Chapter 144: Intimidation
Tonari knelt on one knee, clutching his chest as blood continued to flow from his wound. His left hand glowed faintly green with Mystical Palm Technique, barely keeping the injury from worsening—but that was all it could do.
The cloak of Two-Tails' chakra surrounding him had grown so thin it was nearly invisible. Tonari's three summoned spirit beasts—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird—dispersed at his command, merging back into his body.
As the beasts returned, his chakra cloak stabilized slightly, becoming marginally thicker. Most of the energy gathered at his chest, forming a black tomoe-shaped seal that seemed to mend the wound.
However, Tonari knew the truth: it was only a temporary fix.
The lightning spear from Kakuzu's mask had pierced through his chest, causing not just external damage but also wreaking havoc on his internal organs. The intense heat and destructive force of the attack had charred the tissue around the wound, making natural regeneration nearly impossible. Without Creation Rebirth, even a skilled medical ninja like Tonari couldn't fully recover from such an injury.
Kakuzu noticed the changes and raised an eyebrow as chakra tails began to form behind Tonari—one, two, then three.
"I see now," Kakuzu said, his voice heavy. "So you're a Jinchūriki. That explains your strength."
He scrutinized Tonari more closely, his gaze narrowing on the feline features—the faint ears and clawed hands.
"Two-Tails, isn't it?" Kakuzu muttered, recalling the feline appearance of the Bijū. "But the Two-Tails belongs to the Hidden Cloud... How did it end up with Konoha? And why three tails?"
Kakuzu frowned, realizing he didn't have the full picture.
The Hidden Cloud had kept the loss of the Two-Tails a secret, maintaining the illusion of possessing the Bijū to preserve their power and influence. Meanwhile, Tonari had been quietly working to enhance the Two-Tails' power, compensating for its innate chakra limitations by merging it with his own experimental techniques and a pseudo-Bijū derived from his creation, Little Blue.
Despite these enhancements, Tonari knew his situation was dire. His base strength as a shinobi was insufficient to bridge the gap between himself and a veteran Kage-level opponent like Kakuzu.
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Tonari smiled bitterly, thinking, This is really bad. My need to show off has finally caught up with me.
He struggled to his feet, holding himself steady despite his injuries.
Kakuzu's gaze remained cold as he observed the struggling youth.
"I admit, you've earned some respect. You've achieved feats most shinobi couldn't dream of. But in the end, this world is ruled by strength—and money. And right now, you're nothing but my next paycheck. Your head, your heart, and your body... all of it belongs to me now."
Kakuzu's voice was calm, but his tone carried a finality that chilled Tonari to the bone.
Tonari sighed and smiled wryly. "It seems I have no choice left."
He reached into his pouch, retrieving a syringe filled with a pale green liquid. Inside, suspended in the fluid, were dozens of minuscule fragments of living tissue.
"This... this is my last gamble," Tonari muttered to himself. "I really didn't want to use this, but you leave me no choice."
The syringe contained cells derived from the legendary First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. Despite their incredible regenerative properties, they were notoriously aggressive, often overtaking the host's body if not properly controlled.
Tonari hesitated for a moment before injecting the liquid directly into his arm.
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The effect was immediate.
Pain coursed through Tonari's body as Hashirama's cells spread rapidly, their overwhelming vitality clashing with his own. His left arm was the first to change, its flesh becoming unnaturally pale and smooth, almost plant-like.
"Stop!" Tonari roared internally, focusing his chakra to suppress the rampaging cells. Using a delicate balance of water and earth chakra, he slowed the invasion, redirecting the cells' energy toward healing his body instead.
Within moments, his wounds began to close. The hole in his chest sealed shut, and fresh, healthy skin replaced the charred flesh around the injury. Even the strain on his internal organs subsided as the cells repaired the damage.
But Tonari knew he was walking a razor's edge. The same cells that healed him could just as easily consume him if he lost focus.
Kakuzu watched the transformation in stunned silence. His green eyes narrowed as he recognized the pale sheen of Tonari's left arm.
"Hashirama's cells..." Kakuzu muttered. "Impossible. How did a brat like you get your hands on something like that?"
Tonari ignored him, flexing his left hand experimentally. Though it still obeyed his commands, he could feel the alien power coursing through it—a strength that wasn't entirely his own.
To test its potential, Tonari reached out and curled his fingers. A small sapling erupted from the ground in front of him, growing rapidly into a young tree.
"Wood Release," Tonari whispered, his voice filled with awe.
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Kakuzu's expression darkened.
"Wood Release... So it's true. That tree earlier really was your doing."
Tonari smirked faintly, his confidence slowly returning. "Didn't I say so? I never lie."
Kakuzu's mind raced. The last person he had faced with Wood Release was Senju Hashirama himself—a battle that had ended in utter humiliation. The memories of that encounter still haunted him, and the sight of Tonari wielding the same power brought those fears rushing back.
"I won't fall for your tricks," Kakuzu growled, his voice laced with determination.
The masks on his shoulders roared to life, unleashing another devastating combination of fire and wind.
Tonari's hands flashed through a sequence of seals.
"Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!"
Thick wooden pillars erupted from the ground, forming an arching barrier that shielded him from the blast. The fire and wind tore at the structure but failed to penetrate its defenses.
Kakuzu's attacks ceased, leaving only the charred remains of the wooden wall. But Tonari stood unharmed behind it, his expression calm and unyielding.
Kakuzu clenched his fists, his frustration mounting. The memories of his defeat against Hashirama resurfaced, gnawing at his composure.
Tonari noticed the hesitation in Kakuzu's movements and seized the opportunity.
"Kakuzu," he said firmly, drawing the older man's attention.
"What?" Kakuzu growled.
"Let's make a deal."
"A deal?"
Tonari nodded, his tone earnest. "Think about it. We have no real enmity between us. You're only after me because of a bounty—one that's clearly inaccurate. My strength is far beyond what the bounty implies, and you've already suffered losses. Isn't it time to renegotiate?"
Kakuzu didn't respond, but Tonari could see the wheels turning in his mind.
"I'm proposing a partnership," Tonari continued. "With my skills and your strength, we could accomplish far more together than we ever could apart. I'll even help you make more money. In return, all I ask is for your assistance with a few... minor tasks."
Tonari held up his fingers, pinching them together to emphasize the word "minor."
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Kakuzu's expression remained unreadable, but his silence spoke volumes.
For the first time, he was truly considering Tonari's proposal.
End of Chapter
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