Kakuzu quickly formed hand seals with both hands and released the fire chakra he had accumulated in his mouth in one breath. The moment the flames hit the ground, they suddenly expanded and surged forward like a wave of scorching heat, charging directly at Uchiha Madara.
"Fire Style: Head Carving Flame."
Thanks to the heart he had seized through Earth Grudge Fear, even though Kakuzu wasn't proficient in Fire Style, he was still able to unleash its full power.
The Uchiha clan was famous for their mastery of Fire Style jutsu. Kakuzu had deliberately chosen to attack with fire to test whether his opponent was the real deal.
The roaring flames swept forward, causing the once-comfortable temperature to spike rapidly—far hotter than the peak of summer.
Seeing Kakuzu open the battle with a Fire Style attack, Madara sneered disdainfully, whether out of mockery or genuine amusement.
Such a low-level trick, and he dared show it off in front of him? He didn't even take Madara seriously.
Madara quickly formed hand seals with both hands. A massive amount of fire-attributed chakra swelled in his chest and erupted in one go, forming a terrifyingly large fire dragon.
"Fire Style: Great Majestic Celestial Dragon!"
The fire dragon, its massive body wrapped in roaring flames, twisted in midair, opened its jaws, and shot forward. It tore right through Kakuzu's fire wave, ripping a path open and charging straight through.
Between the two Fire Style techniques, the difference in strength was immediately clear.
Impossible!
This can't be happening!
Seeing the dragon's fierce face reflected in his pupils, Kakuzu's expression under his mask could no longer be described as shocked—it went far beyond that.
Ever since he had stolen his village's forbidden jutsu Earth Grudge Fear, the last time he'd been overpowered head-on was back when he was crushed by the First Hokage.
He had expected his opponent's Fire Style to be strong—but not this strong. It was far beyond his imagination.
In the Warring States period, the average life expectancy for a shinobi was just over 30. Anyone who had survived to Kakuzu's age had seen and experienced far more than most.
Kakuzu wasn't a Fire Style specialist, but his techniques were at least jōnin level. Thanks to his age and experience, he could be considered among the best of jōnin.
But compared to the man in front of him, Kakuzu's fire jutsu were like the feeble cries of a newborn baby, while Madara's were the roar of a full-grown warrior at his peak.
This mysterious man's mastery over Fire Style likely stood at the pinnacle—an unattainable level that most shinobi couldn't reach in a lifetime.
Kakuzu pushed off the ground with explosive force, dodging the fire dragon's bite by a hair's breadth.
Having missed its target, the fire dragon didn't slow down. It flew straight into the forest, tearing through the trees like paper, scorching everything in its path. Flames roared behind it, forming a blazing trail until a deafening boom and a column of fire finally marked its end.
Kakuzu stared, stunned, at the scorched, glowing red ground—proof of the terrifying heat. If he'd taken that head-on, even with Earth Style: Hardened Spear, he might have lost one of his hearts.
"With such a powerful Fire Style technique… honestly, I'm starting to believe you really are that man."
After witnessing that fearsome attack, a deep wariness crept into Kakuzu's demonic eyes.
He couldn't help it—the enemy's firepower was simply overwhelming.
"What, is that all you've got?"Madara's voice was tinged with boredom. "I expected more from the so-called immortal shinobi. So this is it? What a disappointment."
"You bastard…"
Kakuzu's voice dropped, his gaze dark and fierce. He might be wary of the man before him, but he certainly wasn't afraid.
Whoever this guy was—Uchiha Madara or not—Kakuzu was about to make him pay in blood for underestimating him.
It had been decades since his battle with the First Hokage, and since then, with the power of Earth Grudge Fear and five hearts attuned to the five chakra natures, his strength had increased many times over. After years of smooth sailing, he now believed he could even hold his own against the First Hokage.
Kakuzu removed his top, revealing a body crisscrossed with dark stitches like it had been sewn together by a tailor. Most people would feel a wave of nausea at the sight.
Madara's eyelids lowered slightly, but a flicker of interest glimmered in his eyes.
Kakuzu bent his knees and clenched his fists. After a moment of building pressure, his body swelled and convulsed—like something was about to burst out from within.
However, that was exactly what happened. The black threads wrapped around his body twisted like living creatures, tearing his body apart. With a squelch, a pitch-black, masked monster emerged from within him—it was truly grotesque to witness.
"Even for you, facing five opponents like this—including myself—at once must be a bit of a challenge, right?"
Kakuzu stood beside the monsters created by Earth Grudge Fear, using their numbers to apply psychological pressure to his opponent, hoping to catch even the slightest sign of panic.
But he was disappointed.
Uchiha Madara remained completely unfazed, his gaze still calm and composed. He even had the leisure to speak lines that sounded pretentious:"It seems you can still dance. Then go ahead—burn up your life and your power to entertain me. Even if only slightly, it's something worth praising."
His words carried obvious contempt and arrogance, yet strangely, when he spoke them, they didn't feel out of place. It was as if this tone was only natural for him, as effortless as breathing.
This guy…
He's really strong.
Kakuzu's eyes grew solemn. He began forming hand seals, and one of the monsters behind him sprang into action. It opened its mouth and shot out a rushing stream of water, quickly shaping into a water dragon that dived at its target with jaws wide open.
Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet.
With his vast combat experience, Uchiha Madara saw through Kakuzu's intentions with just one glance.
So he feared Madara's Fire Style and switched to its counter—Water Style. And this was also a feint, aiming to surround Madara with his main body and the remaining three black creatures?
Interesting. Then let's play along.
Madara leaped to dodge the attack. The moment he landed, Kakuzu lunged in with a downward kick.
Madara responded quickly, having already predicted that his opponent would try to predict his movements. Acting ahead of time, he turned and swept his leg. The air curved with the force, and with a clean, sharp kick to the abdomen, Kakuzu was sent flying.
Hit squarely, Kakuzu bent over mid-air and was thrown back, his half-lidded eyes now filled with a deep sense of gravity.
That overwhelming power, that sharp reflexes, and the perfectly timed attack rhythm—it was hard to believe this was something a human could do.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Madara was battling the four black mutated creatures alone.
Their coordinated attacks came from all directions, yet Madara maneuvered among them with ease. He dodged, blocked, and nullified every strike effortlessly.
Each of these creatures possessed the strength of a typical jōnin. Each one wielded a different chakra nature, and their seamless teamwork should have made them formidable against any opponent.
But this full-spectrum assault using four elemental chakra types was utterly ineffective against Madara's movement—so fast and fluid, like wind and fire.
In fact, as he faced these four monsters, Madara wasn't merely dodging—he was toying with them.
Eventually, Kakuzu realized something was wrong and switched to another strategy.
First, he had the four creatures keep harassing Madara while secretly burying Earth Grudge Fear tendrils underground, planning a surprise attack.
Just as Madara was about to dodge the next wave, he suddenly noticed—his right foot was caught.
A hand had silently emerged from the ground and grabbed his ankle, immobilizing him.
The hand was covered in wriggling black tendrils, which instantly crawled up and restrained Madara tightly.
Kakuzu was thrilled. Without hesitation, he yanked hard with his right hand, pulling Madara's body into the air, sending him flying toward him.
Timing it perfectly, Kakuzu activated Earth Style: Hardened Spear. His left hand turned jet black, palm vertical like a spearhead, and he struck forward with force, aiming straight for Madara's wide-open chest.
If he could replace his heart with Madara's, just how powerful would he become?
The idea was good—but reality rarely plays along.
Clack.
A sound like steel striking an unyielding surface rang out. His hardened hand-spear struck something not just as tough as iron—but harder.
Blocking his strike was a blue, bone-like, ominous construct.
Kakuzu's eyes widened in intense shock.
What kind of technique was this!?
He hadn't even seen Madara form hand seals!
Even a ninja who had lived most of a century had never seen anything like this.
Madara smiled slightly.
"Susanoo."
(End of Chapter)
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