Chapter 286: Juzo's Death
"Is it Konan and Sasori's battle..."
"The momentum even reached here. That Scarlet Yu is really a terrifying guy."
On a hill several kilometers away, a man with a half-black and half-white body slowly emerged from the ground. He was wearing the distinctive black robe with red clouds of the Akatsuki, and two green leaves resembling those of a pitcher plant wrapped around him.
Looking at the gigantic, semi-transparent bear paw rising in the distance, even from this far away, he could feel the strong gusts of wind blowing towards him. A trace of amazement flashed in the golden pupils of the half-black, half-white mysterious man.
"And that kid's sensory ability is extremely strong. Even with my Mayfly Jutsu I can't get too close and avoid being detected by him. Perhaps only Obito's Space-Time Ninjutsu can approach him without leaving a trace."
This strange man, with a body half-black and half-white, was none other than Zetsu, who was responsible for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering within the Akatsuki.
Using his Mayfly Jutsu, which allows him to merge his body with the earth and vegetation for high-speed movement, he can become one with the ground. By integrating into the organic network of plant roots and underground water flow, he can move swiftly to any location. During the activation of this Ninjutsu, he can completely cut off all signs of life, making him unbeatable in any reconnaissance or intelligence-gathering mission.
"Hmph, Nagato is too arrogant."
"To make me lose a Sharingan and an arm, that kid is not an easy one to deal with."
Standing beside the half-black, half-white mysterious man was a ninja wearing a spiral mask, with a menacing glint in the Three Tomoe Sharingan that was faintly visible. This was the masked man who had fought with Yu during the Nine-Tails' invasion incident a few years ago.
"However, judging by the current situation, it seems that Konan and the others have already failed their mission. So, I have no choice but to step in and clean up the mess."
As he said this, the masked man let out a deep, cold laugh. The pupil power in his right Sharingan emitted a spiral distortion around his body, and he instantly vanished from the spot.
"Yakushi Yu, huh..."
"I never expected that after Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara from the Warring States period, the ninja world would give rise to such a person. Let's hope he doesn't affect our upcoming plans..."
After the masked man left, Zetsu was left standing alone, murmuring to himself thoughtfully, with both Black Zetsu and White Zetsu speaking in two entirely different voices...
...
"Damn... it hurts so much..."
Returning to the battlefield where Yu and the Akatsuki trio had fought, the ground previously torn apart by Konan's Paper Person of God Jutsu had vanished. What remained was an immense, bear paw-shaped crater, with everything inside destroyed by the shockwave after being compressed by atmospheric pressure.
It was unclear how much time had passed, but the Akatsuki trio, who had been lying scattered on the ground, gradually began to regain their senses. The tattered Biwa Juzo propped himself up with the broken Executioner's Blade, barely managing to stand again.
The overwhelming feeling of dizziness from the powerful explosions surrounded him, and it felt like every bone in his body was emitting excruciating pain, constantly stimulating his nerves. On the other hand, Sasori, whose body had already been turned into a human puppet, was in a much better condition.
"Tsk tsk tsk, you all look really pathetic."
"If it weren't for Konan once having done me a 'life-saving favor,' you three would have been smashed to pieces by now."
At this moment, an annoyingly smug voice sounded inappropriately. Looking at the disheveled Akatsuki trio struggling to get up from the ground, Yu stood above them, hands in his pockets, stepping on an invisible thread and looking down at them.
"Damn it..."
Feeling Yu's superior gaze, Biwa Juzo, who had just managed to stand up, couldn't help but curse.
He recalled how eight years ago, he could easily kill the Konoha kid with a casual move. Now, that same kid had become a ninja who held his life in his hands. Biwa Juzo felt his dignity being trampled upon like never before.
"Don't act rashly! Juzo!!"
Seeing Juzo provoked by Yu's few words and already charging with the Seversword: Executioner's Blade in hand, Konan couldn't help but call out to stop him, but it was too late.
Demon Cross Slash!!
Juzo, rushing in front of Yu, swiftly swung the Executioner's Blade, sending out a cross-shaped Chakra slash composed of one vertical and one horizontal blade of energy. The immense power shattered and tore apart the ground and trees along its path!
Juzo, who once survived a battle wielding the Executioner's Blade against Might Duy who had opened the Eight Inner Gates Formation, and later joined the Akatsuki after defecting, showed his true strength. In the anime, to protect his partner Itachi, who was struck and immobilized by the Fourth Mizukage Yagura's Coral Palm, Juzo could confront the Tailed Beast Bomb of the Fourth Mizukage Yagura in his Tailed Beast form with the Executioner's Blade. This clearly demonstrated his power, surpassing that of Momochi Zabuza, one of the next generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
"Since you want to die... I'll grant your wish!!"
Facing Juzo's immensely powerful Chakra sword energy that cut through everything in its path, Yu's calm eyes turned cold.
Compared to his weakness eight years ago when he encountered the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist on the border of the Land of Fire, the power he now wielded was enough to crush ninjas of this level effortlessly.
Five-Colored Threads!!
Yu, with his entire body blackened by Armament Haki, formed his hand into a claw and struck out fiercely. Five incredibly sharp black threads instantly tore through the air, directly colliding with Juzo's full-force cross-shaped Chakra slash.
Clang!!
The clash between Yu's Armament Haki-covered threads and Biwa Juzo's Chakra sword energy produced a deafening metallic sound, as if two pieces of metal had violently collided, sending a strong shockwave that scattered the surrounding shrubs.
Gone?!
Seeing his full-force cross-shaped Chakra slash being casually blocked by Yu, Biwa Juzo felt a sudden emptiness before him. The Yu who had been standing mid-air had suddenly disappeared from his original position.
"It's over!!"
Realizing the danger, Biwa Juzo swiftly retreated, but felt a sudden grip on his wrist. Yu, with white hair and a body blackened by Armament Haki, had somehow appeared beside him. With a swift and fierce kick, he sent the Executioner's Blade flying from Juzo's hand.
Wailing Chidori!!
Immediately, Juzo's widened eyes were filled with the sight of a ferocious black lightning. Yu's pitch-black hand emitted a black Chidori, seemingly from the depths of hell!
The Lightning Release: Chidori, infused with Senjutsu Chakra, not only had greater power, surpassing the scope of an S-rank Ninjutsu, but the excessively high attack frequency made the usual chirping sound of the Chidori wail like it was crying in anguish!
Screech!!
Without any chance of escape, Yu's black Chidori easily pierced through Biwa Juzo's body like a knife through paper. The violent black lightning shattered every cell in his body.
"Juzo!!"
Seeing the battle come to an abrupt end and looking at Juzo's body being pierced by Yu, Sasori couldn't help but widen his eyes. The image of Juzo desperately shielding him flashed through his mind, and his cold, numb heart unexpectedly felt a stir of emotion like never before.
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