Kirin

Beichen Haotian leaped down from a tree and watched Kakuzu from several hundred meters away, his expression calm and devoid of joy or sorrow.

"So it's just a brat. Sneaking around in the shadows—what's your purpose? Speak honestly, or I'll turn you to ashes." Kakuzu put away the sky-blue crystal and fixed Beichen Haotian with a sharp stare as killing intent erupted from him.

"My purpose? I didn't have one originally. I just happened to discover you. But now, I do. Hand over the Sky Thunder Stone in your hand." A trace of excitement appeared on Beichen Haotian's face. Kakuzu was probably the strongest enemy Beichen Haotian had ever fought.

"Hahaha, where did this ignorant brat come from? You don't know your own limits. No one has ever dared speak to me like that. For your arrogance alone, I'll let you die quickly." Kakuzu froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Is that so? Then make sure I die quickly." Beichen Haotian licked his lips bloodthirstily, stomped the ground, and charged at Kakuzu. The Tang Saber on his back left its sheath, gleaming crimson as seven or eight blood-red blade lights over ten feet long tore through the sky toward Kakuzu. The air ripped apart with shrieking force, an awe-inspiring sight.

Seeing Beichen Haotian's attack, Kakuzu's expression sharpened and he discarded his contempt. Forming Hand Seals, he summoned a black masked monster behind him, dazzling lightning gathering in its mouth.

Lightning Style: False Darkness.

Several currents gathered in the air, converging into a brilliant, dazzling spear of lightning. Thunder rumbled as the blue lightning spear crashed into Beichen Haotian's crimson blade lights.

Beichen Haotian's blade lights were domineering and sharp, while the lightning was tyrannical and majestic. When the two collided, it was like sparks striking the earth. A deafening boom erupted as blue and red light blazed brilliantly. The shockwave shredded everything around them, scattering violent air currents as dust filled the air and sand and stones flew.

Fire Style: Head Hunter.

Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique.

Through his Observation Haki, he sensed immense Chakra fluctuations and flashing orange-yellow light. Beichen Haotian immediately unleashed a Water Style Ninjutsu.

A massive fireball descended from the sky and struck the ground, turning into a raging sea of flames. Then, a vast amount of water poured down from above with a roaring rush, like a river from heaven flowing backward. The collision of fire and water created huge amounts of high-temperature steam, blanketing the surrounding hundred meters in a white haze.

"Brat, you're pretty impressive. But what about this one?" A sinister voice came from within the white mist.

Fire Style: Head Hunter.

Wind Style: Crushing Wind.

A rapidly spinning high-pressure tornado wind projectile merged with an advanced Fire Style technique. Wind fueled the flames, and this time Kakuzu used even more Chakra than before. The orange-yellow flames had turned orange-red, their temperature soaring as their range expanded greatly, covering several hundred meters. Everything within that area—snow, dust, and plants alike—was burned to ash.

Chakra surged wildly from Beichen Haotian's body. He ran through the air within the white mist and, while suspended in midair, unleashed the Great Waterfall Technique once again.

An endless torrent swept down, becoming a small flash flood that crashed forward in a mighty stream and collided with the flames. Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle... High-temperature steam spread everywhere, becoming so dense that one could not see their own hand before their face.

Clack, clack, clack. Crisp footsteps echoed through the air as Beichen Haotian ran through the sky, leaving the range of the high-temperature steam before landing on the ground. His expression was extremely solemn. Kakuzu's Ninjutsu abilities were truly powerful. Even these commonly used techniques of his were enough to crush many opponents, not to mention that every Kage-level expert had hidden trump cards.

This would be a hard battle!

Wind Style: Great Breakthrough.

Under the howling gale, Kakuzu blew vast quantities of high-temperature steam toward Beichen Haotian. The vaporized moisture from Chakra flames exceeding a thousand degrees Celsius was incredibly hot, enough to easily scald ordinary ninja.

Beichen Haotian's expression did not change. Blue Chakra erupted from his body to shield him, while Armament Haki hardened his vital areas.

Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Life, open!

Shave!

Beichen Haotian became an afterimage, crossing three or four hundred meters of high-temperature steam in a single breath. After releasing the Eight Inner Gates, he used the Body Flicker Technique. Lightning flashed over his Tang Saber, Blade Intent condensed, and Monstrous Strength gathered as he slashed toward Kakuzu's neck.

Earth Style: Hardening Jutsu.

Kakuzu tilted his head aside as the black monster behind him fired out countless black tendrils. His arms became covered in a layer of earth-brown armor, crossing together to block Beichen Haotian's lightning-wreathed Tang Saber.

Slash! Countless black tendrils were severed by Beichen Haotian, but his blade lost little momentum as it continued toward Kakuzu's arms. Crack! With a crisp sound like a tree trunk snapping, Kakuzu's hands were cut off.

Kakuzu's expression changed. He leaped backward as countless black tendrils burst from his body to block Beichen Haotian's attack.

"An interesting secret technique. Let me think... This seems to be Takigakure's secret technique, Earth Grudge Fear, right?" Beichen Haotian watched with interest as black tendrils wriggled from Kakuzu's severed hands and quickly restored them.

"Who are you? How do you know about Earth Grudge Fear?" Kakuzu's face darkened as he stared at Beichen Haotian in shock.

"What's so impressive about it? Konoha's foundations are not something an ordinary little ninja village can compare to. This secret technique is indeed decent, but losing a man's equipment makes it pointless."

"You mean women? Heh, how can that sort of thing compare to money? Money is much more straightforward and satisfying." Kakuzu looked disdainful.

"Forget it. I can't be bothered explaining it to you. Hand over the Sky Thunder Stone, or I'll keep pestering you. If you still have time to make money afterward, I'll take your surname." Beichen Haotian threatened.

"You... You dare threaten me? I'm going to kill you today!" Kakuzu was enraged.

"Haha, you may be strong, but killing me won't be so easy. I happen to have a move for you to appreciate. If you survive it, then decide whether to give me the Sky Thunder Stone."

With a loud laugh, Beichen Haotian leaped backward and raised his Tang Saber. Lightning on the crimson blade nearly condensed into solid form as a beam of blue lightning shot into the heavens, stirring the gloomy sky. Lightning slithered across the black storm clouds like long snakes, and the invisible pressure made Kakuzu's heart tremble. He dared not hold anything back. The monsters containing the five hearts emerged, their five masks surrounding Kakuzu.

That's right, this move was Lightning Release: Kirin. Since coming to Naruto, it did not matter if he could not use Chidori, Lightning Cutter, or Rasengan. Whatever they could accomplish, Beichen Haotian could accomplish with his swordsmanship, so there was no need to study them. Lightning Release: Kirin was different. Although this Ninjutsu had prerequisites, it stood at the peak of Lightning Style Ninjutsu. Its power was immense, its speed was incredible, it could not be dodged, and it was magnificent besides. Not mastering it would make this trip to this world a complete waste!

"Take this, Lightning Release: Kirin!"

The lightning serpents moving through the gloomy sky suddenly paused. The next moment, the black storm clouds were torn open, and a lightning beast broke through them, leaping out from within.

A lightning Kirin condensed from electricity, twenty to thirty meters tall and dozens of meters long, with a lion's head, deer antlers, tiger eyes, an elk's body, dragon scales, and an ox's tail. Mysterious, majestic, and domineering, it dove down like the judgment of a thunder god. Its terrifying speed made evasion utterly impossible.

The instant the storm clouds were torn open, the Chakra that had long been gathering surged out wildly. The five masks unleashed high-level Ninjutsu of five different elements at the same time.

Fire Style: Destructive Crimson Flame.

Water Style: Water Curtain of the Heavens.

Lightning Style: Death Thunderbird.

Wind Style: Vacuum Slice.

Earth Style: Earth Wall.

Five A-rank Ninjutsu were unleashed at once. An earthen wall seven or eight meters thick and thirty to forty meters high rose from the ground. Before it stood a pale blue curtain of water that seemed to have fallen from the sky, twice as thick as the earthen wall.

Crimson flames became a sea of fire and surged into the air. To the left was a lightning bird more than thirty meters long, while to the right were dozens of vacuum wind blades over ten feet long.

The lightning Kirin collided with the flames, lightning, and wind blades, producing a terrifying explosion. The sky was flooded with blinding white light as a mushroom cloud rose into the air, the shockwave sweeping away everything around it. The violent explosion and dazzling light could be heard and seen from dozens of kilometers away.

In the end, the lightning Kirin was slightly superior. After shrinking by half, it broke through the shockwave and slammed headlong into Kakuzu.

The terrifying lightning instantly vaporized the water and shattered the earthen wall. Another massive explosion erupted, with dreadful currents racing in every direction and destroying everything nearby. A crater twenty to thirty meters deep was blasted into existence, leaving the surroundings charred black.

When the dust settled and the mist rose into the sky, Kakuzu appeared in the crater. One of the five black masked tendril monsters was already missing. Kakuzu was covered in wounds, with many parts of his body scorched black.

"What a terrifying Lightning Style Ninjutsu. Its power is probably among the best even among S-rank Ninjutsu. Five A-rank Ninjutsu couldn't stop it, and it even cost me a heart." Kakuzu's tone seemed admiring, fearful, and furious all at once.

"Feels pretty good, doesn't it? You used up a lot of Chakra, right? Let me tell you a little secret—I still have plenty of Chakra left." Beichen Haotian teased with a smug grin. As if to demonstrate that his Chakra truly was abundant, Chakra burst from his body and whipped the black windbreaker embroidered with a blood dragon on its back into a loud flutter.

Of course, showing off once was enough. Beichen Haotian was not going to keep wasting Chakra just to act cool.

Kakuzu's expression immediately turned rather ugly. He said nothing and simply stared at Beichen Haotian.

"Still not handing it over? Then we'll keep fighting. If you don't take out the Sky Thunder Stone today, don't even think about leaving." As soon as he finished speaking, Beichen Haotian's expression turned cold and he drew his blade again.

Heavenly Thunder Slash.

A crimson blade light more than ten meters long shot forth, blue lightning serpents crawling over it as it screamed through the air. The air was torn apart as it slashed mercilessly toward Kakuzu.

Thanks to reader 16122 Solitary Reflection for the recommendation vote.