The Pursuer

Hyuuga Nen had been in the Land of Tea for more than a year. During that time, he had completed the second stage of training in the Cell Activation Forbidden Technique, and had finished most of the third stage.

After inscribing a Sealing Formula on his stomach, Hyuuga Nen discovered that his body had undergone a strange change. His respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems could now circulate chakra automatically, at least to a limited extent.

With these three systems working together, even without the help of the Sealing Formula, chakra continued to nourish the cells in Hyuuga Nen's body. He could now grow stronger just by lying down.

Compared to when he had first left the Land of Iron, Hyuuga Nen had become much stronger, faster, and more enduring. His chakra reserves had also increased.

Hyuuga Nen spent most of his time in the Land of Tea, though he had also traveled to the Land of Moon for a mission.

The Land of Moon lay on Crescent Moon Island, south of the Land of Fire and the Land of Tea. It was a wealthy country, and while there, Hyuuga Nen had enjoyed the peace that so many people longed for.

While in the Land of Moon, Hyuuga Nen had even considered staying there forever, far from the conflicts of the Shinobi World, and simply enjoying his life. In the end, though, he had still left.

"A peaceful life is a slow-acting poison for me. The more peaceful my life is, the sooner I'll die. This kind of life isn't right for me." Hyuuga Nen sighed inwardly.

At the Bounty Exchange, Hyuuga Nen turned in Aoki's corpse. After collecting the bounty, he tactfully asked the person in charge whether any powerful shinobi had recently come to the Land of Tea.

Ever since his encounter with Kakuzu, Hyuuga Nen had kept his guard up. He made a point of asking for information about powerful shinobi who came to the Land of Tea. If anyone matching that description appeared, he would leave the country again.

After receiving a negative answer, Hyuuga Nen relaxed and headed for the exit.

Just as he opened the Bounty Exchange's exit door and was about to leave, someone opened the door at another entrance and walked in—a man dressed in a black cloak patterned with red clouds.

With his back to the man, Hyuuga Nen didn't see him.

As soon as the man entered, he noticed Hyuuga Nen in the distance. He stood in the doorway, silently watching him leave. Even behind his mask, the dangerous smile at the corner of his mouth was unmistakable.

Hyuuga Nen left the Bounty Exchange with a frown. Unease stirred in him. He glanced back at the building, shook his head, and quickened his pace.

"Someone's following me!" Hyuuga Nen thought, immediately speeding up in hopes of shaking his pursuer.

After a while, Hyuuga Nen realized he couldn't lose the tail. He headed to a secluded spot, stopped, and leaped into a tree, cautiously scanning his surroundings.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Hyuuga Nen shouted.

Not far away, a figure slowly rose from underground. He fixed Hyuuga Nen with a dangerous look.

"Kakuzu? Why are you following me?"

Hyuuga Nen's pupils contracted as he took in the man before him, dressed in a black cloak patterned with red clouds. He watched Kakuzu warily.

"Oh, you know who I am?"

Kakuzu stared at Hyuuga Nen greedily.

"You're the notorious bounty hunter from the Black Market, Kakuzu, the rogue ninja from Takigakure. How could I not know you?" Hyuuga Nen replied.

When Hyuuga Nen identified him, Kakuzu's gaze turned dangerous. He fixed his eyes on him.

Kakuzu took two portraits from inside his cloak and held them up toward Hyuuga Nen. Then he said slowly,

"These are the two identities you've used. Both people in the portraits are you, but their appearances and builds are completely different. A Transformation Technique shouldn't be able to do that. Can you tell me what kind of secret technique it is?"

Kakuzu studied Hyuuga Nen with keen interest.

"So Kakuzu had already set his sights on me in the Land of Sea. Was it because of the Earth Grudge Fear?"

Though he was shocked, Hyuuga Nen answered in an even tone:

"It's just ordinary makeup. You still haven't answered my question. Why are you following me?"

"Your heart. The scent of your heart is irresistible. I want to take it."

Kakuzu smiled at Hyuuga Nen, but the tone of his voice sent a chill down one's spine.

"So it really is because of that secret technique. Kakuzu's wearing this cloak, which means he's already joined the Akatsuki. I wonder if any of his teammates are nearby." Hyuuga Nen watched Kakuzu, feeling somewhat nervous.

"So you're tracking me through my heart? What kind of secret technique is that? I've never heard of it." As he spoke, Hyuuga Nen began forming Hand Seals, slowly and steadily.

At first, Kakuzu considered stopping him. But Hyuuga Nen's Hand Seals were extremely slow, and their pattern was unlike anything he had ever seen, so he stopped and watched with amusement. He relished the feeling of a cat toying with a mouse.

Kakuzu watched as Hyuuga Nen formed dozens of seals, almost one per second.

"You actually formed fifty seals. What kind of ninjutsu is that? Why haven't you used it yet?" Kakuzu looked at Hyuuga Nen. "Don't tell me you're stalling. Are you waiting for your teammate?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Hyuuga Nen stood in the tree, looking down at Kakuzu.

"Hahahaha!" Kakuzu's anger turned to laughter at Hyuuga Nen's words. "Don't worry. I'm the only one here, but I'm more than enough to deal with you."

Hearing that, Hyuuga Nen relaxed slightly. Given Kakuzu's strength and pride, he probably wasn't lying. Still, Hyuuga Nen didn't take him entirely at his word and remained on full alert.

Hyuuga Nen had kept Kakuzu talking to buy time—to undo the Sealing Formula he had inscribed inside his body.

Training in the Cell Activation Forbidden Technique consumed some of the chakra in Hyuuga Nen's body, so the Sealing Formula's presence weakened him.

Hyuuga Nen couldn't undo the Sealing Formula in the middle of a fight. Aside from the lack of time, forcing it off could injure him.

Hyuuga Nen naturally wasn't going to underestimate his opponent; he needed to use his full strength. But Kakuzu had simply watched him perform the technique without reacting, which was unexpected.

"Looks like he's underestimating me," Hyuuga Nen concluded. "But I can use that to my advantage."

"Enough talk. It looks like today I'll get not only an excellent heart, but a fine secret technique as well."

"Die! I'll take your heart for myself!"

Before he had even finished speaking, Kakuzu thrust out one hand. Its palm detached from his body, connected to his arm by countless black threads.

Kakuzu clenched the detached hand into a fist and sent it hurtling toward Hyuuga Nen.