Kakuzu, Go Kill Madara Uchiha!

Kakuzu.

This name seemed to possess some kind of magic.

At the very least, the Waterfall Ninja stopped in their tracks the moment they heard their captain call out, watching as a tall, powerfully built companion stepped forward.

"We are Konoha Ninja."

The young Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped forward, hoping to use Konoha's name to negotiate with the Waterfall Ninja. "Konoha bears no hostility toward Waterfall Village..."

"Kill them!"

The Waterfall Village ninja did not care about any of that.

Having long lived deep in the mountains, the Waterfall Ninja had no regard for what counted as a great nation's hidden village. All they had to do was carry out the Waterfall Village leader's orders. Even if they were told to assassinate Konoha's Hokage, they would not care, let alone when facing just two Konoha brats!

A group of Waterfall Ninja charged toward Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo. Only Kakuzu, the one named by their captain, rushed at Shirou Emiya!

For no other reason...

Kakuzu was the strongest in Waterfall Village.

Thus, the higher-ups of Waterfall Village had always used him to deal with the most troublesome problems.

"Die..."

Kakuzu gripped a kunai in his hand. Moving at astonishing speed, he flashed behind Shirou Emiya and suddenly thrust the blade toward Shirou Emiya's heart!

"Lord Shirou!"

Fear rose in the young Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart!

Even the young Danzo stared at the scene in alarm!

This had to be a joke!

Their mission had only begun a few days ago!

Both Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo felt as though the sky was falling. They did not dare imagine what kind of condemnation they would face upon returning to the village if Shirou Emiya was killed...

Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo desperately tried to rush over, but a group of Waterfall Ninja blocked their path. They fought with all their strength as they pushed toward Shirou Emiya!

However...

At such a tense moment...

Shirou Emiya showed no panic at all. He even made the most of the brief window of time to accept a newly refreshed mission on his Ninja System panel.

Time was pressing.

This mission had appeared rather suddenly.

He might not get another chance like this in the future.

Uncompleted Missions (3/3)

S-Rank Mission: Reveal the ability of an immortal body before Kakuzu.

The moment Shirou Emiya accepted the mission, Kakuzu's kunai pierced straight through his heart. The sight instantly made many faces change dramatically!

"Wei Yuan..."

Black Zetsu, hidden underground, could not believe this had happened.

"You've got to be kidding?"

Madara Uchiha, hidden in the forest, watched the scene in surprise. He did not believe Shirou Emiya would be utterly incapable of fighting back against these Waterfall Ninja!

"Lord Shirou..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo truly felt as though the sky had fallen.

"What's going on..."

Only Kakuzu, who had personally pierced Shirou Emiya's heart, sensed that something was wrong. He could already see gray dust and fragments churning from Shirou Emiya's wound!

The next moment!

A sharp boom rang through the air!

A figure clad in Red Plated Armor descended from the sky!

"Get lost!"

Madara Uchiha realized there was no point in hiding any longer. He raised his foot and kicked Kakuzu, who had attacked Shirou Emiya, flying away before carefully examining Shirou Emiya's condition.

When Madara Uchiha saw the dust and fragments gathering again around Shirou Emiya's heart, he finally relaxed. It seemed Shirou Emiya would not die after all.

Madara Uchiha's mood eased somewhat.

He even scorned Tobirama Senju a few times in his heart.

The techniques invented by that insidious bastard really were always this vile. Once someone was resurrected by such a technique, the dead would be unable to live or die as they wished!

"That is..."

"Madara Uchiha!"

The young Danzo's voice immediately exploded!

When Madara Uchiha appeared before them, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo truly felt the sky collapse completely. It was even worse than Shirou Emiya's death.

"So that's Madara Uchiha?"

Even the Waterfall Ninja, far away in the deep mountains, remembered that legendary figure from the Warring States Period. A trace of terror appeared on every face.

Ever since Madara Uchiha appeared in Konoha, news of Konoha searching for his whereabouts had spread throughout the Shinobi World. For the first time, Madara Uchiha had even been defined as a Konoha rogue ninja. The only difference was that Konoha had not issued a Wanted List.

Other than the First Hokage...

Probably no one in the Shinobi World could kill Madara Uchiha.

No matter what, the matter of Madara Uchiha faking his death could no longer be concealed.

When the Waterfall Ninja present saw Madara Uchiha appear, the fighting spirit in their hearts swiftly dwindled. They even vaguely sensed that something was terribly wrong.

What if Madara Uchiha casually killed them?

"Kakuzu!"

"Kill him!"

The Waterfall captain pointed at Madara Uchiha and shouted at Kakuzu, immediately leading his other subordinates in a rapid retreat. "We'll withdraw first. The leader's mission is yours now. Don't forget to kill those two squads!"

"They abandoned their companion? That's utterly shameless, isn't it?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was dumbfounded by the Waterfall Ninja's actions.

Even the young Danzo was shocked by their shamelessness, as if he had encountered such a bizarre creature for the first time in the Shinobi World. Who abandoned their teammate to die and cover their own retreat the moment danger appeared?

But...

It seemed they should retreat too...

The young Danzo hurried closer to Sarutobi Hiruzen. He suddenly realized why the Anbu ninja stationed around them had not stopped the Waterfall Ninja. Perhaps all the Anbu ninja from the village had already been killed by Madara Uchiha!

If that was the case...

They could not possibly have any reinforcements...

Neither he nor Sarutobi Hiruzen could possibly deal with Madara Uchiha!

Even the First Hokage had failed to kill Madara Uchiha. What could two Konoha genin possibly do? They had already done their best to protect Shirou Emiya, hadn't they?

"Hiruzen, we should leave too..."

The young Danzo quietly reminded Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen hesitated.

However...

Just as the two boys hesitated...

The abandoned Kakuzu silently picked up his kunai.

The muscular man stared at Madara Uchiha, then boldly charged toward him, seemingly willing to sacrifice his life for the village's orders!

"You..."

Madara Uchiha was somewhat surprised by the Waterfall Ninja's behavior. What surprised him even more was Kakuzu, who had bravely charged at him. "Is something wrong with your head?"

This guy...

Was he a complete idiot?

Had he not noticed that his companions had abandoned him?

Did he not know that his captain had deliberately sent him to die?

Kakuzu's gaze remained resolute as he swung his kunai at Madara Uchiha. In an instant, Madara Uchiha caught his wrist with one hand!

Crack!

Madara Uchiha snapped Kakuzu's wrist!

The kunai in Kakuzu's hand immediately fell to the ground!

Yet Kakuzu still refused to give up. Ignoring everything else, he endured the pain and raised his foot to kick Madara Uchiha!

Crack!

One of his legs was broken as well!

The gap between them was simply too great!

Whether in strength or combat experience, Kakuzu had no ability to resist before Madara Uchiha. Madara Uchiha raised a hand and seized Kakuzu by the throat, clearly about to kill him on the spot!

Just then.

At that very moment.

Shirou Emiya's voice interrupted Madara Uchiha's movement.

"Killing someone in front of a Medical Ninja is undoubtedly a desecration of our Ninja Way. Is there anything I can do to make you spare his life?"

"..."

Madara Uchiha looked at Shirou Emiya in confusion.

"..."

Kakuzu's gaze was even more confused than Madara Uchiha's, as though asking why the other man was still alive, and also why he was willing to spare him.

"Lord Shirou!"

Joy rose in the young Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart.

"Hiruzen!"

The young Danzo hurriedly grabbed his sleeve, hoping his friend would calm down first. The two Konoha Ninja could be killed by Madara Uchiha at any moment!

"Hmph..."

Madara Uchiha disdainfully released Kakuzu's neck.

To him, Kakuzu and the Waterfall Ninja were merely tools he had secretly used to test Shirou Emiya's nature. Whether those tools lived or died did not matter.

Besides...

This man's life could be exchanged for Shirou Emiya's promise.

Madara Uchiha had come to obtain information from Shirou Emiya in the first place. It could not have been better that Shirou Emiya was willing to offer a promise for the sake of an unrelated man.

"..."

Kakuzu struggled to his feet. Without saying a word, he limped away.

After enduring such a humiliating battle and being abandoned by his companions, he did not know what to say. Nor did he know what meaning there was in remaining alive.

Perhaps...

The meaning of being a ninja was to carry out the leader's missions.

"Wait..."

Shirou Emiya suddenly called out to Kakuzu.

"..."

Everyone present looked toward Shirou Emiya.

"Your injuries."

Shirou Emiya's face was expressionless, and because of his Impure World Reincarnation Body, it even appeared somewhat lifeless.

Yet beneath the light of the setting sun, Shirou Emiya's figure faintly seemed especially sacred. "Letting an injured person leave while still wounded in front of a Medical Ninja would be rather unbecoming..."