The battlefield was eerily silent as Kakuzu shifted his gaze to the fallen bodies nearby. His sharp senses caught every detail—the burnt remnants of puppets and the scent of scorched earth left by his overwhelming Fire Release. Sakumo stood a few steps behind, his chest heaving as he clutched his short sword, its blade still dripping with blood. The young swordsman was clearly shaken, not just by the fight but by the sheer power Kakuzu had displayed moments ago.
"That kind of chakra... that Fire Release... Even the Hokage couldn't pull something like that off," Sakumo thought, swallowing hard. Only now did he realize just how far apart their levels were.
I've been living in a well, mistaking it for the world.
The strength Kakuzu exhibited wasn't something he'd ever imagined. It wasn't just terrifying—it was humbling.
Ten kilometers away.
The image of Sakumo delivering the finishing blow to the couple played out across several mirrors. The Sand shinobi observing from a distance were trembling, their hands shaky as they lowered their binoculars. What truly horrified them wasn't the deaths of the couple but the earlier sight of Kakuzu unleashing a single Fire Release that had completely annihilated an elite puppet squad.
"This is... insane," one of the Sand shinobi stammered, still trying to process what he'd witnessed.
Their companion beside them, pale-faced, suddenly let out a cry.
"He—he's looking at us!"
Startled, the pair hastily raised their binoculars again. Sure enough, in the distance, Kakuzu had turned slightly, his face partially visible. A cold, thin smile spread across his lips—a smile that, despite the vast distance, seemed to pierce directly into their souls.
"We've been spotted! W-what do we do?"
"What else? Report back immediately!"
"Someone needs to stay behind and keep an eye on him, track his movements."
"Are you crazy? This guy could kill us with a flick of his finger! We're lucky he hasn't already made his move—run before he changes his mind!"
Without further discussion, the trio turned and fled in terror, sprinting as fast as their legs could carry them.
Kakuzu watched their retreat through narrowed eyes, a faint smirk lingering on his face. He made no move to pursue them. Chasing down three measly genin wasn't worth his time or effort. Besides, he needed them to run back and report his location to the higher-ups in Sunagakure. If everything went according to plan, someone important might show up to face him personally. That would save him the trouble of hunting them down.
"Hey, kid, you done resting yet?"
Sakumo snapped out of his thoughts, shaking off the lingering unease.
"Yes, sir," he replied, straightening up.
Kakuzu walked past him without stopping, his tone flat.
"Your mission is over. You've got two choices: return to Konoha or follow me. What's it going to be?"
Sakumo hesitated for only a moment before sheathing his short sword and quickly following. Kakuzu's strength was beyond anything he had ever seen. Traveling with someone like him wasn't just an opportunity—it was a chance to grow stronger.
"Where are we headed next, sir?"
Kakuzu glanced back at the younger shinobi, his expression unreadable.
"First, let's see what you're really made of."
The two moved through the desert night, shadows slicing through the dunes. There was no rest, no reprieve, only relentless movement and bloodshed. By the time the horizon began to glow with the faint light of dawn, the air around them was thick with the stench of death.
...
On a barren stretch of land in the Land of Wind, a group of Sand shinobi stood their ground.
"You bastard! You'll go no further!"
"We'll end you here!"
"For the honor of the Land of Wind, we'll kill you!"
Ten shinobi encircled Kakuzu, their eyes blazing with fury and determination. Their collective killing intent was palpable, but Kakuzu remained unfazed. To him, their rage was meaningless.
Before they could even finish forming their hand seals, Kakuzu raised one hand, his fingers weaving into a simple but deadly sign.
A sharp, piercing sound shattered the air. Crackling lightning surged outward from Kakuzu, bolts of blue and white energy slicing through the space between him and his enemies. The storm raged with unparalleled precision and speed, striking down each and every one of the shinobi before they could react.
The combined power of lightning and wind was merciless, tearing through flesh and shattering bones. The Sand shinobi didn't even have time to scream before they fell, their bodies lifeless on the ground.
As the last echoes of thunder faded, Kakuzu surveyed the scene, his face emotionless.
"Pathetic," he muttered under his breath. Most of the group had been chūnin, with only three jōnin among them. He'd lost count of how many he'd killed like them—hundreds, maybe more. It was starting to feel tiresome.
He turned to glance at his companion. Sakumo was leaning heavily on his short sword, his body covered in cuts and bruises. Blood dripped from his wounds, some his own, some his enemies'.
"What's wrong? Konoha's 'genius' can't keep up?" Kakuzu's tone was laced with mockery.
Sakumo waved him off weakly. Despite the exhaustion, there was a fierce determination in his eyes. Over the course of the night, he had slain dozens of Sand shinobi, pushing himself to the very limit. The death toll was easily in the triple digits.
"T-the blade is chipped." Hatake Sakumo held out his short sword, its edge visibly dulled. After performing thousands of strikes, the blade was nearly at its breaking point. Thinking back, Sakumo probably neglected to maintain his short sword later on, which is why it eventually broke—what a wasteful habit.
"Let's go. There's a building up ahead where we can rest," Kakuzu said, leading Sakumo forward.
The two entered what turned out to be a closed-off structure. Judging by its condition, this door probably hadn't been opened in years—until Kakuzu's intrusion today.
Sakumo, ready to find a spot to rest, felt Kakuzu's hand suddenly grip his shoulder. He didn't need any further explanation, as a skilled ninja, Sakumo's instincts kicked in immediately.
There were people here.
From the dim corners of the house, figures began emerging—one after another. In total, there were around fifteen or sixteen people, a full squadron. Each of them carried sealing scrolls on their person.
Sunagakure's sealing squad.
This was no ordinary group, they were a rare and valuable target.
"Sakumo, focus. Go take a few of them down," Kakuzu smirked, addressing his makeshift tool with an unnerving calm.
Meanwhile, the members of Sunagakure's sealing team were just as wary, if not more so, of Kakuzu. They were top-notch in their sealing arts, but when it came to combat? They were significantly weaker. To put it bluntly, even Sakumo could handle all of them without breaking a sweat—let alone Kakuzu.
Just as the tension reached a boiling point, a calm voice echoed from the darkness.
"Put down your blade, my friend."
A man stepped out of the shadows. He appeared to be in his thirties, wearing the robes of a monk.
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of this unexpected intruder. For a moment, he wondered if the monk was about to spout something about "achieving enlightenment on the spot."
No? Well, if there's no enlightenment to gain here, then Kakuzu had no reason to be stopped.
"Monk, this doesn't concern you," Kakuzu growled.
The monk pressed his palms together in prayer and shook his head gently.
"I am Bunpuku, a humble monk. I have heard of your name, Kakuzu. War is merciless, but I must implore you to stop the killing. Violence serves no purpose."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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