Tiger Talisman (Part 2)

Kakuzu blew the Gato Company building to smithereens, the sea of flames spreading hundreds of meters outward, appearing exceptionally conspicuous in the Land of Waves, an island nation of azure blue.

The residents living in the surrounding area all switched to "fleeing in all directions" mode; only the Cloud and Mist squads charged toward the Gato building.

"B, hurry! We have to get the talisman before that group of pitch-black ninja soldiers!"

Although he didn't know what the explosion was about, A saw the Shadowkhan swarming out and sprinting toward the Gato Company, and he knew the talisman had manifested.

On the other side, Raiga Kurosuki and Suikazan Fuguki saw the violent explosion and also headed toward the Gato building.

"Besides the Third Raikage's son and the Eight-Tails jinchuriki, there seems to be another unfamiliar chakra..."

"Ignore it... Just kill anyone who interferes with the village's orders!"

Raiga Kurosuki drew his ninja sword, Kiba, while Suikazan Fuguki released Samehada from its bandages.

"That's... the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's Raiga Kurosuki and Suikazan Fuguki?"

The A and B Duo also recognized Raiga Kurosuki and Suikazan Fuguki on the other side. As the four stared at each other, they all prepared for battle.

"The Third Raikage's son, the Cloud's jinchuriki, and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's Raiga Kurosuki and Suikazan Fuguki, huh...?"

"I didn't expect an unexpected harvest this time... You're here for this, right?" Kakuzu held the Tiger Talisman, waving it in front of them before tucking it into his pocket. He then took out his personal ledger and began flipping through it. After confirming their bounties, he revealed a rare smile: "Very good, I'll be taking your heads!"

Kakuzu's shoulder suddenly burst open, black threads snapping as pitch-black tentacles piled up behind his body. Immediately after, the mask monster representing Fire Style chakra opened its massive maw—

"Fire Style: Searing Migraine!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Kakuzu performed the hand seals and spat out a small, unremarkable fireball that landed slowly on the ground. The next instant, that fireball instantly transformed into a sea of flames, spreading outward.

The future A and B Duo immediately jumped backward to dodge, while the Mist's Ninja Swordsmen Duo performed hand seals on the spot: "Water Style: Water Wall!"

However, this upright wall of water was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot when faced with Kakuzu's Searing Migraine; it was futile.

The sea of flames collided with the water wall, generating a massive amount of high-temperature steam. In such conditions, the two felt as if they were in a steamer, suffering immensely, but they ultimately managed to barely withstand the erosion of the flames.

"That guy is...?"

The A and B Duo, who had flashed to a distance, looked astonished. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were renowned powerhouses in the Ninja World, yet it took both of them to barely withstand that stranger's Fire Style—and they had even used Water Style, which countered Fire.

"Kids these days really are ignorant..."

"Has even my achievement of fighting the First Hokage been forgotten...?"

"What?! You fought the First Hokage?!"

Setting aside whether what Kakuzu said was true or false, no one present had lived through that era, so naturally, they didn't know the weight of having fought the First Hokage. As for the title "God of Shinobi"? They could easily dismiss it as a gimmick Konoha made up to brag about itself.

Compared to that, they were more surprised by Kakuzu's appearance. One had to know that the First Hokage was from at least forty years ago; even if someone who had fought him were still alive, they should be a twilight-aged elder, not a robust man like Kakuzu!

"Who can't brag, you idiot! You jerk!"

Killer B shook his body while launching a verbal attack on Kakuzu with his rap.

"You brat..."

Killer B was full of trash talk, dancing around and even wiggling his butt at Kakuzu, instantly infuriating the old man.

His other shoulder also burst open as black threads snapped, and another mask monster wrapped in tentacles opened its maw—

"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!"

As the Earth Grudge Fear Wind Style mask monster finished charging, a high-pressure wind sphere was released from its mouth, instantly forming a gale that seemed capable of clearing all obstacles. It exploded over a wide area, tearing up the surrounding buildings and ground as it surged toward the A and B Duo.

"He even has Wind Style?!"

Although Lightning Style was countered by Wind Style, A immediately activated his Lightning Style Chakra Mode to tank the attack, feeling his Lightning Armor nearly being torn apart by the heavy cannon of wind.

Compared to his older brother, Killer B, as a jinchuriki, was clearly much more at ease. Although his body was inevitably sent flying, he suffered no major harm thanks to the healing of the Eight-Tails' red Tailed Beast chakra.

"Hmm... so heads worth tens of millions aren't that easy to get after all..."

Kakuzu felt he had probably been bullying weaklings too much, actually thinking he could pocket tens of millions of ryo with just a few techniques.

But it wasn't too late to get serious now...

—"Ugh!"

As Kakuzu tore off his outer robe and mask, tossing them into the air, the black threads on his back, full of "patches" and "stitching marks," all snapped. Immediately, a large number of pitch-black, writhing tentacles emerged from beneath the other masks, converging into eight giant black threads like octopus tentacles.

"Earth Grudge Fear Mode...!"

"Combined Ninjutsu..."

The tentacles in Kakuzu's mouth twisted, and the Fire Style and Wind Style mask monsters on his shoulders twitched slowly, opening their maws again. Just as he was about to unleash "Combined Ninjutsu: Scorching Wind Wave," a bolt of lightning suddenly streaked in from afar.

—BOOM!

"You really are looking down on me!"

In the steam not far away, the blade light was sharp. Suikazan Fuguki raised Samehada, splitting the water mist down the middle in one breath. Following closely behind was Raiga Kurosuki's "Lightning Style: Thunder Fang."

The swift lightning streaked in like a serpent. Kakuzu couldn't dodge in time and was caught off guard, but he still managed to use "Earth Style: Earth Spear" at the very first moment.

It is well known that Earth Style is countered by Lightning Style, but in the late stages of the original Naruto series, such restraint chains were gradually downplayed. As long as one's strength was sufficient, what attribute restraint? Just ignore it.

However, the lightning from Kiba wasn't so easy to tank either. For a split second, Kakuzu felt a sharp pain in his body and was briefly paralyzed.

Seeing an opportunity, the A and B Duo immediately transformed into streaks of lightning, flashing to the front and back of Kakuzu—

Double Lariat!

A and Killer B moved in tandem, one in front and one behind, simultaneously unleashing the Double Lariat toward Kakuzu's head. Although he had instantly activated Earth Style: Earth Spear for defense, the sheer force of the impact from two directions made his body feel as if it were being folded in half, nearly forcing his internal organs out of his throat.

"Damn brats!"

The Earth Grudge Fear tentacles swept violently across the surroundings. Seeing this, the A and B Duo immediately retreated a hundred meters. On the other side, the Ninja Swordsmen Duo were eager to watch the show and wait for both sides to suffer heavy losses before making their move, but the Earth Grudge Fear tentacles surging from the ground all around Kakuzu clearly did not intend to give them that chance.

The Fire and Lightning style Earth Grudge Fear Masked Monsters detached from Kakuzu's body, forming their own bodies out of tentacles and launching a suppression attack against everyone present.