Lens Focusing Technique

"I hope you don't run away with your tail between your legs! Ice Release: Lens Focusing Technique!"

As Lin Cheng's icy voice rang out, the ice lenses that had been positioned one above the other instantly overlapped!

In the next moment, the sunlight in the area was drawn in and concentrated.

In an instant, blinding white light swallowed everything!

Kakuzu lowered his head slightly and narrowed his eyes.

The concentrated beam of light shot straight down at Kakuzu.

Sensing imminent danger, Kakuzu hastily tried to dodge while strengthening his body-hardening technique to toughen himself up!

The scorching, highly concentrated beams were astonishingly numerous, completely covering an area a thousand meters across below!

In an instant, the ground was furrowed from end to end!

As the terrifying roar spread, an intense sense of danger swept through the area!

A shinobi who happened to be just outside the attack range jolted in alarm and cried, "Are you kidding me?! That bastard Kakuzu! What kind of person did he provoke?!

"An attack like that! If it hit you, you'd be turned to ash!"

"Hmph! You dare let your guard down while fighting me? Die!"

"What?! No! Aah!!"

"Hmph! Big brother's not someone to mess with! Did you think his little brother was any easier to deal with?"

Looking at the corpse on the ground, Kimimaro snorted and muttered in dissatisfaction.

"But wow~ Big brother's really violent!"

Watching Lin Cheng continue his attack, Kimimaro stuck out her tongue cutely and murmured to herself.

Only after the area under attack had been shaved down by more than a meter did Lin Cheng, still hovering high in the air, finally stop.

"Hmph! You got away? You're lucky!"

Descending from the sky, Lin Cheng gave a disdainful snort.

"Maybe you already took him out, big brother!"

Kimimaro came over to Lin Cheng, grinning.

"Maybe! But forget it. Let's go! If we don't leave now, people will start watching us again. It's annoying!"

"Mm, got it, big brother!"

Kimimaro nodded and happily followed Lin Cheng away.

Some time later, near the place that had just been attacked, Kakuzu emerged from beneath the ground, looking bedraggled.

"Hmph! I was almost killed!

"It's been a long time since I've been in such a sorry state! The last time was when I ran into the leader, wasn't it?

"That kid! He's a monster!

"What an unbelievable guy!"

When Kakuzu pulled himself out of the ground, all he had left was a lone earth-style mask!

In fact, that remaining earth-style mask had been what allowed him to survive by sheer luck!

Finally crawling all the way out of the ground, Kakuzu didn't dare linger.

He made a quick getaway.

That night, Pain of the Akatsuki contacted Kakuzu, who was hiding in a secluded cave somewhere, using the Magic Lantern Body Technique.

"Kakuzu! Did you kill another teammate?"

In the Magic Lantern Body Technique's projection, Deva Path Pain asked coldly.

"No! This time, someone else killed them! In fact, I was almost killed myself!"

Kakuzu's voice held no hint of dejection, but Deva Path Pain could still hear it in his tone.

Clearly, Kakuzu—who was always arrogant and often claimed he had once fought the First—had taken a serious blow.

"You were almost killed too?! Was your opponent that strong?"

"If the leader had fought him, it probably wouldn't have been a problem! But I couldn't handle him! He has a technique that lets him fly!

"And he also knows ninjutsu with astonishing power!"

Kakuzu then described in detail, without any emotion, what had happened when he fought Lin Cheng.

He also shared his suspicions.

"I suspect he's one of the surviving members of the Yuki Clan from the Land of Water!"

"...You don't need to worry about him anymore. I'll handle it!

"As for your teammate, I'll find you another one!"

"Understood."