Chapter 406: Mugetsu vs Kakuzu
After locking onto his target, Kakuzu set off for the Land of Rain at once.
To Kakuzu, time was money. The sooner he captured Mugetsu, the sooner he could happily pick his next target.
The moment he entered the Land of Rain, Kakuzu began gathering information on Ninja Master Sosuke.
Even though he wanted to finish quickly, he was not reckless enough to charge in blind. The intel made it clear this opponent was not simple.
Yet this investigation turned out far easier than Kakuzu expected.
Ninja Master Sosuke's deeds had already spread throughout the Land of Rain. Kakuzu could pick up plenty just by walking the streets.
Inclusive teaching, freely giving out ninjutsu in Oz Village.
A powerful ninja who had mastered three chakra nature transformations doubting Sosuke's strength, only to be educated from front to back.
Sosuke leading seventy two ninja across the Land of Rain, doing good deeds wherever they went.
"A lucky, naive fool, and a bunch of rabble," Kakuzu concluded after sorting through everything.
In his eyes, Mugetsu's actions were idiotic.
Teaching ninjutsu for free was asking for trouble. Aside from some hollow reputation, there was no real profit.
At best, those he taught would be grateful in the moment. Those with thicker skin might not even bother to say thanks.
If things stayed peaceful, everyone could smile together.
But the instant danger arrived, it would become every man for himself.
It would have been smarter to charge for lessons. At least money was reliable.
Kakuzu, who had once been betrayed by his own village, understood that better than anyone.
He had risked his life on missions, only to be met with accusations and punishment in return.
If even the village that raised him could treat him like that, then how could a group of strangers who had known Mugetsu for less than two months possibly be loyal?
Kakuzu did not care about the seventy two following Mugetsu. He believed that once he displayed his strength, those people would panic, scatter, and abandon Mugetsu.
If they were shinobi from a real village, Kakuzu would not dare underestimate them, even if their ranks were not high.
But a team made up of rogue ninja and a weak little organization did not scare him at all.
Kakuzu did not even look down on killing people like that out of mercy.
He looked down on it because there was usually no bounty.
Killing them would be a waste of effort.
After finishing his information gathering, Kakuzu began the real operation.
Mugetsu did not hide his location, and the group was large enough to track easily.
Kakuzu found them and rushed in to strike.
Mugetsu sensed him approaching and immediately used Appraisal.
"Name: Kakuzu"
"Chakra: 140,000"
"Skills: Earth Grudge Fear (Proficient: 5100/15000), Lightning Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Proficient: 3000/15000), Fire Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Proficient: 2700/15000), Wind Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Proficient), Water Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Proficient), Lightning Release: False Darkness (Proficient)…"
Mugetsu could only say Kakuzu's stats had a familiar flavor.
In terms of ninjutsu, Kakuzu looked like a secondhand, younger version of Hiruzen.
Five chakra nature transformations, plus the matching proficient level ninjutsu.
A miniature Hiruzen, at least on paper.
But outside of that, it was hard to compare.
Hiruzen had countless secret techniques, strong taijutsu, and a powerful summons like Enma.
"You all step back," Mugetsu told the ninja behind him.
Of all the enemies he had met so far, Kakuzu was absolutely among the strongest.
Mugetsu would need to fight seriously.
The group did not fully understand, but they trusted him and retreated anyway.
In the next instant, Kakuzu arrived in a blur, charging straight in.
"Is it another bounty hunter chasing money?" Yahiko frowned.
Kakuzu had not even attacked yet, but the speed of his approach alone did not feel like an ordinary ninja.
"Yahiko, Nagato, Konan," Mugetsu said, voice steady. "Pay more attention to the others in the team."
Even though the three were among the youngest, they were also the strongest.
All three nodded, watching Kakuzu with caution.
"This might be Kakuzu, the legendary strongest assassin in the black market," one ninja said, his face changing the moment he saw the stitches on Kakuzu's arm. "A lot of famous strong people died by his hand. They even say he fought the God of Shinobi."
Because of Earth Grudge Fear, Kakuzu was highly recognizable as long as he was not covered from head to toe.
The others were stunned.
Each sentence was outrageous on its own, and together they painted a terrifying legend.
"But that cannot be right," someone muttered, catching a flaw. "If he is from the era of the God of Shinobi, then even if he did not die, he would be too old to fight."
The ninja who spoke earlier shook his head.
How would he know details like that?
He had only heard bits and pieces once, by accident.
Kakuzu ignored the stares. His cold gaze fixed on Mugetsu.
"It will be easier if you choose to be captured voluntarily."
If he brought Mugetsu in alive, he would earn an extra five million ryo.
Kakuzu would always choose the option that paid more.
Normally, he would not waste words.
The faster he acted, the faster the mission ended.
"It will also be easier if you leave voluntarily," Mugetsu replied, smiling faintly.
Kakuzu's brow tightened.
"Your naivety is misplaced."
Whoosh!
Kakuzu burst forward, chakra flaring, rushing Mugetsu like a spear.
Mugetsu had already activated Transparent World.
He saw the attack coming, caught Kakuzu's fist cleanly, then followed with a punch that sent Kakuzu flying ten meters back.
"Skilled in taijutsu?" Kakuzu touched his abdomen where he had been struck. His expression barely changed as he prepared to switch tactics.
Earth Grudge Fear made his vitality terrifying, but Kakuzu was not stupid enough to stubbornly clash with someone in their strongest field.
Black threads exploded from Kakuzu's back.
A mask monster woven from those threads shot out behind him.
"What kind of ninjutsu is that?" Yahiko asked Nagato, confused.
Before this, whenever Yahiko encountered a technique he did not recognize, he asked Nagato.
Recently, he would have asked Mugetsu directly, but Mugetsu was fighting now.
"I do not recognize it either," Nagato said, shaking his head. "It might be an obscure secret technique."
"Fire Release: Head Hardship!"
The mask with the red mouth opened wide. Chakra gathered inside, then it spat out a fireball that looked small at first glance, aimed straight at Mugetsu.
"Fire Release: Head Hardship!"
Mugetsu formed hand seals at high speed, gathered chakra, converted it into Fire Release in a single burst, compressed it, and expelled it.
It was also a small fireball, but the flames were darker than Kakuzu's.
Kakuzu froze for a fraction of a second.
He did not expect Mugetsu to know this technique too.
What happened next shocked him even more.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Boom!
The two fireballs collided.
Their compressed flames erupted instantly, spreading into a large sea of fire that scorched the ground black.
And Mugetsu's fire was clearly stronger.
It pushed through Kakuzu's flames with overwhelming force, then surged toward Kakuzu as he tried to reposition.
Kakuzu stared at Mugetsu in disbelief.
His plan had been simple.
Let the mask clash with Mugetsu while his main body looked for an opening.
Instead, his Fire Release lost outright, and the gap was not small.
The onlookers were stunned as well.
Even the ninja who had followed Mugetsu for over a month could not hide their surprise.
If Mugetsu had not made them retreat earlier, they might have been swallowed by those flames.
Mugetsu had used Head Hardship before, but it had never looked like this.
"That kind of Fire Release could burn down an entire forest," Ikechou thought, swallowing hard.
Before, he believed he had exaggerated Mugetsu's strength and caused trouble.
Now, he felt he had underestimated it.
Kakuzu retreated rapidly and released his Water Release mask as well.
The Water Release mask spat out a huge stream, saving Kakuzu from being roasted alive.
Kakuzu wiped fine sweat from his forehead. His gaze turned razor sharp.
Mugetsu was likely the second strongest opponent he had ever faced.
Next, Kakuzu released his Wind and Lightning masks too.
He did not dare be careless anymore.
"You all fall back a bit more," Mugetsu said after a brief thought, glancing behind him.
His Fire Release could overpower Kakuzu's Fire Release, but his other attributes were not that exaggerated.
Mugetsu could still suppress Kakuzu in Wind Release and Water Release, but in Lightning Release and Earth Release, Mugetsu was slightly weaker.
The group retreated again without hesitation.
To ensure they could respond in an emergency, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan retreated less than the others.
Under Kakuzu's control, the Wind mask and Fire mask stood together and opened their mouths at the same time.
"Fire Release: Head Hardship!"
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
A fireball and a wind sphere launched together.
Wind fed the fire, and a vast sea of flames erupted in an instant.
Mugetsu silently created a shadow clone.
His main body used Fire Release, while the clone used Wind Release.
"Fire Release: Head Hardship!"
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
It was the same combination.
Fireball plus wind sphere.
Wind feeding fire.
But Mugetsu's sea of flames swallowed Kakuzu's wave almost immediately.
Kakuzu fell silent.
For a moment, he felt numb.
It was like Mugetsu was toying with him, copying every technique, but making it stronger.
Kakuzu's main body, together with his Water and Lightning masks, barely managed to block Mugetsu's flames.
Fortunately, Kakuzu had lived for more than seventy years.
He had seen too many things to panic now.
He adjusted his plan instantly.
The Water and Lightning masks would tie down Mugetsu's attention.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu's main body, along with the Wind and Fire masks, would hunt for openings.
His Earth Grudge Fear masks were far stronger than shadow clones.
They could be destroyed, but they were not as easily shattered.
Soon, Kakuzu began causing Mugetsu real trouble.
Because Kakuzu's main body could also interfere with Mugetsu by using Earth Grudge Fear threads to disrupt his movements and timing.
"How do I defeat Kakuzu while spending the least chakra?" Mugetsu calculated silently as he fought.
If it was only about winning, Mugetsu had many ways.
With perfect level Fire Release chakra nature transformation and Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, he could take Kakuzu by surprise and wipe out all the masks with a full power Fire Release.
As long as he did not use Fire Release ninjutsu the way Obito did, no one would connect it to Flame Breathing. They would only think his Fire Release was absurdly strong.
But that kind of power came with heavy chakra cost.
Mugetsu had chakra anxiety.
If his reserves dropped below fifty percent, he felt uncomfortable.
He feared running into enemies on the level of the Third Raikage, the Third Tsuchikage, or Hanzo while his chakra was low.
So he wanted to defeat Kakuzu with as little chakra as possible, saving strength in case something unexpected happened.
That was also because Kakuzu had not targeted Mugetsu's followers.
If Kakuzu had begun slaughtering the group, Mugetsu would have ended the fight as fast as possible, no matter the cost.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Yahiko formed hand seals and spat out a water dragon, aiming at the Fire mask.
"Uncle Sosuke, let us help you pin down some of the masks!" Yahiko shouted.
After watching the battle, Yahiko had learned enough to understand what Kakuzu was.
Seeing Mugetsu under pressure, Yahiko felt he had to step in.
Konan followed by flinging paper shuriken.
Nagato used Lightning Release to coordinate with Yahiko, turning the Water Dragon Bullet into a Lightning Release Water Dragon Bullet, boosting its power and adding a paralyzing effect.
Not only the three of them, but other ninja with long range techniques also fired off attacks at Kakuzu's masks.
But without coordination or training together, the strikes were chaotic and mostly ineffective.
Mugetsu let out a small sigh.
He had expected this, which was why he tried to handle it alone.
Dozens of strangers were not easy to coordinate in a real fight.
"Do you like seeking death that much?" Kakuzu looked at the group attacking him, genuinely confused.
He could not defeat Mugetsu quickly, but did they really think he could not kill a bunch of ordinary rogue ninja?
"In that case, I will deal with you first," Kakuzu said coldly.
He controlled his Wind and Fire masks to unleash a combination attack toward the group.
With that technique, even if he did not wipe them out completely, at least half would die.
To Kakuzu, half dead and fully wiped out were the same for a team like this.
With losses that heavy, the survivors would run.
A terrifying aura rose in that instant.
Mugetsu's breathing narrowed into absolute focus.
The chakra inside him burned like a furnace, pouring strength through his body.
"Fire Dragon Dance!"
Mugetsu gathered a massive amount of chakra in his throat.
Under the amplification of Yang Release Breathing Chakra Mode, it transformed instantly into a powerful Fire Release output.
Mugetsu made a show of forming a hand seal, then expelled flames that were vicious, blazing, and unbearably hot.
Under Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, he did not truly need hand seals.
But to avoid exposing his identity, he still had to put on a performance.
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