The moment the Great Fireball roared toward Kakuzu, a flicker of pride flashed in Kakashi's eyes.
When he had accepted Hiruzen Sarutobi's request to privately guide Uchiha Yujin, Kakashi had also been quietly observing his character, testing whether Yujin was truly someone worthy of being nurtured as a Leaf shinobi.
Now, it seemed everything was just as he had hoped.
This was a shinobi worth pouring his heart and soul into.
Even if Yujin wished to study forbidden techniques, Kakashi was ready to teach him.
Kakuzu's eyes glinted with disdain as the blazing fireball closed in.
He wove hand seals without hesitation and unleashed "Wind Style: Pressure Damage."
A violent surge of wind gathered in his mouth like a raging storm, scattering the Great Fireball in an instant. Flames burst outward, but none touched him.
Not only that, Kakuzu cleverly redirected the force of the wind, dragging Kakashi into its pressure as well.
Though Kakashi reacted swiftly, his movements were hindered under the crushing wind, making it difficult to steady himself.
Kakuzu seized the moment, darting forward to eliminate Kakashi first.
At the same time, the burly man finally managed to extinguish the flames on his body. His skin was scorched in many places, the pain unbearable.
His heart brimmed with hatred toward both Kakuzu and Kakashi, but more pressing was the enemy before his eyes.
His gaze locked on Uchiha Yujin, determined to vent all his fury upon the boy.
Yet when he saw the tail and wings sprouting from Yujin's body, confusion filled his mind.
What kind of monster was this? Was this normal? Some unknown forbidden technique?
He didn't understand, but one thing was certain—under his massive blade, whatever jutsu it was, the result would be the same: death.
With a roar, the burly man swung his great sword and lunged at Uchiha Yujin, aiming to deliver a fatal strike.
Though not as fast as Kakuzu, his power and killing intent were overwhelming.
The blade cut through the air, flashing coldly as it slashed straight for Yujin's neck.
But with the Sharingan, Yujin's dynamic vision and reflexes had soared.
The man's attacks, vicious as they were, appeared predictable and avoidable in Yujin's eyes.
His figure weaved through the flashes of steel, like a butterfly dancing gracefully in the rain, slipping past every deadly strike with precision.
At the same time, the feathers on Uchiha Yujin's black wings shot out like bolts of lightning, slicing through the air toward the burly man.
Each feather carved a sharp trajectory, aimed directly at the man's vital points.
As a member of the Akatsuki, the burly man's strength was not to be underestimated.
Relying on his battle-hardened instincts and razor-sharp reflexes, he swung up his massive blade. In an instant, he knocked away each feather with a flurry of strikes.
Clang after clang rang out through the forest, sparks bursting in every direction.
But while the man focused on fending off the frontal assault, one silent feather slipped in from a blind angle.
Like a ghost, it evaded his defense and buried itself deep into his shoulder.
A wave of pain shot through his body, freezing his movements for an instant.
Yet anyone qualified to stand among the new Akatsuki was no mere weakling. Gritting his teeth, the man hefted his greatsword and swung with brutal force toward Uchiha Yujin in the sky.
Not good!
Yujin's pupils contracted as he sensed the violent surge of air rushing straight at him.
The feathers on his wings had not yet regrown, slowing his movements. Dodging in time would be difficult.
Biting down hard, Yujin braced himself midair.
"Bang!"
The greatsword's shockwave struck him, yet instead of flesh tearing, it rang out like steel meeting steel, leaving the burly man stunned for a moment.
Iron?
Yujin's heart pounded as pain coursed through his organs.
That defense of Iron Body had barely held.
The man narrowed his eyes. "Brat, how did you block that? What's with that tail of yours? Are you… a Jinchūriki? Which Tailed Beast is sealed inside of you?"
"Tail this!" Yujin spat back, his hands flashing through seals in an instant. Chakra surged in his throat as he unleashed a roaring Great Fireball at the man.
"Boom!"
The flames of the Great Fireball Technique burned at an intense heat. The rugged man clearly feared Fire Release and slammed his hand hard against the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
A massive wall shot up from the earth. Flames clashed violently against stone, creating a deafening roar. Heat waves and dust exploded into the air, throwing the battlefield into chaos.
The rugged man stood behind the wall, his heart filled with doubt and unease.
"A brat this young… how can he have such enormous chakra reserves?"
"Could it be… an unrecorded Jinchūriki?"
He had no time to think further. Glancing up, he caught sight of Uchiha Yujin's figure flashing above the earth wall.
The man reacted swiftly, leaping forward.
"Bang!"
His great blade smashed down onto the wall, blasting up a storm of dust and rubble.
But he quickly realized the truth—this was nothing more than a simple clone. Not even a shadow clone, just a meaningless trick without form or power.
Being toyed with by a child ignited his fury. He roared and smashed his blade against the wall again.
At that very moment, Uchiha Yujin's true body appeared silently beside Kakashi.
Without giving Kakuzu the slightest chance to breathe, Yujin unleashed three consecutive Great Fireballs.
The blazing inferno swept across the battlefield like a tidal wave of flame, surging straight toward Kakuzu.
Even a shinobi of Kakuzu's caliber—a Kage-level opponent—was forced to focus entirely on defense against the scorching onslaught. For a moment, he could spare no attention for anything else.
Seizing the opportunity, Uchiha Yujin spoke quickly, his voice low and urgent.
"This guy has five hearts. Don't underestimate him. You won't kill him in a single strike!"
Each word carried a weight of urgency.
Kakashi's eyes darkened, a grave light flashing within them. He didn't know how Yujin had obtained this information, but it was not something he could afford to dismiss.
He gave a subtle nod, already recalculating his tactics with this new knowledge.
Flames roared skyward, heat rolling off the battlefield in waves. From within the raging blaze, Kakuzu's silhouette suddenly swelled, his body expanding monstrously.
His form grew several times larger, towering in the center of the battlefield like a demon revealed.
Kakashi's Sharingan spun rapidly, reflecting the strange and terrifying figure of Kakuzu. He was clearly shaken by the transformation brought on by Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear technique.
In the shinobi world, even Hatake Kakashi—the Copy Ninja who had supposedly copied a thousand jutsu—had never witnessed such an eerie technique.
Kakuzu's entire body was shrouded in writhing black tendrils. They moved through the air like living creatures, as though they had a will of their own.
On his shoulders were fused two monstrous masks—manifestations of Fire Release and Wind Release. Their presence made Kakuzu appear even more grotesque and overwhelmingly powerful.
This was the very reason Uchiha Yujin hadn't immediately used the Curse Mark of Heaven to fly away with Kakashi.
Because Kakuzu… could fly as well.
Through the shared vision, Pirate Yujin and Marvel Yujin held their breath, afraid to even exhale.
Against Kakuzu, with only a Chūnin-era Kakashi as the main fighting force, it was almost impossible for them to imagine any way for Uchiha Yujin to survive.
Unless…
He could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
But with only a double-tomoe Sharingan, how could that possibly happen?
Was this truly the end of the road?
****
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