For most ordinary people, those born with a kekkei genkai are no different from monsters—harbingers of misfortune.
But for the great nations and their shinobi villages, kekkei genkai have always been regarded as rare and priceless assets.
The moment Kakuzu witnessed Haku's ice release, he immediately shifted his intentions.
Instead of simply eliminating the boy, he now thought of using Haku to replace the heart he had just lost.
Hidan, on the other hand, was visibly surprised.
Zabuza and Haku had managed to escape his ritual of Jashin, and while they slipped from the ceremony, he had still inflicted very real damage on Zabuza. In other words—did that mean Kakuzu had actually lost one of his hearts to Haku alone?
"Kakuzu, I never thought I'd see the day where you let your guard down."
Hidan smirked, casting a sideways glance at Kakuzu, unable to resist mocking him.
Still, he wasn't foolish enough to interfere.
As much as he would have loved to make Haku a sacrifice to Lord Jashin, Kakuzu had already taken a loss. Snatching prey from his partner would only sour things between them.
Besides, his Jashin rituals only required numbers. Kakuzu's forbidden techniques, however, demanded quality.
"Hmph."
Kakuzu gave a dismissive snort, ignoring Hidan's jab. His arm elongated in an instant, reaching to tear the heart straight from Haku's chest.
Suddenly—
A kunai whistled through the air, striking with unerring precision.
It pierced clean through Kakuzu's hand, nailing it into the ground with a dull thud.
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed as a sting of pain ran up his arm. He glanced up sharply—several figures were descending from the treetops.
Zabuza had returned, but he wasn't alone. Among the others, only one face rang familiar.
"You brought help back with you?"
Hidan raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. He quickly scanned the group: alongside Zabuza was a stranger with calm, confident eyes, and two younger shinobi—Sasuke and Sakura—still radiating the raw inexperience of recent graduates.
"Pfft…"
The sight was too much for Hidan. He burst out laughing.
"Oi, Zabuza—have you lost your damn mind? Dragging along brats like these? What is this, some last-ditch suicide party?"
He hefted his triple-bladed scythe onto his shoulder, openly taunting them.
But Kakuzu's eyes remained far sharper than Hidan's.
He wasn't just a powerful rogue; he was a relic who had survived since the era of the so-called God of Shinobi, fighting through every shinobi war with a wealth of battle experience that few could even fathom.
And this newcomer—Senju Haruto.
Younger than Zabuza, older than the two genin.
His kunai throw—its timing, trajectory, and force—had been flawless. Not something one could dismiss as luck.
This man was not to be underestimated.
Clink.
Calmly, Kakuzu retracted his skewered hand, yanking the kunai free and tossing it aside.
"That forehead protector… you're shinobi of Konoha, aren't you?" His voice rumbled low.
The bounty on Zabuza had indeed tempted him, but Gato's commission had promised equally rich rewards. Otherwise, neither he nor Hidan would have wasted time coming to this country.
And Gato's task had been very specific: kill Zabuza, kill the shinobi from Konoha, and kill the bridge builder, Tazuna.
Now, before him, every target stood gathered together.
Almost too convenient.
"You must be with the Akatsuki," Haruto said flatly, throwing the question back at him.
He already knew exactly who they were.
The so-called immortal duo—their abilities, their patterns, their weaknesses. Haruto had studied their dossier well.
"You know about Akatsuki?"
For the first time, Kakuzu's eyes sharpened with caution. This man was dangerous.
For shinobi, intelligence was the deciding factor between life and death. If Haruto knew of Akatsuki, there was no telling how much else he had uncovered.
As Kakuzu measured him, Zabuza had already bolted forward, scooping Haku into his arms before retreating swiftly.
Having experienced firsthand the unnatural abilities of both Kakuzu and Hidan, he dared not engage them head-on again.
"Be careful—these two are nothing like ordinary enemies."
Zabuza's voice was harsh as he warned Haruto and the others. "It may sound like an exaggeration, but… it's as if they can't die."
"Zabuza-sama…"
The voice was faint but clear—Haku stirred weakly in his arms.
Though his body was ravaged with burns and exhaustion, he forced his eyes open, confirming with relief that Zabuza was holding him.
"Haku…"
Zabuza's tone was low, his emotions turbulent.
For so long, he had convinced himself Haku was merely a tool, a weapon for his use.
But now, gazing down at Haku's innocent face, he felt something far deeper—an anchor of comfort… and a blazing fury.
He wanted nothing more than to cut Kakuzu and Hidan down where they stood.
"Leave this to me."
Sasuke stepped forward, his voice steady despite the tension.
He had grown stronger during their time here, and now—faced with a chance to test himself against real monsters—he couldn't let it slip away.
"Sasuke…"
Sakura gasped in alarm.
These were the same men who had pushed Zabuza and Haku to the brink of death.
If what Zabuza said was true—that they might even possess immortality—how could Sasuke possibly stand against them?
But Sasuke only shook his head.
When his eyes opened again, their shape had shifted—the scarlet glow of the Sharingan flaring to life.
"The Sharingan?"
Kakuzu's gaze immediately locked on the boy.
The face, those eyes…
A sense of déjà vu struck him hard.
"What is your connection… to Itachi?"
The words slipped from his mouth without thought.
Kakuzu knew Konoha's shinobi well.
The Sharingan belonged only to the Uchiha clan, and this boy's resemblance to Itachi was undeniable.
"You know Itachi?!"
Sasuke's entire body trembled.
Of all places, he had never expected to hear that name here.
His heart pounded as rage surged, and in the next instant, he lunged forward, demanding answers with a roar.
"This brat really does look like him…"
Hidan muttered, realization dawning. He remembered Itachi—aloof, untouchable.
A wicked grin spread across his face as he swung his massive scythe in a vicious arc toward Sasuke.
Clang!
At the last instant, a kunai intercepted the strike, locking the weapon in place.
Hidan's eyes widened—Senju Haruto now stood between him and Sasuke.
"You bastard…"
Hidan snarled, pouring his strength into the weapon, trying to crush through Haruto's defense.
But before he could gain an inch, white-hot pain exploded in his abdomen.
His body lurched backward, sent flying by a strike too fast for him to even see.