Konan's words hung in the air.
Pain and Zetsu both observed Kuzo closely, their gazes flickering toward the short sword at his waist.
A single thought arose in both their minds—how had this seemingly ordinary blade managed to pierce Sasori, a master puppeteer?
Was it some kind of special technique?
If he truly possessed such an ability, then perhaps he did have the strength to join Akatsuki...
As they pondered this, another voice echoed through the dimly lit cave.
"Hey..."
"Is this the kind of weakling we're recruiting now?"
A tall man clad in a black cloak with red clouds stepped forward from the shadows, a black mask covering his face. His eyes, glowing an eerie green, studied Kuzo with obvious disdain.
Konan's gaze sharpened. Even without an introduction, she recognized him instantly.
This was the man the masked leader had sent Pain to recruit—Kakuzu, the immortal rogue ninja from Takigakure.
At that moment, Kakuzu's expression twisted into one of impatience. He strode forward, stopping just in front of Kuzo, looming over him.
Compared to Kakuzu's imposing figure, Kuzo's lean build seemed insignificant.
Yet Kuzo remained unfazed, offering a slight smile.
"So, you're Kakuzu of the Immortal Duo?"
"Nice to meet you."
His tone was light, almost amused, as if he were greeting an old acquaintance.
Kakuzu, however, narrowed his eyes.
"You..."
"Your chakra feels so weak, it's almost nonexistent."
His voice turned sharp.
"Honestly, I'm starting to doubt whether you're even capable of fighting."
"It's irritating... almost makes me want to crush you right now."
A heavy silence filled the cave.
The air grew tense.
But Kuzo remained unbothered, meeting Kakuzu's gaze without fear.
He had read about Kakuzu's reputation.
A bounty hunter obsessed with money.
A veteran shinobi who had slaughtered his previous partners.
The only one he tolerated was Hidan, and that was solely because of his immortality.
So it wasn't surprising that he was already looking for an excuse to eliminate Kuzo.
Before the tension could escalate further, Pain finally spoke.
"Kakuzu, enough."
"Akatsuki does not allow infighting."
"Besides, this isn't the time for you to satisfy your violent urges."
Kakuzu barely spared him a glance.
"Violent urges?" he scoffed.
"I don't care about pointless killing."
"But this kid is weak. He'll slow us down in the future."
He turned slightly toward Pain.
"Admit it—you have doubts about him too, don't you?"
"Let me test him for you."
Pain fell silent.
He trusted Konan's judgment.
Yet, deep down, he also wanted to see Kuzo's strength for himself.
His gaze shifted toward Konan.
She remained composed, her expression unreadable.
After a moment, she simply turned to Kuzo and said, "Don't go overboard."
"Kakuzu is an essential member of Akatsuki. Don't kill him."
With that, she stepped aside, clearing the space between them.
Kakuzu's lips curled into an annoyed sneer.
Did she really think this kid could kill him?
Ridiculous.
"Hey, brat."
"You should take this moment to breathe while you still can."
With that, Kakuzu suddenly lashed out.
His right arm burst apart, unraveling into countless black tendrils, shooting straight toward Kuzo!
The attack was swift, deadly.
But Kuzo didn't flinch.
His expression remained calm as he cast a glance toward Pain and the others watching from the sidelines.
Then, he simply raised his hands, clapped them together, and spoke in a quiet voice:
*"Hadō #33: Sōkatsui."*
BOOM!
A blinding white light erupted from his palms.
In the next instant, the light twisted into a roaring blue flame, surging forward like an unstoppable wave, swallowing Kakuzu's attack whole!
The cave lit up as if it had been struck by lightning.
Even the ever-present dripping water seemed to evaporate under the heat.
The sheer scale and intensity of the attack dwarfed Kakuzu's offensive move entirely.
Pain's eyes narrowed.
Zetsu let out a surprised gasp.
Kakuzu himself froze for half a second, stunned by the speed of the counterattack.
Konan, standing at the side, observed with intrigue.
That name again.
Another strange incantation.
Another seemingly random technique.
She couldn't help but wonder—was this how he fought?
Did he simply put his hands together and call out whatever attack he wanted?
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