Bab 57: Chapter:56
Kirito stood before Kakuzu, who had just revived, his body reforming with black threads writhing around him. The surrounding Akatsuki members watched the scene unfold, their eyes filled with curiosity. No one seemed surprised that Kakuzu was still standing; after all, they knew about his five hearts. But Kirito wasn't part of that inner circle yet, so this knowledge wasn't something he had.
"Kakuzu has five lives," Orochimaru mused to himself, stepping back with a grin, anticipating the coming fight. He wanted to see how Kirito would handle this challenge, now that Kakuzu was back in full force.
Without warning, Kakuzu launched a vicious attack, his right arm separating from his body as black tendrils extended towards Kirito's chest. It was an attack fueled by his Earth Grudge technique, a punch aiming straight for Kirito's heart. But before the strike could land, Kirito's Chidori Spear pierced through Kakuzu's abdomen once more, causing him to lose yet another heart.
"Ah!" Kakuzu screamed in pain, collapsing to the ground. Kirito, unfazed, dismissed his Chidori Spear with a casual flick of his wrist.
"You're not fooling anyone. A dead man doesn't have chakra. Playing dead is such an outdated trick," Kirito remarked, a slight shrug of indifference accompanying his words.
Kakuzu's frustration mounted. "I'll kill you!" he roared, his remaining two heart masks – Fire and Wind – detaching from his body. The masked monsters took shape, their dark forms merging together. In unison, the creatures opened their mouths, unleashing a deadly combination of flames and hurricane winds.
This was Kakuzu's ultimate combination jutsu, an elemental fusion of Fire Style: Head Release and Wind Style: Suppression – a fiery maelstrom known as Flame Wind Chaos.
"Kakuzu's not holding back anymore," Orochimaru observed with an unsettling smile, stepping even farther away from the impending chaos. His eyes glimmered with intrigue as he pondered Kirito's next move. The rest of the Akatsuki members also backed away, eager to witness the outcome but wary of the devastation Kakuzu's technique could bring.
As the roaring sea of flames surged toward him, Kirito remained calm. With one hand gripping his blade, he used his free hand to form a simple hand seal. His chakra surged within him, gathering at his throat. Without hesitation, he unleashed a colossal fireball, far larger than any standard fire-style technique.
Even Orochimaru couldn't hide his surprise. "Impossible! How can a Great Fireball have this much power?"
The flames from Kirito's attack overwhelmed Kakuzu's combined elemental assault, devouring it entirely. The massive fireball continued its relentless path, engulfing the masked creatures that represented Kakuzu's hearts. The elemental fusion was no match for Kirito's overpowering technique.
Kakuzu barely managed to save himself by using his Earth Spear technique, but the battle had taken a toll on him. He fell to his knees, gasping for breath. His body, usually so durable, was in tatters.
"What a monster!" Biwa Jūzō muttered, a drop of cold sweat running down his face. He turned to Uchiha Itachi, who stood nearby, and asked, "Hey, newbie, are all the ninjas in Konoha this strong?"
"I don't know," Itachi replied in his usual emotionless tone. "This is the first time I've seen him use ninjutsu like that."
Itachi's Sharingan flickered as he observed Kirito's power. Despite his typically stoic demeanor, he couldn't help but be impressed. Kirito wasn't just skilled in illusion techniques; his mastery of ninjutsu was remarkable as well. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of enemy had been brought to Konoha by Danzo and the Third Hokage.
"Tch, not very romantic, are you?" Jūzō sighed, shifting his gaze away, unwilling to continue embarrassing himself.
At that moment, Black Zetsu glanced toward Pain. "Leader, it looks like we have our winner," he said softly.
Kakuzu was one of Akatsuki's more valuable members, and Zetsu knew they couldn't afford to lose him before the plan to revive Kaguya began. Likewise, Pain wasn't keen on losing the organization's financier. He stepped between the combatants, addressing both.
"Enough. The winner is Kirito," Pain declared, his voice echoing through the battlefield.
Kakuzu, kneeling on the ground, had lost the will to continue. His arrogance was gone, replaced by a grudging acceptance. "I concede," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Good," Pain said, nodding. "We need you alive, Kakuzu. Happy cooperation."
With his objective achieved, Kirito no longer had any interest in prolonging the fight. He sheathed his Zanpakutō and stepped toward Kakuzu, tossing him three heavy cash boxes. Kakuzu's eyes lit up at the sight, his earlier resentment vanishing.
Still cautious, he hesitated for a moment before speaking. "My Earth Grudge technique is unique. There's no way to teach it."
"Relax," Kirito replied, his tone even. "I'm not interested in learning something that grotesque. I just want the five-element jutsu you have – the ones you've used or haven't yet."
Kakuzu breathed a sigh of relief, quickly throwing a scroll toward Kirito. "Here. This scroll contains Wind Style: Suppression, Lightning Style: False Darkness, Earth Style: Earth Spear, Fire Style: Head Release, and Water Style: Water Curtain Tent. If you need anything, just ask."
Kirito accepted the scroll with a nod, stashing it away without another word. He returned to Pain's side, awaiting the next phase of their meeting.
The other Akatsuki members used their teleportation techniques to converge around the pair, forming a loose circle. Pain's Rinnegan eyes scanned the group, his voice turning solemn.
"I called everyone here today for two reasons," Pain began. "First, to introduce two new members. The battle we just witnessed was unexpected, but no matter. You've all seen him in action – this is Kirito, and the other new recruit is Uchiha Itachi."
The Akatsuki members murmured among themselves, though most already knew about the infamous names from the ninja world. Pain continued, undeterred.
"The second reason is personnel grouping. From now on, all members will be paired and sent to different parts of the ninja world."
"Scorpion, you'll be teaming up with Orochimaru, and you'll be stationed in the Land of Wind."
Before Pain could continue, Sasori interrupted, his voice grating. "Why do I have to be with that snake?"
Orochimaru chuckled, his voice soft yet menacing. "I'd prefer to be paired with Itachi anyway. I think we'd make an excellent team."
"You dare ignore me?" Sasori growled from within his puppet.
"I'm not ignoring you," Orochimaru replied smoothly. "I simply prefer working with someone like Itachi."
And with that, the meeting continued, though the tensions between certain members were far from resolved. But the Akatsuki's new dynamic had been set, and Kirito's introduction had certainly left an unforgettable impression.
(End of the Chapter).
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