Chapter 50: In This Narrow Space, A Clash of Ultimate Techniques!
THUMP!
As Tsukasa's heartbeat thundered, Kakuzu's heart skipped a beat. A long-forgotten panic suddenly surged—as if ten thousand ants were crawling around his chest, sending chills spiraling through his core.
He had last felt this way forty-five years ago.
Carrying an inescapable responsibility, he had trembled and stepped forward to face a Wood Clone of the God of Shinobi.
But what had filled him with despair was that the Wood Clone stood atop a two-hundred-meter-tall wooden construct.
At this moment, Tsukasa's body surged with fire-attribute chakra, and the surrounding temperature began to rise—drying, scorching, burning.
A brilliant sun gradually rose before Kakuzu's eyes!
This familiar yet distant fear awakened the deepest hidden weakness buried in Kakuzu's heart—a heart clogged with Earth Grudge Fear threads and numbed by obsession with money.
His eyes widened involuntarily.
Earth Grudge Fear tentacles began cascading uncontrollably from the seams in his body, each one bristling upright!
Like a dark creature with its fur standing on end, instinctively seeking protection within its own defenses.
The moon faded, and the world fell silent.
Endless darkness enveloped Kakuzu.
But the radiance of the sun growing ever brighter before him left Kakuzu with nowhere to hide!
Under this merciless and impartial light, Kakuzu was forced to recall the past—forced to bow his head.
His expression gradually crumbled.
"What a joke!!"
"Insane!"
"Absolutely insane!"
"A complete madman!"
"How could such a technique be used by an Uchiha with only a single-tomoe Sharingan?!"
Kakuzu immediately recognized it—a forbidden technique! And undoubtedly a lethal suicide technique far beyond ordinary forbidden jutsu!
Kakuzu cursed furiously internally.
What grudge does this broke brat have against me?!
He's actually trying to use such a technique on me! This is absurd!
This should be our first meeting, right?!
Kakuzu felt his scalp tingle as he watched Tsukasa's aura grow increasingly terrifying.
Immediately, he sprang into action!
Kakuzu released his Earth Release: Earth Spear, allowing his body to be sliced and shredded by the Earth Grudge Fear threads binding him—sending a spray of blood scattering.
Tissues, organs, Earth Grudge Fear hearts, his head, even limbs—all scattered, only to be reassembled by the black tentacles.
It was impossible to count how many parts were damaged, and Kakuzu had no time to care.
"AHHHHHHH!!!"
Facing Tsukasa, who was already roaring from barely-controlled overwhelming power, Kakuzu—having forcibly freed himself through self-mutilation—immediately brought his hands together and formed the Snake seal.
Four dark figures leaped from Kakuzu's back: three standing side by side, one standing alongside Kakuzu himself.
These three figures represented the three elemental hearts: Wind, Fire, and Lightning!
Three Earth Grudge Fear masked entities opened their mouths wide, emitting white, red, and blue light!
Three ninjutsu combined, gathering energy, converging into a terrifying blue chakra cannon.
What was about to be unleashed was a technique even more devastating than the combination jutsu Flame Wind Wild Wave—
Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot!
At that moment, Tsukasa's final roar rang out:
"Now—"
"MY TURN!"
Tsukasa watched Kakuzu's actions as he summoned four masked entities in quick succession.
The lead Water Release Earth Grudge Fear mask unleashed Water Release: Water Encampment Wall, casting a massive torrent of water across the battlefield.
Kakuzu himself formed hand seals and created an enormous water barrier, obscuring Tsukasa's vision and concealing the other masks' preparations.
Having read the original story and knowing the enemy's complete abilities, Tsukasa could easily deduce that his opponent was preparing for the other three masks to unleash their most powerful combination technique: Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot.
The enemy was ready to strike.
Ready for one final decisive clash.
How could he disappoint?
Tsukasa gripped the flaming sword with both hands, his lips curling into an exhilarated smile.
He felt like he could cleave a mountain in half with a single strike!
This power—surpassing mortal limits—came at the price of the very death Tsukasa had always sought!
And his opponent was Kakuzu, a Kage-level powerhouse.
Whether he cut down Kakuzu with his blade or Kakuzu obliterated him with his ultimate technique: Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot—either outcome was an absolute victory for Tsukasa.
If he died in an all-out battle giving everything he had, he could claim a whopping five hundred million ryō.
Five hundred million!
That's five hundred million ryō!
With simple calculations, even if he just deposited that money in a bank, he'd earn over seven and a half million ryō in pure interest annually!
He could live a life of absolute luxury!
Such a wonderful future, right before his eyes!
With this thought, Tsukasa's eyes showed no hesitation as he suddenly stepped forward, raising his sword high!
With one step, his entire body erupted in violent, blazing chakra—as if a brilliant sun rose behind him.
The cliff wall fractured, dense spiderweb cracks spreading across its surface.
Wielding such overwhelming power, Tsukasa felt transported back to his childhood memories—like a young hero from the stories he'd loved.
He raised his sword high and declared:
"This strike shall be called—the blade of final victory!"
At that moment, a kaleidoscope of memories from his year in the shinobi world flashed before his eyes.
Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Setsuna, Uchiha Seiichirō, Uchiha Obito and his grandmother, the weapon shop owner, Hidan, Mei Terumi, Shinnō, Kakuzu, the Kumogakure trio, the three Jashin Cult members—each face flashed through in a fleeting yet somehow endless reverie.
Finally, Tsukasa focused his gaze, twisted the hilt of his sword, and held it overhead.
Like a legendary hero raising a holy blade, the six-foot flaming sword erupted once more with raging, elongated flames!
The blazing fire soared skyward!
Like a magnificent sword of justice rising from the sun itself!
Then Tsukasa raised his greatsword high, his voice rising to a roar:
"Since we must finally part ways, then this blade shall be called—"
"Final Strike: Farewell!"
The mighty sword slashed downward—even the drifting clouds in the sky split in two!
At the same time, Kakuzu opposite him wore a ferocious expression and roared:
"You think you can kill me?! Keep dreaming!"
"Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot!"
BOOM!
The chakra cannon roared, unleashing a blue beam filled with lethal intent!
The next moment, a notification suddenly appeared.
[DING!]
End of Chapter 50
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