Pig Deer Deer Butterfly vs. Kakuzu!

An A-Rank Ninja Battle Mission has been triggered!

The level corresponding to Kage-level was A-Rank!

Nara Kaikei swiftly glanced at the mission prompt that had appeared on the panel when an astonishing shockwave suddenly surged from behind him.

A thunderous boom erupted from Choza Akimichi's landing point, and the entire ground trembled slightly beneath that incomparably massive Impact Force, as if a small earthquake had suddenly broken out here.

"Don't stop! Escape beyond the safe distance as quickly as possible!"

Inoichi Yamanaka's urgent voice reached Nara Kaikei and the other Chunin, but it was growing more and more distant.

"I'm turning back!"

Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, Shibi Aburame, and the other Chunin raced ahead.

The "slower" Nara Kaikei lagged behind, gradually falling back from the Chunin group.

He turned to glance at Inoichi Yamanaka's retreating figure. With a thought, his consciousness returned to his main body.

He first removed the [Chakra Crystal] ring from his right hand in an instant and tossed it to the [Shadow Clone].

Nara Kaikei's main body continued following Asuma Sarutobi and the others as they retreated to the rear.

Meanwhile, the [Shadow Clone] wearing the [Chakra Crystal] ring vanished directly into the air and silently crept toward the battlefield.

By the time Inoichi Yamanaka returned, the surroundings had already undergone a terrifying transformation.

The once-flat ground had been blasted into a massive crater nearly ten meters across by Choza Akimichi's "Rolling Bomb Needles Tank."

The earth cracked apart, while dust and smoke billowed into the air.

Whoosh—

Choza Akimichi, having returned to his normal form, darted out of the smoke and stared grimly at the figure within it.

"Uncle Shikano, something felt very wrong just now... My Rolling Bomb Needles Tank seemed not to have produced the effect it should have."

"Mm, I saw it!"

Nara Shikano's expression was extremely grave as he too watched the smoke.

"The enemy must have broken free from the Shadow Binding Technique... The amount of Yin Release Chakra that a kunai mixed with Chakra Metal can hold is still too little. It isn't enough to completely restrain the enemy."

When the dust and smoke dispersed, Kakuzu's figure was revealed before the Cross-Generation Pig Deer Butterfly team.

Compared to when he had first appeared, Kakuzu's skin had become as black and rough as coal.

Even more noteworthy were his hands, which had somehow come together, his fingers and the gaps between them interlocking like gears.

"Snake Seal!"

After observing him, Nara Shikano immediately reached a rough conclusion.

"Earth-nature Nature Transformation, an ability that can harden the body!

"To withstand Choza's attack, it must be an Earth Style ninjutsu of an extremely high rank!"

"Not bad. Your analysis is correct."

Kakuzu remained in that special hardened state, his skin still pitch-black.

"No physical attack can harm me."

Hearing Kakuzu's words, Nara Shikano's eyelids twitched slightly.

That claim of "invincible defense" was definitely nothing more than bragging.

According to the principle of mutual restraint between Nature Transformations, Chakra attributes of different natures had clear counterrelationships.

Take Earth Style ninjutsu, for example.

The hardness of earth and stone could withstand flowing water, but it could also be pierced by lightning.

In short.

Earth-nature Chakra restrained Water-nature Chakra, but was restrained by Lightning-nature Chakra.

To break through Kakuzu's so-called "invincible defense," they only needed a high-level Lightning Style ninjutsu.

But at that thought, Nara Shikano sighed inwardly.

High-level Lightning Style ninjutsu... Isn't that asking the impossible of us Pig Deer Butterfly?

In the end, we misjudged the enemy's strength.

Nara Shikano pursed his lips slightly.

To think he could withstand Choza's Rolling Bomb Needles Tank head-on... Even among Iwagakure's Elite Ninja, only a very small number could accomplish that... Where did this Takigakure rogue ninja learn such a high-level Earth Style ninjutsu?

"Not going to continue attacking?"

Kakuzu grinned viciously.

"Then it's my turn!"

As his words fell, Kakuzu merely brought his hands together.

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"

Boom!

A high-pressure wind stream that was nearly tangible erupted from before Kakuzu in an instant, sweeping forward with unstoppable force as if it intended to cut down every obstacle in its path.

The high-pressure wind stream generated a vortex of air that blasted toward the Pig Deer Butterfly team like a raging gale.

"Fall back!"

Nara Shikano, Choza Akimichi, and Inoichi Yamanaka retreated in perfect coordination, avoiding the direct Impact Force of the Wind Style attack.

At the same time, they did not forget to raise their arms before them to block the Mud and Stone Fragments flying through the air.

Even so.

When the three landed, the violent gale still shoved them several meters backward, leaving six exceptionally deep skid marks beneath their feet.

"What terrifying Wind Style power!"

Inoichi Yamanaka was shaken to the core, but before he could finish speaking, dazzling lightning flared again ahead of them.

"Wait, that is..."

For Kakuzu, if battle was unnecessary, he would never fight.

But once a battle truly broke out, he would certainly go all out!

What a pity. I heard that Konoha's Pig Deer Butterfly clans are all secret technique clans, so their hearts are of no use to me...

A hint of regret flashed through Kakuzu's mind. The black color covering his skin vanished without a trace, replaced by streaks of silver-white Electric Arc.

"Die beneath this move, Konoha's Pig Deer Butterfly team!

"Lightning Style: False Darkness!"

Rumble—

It was like a thunderclap exploding from a clear sky.

Amid rolling thunder, a massive lightning spear of twisted shape and overflowing radiance condensed before Kakuzu, shooting toward the distant Cross-Generation Pig Deer Butterfly team with the force to crush everything in its path.

"Lightning Style!"

Nara Shikano's pupils contracted slightly as viscous shadows rose beneath his feet.

"Choza, defend!"

Pitch-black shadows suddenly surged upward before the Cross-Generation Pig Deer Butterfly team, then transformed under Nara Shikano's control into a shield of shadow resembling a massive cocoon, firmly protecting the three within.

Shadow Shield Technique!

Behind the shadow shield, Choza Akimichi also activated his clan's secret technique as quickly as possible. His hedgehog-like brown hair instantly lengthened and hardened, covering the rear of the shadow shield to form a second layer of defense.

Bang!!

In the blink of an eye, the lightning spear crossed the battlefield and struck the shadow shield with absolute precision. The collision and friction of spear and shield erupted into a deafening boom, while billowing airwaves spread in all directions.

Lightning Style ninjutsu was inherently immensely destructive and highly penetrating.

As a B-Rank ninjutsu, "Lightning Style: False Darkness" possessed the astonishing force to split mountains and shatter rocks.

The Nara Clan's "Shadow Shield Technique" belonged to Yin-nature Nature Transformation, and it was far less effective at resisting Lightning Style ninjutsu than Wind Style ninjutsu.

Nara Shikano clenched his teeth and released his Yin Release Chakra without reservation to maintain the Shadow Shield Technique.

After enduring for a short but exceptionally difficult period, the sweat-drenched Nara Shikano finally dismissed the Shadow Shield Technique.

The lightning spear, its remaining power not yet exhausted, continued piercing forward and struck Choza Akimichi's hair barrier directly behind the shadow shield.

After being weakened by the Shadow Shield Technique, the power of "Lightning Style: False Darkness" had already fallen considerably.

When the lightning spear struck Choza Akimichi's tough hair shield, it only shook it slightly.

After leaving several scorched marks on that brown protective shell.

The lightning spear finally lost its last trace of power and dissipated into the air.

Choza Akimichi retracted the hair barrier.

The three members of the Cross-Generation Pig Deer Butterfly team stared toward Kakuzu with exceptionally grave expressions.

So strong! This Takigakure rogue ninja!

Nara Shikano's palms were slick with cold sweat.

Earth Style, Wind Style, Lightning Style... He has mastered high-level ninjutsu of three different Nature Transformations, and every single one is terrifyingly powerful... Since when did Bounty Hunters have ninjas of this level?

To put it bluntly.

In Nara Shikano's eyes, based on the abilities Kakuzu had displayed so far, Kakuzu's strength had already surpassed the vast majority of Konoha's Jonin.

This guy... is a monster whose strength is no less than the Sannin's!

"Such skilled coordination. You truly are Konoha's Pig Deer Butterfly team."

Kakuzu looked at Nara Shikano and the other two from afar, bringing his hands together once more as he controlled the Chakra within his body.

"You are the first group of ninjas not to be pierced by Lightning Style: False Darkness...

"But if you can withstand Lightning Style, can you withstand the next move?

"Fire Style: Headhunter!"

No way, he can even use Fire Style?!

The three from Pig Deer Butterfly were startled.

A small fire snake spewed from before Kakuzu. The instant it landed, it rapidly expanded into a sea of Flames like ocean waves, sweeping toward the three with overwhelming force.

The scorching blaze burned and seared everything around it, while the air itself became blisteringly hot and warped under the extreme temperature.

Faced with such a towering sea of fire.

Inoichi Yamanaka stopped thinking.

Nara Shikano, whose strength had been greatly depleted, could not gather a shadow shield of sufficient power either.

Only Choza Akimichi gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

"Partial Expansion Jutsu!"

Choza Akimichi used his clan's secret technique to enlarge both hands, then violently thrust them toward the sea of fire ahead.

"Super Push Hand!"

Whoosh—

The endless sea of Flames was directly slapped open by Choza Akimichi's outburst, splitting apart to either side and leaving behind a wide gap.

"Struggling on the verge of death!"

Kakuzu sneered, preparing to draw out Wind-nature Chakra and combine "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough" with "Fire Style: Headhunter."

But at that moment.

A black bullet fired from nowhere pierced through his chest without warning.

Invisible approach.

Shadow Bullet Through Heart!

[You have killed the A-Rank Ninja Battle Mission target once!]

[You have obtained one A-Rank [Ninja Scroll]!]

Many thanks to "Hongmen丶" for the tip!!