Chapitre 241: Chapter 240: Dude, Are You Really the Second Coming of Hashirama Senju?
Breathing out. Breathing in. His nerves tightened with each breath.
What does it mean to be a professional assassin? This is what it means.
Within half a second, he adjusted his state of mind, putting in full effort. Even when he is assassinating a regular person, he ensures that all risks are eradicated before they even arise.
The man was a hardened veteran, having weathered many storms, and participated in the three great Shinobi Wars. He had personally witnessed shinobi fall to the hands of mere commoners, fully aware that assassination was no child's play. Every time he struck, he had to be prepared to die on the mission.
It was this rare caution that had kept him alive until now, thriving in the dark underworld.
"Haah..."
The man exhaled his last breath of turbid air and vanished from where he stood.
In the next moment, his foot landed on the courtyard's cobblestone path. The wave-like pulse of chakra rippled outward, and the man realized he had triggered the sensory barrier.
'First second, detected by the barrier,' the man noted, without hesitation, as he dashed forward. The structure of the courtyard and house unfolded in his mind.
He wasn't a shinobi skilled in reconnaissance techniques. Even though he had a vague idea of the target's location, he still had to rely on his eyesight for confirmation.
In the blink of an eye, he found the room.
*Bang!*
He kicked open the door, startling a young man who looked up in panic. With his red hair and handsome face, he was exactly like the photo on the scroll—this was his target, Arai!
'Next second, target located.' The assassin grinned, everything proceeding according to plan.
'And now, the third second... kill...' He drew out a kunai, naturally aiming at Arai's heart due to a certain habit.
However, the man didn't throw the kunai, even though such an action was as easy for him as eating or drinking.
—Even though he wasn't a sensory-type shinobi, he could still sense the enormous chakra presence behind him.
Like the deep sea, as immovable as a mountain.
"Is that you, Kakuzu?" A young voice reached his ears.
Boom!
It was only at this moment that the explosive shockwaves began echoing in the air.
Kakuzu gasped in shock. He knew the opponent's speed was too fast; they had outrun the sound itself!
Slowly, he turned to face the newcomer.
An incredibly handsome man stood there, long hair flowing past his waist, with a purple rhombus-shaped mark on his forehead and pure white eyes.
—It was the most notorious S-rank rogue shinobi in history, The Moon God, Yuto Hyuga!
"Damn it, it's a trap!" Kakuzu gritted his teeth, his emerald eyes locked onto the young man.
"Yuto Hyuga... have we met before?"
"No, so don't be nervous. I'm not going to kill you just yet..." Yuto's voice suddenly came closer. Kakuzu was horrified to realize that Yuto had somehow appeared behind him!
"Too many eyes here. Let's talk somewhere quieter." Yuto placed his hand on Kakuzu's shoulder, his ocular powers flowing through Kakuzu's body. Then, with a powerful toss, Kakuzu was sent flying, wrapped in a golden light, vanishing into the distance.
"If Konan returns, tell her to meet me at sea," Yuto instructed Arai, before disappearing as well.
Whoosh—
Kakuzu, still wrapped in Kumoniba's golden light, flew over Flower Garden City, landing in the sea over a thousand meters away.
Boom!
He struck the water with such force that waves tens of meters high were thrown into the air.
"Yuto Hyuga!" Kakuzu's forehead veins bulged as he shouted.
"What exactly do you want?!"
"Don't be so hasty. I'm not much of a talker, and if you keep yelling at me, I might forget what I was going to say, which means I'll have to resort to force," Yuto said with a smile as he pulled out a black cloak adorned with red clouds.
"Put this on, and come with me."
"...You want me to join the Akatsuki?" Kakuzu frowned.
"You're a rogue shinobi from Takigakure, so to be precise, you'd be joining the Akatsuki."
"Yuto Hyuga, someone of your caliber actually needs help from others?"
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not interested in your Earth Grudge Fear, but in your ability to make money!" Yuto shrugged, his tone mild but his words infuriating Kakuzu.
"Join the Akatsuki. Earn money. And give it to me."
The man cursed with the Earth Grudge Fear took several deep breaths to suppress his anger.
"And in exchange, what do I get?"
"That's a difficult question... You don't need money, ordinary ninjutsu won't impress you, and you don't seem to have any grand dreams that need fulfilling..." Yuto pondered for a while before his eyes suddenly lit up.
"I'll give you an opportunity. Under the condition that you won't die, you'll get to face the strongest shinobi of this era."
"Yuto Hyuga, are you joking?"
"Joking? If you truly think I'm joking, then I'm very disappointed... Kakuzu of the Five Hearts."
The winds and waves stilled for a moment as an indescribable atmosphere filled the space between them. Kakuzu's fingers began trembling uncontrollably.
He knew exactly what it was—fear mixed with excitement... the will to fight!
Anyone who left their mark on the shinobi world wanted to know just how far they stood from being the "strongest." It was the competitive instinct of all shinobi!
No one knew that Kakuzu's admiration for Hashirama Senju was etched into his very bones.
That unmatched invincibility demanded respect from anyone.
"Fine!" Kakuzu muttered, removing the mask that covered his mouth and nose. Black tendrils emerged from his throat, and his joints disconnected from his body. Four bizarre creatures appeared behind him, each breathing heavily as they faced Yuto.
Five hearts, five elemental releases, and an unparalleled vitality—Kakuzu's power was laid bare for all to see.
"What an impressive secret technique," Yuto nodded slightly.
"Such power is worthy of respect. Let me show my sincerity as well..."
The corners of his white eyes began turning a faint blue as the power of the Ōtsutsuki coursed through him.
"This is the God's Mask."
Black lines spread across his face, forming a unique pattern.
"This is Sage Mode."
Kakuzu, sensing something, looked up towards the golden light in the clouds above.
Though it had not yet descended, the man with five hearts found his skin starting to bleed slowly.
It was as if a powerful being had pulled the stars into a full moon and aimed them directly at him.
"This... this is the Murakumo Slash!"
"Indeed," Yuto said, without a hint of emotion, as he pointed at Kakuzu.
"Just surviving to witness this technique is something you can be proud of."
Kakuzu couldn't see how the technique was launched, and he didn't even have the ability to resist for a single second. Upon hearing Yuto's words, golden light pierced through him, sending him crashing into the depths of the sea.
"Ah... so this really is what it's like to face someone like Hashirama Senju..." As he lost consciousness, Kakuzu could only think of that.
He closed his eyes in contentment.
On that day, once again, the sea outside Free City was illuminated by a eye technique, akin to gods punishment.
...
Boom!
Konan looked at the battered and broken Kakuzu, rubbing her forehead in frustration.
"Yuto-sama, please don't tell me you actually pulled out two of his hearts."
"How could I? Just half of one."
"So only one heart was destroyed? That's a relief."
Stretching, Yuto chuckled and shook his head.
"Multiply that."
"...Four hearts, then."
(End of Chapter)
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone