A single imperfect Wind Release: Rasenshuriken blasted open a massive crater, simultaneously taking out both the blockade and the pursuing forces.
After the storm passed, Hajime's true body finally emerged, and he leisurely walked out of Takigakure.
By the time the Takigakure leader arrived with reinforcements, they were met with the sight of utter devastation at the village entrance, leaving them stunned.
...
In the darkness of night, Hajime turned back to glance at Takigakure, then lowered his gaze to the scroll in his hand and smiled. "Well, it wasn't a wasted trip after all."
This scroll was something he had picked up just before he was discovered—he had grabbed it almost reflexively on his way out.
Earth Release: Earth Spear!
It was a B-rank Earth Release ninjutsu, both offensive and defensive in nature.
Once activated, it could harden the user's skin, turning them into a human weapon. The level of hardening was enough to withstand even the explosion of an explosive tag.
Hajime remembered that Kakuzu had used this technique with outstanding results—unfortunately, it had been broken by Kakashi's Raikiri.
Carefully storing away the scroll, Hajime created another Wood Clone to lure away any pursuers, while his true body melded into a large tree to hide.
However, it turned out that all this caution was unnecessary.
The Takigakure shinobi did not pursue him at all.
After waiting for half an hour, Hajime, somewhat speechless, emerged from the tree and set off toward the Daimyō's residence in the Land of Waterfalls.
By the time he arrived outside the Daimyō's mansion, dawn was breaking.
Finding a secluded spot, Hajime split off a few clones for training and then allowed himself to rest. It wasn't until noon that he finally got up and entered the bustling Daimyō's city.
Although he already had information on his assassination target, Hajime still personally confirmed everything through reconnaissance.
Compared to last time, this assassination was much simpler.
The target's security was extremely weak, and Hajime had become even more proficient in the use of Wood Release.
Under the cover of a dark, windy night, Hajime didn't alarm anyone. He silently slit the target's throat and then left with ease.
After returning to his temporary camp outside the city and creating more clones for training, Hajime pondered, "Should I keep trying to find Kakuzu... and take him down?"
Even though he had now mastered a rough version of the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, Hajime still wasn't confident he could win.
Not even with all the intel he had on Kakuzu.
After all, Kakuzu had mastery over all five elements and possessed vast combat experience. He wasn't someone who could be taken down by a single incomplete Rasenshuriken.
"I'll just go with the flow," Hajime sighed, completely relaxing his body.
Rest!
He slept straight through to noon.
Leaving six clones behind to continue training, Hajime departed from the Land of Waterfalls, and by the next day's noon, he arrived at a small town in the Land of Rivers.
There was an Exchange Station here.
Of course, Hajime hadn't come here for Kakuzu specifically—it was just that there happened to be a target nearby.
A minor noble from the Land of Rivers.
Under the cover of another dark, windy night, Hajime eliminated the noble and found a hidden door inside a restroom, leading him into the Exchange Station.
It was both an Exchange Station and a Bounty Board.
Even Konohagakure regularly posted bounties here.
Including bounties on people like Kakuzu.
Hajime hadn't come here to wait around hoping for a lucky encounter; he came to post a mission.
A bounty of 100,000 ryō for any information on Kakuzu's whereabouts.
The money came from the noble he had just assassinated.
The clerk at the Exchange Station calmly recorded the information and said, "We will inform every Exchange Station as quickly as possible and make sure all bounty hunters know about this mission."
Hajime gave a slight nod. "I'll be waiting."
With that, he turned and left.
Watching Hajime walk away, the clerk glanced down at the posted bounty information, formed a few hand seals, and summoned an eagle. He tied the intelligence to the bird's leg and released it into the night sky.
Outside the restroom—
Hajime cast one last glance back, but his mind was preoccupied with the faint microexpression he had caught earlier on the clerk's face when he submitted the bounty.
Though extremely subtle and almost undetectable, it was picked up by Hajime's dual-layered soul consciousness.
Or perhaps it was just intuition.
Something was off?
Hajime wasn't entirely sure.
After a moment of thought, he decided to find a place nearby to continue training.
At the very least, he needed to make good use of the few days he had left.
As for Kakuzu, he'd just have to see if luck would bring him any information in time.
In a valley outside the small town—
Hajime temporarily settled down.
This time, he also created an extra clone specifically to train in the Earth Release: Earth Spear technique he had just acquired.
The monotonous days didn't feel slow.
In the blink of an eye, two days passed.
There was only one day left until the seven-day deadline.
Hajime returned to the Exchange Station.
To his surprise, there was a response to the bounty.
"You're very lucky, customer. Information just came in. If you move quickly, you might still make it in time,"
the Exchange Station clerk said with a smile.
Hajime said nothing, memorized the information, paid the remaining fee, and left.
Without wasting time, he immediately set out for the location mentioned in the intelligence.
It was in another small town within the Land of Rivers, about a half-hour's journey at shinobi speed.
However, upon arriving at the town, Hajime hid his real body and sent a Wood Clone to enter.
"The "Less Dangerous Than a Mission" Inn... this is the place," Hajime murmured as he glanced at the signboard, then stepped inside.
"Hmm?"
The moment he entered, a man wearing a bamboo hat glanced over at him.
This guy... Kakuzu!
The instant the thought arose, Hajime instinctively leapt backward.
"So you're the one who's been looking for me," the man with the bamboo hat said as he stepped out of the inn, lifting the hat to reveal his true face—
Kakuzu, wearing his signature mask!
"So, you provided the information about yourself?" Hajime asked.
"You're pretty confident, huh?"
Kakuzu said coldly. "But the same goes for you."
"You should know I'm an S-rank missing-nin, yet you dared to come alone."
At the moment, Hajime appeared with his real face, without the Root of Konoha disguise. At sixteen years old, he looked very young and inexperienced in Kakuzu's eyes.
"Since we've met, why don't you tell me who you really are?"
Kakuzu said, staring intently at him.
Hajime smiled lightly. "When you're dead, I'll tell you."
"Oh?"
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow. "With a mouth that stubborn, I hope your skills match."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Kakuzu charged forward like a shadow.
Hajime raised his hands to meet him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The two clashed barehanded, and screams rang out around them as civilians scattered from the streets in panic.
Within a few quick exchanges, Hajime was caught off guard—Kakuzu landed a heavy kick, sending him crashing through the wall of a nearby house with a thunderous boom.
But almost immediately, Hajime tore through the smoke and dust, retreating at high speed toward the outskirts of the town.
Kakuzu let out a cold grunt and leapt onto the rooftops to give chase.
The two darted one after the other, quickly leaving the town behind and disappearing into the forest.
Suddenly, Hajime turned and flung three shuriken at Kakuzu.
Branches snapped and thick tree trunks were pierced through as Kakuzu narrowly dodged all three, his expression growing a bit more serious.
"This level of Wind Release nature transformation... Hmm?"
Kakuzu looked up—only to see a figure descending from above, blade in hand.
He was about to leap backward when thick vines burst from the ground, rapidly snaking up to entangle his legs.
"This is... Wood Release techniques!"
Kakuzu thought, shocked, but his hands had already formed seals before the vines could completely bind him.
(End of Chapter)