Who Even Uses Hand Seals Anymore?
A deafening explosion echoed through the cave.
Golden lightning struck the two masked creatures, tearing them apart, and even Kuzo was blasted into the cave wall.
His body sank deep into the rock, leaving a crater.
The masked creatures detached from him, their black tendrils writhing for a moment before falling limp, lifeless.
Kakuzu winced, his breathing uneven. He looked up, eyes wide with shock.
What just happened?
When did he get behind me?
I saw him consumed by my flames.
Was it... an illusion?
The thought unsettled him. His face darkened as he glared at Kuzo.
"You... How many tricks are you hiding?"
He hadn't expected this.
A ninja with barely any chakra presence had just revealed an arsenal of strange abilities.
First, those eerie blue flames, cast with nothing more than a clap of his hands.
Then, the impossible ability to stand in midair.
Now, an illusion technique and a lightning blast powerful enough to destroy his masks in an instant.
Was this some kind of bloodline limit?
If he had revealed all five of his hearts at the start...
Would he be dead already?
A shiver ran down his spine.
This kid was a monster.
Maybe even as strong as Pain himself.
Kakuzu exhaled, regaining composure.
He would need to find new hearts—strong ones.
The flames in the cave slowly died down.
Konan and Pain returned to the ground, and even Zetsu reemerged from the wall.
"Wow..." Zetsu muttered, amused. "I didn't expect both newcomers to be this terrifying."
Konan, however, remained indifferent. She glanced at Kakuzu and spoke flatly.
"Kakuzu, this fight is over. You must acknowledge his strength by now."
Kakuzu scoffed but said nothing.
He pushed himself out of the wall and, without another word, walked toward the cave entrance.
He only had three hearts left.
If he wanted to maintain his power, he needed to hunt down new ones.
As for fighting Kuzo again?
Not anytime soon.
Once Kakuzu had disappeared, Pain turned to Kuzo, his expression unreadable.
"Impressive."
He studied him for a moment before continuing.
"I acknowledge your strength, Kuzo."
"Akatsuki's goal is true peace in the ninja world. We will replace the great nations and reshape the world."
"For that, we gather exceptional warriors, regardless of their past."
"You, a wanderer without a home—welcome to Akatsuki."
A small purple ring with the kanji for "Jade" appeared in Pain's hand.
He tossed it to Kuzo.
"From today, this ring marks your place among us. We will take you to our base in the Hidden Rain Village, where you can choose your own quarters."
Kuzo caught the ring, rolling it between his fingers.
It looked just like Sasori's in the original story.
Zetsu chuckled. "Come on, newbie. Let's get going."
Kuzo was about to follow when Pain spoke again.
"Wait."
Kuzo paused. "Something else?"
Pain shook his head.
"I'm just curious about your power."
"In that fight, none of your techniques required hand seals—or they only needed one."
"How?"
Kuzo raised an eyebrow, then smirked.
"Who even uses hand seals anymore?"
He scoffed.
"If you need hand seals just to fight, you're already too slow."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.
Pain and Konan stood there in silence.
After a moment, Pain frowned.
"Konan, do you use hand seals when you fight with paper jutsu?"
"Not really. Do you need seals to use the Rinnegan?"
"...No."
They exchanged glances.
Wait.
He kind of had a point.
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