Behind Kakuzu, the black tendrils of his Earth Grudge Fear unfurled, electricity crackling ominously as a storm of Lightning Release surged from the mask on his back. The attack shot directly toward Shukaku's feet, crackling with violent energy and splashing water everywhere.
Though Shukaku wasn't defeated outright, the searing pain spreading across his sandy body made him howl in fury.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu unleashed his Fire Release and Wind Release techniques toward Shamon.
"Fire Release!"
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
A massive torrent of flames, large enough to scorch thousands, engulfed the battlefield. Shamon's expression darkened. He swiftly extended all ten fingers, summoning nearly a hundred puppets to shield him. Simultaneously, the sand beneath his feet rose, forming a defensive barrier, just as he had done in a previous skirmish.
But could the same trick work twice against Kakuzu?
The answer was a resounding no.
The blazing inferno tore through the puppets, and the intense heat forced beads of sweat to cascade down Shamon's face. A sharp crack echoed as the puppets shielding him began to fracture.
"Damn it!" Shamon cursed, attempting to salvage the situation. But battles rarely unfold as planned.
Crash!
The puppet wall crumbled entirely, exposing Shamon to Kakuzu's relentless onslaught. His iron fists hurtled forward, unyielding and merciless. The dull gleam in Kakuzu's black pupils locked onto Shamon, and with a feral push, his attack surged forward.
If this blow landed, even if Shamon survived, he'd be grievously wounded.
"You won't get away with this!" Shamon roared in defiance.
At the critical moment, he bit down hard and bellowed, "Rise!"
The sand beneath him surged upward, forming a thick shield between him and Kakuzu's punch.
Bang!
Though Kakuzu's iron fist pierced the sandy shield, it failed to shatter it completely. Shamon had managed to halt Kakuzu's advance—if only just.
"Not bad," Kakuzu muttered calmly from behind the shield.
The legacy of the Second Kazekage was indeed profound. His sand manipulation and mastery over puppetry techniques would echo through Sunagakure's history.
Breathing heavily, Shamon stared at Kakuzu's iron fist, mere inches from his face. Though he'd bought himself a moment of reprieve, he knew he had to counterattack swiftly.
But just as Shamon began to make his move, Kakuzu's voice cut through the tension.
"This is where you fall."
Kakuzu's open palm emitted a red glow, and in that instant, Shamon's nerves snapped taut. His pupils dilated as an overwhelming sense of dread washed over him.
The sand beneath Shamon stirred violently, rushing to form another barrier—but it was too late.
"Dark Release!"
Boom!
A devastating surge of energy erupted from Kakuzu's hand, utterly obliterating everything in its path. Even with his Sand Armor in place, Shamon couldn't withstand the sheer force at such close range. His upper body was vaporized, reduced to nothing in the blink of an eye.
The violent energy swept across the battlefield like a hurricane, leaving destruction in its wake.
Shamon's remaining body stood eerily still for a few seconds before finally collapsing, scattering dust into the air.
And just like that, the Second Kazekage was no more.
It all felt so abrupt, almost anticlimactic. Under normal circumstances, Shamon wouldn't have fallen so quickly. But with Sunagakure engaged in wars on two fronts, their forces were stretched thin. Shamon couldn't spare the troops necessary to deal with Kakuzu properly.
He hadn't even brought his personal guard, knowing that doing so would only add to the casualties. But Shamon had also gravely underestimated Kakuzu's strength.
Despite being one of the world's top puppet masters, capable of executing the Hundred Puppet Performance, Shamon's inherent vulnerabilities as a puppeteer were exploited. Allowing Kakuzu to close the distance had sealed his fate.
In the end, Shamon's death was not undeserved.
With the Kazekage dispatched, Kakuzu turned his attention toward Shukaku.
The one-tailed beast was grumbling loudly, attempting to shake off the lingering lightning bolts clinging to his sandy exterior. Suddenly, Shukaku's gaze locked onto Kakuzu, and for a moment, a chill ran down his spine.
Something was wrong.
In the blink of an eye, Kakuzu launched himself toward Shukaku at a breakneck speed.
"You bastard—" Shukaku roared, but Kakuzu had already closed the gap.
Using Shukaku's arm as leverage, Kakuzu climbed rapidly, timing his movements with precision. In one fluid motion, he leaped, appearing right in front of Shukaku's whirling, shuriken-shaped pupils.
With a clenched iron fist infused with the natural energy of Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Arts, Kakuzu drove his punch forward.
"GRAAAAAH!"
Shukaku's piercing scream reverberated across the battlefield as the force of the punch sent him staggering backward.
For the first time, Shukaku realized the gravity of his mistake.
Though Kakuzu wasn't on the same level as Madara or Hashirama, he was still more than capable of handling him.
The Shinobi World was about to witness the rise of yet another monstrous force.
Shukaku was feeling utterly miserable. Once upon a time, he dreamed of breaking free from his seal and finally experiencing the outside world. Now that he was out, he had the misfortune of running into Kakuzu—a fate far worse than anything he had imagined. Shukaku really didn't want to take another beating.
Kakuzu's iron fists rained down on him mercilessly, each strike more painful than the last. It was almost enough to make him wish for death.
"Bunpuku, wake up!!"
Seeing that Shukaku was about to rouse the slumbering Bunpuku perched atop his head and retreat back into the sealed space, Kakuzu's eyes narrowed slightly. In a flash, he stepped forward and transformed his hand into a blade. With precision and speed, he struck Shukaku's tail.
The sharp pain in his tail made Shukaku scream louder, his efforts to awaken Bunpuku growing even more frantic. But Kakuzu didn't let up—one strike followed another, relentless and unyielding.
Just as Bunpuku's eyes began to flutter open, groggy and unfocused, Shukaku's body started to melt away like flowing water, retreating into Bunpuku's form. At the last possible moment before Shukaku vanished completely, crack!
The very tip of Shukaku's tail landed heavily on the ground.
Kakuzu didn't waste any time. He pulled out a sealing scroll, formed a few hand seals, and sealed the severed piece of Shukaku's tail into the scroll. With that done, Kakuzu turned his intense gaze to the side.
Bunpuku was now fully awake. He surveyed the battlefield, which was in utter disarray, and then glanced at the headless corpse of the Kazekage lying not far away. A flicker of pity crossed Bunpuku's calm eyes.
Without a word, he sat cross-legged on the ground, brought his hands together in a prayer pose, and closed his eyes, as though he were offering a sutra for the departed souls.
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest sparking in his otherwise detached expression.
"You… you're not afraid of me?"
The battlefield had been a scene of utter carnage just moments ago. Life and death had hung in the balance with every passing second. The stench of blood still lingered in the air, sharp and suffocating. Yet here Bunpuku was, calmly praying amidst the chaos. Was he trying to put on a show in front of Kakuzu?
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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