Wail, O Fate, for Not Being Born an Uchiha

Hizuki Style: Quench!

The tip of the blade erupted with extreme sharpness, carving a path straight through the sea of fire.

With sparks flickering in his eyes, Kaminazuki pinpointed Kakuzu's location and flicked a pitch-black chain from his sleeve.

Swish--!!

The tip of the chain glinted with a purple hue; it was coated in poison.

Kakuzu tilted his head slightly, the razor-sharp edge grazing his ear and shearing off a few strands of hair.

In that same instant, the short blade of Hatake Sakumo struck from the other side, white lightning dancing across the steel with a sharpness so extreme it stung the eyes.

The remaining hearts within Kakuzu's body shuddered in unison, and tentacles erupted from beneath his feet, allowing him to narrowly evade the strike.

His field of vision was slashed apart by the white lightning; even without being hit, he felt a stinging sensation across his body.

This guy...

The Blade of the White Fang was not crafted by a master; it was merely a ninja blade infused with a small amount of chakra metal, far from the level of the Kusanagi Sword.

Yet, because it was in the hands of Sakumo, even a ninja known for immortality felt the genuine threat of death!

"White Fang of Konoha... you will become world-renowned..."

"And you as well, brat!"

Clang!!

Kakuzu raised his hand to block, the crimson blade tip piercing his hardened, tentacle-reinforced palm, stopping just an inch from his throat.

Bang--!!

Kakuzu's upper garment shattered completely as three massive tentacles shot out, meeting the two men from the left and right.

The giant tentacles were shredded as if fed into a meat grinder, rapidly disintegrating amidst the flash of blades.

Taking advantage of the time bought, Kakuzu slammed both hands into the ground.

"Earth Style: Earth Dome!"

Just as the two closed in again, a massive stone slab erupted from the ground, standing as a barrier between them.

BOOM!!!!

Kaminazuki shattered the stone slab with a single punch.

But behind it, there was nothing.

Kakuzu leaped into mid-air, his hands weaving seals at high speed.

At this moment, a blue mask appeared on his shoulder, filling the gap left by the Wind Style Mask.

The ninjutsu ended without a seal—it was Water Style!

"Water Style: Water Curtain Wall!"

WHOOSH!!!!

Like a torrential flood, a massive surge of water instantly engulfed the area.

Within the torrent, Kaminazuki and Sakumo used floating debris to continue their advance, like two fish swimming against the current.

Both were close-quarters combatants; if they allowed a ninja like Kakuzu, who excelled in large-scale ninjutsu, to widen the distance, the battle would become incredibly difficult.

Before one's power breaks through all limits, the elemental counters between ninjutsu, the combat system, and the natural environment are all key factors influencing victory or defeat.

This is precisely what highlights the uniqueness of all-rounders like Sarutobi Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Kakashi.

Facing any opponent or environment, they could always produce the best possible countermeasure.

By now, Kakuzu's next technique was ready.

A third white mask emerged from his back, and blue-cyan electric arcs gathered in its mouth.

"Of course, that is assuming you can survive!"

"Lightning Style: False Darkness!!"

Zzzzt--CRACK!!!!

A spear of thunder tore through the air, striking the water surface closest to them!

The blue-white electric arcs exploded across the water, spreading toward the two men at blinding speed.

Compound Ninjutsu: Water-Lightning Chain!!

When the same individual fuses two or more chakra natures within their body, the resulting new technique is a Kekkei Genkai.

The combination of multiple people or multiple techniques layered together is known as a Composite Ninjutsu.

The difficulty of the two belongs to different categories, but the commonality is...

Extreme destructive power!!

Kaminazuki's pupils constricted. The moment he turned to meet Sakumo's gaze, a silent understanding was reached.

It was already too late to crouch and leap; the electric arcs were spreading too rapidly, and once struck, paralysis would be the inevitable result.

Facing an enemy like Kakuzu, a single second of paralysis was enough to die several times over.

Swish—Swish—!!

Kaminazuki threw the Crimson Blade toward Sakumo, and Sakumo's movements were perfectly synchronized.

Snap!!

Kaminazuki grabbed the hilt of the White Fang short blade, letting the kinetic energy of the blade pull him into the air.

"To think they could do that..."

Watching the two soar away from the Sea of Lightning Water like birds, Kakuzu muttered.

Immediately after...

A cruel smile spread across his face, which was covered in stitch marks.

"Then... how will you dodge in mid-air?"

"Fire Style: Searing Migraine!"

It was not a fan-shaped blast; two scorching pillars of fire erupted from the fire-element mask. Wherever the flames passed, the moonlight was swallowed, and the entire night sky was illuminated in a dark crimson!

Sakumo remained expressionless, gripping the hilt of the Crimson Blade as he faced the pillars of fire.

I can cut through it!

Just as he circulated his Chakra, the tension from the steel wire attached to the hilt caused his body to tilt, throwing him to one side.

The sudden change in direction caused the pillar of fire aimed at him to miss, whistling off into the distant sky.

What is this?!

Looking down to see the steel wire on the hilt, Sakumo understood, and hurriedly looked toward Kaminazuki's position.

He hadn't tied any steel wire to the White Fang short blade; how was Kaminazuki supposed to dodge?

No miracle occurred; Kaminazuki failed to dodge.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!!!!

The pillars of fire struck their target, erupting into a massive fireball!!

"Kaminazuki!!"

"Is this what you call the bonds of village comrades... Heh."

Kakuzu's tone was filled with mockery.

"For the sake of a more valuable guy like you, that fellow chose self-sacrifice. A very profitable trade."

His voice returned to a flat tone, as if he were speaking of something unrelated to the scene before him.

Sakumo could not sense Kaminazuki's Chakra...

Or rather, aside from special ocular techniques like the Byakugan, few sensory ninjutsu could probe Kaminazuki's condition.

He did not believe Kaminazuki would die, but this strike would surely leave him severely wounded.

The mission has failed. I must take Kaminazuki and leave immediately!

Sakumo made his decision, landing on the water surface as the electric arcs receded, then sprinting toward the explosion to catch Kaminazuki.

The firelight began to fade.

Bang—!!

A human figure actually smashed through the flames and charged out!

The clothes on his body were still burning, revealing large patches of scorched skin, with red marks from the flames streaking across his arms and face.

Kakuzu's pupils shrank violently, his smile freezing on his face.

How is this possible!!

This guy absolutely had no time to cast a defensive ninjutsu!! That was an ultra-high temperature capable of melting even solid rock!!

"Impossible!!"

To be struck directly in the body by Searing Migraine and only sustain this level of burn—how is that possible!!

Is this guy even human!

"What... exactly are you..."

Kaminazuki's lips curled upward; the burn marks made his smile look hideous and terrifying.

"Do you, a freak who doesn't even look human, have the right to ask me such a question?"

Kakuzu remained silent for a few seconds, as if he had realized something, and suddenly laughed.

"I see..."

"You really are an anomaly the likes of which I have never seen before!"

"It's not that you choose not to use ninjutsu, it's that you are fundamentally incapable of using it!!"

"My sensory perception wasn't malfunctioning; it's that you are completely unable to manifest Chakra externally!!"

The stitches at the corners of his mouth stretched wide.

No wonder, for an Uchiha with such combat prowess, it would be one thing to lack a Sharingan, but how could he not release even a single Fire Style technique...

So that's how it is!

"To think I've been strictly adhering to the countermeasures for dealing with an Uchiha, avoiding eye contact with you—what a waste of effort."

Kakuzu stared straight at Kaminazuki, mocking him with unbridled coldness.

"Trading everything you have for physical strength far beyond that of a normal person—to be born into the Uchiha with a life like yours... how truly pathetic!"

"Is that so."

Kaminazuki smiled faintly, the fiery red marks on his face seeming to surge toward his eye sockets.

"Then..."

"It is your turn to lament the miserable fate of not being born into the Uchiha."

Crimson ignited.

Sharingan...

Open!!