Sakumo's Lightning Kunai

Even if it was only a little more—Diejian refined Chakra inside Katsuyu.

"Katsuyu, fortune favors the bold. I'm counting on you to heal me. I'll stake all my Chakra on this."

"Lord Diejian... I understand. I'll support you with everything I have."

The Split Body covering Diejian left. Diejian stood up, with a Katsuyu no bigger than a fist still clinging to his shoulder.

The two Shadow Clones Diejian had created leaped out of Katsuyu. Standing back to back, they looked around, then dispelled themselves before the enemy could attack. What the Shadow Clones had seen was relayed to Diejian.

"Two ahead, Kakuzu, and two behind... I'll take out the ones behind in one go."

Diejian leaped into the air and performed the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique. Hundreds of Shadow Clones appeared above Katsuyu. The ones facing Kakuzu used the Water Severing Wave to knock aside his tentacle attacks, then threw themselves at him, trying to distract him even if it meant vanishing. Katsuyu also harassed Kakuzu with the powerful acid released from her main body—the Tongue Tooth Sticky Acid Technique. The mask-bearing tentacles Kakuzu had released countered the countless Katsuyu and Diejian's Shadow Clones with techniques of their own elemental natures.

Just a little longer. I only need to buy a little more time...

Most of the Shadow Clones charged at the two shinobi from below. Rushing down from above Katsuyu in a mighty torrent, they looked like an avalanche. But the two shinobi seemed to have anticipated this. They countered with Water Release, and Diejian's Shadow Clones vanished in an instant. But that had been a feint. The Split Bodies of Katsuyu had already closed in on the Takigakure Ninja at their feet. In the instant the enemies' attention shifted toward the Katsuyu below, Diejian unleashed a Ninjutsu of his own creation.

"Earth Release: Earth Sand Collapse Technique!"

A massive quantity of earth and sand suddenly appeared above the two shinobi, blotting out the sunlight. Diejian intended to send it crashing down from that height, burying and crushing the enemy in one fell swoop.

"That's... way too big!"

"Go!"

Diejian shouted. But the enemy shinobi were veterans, too. One used Earth Release to raise the ground around him into a dome, protecting himself from Diejian's attack. The other shinobi seemed unable to use Earth Release. Faced with Diejian's desperate assault, he didn't try to defend himself—instead, he met it head-on with all he had.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

It was an extremely advanced Ninjutsu that summoned an enormous amount of water—a tsunami—to flood the surrounding area. The resulting wave was so powerful that it tore up the surrounding soil by the roots. It swallowed the small Katsuyu at their feet and collided with the layer of earth and sand hurtling down from above. The two techniques were evenly matched—and repelled each other.

I'm sorry, Katsuyu!

As he apologized to the Katsuyu who had been swallowed up, Diejian formed Hand Seals.

"Raaaaaah!"

The enemy shinobi let out a battle cry and slowly swept his arm aside. The movement worked in tandem with the tsunami, pulling the earth and sand Diejian had created away from the Takigakure Ninja.

He'd caught it completely. The moment the Water Release user thought so—

"—!"

The sight of Diejian suddenly appearing before him made the Water Release user gasp. A Shadow Clone of Diejian, mixed in among smaller Water Dragon Jutsu, had made it through the layers of earth and water. Diejian's Shadow Clone gripped a Kunai and shouted with a ferocious expression—but just a step short of stabbing the enemy in the eye, it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

The shinobi, sweating from the tension, finally relaxed his shoulders. That was exactly what Diejian had been aiming for.

"Gah!"

In an instant, Diejian sprang up from the ground beside the Water Release user and pierced his stomach. The man screamed.

While his Shadow Clones performed the Earth Landslide Technique, Diejian had used Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique to burrow into the earth and sand. As soon as it reached the ground, he had dived underground.

"You little brat!"

The Water Release user roared and clamped down on Diejian, with the Kunai still lodged in his stomach. Perhaps anger had made him forget the pain. Despite having his belly pierced, he held Diejian with astonishing strength. Unable to move, Diejian took the enemy's knee strike full on. His nose broke, his teeth shattered, and his ribs creaked—

"Lord Diejian!"

As Katsuyu cried out and desperately treated him, Diejian endured one injury after another. But he wasn't just taking the beating. He refused to yield to the enemy's fierce assault, wildly twisting the Kunai lodged in the man's belly and tearing up his insides.

Unable to bear it, the Water Release user groaned, and the arm clamped around Diejian loosened. Diejian retreated for the moment, putting some distance between them. But he didn't stop to rest. Forcing his aching body onward, he tensed his hips and legs. He braced the Kunai against his waist, ready to pierce the Water Release user's stomach again, and shouted—

"I won't let you!"

"Gah!"

The Earth Release user leaped out from behind the earthen wall to save his comrade and kicked the charging Diejian away. Diejian tumbled, spinning across the ground like a drill, until he struck a tree root and stopped.

"Are you all right?!"

"Do I look all right...?"

The Earth Release user spoke to the Water Release user and lent him a shoulder to help him stand. He looked sorrowfully at the Water Release user's weak, pained smile.

"Gah..."

Meanwhile, Diejian spat bloody saliva. Broken teeth tumbled from his mouth as he shakily pushed himself to his feet.

"Brat... just hurry up and die."

Still supporting the Water Release user, the Earth Release user threw a Kunai. It struck Diejian in the stomach. Diejian fell limply backward, the back of his head hitting a tree trunk. He didn't even try to break his fall. He slid down the trunk and crumpled at its roots. Katsuyu's anguished cries as she desperately called to Diejian echoed through the forest.

"Sorry I'm late."

At that moment, the last shinobi—whose arrival Katsuyu had sensed was "running late"—finally appeared.

With his consciousness blurred by excruciating pain, Diejian clicked his tongue.

His fighting spirit hadn't faded, but his body wouldn't move. Katsuyu was doing everything she could to heal him, but his injuries were severe. Treatment would take time. Even so, he couldn't help wanting to laugh at the fact that he was still alive after taking so much damage.

Get up, get up! I can still fight—I have to protect the village, protect Grandpa!

But his powerless legs and waist only trembled.

"I'll leave the treatment to you."

It seemed the last man could use Medical Ninjutsu. The Earth Release user carefully lowered the Water Release user from his shoulder onto the ground and urged the newcomer to begin treatment.

"Understood. Leave it to me."

"Mm."

The Earth Release user gave the Water Release user a worried look. That meant he'd taken his eyes off the medic—and in the next instant, the Earth Release user's consciousness was sealed away in darkness forever.

"W-why... y-you..."

His comrade had cut off his comrade's head. Staring at this impossible sight, the Water Release user was dumbstruck. He panted unevenly, repeating, "Why? Why?" Had it been a Genjutsu? He checked his Chakra for disturbances with his weakened body, but found no signs of Genjutsu.

With a thud, the Earth Release user's body kicked up dust and fell beside the Water Release user, who lay on the ground. Blood gushed out, staining the earth red.

"Who knows? You'll have to go to the other world and find out."

The medic raised a Kunai, intending to deliver the final blow to the dying Water Release user...

"—Watch out, Ina."

"Sorry. Thank you, Sakumo."

The tentacle creeping up behind the body possessed by Ina was knocked aside by Sakumo's Kunai.

"I see... So that's why the Water Release mask never came back."

Kakuzu's tentacles writhed as he advanced, one step at a time.

Ina and Sakumo sprang into action, positioning themselves between Kakuzu and Diejian as if to protect him.

Behind Kakuzu, two mask-bearing tentacles had grabbed Katsuyu, who had grown smaller after repeatedly splitting herself. Seeing the tentacles attack the slug, Ina's expression stiffened as she possessed the medic.

"Sa... Sakumo... Ina..."

"Lord Diejian, please don't speak. It'll aggravate your wounds."

"A talking slug? That's a first."

Katsuyu stopped Diejian from speaking through his pain. Keeping his eyes on Kakuzu, Sakumo glanced over his shoulder and joked to Diejian.

"I told you... to run..."

"We did run. We just got caught up in a fight where we ended up."

"Call an adult..."

"If we did that, you'd die, wouldn't you? There's no way we'd abandon a comrade and run off by ourselves."

"I'm sorry, Diejian. If I'd come to help sooner, you wouldn't have been hurt this badly..."

"That tentacle mask is pretty strong. Even with your Shadow Clone, Ina, and me, it took a long time. I didn't expect there to be so many of them."

Through his bloodshot eyes, Diejian could see that Sakumo and Ina—the shinobi whose body she possessed—were badly injured, too. They had been fighting as well. He had told them to run, but he was glad they had come to help him. A glimmer shone at the corner of Diejian's eye.

"Hmm... So it wasn't Genjutsu... It was betrayal? No... Was it Genjutsu after all?"

Kakuzu moved his tentacles, keeping his distance with obvious wariness as he increased their number.

"But the Senju brat is on the verge of death. What are you going to do?"

"Kill you. You dared to do this to Diejian..."

Killing intent flickered in Sakumo's eyes.

"Oh... You're underestimating me—"

Kakuzu twisted his neck, dodging the Kunai that had come within a hair's breadth. The Kunai disappeared into his tentacles.

"Enough talk, you disgusting monster."

"—Die, brat."

"You should die."

Kakuzu used his tentacles to throw back the Kunai Sakumo had sent. Sakumo knocked it aside head-on, dodged the tentacles' attacks, and charged at Kakuzu. Ina ran after him, throwing Kunai from behind to knock aside the tentacles closing in on Sakumo and cover him.

As expected of a pair who had worked together for so long, their coordination was flawless. Sakumo slipped past the tentacles' attacks and closed in on Kakuzu, then raised his Kunai to slash. But—

Boom—the enormous fireball appeared right beside Sakumo. It was Kakuzu's Fire Release technique. Sakumo was helpless as the fireball swallowed him.

Before his eyes, Sakumo turned to charcoal in an instant. Diejian's vision went dark.

"Sa... Sakumo..."

Leaning against the tree, Diejian managed to force out the words. Unwilling to accept reality, he weakly shook his head.

"Hmph... He got carried away."

Diejian glared at Kakuzu, who wore a loathsome smile, with a ferocious expression.

"So that's Fire Release. The one binding that slug used Wind Release and Lightning Release, right?"

"...Huh?"

Sakumo emerged from beneath the trees, completely unharmed. Diejian stared at him in shock. "It was a Shadow Clone that was observing the situation," Sakumo explained. He said he'd learned it from one of Diejian's Shadow Clones.

"Ina, are you sure?"

"Mm. According to this shinobi's memories, that tentacle is the secret Takigakure Style Ninjutsu, Earth Grudge Fear. By taking another person's heart together with their chakra network, it grants the user reserves of life and the ability to use multiple chakra natures. We killed the mask with the heart that had a Water nature. Kakuzu himself seems to have an affinity for Earth, so if that mask used Fire Release, the ones remaining are Wind and Lightning—"

"Where... No, I see. You're from the Yamanaka Clan."

"Good guess. But it's too late to figure that out now."

Ina smiled faintly from within the body of the middle-aged medic she possessed. Kakuzu looked as though he'd bitten into something bitter, but soon regained his composed, mocking smile.

"Hmph... Even if you've uncovered my trump cards... what can you do?!"

With a furious shout, his tentacles writhed and lunged at the three of them.

"Ina, take Diejian and get away!"

"I want to fight, too."

"You'll only be a target in your current state. You're recovering, right? Trust Sakumo for now and hang on a little longer. I'll join the fight as soon as I can."

As Ina spoke, the hands of the shinobi she possessed, who was holding Diejian, trembled. Diejian let himself lean against Ina.

★

Even so, we can't defeat this guy without Diejian's strength. Ina and I don't have a decisive way to finish him...

While Sakumo watched from beneath the trees, he heard what had happened from the little Katsuyu. He was Diejian's summoning animal, and he had the power to heal wounds...

Sakumo was better than Ina and Diejian at close combat, but even so, he was no match for the experienced Kakuzu overall. At long range, he had no decisive means of attack and would be worn down by the tentacles' long-range assaults. Even if he closed in, he might be killed by a Ninjutsu released from one of the mask-bearing tentacles, just like the Shadow Clone had been earlier.

Then—

"Buy time until Diejian recovers."

Sakumo settled on his plan.

Sakumo would create a diversion, while Ina used the Mind Body Switch Technique to distract Kakuzu. In that opening, Diejian would unleash his strongest technique. If they did that, they should be able to defeat Kakuzu—that was Sakumo's reasoning.

Kakuzu made the first move, sending his tentacles after Sakumo.

"I'm getting pretty sick of those tentacles, too."

As he spoke, sweat beaded on Sakumo's forehead. He ran, crouched low, or leaped off the tentacles like springboards and ran along them, doing nothing but dodge their attacks. Whenever he found an opening, he tried to close in and drive his blade into Kakuzu, but the Fire Release mask kept him at bay with its techniques.

Although Diejian's summoning animal Katsuyu had been seized by two masks, that also meant Katsuyu was holding those two masks in place. All they could do was pray that Diejian would recover before the summoning time ran out.

Sakumo swung his Kunai and cut off the tip of an approaching tentacle. But another tentacle grew from the severed end and attacked him. Sakumo twisted his neck and dodged it.

"So cutting them off doesn't help..."

"It doesn't."

Kakuzu gave Sakumo a loathsome smile as he landed, skidding backward.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Sakumo."

"What are you talking about? I just got here."

Ina had taken Diejian to a safe distance and returned. Sakumo greeted her with a joke, though his sweat-drenched forehead hardly looked relaxed.

"How's Diejian?"

"He still needs a little more time."

Ina glanced toward the trees, and Sakumo nodded. Diejian's Chakra had grown so weak that he was difficult to sense without paying close attention. He wasn't anywhere close to fully recovered—not even a little.

"But he's still my comrade, at least. I can't stand seeing an enemy control him."

"Ina, stand back."

Understanding what she meant, Sakumo held up a hand to stop Ina—the medic she possessed—and shielded her behind his small frame.

"No. Besides this guy, Diejian took on two others. I'm fighting, too. And—"

"Annoying pests, one after another."

"—I understand. We'll only get worn down if this goes on. Let's take a gamble."

"Like the Senju brat said, you should've run from the start. It's about time I killed you all."

"Let's go!"

"Yeah."

They used the Body Flicker Technique, pushing off the ground with all their strength as Ina and Sakumo charged. Unlike when Sakumo had used Shadow Clones to observe the situation, or when they had fought earlier to buy time and conserve their strength, this time they were fighting for real. Working together with Ina, Sakumo moved with the agility of a beast.

They sliced, cut, and hacked away at the tentacles closing in from all directions. Ina dealt with the ones they couldn't handle, while Sakumo covered her blind spots.

Sakumo and Ina leaped in all directions, kicking off the ground, climbing trees, and darting between them. They danced through the air to dodge the tentacles as they gradually closed in on Kakuzu.

Sakumo used the Body Flicker Technique to jump sideways and dodge a large tentacle's attack, then threw a Kunai at Kakuzu's real body. Kakuzu blocked it with his tentacles. But in that opening, Ina planted her foot and darted through the tentacles' attack and defense, slipping one step inside. Since Kakuzu was dealing with Sakumo, his inner guard was weak.

Ina gripped her blade and closed in on Kakuzu.

"It's the same trick."

The Fire Release mask blocked Ina's path. But Ina shouted without hesitation, and the Fire Release mask opened its mouth—

"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!"

Sakumo emerged from the ground and dragged the Fire Release mask down with him. Only its head remained above the ground, leaving it unable to move. Even Kakuzu couldn't hide his shock.

"Impossible! When did you—"

"Who said there could only be one Shadow Clone?"

That said, I could only make two at most with my Chakra.

He kept the thought to himself. Sakumo wasn't stupid enough to give the enemy information.

But Kakuzu wasn't stupid, either. He instantly pulled back some of his tendrils and went after Ina, who was forming Hand Seals, instead of Sakumo's Shadow Clone.

"Ina!"

Sakumo shouted.

The shoulder of the ninja Ina had possessed was pierced. The medical ninja's body went limp, as if all the air had been let out of it.

"Did she pass out from the pain?!"

Sakumo called out to Ina, but the medical ninja's body, wrapped in tendrils, sagged limply as it spun in the air.

"Hyah! Fly away!"

The medical ninja's body was hurled away and vanished into the distance.

"Ina!"

"Idiot!"

Sakumo cried out in anguish and turned toward the direction the medical ninja had been thrown. Kakuzu seized his opening and swung his tendrils, uprooting trees and sweeping both the Shadow Clone and the real Sakumo aside.

"Guh!"

Sakumo raised his arms to block the blow, but the Shadow Clone disappeared, and he was sent flying as the trees snapped beneath him. He finally hit the ground, but couldn't fully stop his momentum. His feet sank into the soft earth as he slid a short distance.

"That almost worked. I'll give you credit—"

"—I'm not giving you any credit."

A woman's voice came from Kakuzu's mouth.

—Mind Body Switch Technique.

Before the medical ninja Ina had possessed was pierced by Kakuzu, Ina had formed the release sign for the Mind Body Switch Technique. She had anticipated that Kakuzu would be on guard against the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques, and reasoned that if she formed an unfamiliar sign, he would be more likely to guard against it first. That was Ina's plan.

Sakumo knew this, too, which was why he'd played along with that clumsy act.

It had worked perfectly. A moment before Kakuzu's tendrils pierced her, Ina released the technique and her spirit returned to her own body. Using her specialty, stealth, she approached Kakuzu and used Sakumo as bait to perform the Mind Body Switch Technique.

"Sakumo, it worked! Finish him off, quick!"

"Right!"

At Ina's shout, Sakumo charged. The Mind Body Switch Technique was difficult to control. If the target had a strong spirit and a large amount of Chakra, their resistance would increase, and it might be impossible to bring their spirit under control. Kakuzu was far stronger than Ina and had much more Chakra. Even now, his spirit was struggling to break free of her hold.

"First one!"

Sakumo gripped the Kunai wrapped in Lightning Release Chakra and leaped down from a tree. He used gravity to speed his descent, aiming to pierce the Fire Style Mask.

"Ooooooh!!"

With a furious yell, Sakumo closed in on the Fire Style Mask—

"No... it's not the first one."

"Gah—!"

At the last moment, Kakuzu broke free of Ina's control and stabbed Sakumo through the abdomen.