The blazing flames surged outward like the claws of a ferocious beast, greedily spreading in every direction. Yet, the real transformation was only just beginning.
Wind Release: Wind Pressure!
A razor-sharp gale sliced through the air, fueling the raging inferno. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Fire fed on wind, growing exponentially. By the time the flames nearly touched the ground, it was no longer a simple blaze—it had become an ocean of fire, crashing down with unstoppable force to meet the torrential water below.
Two monstrous forms of pure elemental energy collided with a deafening roar, locked in a savage struggle. Water and fire clashed, each eruption leaving behind searing clouds of steam.
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!
The aftermath was not mutual destruction but a transformed battlefield—a thick, swirling fog enveloped the land. From above, it resembled a giant steaming cauldron.
Amid the oppressive mist, a silver-haired man sharpened his senses, his gaze darting through the haze. His masked eyes swept his surroundings, wary of lurking danger.
"Not above, not behind, not to the sides... then there's only one possibility."
Boom!
The ground beneath him exploded, scattering shards of rock. A black iron fist shot upward, aiming straight for his face.
The silver-haired man sidestepped gracefully, narrowly avoiding the strike. Now, standing mere feet apart, he and Kakuzu faced each other, their battle reaching its climax.
Without a word, the silver-haired man revealed a kunai crackling with electric energy.
Lightning Release: Blade of a Thousand Bolts!
The kunai gleamed with intense lightning as it streaked toward Kakuzu. In response, Kakuzu's hands blurred, forming seals at blinding speed.
Wind Release: Wind Blade!
A fierce wind, sharp as a giant blade, roared from Kakuzu's mouth, engulfing the silver-haired man.
The silver-haired man's strike landed a fraction of a second faster. His hand clamped onto Kakuzu's left arm, halting his retreat.
Boom!
Lightning clashed with wind, tearing through the mist. The battlefield erupted again in a powerful shockwave, scattering fog, flames, and debris. When the dust settled, only smoldering embers, rushing streams, and crumbling ruins remained.
Both combatants bore marks of their elemental clash. Kakuzu's hardened defense had fractured under the relentless assault, leaving a shallow wound on his arm.
For Kakuzu, such injuries were insignificant, a mere nuisance for someone with the abilities granted by his Earth Grudge Fear technique. Yet, his sharp eyes were fixed on his opponent.
The silver-haired man stood firm, blood seeping from the cuts left by Kakuzu's wind techniques. But something else captured the rogue ninja's attention.
"Crack... Crack... "
Pieces of the man's mask began to crumble, falling away in small fragments. A thin crack snaked across its surface, widening with each passing moment.
Snap!
The lower half of the mask shattered, exposing the silver-haired man's face.
With calm determination, he reached up and removed the remaining piece, revealing his full visage.
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed as a faint smirk crossed his lips.
"Tobirama Senju."
Silver hair, crimson facial markings, and sharp, predatory eyes—it was unmistakable.
Tobirama showed no surprise at being recognized. As the Second of the Senju clan, his image and bounty were well-known in the underworld.
Cracking his neck, Kakuzu let out a low chuckle.
"'The mighty Senju clan. How far they've fallen if someone like you is reduced to chasing coin in the black market."
The insult was laced with mockery, but Tobirama's expression remained cold and unmoved.
Kakuzu's words were no baseless jab. The Senju clan was powerful and wealthy, yet Tobirama was here, seeking funds in secret. There could only be one reason—he was funding something outside the clan's official purview, something even his brother Hashirama couldn't know about.
Seeing Tobirama's silence, Kakuzu's smirk widened.
"No witty retort? Whatever your reason, this should be entertaining."
Tobirama's steely gaze didn't waver as the tension between them thickened, both combatants preparing for the next deadly exchange.
"Since you know who I am, you should understand why I'm here, right?"
Hearing these words, Kakuzu grasped the deeper meaning behind Tobirama Senju's statement. All that talk earlier about robbery or "interest" was nothing more than a smokescreen—or at best, a secondary objective.
The real reason Tobirama had been following him was clear. He had sensed Kakuzu's strength and mystery, but most importantly, Kakuzu's chakra felt completely unfamiliar. As someone who had sensed countless individuals across the Land of Fire, Tobirama had never encountered a chakra quite like his.
It was akin to a tall, unfamiliar figure suddenly appearing in your neighborhood—how could that not raise alarms? Worried that Kakuzu might be a spy from another village infiltrating the Land of Fire, Tobirama had decided to shadow him.
But in truth, it was all just a misunderstanding.
Kakuzu chuckled to himself. A spy? Far from it. He was simply a long-lived individual seeking to make money and enjoy life. Generally speaking, the conflicts between shinobi villages had little to do with him.
"Don't get the wrong idea—I'm just..." Kakuzu began, trying to clear up the misunderstanding. But as the words reached his lips, he hesitated. For a rare moment, uncertainty flickered in his usually composed eyes.
'How do I even explain this to him?'
He considered telling the truth—it was, after all, the simplest explanation. But then his actual purpose crossed his mind.
Was he really supposed to say: Tobirama Senju, don't get me wrong. I'm just here to 'drift around' and take in the sights and culture of your Land of Fire. Once I've had my fill, I'll be on my way without lingering.
Would Tobirama even believe that?
The recent battle had already proven his strength. Someone capable of trading blows with Tobirama Senju himself wasn't here just to enjoy a meal and relax.
Kakuzu felt a headache coming on.
'Shinobi really aren't normal people,' he concluded.
How else could he explain their obsession with nonsensical ideals like the Will of Fire—legends spun from Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha's exploits—and treating it like a treasure passed down for generations?
Tobirama's words left Kakuzu at a loss for how to respond.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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