51-55

Chapter 51: The Zombie Duo

"Clack, clack, clack..."

In the silent restroom, a tall ninja with dark green eyes and dressed in a fiery red uniform carried a corpse over his shoulder as he approached a hidden door.

He opened it and stepped inside.

The scene within was entirely different.

A group of people bustled about, moving corpses and performing various procedures.

Some whispered among themselves.

Some seemed delighted.

Others frowned deeply.

And a few radiated pure killing intent.

This was the underground black market.

"Lord Kakuzu has arrived!"

The person in charge spotted Kakuzu and immediately lit up, rushing to greet him with a wide smile.

The surrounding ninjas, noticing Kakuzu’s presence, stepped back, one after another.

This man was a terrifying figure—one of the top-tier powerhouses of the black market.

"Hmm."

Kakuzu grunted, tossing the corpse in his hand at the person in charge. "Five million ryō. Hurry up."

"Yes, right away, my lord!"

Knowing Kakuzu’s temperament, the man instantly began inspecting the body.

In no time, he exclaimed in amazement, "As expected of Lord Kakuzu! This rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist, an S-rank defector—others spent two years without even finding his whereabouts. Yet Lord Kakuzu completed the task in just a month."

Kakuzu ignored the flattery, responding coldly, "The money?"

The person in charge rushed to bring a box of cash and respectfully placed it before Kakuzu.

Kakuzu counted the money on the spot, then nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. It matches."

At that moment, a trace of emotion finally appeared on his face.

The air around them seemed to come alive.

The person in charge let out a long breath of relief. Watching Kakuzu pick up the box and prepare to leave, he couldn’t help but say, "Lord Kakuzu, we have a large bounty. The client specifically requested you."

Kakuzu paused, his expressionless face turning toward the man.

"A one-billion-ryō bounty!"

Swish!

In an instant, Kakuzu appeared before the man. His deep voice carried a hint of urgency. "Who’s the target?"

The figure was far too high.

Such a bounty could only be for the Kage of one of the Five Great Ninja Villages or an extremely significant figure. By mentioning it now, the person in charge clearly indicated that the target was someone new.

As expected…

"Someone from the Uchiha clan!"

Kakuzu's brow furrowed slightly.

The Uchiha, the strongest clan in the Hidden Leaf, perhaps even the entire ninja world.

Every year, the black market posted bounties for members of this clan.

Some were for lives, some for eyes, and some for their unique bloodline.

But few accepted these missions.

One reason was the overwhelming strength of the Uchiha and the Hidden Leaf.

Another was that the cost-benefit ratio rarely made sense.

Kakuzu wasn’t afraid of the Uchiha but was meticulous about money. If the pay wasn’t enough, he wouldn’t take the job, no matter the target.

And more importantly, the Uchiha reminded him of a certain man.

He had once attempted to assassinate this man but had been relentlessly hunted down by just a clone of his target. If not for the man's carelessness, Kakuzu would have died at the hands of the clone.

That man was an enemy of the Uchiha clan yet shared a close relationship with their strongest member. The two were inseparable.

"Who?"

"Uchiha Itsuki!"

Kakuzu asked doubtfully, "Who is he? That strong?"

"To be honest with you, Lord Kakuzu," the man replied, "he’s currently known as the Second Coming of the Ninja World’s Asura. The vice clan head of the Uchiha, head of the Konoha Police Force, and the one in charge of the Uchiha clan."

"Oh!"

Kakuzu let out a low chuckle. "No wonder he’s worth a billion ryō. I’ll take the mission."

"Then you’d better hurry," the man said with a smile. "It’s said that Uchiha Itsuki recently left the village for a mission. It’s unclear when he’ll return."

"Oh, that’s perfect. The Uchiha clan… heh!"

Kakuzu left the black market.

…

"Is anyone out there?!"

Itsuki strolled through the forest, shouting loudly.

"That good-for-nothing Danzo!"

"That accursed Hiruzen Sarutobi!"

"As for Koharu and Homura, I can’t even be bothered to curse them. They’re utterly useless!"

"The so-called Big Four of the Leaf—when I, the Uchiha’s greatest enemy, leave the village, and you don’t even stir? Are you even human? You're worse than pigs and dogs!"

Itsuki grumbled furiously.

It had been three years—no, almost four years since he last left the village. Now, finally venturing out, shouldn’t they have taken this opportunity?

Shouldn’t assassination attempts have come one after another along the way?

Yet since leaving the village, aside from fighting with Obito, everything had been unnervingly peaceful.

Absurd!

Where was the ever-present Anbu?!

Itsuki had even hoped they’d help him level up his abilities.

You ungrateful fools—I’ll deal with you sooner or later!

Dark-faced, Itsuki made his way toward the Hidden Grass Village.

There, he sought Karin’s mother, and Karin herself should be about four or five years old now.

Could the two Uzumaki clan members enhance his abilities?

"Or perhaps… keeping them around might be better."

Considering the unique abilities of the Uzumaki, Itsuki stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Having them on hand might prove crucial during future battles between the Uchiha and the village.

With a shake of his head, Itsuki dismissed his thoughts and pressed on.

Suddenly, his face lit up with excitement as he turned and dashed to the side.

There, a green-eyed ninja carrying a black suitcase was approaching.

"Ah!"

"Ahahaha…"

Itsuki’s eyes widened.

Is this a human?

Wrong!

This is a walking mountain of gold!

This man led to a treasure trove of opportunities!

He was a great ninja, one who had once fought the First Hokage.

He had lived for nearly a century, with an unshakable dedication to his ideals.

His exploits in the shadows had left a legacy.

Because of him, the Akatsuki resolved their financial woes.

Because of him, the Third Hokage’s son became a unit of currency.

Because of him, the ninja world’s shadowy overlord almost perished from 600 billion explosive tags, his very soul nearly obliterated.

This man was Kakuzu!!!

For Itsuki, encountering him during this rare outing was nothing short of a dream come true.

With him, every problem would have a solution.

Itsuki immediately took out a scroll.

Kakuzu tensed, ready for battle.

He hadn’t expected Itsuki to notice him so quickly and approach directly.

His plan had been to track Itsuki, waiting for the right moment to launch a surprise attack and end the battle swiftly.

Kakuzu respected a target worth one billion ryō.

They demanded his full effort.

Yet here was his quarry, seemingly recognizing him and charging straight at him. And that look in his eyes—what was it?

What did he intend to do?

As Kakuzu watched warily, Itsuki opened the scroll and summoned a person.

Kakuzu: "?"

What was this?

A person? A boy?

How had a living person been sealed in a scroll?

Was this even human?

Itsuki patted the dazed Hidan on the shoulder, pointed at Kakuzu, and declared loudly, "This is your long-lost… uh, brother. Your real brother. Aren’t you excited?"

Kakuzu glared at Itsuki, unsure of his scheme.

Brother?

This brat couldn’t even pass as his grandson!

Hidan, equally bewildered, blurted, "What nonsense is this? Brother? I don’t know this guy. Are you sure?"

Thus, with Itsuki’s intervention, the Zombie Duo met five or six years ahead of schedule. And Itsuki decided to expedite their union as a formidable pair.

(Chapter End)

*Chapter 52: Kakuzu's Many Forms*

"Uchiha Itsuki?"

Kakuzu's dark green eyes locked onto Itsuki, speaking calmly, "Your head is worth 100 million ryō!"

"Deal!"

As soon as Itsuki heard this, he casually removed his own head and handed it to Kakuzu.

"Payment first, then the goods!"

With that, he walked toward Kakuzu.

Kakuzu's pupils shrank sharply, and he retreated instantly, his chakra becoming chaotic.

Yet Itsuki, holding his own head, followed him unhurriedly, step by step.

"Genjutsu?"

"When?"

"Release!"

With a loud shout, the scene in Kakuzu's eyes began to change.

Countless versions of Itsuki disappeared, and another Itsuki appeared in front of him, holding a kunai, ready to strike.

"Earth Style: Earth Spear!"

Kakuzu's arm turned black as he swung his hardened fist toward the incoming kunai.

Clang!  

Bang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out.

The kunai shattered under Kakuzu's punch.

Itsuki himself was also sent flying by Kakuzu’s strike.

With a muffled sound, blood splattered in the air.

Kakuzu sneered, "Uchiha Itsuki, the uncrowned king of the Uchiha clan—this is all you've got?"

Truth be told, Itsuki's genjutsu was impressive, but Kakuzu happened to be an expert in countering illusions.

Thud!

Before Kakuzu could finish his thought, a hand pierced through his chest.

He turned his head in terror to see Itsuki standing behind him.

"How… is this… genjutsu?"

"Impossible! I already broke free!" Kakuzu shouted, his voice trembling.

Itsuki smirked and said, "You only thought you broke free. In reality, you're still trapped in my illusion."

Kakuzu’s fear deepened.

Those eyes… Mangekyō Sharingan!

As one of the oldest monsters in the ninja world, Kakuzu knew all too well about the forbidden power of the Uchiha clan. He had even witnessed the overwhelming strength of Uchiha Madara.

At that moment, Kakuzu understood.

No wonder this head was worth 100 million ryō!

It should've been worth at least 200 million!

Thump!

Itsuki withdrew his hand, holding a still-beating heart.

Activating the power of the Divine Tree, he devoured the heart, and a surge of life energy poured into him.

Itsuki closed his eyes in satisfaction.

The vitality from this heart was far richer than that of an average jōnin.

Kakuzu’s Earth Grudge Fear technique granted him five hearts—aligned with lightning, wind, earth, water, and fire. Each heart’s previous owner had been at least a jōnin, with most being elite jōnin.

After absorbing one heart, Itsuki looked down at Kakuzu, who lay motionless on the ground.

"Hey, what are you staring at?" Hidan, still sealed and immobilized, yelled. "You’ve already killed the guy, so why are you just standing there?"

Itsuki ignored him and continued to stare at Kakuzu.

Kakuzu remained still, feigning death.

Time passed slowly.

Itsuki thought for a moment before asking softly, "What’s going through your mind right now? You should know I’ve figured out you’re not dead. Isn’t it awkward, just lying there?"

"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!"

Boom!

A high-pressure wind blast erupted, sweeping everything away.

Kakuzu stood up slowly, staring tensely at Itsuki, who was now dozens of meters away.

"Hey, he’s not dead?" Hidan yelled. "Oi, how are you still alive? Didn’t he rip out your heart?"

"Are you immortal too? Then hurry up and save me! We’re the same kind!"

"If we’re not the same, you should still save me. I’ll help you kill him if you do!"

"Hey, are you listening? Damn it, the Jashin-sama won’t forgive you. I’ll kill you too once I’m free!"

Kakuzu ignored Hidan’s rambling and coldly observed Itsuki. "You seem to know a lot about me."

At over eighty years old, Kakuzu had faced countless strong opponents throughout his long life. His rogue status and profession ensured a turbulent existence.

He’d lost hearts before, relying on feigned death to launch counterattacks.

But Itsuki seemed to know his tricks, targeting his heart from the start and confidently declaring he wasn’t dead.

How does he know so much about me?

Everyone who’s ever seen me fight is dead.

My secrets shouldn’t have been exposed!

Unless… the Akatsuki?

"Of course!" Itsuki laughed loudly. "You once threw shuriken from miles away at my friend, forcing him to send a clone to hunt you down. You even managed to escape—quite impressive."

Kakuzu’s expression shifted. "Your friend?"

Itsuki grinned. "That’s right. His name is… Senju Hashirama!"

Kakuzu’s face twisted in shock. "Nonsense!"

"You’ve got some nerve!" Itsuki sneered. "Calling me, Uchiha Madara, a liar? Looks like you want to dance."

"You’re Uchiha Madara?" Kakuzu scoffed.

Did he really think I’ve never seen Uchiha Madara?

This guy doesn’t look remotely like him!

But Itsuki’s next words froze Kakuzu in place.

"Kakuzu, we’ve met before. Don’t you remember?"

"You… you…" Kakuzu stammered.

He knows my name?

I did meet Madara once, though he barely paid attention to me.

Could it be…

"No way!" Kakuzu quickly regained his composure. "I don’t know how you learned about me, but you can’t be Uchiha Madara!"

"Oh?"

Itsuki smirked. "So sure? If you’ve survived over eighty years, why couldn’t I? Do you really think I died at my ‘friend’s’ hands?"

Kakuzu’s icy voice replied, "Who knows? Maybe someone told you."

Images of various figures in Akatsuki robes flashed through his mind.

But some details—they shouldn’t have known!

"Enough talk!" Itsuki waved dismissively. "Let’s settle this with strength!"

"Show me your dance before the Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan!"

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame!"

A crimson dragon of flames roared toward Kakuzu.

"Fine!"

Kakuzu gritted his teeth.

Though Itsuki spoke nonsense, his mastery of the Mangekyō couldn’t be denied.

If he didn’t fight with everything he had, he might truly die here.

Removing his Akatsuki cloak, Kakuzu revealed his stitched body. Four figures emerged, each taking the form of a masked creature.

"Water Style: Water Encampment Wall!"

Compressed water collided with the crimson flames, creating a thick mist.

"Now, let’s have a proper fight, Uchiha’s Mangekyō!"

Kakuzu’s cold voice echoed.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 53: The LV3 Sage Fruit*

"Not bad at all!"

Itsuki glanced at Kakuzu and then at the masked creatures around him, grinning. "Quite impressive, but... how did one die?"

Thud!  

As Itsuki spoke, one of the masked creatures collapsed to the ground, dissolving into a puddle of black water.

It was the Earth Release heart's masked creature, which Itsuki had just extracted.

Without so much as a glance, Kakuzu coldly replied, "Since you know about me, you must understand why. Losing one heart is nothing."

Fixing his gaze on Itsuki's chest, Kakuzu added, "I’ll just replace it with yours!"

"Haha, not bad, kid. I quite admire your confidence," Itsuki chuckled, tossing a shuriken into the air before forming a hand sign.

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

In an instant, the single shuriken multiplied into countless copies, filling the sky and encircling Kakuzu.

"Pointless!"

Kakuzu waved his hand lightly.

"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"

"Fire Release: Head Fireball!"

"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"

Though the sheer number of shuriken was overwhelming, the three jutsu cleared a wide path, sending the remaining attacks hurtling toward Itsuki.

"Heh!"

Smirking, Itsuki activated Body Flicker Jutsu repeatedly, evading the onslaught while continuing to form hand signs.

It was a simple sequence.

"That hand sign..."

Kakuzu paused, frowning. Had he misjudged?

As Itsuki completed the jutsu, Kakuzu's doubts were confirmed. No, he hadn’t been mistaken.

*Transformation Jutsu!?*

Using such a basic technique in a battle of this level? Madness!

Bang! Bang! Bang!  

But the moment Itsuki activated the jutsu, Kakuzu felt a chill run down his spine.

The countless shuriken he had ignored—those still floating mid-air—began transforming.

They morphed into clones of Itsuki, surrounding Kakuzu like a swarm of shadow clones.

"Do you think this will work?" Kakuzu said coldly. "Even if they look like you, they’re still just shuriken at their core."

Itsuki's real body smirked. "You're absolutely right. However, just so you know, hidden among these 'me' are real shadow clones. Care to guess how many?"

Kakuzu's brows furrowed deeply.

"Attack!"

With a wave of his hand, Itsuki's duplicates surged toward Kakuzu.

Kakuzu hesitated. He couldn’t afford to take chances.

He remembered the terrifying power of the Mangekyo Sharingan—he’d witnessed Uchiha Madara’s and Senju Hashirama’s battle once. The fear it instilled lingered still.

Unwilling to risk it, Kakuzu commanded his masked creatures to destroy all the clones, ensuring that no shadow clone slipped through undetected.

Thanks to his Earth Grudge Fear technique, Kakuzu preferred long-range engagements. Losing the Earth Release heart made him even more cautious.

The masked creatures unleashed wide-area attacks, quickly obliterating every transformed shuriken.

Not a single true shadow clone remained.

Kakuzu’s gaze darkened with anger.

"Was I fooled again?"

Itsuki smirked and repeated his tactic, transforming yet another wave of shuriken into clones that swarmed toward Kakuzu.

Irritated, Kakuzu began cleaning them up while focusing on Itsuki's real body.

This cycle was endless. The only way out was to strike the real Itsuki.

But the Mangekyo Sharingan...

Kakuzu loathed admitting it, but those two people had left a massive psychological shadow over him.

Suddenly, a gust of wind struck.

Kakuzu sidestepped slightly, avoiding the attack. Two shadow clones had approached him.

These were real.

"Got you!" Kakuzu prepared to counterattack.

Boom!  

A massive explosion erupted.

Kakuzu emerged from the blast slightly disheveled, his anger mounting.

"Damn it! Shadow clones just to get close and self-destruct? What a bastard!"

His rage grew as he recalled how he lost the Earth Release heart. Itsuki had charged in and snatched it during a brief opening when Kakuzu deactivated his Earth Spear technique.

What a nuisance!

Suddenly, Itsuki's real body appeared at Kakuzu's side, hand signs complete.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

A massive, blood-colored fireball surged toward him.

The Water Release masked creature intervened, spitting out torrents of water to counter the fireball.

The sheer chakra of the masked creatures was astounding. Even though its quality was inferior to Itsuki's flames, it managed to extinguish them.

"Fire Release: Head Fireball!"

The Fire Release masked creature launched a ferocious assault, forcing Itsuki to retreat under relentless pressure.

As Kakuzu prepared to follow with the remaining masked creatures, Itsuki’s shadow clones swarmed him again, delaying his movements.

"Not good!"

Seeing the Fire Release masked creature pursuing Itsuki alone, Kakuzu panicked. But it was too late.

Itsuki turned to the masked creature, his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning slightly.

For a moment, the creature froze.

Squish!  

Itsuki appeared in front of it, plunging his hand into its mask and extracting a beating heart.

Thud!  

The Fire Release masked creature collapsed into a puddle of black water.

"Three left!"

Itsuki smiled at Kakuzu, who twitched with fury.

At that moment, the Sage Fruit within Itsuki’s body began to evolve, deepening in color and growing larger. Though it hadn’t reached the next level, it was much closer to becoming LV3.

“This is promising,” Itsuki murmured, eyeing the remaining masked creatures. “Once I absorb them, my Sage Fruit will surely reach LV3.”

And at this level, it would finally be ready for consumption.

The power of an LV3 Sage Fruit would surpass even Naruto’s Sage Mode during his battle with Pain. However, reaching the level of Hashirama Senju—instantly entering Sage Mode and wielding unparalleled power—would require at least LV6, maybe higher.

“Well then, Kakuzu. I, Uchiha Itsuki, offer you one chance: submit to me!”

Itsuki pointed at Kakuzu with a smirk. "Otherwise, this will be your last dance."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 54: The Zombie Duo Forms Ahead of Schedule*

"MMP!"

Kakuzu felt like he was losing his mind.

If he had known Itsuki was such a lunatic, not even ten billion ryō could have persuaded him to meet this guy.

From the moment Itsuki opened his mouth, it was just blah blah blah!

And yet, his strength was utterly overwhelming. Kakuzu couldn’t put up any resistance at all.

Don’t let the summoned masked beasts fool you. While they seemed powerful and capable of going toe-to-toe with this guy, it was only because Itsuki wasn’t taking the fight seriously.

The man’s eyes saw through all his movements, and his speed was so insane it rivaled the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

What was this?

Some kind of "Scarlet Flash" from the Uchiha clan?

On top of that, Itsuki’s Fire Release was ridiculously overpowering, completely suppressing him.

Even Kakuzu’s black threads were no match for Itsuki’s blood flames—his ultimate weakness, it seemed.

The most infuriating part? This lunatic wouldn’t stop claiming to be Uchiha Madara.

"Madara wouldn’t act like such a lunatic!" Kakuzu thought to himself.

If Madara had been this crazy, he would’ve been taken out in the Warring States Period!

Hell, they say Senju Hashirama had a screw loose. You two would’ve gotten along just fine!

Gritting his teeth, Kakuzu snarled, "Who the hell are you, and what do you want?"

Itsuki crossed his arms and coldly said, "Haven’t I told you? My name is Uchiha Madara!"

"And as for what I want? Submit to me, Kakuzu."

"You want me to submit?" Kakuzu’s expression flickered.

Does this mean I don’t have to die?

"Indeed!" Itsuki declared arrogantly, as if he truly were Madara. "With your strength, you barely qualify to be my subordinate."

Kakuzu fell silent for a moment before replying, "If you want me to submit, you’ll need to prove your strength. What you’ve shown isn’t enough."

"Is that so?"

Itsuki burst into laughter. "Then I’ll show you the true power of Uchiha Madara!"

"Ahahaha!"

The Mangekyō Sharingan appeared, and with it, Susano’o emerged.

Skeletal armor began forming muscle and flesh, evolving continuously.

"This...this is..."

Kakuzu froze, his expression twisted in terror.

It was as if he were seeing that same man who had once fought Senju Hashirama.

Back then, he could only feel utter despair in the face of that overwhelming power.

And now, he felt the same.

"Haah!"

With a shout, Itsuki’s Susano’o donned a full suit of armor.

Susano’o—Tengu Form!

This was Itsuki’s most powerful state.

Without Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he couldn’t summon the colossal version towering over 100 meters. But even at 50 meters tall, wreathed in crimson flames, he was like a divine being overlooking the world.

The ground quivered lightly, and cracks formed beneath Susano’o’s feet.

In the face of such power, even Kakuzu could only tremble silently.

"Well?" Itsuki asked from within Susano’o, his arms crossed and his gaze condescending. "Will you kneel before Uchiha Madara?"

After a moment of silence, Kakuzu bowed his head and said, "I submit."

Though respectful in tone, Kakuzu thought to himself: You’re definitely not Uchiha Madara. He was arrogant and cold. You’re just arrogant and overly cheerful—a total nutcase.  

"Hahaha! Good! Excellent! Ahahaha!" Itsuki burst into maniacal laughter.

"Don’t worry. Follow me, and you’ll live a life of luxury as we conquer the ninja world together!"

Watching Itsuki laugh like a maniac, Kakuzu felt a chill run down his spine.

This guy’s laughter is terrifying.  

Itsuki retracted Susano’o.

The Mangekyō Sharingan was a forbidden power. Every use drained his eyes, even when not using Susano’o.

After numerous battles since leaving the village, his vision was taking a toll.

Narrowing his eyes, Itsuki asked, "Kakuzu, why were you looking for me?"

Kakuzu hesitated before replying, "Someone in the black market put a billion-ryō bounty on your head and your eyes."

Just as I thought!

Itsuki grinned.

The Konoha F4 had knowledge of the Mangekyō Sharingan. They knew its weakness—overuse leads to blindness.

Using a massive bounty to drain him, huh?

The black market must’ve gone crazy over a billion-ryō target, even if it wasn’t a Kage.

Itsuki turned his gaze toward Kakuzu.

Kakuzu immediately averted his eyes, unwilling to meet the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"You’ve already submitted. Don’t worry, I won’t kill you," Itsuki said with a smirk. "After all, you’re still useful to me."

Kakuzu let out a sigh of relief. As long as I’m useful, I won’t die.  

Though Itsuki was eccentric, following him didn’t seem too bad if it meant staying alive.

Besides, a strong leader like him might just be worth serving... Wait, what am I thinking?  

Kakuzu frowned slightly, his thoughts conflicting.

Itsuki noticed his expression and smiled. "Kakuzu, I have a mission for you."

The triangular Mangekyō Sharingan released an imperceptible, strange energy.

"Name it," Kakuzu said, his demeanor suddenly serious.

"Form a two-man team with him," Itsuki said, pointing at the still-restrained Hidan. "Hunt down the people hunting me and turn their heads into cash."

Kakuzu’s brow furrowed. "I can handle it alone. I don’t need that brat."

"No way!" Itsuki refused outright.

Are you kidding? The iconic Zombie Duo can’t be skipped!  

Besides, with these two, many tasks would become much easier.

Kakuzu was a solid Kage-level fighter, and while Hidan wasn’t as strong, he was an elite jōnin at his peak.

Though Hidan, at 14 or 15, was only a fledgling jōnin now, Kakuzu could whip him into shape.

Kakuzu frowned. "That kid will just hold me back."

"Who are you calling a kid?!" Hidan yelled angrily. "I’ll kill you, damn it! Lord Jashin won’t forgive you!"

"His abilities are quite impressive," Itsuki said, walking up to Hidan with a smile.

"What are you—mmpf!"

To Kakuzu’s shock, Itsuki suddenly decapitated Hidan.

Why? Didn’t you just say you wanted me to team up with him?  

But then, Kakuzu’s expression turned to astonishment.

"Hey, what the hell?! Why’d you cut off my head? That hurt, you jerk!" Hidan’s severed head kept shouting.

Kakuzu muttered, "An immortal body?"

(End of Chapter)  

*Chapter 55: Zetsu Doubts*

“How is it?”

Itsuki looked at Kakuzu.

Kakuzu glanced at Hidan with a peculiar expression and nodded slightly.

He didn’t object anymore.

An immortal body, huh?

It’s worth investigating.

Though Kakuzu wasn’t a researcher like Orochimaru, he was equally intrigued by the concept of immortality.

Who wouldn’t want an immortal trump card?

Otherwise, why did he become a rogue ninja in the first place?

Back when he acquired the Earth Grudge Fear technique, he had paid a hefty price.

As for Hidan’s incessant chatter—perfect. Killing him wouldn’t even require an excuse.

A manual exploration of immortality, so to speak.

“And you?”

Itsuki held up Hidan’s head before him, staring directly into his eyes with his Mangekyō Sharingan.

“I…” Hidan opened his mouth, a cold shiver inexplicably running down his spine. He pouted and said, “Hmph, fine. I’ll follow your orders for now. Besides, I also need to gather sacrifices for Lord Jashin.”

“Good!” Itsuki casually tossed Hidan’s head to Kakuzu and said, “He’s your responsibility now. Sew his head back on. If he disobeys, take it off again to teach him a lesson.”

“Understood!”

“Kakuzu, hunting those assigned to missions is secondary. Your primary task is in the Land of Fire.”

Kakuzu was startled. “What do you want me to do there?”

Itsuki leaned in and whispered a few words, causing Kakuzu’s eyes to light up with excitement.

“Got it. As soon as I replenish my hearts, I’ll head to the Land of Fire.”

Kakuzu’s voice was filled with unrestrained enthusiasm.

There was only one thing that could excite him this much: money!

“I’m counting on you!” Itsuki patted Kakuzu’s shoulder, handing him a token as he smiled. “I believe this will maximize your potential.”

“Rest assured!”

Kakuzu’s tone carried a rare note of respect.

Never underestimate the allure of money—it’s an eternal truth.

“Go!”

“Yes!”

Kakuzu quickly sewed Hidan’s head back on using his black threads and dragged him away without hesitation.

Throughout the entire process, Itsuki watched them closely with his Mangekyō Sharingan.

Only when they were out of sight did he deactivate his Sharingan.

“The consumption is significant. Even within such a short timeframe, the influence of the Mangekyō on those two is limited.”

He had spent three years planning his moves against the Uchiha.

Itsuki mused, “However, Kakuzu’s assignment aligns with his interests, indirectly amplifying the Mangekyō’s influence. As for Hidan, with Kakuzu keeping him in check, he won’t stir up trouble. Besides, his immortality offers little resistance to my ocular techniques. He might end up being the one most deeply entrapped.”

After careful consideration, Itsuki decided to meet Kakuzu and Hidan again in a month to reinforce the Mangekyō’s influence.

“Shisui, do you think your Kotoamatsukami can compare to my techniques? Yours is a one-time deal; I’m playing the long game.”

Covering one eye, Itsuki let out a low chuckle and resumed his journey toward the Land of Grass.

This time, his journey was anything but peaceful.

The 100 million ryō bounty wasn’t exclusive to Kakuzu. While he had been given priority, others could also claim the reward.

A bounty of 100 million ryō was enough to tempt countless shinobi, even Kage-level ones.

This bounty officially put Uchiha Itsuki in the spotlight.

Although he was already the head of Konoha’s Police Force and the deputy clan leader of the vast Uchiha clan, his information had been deliberately concealed.

But this time, nothing could be hidden anymore.

The leadership of several villages studied his file with thoughtful expressions.

The blood-soaked flame of Uchiha Itsuki from years past had finally resurfaced.

How strong was he now?

A young man in his teens, his strength was undoubtedly greater than three years ago. And even now, he hadn’t reached his peak.

Moreover, he had already clashed directly with the Hokage.

This information prompted these villages to take action.

The Shinobi World War had ended three or four years ago, giving each village time to recover.

Otherwise, last year’s pressure from Kumogakure wouldn’t have forced Konoha into a corner, leading to the sacrifice of Hiashi Hyuga’s brother, Hizashi.

While Kumogakure had mostly been bluffing, Konoha’s response showed they weren’t prepared for a head-on collision.

Raikage wasn’t someone with a temper to tolerate that lightly.

On the other hand, the Hokage seemed far too accommodating.

…

“Gah!”

With a scream, a shinobi was reduced to a shriveled corpse by Itsuki, his life force completely absorbed into a fruit within Itsuki’s body.

The fruit, tied to his ocular techniques, trembled slightly.

Having already absorbed a Sage Mode fruit, Itsuki now possessed another trump card—the power of Sage Mode.

In other words, his Susano’o could now be inscribed with Sage markings.

Already formidable, Itsuki had now become even stronger.

Striding confidently, he radiated an aura of invincibility.

“I’ve already inscribed my Susano’o with markings—who would dare challenge me? Try me!”

With a senbon in his mouth, Itsuki sauntered forward, embodying the rebellious Uchiha delinquent.

Next on the agenda was enhancing his ocular techniques and Fire Release abilities.

*Fire Release: Level 3*

*Ocular Techniques: Level 4*

His focus was primarily on the fruit tied to his ocular techniques.

Itsuki’s ultimate goal: the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan!

“Almost there. Hopefully, I can achieve it before returning home.”

Though it was unlikely, the higher the level, the more life energy was required.

If all his power were converted into fruit levels, both his Fire Release and ocular techniques would be at Level 6.

To reach Level 7 would demand an astronomical amount of life energy.

“Bring it on!”

Itsuki locked eyes on a group of approaching shinobi, laughing wildly. “You’re just prey walking into my trap!”

“In the name of Uchiha Madara, dance in the flames of death!”

“Boom!”

Blood-red flames erupted into the sky.

“Hahaha!”

“Ahahaha!”

Itsuki’s crazed laughter echoed as his attacks grew even more ferocious.

In the shadows, a pair of wide eyes observed him in disbelief.

“Hey, Black Zetsu, am I seeing things? Could he actually be Uchiha Madara?”

“Ridiculous. You and I handled Madara’s corpse. There’s no way he’s Madara!”

Black Zetsu’s sinister voice carried a trace of doubt.

He resembled Madara too much—his behavior, his madness—it was uncanny.

That wild laughter was an exact replica.

Even Black Zetsu found it hard to believe they weren’t related.

“Could he be another of Madara’s contingencies?”

“Wait… could he be Madara’s son?”

“What?!” Black Zetsu was stunned.

Could it be that Madara had left behind a child before his death? Was he… not a virgin?

Who had stolen his first time?!

Black Zetsu was outraged.

Madara had kept this a secret from him?!

No, I’m overthinking this.

Black Zetsu glared at White Zetsu.

This idiot had planted absurd ideas in his head.

Uchiha Itsuki just bore a resemblance to Madara. There was no way he was his son. Black Zetsu firmly believed in Madara’s arrogance.

Women would only slow down his hand seals!

Seals for jutsu, of course!

“Watch out!”

Suddenly, White Zetsu let out a cry and quickly sank into the earth.

Itsuki glanced in the direction of their disappearance, his expression curious.

“Zetsu, huh?”

“This time, I’ll let it go. Next time, I’ll capture you alive.”

“Ten thousand White Zetsu… tsk. If I had them, even Madara and Hashirama combined wouldn’t stand a chance.”

By then, he could smugly proclaim, “I’ll crush your Susano’o-clad Buddha!”