"Dammit, you nearly killed me!"
Deep gouges scarred the ground in front of Ganraku, evidence that he had leapt clear of the explosion just in time. His earlier composure was nowhere to be seen. The roast chicken he'd been holding was long forgotten, and his body tensed as his hands moved into position. Crossing his thumbs, his right hand gripped over his left, forming the Tiger Seal.
A chilling bloodlust radiated from his narrow pupils—Ganraku was genuinely enraged by Kakuzu.
"Oh? You managed to escape the blast unscathed—just with speed?" Kakuzu, a survivor of countless battles, was unfazed by Ganraku's killing intent. What intrigued him was how Ganraku had evaded the explosion in the first place.
As Kakuzu's calculating gaze locked onto Ganraku, every subtle movement was analyzed and processed like data in his mind.
'It's his legs.'
Within two seconds, Kakuzu came to a conclusion. Most people, whether standing casually or at attention, naturally adopt an outward toe stance. But Ganraku's posture was inward, his toes pointing slightly toward each other. The churned-up dirt around his feet indicated an immense amount of chakra focused in his legs.
"Focusing chakra into your legs to achieve near-teleportation speed… As expected of Iwagakure's Explosion Corps." Kakuzu's tone wasn't mocking; it carried genuine admiration.
Every village had its elite units, and Iwagakure's Explosion Corps was notorious for their mobility, destruction, and sheer power. Even a rogue ninja from such a unit couldn't be underestimated.
Kakuzu pulled his hands from his pockets, his stance shifting as he bent his knees slightly, his hands curling into claw-like shapes at his sides. Both men were now in combat mode.
Yet, a minute passed, and neither made a move.
It wasn't hesitation—it was strategy. Both were intent on gathering as much information as possible before attacking. Intelligence could tip the scales in battle, and for seasoned fighters like them, even a stalemate served a purpose.
Kakuzu's expression turned curious as he studied Ganraku.
"Maintaining such a high level of chakra in your legs… isn't that exhausting?"
Ganraku's face twitched, but he quickly masked it with a cold sneer.
"I know you're strong, but you can't kill me. Understand?" His voice brimmed with confidence, as if declaring the outcome was already decided.
Kakuzu responded with a dry chuckle. "A clumsy attempt at provocation."
He wasn't about to be baited into a premature attack. But Ganraku wasn't entirely wrong—Kakuzu didn't have the patience to drag this out any longer.
"Fine. Ready yourself."
With those words, Kakuzu's eyes flared with an overwhelming aura, and he lunged forward like an arrow released from a bowstring.
"So fast!"
Ganraku's pupils contracted in shock. For the first time, he fully realized Kakuzu's physical prowess. In pure taijutsu, he knew he couldn't win.
But a ninja's strength wasn't solely in their body.
"Hmph!"
Ganraku's eyes gleamed with determination. Ninja battles weren't won with brute strength alone.
Kakuzu's figure blurred as he closed the gap in an instant, his clawed hand aiming for Ganraku's chest. Ganraku countered with a kunai while retreating quickly, his movements precise but defensive.
As the exchange unfolded, Kakuzu's sharp eyes caught a crucial opening.
"There!"
He raised his right fist and swung it down with incredible force.
The air howled as the punch carved through it, a fierce shockwave heading straight for Ganraku's chest. This was a strike meant to shatter ribs and end fights.
In the split second before impact, Ganraku crossed his arms over his chest to shield himself.
Boom!
The impact was like being struck by a speeding car. Even with all his strength, Ganraku couldn't completely block it. He gritted his teeth, struggling to keep his feet planted as the force drove him backward, leaving deep trenches in the ground.
Panting heavily, Ganraku's heart raced, and his breathing grew ragged. Surviving a direct hit from Kakuzu felt like it had cost him half his life.
But he had endured.
With an immense effort, Ganraku suppressed the pain and steadied himself, a faint smile curling on his lips as he raised his head.
Because it was over.
"Die!"
Ganraku completed his hand seals, a final shout echoing with wild determination. Kakuzu had underestimated him, and it would cost him.
Boom!!!
A massive explosion erupted from beneath the ground, precisely where Kakuzu and Ganraku had first clashed.
One explosion followed another, an endless chain of detonations. It was as if the earth itself had been laced with explosive tags, each going off in perfect succession.
A series of explosions erupted in rapid succession, engulfing Kakuzu in a cloud of smoke and dust. The shockwaves swept through the area, leaving Ganraku's afro slightly disheveled. Fortunately, he had maintained just the right distance, avoiding any direct harm from the blasts.
"That bastard is really something else!" Ganraku clutched his chest, his face pale. To be honest, he wasn't doing too well himself. Kakuzu's punch had caused internal injuries, and he had burned through a significant amount of chakra. He'd need a good period of rest after this fight—provided no other bounty hunters found him in the meantime.
Still, the battle wasn't without its rewards. Ganraku turned his gaze toward the dissipating smoke.
"That guy's head should fetch a good price on the market. Hahaha!" Ganraku's face twisted into a grin, one tinged with a hint of madness. Limping slightly, he made his way toward the smoke to retrieve Kakuzu's body, intending to figure out a way to cash it in on the black market later.
However, just as the smoke was beginning to clear, Ganraku's grin froze in place. He didn't need to see it clearly—his instincts told him something was wrong.
Quickly gathering chakra, Ganraku slid backward in a hurried retreat, his eyes fixed on the scene ahead.
Sure enough, a tall figure emerged from the fading smoke, walking slowly toward him.
When Kakuzu reappeared, his body encased in a layer of black armor, Ganraku's expression twisted into one of disbelief. Not only had Kakuzu survived the explosion unscathed, but he looked as though he hadn't even been hurt.
Kakuzu's gaze turned to Ganraku, and a faintly amused smirk spread across his face.
"To be honest, this particular transformation of Earth Release is new to me. Not bad," Kakuzu remarked casually.
As everyone knew, aside from Yin and Yang, chakra could be divided into five elemental natures. Each nature had various transformation forms, leading to different effects.
For example, Water Release typically had two main variations: offensive and defensive. Offensive techniques included Water Dragon Bullet or Water Severing Wave, while defensive techniques featured moves like Water Formation Wall or Water Prison.
Earth Release, however, had far more diverse transformations. Defensively, there was Earth Formation Wall. Offensively, techniques like Earth Dragon Bullet were common. It could even be used to enhance the user's body, such as Kakuzu's Earth Release: Earth Spear.
Lastly, there was a rarer transformation of Earth Release: the ability to cause explosions by infusing chakra into the earth. This was likely the foundation for Iwagakure's Explosive Corps.
"The technique you're using must be a form of ninjutsu that turns chakra into buried explosives. Am I right?" Kakuzu's calm analysis hit the mark, causing Ganraku's expression to twitch noticeably.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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