Hell of the Torn Tongue

Uchiha Liu did not understand Ye Ning's meaning at all, standing rooted to the spot, feeling somewhat at a loss.

However, Ye Ning had no intention of explaining it to him.

After all, no matter how much was said, it was not as persuasive as letting him witness it with his own eyes.

Watching Ye Ning's actions, Kakuzu was bewildered.

This kid in front of him did not seem to play by the rules!

Was he afraid that the eighty million would be too difficult to earn, so he specifically ran out to deliver the money?

Since that was the case, then he would gladly accept this eighty million!

Kakuzu sneered and was just about to step forward, only to find that Ye Ning's figure had completely vanished!

Hm?

Where did he go?

In the next instant, Ye Ning's figure appeared before Kakuzu like a ghost.

A piercing chirping sound emanated from his hand, blooming with dazzling electric light.

Lightning Release: Chidori!

After these days of special training, although Ye Ning's taijutsu could not yet compare to Tsunade, it had improved significantly compared to when he first arrived in Konoha. The coordination between Swift Release and Chidori had also become increasingly handy.

This time, the combination of the two caught even Kakuzu off guard!

Kakuzu's expression changed drastically, his body reacting instinctively as a tentacle arm burrowed out from the ground, heading straight for Ye Ning's face.

But it was too late.

Chidori carved a graceful arc, piercing directly through the heart in the upper left corner!

The massive impact sent Kakuzu's body flying backward instantly, crashing through seven or eight trees before finally coming to a halt.

The Uchiha Clan members on the side were instantly dumbfounded.

Facing a powerful S-rank missing-nin, they had expected a grueling battle, yet the fight had ended just as it had begun?

And it was killed by the hands of Lord Ye Ning himself?

Uchiha Liu's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, suddenly feeling that this world was a bit insane.

The Daimyo's Son they had been protecting was actually stronger than them?

Then what had they been protecting all this time?

Huh?

"Can someone explain to me why the Daimyo's Son would have such strength?"

One of the Uchiha ninjas asked weakly, instantly receiving eye-rolls from his companions.

If you ask us that, who are we supposed to ask?

In the collapsed crater, Kakuzu coughed hard, struggling to crawl out with a gloomy expression.

Damn it!

The intelligence was wrong!

This brat was not an ordinary Daimyo's Son at all!

What kind of Daimyo's Son could possess such outrageous strength?

Although he had underestimated his opponent, he had truly lost a heart in a single exchange!

This mission was only worth eighty million?

Kakuzu cursed the person who issued the mission to high heaven in his heart.

Initially, Kakuzu thought the eighty million was a price set based on Ye Ning's status.

Thinking about it now, how could this mission only be worth eighty million?

Adding another thirty million would be more like it!

Kakuzu took a deep breath, his vigilance already raised.

Ye Ning's speed just now was too fast; he hadn't been prepared, and there was no time to react. More importantly, he hadn't been able to track his movements at all!

Ye Ning's strength far exceeded his imagination, and there were fifteen Uchiha Clan ninjas standing by to suppress him.

This meant that trying to kill Ye Ning would undoubtedly be a very difficult task.

A desire to retreat sprouted in Kakuzu's heart.

Right now, he had only lost a heart with water-natured chakra, which could be replenished after some hunting.

But if he continued to fight, what he lost would not be as simple as just one heart!

The most important point was that he might not even be able to get those eighty million ryo!

Kakuzu took two heavy breaths and revealed his figure once more.

"Wasn't he already dead?"

"Can anyone survive with their heart pierced?"

To the confusion of the Uchiha Clan ninjas beside him, Ye Ning patiently explained, "That is the power of the secret technique Earth Grudge Fear. It allows the user to possess five hearts, representing five different elemental chakras. Destroying just one heart is not enough to kill him; you must destroy all five hearts of different chakra natures to truly end his life."

"In other words, you just need to kill him five times."

Kakuzu: "..."

Kakuzu was completely numb.

I finally worked up the resolve to try again and see if I could get those eighty million ryo from you, and you immediately blurted out my abilities?

And you were completely correct, without a single error!

Kakuzu panicked.

In ninja combat, this is the greatest taboo.

When the enemy knows everything about you, they are practically in an invincible position, while you know nothing about them—not even what kind of abilities they possess.

Aside from the high speed and Lightning Release ninjutsu displayed earlier, Kakuzu knew nothing about Ye Ning, yet his own abilities had been thoroughly exposed.

No, not exposed.

His intelligence had been leaked unknowingly, and it was now in the hands of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire!

"Distraction during battle is not a good habit."

Ye Ning's soft chuckle suddenly sounded right beside Kakuzu's ear.

In the next instant, Kakuzu felt the world spin.

The surrounding scene changed drastically, and by the time everything stabilized, the environment had completely transformed!

What met his eyes was a world of blood.

Nothing could be clearly seen; everything was blurred, yet the surroundings were filled with resentful wails and cries, as heart-wrenching as a purgatory.

Kakuzu was stunned to discover that, without realizing it, he had been bound to an iron pillar, held fast by several iron chains that he could not break free from.

Before him, a blurred figure emerged.

The figure's face was unclear, but one could vaguely make out a strange, grinning face beneath the hideous features.

In the figure's hand, a giant pair of iron pincers glinted with a cold light.

This is... a genjutsu?

Kakuzu's heart tightened, his mind and body tensing up completely.

Even though he realized he was in Ye Ning's genjutsu space, it was useless; he had no way to break free!

Ye Ning's figure soon appeared in this blood-red world as well.

"Kakuzu, welcome to my genjutsu space, Tongue-Ripping Hell. This is the first time I've been able to witness the true power of this technique, so I hope you can last a little longer."

A faint arc appeared at the corner of Ye Ning's mouth.

Although he had used Tongue-Ripping Hell on Danzo's subordinates when dealing with Danzo, that Root ninja had only lasted a short while, failing to show him the true power of this genjutsu.

Perhaps Kakuzu could hold out a bit longer?

"So, for the next day and night, please enjoy yourself."