Naruto: Reborn as Kakuzu, the Immortal Assassin

The battlefield was chaos. Explosions rippled across the landscape in a relentless, carpet-bombing assault. It was an overwhelming display of power that left no gaps for escape or reprieve.

For the Mizukage, this wasn't an unfamiliar sight. He had witnessed such overwhelming firepower during the Warring States period, where battles were waged between clans, and fields were turned into infernos of destruction. But those were wars—a collective effort where he wasn't the sole target of the onslaught.

Now, however, this unrelenting barrage of jutsu was being unleashed by a single man: Kakuzu. The realization hit the Mizukage like a wave. This young man wasn't an ordinary opponent.

Yet, acknowledging an enemy's strength didn't mean surrendering. The Mizukage, Byakuren, raised his hand, palm facing the storm of incoming attacks.

"Don't underestimate the Mizukage!" he roared.

"Dark Release: Cursed Annihilation Blast!"

A sharp crimson light erupted from the hole in his palm, and an enormous shockwave surged outward, meeting Kakuzu's multi-elemental attacks head-on.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The collision unleashed an explosion that shook the earth. Towering waves surged, crashing against the shore like deafening slaps. The raging torrents overwhelmed the island, their ferocity like a flood beast bursting its dam. The ground trembled, mountains groaned, and the small island quaked under the tremendous force.

Despite the spectacle, the battle between Kakuzu and the Mizukage was far from over.

Kakuzu leaped high into the air, his sharp gaze piercing through the thick clouds of smoke. Below, the Mizukage tilted his head upward, locking eyes with Kakuzu.

The Mizukage's Dark Release had indeed nullified a portion of the six-element attack, but it wasn't enough to eliminate it entirely. Some of the chakra broke through the barrier and struck him directly. Unperturbed, the Mizukage absorbed the residual energy with his Dark Release.

Now, with his palm still glowing ominously, the Mizukage smirked, his voice low and taunting.

"Come at me!"

Kakuzu's eyes burned with battle lust. This was a clash of titans, a fight to the finish. And what better way to settle it than with an all-out jutsu duel?

Elemental energy erupted once more as Kakuzu's five masks roared to life. Fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning surged forward like cannonballs, meeting the Mizukage's Dark Release in a cataclysmic collision.

BOOM!

The sky darkened as black smoke spiraled into the air, each detonation louder and more destructive than the last. Neither fighter showed any intention of backing down. For a ninja, giving everything to defeat the enemy was an unbreakable law.

The battle dragged on for hours.

The once-pristine lake was now a wasteland. Shattered wood and dead animals littered the water, turning it murky. The ground bore countless scars—craters, shattered stone, and charred earth. Flames smoldered on broken logs, their embers slowly reducing the wood to ash.

From the sky, the small island looked like a battlefield ravaged by war.

Kakuzu panted heavily, his chest rising and falling as sweat and water dripped from his drenched body. His bloodshot eyes locked onto the Mizukage, whose arms now hung at his sides. The Mizukage's muscles appeared shriveled, and faint wisps of smoke rose from his palms.

"You... got any... more tricks left?" Byakuren rasped, his tone defiant despite his exhaustion.

Kakuzu forced his breathing to steady as he replied coolly, "Your Dark Release is impressive, Mizukage. But I wonder... how many more attacks can you absorb?"

He wasn't wrong. In the world of ninjutsu, Dark Release was a terrifying ability, devouring chakra like an insatiable beast. But no jutsu was without limits. Overwhelming the Mizukage with an attack too powerful to absorb was the only solution.

And yet, this prolonged battle had proven one thing: the man who bore the title of First Mizukage wasn't weak. He was a true Kage-level powerhouse.

The Mizukage took a deep breath, steadying himself. His lips curled into a faint smirk.

"Your attacks are strong, but I can absorb them all. If you're a man, prove it! Let's settle this once and for all!"

Kakuzu chuckled, though his eyes remained sharp.

"Such a clumsy provocation," he muttered.

He could tell the Mizukage was struggling. Perhaps he regretted coming here with so few allies. Regardless, this duel wasn't over until one of them fell.

The battle raged on relentlessly. The commotion here was so intense that it had likely already reached the ears of those in Kirigakure. In just a little while, a large contingent of Kirigakure shinobi would undoubtedly arrive. At that point, Kakuzu would have no chance of escape.

"Mizukage, if I wanted to leave, you wouldn't be able to stop me."

"Hmph! You useless coward. If you're a man, face me here and settle this with your life!"

The Mizukage's expression darkened as he barked these words with a steely resolve, as though prepared for a final showdown.

Kakuzu raised an eyebrow. This Mizukage was truly insufferable. Not only had this trip to Kirigakure cost Kakuzu a loss of 30 million ryō, but now the man was outright questioning his masculinity. Annoying.

As Kakuzu debated whether to swallow his pride and retreat, temporarily setting aside the pain of his financial loss, the ground beneath them trembled violently.

Whoosh! BOOM!

Both Kakuzu and the Mizukage swayed unsteadily as the surface of the lake began to ripple and rise, forming waves as tall as mountains.

It was odd. They had both ceased fighting due to exhaustion, so where was this overwhelming surge of chakra coming from? Kakuzu could feel it distinctly—this chakra wasn't just strong; it was colossal. The sheer presence of it had already dominated the entire lake.

At the center of the lake, a massive black shadow began to emerge, faint but unmistakable.

The enormous figure rose swiftly, breaking through the surface of the water with an explosive roar.

CRASH!

A tidal wave erupted as water cascaded off its massive form like grains of sand sliding off a cliff.

The creature raised its head toward the heavens.

"ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!"

The earth itself trembled beneath the deafening beastly cries that shook the skies.

The colossal figure occupied nearly a quarter of the lake's surface. Its white, spiked armor gleamed menacingly, and the three iron-like tails on its back thrashed with immense power.

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

The water churned violently, with large volumes surging onto the surrounding land. If this had been the ocean instead of a lake, each flick of its tail would have triggered a minor tsunami.

This was the Three-Tails, Isobu—a living mass of immense chakra!

Kakuzu stood on the lake's surface, gazing calmly at the towering beast. How could he have forgotten? This was the Three-Tails' habitat, its hard-earned sanctuary after breaking free from its previous captivity. His earlier reckless attacks had likely disrupted Isobu's peace, agitating the beast until it could no longer endure.

The Mizukage, Byakuren, stared grimly at the colossal form of the Three-Tails. A shadow crossed the scarred features of his face. It was because of this wretched beast that all of this chaos had unfolded, costing him so many subordinates.

But there was no point in complaining now. Byakuren was a pragmatic man. He tore his gaze away from the Three-Tails and glanced at Kakuzu.

The Three-Tails had to be dealt with. Kakuzu couldn't be allowed to escape either.

Byakuren quickly devised a plan: he would use the Three-Tails to stall Kakuzu, preventing him from slipping away too easily. Once Kirigakure's reinforcements arrived, the Three-Tails would be sealed, and Kakuzu would meet his end.

Kakuzu, however, had no trouble catching the glint of malice in the Mizukage's eyes.

This old man swindled me out of 30 million and still dares to act so high and mighty?!

Kakuzu's gaze briefly settled on Byakuren's smoke-emitting palm and the erratic rise and fall of his chest before a faint smirk spread across his face.

A kunai appeared in his hand, wrapped with an explosive tag. The muscles in his arm bulged as he hurled the weapon with tremendous force.

Shuriken Jutsu.

Whoosh!

The kunai flew toward the Three-Tails, striking its massive form with precision.

"…Is this guy an idiot?"

Byakuren couldn't help but sneer at Kakuzu's move. He had been planning to use the Three-Tails to hold Kakuzu off, but it seemed Kakuzu had willingly provoked the beast instead, saving him the trouble.

The outcome was exactly as Byakuren had expected.

BOOM!

The explosive tag detonated near the Three-Tails' head, enveloping the area in thick black smoke.

When the smoke cleared, the Three-Tails opened its eyes, now burning with feral rage.

"ROOOAAARRRR!"

The Three-Tails' fury erupted like a tidal wave, shaking the heavens and earth.

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