"We have no grudge against Otogakure. Why are you hunting us down like this?" Kitsuchi shouted, eyes filled with resentment as he looked at his fallen comrades and the headband tied around Hyuga Gakuya's arm.
Gakuya's chakra-formed serpents lashed out again, taking yet another Iwagakure ninja's life.
"Can't be helped. Konoha paid too well."
"Whatever Konoha's paying you, we'll double it!" Kitsuchi shouted through gritted teeth. He knew he couldn't defeat this man. His own life didn't matter, but if he fell here, the thousands behind him would likely die too.
Gakuya stopped attacking, letting the remaining Iwa-nin run past him.
"Flat price. Thirty billion. I'll turn around and attack Konoha right now."
"Deal!" Kitsuchi responded without hesitation.
From the distance, Jiraiya overheard the conversation and rushed over.
"Lord Mokushū! A man must stand by his word—especially a leader. I'll raise our offer by 20%, but that's the best I can do."
Gakuya chuckled. "Pleasure doing business."
Of course, he never actually intended to betray Konoha. He just saw a chance to squeeze more out of them—and Jiraiya wasn't willing to gamble on his integrity.
Jiraiya's face darkened. Once again, he'd been played by Chiba Mokushū. But he didn't have time to dwell on it; the situation needed immediate attention.
"I'll handle Kitsuchi," Gakuya said, stepping forward and forming hand seals.
"Konoha's bounty on you is seventy million ryo," he said coldly. "So I'll be taking your life now."
From his hand, a swirling bone drill surrounded by wind and water took shape.
"Sage Art: Bone Torrent Spiral Drill!"
Seeing the whirling bone drill, Kitsuchi clenched his jaw. If that hit, he'd die for sure. "I'll stop him! Everyone else—break through now!"
He was ready to die, as long as more of his comrades could escape.
Gakuya surged forward in a flash of white light.
A massive golem rose from the earth, blocking Gakuya's path.
But the bone drill, empowered by both wind and water chakra, pierced through the stone giant with terrifying force. It collapsed in a rumble, buying only a moment of delay. Gakuya burst through the rubble and appeared before Kitsuchi.
Kitsuchi's eyes were steady—he had already accepted death. Gathering every ounce of chakra in his body, he roared:
"Earth Release: Ultra-Added-Weight Rock Technique!"
His stone-armored fist collided with the devastating bone drill.
The pressure shocked Gakuya. This punch… actually stopped his attack—for a second. Impressed, he gave Kitsuchi a rare nod of respect.
But it wasn't enough.
Gakuya ramped up the drill's power. It shattered the rocky armor and ripped through Kitsuchi's arm.
Kitsuchi coughed blood and was sent flying, gravely injured.
"Run!" he shouted with his last ounce of strength.
The remaining Iwa-nin seized the opportunity and scattered. Gakuya didn't pursue them. He only had one target.
"You're a worthy opponent," Gakuya said calmly. "But against overwhelming power, worth means nothing."
With that, his chakra serpent bit into Kitsuchi. The poison knocked him out instantly—but it also stopped the bleeding.
Gakuya had no reason to kill him. He was a mercenary, not a madman. If he killed Kitsuchi, it would mean open war with Iwagakure. Better to sell him to Konoha instead.
...
A familiar voice echoed from afar. "Looks like I'm a bit late."
Gakuya turned. To his surprise, the newcomer was Kakuzu of the Akatsuki.
Kakuzu took out a bounty book and flipped through it.
"Chiba Mokushū, ten million ryo. Kinda low, but oh well."
His eyes shifted to the unconscious Kitsuchi at Gakuya's feet.
"I'm sure Ōnoki would pay handsomely for your corpse."
Ōnoki actually hired an Akatsuki member? That was... extravagant.
Kakuzu shrugged off his cloak. Four masked entities burst from his back. He was ready to go all out.
Gakuya stared at him and muttered, "In such a rush to die, are we?"
He didn't want to kill Kakuzu. That would provoke the Akatsuki. He needed a different strategy—to scare him off.
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
He dispelled the bone drill and formed new hand signs.
"Wood Style: Eternal Binding Burial!"
The ground erupted with countless vines and branches, wrapping around Kakuzu like serpents and binding him tight in an instant.
A surge of dread washed over Kakuzu. Ancient memories stirred—memories of terror long buried.
"This mission's not worth it."
He didn't care who the enemy was anymore. His masks tore through the vines, freeing him.
Without hesitation, Kakuzu withdrew his masked spirits and used the Body Flicker Technique to escape—vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Gakuya smirked. Called it.
After assassinating Hashirama Senju, Kakuzu had developed a deep psychological scar toward Wood Style techniques. Gakuya had gambled on that—and won.
As for explaining his Wood Style to Konoha? Easy. Blame it on Danzo. He already had enough dirt on him—what's one more scandal?
...
From a safe distance, Kakuzu looked back warily. That technique had awakened a fear buried deep within him. Even now, it lingered.
...
The battle had mostly concluded. The Iwa-nin who managed to escape were long gone. The ones left behind were either too cowardly and surrendered, or too proud and committed suicide.
Now came the cleanup: gathering corpses and clearing the battlefield. Mogi, ever tactful, let the Oto-nin assist the Konoha forces.
Of course, none of the loot was turned over to Konoha. Everything was gathered and stored for the finance division to sort out and redistribute later.
None of that concerned Gakuya. His only task now was to sit back and wait for the post-battle negotiations.
Jiraiya walked over, cautiously probing. "That jutsu you used earlier… what was it?"
"Wood Style."
"Wood Style?" Jiraiya repeated, disbelieving. He had thought it was some kind of sage technique.
"Yep." To prove it, Gakuya touched the ground with a glowing green finger, and a sapling sprouted instantly.
No hiding it now. Once Konoha analyzed those vines and roots, Tsunade would recognize them instantly.
"How do you even know Wood Style? Of course, you don't have to answer if you don't want to," Jiraiya added.
Gakuya acted surprised. "Huh? You didn't know? It was Danzo—he gave me Hashirama Senju's cells."
Jiraiya froze. Danzo again… just how many shady things did that man do?
And now, even in death, his sins kept piling up.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
+100 chapters and support me on Patreon(.)com/Jixo