The items atop the statue's ten giant tails were like fuses igniting desire, instantly detonating the deathly silence within the underground palace.
"Move!"
Someone shouted in a low voice, and the oppressive atmosphere shattered with a bang.
Several figures shot upward like arrows released from a bow, sprinting across the enormous statue and rushing toward their respective targets!
Aside from a few well-known powerhouses, there were also some lucky Cloud and Konoha ninja who had made it inside, along with several bounty hunters whose identities remained unknown.
There was absolutely no way to divide the treasures evenly, nor was that possible.
The only choice was to kill and seize them through one's own strength!
The silent underground palace, because of this statue and these ten treasures, once again transformed into an arena of desire and slaughter.
"Puh!"
"Gahhh!"
Several miserable screams rang out almost simultaneously.
Long Zhe's body suddenly erupted with astonishing speed.
The black short spear in his hand let out a shriek that tore through the air as he grinned viciously and slashed out a deadly arc before him.
The Cloud ninja ahead of him turned back in panic.
The kunai in his hand rose too late to fully block.
The tremendous force sent both man and weapon flying backward, while a massive spray of blood erupted from his torn-open chest.
"HAHAHAHA! DIE DIE DIE!!"
This madman Long Zhe seemed completely unconcerned about what item rested atop the tail he had chosen.
He directly selected the tail with the most people on it, wildly swinging his spear despite blood still dripping from the cavity in his chest.
Those crimson eyes resembled a demon from hell itself as he lunged toward another Konoha ninja ahead of him.
That fearless posture, one that even enjoyed pain, instantly terrified the people charging ahead!
Unlike Long Zhe, Kakuzu's gaze was precise and greedy.
Without hesitation, he chose the tallest tail in the center.
In his view, the highest point naturally contained the most valuable object.
"Though… why is that thing called 'Nameless'?"
Recalling the name he had seen earlier below, a trace of confusion crossed Kakuzu's mind.
But that feeling was quickly discarded.
Bang! Bang!
His arms, connected by black tendrils, grabbed two figures moving at similar speeds on either side.
Without even looking, he swung his arms and smashed both people down like rag dolls.
At this moment, only two figures remained ahead of Kakuzu.
And he happened to recognize both of them.
One was naturally the Two-Tails jinchūriki of Kumogakure, Yugito Nii.
At this moment, she darted upward on all fours with feline agility.
As for the other.
"Kakashi Hatake?"
Seeing that equally swift figure, Kakuzu narrowed his eyes slightly.
'How much was his bounty again?'
The bounty photos from the underground black market rolled through his mind like slot machine reels, and soon he found the corresponding price and head value.
'Tch, unfortunate.'
'Just one Sharingan, not valuable.'
'If it were a Byakugan, that would be better.'
'There seemed to be a Hyuga brat around here too, though probably some pitiful branch family member.'
'His price wasn't even as high as this Kakashi.'
Thinking this, Kakuzu glanced toward the Hyūga brat in white on the neighboring tail.
Yet he froze slightly.
Lightning arcs twisted around the boy like serpents, and his speed was actually even faster than Kakashi and Yugito!
"Isn't that guy from the Hyuga clan? What's with that Lightning Release ninjutsu?"
The few people who had chosen the same tail as Arata were also dumbfounded.
The moment they saw his Byakugan, they instinctively distanced themselves from him.
Only to watch that guy come rushing forward amid sparks and lightning.
Anyone ahead of him or attempting to block him was instantly paralyzed by the lightning arcs surrounding his body.
He was about to reach the top of the tail.
Kakuzu pondered briefly.
But in the end, deciding it wasn't worth the trouble or profit, he withdrew his gaze and focused on Yugito ahead.
The next moment, seams split open at his wrists.
Dense black tendrils shot forth like venomous snakes emerging from their nest, lunging directly toward Yugito's legs.
"This bastard wants to use the same trick again?"
Already wary, Yugito snorted coldly.
Her cat-like agile form easily dodged the black tendrils.
But when she turned to continue charging upward, she was shocked to discover that the tendrils sweeping past her showed no intention of retracting.
Instead, they accelerated like serpents and stabbed directly toward the top.
Then, without the slightest difficulty, they pierced into the sphere, retrieved an object from within, and rapidly retracted.
"KAKUZU!!"
Yugito's pupils first shrank, then exploded with fury like a cat whose fur had been bristled.
The Two-Tails' chakra erupted violently alongside her rage!
Her ten fingers transformed into razor-sharp claws as she slashed toward the rapidly retracting black tendrils.
Seeing this, Kakashi also acted without hesitation.
His Sharingan spun rapidly, seizing an opening as the Chidori in his hand shrieked and slashed toward the tendrils!
Snap! Snap!
Several tendrils broke under the combined assault of the two, writhing in the air like severed venomous snakes.
But many more managed to block the attacks through their toughness and flexibility.
The two intended to continue attacking, but at that moment, Kakuzu's body suddenly hunched slightly.
Rip!!
With a scalp-numbing tearing sound, countless black threads wriggled out from his body like living tentacles awakening.
They twisted and tore through his flesh, bursting from his back.
The black threads danced wildly like a raging black tide.
A white mask monster with blue stripes painted across its mouth emerged from his left shoulder.
Without question, it was the heart representing Wind Release chakra.
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
The Wind mask monster opened its mouth wide.
Wind chakra gathered within, compressed under immense pressure before erupting outward.
WHOOOM!!
Like a howl expelled from the monster's mouth.
The violent wind compressed and exploded into a hurricane that twisted toward Yugito and Kakashi in the distance.
One bounty hunter was sucked into the meat-grinder-like storm.
Before he could even scream, his flesh was shredded into bloody mist.
Yugito and Kakashi's expressions changed drastically.
But they could only helplessly evade the attack and watch as the tendrils carrying the stolen item withdrew safely.
"Hmph. Two naïve brats."
Kakuzu's low, hoarse voice emerged from beneath his mask as he mocked them:
"Fast runners? What's the point of being fast? This isn't a race. Learn to use your brains."
Hearing this, Yugito and Kakashi exchanged glances.
At this moment, they reached a temporary understanding and prepared to attack Kakuzu together.
However, Kakuzu's shocked and irritated voice sounded first.
"W-what the hell is this thing?!"
The two instinctively looked over.
Their expressions immediately became strange.
Kakuzu was holding a sword that looked utterly miserable.
Heavy rust covered at least ninety percent of its surface, forming ugly dark brown blotches.
Beneath the rust were countless cracks spread across the blade like a spiderweb.
Some cracks were so deep the dull inner spine of the sword could be seen.
Even the cloth wrapped around the hilt had long since rotted into mud.
This was clearly just a pile of scrap metal that could shatter at any moment.
It looked like the failed product of some blacksmith, discarded casually into a corner where it rusted away.
Kakuzu unwillingly tried channeling chakra into it, hoping it was forged from chakra metal.
The result, Crack!
A brittle sound rang out.
The cracks on the blade widened slightly…
"HAHAHAHA!"
Seeing this, Yugito couldn't hold back any longer.
Clutching her stomach, she burst into laughter and mocked him: "I don't know whether running fast is useful or not, but after all your scheming, THIS is what you got?"
"Don't worry, that trash is all yours. No, one, is, stealing, it!"
As those mocking words fell, Yugito shot away like lightning from a drawn bowstring, rushing toward another tail nearby.
Kakashi chose a different direction.
"DAMN IT! Why is there worthless trash like this here, and why was it placed so high up?!"
Kakuzu's face darkened completely.
Furiously throwing aside the broken junk sword, he looked toward Yugito as black tendrils attached to his arms lashed out violently.
But the same trick no longer worked twice.
"GET LOST!"
A savage roar exploded outward.
A tail of blue flame-like chakra emerged behind Yugito, instantly knocking away the tendrils.
Then her already agile speed surged again.
She tore apart several figures blocking her path with her claws and lunged forcefully toward the sphere at the top.
The instant she grasped the item within, a name surfaced in her mind.
Her narrowed cat-like pupils widened instantly.
'God-Striking Whip.'
Kakuzu's vicious gaze locked onto Yugito.
Behind him, black tentacles surged violently.
A Lightning Release mask monster resembling the Gyuki emerged, blinding lightning suddenly illuminating its hollow mouth.
"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"
Crackle! Crackle!
A spear of pure lightning burst forth from the mask monster's mouth with a terrifying shriek and blinding radiance!
The speed of False Darkness was beyond imagination.
Its power was enough to pierce solid mountain rock.
The air itself crackled and burned wherever it passed.
Yet facing this attack, Yugito didn't even look back.
She pulled the object from the sphere and swung it violently.
WOOOM!!
Kakuzu's vision blurred.
A blue afterimage flashed past.
A sharp whistle tore through the air before thunder exploded.
Yugito had seemingly thrown lightning itself with her bare hands.
She actually smashed apart the False Darkness lightning spear, scattering it into countless violent arcs of electricity!
"…What?"
Kakuzu's eyes filled with confusion and shock.
Until he saw the object in Yugito's hand.
It was a whip.
Not a soft whip, but one formed from tightly interlocking golden diamond-shaped segments.
It tapered thinner from the two-finger-wide handle toward the end.
Under Yugito's Lightning Release chakra infusion, tiny purple arcs crackled between the segments, constantly emitting sharp, shrill hums.
"Arashi… Is that the name of the being who personally forged this ninja tool?"
Yugito explored the fragmented memories appearing in her mind.
Her body trembled slightly.
Within those shattered remnants, in the hands of that figure.
This ninja tool could casually summon lightning capable of shattering mountains with a single swing.
Its naming style resembled the Six Paths ninja tools.
But this "God-Striking Whip" was clearly far more focused on killing power and aggression.
She wasn't particularly skilled at Lightning Release nature transformation.
Yet under this weapon's enhancement, its effects were already this terrifying.
And that wasn't all… Yugito looked toward Kakuzu in the distance and grinned.
"My turn now!"
CRACK!!
The whip lashed out.
The tip tore through the air with a shrill thunder-like scream.
The shadow of the whip stretched like solid lightning itself.
Kakuzu's heart instantly tightened.
Without even having time to form hand seals, dozens, hundreds, of black tendrils shot out like venomous pythons, tearing through the air with shrill screeches.
Yet the result of those tendrils touching the whip, was like snow melting beneath the blazing sun.
They dissolved inch by inch, unable to display any of their famed toughness or adaptability.
The next moment, the whip wrapped around the bundled tendrils.
Feeling his chakra suddenly sealed, Kakuzu's usually calm expression changed.
"A sealing technique?!"
The moment he realized the whip's ability, Yugito's arm trembled as she yanked violently.
The tendrils wrapped around the whip were instantly dragged by immense force.
Kakuzu's body was ripped directly off the statue!
BOOM!!
Just like the people he had thrown earlier, Kakuzu was smashed viciously into the ground in an incomparably miserable state, pain exploding through his body.
"Cough! I'll kill you!"
Kakuzu groaned and rose furiously, preparing to charge Yugito again.
But then.
Mad, unrestrained laughter echoed through the chamber.
"HAHAHA! Is this the blessing of Lord Jashin?! I LOVE IT!"
Long Zhe now held a black-red glowing chakra-metal scythe.
With a reverse slash, he cut a Cloud ninja attempting hand seals cleanly in half at the waist!
Not only Long Zhe, one Cloud jonin had obtained gauntlet-shaped chakra weapons.
Three coordinated Xuanyuan Group members wearing demon masks obtained chakra blades.
Another figure in black robes hiding their appearance obtained a chakra-metal bow.
Even the broken sword Kakuzu had discarded had been casually picked up by a Konoha ninja.
"DAMN IT!"
Only now did Kakuzu suddenly realize, aside from himself, everyone else had already gained something.
Eight spheres had nearly all been claimed.
Only the final one remained.
And it wasn't that no one wanted it, no one could lift it.
Because it was simply too heavy!
Many people were already cursing aloud.
The item was right before their eyes.
Yet they couldn't lift it at all.
Kakashi forcibly fought his way through everyone ahead of him.
His chakra was nearly exhausted, his breathing ragged and weak.
Finally, he removed the item from the sphere.
It was a black wooden box.
Its weight was likewise considerable.
But now wasn't the time to see what was inside.
Kakashi looked toward the surviving Konoha ninja and shouted: "GO! Don't stay here!"
"We got it!"
"Get out of here!"
"Cover Yugito!"
Not only him, everyone who had obtained something immediately exploded forward at full speed toward the entrance, the exit.
Kakuzu, furious and humiliated, had no choice but to target the final ignored sphere.
Both arms became coated in the black hardened armor of Earth Release: Earth Spear.
At the same time, hundreds of black tendrils wrapped around the object like a spiderweb.
Only then did he barely manage to slowly pull a one-handed axe from the sphere.
"Ten no gunken( Heavenly Cluster Cloud Sword)?"
Kakuzu stared at the axe before him.
"You call THIS thing a sword?"
Thinking about how he had only obtained either junk or absurdly heavy nonsense,
Then seeing everyone else leaving loaded with treasures, Kakuzu's face darkened to the extreme.
Those were all MONEY!
Any chakra blade in the black market was priceless and impossible to find!
"LEAVE THOSE BEHIND!"
Countless Earth Grudge Fear tendrils surged from his body, knotting into enormous tentacles that smashed toward everyone.
At times like this.
The ninja tools they had just obtained immediately proved their worth.
Lightning.
Blade flashes.
Mad laughter.
Explosions.
Countless tendrils were shredded, smashed apart, and severed.
Only Kakashi, wearing his trademark dead-fish eyes filled with helplessness, raised his hand to form seals and squeezed out the last scraps of chakra remaining within him.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
A wall engraved with a dog's face instantly rose up before the massive hammer-like tendrils.
BOOM!!
But it only held for a moment before exploding apart into countless stones and dust.
Kakuzu's enormous tendrils, filled with fury and resentment, continued smashing toward him with unstoppable force!
Within the smoke and dust, fine blood vessels filled Kakashi's eyes.
His Sharingan closed weakly.
His heavy breathing revealed he had reached his limit.
At that critical instant, a clear whistle suddenly sliced through the air beside him!
WHOOSH!
A white figure streaked in from the distance like flowing light.
It precisely grabbed Kakashi's collar and lifted him upward.
Caught completely off guard, Kakashi's feet left the ground.
His field of vision suddenly widened, and his trademark dead-fish eyes widened as well.
"Kakashi-senpai, are you alright?"
Only after hearing the concerned voice did Kakashi regain his senses and look upward.
That face, was Arata.
Only, at this moment, a pair of enormous white wings had spread behind him.
The feathers radiated a soft glow.
As though woven from the purest light itself.
Completely incompatible with the underground palace's darkness and filth.
Yet at that moment, Kakashi's pupils suddenly contracted.
Reflected within them were the black tendril tentacles smashing down behind Arata.
"Watch out-"
Before he could finish speaking, Arata's wings beat powerfully once.
In an instant, they flew dozens of meters away.
BOOM!!
The torrent of black tendrils powerful enough to shatter mountains slammed into the wall with a deafening roar.
Arata spread his wings again, hovering calmly in midair.
The warmth that usually filled his face had vanished.
His cold gaze looked down upon Kakuzu below, who now resembled a monster more than a human.
"Filth."
He uttered those two icy words indifferently.
The moment the words fell, Wind Release chakra surged like a roaring flood into the giant white wings behind him.
Then, before everyone's eyes, he slowly raised his arm toward Kakuzu.
His wings folded forward violently as his robes billowed amid the raging currents.
SHHK! SHHK SHHK!
An endless storm of razor-sharp slicing sounds exploded forth!
Those originally soft and fluffy white feathers, had transformed into indestructible white arrows.
Every feather carried the cutting edge of refined steel itself.
Without a trace of flourish.
They collided head-on with Kakuzu's black tendrils!
The front ends of the tendrils, were instantly shredded, sliced apart, and minced to pieces.
As though thrown into a high-speed meat grinder made of countless white feathers!