"Kid, I have to admit, you've got guts. You're young, but you dare take on my bounty. Do you really have what it takes?"
Shou sneered at Yahiko, his gaze filled with disdain. Slowly, he placed the suitcase filled with money at his feet, crossing his arms as he waited silently.
From the moment he saw Yahiko, Shou knew this was an assassination trap set specifically for him. The age and appearance of the person in front of him were completely different from the target described in the intelligence reports. According to the information, Mo was a cautious person who would never send a proxy for such a deal. This meant the person before him was likely an assassin.
However, Shou did not choose to flee. Since the other party opted for assassination, it indicated that Onoki's rebellious faction was on the verge of a major uprising, desperate enough to eliminate him. Capturing this person alive might yield more detailed intelligence.
On the other side of the bridge, Yahiko stared intently at Shou, carefully recalling the tactical characteristics of Shou from the intelligence and comparing them to his own battle strategy.
"Alright, no loopholes. This should work," Yahiko thought, adjusting his breathing and tensing his muscles.
At this moment, Yahiko was vastly different from the future Deva Path of Pain, yet there were subtle connections between the two. The Deva Path was a corpse controlled by Nagato using chakra black rods, with devastating techniques like Shinra Tensei (Almighty Push), Banshō Ten'in (Universal Pull), and Chibaku Tensei (Planetary Devastation) all executed by Nagato. However, the fact that Nagato could use Yahiko's body to perform these techniques wasn't baseless—Yahiko himself was no weakling and even possessed a kekkei genkai.
For example, the later Animal Path, Ziyanghua, was a skilled summoner in life. After death, under Nagato's control, her summoning abilities were greatly enhanced. Similarly, Yahiko's kekkei genkai abilities revolved around gravity and repulsion, though they were far less powerful than the divine force of Shinra Tensei, which could repel everything like an unseen hand of god.
Feeling that he was ready, Yahiko charged toward Shou from the other side of the bridge.
Seeing this, Shou uncrossed his arms and prepared to face Yahiko's attack.
"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"
Yahiko leaped high into the air, spewing a torrent of water from his mouth that surged toward Shou like a fierce current.
Shou stood his ground, raising his right hand slightly.
"Explosion Release: Landmine Fist!"
With a thunderous boom, the moment Shou's hand touched the water, a violent explosion erupted, scattering the torrent into a rain of droplets.
"Water Release: Rain Senbon!"
The scattered "raindrops" instantly transformed into countless sharp senbon, shooting toward Shou.
Realizing the danger, Shou performed a swift roll to evade the range of the attack.
Yahiko immediately threw a kunai. Shou, without even looking, swatted it aside and charged toward Yahiko.
Explosion Release, a kekkei genkai, allows the user to concentrate chakra into their fists, causing explosions upon impact. Its power rivals that of explosive tags, making it a formidable close-combat technique. Practitioners of this kekkei genkai often possess incredibly strong bodies, as even controlled explosions can still affect the user.
If Shou managed to land a punch, Yahiko would be severely injured, if not killed, regardless of whether it hit a vital area.
As Shou closed in, Yahiko raised his hand toward him.
A sudden, invisible force pushed Shou backward with great force.
"What? This kid has a kekkei genkai!" Shou thought, instinctively spreading his arms to stabilize his balance mid-air. However, his hands were already charged with Explosion Release chakra, which would detonate upon contact with anything.
Desperately, Shou spread his fingers wide to minimize the explosion's impact on himself.
Seizing the opportunity, Yahiko used the Body Flicker Technique to close the distance. When he was just a meter away from Shou, he raised his hand again.
With a faster motion, Shou was sent flying backward once more, his hands moving dangerously close to his legs due to inertia.
"Boom!" "Boom!"
Two deafening explosions echoed through the air. Blood mist rose on the bridge.
As the mist cleared, Shou sat on the ground, his face pale. His legs were gone, blown off at the thighs.
Yahiko stopped ten meters away from Shou, silently watching him.
"Kid, it seems you've done your homework. You've really gone to great lengths," Shou said through gritted teeth, stubbornly propping himself up with his arms.
Yahiko remained silent, his gaze cold.
"Come on, give me an honorable death. Take my life and claim your bounty," Shou demanded.
"I don't think that's necessary," Yahiko finally spoke.
"What?!"
"With both legs gone and no means to stop the bleeding, you won't last long. Approaching you poses the risk of being ambushed by your Explosion Release. It's not worth it. I'll just wait for you to bleed out."
Shou's expression twisted in rage. Having lost in such a humiliating way, his exposed thoughts only added insult to injury.
"You coward! Come on, finish it! The fight isn't over yet! Even without legs, I can still blow you to pieces, you filthy rat! You pathetic worm!" Shou screamed, hurling every insult he could muster.
Yahiko remained unmoved, silently watching.
Gradually, Shou's curses grew weaker, his eyes unfocused, until he fell silent.
Yahiko didn't approach immediately. Instead, he pulled out a kunai.
"Thud!"
The kunai pierced Shou's throat. He showed no reaction.
"Alright, he's definitely dead," Yahiko confirmed.
"Not bad, kid. You're truly impressive for your age. Here's the 80 million ryo in cash. Count it if you like," Kitsuchi said, inspecting Shou's corpse with satisfaction. He handed Yahiko a large suitcase, opening it to reveal stacks of cash.
"No need to give me so much. Just 35 million will do," Yahiko said, expressionless, holding up the suitcase he had taken earlier.
"You're a man of principle. It seems the Akatsuki is a reliable organization. But fair is fair—this money is what you seized, and this is your bounty," Kitsuchi said generously, patting the suitcase.
Yahiko was surprised by the client's generosity. Without counting the money, he closed the suitcase.
"Thank you. You're quite straightforward. I'll give you a discount on your next mission."
"Really? That's great! I'll definitely hire you again. Pleasure working with you!" Kitsuchi extended his hand, and Yahiko set down one suitcase to shake it firmly.
The combined weight of 115 million ryo in cash was substantial, but Yahiko carried it effortlessly.
With this funding, the Akatsuki was one step closer to achieving their goals. Dreams were no longer just dreams. Thinking of this, Yahiko smiled genuinely.
Little did he know, his assassination would stir a storm in Iwagakure, with far-reaching consequences for the ninja world.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Read up to (50+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here: patreon.com/DarkGolds
Happy reading, everyone!