Seeing Kakuzu brimming with killing intent, Shikamaru gripped his kunai tightly, ready for combat.
Facing an old man in his seventies or eighties, he believed that even if he couldn't defeat him, he could at least ensure his own survival.
However, he had overestimated himself.
"Let me handle this."
Hikari placed a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder and, with a slight tug, pulled him behind himself.
This was Kakuzu, a man who boasted about facing the First Hokage. That claim couldn't be dismissed lightly, no matter how absurd it sounded.
No one would normally imagine there could be a secret technique like "Earth Grudge Fear" in this world — one that gave Kakuzu plenty of openings to exploit.
Ordinary people only had one life—who could have guessed that Kakuzu had five?
"Senpai?"
Shikamaru stared at Hikari's back in confusion. This was just an unknown shinobi—why wouldn't Hikari-senpai even let him test the waters?
"This is a man who once fought against the First Hokage—though that was mostly a joke."
Hikari waved his hand dismissively. "All of you, step back. This guy is a notorious bounty hunter in the black market, specializing in targets worth tens of millions. It's strange, though—why would he take on this mission? I'm genuinely curious how much the bounty is."
"Not much, just a little over ten million." chimed in Kazahana Dotō, who had been treated as a background character until now.
The looks he received from the Konoha group were filled with hostility, while Kakuzu's expression darkened with anger.
"Dotō-sama, leaking confidential information like this is highly unethical!"
Kakuzu reprimanded him sternly. "Do you realize this violates the contract's terms? If word gets out, how many people in this world will scorn you?"
Dotō clutched his head, regretting his words.
This old man was like an annoying leech. If not for his fear of Kakuzu's bizarre and unpredictable abilities, Dotō would have fired him long ago.
But he didn't dare. If Kakuzu went berserk, he wouldn't be able to handle it.
"Kakuzu, name your price."
Heh.
He sure knows how to play along.
Kakuzu raised two fingers. "Two million. Not too much, right?"
Dotō inwardly: 'Send my regards to your dear mother!'
He was furious, but facing Kakuzu, he couldn't afford to say much.
"Fine, two million it is. But aside from my niece Koyuki, I don't want anyone left alive. That should be within your job description, right?"
"Of course!"
With the price settled, Kakuzu felt invigorated—his heart no longer raced, his breath steadied, and he practically strutted forward.
A bunch of Konoha chūnin and genin? He could wipe them out effortlessly.
"I'll finish the job right away. Just make sure to leave me a good review, Dotō-sama." Kakuzu said as he took two steps toward Hikari.
"Young man, I'll send you to meet the First Hokage. Hope you won't feel lonely on the way!"
As he spoke, his right hand stealthily slipped beneath his cloak, burrowing underground to launch a surprise attack on Hikari.
Outwardly, he acted dismissive, but inwardly, he treated every opponent with caution.
That was just his nature.
"I won't be lonely, because I'm not going to meet the First Hokage. You, on the other hand, should go catch up with him. Though I doubt he'd even remember a nobody like you. Right?"
Hikari's words struck Kakuzu's sore spot.
Enraged, he decided to make sure Hikari experienced hell before death.
Got him...
Feeling his hand reach beneath Hikari's feet, Kakuzu smirked internally before forming a one-handed seal.
"Fire Release: Intelligent Hard Work!"
A wall of flames surged toward Hikari, stretching over a dozen meters long.
"Not bad, but useless against me."
Hikari didn't retreat—he knew Kakuzu's vast arsenal of ninjutsu made him unpredictable.
Unless his hearts were destroyed, this man's ability to cycle through five different elemental techniques made him one of the most troublesome opponents in the shinobi world.
But that advantage was nullified against Hikari.
Elemental ninjutsu was merely the foundation. At higher levels, if you weren't incorporating Yin-Yang Release, you weren't even considered strong.
"Shikamaru, Ino, Chōji—watch closely. This guy uses the Earth Grudge Fear from Takigakure. Despite his age, his body still possesses explosive power. Shikamaru, if you had rushed in earlier, you'd have fallen for this sneak attack."
With that, Hikari stomped his right foot down.
*BOOM!*
The ice within a five-meter radius shattered into palm-sized fragments, revealing Kakuzu's hand beneath.
Hikari had anticipated the sneak attack and struck first.
The trio gaped in shock.
"That's... way too far from normal ninjutsu. Hikari-senpai's been hiding his strength this much?!"
Shikamaru's mind reeled as he recalled the taijutsu Hikari had taught them.
He had expected Hikari to be strong, but this was beyond his wildest estimates. Even among jōnin, not many could achieve such destructive power with a single strike.
Jōnin-level attacks were formidable, but Hikari's casual stomp was as effortless as a genin throwing a kunai.
Yet, it had caused devastation on this scale.
Unless Chōji used his Multi-Size Technique, neither Shikamaru nor Ino could unleash such force.
"Man, he's really strong." Chōji muttered, his eyes glued to Hikari's movements.
He had made up his mind—Hikari would be his life mentor from now on.
If he could achieve this level of power in his base form, then amplifying it with his clan's secret jutsu...
He might not be able to destroy the world, but he could certainly make the Akimichi name resound across the shinobi world.
"Ninjutsu, at its core, is about channeling one's chakra and converting it into elemental attacks through specific frequencies."
"Elemental techniques are further divided into shape transformation and nature transformation. Only by mastering nature transformation to an extremely high level can one unleash powerful ninjutsu."
"And in that regard, Kakuzu-san... you don't seem all that impressive."
Perhaps due to the limitations of his body, while Kakuzu could extend his lifespan indefinitely, he had sacrificed his potential for growth.
On the surface, he appeared strong, and his elemental manipulation was decent.
But all of it depended on the hearts he stole.
If the original owner was powerful, so were his attacks.
If the heart belonged to a weakling, his upper limit would drop accordingly.
"You're dead!"
Kakuzu didn't appear fazed by Hikari's "nonsense", but the killing intent in his eyes deepened.
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