BOOM!
The explosion from the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken was utterly devastating.
The thick mist that had blanketed the battlefield during the clash between the Water Wall and Fire Style: Searing Migraine was instantly blown away.
In its place was a massive crater, surrounded by countless spiderweb-like cracks.
But of Kakuzu, there was no sign. He had evaded the attack.
As an experienced veteran who had survived decades in the shinobi world, Kakuzu was never going to be taken down so easily.
Suddenly, eight massive black tendrils shot toward Aoshi's real body with terrifying speed.
This was Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear. In this form, he could manipulate numerous tentacle-like threads for long-range attacks.
From the very start, Kakuzu had no intention of wasting time on Aoshi's Shadow Clones. His target had always been the real Aoshi.
Aoshi was currently occupied with healing Tsunade. It was the perfect window to strike.
And Kakuzu wasn't the type to care about fair fights or honor. In his eyes, completing the mission by any means was the only rule that mattered.
"Die!" Kakuzu's voice was filled with murderous intent.
Tsunade immediately panicked and shouted at Aoshi to dodge! But Aoshi remained calm and unmoved.
Just as the tendrils were about to strike, eight Shadow Clones of Aoshi, each wielding a Rasengan, suddenly appeared and intercepted the massive black threads.
And they weren't alone. More clones appeared, also wielding Rasengan, and charged toward Kakuzu from multiple angles.
These were the same Shadow Clones that had eliminated the bounty hunters earlier and had now rushed back to support Aoshi.
Though those bounty hunters were somewhat well-known in the black market, none of them had stood a chance against Aoshi's clones.
"Tch… what a troublesome brat…" For the first time, Kakuzu felt a twinge of regret.
Not for targeting Aoshi and Tsunade—but for not prioritizing Aoshi from the start. Unfortunately, regrets didn't matter now. Surrounded by the onrushing clones, Kakuzu had no choice but to respond.
From his shoulders, the Fire Mask and Wind Mask monsters emerged, simultaneously opening their mouths.
Fire Style: Searing Migraine
Wind Style: Pressure Damage!
A storm of hellish flames and compressed air surged forward, consuming the Shadow Clones before they could even reach him. Within seconds, they were all annihilated.
Against Kakuzu, Aoshi's clones couldn't land a single hit. They were too predictable, and Kakuzu had too many ways to deal with them.
Even in terms of ninjutsu proficiency, Kakuzu wasn't inferior.
Thanks to Earth Grudge Fear, which allowed him to acquire and use the hearts—and thus chakra natures—of other shinobi, Kakuzu could wield all five elemental releases with ease.
So while Aoshi's clones were effective against the bounty hunters, against Kakuzu, they only served as distractions. Shadow Clones had their limits.
"Damn it—does this brat have infinite chakra or what?!"
After dodging another barrage of clones and striking one down with his tendrils, Kakuzu couldn't help but curse.
In all his years as a bounty hunter, he had never faced someone like Aoshi. Weren't ninjas supposed to open with taijutsu, find an opening, and then land a fatal blow with ninjutsu?
Why did this guy just keep spamming Shadow Clones and high-powered ninjutsu? And he wasn't even an Uzumaki with his absurd chakra reserves—he had blue hair, not red!
Several times, Kakuzu tried to go straight for Aoshi's real body, but each time, Shadow Clones blocked his path.
And the worst part? He couldn't afford to ignore the clones.
Each one could use powerful, lethal techniques—Kakuzu wasn't confident he could take them head-on.
[System Notification: Successfully healed Tsunade. Reward: 1 Gold Orb.]
[Congratulations. You have obtained: Chakra Enhanced Strength.]
Using the time his clones bought him, Aoshi successfully treated Tsunade's injuries. But when he heard the system's voice, his expression shifted slightly as he glanced down at her.
Healing Jiraiya had earned him a rainbow orb—proof of his Kage-level strength. Yet healing Tsunade, another member of the Legendary Sannin, had only earned a gold orb.
Clearly, her skills had regressed from too much idling. It wasn't surprising, though—Jiraiya had already mastered Sage Mode.
Meanwhile, Tsunade hadn't even unlocked her Yin Seal, let alone the Creation Rebirth technique. Right now, she was barely at the elite jonin level.
Sensing Aoshi's gaze, Tsunade looked up with a puzzled expression. Was something wrong with her?
Aoshi coughed lightly and said nothing. He simply stood up and turned toward Kakuzu.
Just as Kakuzu finished eliminating the last clone, he looked up and met Aoshi's eyes. Gone was his earlier arrogance—Kakuzu's expression was now grim and serious.
If just the clones were this difficult, then the real Aoshi would be far worse. No more words were exchanged. Aoshi drew his ninja blade and dashed forward with lightning speed.
He'd expended a lot of chakra to stall Kakuzu—right now, he couldn't afford to use Rasenshuriken again.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
In a flash, their blades clashed several times. Aoshi's swordsmanship was impressive, but Kakuzu's taijutsu was nothing to scoff at either. Neither could gain the upper hand.
Then, suddenly—Aoshi's sword movements shifted. His blade flowed like the branches of a willow in the wind.
Konoha-Style: Willow!
A technique that combined swordsmanship and genjutsu, an A-rank jutsu that required no hand seals and minimal chakra.
Kakuzu had never expected Aoshi to be proficient in genjutsu. Caught off guard, his body locked up mid-strike.
Seizing the moment, Aoshi drove his blade straight through Kakuzu's heart.
As the genjutsu lifted, Kakuzu's eyes widened in shock as he toppled to the ground.
Tsunade, watching from the sidelines, finally let out a breath of relief. The enemy had been formidable, but Aoshi had taken him down.
This boy… he was growing stronger with every battle. Maybe—just maybe—he really could become Hokage.
But before she could finish the thought, her expression changed drastically.
"Watch out!!" she screamed.
Without warning, a tendril shot up from the ground behind Aoshi, aiming straight for his heart. It was the same sneak attack Kakuzu had used on her earlier.
And Tsunade knew—if it struck true, Aoshi would die. No ninja, no matter how skilled, could survive being impaled through the heart.
She didn't have time to wonder how Kakuzu was still alive.
In that moment, her mind replayed the memory that had given her hemophobia all those years ago. Only now, it wasn't her loved ones dying—it was Aoshi.
"NO!!" Tsunade screamed in despair, her body trembling violently, powerless to stop it.
She could only watch as the attack came closer, but just as it seemed certain to land—
Aoshi moved.
With near-supernatural reflexes, he twisted away at the last possible moment, dodging the attack by a hair's breadth. Then, in one fluid motion, he countered with a strike of his own.
His blade pierced Kakuzu's second heart cleanly.