https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-186-Kakuzu-I-Don-t-Understand-But-I-m-Shocked-/12832286/
Chapter 185: A Bloody Night!
Chapter 185: A Bloody Night!
Crack!
A convoy of over a hundred vehicles was slowly making its way south toward Chayama City.
The number of merchant caravans they encountered on the road was a testament to the thriving commerce in the Land of Fire. Even with the ongoing Great Shinobi War, trade caravans continued to travel back and forth.
The biggest issue was the road conditions.
Mud everywhere!
The reason for this was simple: the Land of Fire was divided into fiefdoms controlled by noble lords. Any attempt to improve the roads would face numerous obstacles, making such efforts futile and a waste of resources.
In the center of the convoy, inside a carriage.
"How's it looking?"
Shizukana Ibaragi, clad in metal armor and towering over the passengers inside, asked the young girl in a low voice.
They had known they were being watched since the beginning.
With Hyuga Aoi in their midst, it was impossible to be unaware of such surveillance.
However, these pursuers had all received intelligence and were keeping their distance, following the convoy from a kilometer away.
The limit of the Hyuga branch family's Byakugan vision is one kilometer.
But Hyuga Aoi's Rinnegan had a much greater range, extending to a full five kilometers.
Within this range, she could see through obstacles, zoom in, and zoom out.
Thus, she had the trackers well within her sight.
Byakugan!
In terms of reconnaissance, it was unparalleled. She knew the positions and numbers of all the enemies.
"Their numbers haven't increased, but many have already moved ahead to form an encirclement. It looks like they'll make their move tonight," Aoi reported confidently.
"Is that so!"
Shizukana Ibaragi left without a word, but the killing intent emanating from him made it clear that tonight would indeed be a bloody night.
As night fell, the convoy set up camp.
Though they could have rested in a town along the way for greater safety and comfort, the nobles of the Land of Fire were known for their unpredictable and often dangerous behavior. Entering their territory could lead to unforeseen complications, so it was safer to camp in the open.
Deep in the forest, far from the convoy, two masked figures stood on a tree branch, their eyes cold as they stared at the distant firelight.
Root members!
Their mission was to monitor the situation in secret.
Eliminating the most loyal enforcer of Uchiha Dohei and wiping out the small shinobi clans that had aligned with him was naturally Danzo's plan.
He had always been relentless in his efforts against the Uchiha clan.
Even if the plan failed, it would still provide an opportunity to eliminate threats within the Land of Fire.
What a hassle!
But it's a profitable hassle!
Regardless of the outcome, Root would benefit.
Unfortunately, the two Root members failed to notice the figure behind them, wearing a bone mask and a black cloak adorned with twelve star symbols.
"You're Root rats!"
A soft, mysterious voice echoed behind the two Root members.
Before they could turn around—
Thwip, Thwip!
The sharp sounds of penetration rang out as two kunai pierced their hearts.
"Disgusting!"
Hyuga Aoi shook the blood off the kunai in disgust.
The darkness and bloodshed of this organization, which had repeatedly opposed them, were intolerable. If not for Dohei's insistence that they were "weeds" that couldn't be eradicated all at once, she would have destroyed Root long ago.
Now, even the blood on their bodies repulsed her.
As for the "Hyuga Aoi" in the convoy?
Of course, it was a Shadow Clone.
Come on!
After plundering Root, how could they not have obtained this highly practical B-rank jutsu?
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
All members of their 404 squad had learned it, but they couldn't reveal its source, so they wouldn't use it publicly until they had covered their tracks.
But using it in secret was fine.
Hyuga Aoi used the jutsu to leave a Shadow Clone in the convoy while she herself transformed into a member of the "Akatsuki" organization to collect the bodies.
Ninja carried scrolls and their corpses had significant value.
Short on resources, these ninjas had conveniently brought their own supplies.
At that moment, a kilometer away at the convoy's campsite, the battle suddenly erupted.
"Wind Release: Wind Slash!"
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"
...
Ninjutsu techniques began to fly.
Of course, they weren't targeting the caravan. They just wanted to rob the place without damaging the vehicles.
But they had no such qualms about attacking Koji Sanjou.
Hizashi Hyuga, however, wasn't in a rush. She slowly walked back to the scene.
Her task was to deal with the two mysterious figures, and she had no intention of getting involved in the battle that was already underway.
So, when she returned to the caravan, she was met with a hellish sight.
Bodies were scattered everywhere!
Trees had been uprooted, rocks shattered, and the ground was stained red.
In the midst of this carnage stood a tall figure encased in metal.
Under the bright silver moon, the scene was a haunting blend of brutality and beauty.
Hizashi Hyuga turned her head to the side, as if she had noticed something.
A ninja emerged, wearing a black cloak, a forehead protector from Takigakure with a deep scratch, and eerie green eyes that glinted through a mask.
"A rogue ninja from Takigakure?"
Koji Sanjou turned to face this new threat, his eyes narrowing as he sized up the figure.
The forehead protector indeed belonged to Takigakure, but the deep scratch across the village symbol marked the wearer as a rogue ninja.
"Brat, your head is worth ten million ryo. If you don't resist, I can make your death painless!"
Kakuzu ignored the bodies strewn on the ground.
He offered this deal because he didn't need any more hearts at the moment. Otherwise, he would have kept the heart of such a powerful opponent.
"Hmph!"
Koji Sanjou let out a cold snort and prepared for battle.
He had barely exerted himself in the previous fight and had already dispatched the other ninjas.
Without the need for defense, his efficiency in killing was truly terrifying.
One punch per ninja!
Dealing with these low-level opponents didn't even require him to use chakra.
Earlier, he had been marveling at the power of his power armor.
With the power armor, he was confident he could take on any opponent who wasn't a Shadow-level ninja with a specific advantage over him.
Now, facing an opponent who gave him a sense of threat, he felt more excited than afraid.
"Arrogant brat, your heart belongs to me!"
Kakuzu was instantly irritated by Koji Sanjou's reaction.
He was a renowned veteran, having even attempted to assassinate the First Hokage. To be disrespected by a mere Leaf Village brat was more than he could tolerate.
Koji Sanjou, oblivious to Kakuzu's inner monologue, initiated the attack.
He launched himself forward with a burst of speed.
Boom!
The ground shattered under his feet as he darted toward Kakuzu like a bolt of lightning.
With the power armor, he had forgotten all about ninjutsu.
Even B-rank techniques couldn't match the sheer force of his chakra-enhanced blows.
Taijutsu was more efficient, faster, and required no hand seals, making it incredibly dangerous.
However, specializing in taijutsu required a significant amount of time and dedication, which few could maintain.
But once a taijutsu specialist reached a certain level, they became truly formidable. Kakuzu, a Shadow-level ninja, was now experiencing this firsthand.
"How can he be so fast!"
Kakuzu's heart raced as he barely managed to dodge Koji Sanjou's devastating punch.
Even without prior combat, Kakuzu could tell that his opponent was a powerhouse with extensive battle experience. He certainly wasn't going to engage in a direct confrontation.
After a few rounds of taijutsu, Kakuzu was on the verge of cursing.
He had assumed that the heavy armor would severely limit Koji Sanjou's agility, making it easy to take him down.
But to his surprise, Koji Sanjou's reactions were lightning-fast, matching his own.
Worse, if Koji Sanjou didn't have the armor... Kakuzu didn't even want to think about it.
"Tentacle Fist!"
Suddenly, Kakuzu's right hand shot out from his elbow, a mass of black threads extending to strike Koji Sanjou, who was caught off guard and sent flying.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
