"You dare underestimate me?!"
Sizzling chakra vapor erupted from Han's body, forming a dense, red aura. It wasn't just chakra—it was steam, evaporating from him in waves. In the next instant, his foot barely touched the ground before he launched himself forward like a cannonball, closing the gap between himself and Kakuzu in the blink of an eye.
"Hah!"
With a sharp battle cry, Han leaped into the air, twisting his body mid-flight. His foot shot toward Kakuzu with blinding speed, the crimson steam surrounding him forming a shimmering, red barrier against the wind resistance.
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow, his mind flashing back to another fighter—someone whose kick nearly ended everything in an instant. This technique was eerily similar. But there was a crucial difference: that man had used pure taijutsu, opening the Eighth Gate to unleash a god-slaying strike. Han, on the other hand, relied on ninjutsu, using his chakra to generate high-pressure steam that drastically boosted his physical strength—like an engine, harnessing raw power through sheer force.
Yet, despite the overwhelming power behind the attack, Kakuzu merely smirked. Without a hint of panic, he reached up and caught Han's leg with one hand.
Clang!
The impact rang out like metal striking metal. Kakuzu's grip was unyielding, his confidence absolute.
"Is that all?"
Han didn't flinch. Even with his leg restrained, his chakra surged wildly, the steam intensifying. The red vapor thickened like the thrusters of a rocket, amplifying the force behind his strike as he pushed forward with renewed determination. He was certain—this time, he would break through Kakuzu's defenses.
But then—
Something was wrong.
Han's eyes widened as an unsettling sensation crept over him. His chakra wasn't just fueling his own power—it was being siphoned away. Like a stream diverted from its course, a portion of his energy flowed unnaturally into Kakuzu's hand.
"Here, have it back!"
Kakuzu abruptly released his grip and stepped back, his left palm opening toward Han.
Boom!
A shockwave exploded outward as the very same red steam that had been stolen was now hurled back at Han like a raging torrent.
Han's heart pounded. He had no time to evade. With no other choice, he raised his armored arms to shield his face.
Bang!
The impact sent him hurtling through the air like a broken kite. Twisting mid-flight, he barely managed to regain control before landing, skidding backward for several meters before coming to a stop.
"Huff… huff…"
Half-kneeling on the ground, Han lifted his gaze, locking eyes with Kakuzu. He had underestimated him—badly. Kakuzu was a monster in his own right.
But Kakuzu wasn't in the mood for idle chatter.
"Let's end this. Release what's inside you."
His words weren't taunts—they were a command. Han might have been formidable among his peers, but against Kakuzu, he was outmatched.
Han clenched his fists, his knuckles pressing against the dirt. Frustration burned in his eyes. He refused to be dismissed so easily.
After a long moment of hesitation, a single tail of chakra materialized behind him, swaying ominously in the air.
He took a deep breath.
'This… this is the most I can handle. Don't fail me now.'
Kakuzu watched impassively, arms crossed over his chest. "Only one tail? Tch. Disappointing."
He took a step forward. With each step, his fists darkened, the earth chakra coursing through his body reinforcing his limbs like living iron.
"Damn it…!" Han gritted his teeth, unwilling to back down. He wasn't just any shinobi—he had fought for his village, earned his place, and he wouldn't allow himself to be humiliated.
But before he could finish his thought—
Whoosh!
Kakuzu vanished.
Han's instincts screamed. The air shifted, a gust of wind brushing against his face. His eyes darted upward—Kakuzu was already above him, hands forming seals in an instant.
Han's stomach dropped. He barely had time to react before an inferno roared down from above, engulfing everything in its path.
He had no choice but to brace himself, releasing a surge of red steam in an attempt to counter the flames.
But the firestorm didn't end there.
Through the blazing heat, a single iron fist shot forward.
Crack!
The punch landed square on Han's face.
Teeth shattered. Blood sprayed. His vision blurred as his head snapped backward, his body crashing into the ground with a resounding thud.
He barely had a moment to recover before a shadow loomed over him.
Kakuzu stepped through the dissipating flames, unfazed. He wasted no time, straddling Han's battered form and raising his hardened fists high.
This fight wasn't over.
The next blow was coming.
Boom!
With a single punch, Han's face was completely distorted. Then came the second, the third. Kakuzu didn't stop, landing seven or eight blows in quick succession. By the time he was done, Han's face was a mangled mess of blood and flesh.
The three Iwagakure shinobi nearby, barely clinging to life, had held onto a sliver of hope—but that hope was utterly shattered in this moment. They watched in horror as Kakuzu relentlessly beat Han, too terrified to even think about intervening. A man who had taken down their elite jōnin in an instant… How could they possibly stand against him? Even the killing intent radiating from Kakuzu was enough to paralyze them.
As Kakuzu delivered his final punches, Han's breathing grew weaker and weaker. Seeing this, Kakuzu finally stopped, muttering to himself in disappointment.
Tch. How boring.
He hadn't even hit that hard, yet Han was already done for? It only proved once again that, aside from a few prodigies, the new generation of shinobi just wasn't worth much.
Shaking his head, Kakuzu got up from Han's body and dusted off his hands, already turning to leave.
But then—he paused.
His green eyes flickered toward Han's unmoving form.
Gurgle…
Small, pale-red bubbles of chakra began to seep from Han's body. At first, it was just a trickle, but in the next moment, it was as if a floodgate had been opened—waves of crimson chakra poured out, surging across Han's body.
And then, behind him—
Originally, there had been only one tail.
Now, four more had begun to sprout.
Kakuzu took a few steps back, watching with intrigue. Han had already lost consciousness. His body no longer belonged to him.
Which could only mean…
The Bijū was about to emerge.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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