Battle Against Kakuzu Again!

On July 11, Konoha Year 42, the caravan arrived at its destination in the Land of Bears.

Asuma and the others also completed their covert mission successfully.

After resting in the Land of Bears for three days, the caravan set out once more on the road back to Konoha.

After reentering the Land of Birds, Asuma discovered that his Charm Attribute had suddenly increased again.

"Charm 74. Looks like Kakuzu sold my information."

Asuma secretly guessed.

He just did not know how high his bounty was now.

"I'm less than fifty thousand experience away from leveling up. I need to work harder!"

With that in mind, Asuma lowered his head and continued studying Fūinjutsu theory aboard the cargo wagon.

As for the mission, his Shadow Clone could handle it for now.

Only after entering the Land of Rain did he become vigilant again and temporarily put aside his studies.

The Land of Rain was simply too chaotic. He had no choice but to be cautious.

On the second day after entering the Land of Rain, the atmosphere grew tense.

Ninja frequently appeared around the caravan, as if they were watching them.

"Prepare for battle. We've been targeted!"

Sakumo said sternly.

Yūhi Kurenai asked, "Could it be that Kakuzu from before?"

Sakumo shook his head. "Whether it is or not, we can't let our guard down!"

"If we come under attack, Kurenai and Shizune, you will still be responsible for guarding the caravan as backup. Asuma and I will clear out the enemy."

Asuma and the other two nodded in unison.

Half an hour later.

The caravan stopped.

Figures emerged beneath the hazy curtain of rain.

They were surrounded from the front, back, left, and right.

"Twenty-four people in total!"

Yūhi Kurenai immediately said with a grave expression.

Sakumo looked into the depths of the rain. "Twenty-five. That Kakuzu from last time is here too!"

Asuma blew lightly, sending a ring of breeze sweeping outward.

He soon sensed that something was wrong and frowned. "Sakumo-sensei, eight of them have very strong Chakra signatures, only slightly weaker than mine."

Having a lot of Chakra did not necessarily mean one was powerful.

But on the battlefield, it was one of the factors used to judge a ninja's strength.

Especially for a Sensor Ninja.

Sakumo frowned, sensing that something was off.

Since when did bounty hunters have so many powerful people?

"Sakumo-sensei, let me hold Kakuzu back!"

Asuma tore off his raincoat, and clusters of flames appeared across his body.

He had become more and more proficient at it!

Sakumo hesitated slightly, but considering how troublesome Kakuzu was, even with his strength, he truly had no way to defeat him quickly. He nodded. "All right. Just stall him!"

"Don't worry, Sensei. I value my life too much!"

Asuma said with a smile.

After their last battle, he knew that taking down an old monster like Kakuzu completely would not be easy. He absolutely could not rush it.

"Kurenai, Shizune, be careful!"

With that, Asuma vanished from where he stood in a flash.

Sakumo vanished from his spot immediately after.

The enemy had already closed within a hundred meters.

From deep within the rain curtain, Kakuzu snorted coldly. "They actually sent a brat to hold this old man back!"

But that was exactly what he wanted.

His original mission had been to restrain a powerful opponent like Sakumo. Now that he was directly facing Asuma, his true target, he only needed to capture him and claim the bounty.

The lives of the others had nothing to do with him!

With that thought, the stitches on Kakuzu's body split apart. Two masked creatures appeared on his shoulders, while one flew into the sky.

"Brat, this old man will be taking your heart!"

Kakuzu shouted as he watched Asuma appear.

The next moment, the masked creature in the air opened its mouth with a crack. Electric Light gathered within it before blasting toward Asuma.

"Kakuzu, don't talk so big at your age. You might choke on your own words."

Asuma moved at high speed, evading the Electric Light pursuing him.

Kakuzu snorted and formed Hand Seals. Water whips lashed out like snakes, coiling toward Asuma.

Water Style: Water Flow Whip!

This was a specialized control ninjutsu. Once it bound an enemy, Kakuzu could use Lightning Style to kill them instantly.

More importantly, the two masks on Kakuzu's shoulders were gathering Chakra as well, preparing their ninjutsu.

Asuma frowned. I have to reduce the number of his hearts first!

He suddenly stopped, pressed his hands together, and his clothes fluttered as a violent wind swept out in all directions from his body.

Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!

The snake-like streams of water were ripped apart by the gale.

But the Electric Light from the Lightning Style masked creature in the air pierced through the sweeping storm.

Bang!

Before the Electric Light struck, Asuma's body exploded into a cloud of smoke.

At almost the same time.

The ninjutsu of the two masked creatures on Kakuzu's shoulders erupted.

Fire Style: Head Hunter!

Wind Style: Pressure Damage!

The two ninjutsu swept toward the Lightning Style masked creature in the air.

At that very moment.

Asuma appeared behind the Lightning Style masked creature caught in the gale. A flash of blue blade light erupted, slicing it in two.

"So you predicted my attack and deliberately used the Lightning Style masked creature as bait!"

Asuma smiled.

The next moment, wind and fire engulfed him, reducing him to ash.

"Go!"

Behind Kakuzu.

Asuma shouted from within the rain curtain.

Two Shadow Clones raced toward Kakuzu at high speed.

"They're Shadow Clones too!"

Kakuzu's gaze darkened. As he turned, he saw a terrifying firestorm sweeping toward him.

Water Style: Water Curtain Tent!

Kakuzu rapidly formed Hand Seals. Water quickly gathered around him, forming a water wall ten meters high in the blink of an eye.

In a rainy environment, Water Style was simply too convenient to use.

The firestorm collided with the water wall. A thunderous blast erupted, and steam billowed upward.

The next moment, Asuma's two Shadow Clones tore through the steam and charged in from both sides.

The two masked creatures on Kakuzu's shoulders immediately unleashed ninjutsu in rapid succession.

Wind balls and fireballs shot out one after another, constantly attacking Asuma's two Shadow Clones.

Suddenly, a sharp buzzing sound rang out.

Kakuzu's pupils contracted. The rising steam ahead completely dispersed, revealing a blazing-white pinwheel spinning at high speed as it came roaring toward him.

"This ninjutsu..."

Cold sweat appeared on Kakuzu's forehead. "I absolutely can't be hit by it, or else..."

He retreated again and again while rapidly forming Hand Seals.

Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!

A massive torrent gathered into a water dragon and charged toward the incoming Wind Style: Rasenshuriken.

Boom!

The water dragon was struck by the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken and instantly exploded.

The Wind Style: Rasenshuriken rapidly expanded as a result, and a terrifying storm swept in every direction, mixed with countless tiny needles of Wind Release Chakra.

The closer one was to the center of the ninjutsu's eruption, the denser they became.

At that moment, Kakuzu was only ten meters from the core of the eruption.

Earth Style: Multiple Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!

Kakuzu retreated repeatedly as layer after layer of Earth Walls rose from the ground.

But they were immediately shredded apart by the storm sweeping toward him.

"S-Rank Wind Style Ninjutsu..."

Kakuzu was alarmed. The Wind Style mask on his shoulder immediately stopped attacking Asuma's Shadow Clones and turned to join forces with Kakuzu himself.

Water Style: Water Formation Wall!

Wind Style: Pressure Damage!

Boom!

A waterspout surged into the sky, finally blocking the sweeping storm.

By then, Asuma's two Shadow Clones had already circled behind Kakuzu.

Fire Style: Fire Bullet!

Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!

Kakuzu did not turn around.

But walls rose from the ground behind him one after another.

He had anticipated the attacks from Asuma's two Shadow Clones.

Unfortunately, it was a little too late.

Otherwise, caught in a pincer attack from front and back, he would have been in a terrible state.

But in the next moment, his expression changed. "What?"

Hearing the shrill, piercing sound, Kakuzu looked up to see the giant pinwheel falling from the sky.

"Damn it, there's no time!"

Kakuzu's pupils contracted sharply.

Less than five meters above the ground, the second Wind Style: Rasenshuriken erupted.

Blazing-white light bloomed like a massive sphere of light rapidly expanding and devouring everything around it.

Bang! Bang!

Asuma's two Shadow Clones dispersed one after another.

In the air, Asuma's figure also burst into a cloud of smoke with a bang.

He had used the Substitution Technique to switch places with a Shadow Clone. The Shadow Clone in the air then dispersed before it was engulfed by the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken.

A hundred meters away.

Asuma knelt on one knee, squinting into the storm sweeping toward him.

This time, he should definitely be dead, right?

It detonated five meters above the ground. That counts as the core area. Even if Kakuzu still has four hearts, he shouldn't be able to withstand it, right?

Asuma thought.

Once the storm passed, he immediately flashed forward to inspect the area.

"Hm?"

In the enormous crater, Asuma did not see Kakuzu.

"He escaped even from that?"

Asuma frowned.

Just then, Sakumo landed beside him. "Asuma, how did it go?"

"What a cunning bastard. He got away!"

Asuma said regretfully.

Even two Wind Style: Rasenshuriken had failed to kill him.

"I still lack combat experience, and my coordination with my Shadow Clones isn't good enough. I can't land a hit from close range!"

Asuma sighed inwardly.

Anyone else would definitely have died after taking a Wind Style: Rasenshuriken from that close, but Kakuzu was no ordinary person. His body had already been modified into a monster. Five hearts meant five lives.

Troublesome!

Sakumo smiled instead. "It's already remarkable that you drove back such a powerful opponent by yourself!"

Asuma was startled.

Without realizing it, had he become someone who could be mentioned in the same breath as a powerhouse like Kakuzu?

Asuma could not help feeling pleased with himself, but he immediately suppressed the feeling.

"I still had a gap compared to an old monster like Kakuzu. Otherwise, he wouldn't have escaped."

"My constitution, Chakra, mastery of Wind Style and Fire Style ninjutsu—none of them are inferior to any Jōnin's, or even a Kage's."

"Besides, one Kakuzu is nothing!"

After giving himself a mental pep talk, Asuma smiled. "This time, I relied on the fact that he didn't know anything about me. If we meet again next time, he probably won't be so easy to deal with!"

Hatake Sakumo nodded with a smile. He was very pleased that Asuma could still remain calm without the slightest arrogance. "Then before you meet him again, think of a way to deal with him!"

"Yes, sensei!"

Asuma readily accepted the advice.

Afterward, the two of them returned to the caravan.

Asuma looked at the corpses the samurai had piled together, and understood everything after a single glance.

They had all been killed in one strike.

Either through the neck or the heart.

The wounds were charred black.

They were clearly Hatake Sakumo's handiwork.

There may have been eight Jōnin among them!

Asuma secretly clicked his tongue.

The samurai, and even Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune, looked at Hatake Sakumo with incomparable reverence.

They had undoubtedly heard of Konoha's White Fang long ago.

But just now, they had witnessed this powerhouse's terrifying strength for the first time.

Konoha's White Fang truly lived up to his name!