Kakuzu calmly strode toward Kakashi.
Kakashi staggered to his feet, his battered body trembling as he prepared for another round.
The three Uchiha clan members lying on the ground were in even worse condition than Kakashi. What little consciousness they had left urged them to stay alert and fight, but their bodies betrayed them.
"Copy Ninja Kakashi Hatake, your heart must be excellent, and your head is worth quite a bit too," Kakuzu said.
His arm stretched impossibly long, and eerie black threads twisted into place between his upper and lower arm.
Suddenly, his hand shot forward, aiming straight for Kakashi's chest.
"Kakashi, I'll help you!" Might Guy's loud voice rang out.
While relieved, Kakashi couldn't help sighing.
"You've given away our position..."
As the voice arrived, so did Might Guy's attack.
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
A green blur kicked aside the arm about to strike Kakashi.
The severed limb crashed onto the ground, burrowed into the earth, then suddenly erupted from another spot, accurately reconnecting with Kakuzu's broken arm.
Countless black tendrils continuously writhed between the two parts, appearing almost alive.
"What in the world is that thing?" Might Guy asked, frowning as he stood protectively in front of Kakashi.
"Be careful, Guy. He seems to have no weaknesses," Kakashi warned beside him.
"Really irritating." Kakuzu unpleasantly watched his arm being reattached while glaring at the sudden appearance of this bowl-cut guy with thick eyebrows in green spandex.
"Do you have any plans, Kakashi?" Might Guy directly asked without bothering to negotiate with Kakuzu.
He could feel just how powerful — and deadly — this enemy was.
"It was precisely because of my plan that we ended up like this," Kakashi replied with a helpless smile.
As his eyes swept over the unconscious Uchiha clan members lying sprawled on the ground, Might Guy took a deep breath.
"Kakashi, my dear friend, for your sake, I have no choice but to use that incomplete technique."
Might Guy was a hardworking ninja who didn't practice Ninjutsu but only trained in Taijutsu, catching up with the geniuses through diligence and eventually surpassing them.
The technique he constantly practiced was [Eight Gates], a Kinjutsu that temporarily unlocked chakra pathways restricted inside the human body, granting extraordinary strength at the cost of heavy physical strain.
This technique was passed down by his father, Might Duy, after more than twenty years' cultivation.
Opening all Eight Gates could achieve power far beyond Kage-level, but would also result in death from complete depletion of one's life force.
Eighteen-year-old Might Guy had been learning the Eight Gates for over ten years but hadn't yet reached the same level as his father...
"Guy..." Kakashi heard the determination in his words and felt deeply concerned.
[Eight Gates! Opening Gate! Healing Gate! Life Gate! Open...]
Before completing the third gate, Might Guy launched his attack.
[Reverse Lotus].
Kakuzu, an elderly man already in his eighties whose physical vitality couldn't compare to young men, immediately received a direct hit.
Crack...
It sounded exactly like splitting stone.
Might Guy's attack had no effect, as Kakuzu had already hardened his body. Realizing this, Kakuzu immediately entered a state of full offensive, bombarding Might Guy with continuous ninjutsu attacks, refusing to engage in taijutsu combat.
"Katon - Tōketsu (Fire Release - Headhitter)."
"Fūton..."
"Do I really have to use that move?"
Glancing at Kakashi and the others, Might Guy made up his mind.
If he couldn't block Kakuzu's jutsu, there was no way he could even take Kakashi away.
"Harm Gate, Limit Gate, View Gate, open!"
[Morning Peacock!]
Might Guy swung rapidly at the air, creating dazzling flames like a peacock spreading its tail, directly facing Kakuzu's flames...
The two forces collided...
After finishing all that, Might Guy hoisted Kakashi onto his shoulder.
Just when he was about to go lift others, several kunai tied with explosive tags flew toward him.
Four Kumogakure ninja rushed over.
With a spinning kick, Might Guy kicked the kunai away.
Coincidentally, the flames dissipated just then, revealing Kakuzu's half-burnt clothing, but his body bore not a single injury, acting as if nothing happened.
Might Guy was momentarily stunned, unable to believe what he saw.
Not even a scratch...
Seeing the four Kumogakure ninja cautiously approaching with weapons drawn and Kakuzu's icy stare, Might Guy could only abandon the other Uchiha clan members, taking Kakashi and quickly leaving.
After opening six of the Eight Gates and using Morning Peacock, his body could no longer withstand the strain. Fighting further would only put him at serious disadvantage, potentially saving no one.
Kakuzu's face looked rather unpleasant—one of his hearts had been completely destroyed, while another was also disabled...
If he hadn't timely created several masked doppelgängers just now, he might've been finished for good.
As the saying goes, "An elder in the home is a priceless treasure."
Experienced and skillful, Kakuzu had excellent sewing techniques. Even if parts were missing from his body, he could quickly stitch himself back together.
Externally, he appeared exactly the same as before.
Though he successfully intimidated Might Guy without losing his strongman image, Kakuzu was still extremely dissatisfied inwardly: That hideously unrefined guy... merely a Jonin whose bounty couldn't match Kakashi Hatake's, yet he managed to wound me this badly!
The four Kumogakure ninja's faces lit up with delight as they lifted the three Uchiha clan members from the ground.
Kakuzu kicked one of them to the ground, spitting coldly, "These guys are my trophies."
The four Kumo ninja simultaneously stiffened their expressions.
Looking at each other, the downed Kumogakure ninja stood up hesitantly, suggesting, "Mr. Kakuzu, maybe we should return first and discuss things later."
"Hmph!" Kakuzu snorted coldly, walking ahead while the Kumogakure ninja silently followed behind, carrying several Uchiha clan members.
At the Kumogakure Camp,
The three Uchiha clan members were placed into prison cages within the prisoner-of-war camp.
Standing outside the cell, Orochimaru sighed, "Well, it looks like we've made some pretty impressive gains. Even Uchiha clan members have been captured—and they're ones who've awakened their eyes too..."
His eyes hinted at something deeper as he spoke.
Although he didn't yet understand what the Kumo ninja intended, it coincidentally provided convenience for him to carry out his own plans.
Dodai arrived shortly after receiving the message. "Including the Uchiha trio, we now have a total of 29 people..."
Kakuzu had been waiting for Dodai at the prisoner-of-war camp, keeping watch over the Uchiha trio in the meantime. As soon as he saw his target arrive, he cut straight to the chase. "Dodai, these three are my spoils of war. If your Kumogakure ninja want them, you'll have to pay."
"Otherwise," he added, "I'll just take them elsewhere. Someone else will definitely be willing to buy them."
Upon hearing this, Dodai felt a wave of frustration and annoyance.
These guys were really one headache after another.
If it weren't for their strength, who would put up with such a bunch of eccentrics?
He managed a smile and said, "Rest assured, Mr. Kakuzu. We'll cover that cost in your mission fee."
"Now you're speaking my language!" Kakuzu replied.
After Kakuzu and Dodai left, Orochimaru arrived carrying a toolbox, making his way toward several prison cells.
A total of 29 Konoha captives, including the newly arrived ones, had been separated into five different cells by the Kumogakure ninja.
With their chakra sealed and under constant watch by Orochimaru and other Kumo ninja, they couldn't even take their own lives — completely robbed of their dignity.
At the sight of Orochimaru's eerie smile, many of them paled, a cold shiver crawling down their spines.
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