Chapter 271: The Undressing Equals Death Law!
"Not good, there's no time!"
Nara Suzaku frowned as Aburame Shikuro's expression darkened. His insects wouldn't make it in time either.
The Fire Style from Kohai and Lightning Style from Kakuzu were simply too fast.
Without hesitation, Shikuro unleashed another wave of insects, splitting them into multiple swarms to intercept the incoming flaming moths.
But at that very moment, Kakashi and Yamato suddenly appeared in front of Akimichi Dōtō.
Lightning Style: Chidori!
Water Style: Water Formation Wall!
Kakashi used his Chidori to counter Kakuzu's Lightning Style: False Darkness, while Yamato's Water Style created streams of water that precisely intercepted the fiery moths.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions rang out as steam filled the air.
Shūichi smirked as he observed the scene. "Not bad!"
Although Kakashi's Flying Thunder God kunai had been blown away, it was clear he had already marked his teammates beforehand.
Wood Style!
Yamato formed hand seals, and wooden pillars shot up from the ground, swiftly forming a prison.
Lightning Style: Ground Thunder!
Kakashi followed up, sending lightning coursing through the wooden structure, creating an electrified web that attacked from all sides.
Beautiful!
Shūichi gave a silent thumbs-up in admiration.
However, just as Kakuzu was about to be paralyzed by the electricity, his Wind and Fire masks launched their attacks.
A massive wind sphere shattered the wooden prison, followed by a windstorm that not only disrupted Kakashi's assault but also prevented Nara Suzaku's Shadow Jutsu from locking on.
The Lightning mask quickly targeted Kakashi again.
"The speed of its attack without hand seals is too fast…"
Kakashi shouted, "Yamato, scatter!"
"Understood!"
Yamato leapt away as the Lightning mask relentlessly pursued him, emitting bursts of electricity.
Kakashi, meanwhile, was chased by the Wind and Fire masks. However, with his high-speed Chidori Body Flicker and Flying Thunder God Technique, he evaded their attacks with ease.
---
Elsewhere, Kakuzu engaged Hyūga Hizashi in close combat.
Kakuzu's taijutsu was formidable—even Kakashi struggled against him—but against the Hyūga clan's taijutsu master and Byakugan user, he was at a disadvantage.
Hizashi quickly identified an opening and struck with a Gentle Fist, sealing Kakuzu's chakra points.
Just as Hizashi thought he had gained the upper hand, Kakuzu's black tendrils suddenly erupted, binding him tightly.
Kakuzu unleashed a surge of powerful chakra, forcibly reopening his sealed chakra points. "I haven't tasted the heart of a Hyūga yet," he sneered.
Kakuzu's hand detached from his body, reaching to rip out Hizashi's heart. But Hizashi unleashed a burst of chakra, severing the tendrils binding him.
Eight Trigrams: Rotation!
The counterattack sent Kakuzu flying.
However, Kakuzu hardened his body using Earth Style: Earth Spear just in time, avoiding injury from the attack.
"This guy has Earth and Water Style too… Those tendrils make his attacks uniquely difficult to deal with," Hizashi thought grimly.
"Was that Earth Style Hardening just now? What a troublesome opponent."
Determined, Hizashi launched another offensive, aiming to keep Kakuzu occupied so Kakashi and Yamato could focus on destroying the remaining masks.
Kakuzu glanced at the battlefield and realized defeating Hizashi quickly wouldn't be easy. Reluctantly, he launched another attack.
---
Meanwhile, Nara Suzaku, Aburame Shikuro, and Akimichi Dōtō were locked in a fierce battle against Shūichi, who was controlling Kohai.
Fire and Water Style attacks, combined with Kohai's reckless tactics and Kakuzu's Fire and Wind masks' interference, made the battle incredibly difficult for the trio.
Suddenly, Yamato let out a scream as he was struck by electricity.
But his body transformed into a wooden log—just a substitution.
From behind the Lightning mask, Yamato emerged from the ground, slamming his hand onto the earth.
A stone pillar shot up, embedded with a Flying Thunder God kunai.
Kakashi instantly teleported to the spot, his arm glowing with concentrated lightning.
Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear!
The Lightning mask opened its mouth to attack but was pierced by the Chidori Sharp Spear, splitting it in half as Kakashi slashed upward.
Boom! Boom!
The Fire and Wind masks retaliated immediately, forcing Kakashi and Yamato to split up again.
"That white-haired brat is definitely the hardest to deal with… and that Wood Style user too," Kakuzu muttered darkly.
His Water mask detached and flew into the air, but instead of targeting Kakashi, it turned its attention to Hyūga Hizashi, bombarding him with Water Style attacks.
Hizashi found himself struggling, forced to rely on Rotation repeatedly to defend.
---
Moments later, Hizashi used Rotation once more to block a Water Style assault, but the ground beneath him erupted.
Kakuzu's detached hand shot out from the earth, gripping Hizashi's neck tightly.
The Water mask loomed above, preparing to unleash another attack.
"There's no time…"
Hizashi's expression darkened.
Boom!
Suddenly, Hayate appeared, slicing through the water stream with his Samehada, while Aoba severed Kakuzu's tendrils with his kunai, rescuing Hizashi.
Almost simultaneously, Kakuzu was sent flying by Might Guy's Leaf Strong Whirlwind.
However, with his body hardened by Earth Style, Kakuzu wasn't injured. Stabilizing himself mid-air, he scoffed coldly, "Reinforcements have arrived."
This is trouble!
Kakuzu sensed things were taking a turn for the worse.
These opponents weren't individually strong—aside from the white-haired ninja and the Wood Style user—but their teamwork was seamless.
Hmm?
Suddenly, Kakuzu noticed that the man wielding the massive Samehada had vanished.
"Invisibility? Even his scent is gone…"
Kakuzu quickly recalled his Water Style mask and extended his tendrils outward, increasing his defensive range.
After thanking Aoba for his assistance, Hizashi warned, "Be cautious of those tendrils. They have formidable offensive capabilities."
"And his body is reinforced with Earth Style. Only Lightning Style seems to be effective," Hizashi added.
Adjusting his sunglasses, Aoba said confidently, "We may not have a Lightning Style user here, but that won't be an issue."
"Guy!"
Might Guy nodded heavily. "Understood!"
Aoba formed a single-hand seal, summoning a flock of crows that enveloped Kakuzu.
"Genjutsu?"
Kakuzu's tendrils shot out with a whoosh, whoosh, piercing through the crows one after another.
But in the next moment, Might Guy—shrouded in green light—appeared behind Kakuzu and launched a powerful kick.
Kakuzu sensed the attack and sent his tendrils flying to intercept, but his expression shifted in shock.
"What?"
The overwhelming force of Guy's kick sent the tendrils recoiling back toward him. Then, with a thunderous boom, Kakuzu was sent flying once again.
Ugh!
Kakuzu landed heavily, coughing up blood.
His Earth Spear defense had been broken by sheer brute strength!
"That guy… such terrifying power!"
Kakuzu got back on his feet, his eyes wary as he looked at Might Guy.
Even Hizashi was astonished. "The Eight Gates? Such incredible strength!"
Aoba remarked in awe, "What an impressive defense. Kakuzu managed to withstand Guy's power at the Sixth Gate. Truly someone from the same era as the First Hokage."
---
Realizing he was at a disadvantage, Kakuzu considered retreating. But before he could act, his body stiffened. He looked down to see a lightning spear piercing his heart.
Not far behind him stood Kakashi, who had used Chidori Sharp Spear to deliver the blow.
Kakuzu turned his head, frowning. "There wasn't a Flying Thunder God kunai there… I see now, it was that invisible one."
Boom! Boom!
The Wind and Fire masks unleashed successive attacks, forcing Kakashi and the others to retreat temporarily.
When the flames and smoke cleared, Kakuzu stood unharmed.
Moreover, the Wind and Fire masks had merged, hovering ominously above him.
"That guy… seems doomed now," Kakuzu muttered as he glanced at Kohai, who was restrained by Nara Suzaku's Shadow Imitation Technique. Scanning the battlefield, his gaze shifted to Kakashi and the others.
"I need to create an opening…"
He decided to eliminate the weaker members first.
Who's the weakest?
"The key is that white-haired ninja. He can teleport to support anyone at any time," Kakuzu mused.
His thoughts concluded, the airborne mask monster opened its mouths.
Fire Style: Intelligent Hard Work!
Wind Style: Pressure Damage!
The combination of Fire and Wind Style created a massive, destructive jutsu that reshaped the battlefield, forcing Kakashi's team to scatter.
---
After a series of large-scale jutsu explosions, Kakuzu suddenly emerged from the ground, his tendrils binding Aoba tightly.
Whoosh!
A swarm of crows appeared, attempting to disrupt Kakuzu with genjutsu.
"Your heart is mine!"
Ignoring the crows, Kakuzu ruthlessly pierced Aoba's chest with his hand.
At that moment, Kakashi appeared behind him.
The crows scattered, and Aoba's body dissolved into a flock of birds.
Simultaneously, Kakuzu's chest was pierced from behind by Kakashi's Chidori.
"Genjutsu?"
As Kakuzu spoke, his body crumbled into dirt.
Earth Style: Earth Clone!
---
"Is his target Hizashi-senpai?" Kakashi speculated, looking toward Hizashi's position.
But before he could act, Aoba's shout rang out, "Guy, watch out!"
Whoosh!
Kakashi vanished and reappeared beside Might Guy, delivering a knife-hand strike downward.
At the same time, the merged mask creature in the air unleashed a powerful jutsu just as Kakashi's knife-hand strike descended.
Kakashi had two choices: save Guy or endure the incoming attack.
Without hesitation, Kakashi's blade severed the tendrils restraining Guy, but both were consumed by the fiery storm.
Not far away, Yamato let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness…"
Amid the roaring flames, Kakashi and Guy were shielded by a dome of wood.
Meanwhile, stone pillars erupted around Kakuzu, enclosing him in a circle.
As the mask creature prepared its combined jutsu, Hayate Gekkō appeared mid-air, wielding the Samehada sword. The blade expanded as he swung it toward the mask creature.
But the mask creature evaded the strike effortlessly.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Kakuzu's tendrils lashed toward Hayate, who was descending from the air.
Without hesitation, Hayate abandoned the Samehada, formed a one-handed seal, and split into three clones mid-air. Drawing a long and a short blade from his back, he charged forward.
The blades glowed with intense orange-red heat, distorting the air around them. Using the stone pillars Yamato had created to alter his trajectory, the three Hayates darted in, leaving afterimages in their wake.
Dance of the Three Suns!
The oncoming tendrils were severed, but more surged forward.
Bang! Bang!
Two shadow clones were pierced by the tendrils, but the real Hayate reached Kakuzu, his short blade caught by Kakuzu's left hand while his long blade slashed down onto Kakuzu's shoulder.
At the same time, Kakuzu's right hand grabbed Hayate by the neck.
Hayate's blades failed to penetrate Kakuzu's defense!
Kakuzu's tendrils slowly began burrowing into Hayate's body. Meanwhile, the airborne mask creature opened its mouth, aiming directly at both Kakuzu and Hayate.
If Kakashi didn't intervene, Hayate's heart would be taken.
If Kakashi did, Kakuzu was ready to sacrifice one heart to eliminate two troublesome enemies.
Kakashi suddenly appeared behind Kakuzu, his hand crackling with lightning as he aimed for Kakuzu's heart.
At the same time, Guy, shrouded in blue energy, launched himself into the air. His rapid punches created blazing fireballs that swarmed the mask creature, striking it repeatedly and destroying it before it could unleash its jutsu.
"What?" Kakuzu's eyes widened as blood spurted from his mouth.
All three of his hearts were destroyed in an instant by Kakashi's attack.
As Kakashi withdrew his hand, Kakuzu's body went limp and collapsed with a thud.
At that moment, Kakuzu caught a glimpse of Kohai in the distance, whose chakra had been drained by bugs and body torn apart by shadow techniques.
"That guy… died in a worse way than me…" Kakuzu muttered before his consciousness faded into darkness.
---
The Aftermath..
Yamato exhaled deeply. "Finally, it's over!"
He had been about to use Wood Style to protect Hayate, but Guy's speed had outpaced him.
"This was the Seventh Gate, right? Incredible power!" Yamato marveled inwardly.
Guy landed from mid-air, but as soon as he deactivated the Seventh Gate, exhaustion and excruciating pain spread through his entire body. Unable to stand, he collapsed.
"Guy!"
Everyone rushed to him in alarm.
"I'm fine…" Guy gritted his teeth, enduring the pain and activating the Seal of Life.
Before their eyes, green lotus patterns spread across Guy's face, radiating vibrant life energy. Guy felt as if he were soaking in a rejuvenating hot spring. His fatigue faded, and the damage caused by opening the Seventh Gate healed rapidly.
Hayate looked on in amazement. "This seems like Lord Shūichi's curse seal, but slightly different."
Fully recovered, Guy leaped to his feet with a grin. "This is a seal Shūichi designed specifically for the Eight Gates. It stores chakra in the seal and releases it for healing and recovery when needed."
Hayate's admiration deepened. "As expected of Lord Shūichi. There's no problem he can't solve!"
The others nodded in agreement.
Kakashi turned to Hayate. "Are your injuries okay?"
Hayate chuckled. "I'm fine. Just some minor scrapes. That guy tried to take us all down at once, but his greed was his downfall."
At that moment, Nara Suzaku and the others arrived.
"How did it go with that guy?" Kakashi asked immediately.
Akimichi Dōtō replied, "He's truly immortal. Even after being sliced to pieces, he was still talking. We're pretty sure he's not human anymore."
Aburame Shikuro added, "So we dug a few pits and buried him in separate locations."
Aoba grinned. "If that's the case, even an immortal won't be seeing the light of day again."
Satisfied with their solution, Kakashi nodded.
The mission was complete.
"Someone from the Sand Village is coming!" Hyūga Hizashi suddenly announced.
Sure enough, the group turned to see members of the Sand Village approaching, led by none other than Chiyo.
(End of Chapter)
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