An imperfect Wind Release: Rasenshuriken created a massive crater, knocking both the interceptors and pursuers flat onto the ground.
After the violent storm subsided, Hoshishita Shu's real body appeared. Calm and unhurried, he walked out of Takigakure.
By the time the Takigakure leader arrived with his men, all he could do was stare in shock at the devastation at the village entrance.
…
In the darkness, Hoshishita Shu glanced back at Takigakure.
Then he looked down at the scroll in his hand and smiled.
"Not a wasted trip after all."
This scroll was something he had been holding when he was discovered earlier, so he simply brought it with him while escaping.
Earth Release — Earth Spear.
This was a B-rank Earth Release ninjutsu capable of both offense and defense.
Once activated, it hardened the user's skin, turning the body into a humanoid weapon. The hardened skin could even withstand the explosion of explosive tags.
Hoshishita Shu remembered how impressive this technique was when Kakuzu used it—although it had eventually been broken by Kakashi Hatake's Lightning Blade.
After putting the scroll away, Hoshishita Shu created another Wood Clone to lure away any possible pursuers while his real body merged into a large tree to hide.
However, this caution turned out to be unnecessary.
The Takigakure ninja didn't chase him at all.
After waiting half an hour, Hoshishita Shu stepped out of the tree speechlessly and headed toward the Daimyo's residence of the Land of Waterfalls.
By dawn, he arrived outside the residence.
After creating clones to continue training, Hoshishita Shu rested until noon before entering the bustling city.
Although he already had intelligence about the assassination target, he still conducted his own reconnaissance to confirm it.
Compared to the previous mission, this assassination was much simpler.
The target's guards were weak, and Hoshishita Shu had become far more proficient with Wood Release.
On a dark, windy night, without alerting anyone, he cut the target's throat and left calmly.
Returning to his temporary camp outside the city, Hoshishita Shu created clones to continue training.
Then he began thinking.
"Should I keep trying to find Kakuzu… and take him down?"
Even though he had mastered a flawed Rasenshuriken, he still didn't have confidence in defeating Kakuzu.
Even with intelligence about him.
Kakuzu possessed all five elemental releases and decades of combat experience.
He wasn't someone who could be killed with just one Rasenshuriken.
"Let fate decide."
Hoshishita Shu sighed and relaxed.
Rest.
He slept until noon.
Leaving six clones behind to continue training, Hoshishita Shu left the Land of Waterfalls and arrived the next day at a small town in the Land of Rivers.
There was a bounty exchange there.
Of course, Hoshishita Shu didn't come specifically for Kakuzu.
He had another target.
A minor noble from the Land of Rivers.
On another dark and windy night, Hoshishita Shu eliminated the noble.
Then he found a hidden door inside the latrine and entered the bounty exchange.
This place was both a bounty exchange and a mission board.
Even Konoha regularly posted bounties here.
For example—
Kakuzu.
Hoshishita Shu hadn't come here to wait passively.
Instead, he posted a bounty.
100,000 ryō for information on Kakuzu's whereabouts.
The money came from the noble he had just assassinated.
The exchange manager calmly registered the request.
"We will spread this task to every bounty exchange as quickly as possible," he said. "Bounty hunters everywhere will learn of it."
Hoshishita Shu nodded slightly.
"I look forward to it."
Then he turned and left.
After Hoshishita Shu left, the manager looked at the registered bounty information.
He formed hand seals and summoned a hawk, tied the information to its leg, and released it.
Outside the latrine, Hoshishita Shu glanced back once more.
In his mind replayed the subtle micro-expression the manager showed when seeing the bounty request.
It had been extremely slight.
But with two layers of consciousness, Hoshishita Shu noticed it.
Or perhaps it was simply intuition.
Something seemed suspicious.
He wasn't certain.
After thinking about it, he decided to stay nearby and continue training.
At the very least, he could make use of the remaining days.
As for Kakuzu—
Whether he could obtain the information in time would depend on luck.
In a valley outside the town, Hoshishita Shu settled down temporarily.
This time he created an additional clone to train the newly acquired technique:
Earth Release — Earth Spear.
The days of training were dull but passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, two days passed.
Only one day remained of the seven-day limit.
Hoshishita Shu returned to the bounty exchange.
To his surprise—
There was already a response to his bounty.
"You're quite lucky," the manager said with a smile. "This intelligence just arrived. If you move quickly, you should still make it."
Hoshishita Shu showed no reaction.
He memorized the information and paid the remaining fee.
Leaving the exchange, he immediately headed to the location described.
It was another small town in the Land of Rivers, only about half an hour away at ninja speed.
However, after arriving, Hoshishita Shu hid his real body and sent a Wood Clone into town.
"Tianhe Inn… this is the place."
After glancing at the sign, Hoshishita Shu walked inside.
"Hm?"
The moment he entered, he noticed a man wearing a straw hat looking toward him.
That man…
Kakuzu.
The instant the thought appeared, Hoshishita Shu leapt backward.
"So you're the one looking for me," the straw-hat man said as he followed him outside the inn.
He removed the hat, revealing his true appearance.
The masked face of Kakuzu.
Hoshishita Shu said,
"So you provided the information about yourself?"
"Quite confident."
Kakuzu replied calmly,
"Likewise."
"You know I'm an S-rank target, yet you still came alone."
Hoshishita Shu was using his real appearance rather than Root attire. At just sixteen years old, he looked extremely young in Kakuzu's eyes.
"Since we've met," Kakuzu said while staring at him, "you might as well tell me who you are."
Hoshishita Shu smiled.
"When you're dying, I'll tell you."
"Oh?"
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow.
"Such a tough mouth. I hope your skills match it."
The moment his words fell, Kakuzu lunged forward to attack.
Hoshishita Shu raised his hands to meet him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The two clashed bare-handed, and screams erupted around them as civilians scattered in panic.
After only a few exchanges, Kakuzu caught Hoshishita Shu off guard and kicked him away.
Boom!
Hoshishita Shu crashed into a house.
But immediately afterward, he tore through the dust and smoke and dashed rapidly toward the outskirts of the town.
Kakuzu snorted and leapt onto the rooftops, pursuing quickly.
One in front, one behind—
They soon left the town and entered the forest.
Suddenly, Hoshishita Shu turned around and threw three shuriken at Kakuzu.
Branches snapped.
A thick tree trunk was pierced straight through.
Kakuzu barely avoided the shuriken, and his expression turned more serious.
"This level of Wind Release nature transformation… hm?"
Kakuzu looked upward.
A figure was descending from above with a sword.
Just as Kakuzu was about to leap backward—
Vines suddenly burst from the ground, wrapping around his legs and rapidly climbing upward.
"This is… Wood Release secret technique!"
Kakuzu was shocked.
But before the vines could completely bind him, his hands had already finished forming hand seals.
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