Naruto: Eating Kaido's Azure Dragon Devil Fruit-Chapter 282: The Wage Worker Kakuzu

"You... you deserve to die!"

Kakuzu's voice was hoarse and icy, containing unprecedented fury.

He abruptly leaped backward, putting distance between himself and Sora.

At the wound on his chest pierced by the kunai, countless black threads of Jiongu writhed madly, temporarily stopping the flow of dark green blood.

But that heart, representing earth-natured chakra, had already completely lost its vitality.

Losing one heart was not merely a weakening of his strength for him, it was a source of immense humiliation and a sense of threat!

"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"

"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"

"Fire Release: Intelligent Hard Work!"

In an instant, the three remaining mask monsters within Kakuzu's body — Wind, Lightning, and Fire — along with his main body, erupted simultaneously!

A violent sphere of hurricane, a sharp spear of lightning, a sky-covering wave of flames.

Three high-level ninjutsu of different natures, from different angles, carrying an aura to annihilate everything, swept towards Sora and the shadow clones surrounding him!

This time, Kakuzu held nothing back!

He intended to blast this dangerous individual who knew his secret into dust with absolute power!

'Truly angered, is he?'

Sora's brow twitched slightly beneath his mask.

'Indeed, anyone would go mad if their trump card was seen through at a glance.'

Facing this overwhelming assault of composite ninjutsu, the thirty shadow clones swiftly formed a simple formation.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

Twenty shadow clones simultaneously formed hand seals, combining Fire Release and Wind Release, spewing forth a scorching storm of flames to meet Kakuzu's combined wind-fire attack. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The other ten shadow clones jointly performed Water Release to block that swift Lightning Release: False Darkness.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Even more violent explosions erupted in the forest, as if the heavens were collapsing and the earth splitting!

Flames, gales, lightning, water waves...

Chakra of various natures collided wildly, completely flattening the forest for hundreds of meters around.

The terrifying shockwaves directly shattered many of the closer shadow clones, turning them into white smoke and vanishing.

Kakuzu's main body ghostly weaved through the chaotic energy currents. Relying on the hardening effect of Earth Release: Earth Spear and his rich combat experience, he stubbornly withstood the aftershocks and closed in on Sora once more!

His hands swung, threads of Jiongu shooting from his sleeves, entangling towards Sora's limbs and neck!

At the same time, he left his defenses wide open, seemingly willing to trade injury for injury just to restrain Sora!

'Want to capture me alive? Or restrict my movement for a fatal strike?'

Sora's thoughts raced.

Pushing off with his feet, his figure drifted backward. Simultaneously, his hands flicked continuously, several kunai tied with explosive tags accurately shot towards those black threads.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The explosive tags detonated, the flames and impact temporarily blocking the threads' pursuit.

But Kakuzu's assault was like tidal waves, one after another.

The Wind-natured mask monster, relying on speed, flanked from the side, releasing countless dense wind blades to slash forward.

The Fire-natured mask monster spewed flames, sealing off Sora's evasion space.

The Lightning-natured mask monster was gathering lightning, preparing for the next False Darkness assault.

The remaining dozen or so shadow clones desperately intercepted, with clones constantly being shattered and turning into white smoke.

The battle entered a white-hot stage.

Both sides exchanged blows, ninjutsu clashed, taijutsu intersected, the scene exceptionally intense.

Sora mainly relied on his constantly decreasing yet replenishing shadow clones, and his Fire Release whose power was greatly enhanced after integrating Boro Breath, to deal with Kakuzu.

He deliberately avoided using moves like Semi-Beast Transformation or Super Strength... those easily exposing his "Azure Dragon" identity.

Though fighting somewhat constrained, supported by his superhuman physique, recovery, and the "Dragon Vein power bank," he still maintained an unbeaten situation.

Kakuzu, however, grew more and more alarmed the longer he fought.

He had already used all his methods. Three mask monsters coordinating with his main body, four chakra natures deployed in turn, yet he still couldn't truly subdue his opponent.

That "Vermilion Bird" was like a slippery eel.

He always managed to neutralize his killing moves in various ways, and his occasional counterattacks were exceptionally tricky and vicious.

'How is this guy's chakra not exhausted yet?! That number of shadow clones consumes massively, and he keeps using high-level Fire Release...'

'Could he really be a jinchūriki?'

Kakuzu felt inwardly anxious. The faint sense of weakness from losing a heart began to surface.

Unable to achieve victory after prolonged assault, a fierce glint flashed in Kakuzu's eyes. He decided to take a risky move!

He controlled the Lightning-natured mask monster to pounce fiercely at Sora, adopting a self-destructive attack posture to attract Sora and his shadow clones' attention.

Simultaneously, his main body and the Wind-natured mask monster quietly retreated, his hands rapidly forming seals!

"Composite Ninjutsu: Flame Wind Thunder Hurricane!"

This was one of Kakuzu's trump cards, forcibly fusing the chakra nature transformations of Fire, Wind, and Lightning.

Forming a massive tornado entwined with flames and lightning, its destructive power was terrifying. However, its preparation time was slightly long, and the consumption enormous!

But Sora would not give him the chance. A sharp light flashed in his eyes!

"Now!"

He pushed off powerfully with his feet, his speed abruptly exploding. In an instant, he appeared beside that Lightning-natured mask monster preparing its self-destructive attack!

Warning bells rang loudly in Kakuzu's mind!

"Not good!"

But he was currently guiding the composite ninjutsu and simply couldn't interrupt it!

He saw Sora's right hand form a knife-hand, fingertips condensed with highly compressed, minute wind blades —

Still that refined application of the Azure Dragon Fruit's wind control ability. It seemed ordinary, yet contained extreme penetrating power!

"Pfft!"

The knife-hand effortlessly pierced through the protective chakra layer around the Lightning-natured mask monster, accurately striking its core!

The Lightning-natured mask monster's movements abruptly froze, then turned into a pile of lifeless black threads, collapsing on the ground.

"The second one."

Sora's indifferent voice sounded again.

Kakuzu's eyes widened in rage, the composite ninjutsu nearly going out of control and backfiring due to his agitated state of mind!

However, Sora's attack did not stop.

While destroying the Lightning-natured mask monster, the sealing scroll in his left hand had already unfurled.

"Sealing Technique: Four Limb Heavy Seal!"

Not targeting Kakuzu's main body, but flung towards the Fire-natured mask monster spewing flames not far away!

This sudden sealing technique came from a tricky angle. The Fire-natured mask monster couldn't dodge in time. Entangled by several sealing符文, its movements immediately faltered, the spewed flames weakening significantly.

Though Kakuzu instantly controlled Jiongu threads to forcibly tear the sealing符文 apart, that momentary pause was enough for Sora to make his next move.

He flashed again, quickly closing in on Kakuzu's main body, the kunai in his hand stabbing straight at his heart location —

This time, the target was the core of Kakuzu's main body!

Kakuzu was terrified out of his wits. He forcibly interrupted the not yet fully formed composite ninjutsu, channeled Earth Release with all his might to harden his chest, and simultaneously controlled the Wind-natured and the just-freed Fire-natured mask monsters to return and aid!

"Clang!"

The kunai stabbed into Kakuzu's hardened chest. Though not completely piercing through, it still caused significant damage to his main body's core.

And the attacks from the Wind and Fire mask monsters had already arrived!

Sora had anticipated this. Failing in one strike, he immediately retreated far away, easily and casually evading the mask monsters' pincer attack.

He landed steadily not far away. The remaining seven or eight shadow clones around him quickly gathered by his side.

Kakuzu panted heavily, his chest heaving violently.

His dark green eyes fixed on Sora, filled with fury, shock, and a trace of... unbelievable frustration.

In such a short time, losing two hearts consecutively!

Adding the initial Earth-natured heart, he had already lost three hearts!

His strength was greatly reduced!

And that guy wearing the Vermilion Bird mask, apart from consuming some chakra and shadow clones, seemed... completely unharmed?!

How was this possible?!

Just who was this guy?!

An intense sense of crisis rose, instantly overwhelming the killing intent and greed in Kakuzu's heart.

Money was important, but life was more important!

Having lived this long, Kakuzu understood assessing the situation better than anyone.

Continuing to fight, forget about subduing the opponent, he might very well lose his remaining two hearts here as well!

Escape!

Once this thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed.

Kakuzu didn't even utter a threatening remark. His figure abruptly shot backward in a rapid retreat, simultaneously controlling the Wind-natured and Fire-natured mask monsters to cover his rear.

Heading in the opposite direction from Sora, he sped away without looking back, his speed skyrocketing to the limit!

In a few leaps, his figure vanished into the distant woodland. Even the two covering mask monsters quickly turned into black threads, merging into the black robe on his back and disappearing together.

Sora did not pursue.

He stood quietly in place, looking in the direction Kakuzu disappeared, his eyes beneath the mask calm and unruffled.

The surrounding shadow clones also successively "poofed" into white smoke and vanished.

'As expected of an old monster who fought the First Hokage Senju Hashirama and survived. This ability to assess the situation and preserve one's life is truly first-rate.'

Sora inwardly praised.

Kakuzu's decisive escape, without the slightest hesitation, indeed exceeded his expectations.

He had the ability to catch up and completely finish off Kakuzu.

At full power, relying on the Azure Dragon form's speed and strength, Kakuzu simply couldn't escape.

But, he couldn't do that.

'Kakuzu... you are the future financial minister and top enforcer of the Akatsuki organization.'

A glint of calculation flashed in Sora's eyes.

'Akatsuki needs you to make money, and needs you to capture the Tailed Beasts. Without you and Hidan's immortal combo, many of Akatsuki's plans would be affected.'

His goal was to become a wielder of Kekkei Mora, and the Ten-Tails' power was an indispensable and important part of his plan.

Letting Akatsuki work hard to capture the Tailed Beasts and synthesize the Ten-Tails, then he would wait for the opportune moment to act, was undoubtedly the least effort and lowest risk scheme.

Therefore, Kakuzu couldn't die, at least not now.

He needed Kakuzu to join Akatsuki just like in the original work, to work for that "Eye of the Moon Plan," and ultimately become a stepping stone in his own plan.

'Go on, Kakuzu, my future needs you to pave the way for me!'

Sora retracted his gaze, no longer lingering, and turned to leave in another direction.

In the forest, only the devastated battlefield remained, telling of the thrilling battle that had just taken place.

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