For every 30 POWER STONES there will be an extra chapter!
11 Power stones left
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The words spoken in his heart remained there, never to be expressed or shared with those before him.
If Guy were to hear them, he'd likely leap with excitement.
If Kurenai were to hear them, she'd probably be furious.
If Kotoe were to hear them, she might no longer suppress her emotions.
To kill them directly?
Hearing White Zetsu's suggestion, Ye Zi couldn't help but feel a wave of self-mockery. All along the way, his hands—his cells, fat, bones, and skin—had essentially been forged from blood. From the moment they were stained, they had been soaked in it ever since.
He had killed Dan, aimed to kill Minato, and now, was he supposed to kill these people too?
"If this is the path I must take, then where it leads… must be towards becoming a monster."
Beneath the mask, his eyelids drooped slightly, hiding the complex emotions in his pitch-black eyes and the hesitation buried deep within. Like a flickering candle flame caught in the wind, his resolve wavered, brightening and dimming.
"At the very least… not now."
He told himself this, as though searching for a laughable excuse.
Seeing Ye Zi remain silent, White Zetsu sensed his hesitation and sneered internally. So, in the end, you still can't fully abandon your humanity. You refuse to act in the name of Madara, but…
"These Konoha brats have a lot of potential. If they survive this war, they'll grow into threats capable of opposing the Akatsuki. Don't you want to eliminate a future threat while you have the chance? This is an opportunity you can't afford to pass up."
Sensing Ye Zi's hesitation, White Zetsu pressed on, urging him. He wanted to see the bloody canvas Yezi would paint with his hands—it would certainly be an interesting sight.
Ye Zi's gaze drifted to Kotoe, who was being pushed back by the horse-faced Iwa-nin. Considering the information White Zetsu had provided, Ye Zi calmly remarked, "The Iwa-nin have the upper hand."
"That's why you're not acting?" White Zetsu grinned, showing his sharp teeth.
"I have my reasons."
Ye Zi's gaze lingered on Kotoe as an idea formed in his mind. Though he wasn't confident it would work, it was worth a try. After all, the symbol on her forehead protector wasn't a Konoha leaf.
Perhaps… she could be useful.
"Heh, suit yourself." White Zetsu shrugged. To him, the Konoha kids, though promising, posed no threat to Akatsuki if dealt with now. But since Ye Zi had made his decision, White Zetsu wouldn't push further.
Guy leapt up from the ground, panting heavily as he eyed the female Iwa-nin in front of him.
"Is she really a woman? She's so strong!"
His thick black eyebrows furrowed in frustration. In terms of sheer strength, he was evenly matched with the female Iwa-nin.
Had he known about Tsunade's or Kushina's monstrous strength, he wouldn't have been so surprised.
"If I want to win, I'll have to use the Eight Gates…"
Guy silently began unwinding the bandages on his hands, his expression shifting slightly as an aura started to emanate from him, though still faint.
The female Iwa-nin's sharp senses picked up on this change, and she frowned.
"What a troublesome brat," she muttered, her expression growing colder.
Watching from a distance, Ye Zi could also sense the subtle shift in Guy's energy. His gaze swept over Guy, noticing something sticking out of the belt around his waist—something tan-colored.
"Is that…?"
With his sharp eyesight, Yezi could vaguely make out what the tan object was, and a hint of exasperation crossed his face under the mask. To think he's carrying a wallet during a war…
"But… you've grown."
He thought to himself, then suddenly sprang into action, leaping toward a specific direction.
Ye Zi's sudden movement startled White Zetsu, who had no idea what he was up to. He quickly melded into the nearby trees and followed.
The horse-faced Iwa-nin was notorious in Iwagakure. Both his swordsmanship and his unsavory personality were well-known.
In a village where Earth Release was dominant, few ninjas used swords. The nature transformation of Earth Release didn't lend itself well to swordsmanship, making the horse-faced Iwa-nin an anomaly. And he had one of the most unpleasant personalities.
If his opponent was a woman…
His hormones and pineal gland would go haywire, affecting his emotions and behavior. He would start spouting nonsense, his features twisting into an unsettling expression, and he would drool uncontrollably, deriving a sick satisfaction from killing kunoichi.
Just like now…
His long sword relentlessly pressed Kotoe back, and he hadn't stopped talking the entire time.
"Put some effort into it. Honestly, women are so weak."
"How can you be this weak? How am I supposed to feel satisfied?"
"Can't you put up more of a fight, little beauty?"
"Your forehead protector… you're from the Village Hidden in the Grass, aren't you? What are you doing here?"
"I'm curious. Answer me!"
His tongue, snake-like, slithered out as he spoke, saliva spraying with every word, his grotesque behavior on full display.
Despite his repulsive appearance, there was no denying his strength.
Kotoe prided herself on her taijutsu skills, but against the relentless barrage of the horse-faced Iwa-nin, she was forced into a defensive stance, unable to find an opening to counterattack. His sword grew heavier with each strike, and her arms were struggling under the strain.
"Damn it, am I really using all my strength just to block his attacks?"
Constantly retreating under the weight of his attacks, Kotoe had to stay mindful of her surroundings. One mistake would mean certain defeat.
Unconsciously, their fight had moved farther away from Kakashi and the others.
Though she was at a disadvantage, Kotoe's expression remained calm as she waited for an opportunity to strike.
This calmness only fueled the horse-faced Iwa-nin's anger.
"I hate that expression!"
His twisted brows, drooling tongue, and bulging eyes gleamed with grotesque glee as his fury erupted from deep within.
The arc of his sword suddenly shifted, and with an upward slash, he sent a crescent-shaped blade of energy flying toward Kotoe.
Her eyes widened in surprise as she crossed her kunai to block the attack.
The moment the sword collided with the kunai, the sound of metal striking metal echoed through the air. The force of the blow was far stronger than before, and the impact sent Kotoe flying backward.
"This guy…"
Flying through the air, Kotoe's expression changed as she fought to regain control of her body.
"That's the look I was waiting for! Ha ha!"
With a roar, the horse-faced Iwa-nin kicked off the ground, the earth shattering beneath him as he leapt into the air, following Kotoe. Midair, he raised his sword to strike her as she struggled to regain balance.
"Hurry up! Let me see your blood bloom like flowers on your delicate skin, like the beauty of fireworks exploding!"
His twisted thoughts raced through his mind as he closed in on her, the maniacal laughter in his voice drowning out the sound of his sword slicing through the air.
The slash, fueled by his sadistic thrill, cut toward Kotoe.
Seeing the sword coming, Kotoe gritted her teeth and tried to adjust her arms, hoping to block it with her kunai.
But the sword, no longer burdened by its previous weight, moved faster than she could react.
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