relax. The Third Raikage won’t attack us anymore,” Kazama said calmly. 

“What?! For real?”  

Both the Third and Fourth Raikage blurted out in unison, shocked by Kazama’s claim. 

“I just used Betsutenjin on you,” Kazama explained to the Third Raikage. “You’re free to move now—no longer under the enemy’s control.” 

“Kazama, you’re seriously incredible!”  

The Third Raikage immediately gave him a big thumbs-up. 

“I thought the only way to break Edo Tensei was with a sealing technique. But you managed to free me from the caster’s control outright. You’ve really blown me away!”  

As the Third Raikage kept thanking Kazama, the Second Mizukage, Second Tsuchikage, and Fourth Kazekage arrived on the scene. 

“You guys got brought back with Edo Tensei too?!”  

The Third Raikage was floored when he saw them appear. 

“Duh. How else would we be revived?” the Second Mizukage shot back.  

“We heard you broke free from Edo Tensei. Hurry up and help us get out of it too!”  

“Uh, about that…”  

The Third Raikage gave a wry smile and shook his head.  

“Breaking free wasn’t my doing. It was this kid, Kazama, who helped me.” 

“What?!”  

At first, the three Kage hadn’t even spared Kazama a glance.  

But now, hearing he had a way to undo Edo Tensei, they all turned to him, pleading for him to free them too.  

Before Kazama could even respond, the three suddenly launched an attack.  

“Kazama, you little punk, you’re done for!”  

Yakushi Kabuto, controlling the three Kage, hurled insults as he directed their assault.  

“I was planning to just take the Third Raikage and leave, but I can’t swallow this grudge. You might’ve handled one Third Raikage, but let’s see you take on the Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, and Fourth Kazekage all at once! Haha!”  

“Jōki Bōi!”  

The Second Mizukage struck first, unleashing his technique on Kazama.  

A massive clone appeared before everyone’s eyes.  

“Oh no! That’s the Second Mizukage’s trump card!” the Third Raikage exclaimed. “It’s packed with super-powerful steam that can explode endlessly. Even I can’t withstand it!”  

He urgently told Kazama to dodge, but it was too late.  

The Second Tsuchikage and Fourth Kazekage followed up with their own ultimate techniques.  

“Jinton: Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu!”  

“Jiton: Kinsa Tōrō!”  

The Third and Fourth Raikage’s faces fell, and they rushed to help Kazama.  

But the attacks were too powerful. Before they could get close, the shockwaves sent them flying backward.  

By now, the combined assaults of the Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, and Fourth Kazekage had all landed squarely on Kazama.  

“This is bad! Even a god couldn’t survive that!”  

The Third Raikage shook his head helplessly, certain it was over. 

Chapter 243: Thrashing Three Kage 

“Father, don’t worry. Kazama will be fine!”  

Hearing his son, the Fourth Raikage, say this, the Third Raikage gave a wry smile.  

“I know Kazama’s strength is incredible, but you don’t understand how terrifying these three legendary Kage are. Now that they’re attacking together, not even Kazama could withstand it. Even the First Hokage himself would struggle to…”  

Before the Third Raikage could finish, he suddenly saw Kazama’s figure emerge at the center of the attack.  

Not only was Kazama completely unharmed, he hadn’t even moved a single step.  

“Heavens! Is Kazama even human? To face the combined attack of three Kage-level shinobi and come out unscathed!”  

Even the usually composed Third Raikage was so stunned by Kazama’s performance that he staggered back several steps, his eyes wide with shock.  

“Father, to be precise, Kazama isn’t human—he’s a god!”  

Seeing Kazama still alive, the Fourth Raikage nodded with relief. He knew there was no one in the world who could kill Kazama.  

Ding! Successfully absorbed Jinton: Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu (Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique). Congratulations, host, for obtaining Double Mirror Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu!  

Since Kazama had previously absorbed the Third Tsuchikage’s Jinton and gained the Mirror Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu, his newly acquired Jinton had now been upgraded to double its power.  

Ding! Successfully absorbed Jōki Bōi no Jutsu (Steaming Danger Tyranny Technique). Congratulations, host, for obtaining Multi-Jōki Bōi no Jutsu, allowing the host to create multiple Jōki Bōi clones based on chakra!  

Ding! Successfully absorbed Jiton: Sakin Tōrō (Magnet Release: Gold Dust Surge). Congratulations, host, for obtaining Jiton: Kyōtō Gairō (Magnet Release: Raging Waves)!  

“Man, I’m getting so many techniques now, I don’t even know which one to use!”  

Kazama couldn’t help but laugh at the thought.  

“You survived that?!”  

Yakushi Kabuto was dumbfounded. Kazama had endured the combined attack of three Kage and emerged completely fine, leaving Kabuto so shocked that his control over his Edo Tensei weakened.  

As a result, the Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, and Fourth Kazekage momentarily regained their consciousness.  

Terrified, Kabuto hurriedly reasserted control, forcing their bodies to charge at Kazama again.  

“Be careful! Our bodies are out of our control!”  

The three Kage, aware that Kazama was an ally, urgently warned him to dodge.  

“No offense, you three!”  

Kazama activated Tenshuriki (Heavenly Hand Power) and vanished from his spot, reappearing outside their formation.  

“Jinton: Double Mirror Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu!*”  

“What?! You can use my Jinton?!”  

The Second Tsuchikage was stunned to see Kazama perform his technique. What shocked him even more was that Kazama’s Jinton was more powerful than his own.  

Four pillars of Jinton light shot up from all directions—north, south, east, and west— instantly reducing the Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, and Fourth Kazekage to nothingness.  

“Holy—! Kazama can use Jinton too?!”  

The Third Raikage, already shocked, collapsed back to the ground in disbelief.  

“It’s not just Jinton. The techniques Kazama knows could be described as Shinra Banshō (All Things in Creation). Just keep watching, Father!”  

The Fourth Raikage chuckled.  

“Tsuchikage, your Jinton is so pathetic that even kids these days can use it. But my Jōki Bōi is different—no one but me can pull it off!”  

The revived Second Mizukage mocked the Tsuchikage beside him.  

But his laughter was cut short, choked back by the sight of the technique Kazama was now unleashing. 

Chapter 244: Smacking Down the Three Kage  

“Tajū Jōki Bōi no Jutsu!”  

Dozens of Jōki Bōi clones instantly surrounded the Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, and Fourth Kazekage.  

“You’re some kind of monster, aren’t you? Definitely a freak—there’s no way you’re human!”  

The Second Mizukage couldn’t help but let out a string of shocked exclamations.  

Then, those dozens of Jōki Bōi clones exploded, blasting the three Kage into nothingness once again.  

And this was Kazama holding back, worried about collateral damage to everyone else on the battlefield.  

If he wanted, Kazama could’ve summoned thousands of Jōki Bōi clones in one go.  

“This kid’s an absolute prodigy! Not only does he know the Second Mizukage’s secret technique, but he’s using it with even more power than the original!”  

Nearby, the Third Raikage was so stunned by Kazama’s display that he collapsed to the ground, too shocked to even sit up.  

“You two might have impressive techniques, but copying them isn’t that hard—especially for someone with the Mangekyō Sharingan,” the Fourth Kazekage, freshly revived, boasted to the Second Tsuchikage and Mizukage with a laugh. “But my technique? No way he can copy that!”  

Because Jiton: Sakin was a secret technique passed down through generations of Kazekage, ridiculously difficult to master.  

The Fourth Kazekage was convinced that no matter how talented Kazama was, he couldn’t replicate it.  

“Jiton: Kyōtō Gairan no Jutsu!”  

But before the Fourth Kazekage could finish bragging, Kazama unleashed a Jiton technique even stronger than the Sakin Tōrō.  

If the Fourth Kazekage’s Jiton was like a splash of waves, Kazama’s was a full-on tsunami.  

“Haha! So, Fourth Kazekage, how’s it feel to get slapped in the face at light speed?”  

As they were overwhelmed by Kazama’s tsunami of gold dust, the Second Tsuchikage and Second Mizukage couldn’t help but mock the Fourth Kazekage.  

“Damn it, this Kazama punk’s got some serious skills!”  

Yakushi Kabuto, watching his carefully summoned Edo Tensei Kage get completely dominated by Kazama, was livid. Through the Edo Tensei link, he started hurling insults at Kazama.  

“You filthy little punk, I swear I’ll tear you to pieces and scatter your ashes!”  

“Yakushi Kabuto, you’re as slimy and vicious as ever, cursing me through Edo Tensei,” Kazama shot back.  

He’d originally planned to deal with Kabuto last, but after hearing the guy’s nonstop verbal attacks, Kazama decided it was time to track down his hiding spot and take him out for good.  

“Punk, I’ll curse you all I want! What, you got a problem with that? Fine, today I’ll make you eat your words!”  

“Kazama-kun!”  

Suddenly, Kazama heard Sakura’s voice calling out through one of the Edo Tensei ninja.  

His heart skipped a beat, a bad feeling creeping in.  

“No way… Did Kabuto actually kidnap Sakura? That shouldn’t be possible!”  

As Kazama was puzzling over this, Yakushi Kabuto’s voice came through the Edo Tensei again, laughing maniacally.  

“How’s that, punk? Hear your little girlfriend calling? I’m gonna make Sakura wish she was dead—let’s see if you still dare to mess with me!”  

“Kabuto, don’t try that nonsense with me. You think mimicking Sakura’s voice will fool me? Even ninja academy kids can pull off voice-changing tricks. Keep dreaming!”  

Kazama said this confidently, but inside, he was on edge.  

He wasn’t sure if Kabuto had actually captured Sakura or not.  

For now, all he could do was bluff to test Kabuto’s reaction.  

But before Kabuto could respond, Obito suddenly appeared in front of him.  

“Bad news, Kazama-sama! Word just came from Konoha—Haruno Sakura’s been taken hostage by the enemy!” 

Chapter 245: Sakura Defiled by Yakushi Kabuto 

“What?! That bastard Yakushi Kabuto!”  

Hearing Obito’s words, Kazama finally confirmed that Sakura had indeed been captured by Kabuto. Rage surged within him, uncontrollable and fierce.  

Though Sakura wasn’t his girlfriend, and he’d never harbored romantic feelings for her, she was still his comrade. There was no way Kazama could abandon her to her fate.  

“Haha! You little punk, now you believe me, huh? Gotta say, this Sakura’s got some charm—especially those legs wrapped in those tight pants. They’re driving me wild! Kazama, since you don’t know how to appreciate a beauty, I’ll take her for myself, haha!”  

“You bastard, don’t you dare!”  

Kabuto’s words sent Kazama into a fury, his anger boiling over.  

“Pfft, I dare! And what are you gonna do about it?”  

With that, Kabuto once again commanded the Fourth Kazekage, Second Mizukage, and Second Tsuchikage to charge at Kazama.  

“Kazama, you little punk, I’ve blocked these three’s vision. You can’t use Betsutenshin to control them anymore. They’ll keep coming at you, relentless and immortal. Think you can shake them off and find me? Keep dreaming!”  

Kabuto burst into manic laughter.  

But halfway through his cackling, he noticed the three Kage had somehow broken free of his control.  

“Impossible!”  

Kabuto collapsed to the ground, stunned.  

“I clearly blocked their vision! Kazama’s Betsutenshin shouldn’t have been able to affect them. So why did they slip out of my control? Is there something wrong with my technique?”  

Kabuto was utterly baffled, unable to make sense of it.  

What he didn’t know was that Kazama had long possessed a ninjutsu capable of seizing control of Edo Tensei summons.  

Back when Kabuto first used Edo Tensei to revive Hidan and Kakuzu, Kazama had employed his Edo Tensei Seizure Technique to take control of them. At the time, Kabuto assumed his Edo Tensei wasn’t refined enough, which caused him to lose control.  

But the truth was, no matter how powerful or perfected Kabuto’s Edo Tensei was, it was useless against Kazama.  

Kazama hadn’t used this technique right away because he wanted to seize the opportunity to absorb the ultimate techniques of the Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, and Fourth Kazekage.  

Now that he’d acquired their techniques—and with Sakura being held hostage by Kabuto—Kazama had no reason to keep playing games with him.  

Immediately, Kazama issued orders to the Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, Fourth Kazekage, and the nearby Third Raikage: assist the Shinobi Alliance in fending off the enemy’s attacks.  

Meanwhile, Kazama set off toward Kabuto’s location.  

Though Kabuto had hidden himself well, Kazama had already sensed the source of the chakra when he interacted with the Edo Tensei Kage.  

This was another ability of his Rokugōma Rinnegan (Six Tomoe Rinnegan).  

Originally, Kazama had planned to deal with Kabuto last. But since Kabuto was so eager to court death, Kazama would oblige him.  

“Let me go! Get your hands off me!”  

At that moment, a furious Kabuto reached for Sakura with his filthy hands.  

“You little wretch, your pal Kazama has ruined my plans time and again. So I’ll just have to take my anger out on you. Don’t worry, though—I’ll make sure you enjoy it, haha!”  

Though Sakura struggled desperately to escape, Kabuto held her tightly in his grasp.