As Kakuzu's body writhed, his shoulder joint bulged unnaturally. A mont later, a red-lipped mask erged from the joint.
"So you're finally using the power you've stolen."
Jiraiya's gaze hardened as he watched the red-lipped mask appear. Kakuzu had acquired a forbidden technique that allowed him to steal other ninjas' hearts and integrate them into his own body. By doing so, he could wield their elental affinities and prolong his own life indefinitely.
The red-lipped mask, in particular, granted him mastery over Fire Release.
In the original records, this mask had only been seen using one Fire Release: Intelligent Hard Work, an attack that unleashed massive waves of fire capable of engulfing enemies in an inferno. However, Jiraiya wasn't convinced that was its only technique.
There was no way the red mask was limited to just one fire jutsu.
What made it even more dangerous was that the mask could detach from Kakuzu's body, becoming an independent entity that could move and attack on its own.
For now, Kakuzu seed to be relying on just this one mask. No other masks had erged.
Jiraiya swung the Lightning Fla Blade, sending arcs of fire and lightning slashing through the black tendrils that lunged toward him, forcing them back.
"Fire Release: Blazing Fire Bullets!"
Kakuzu quickly ford hand seals, and the red-lipped mask opened its mouth wide, spewing a massive fireball into the sky. The fireball suddenly split into nurous smaller ones, raining down in a wide radius over Jiraiya's position.
"So it really isn't limited to just one technique..."
Watching the fireballs descend, Jiraiya realized that each of Kakuzu's stolen hearts likely had access to multiple jutsu—not just their most powerful ones. Taking him down was going to be even more difficult than anticipated.
Truth be told, Kakuzu was a talent worth recruiting. If possible, Jiraiya would rather not kill him but instead bring him under his command. With his strength and abilities, Kakuzu could accomplish a lot.
However, making soone like Kakuzu submit wouldn't be easy.
Jiraiya swiftly ford hand seals and countered with his own Fire Release, sending a barrage of fire bullets to intercept the falling flas. The two attacks collided mid-air, unleashing waves of heat that ignited the surrounding trees. In re monts, the entire area was engulfed in flas.
Without missing a beat, Jiraiya charged forward, hands weaving signs as he moved. In a flash, seven Shadow Clones materialized, each wielding the Lightning Fla Blade.
The clones scattered in different directions, encircling Kakuzu from all sides before launching their synchronized attack.
This was the Shun-Goku Shadow Assassination Formation.
It was Jiraiya's first ti using it in battle.
He knew Kakuzu had five hearts in total. To truly kill him, he had to destroy all of them. Unfortunately, he wasn't capable of wiping them all out at once.
For now, his goal was to eliminate the red-lipped mask first.
Kakuzu's most powerful composite jutsu required the cooperation of both his Fire and Wind masks.
Taking it down would significantly weaken him.
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed as he tracked the moving Jiraiyas. He couldn't tell which was the real one—each of them radiated the sa dangerous aura.
With no way to differentiate, he was forced to treat all of them as the real threat.
His body erupted with countless black tendrils, expanding outward like a massive web to block the incoming attacks.
At the sa ti, the red-lipped mask unleashed a tidal wave of fire—Intelligent Hard Work.
The sheer speed of the Shun-Goku Shadow Assassination Formation was overwhelming. Though Kakuzu poured everything into his counterattack, he only managed to eliminate four of Jiraiya's clones before their flaming forms were consud by the fire.
The real Jiraiya, along with three remaining clones, broke through his defenses and closed in.
With a swift motion, Jiraiya's Lightning Fla Blade slashed toward the red-lipped mask on Kakuzu's shoulder.
The clones targeted the rest of Kakuzu's body, aiming for the locations where his stolen hearts were stored.
If luck was on his side, they might even destroy another heart in the process.
"Aaaargh!"
A scream tore through the battlefield as Jiraiya's blade cleaved straight through the red-lipped mask and Kakuzu's shoulder, severing it cleanly.
Black liquid gushed from the wound.
Though the Fire mask wasn't one of his hearts, it was still deeply connected to his body via tendrils. Its destruction inflicted significant pain.
anwhile, the other clones' attacks failed to cause critical damage.
Kakuzu's body suddenly hardened, his skin darkening as layers of stone ford over him.
The Lightning Fla Blade struck his stone-like skin, cracking it but failing to deal a fatal wound.
This was Kakuzu's Earth Release defensive jutsu.
In this state, he was virtually impervious to attacks. Even explosive tags wouldn't be enough to harm him.
That Jiraiya's clones had managed to break through even two layers of this defense was already an impressive feat.
Sweat ford on Kakuzu's brow as he processed what had just happened.
He had underestimated Jiraiya.
Had he not activated his defensive jutsu in ti, he might have lost more than just the Fire mask.
He had relied too much on the intelligence provided by Root. Their report on Jiraiya's abilities had been flawed.
According to them, they had compiled a comprehensive list of Jiraiya's techniques.
But now it was clear—they had been talking nonsense.
If he survived this fight, he was going to make them pay extra.
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Pls Drop so Power Stones
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