Blown away by a single punch, Kakuzu tumbled across the ground like a spinning top before finally coming to a stop. Moments later, he struggled to prop himself up with one hand, his face still marked with shock he couldn't entirely conceal.
What terrifying strength...
Even though he had been engaging in a full-on clash with Natsuhiko, driving his Earth Grudge Fear tendrils at full power, Kakuzu had not neglected his usual precautions. He'd still wrapped his body in a layer of hardened earth to defend himself.
Yet that sudden punch from the side had left spiderweb-like cracks on his supposedly invincible earthen armor.
Yes, the defense of his once-impenetrable Earth Spear had been broken twice in a single day by two entirely different methods!
And unlike the high-level techniques combining water and wind chakra that Natsuhiko used earlier, this punch was purely a manifestation of raw physical power.
Had Kakuzu not used his combat experience to let the blow send him flying and absorb most of the force, that punch alone might have completely incapacitated him.
This kind of monstrous strength—Kakuzu had rarely encountered it even in his long lifetime.
Among those who left the deepest impression, the most notable was, of course, the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, whom Kakuzu had once fought.
The world only knew that the God of Shinobi had dominated with his invincible Wood Release. However, what truly made Hashirama powerful was his utterly unreasonable physical prowess.
His astonishing stamina, overwhelming strength, rapid recovery, and the enormous reserves of chakra rooted in his body were the true foundations of his dominance.
Wood Release? That was just icing on the cake.
Perhaps it was during his assassination attempt on the First Hokage that Kakuzu had personally experienced Hashirama's cheat-like physical abilities. Realizing he could never measure up, no matter how hard he worked, led Kakuzu to steal the Earth Grudge Fear technique and transform himself into his current inhuman form.
But after hearing of the First Hokage's death more than twenty years ago, Kakuzu thought he would never encounter such strength again.
Yet today, he had the chance to relive it.
Kakuzu slowly stood up, his gaze complicated as he watched Tsunade approaching from a distance.
As expected, the Princess Tsunade truly is the granddaughter of that man...
That punch of hers—though likely her full strength—was barely comparable to even 30% of Hashirama's casual strikes on his off days!
Yes, despite the lengthy qualifiers, Kakuzu swore to himself he was genuinely complimenting her.
As someone who had lived through the chaotic Warring States Period, Kakuzu knew that compared to the divine chaos of that era, the current shinobi world was like an age of declining magic.
While the overall strength of the ninja villages had somewhat improved, their top-tier combat power couldn't hold a candle to the First Five Kage.
For Tsunade to reach her current level of strength was already something to be proud of.
However, Kakuzu still had lingering doubts.
Why had Tsunade, who seemed helpless and trembling just moments ago, suddenly become so strong?
And why had she changed into a clean outfit in such a short time?
Could it be that while he and Natsuhiko were fighting fiercely outside, Tsunade had taken a bath?
In all his decades as a shinobi, Kakuzu had never encountered such behavior...
Recalling the anomalies he had noticed earlier, a thought struck him.
As Tsunade and Natsuhiko approached, Kakuzu suddenly extended a tendril, stabbing it into his own palm and leaving a bloody gash. He swung his arm sharply, sending droplets of blood flying toward Tsunade.
In Tsunade's view, she saw an unknown white liquid shooting toward her.
She dodged it with a look of disgust and accelerated. In a flash, she was above Kakuzu, raising her right leg like a mighty axe and slamming it down.
Heavenly Foot of Pain!
Boom!
The ground shattered instantly, splitting into countless fragments.
Amid the rising dust, Kakuzu's figure retreated at high speed—he had narrowly avoided the devastating attack.
As expected, even terrifying destructive power is meaningless if it doesn't hit...
While analyzing the situation, Kakuzu remained focused on his earlier test.
"So, no reaction..."
He murmured to himself.
The self-inflicted wound and blood spray weren't just theatrics—they were meant to test his hypothesis.
Hemophobia.
As an experienced shinobi, Kakuzu knew this occupational hazard well.
If Tsunade truly had hemophobia, her previous odd behavior would make perfect sense.
For instance, why she closed her eyes in battle, why she froze after witnessing the fake Natsuhiko's death, and why she changed her clothes.
Kakuzu thought he had uncovered Tsunade's secret, a crucial weakness that could turn the tide.
But to his disappointment, his guess was wrong.
Did I overthink it?
As Tsunade charged at him again, Kakuzu frowned.
If it wasn't hemophobia, her strange behavior remained unexplained.
And what puzzled him even more was the pair of glasses she was wearing.
To Kakuzu, who barely understood arcade machines, let alone advanced AR technology, it was an enigma.
No matter how many guesses he made, he couldn't fathom that the glasses were what allowed Tsunade to temporarily overcome her hemophobia.
Seeing Tsunade attack with newfound vigor, Kakuzu realized now wasn't the time for speculation.
If this last-ditch effort failed, he would have to fight both Natsuhiko and Tsunade simultaneously.
Both of them had the means to break through his Earth Spear defense!
Individually, he was confident against either of them, but in his current state, facing both was daunting.
"Looks like I have no choice..."
"It's been years... since anyone forced me to use that move."
His sudden declaration made Tsunade and Natsuhiko halt, their gazes wary.
Never underestimate an old master's hidden trump cards.
Then, countless black tendrils erupted from Kakuzu's body, writhing menacingly.
But this time, something new emerged—grotesque masks pushed out of his shoulder wounds.
If his earlier form was his second state, this was his third.
Truly, no boss in a shonen series is complete without multiple forms...
"Enough theatrics!"
Unaware of the sacred "no attack during transformation" rule, Tsunade decided to strike preemptively. In a flash, she charged at Kakuzu mid-transformation!
Knowing the danger, Natsuhiko followed, but it was too late.
As Kakuzu completed his transformation, his strongest attack began.
The masks on his shoulders opened their mouths, releasing chakra infused with fire and wind.
Fire Style: Intelligent Hard Work!
Wind Style: Pressure Damage!
Fire-Wind Combo Technique: Scorching Windstorm!
A massive sea of flames surged forward, radiating immense heat toward Natsuhiko and Tsunade.
Tsunade punched the ground, raising massive chunks of earth to block the firestorm.
Natsuhiko caught up, pulling her underground with a quick Earth Style: Underground Movement Jutsu.
Emerging at a safe distance, they prepared for Kakuzu's next move, only to see a bizarre sight.
Kakuzu had adjusted the trajectory of his elemental attack downward, using the recoil to launch himself into the air like a human rocket.
"Fools! This is my escape route!"
Even as he flew off, his smug voice echoed.
To Kakuzu, fleeing was second nature. After acquiring Earth Grudge Fear, he had spent years on the run from Takigakure and bounty hunters.
For him, survival was victory. As long as he lived, revenge—or at least dancing on his enemies' graves—was inevitable.
Ironically, his infamous wind-fire combo, feared as a destructive jutsu, was originally designed... for escape.
(End of Chapter)