46-50
Added 2025-02-02 04:52:19 +0000 UTCChapter 46: Water Style: Water Fang Blade! Believe in Miracles!
As the words fell, Kakuzu didn’t lower his guard in the slightest.
Watching three shuriken hurtling toward his weak points, he didn’t know what was going on but assumed Shinji had gotten absurdly lucky.
A cold glint flashed in Kakuzu’s eyes as his long leg stomped the cliff face, shaking loose several stones. With a high roundhouse kick, he sent the stones flying.
The stones tore through the night wind and struck downward.
Clang! Clang! Two shuriken were deflected, and Kakuzu dodged the third with a flash of movement.
By this time, Shinji had already closed the distance.
His foot twisted slightly as the kunai in his hand spun, reflecting a sharp glint, before he thrust it fiercely toward Kakuzu’s chest—aiming directly at his heart.
Kakuzu immediately adjusted his stance, twisting to the side while delivering a ferocious spinning elbow aimed at Shinji’s face.
The move was so fast that Shinji couldn’t even see it. He only felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, his heart blaring an alarm.
*[Talent Activated: Combat Instinct (Beginner, S-Rank).]*
His body instinctively ducked, narrowly avoiding the explosive elbow strike.
Even Kakuzu was slightly surprised at this.
Although he wasn’t particularly skilled in taijutsu, his seventy-plus years of battle experience, coupled with the enhancements of the Earth Grudge Fear technique, made his movements far beyond the perception of a one-tomoe Sharingan.
Seizing the brief opening, Shinji immediately slashed his kunai toward Kakuzu’s left ankle while simultaneously executing a sidekick from the Cloud Village’s cross-shaped taijutsu style, aiming a fierce strike at Kakuzu’s good leg.
Kakuzu’s gaze sharpened.
The stitches on his left foot unraveled, releasing seven or eight threads of Earth Grudge Fear that entangled Shinji’s kunai. At the same time, he countered with a scorpion-tail-like kick, his right leg sweeping upward toward Shinji’s face.
Shinji shuddered and reflexively crossed his arms to block.
Gripping the kunai tightly, he attempted to cut the thin threads wrapped around it.
But before he could, Kakuzu’s kick sent him flying into the air.
Slash!
The threads were severed simultaneously.
“It’s over!”
Kakuzu declared coldly as he grabbed Shinji’s face with one violent palm and smashed it into the cliff face.
Boom!
The impact was so powerful that rocks splintered, and blood spattered.
Shinji’s head swam as he barely maintained consciousness, using the last vestiges of his will to grip the kunai and shove it into his pouch.
Kakuzu grabbed the limp Shinji again, his eyes frosty as he sneered.
“It seems you’re nothing special after all.”
“Tell me, where did you find the courage to challenge me alone?”
Without waiting for an answer, Kakuzu’s gaze turned icy as he slammed a brutal punch into Shinji’s stomach.
Then, clasping his head with both hands, Kakuzu delivered a knee to his face, followed by a spinning shoulder throw to the ground, a scorpion-tail kick to his chest, a spinning elbow to his face, and a sweeping kick to the head, which chained into a back kick to his skull and concluded with a front stomp to his face.
Each move was merciless and executed with deadly precision.
The final kick was especially vicious, like punting a ball, sending Shinji flying into the barrier’s corner.
He crashed down, covered in blood, his face unrecognizable—no longer resembling a person.
“Phew,” Kakuzu exhaled deeply.
After that relentless assault, even an iron ball would have been smashed into a flat disc, let alone a human head.
And yet…
Kakuzu turned his gaze toward the corner, frowning at the unmoving Shinji.
“The barrier hasn’t lifted. Is he not dead yet?”
Outside the barrier, Mei Terumi and Hidan could only watch helplessly as Shinji threw himself at Kakuzu, seemingly without regard for his life.
But soon enough—
In less than a minute, Kakuzu’s merciless combo sent him flying back.
It was brutal.
One couldn’t even tell that Shinji had been a handsome young man just moments earlier. If one were to describe it, he now looked more like a pile of mangled tofu.
Mei Terumi: …
Hidan: …
Both fell silent.
“So, after all that flash and flair, you couldn’t even scratch him before getting sent flying back?”
“What exactly were you trying to achieve?”
And yet, at that moment—
The beaten, bloody, and seemingly lifeless Shinji suddenly twitched a finger. Slowly, he braced himself against the barrier and cliff wall, dragging his battered body upright.
The swelling and gashes on his head began healing at an astonishing speed.
In no time at all, there wasn’t a single wound left.
This miraculous recovery was thanks to a forbidden technique Shinji had recently obtained from Shennong—
*Forbidden Technique: Body Regeneration.*
By consuming his own life force and stamina, the technique allowed for rapid healing of injuries.
In the future, even Orochimaru would base his development of an incredible regeneration technique on this very foundation.
Shinji steadied himself in full battle-ready form.
Though his body was covered in blood, making him look fearsome and intimidating, his spirit remained undiminished.
Not only did he show no shame from being defeated, but he even began laughing, gasping for air.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"I knew it!"
As he spoke, Shinji pulled out a kunai from his ninja tool pouch. He removed the threads of the Earth Grudge Fear from it and wrapped them around his fingers, giving them a tug.
"This toughness is about the same as ninja wire. Plus, once separated from the Earth Grudge Fear’s entity, Kakuzu can’t control it anymore."
"This can totally be used as a ninja tool!"
Nearby, Terumi Mei and Hidan were dumbfounded, staring at Shinji’s delighted expression with a mix of shock and dismay.
"Are you insane? You charged in, took a brutal beating, just to figure out something so utterly ridiculous?"
Terumi Mei glared at Shinji, her tone dripping with frustration and disappointment.
She slammed the barrier hard and yelled angrily, "Hurry up and take down this barrier! Let me in!"
"If this keeps up, you’ll die!"
"Hmm?" Shinji turned his head sharply at her voice. Seeing Terumi Mei and Hidan still standing there, he couldn’t help but feel a little exasperated.
"Why are you still here?"
"Didn’t I tell you to run?"
Hearing this, not only Terumi Mei but even Hidan’s face showed visible irritation.
"Stop acting like a self-righteous hero!"
"If we’re leaving, we’re leaving together!"
Shinji uncharacteristically fell silent for a moment, unsure how to respond.
In the end, he pretended not to hear them and changed the subject. With a serious tone, he said to the two:
"This is not something ridiculous. This kind of information is critical to me!"
Then, Shinji turned to Terumi Mei and asked earnestly:
"Since you’re still here, can I ask you something?"
"What’s the hand sign sequence for the Water Fang Blade technique?"
Terumi Mei frowned slightly.
The Water Fang Blade was a secret technique of the Terumi clan. Even in the future, the Sixth Mizukage, Chojuro, used it in his battle against Otsutsuki Urashiki.
Capable of clashing with Otsutsuki’s Six Paths-level chakra rod, this technique, with its versatility and low chakra consumption, was a highly valuable jutsu.
Her face showed hesitation, but after thinking for a moment, she finally spoke:
"It’s Hare-Ram-Snake. What do you plan to do with it?"
Shinji nodded. While his one-tomoe Sharingan allowed him to see the general chakra flow in a body, it wasn’t enough to directly copy a jutsu.
However, knowing the hand signs combined with observing the chakra flow he had recorded earlier gave him a good chance of replicating the technique.
He had already tested his innate chakra nature, which turned out to be Water and Fire—just enough to meet the prerequisites for using the technique.
"You’ll see soon enough," he said without explaining further.
Shinji turned around, grasped the kunai, and began forming hand signs with both hands.
Hare-Ram-Snake.
After only two tries, he successfully condensed a spinning, two-and-a-half-foot-long Water Fang Blade on the kunai.
Just moments earlier, Shinji had keenly observed how this technique in Terumi Mei’s hands had severed Kakuzu’s Earth Grudge Fear tentacles.
And through the intense battle just now, it was proven—
When it came to raw taijutsu, even with his Sharingan and innate combat intuition, Shinji was no match for Kakuzu’s seventy-plus years of combat experience.
If he simply tried to brute force his way through, he would surely lose!
But—
In the world of ninjas,
Ninjutsu is the power to create miracles!
Armed with an arsenal of ninjutsu, forbidden techniques, and masterful skill in manipulating wire-based shuriken techniques, Shinji firmly believed that miracles would be born in his hands!
And the first step would be borrowing some ninja tools from Kakuzu!
---
(End of Chapter)
*Chapter 47: Tit for Tat, and Then Some!*
The battle of ninjas is a battle of intelligence.
Shinji launched a taijutsu offensive, and Kakuzu retaliated with taijutsu as well. Beyond his anger at the insolent little brat, he was also probing for information.
After all, this kid didn’t say a word before activating a barrier and charging in head-on, confidently claiming he could cover the retreat of the other two kids. Kakuzu found it hard to believe that the boy didn’t have a few tricks up his sleeve.
Caution—this was the trait that had kept Kakuzu alive since the Warring States period.
Ever since being slapped by that man’s wooden clone, Kakuzu’s perspective had become crystal clear.
He had engraved those two words—be cautious—into his very bones.
At this moment, Kakuzu narrowed his eyes slightly as Shinji stood firm again, looking like an indestructible monster. All the injuries inflicted by Kakuzu’s relentless taijutsu assault had healed completely. Other than appearing somewhat tired and out of breath, Shinji seemed to be in excellent condition.
“Medical ninjutsu? No, with healing of this magnitude, something doesn’t add up.”
Such a degree of combat endurance was absurd, even with consistent use of Mystical Palm Technique during battle.
Kakuzu turned his head slightly and looked toward the cliff above.
Aside from the three kids, there was also that tall, middle-aged man in the yellow cloak.
And that man gave him a peculiar feeling—something hard to kill.
“Hmm?”
While Kakuzu glanced sideways, he suddenly froze, looking toward a direction outside the barrier.
At some point, the middle-aged ninja in the yellow cloak had moved to stand on the cliff outside the barrier. His expression carried an inexplicable shock as he stared intently at the scrawny kid opposing Kakuzu.
Seeing this, Kakuzu immediately pieced it together.
“That terrifying forbidden jutsu—this guy taught it to that little brat!”
“Are these two a master and disciple? Is he shocked by his student’s progress in training?”
“Could it be that this guy is using me to temper his disciple?”
Kakuzu furrowed his brow, realizing the situation was far more complex than he’d initially thought.
This scrawny kid had activated a barrier to force a 1v1 duel, unleashed such a troublesome forbidden technique, and even dismissed his teammates to fight alone. He practically screamed, If you don’t kill me, you’re disrespecting me.
Even for a 70-year-old veteran like Kakuzu, this was unsettling.
He couldn’t help but wonder, Who’s exploiting whom here?
Now the situation was becoming clear.
This kid—he definitely had someone backing him!
This realization sparked a subtle shift in Kakuzu’s mindset.
---
On the battlefield,
Shinji locked eyes with Kakuzu, his gaze sharpening.
He briefly sensed the state of his body. After using the forbidden technique Body Rebirth, his body felt like rusty machinery—no longer as smooth as before.
The technique was powerful but came with severe side effects.
Shinnō had nearly no side effects when using this technique because he paired it with the incomplete Zero-Tails chakra, essentially swapping out the energy source.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, could abuse the technique to his heart’s content because of his body modifications and Living Corpse Reincarnation. If a body broke down, he could simply switch to another.
But Shinji? Every ounce of energy came from his own life force.
He estimated that with his current condition, he could only use Body Rebirth two more times before requiring immediate medical attention.
Otherwise, he would die from depleted life force.
That meant he only had two chances left.
Taking a deep breath, Shinji activated his Sharingan, the crimson glow forming streaks of light.
Once again, he charged forward in the same stance. But this time, he held something different in his hand—a Spinning Water Blade entrusted to him by Mei Terumi!
“Water Style: Water Fang Blade!”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three shurikens tore through the air, aiming for Kakuzu.
“You’re trying the same tactic again?”
Kakuzu squinted, shifting his position and lashing out with three writhing Earth Grudge Fear tendrils. They intercepted the shurikens and advanced to crush Shinji.
From their earlier taijutsu exchange, Kakuzu had roughly gauged the kid’s reaction speed.
It was… freakishly good.
If not for Kakuzu’s unique body structure and his ability to entangle weapons with Earth Grudge Fear threads, the kid’s series of kicks and slashes earlier would have landed perfectly.
Now, seeing the boy wield a water blade capable of severing tendrils, Kakuzu’s thoughts raced.
This kid’s calculations are relentless! He’s about to slap this 70-year-old veteran in the face with his master plan.
Kakuzu wasn’t foolish; naturally, he wouldn’t stand still and let Shinji patch up his legs again.
The battle escalated immediately.
When Shinji saw Kakuzu switch moves and suddenly shoot out a web of Earth Grudge Fear threads, he was secretly delighted.
*“This water blade is so much more effective than kunai!”*
He hadn’t even rushed in to patch up Lord Kakuzu’s legs, and the man was already countering by sending over a heap of valuable ninja tools!
Shinji quickly slammed on the brakes, stopping abruptly against the cliff face.
Then, gripping his sword, he twirled it elegantly, creating a dazzling sword flourish.
With his Sharingan locked onto the oncoming tendrils, he positioned his blade along his arm, adopted a bow stance, and, with a burst of power, swung his sword!
First came the Cloud Flow: Deceptive Slash, tricking Kakuzu’s tendrils into brushing past his right shoulder. Then, in the blink of an eye, he followed up with another move—Cloud Flow: Crescent Moon Slash!
It was a flawless replication of the Cloud Flow Swordsmanship he had glimpsed only once amidst volcanic steam and boiling seas.
Three crescent arcs of shimmering water blades flashed vividly!
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Three of Kakuzu’s attacking tendrils were severed cleanly.
Without hesitation, Shinji crouched down and began sweeping up the severed tendrils like someone gathering tiles in a game of mahjong. With a swift grab, he stuffed the entire bundle into his ninja tool pouch.
Grinning, he turned and darted off like a streak of light, rolling and dodging repeatedly to evade more of Kakuzu’s incoming tendrils.
Amidst his agile maneuvers, Shinji pulled out an empty ninja wire reel and quickly untangled the Earth Grudge Fear threads, winding them neatly onto the spool.
Only when the reel was full did Shinji allow himself a satisfied smile. *“A free haul!”*
Though Ji now seemed to possess a range of jutsu, including forbidden techniques, when you ignored flashy but ineffective Fire-Style techniques like Grand Fireball and Phoenix Flower Jutsu, the only ones capable of truly threatening Kakuzu were two techniques he had recently learned from Elder Uchiha Satsuna:
*Uchiha-Style: Wire Manipulation Shuriken Jutsu!*
This technique was the core of Shinji’s entire combat strategy.
In one word: *speed!*
Speed so overwhelming that the opponent wouldn’t have time to form hand seals, release jutsu, or even defend. Forced to rely solely on dodging, they would inevitably expose a weakness, giving Shinji the opening he needed to decide the fight!
Third-rate Uchiha used shuriken for feints.
Second-rate Uchiha used shuriken for ambushes.
First-rate Uchiha used shuriken to seize opportunities!
And the pinnacle of mastery—the Uchiha-Style Wire Manipulation Shuriken Jutsu—
Its S-rank classification was because it wasn’t just a technique;
it was a *killing blow!*
---
(End of Chapter)
*Chapter 48: The Correct Way to Wield Shuriken!*
The crescent moon sank lower as the sky began to brighten faintly.
The soft breeze of early spring should have been gentle, but at this moment, it swirled and surged violently.
With each lash of Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear tendrils, a rapid succession of thwacks echoed in the air.
Yet, not a single strike landed. Every time it seemed an attack would connect, Shinji would miraculously duck, sidestep, or flip out of harm’s way, as if guided by an uncanny intuition.
Even without clear visibility, he managed to evade every assault.
"Tch, what an absurd instinct," Kakuzu muttered, frowning.
His sharp gaze locked onto Shinji, who was darting and weaving, seemingly preoccupied with something in his hands. Kakuzu knew this couldn’t continue.
He shifted tactics, commanding his tendrils to smash into the cliff face. Huge craters formed, and from these pits, he extracted massive boulders.
With a sudden motion, Kakuzu hurled the giant rocks straight at Shinji!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The boulders sliced through the wind, hurtling forward with overwhelming force.
Watching this unfold, Terumi Mei, who stood outside the barrier, couldn’t help but gasp in shock.
This move was akin to a group of shinobi simultaneously launching Earth Style: Rock Iron Cannon. It sealed off all escape routes, forcing the opponent to confront it head-on.
But this was only the beginning.
As Kakuzu continued to fling boulders with his tendrils, he formed a hand seal with both hands.
In the next instant, two grotesque masks detached from his back, dragging along bodies of pitch-black tendrils stitched together by Earth Grudge Fear.
The two masks—his Fire Style and Wind Style avatars—perched on his shoulders.
With their combined power, what was about to descend was...
*"Combined Jutsu: Scorching Wind Chaos!"*
This technique merged the Fire Style: Searing Migraine with Wind Style: Pressure Damage, unleashing an immense sea of flames over a vast area.
Coupled with the barricade of boulders Kakuzu had prepared, the enclosed space left Shinji with no escape.
With a cold, detached expression, Kakuzu declared:
“Poor fool. The game is over.”
As his words fell, he clenched his fist halfway.
Boom!
A fiery inferno surged forth, accompanied by howling winds!
Every inch of space was engulfed by Kakuzu’s devastating attack.
In an instant, the scene became a maelstrom of chaos: swirling sand, shattered boulders, scythe-like wind blades, fire spreading like serpentine tongues, and embers bursting into the air like sparks from an exploding forge.
It would only take a second before everything was consumed.
Yet, amidst this hellish tableau, this despair-inducing onslaught, Shinji remained unnervingly calm.
His wide eyes seemed intent on capturing every detail of the apocalyptic scene before him.
A strange sensation coursed through his entire body—from his head to his toes, from his fingertips to his very core, as if an electric current surged into the deepest recesses of his cells, unlocking some hidden potential within.
His brain flooded with dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, sending him into a state of euphoric clarity.
*[Talent: Combat Intuition (S) level-up. You can now utilize your body with greater mastery.]*
In the next moment, Shinji lowered his gaze to the tendrils of Earth Grudge Fear wrapped around his fingers, a grin slowly spreading across his face.
He glanced one last time at Kakuzu’s position.
Then, his fingers curled slightly, his fingertips tensing as if ready to pluck a string.
His Sharingan whirled wildly, the tomoe spinning so fast they nearly formed a continuous black line.
His gaze burned with a maniacal resolve, a determination to wager everything.
“Come on!”
“Come on!”
“COME ON!”
“Fight! If I don’t fight, I’ll lose! And the end of fighting is nothing but death!”
“To chase that moment of death, I’ve bet everything!”
“And here, I will fulfill that wish!”
As his words rang out, Shinji closed his eyes.
At this moment, his single-tomoe Sharingan couldn’t keep up with his battle instincts.
So he chose to rely on his senses, to trust the plan already etched into his mind.
*The first step—*
Shinji pulled out the last four shuriken from his tool pouch, each tightly wrapped in Earth Grudge Fear threads.
With unwavering precision, he hurled them into the blazing firestorm, the flying boulders, and the slicing wind blades.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
Shuriken tore through the air, dragging four pitch-black threads behind them as they embedded violently into a massive boulder hurtling toward him from the distance.
Shinji slightly pulled his hands, tightening the threads he had discreetly set up during his evasive maneuvers. The threads snapped taut, their crossing point precisely beneath Shinji's feet.
Like a bowstring drawn to its limit, ready to release its arrow—
Bang!
The giant bow formed by the threads unleashed its initial force, catapulting Shinji forward like a speeding arrow!
He pierced through the sea of flames, pulling the threads attached to the four launched shuriken. Mid-air, he shifted direction by rotating his body,
stepping on the incoming boulder to gain momentum, accelerating further.
He darted through the narrow space between two colliding massive rocks,
performed a mid-air flip to evade a barrage of raging wind blades,
and executed hand signs just before the crossing tongues of scorching fire could engulf him—
Hare-Ram-Snake!
*Water Release: Water Fang Blade!*
With a water blade in his right hand and his left hand pulling the threads to control his trajectory, Shinji spun rapidly in mid-air. His water blade whirled violently as his eyes snapped open!
---
“Is he dead?” Kakuzu squinted slightly, gazing at the storm of flames and chaos that engulfed everything ahead.
Considering the boulders he had thrown to seal off any escape routes, it was nearly impossible for his opponent to survive.
Unless the boy possessed a technique stronger than his own...
But Kakuzu dismissed the idea. The jutsu he had unleashed drew upon the hearts of the strongest shinobi he had hunted over decades:
*Earth Release: Earth Spear, Wind Release: Pressure Damage, Lightning Release: False Darkness, Fire Release: Intelligent Hard Work, Water Release: Water Encampment Wall.*
Five hearts, five peak-level jutsu in their respective attributes! Kakuzu doubted a mere child could possess such capabilities.
So, he must be dead.
And if not, death was imminent.
Kakuzu turned his cold gaze toward the three individuals outside the barrier.
His eyes swept past the intended target, Hidan, and his companion, Mei Terumi, before focusing on the man in the yellow cloak with a calm expression—Shinnō.
Kakuzu narrowed his eyes slightly.
What was this man’s purpose for standing here?
Would he interfere with capturing Hidan?
After all, this was a man so cold and unfeeling that even the death of his disciple before his eyes had elicited no reaction.
On the opposite side, witnessing Kakuzu’s terrifying composite jutsu, Mei Terumi and Hidan both couldn’t help but swallow nervously, their faces pale with shock.
“This attack is even more terrifying than that Wind Release earlier.”
“Shinji, he…” Mei Terumi bit her lip slightly, her anxious gaze searching the barrier.
No matter where she looked,
within the confines of the barrier along the cliffside, aside from Kakuzu’s position, all she could see was an endless sea of roaring flames.
Hidan collapsed despairingly against a tree trunk, staring helplessly at the scene before him.
All he could see was— Fire
and Kakuzu.
The masked man who toyed with tendrils and jutsu was the embodiment of dread itself!
And in his ears, the only sounds were the howling winds, the raging flames,
and the agonized wails of the Land of Hot Water refugees below,
victims of Kakuzu’s devastating jutsu.
Hidan clenched his fists tightly, teeth gritted, his trembling gaze fixed on the nightmare unfolding before him.
Tears welled up, spilling over as he shut his eyes hard, gripping the tree trunk with all his might.
“Shinji!” he roared with every ounce of strength left in his body.
“If you’re still alive, then get your ass out here, dammit!”
His cry echoed into the oppressive silence,
the suffocating flames rendering even breathing a struggle.
But then—
The sea of flames began to tremble!
As if a massive beast was rampaging through it!
Debris, dirt, weeds, and embers—
Everything scattered wildly as a spinning blue whirlwind of light sliced through!
In an instant,
a massive hole was torn through the fiery wall,
and Shinji, like a speeding arrow, spiraled into the air above Kakuzu’s head.
Taking a deep breath, he gripped his water blade with both hands,
and, with its edge shrieking at the peak of its acceleration, he swung it down with all his might toward Kakuzu’s neck!
The blade glowed like fire, reflecting his cold, merciless crimson eyes.
Kakuzu’s eyes widened in shock!
---
End of Chapter.
*Chapter 49: Piercing the Heart, Igniting the Flames of Will!*
The whirling water blade screeched sharply!
Even before it struck, Kakuzu felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
This lightning-fast attack from Shinji completely caught Kakuzu off guard, striking directly at his greatest weakness.
Indeed, Kakuzu possessed an ability akin to an "immortal body."
As long as the five hearts he carried with him weren't all destroyed, he could continually resurrect.
However, even with this advantage, the head was a special case.
If his head were severed, it would weaken his control over the Earth Grudge Fear technique, leaving him vulnerable.
This gave Shinji a brief window to target the five hearts still within Kakuzu's body.
And that was something Kakuzu absolutely couldn’t allow!
A sense of mortal danger, something he hadn’t felt in decades, exploded within him at this moment!
“There’s no way I’ll let you succeed!!!”
Kakuzu’s eyes widened in rage as he clenched his teeth and roared. Forming the Snake hand sign, his entire body turned pitch black in an instant.
This was Earth Style: Earth Spear.
Despite its name, Earth Spear was a purely defensive jutsu. It hardened the skin, putting the body into an impenetrable state that was both an offensive and defensive powerhouse. It could smash through walls with ease and withstand explosions from paper bombs.
However...
The technique had a major flaw—
After activation, the body would become rigid due to the hardening.
This stiffness meant Kakuzu couldn’t use his taijutsu to overwhelm Shinji.
Shinji’s gaze sharpened, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. The water blade that had been spinning and slashing toward Kakuzu suddenly vanished, leaving only the kunai clutched in his hand.
Then, in a swift motion, he reversed his grip on the kunai and plunged it into the Wind Mask of the Earth Grudge Fear perched on Kakuzu’s left shoulder!
Slash!
The sharp blade pierced the mask!
The Wind Mask shattered abruptly, and the kunai came within a hair’s breadth of destroying the heart inside!
“What?!” Kakuzu was stunned, his ghostly green eyes brimming with disbelief.
His hardened skin had escaped the water blade’s slash, yet Shinji had shifted his target at the last second.
It was as if the man knew everything about him!
In a panic, Kakuzu twisted his shoulder and leaned to the side, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow. He hastily used his secret technique to control the Fire Mask on his right shoulder.
With its mouth wide open, it unleashed a fiery projectile straight at the nearby Shinji.
*Fire Style: Searing Migraine!*
Once ignited, it would erupt into a sea of flames!
However...
Even in the face of this deadly jutsu—
As the fireball reflected in his crimson Sharingan, Shinji’s eyes remained eerily calm.
He hooked his index fingers, and a black thread suddenly emerged from the ground!
Manipulating the thread with his fingers, he yanked hard, propelling himself downward, sliding under Kakuzu’s legs.
With a twist of his feet, he leaped back up, climbing onto Kakuzu’s back and plunging his kunai toward the Water Mask on Kakuzu’s back!
The fireball smashed into the barrier behind them, erupting in a dazzling shower of sparks.
Kakuzu’s face darkened, veins bulging across his forehead.
“Again with that absurd intuition! His body reacts even faster than his mind!”
“Damn it, he’s like a flea!”
With that thought, Kakuzu’s gaze turned fierce. He clasped his hands together.
The four masks on his back writhed and detached, connected to writhing black threads as they half-emerged from his body.
Then, they opened their mouths wide at Shinji—
*Wind Style: Pressure Damage!*
*Lightning Style: False Darkness!*
*Fire Style: Searing Migraine!*
*Water Style: Water Wall!*
The four masks unleashed jutsu like a barrage of bullets aimed at Shinji!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Water burst apart, fierce winds howled, lightning crackled, and flames scorched the air!
Seeing the onslaught, Shinji let out a wicked grin. He hooked his fingers again, tugging on the threads.
Like an arrow, he spun and leaped, closing his eyes as his body followed the rhythm of instinct.
When he reopened them, he had slipped through the narrow gaps between the four jutsu, landing once more on Kakuzu’s back.
Without hesitation, Shinji vaulted off Kakuzu’s back, flipping 360 degrees midair.
Clasping his hands together, he swung his arms overhead—
And then...
He pulled on all the threads!
---
On the ground, threads of silk suddenly tightened, slicing through the earthen walls and whipping around Kakuzu’s body with ferocious momentum.
They constricted his limbs, chest, abdomen, head, and even the masked extensions of his Earth Grudge Fear body.
The threads bound him tightly, pulling and twisting with relentless force.
*Creak, creak, creak—*
A grating sound pierced the air, sharp enough to set one’s teeth on edge.
“What is this?” Kakuzu’s pupils shrank as he realized that the threads entwining him were his own Earth Grudge Fear threads.
He immediately struggled to break free.
However, the more he resisted, the tighter the multiple threads bound him. Only the portions of his body reinforced by Earth Style: Earth Spear could tear apart a small number of threads.
But escaping would clearly take several seconds at least.
For Shinji, those few seconds were enough.
He took a deep breath, forming hand seals with practiced precision as he drew a kunai.
*Rabbit—Sheep—Snake!*
Water Style: Water Fang Blade spun violently in his hand once more!
Then—
With a savage glint in his eyes, Shinji bit down hard on his molars.
*“Hisss—”*
Cold air rushed into his chest, igniting a spark within. It roared to life between his teeth, bursting into embers.
Even his crimson Sharingan eyes seemed to blaze like raging fire at that moment!
“This is it!”
“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for!”
His eyes widened in fury, and he slammed his hand against his chest as he took a bold step forward.
Fire Style: Chakra Mode—activate!
Blazing fire chakra erupted from his body in an overwhelming surge!
“Burn your spirit!”
“Surpass your limits!”
The power radiating from his heart spread rapidly through every corner of his body.
In an instant, the flames roared to life, illuminating the entire cliffside, the castle, and the refugee camp below.
Countless refugees from the Land of Hot Water lifted their heads, squinting at the sky. They gazed in awe at the barrier that stood against the cliff.
Within the barrier, a sun had risen!
Its searing light tore through the darkness of the moonlit night, heralding the arrival of a new dawn!
“What are you doing, Shinji?!” Mei Terumi and Hidan’s eyes widened in shock as they cried out.
Even Shinon, who had been watching calmly from the cliff, could no longer maintain his composure. His expression twisted as he stared in disbelief.
“This technique… this power… he’ll die!”
“Even if he managed to steal the forbidden technique of Flesh Reanimation from me, it won’t save him!”
“Is he insane?! Has he lost his mind?!”
“All for some meaningless bond? For two people he’s only just met and barely spent a day with, calling them ‘friends’?”
“This kind of man…” Shinon clenched his fists tightly, his gaze fixed on Shinji within the barrier.
For the first time in a long while, Shinon desolate heart seemed to ignite, as if reignited by the blazing sun before him.
Jealousy and a conflicted longing welled up inside him.
If only—if only he had such friends…
On the day the Sky Ninja Village was destroyed,
Would he have chosen to fight and die alongside them,
Or would he still have swallowed his shame and survived, living a life worse than death?
Inside the barrier—
*“Haaaahhh!”*
Shinji’s eyes bulged with fury as he struggled to contain the overwhelming power threatening to consume him. He roared to release the mounting pressure.
Clutching his blade with both hands, he channeled the surging fire chakra into the Water Fang Blade. The spinning water sword instantly evaporated,
Transforming into a blazing fire blade over six feet long, shooting out from the hilt!
Wielding the incandescent flame sword born of forced elemental transformation, Shinji’s bloodshot eyes glared as he swung the brilliant weapon, scattering radiant sparks!
He roared fiercely at the sweat-drenched Kakuzu:
“Weren’t you having fun earlier?”
“Well then,”
“Now it’s my turn!!”
---
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 50: The Interstice, the Clash
*Bang!*
As Shinji struck his heart with precision, a chilling sense of foreboding swept over Kakuzu.
It felt like a swarm of a million ants crawling over his chest, a cold, gnawing dread twisting inside him.
The last time he felt such a thing? Forty-five years ago.
Back then, burdened by a weighty responsibility he couldn’t escape, he had stepped forward, trembling, to face the Wood Clone of the God of Shinobi himself.
But what truly drove despair into his heart—
Was the towering 200-meter wooden colossus the clone commanded.
Now, that same despair began to claw at him once more.
Fire chakra surged violently around Shinji, spiraling outward in waves of blistering heat. The air grew oppressively dry, scorching, leaving throats parched.
A blazing sun was rising before Kakuzu’s eyes.
That all-too-familiar terror, both distant and recent, awoke a deeply buried weakness within him—a fear he had long suppressed beneath layers of greed and stitched sinews.
The threads of Earth Grudge Fear began to writhe uncontrollably, spilling out from the seams of his body, standing rigid like the bristles of a cornered beast.
Like a dark, bristling creature seeking safety within its own fur, Kakuzu’s instincts screamed for cover.
The moonlight dimmed, and the world plunged into an eerie stillness.
But the blinding radiance of the nascent sun made escape impossible.
In this merciless yet equalizing light,
Kakuzu—
Was forcibly reminded of his past.
His face twisted, his composure shattering with every passing second.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!!”
“Madman!”
“Lunatic!”
“A death-crazed lunatic!”
“What kind of technique is this? How could a mere single-tomoe Sharingan user possibly wield such a jutsu?!”
Realization dawned on Kakuzu in a flash:
*This was a forbidden jutsu*—one far beyond ordinary limitations, a technique meant for mutual destruction.
Kakuzu cursed wildly in his mind.
What grudge did this brat have against him to go this far?
This was their first encounter, wasn’t it? How was this even justified?
As he watched Shinji’s presence grow ever more overwhelming, Kakuzu felt his scalp tighten in terror.
Then, suddenly, he moved.
He deactivated Earth Style: Earth Spear, letting the threads of Earth Grudge Fear slice and tear through his own body. Blood erupted like a crimson fountain, scattering flesh and fragments of organs, his heart and limbs among them.
But he didn’t hesitate.
The dismembered pieces were pulled back together by writhing tendrils, his body reassembling itself.
The price? Countless missing parts. Kakuzu had no time to care.
“Raaaahhhhhh!!!”
Facing Shinji, whose strength was spiraling out of control and roaring like a wild beast, Kakuzu, now freed from his restraints, quickly formed the Seal of the Serpent.
Four shadowy forms erupted from his back. Three masks stood side by side, while the fourth remained aligned with him.
The trio of masks—Wind, Fire, and Lightning—opened their gaping maws, glowing with blinding white, red, and blue energy.
The three combined forces, intertwining and coalescing into a terrifyingly dense blue chakra cannon.
It was a precursor to Kakuzu’s ultimate technique, surpassing Composite Style: Flame Wind Chaos Wave.
This was—*Earth Grudge Fear: Final Strike!*
At the same time,
Shinji’s roar reached its climax:
“Now—”
“It’s my turn!!”
---
Shinji watched Kakuzu’s maneuvers as the latter summoned four masked creatures.
The Water Style Earth Grudge Fear mask released Water Style: Water Curtain Dome, filling the area with torrents of water.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu wove seals, casting a massive Water Encampment Wall to obstruct Shinji’s vision, concealing the actions of the remaining masks.
But Shinji, armed with knowledge from the original chronicles, saw through it instantly.
How could he not anticipate Kakuzu preparing his strongest combination jutsu, *Earth Grudge Fear: Final Strike*?
The enemy was fully primed for the clash ahead.
He was ready to engage in an exhilarating, all-out clash.
How could he possibly disappoint his opponent?
Shinji gripped the blazing longsword with both hands, the corners of his mouth curling into an uncontrollable, ecstatic grin.
At this moment, he felt as though he could cleave a mountain in two with a single swing!
This power, far beyond the reach of ordinary men—
Its price was exactly what Shinji had been yearning for: death.
And his opponent?
A Kage-level powerhouse, Kakuzu.
Whether he slashed Kakuzu to death with his sword or Kakuzu obliterated him with his ultimate move, Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot—
To Shinji, it was a win-win situation.
As long as he could die in a battle where he gave it his all, he’d get to take home 500 million .
500 million!
That’s half a billion!
Just think about it: even if he simply deposited that money in a bank, the yearly interest alone would be over 7.5 million !
He could spend the rest of his life in pure luxury!
A life this beautiful was just within reach!
With that thought, all hesitation vanished from Shinji's eyes.
He stepped forward abruptly, raising his sword overhead!
With that single step, his entire body erupted with an overwhelming, fiery chakra. Behind him, it was as though a glorious sun had risen.
The cliff cracked, a dense web of fissures spreading outward.
Channeling such explosive power, Shinji felt as if he’d returned to his childhood. It was like he had become Kenshi, the MC from Samurai X, holding his blade high.
He raised his longsword,
Then shouted passionately, “Victory is mine, Rising Dragon Sword!”
The sheer excitement was palpable. If someone had yelled from behind, “Here’s your chance, Shinji!” at that moment—
Shinji would have felt euphoria straight from his toes to the top of his head. He’d have become an unstoppable, over-the-top comeback machine, responding with:
“You think I’m using the Rising Dragon Sword? Wrong! I’m turning into a firecracker-wielding kid right here, shouting, ‘Holy Sword! My Holy Sword!’”
After all, that was the kind of life Shinji had truly experienced.
In that split second—
In this year within the ninja world, countless fragmented memories spun before his eyes like a kaleidoscope.
Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Setsuna, Uchiha Seikichiro, Uchiha Obito, his grandmother, the ninja tools shop owner, Hidan, Mei Terumi, Shinnō, Kakuzu, the Cloud Village trio, the Jashin Cult trio—
One familiar face after another flashed by during this fleeting yet endless moment of reverie.
Finally,
Shinji’s gaze sharpened. He twisted the hilt of his sword and held it above his head.
Like King Arthur raising Excalibur, the six-foot-long flaming blade surged with yet another wave of blazing heat!
The fiery torrent soared skyward, piercing the heavens!
It was as if a radiant, righteous sword had risen from the very sun!
Then,
Shinji raised his sword high, his voice rising with fury as he roared:
“If this is our final farewell, then this blade shall be called—”
“Final Blade: Parting Strike!”
The massive sword descended in a sweeping arc, splitting even the flowing clouds above in two!
At the same time—
On the other side, Kakuzu’s face twisted in a snarl as he roared:
“You think you can kill me? Keep dreaming!”
“Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot!”
With his shout,
a colossal chakra cannon boomed, launching a blue beam infused with a chilling aura of death!
(End of Chapter)
