Facing a battle-hardened monster like Kakuzu, Hayashi didn't let Mikoto or the others intervene. At this level of combat, they could easily become liabilities, a fatal mistake.
So the moment the fight began, everyone retreated.
Kakuzu was fast, but his hands were faster, shooting out from his cloak like living tentacles without warning.
Hayashi wasn't surprised. He had detailed intelligence on Kakuzu and had seen similar abilities from Orochimaru. Orochimaru's soft-body modifications were still developing, nowhere near as flexible as Kakuzu's 'Thread-Thread Fruit,' yet it was enough for Hayashi to handle.
Screech… With a flash of Lightning Release, Hayashi swung his arm, sending a Kunai imbued with lightning slicing toward the incoming hands.
The black threads twisted like snakes, the hands contorting just enough to narrowly avoid the Kunai.
Immediately, the threads exploded outward, forming a nearly inescapable net of attacks.
Hayashi advanced instead of retreating, Lightning Release erupting as Chidori Current formed a protective barrier, isolating everything within two meters.
The black threads collided with the current, immediately repelled, unable to penetrate even an inch.
Kakuzu's cold eyes swept over Hayashi, now enveloped in lightning. As he approached, the space around his shoulders bulged, tearing his cloak to reveal two streams of black threads, each topped with a bizarre white mask.
Hayashi, anticipating the move, dropped low and pressed his palms to the ground.
"Earth Release: Multiple Earth-Style Wall."
Kakuzu sneered. One mask suddenly spat raging flames, ignoring its own black threads. Fire engulfed the courtyard, surrounding Hayashi.
Another mask expelled a powerful gust of wind, intensifying the flames further, purifying the air in that space with scorching heat.
Kakuzu pulled back slightly, retracting the damaged threads while keeping a wary eye on his surroundings. Although he didn't expect Earth Release to withstand his combined Ninjutsu, Hayashi was Konoha's Lightning Flash; he couldn't have died so easily.
Another stream of black threads emerged from Kakuzu's cloak, topped with a new mask that drilled into the ground.
Bang!
The ground behind Kakuzu exploded, and Hayashi's clone, or rather a tactical decoy, landed safely.
Kakuzu frowned, predicting Hayashi's movements with his extensive combat experience, using Earth Release Jiongu to force his opponent out. Yet, despite three masks, none had achieved full suppression. "As expected of a head worth two hundred million," he muttered.
Kakuzu's green eyes glimmered with anticipation. "I must taste your heart."
Hayashi brushed off dust and laughed. "All talk, no real strength. You can't even suppress me, yet you claim to have fought the First Hokage? Shame! You should change your name to 'King of Imposters'."
"Brat, you're asking for death!"
Kakuzu clasped his hands, and three mask-like creatures behind him simultaneously opened their mouths.
"Fire Release: Falling Fire Impact!"
From the masks, three different elemental attacks erupted—Fire, Wind, and Earth. Massive rocks, like meteors, hurled toward Hayashi, flames intensified by wind enveloping them, forming a horizontal barrage instead of a downward meteor shower.
Hayashi chuckled. "You're not from the Sun family. Why would I fear a clash with you?"
Quickly forming hand seals, three Shadow Clones appeared before him.
"Water Release: Raging Waves."
"Lightning Release: Lightning Snake."
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet."
The clones unleashed three different elemental Ninjutsu simultaneously.
The Third Hokage's greatest strength had been mastery of all five natures, combining them to produce versatile effects. Orochimaru, among the Sannin, inherited this ability fully.
As Orochimaru's disciple, Hayashi had also developed proficiency with all five natures, his chakra reserves now far exceeding ordinary Ninja. Large-scale combined Ninjutsu was well within his capabilities.
Kakuzu's expression darkened. Intelligence had shown that Hayashi mastered Fire, Lightning, and Wind. But now Water and Earth had appeared.
"A Ninja with five natures?!"
Combined Ninjutsu was Kakuzu's specialty. Now, Hayashi could counter anything he threw, and his chakra reserves were immense. Fatigue had not slowed him in the slightest. Kakuzu even considered retreating.
Mud dragons clashed with flaming meteors, the Temple of Fire briefly turning pale from the intensity.
Boom!
A thirty-meter-wide crater formed where the Ninjutsu collided.
Hayashi screamed, his body seemingly shattering in the explosion. It looked as if the immense power had overwhelmed him, gradually disappearing.
The next instant, he appeared behind Kakuzu, Chidori crackling as it lunged toward his chest.
But black threads erupted from the ground, tightly binding Hayashi.
Kakuzu laughed. "Konohas Lightning Flash, you think I wouldn't guard against your tricks?"
The explosion had been a ruse. Any ordinary Ninja would have been caught off guard. But Kakuzu was different.
"I have five hearts; Genjutsu cannot touch me."
Buried underground early, his tentacles had waited for Hayashi's advance. Now, watching the young man bound, a cold sneer formed.
"It's over. Your heart is mine."
Kakuzu drove his black threads forward, eager to dig into Hayashi's chest and claim a heart.
Hayashi suddenly smiled, dispelling the Chidori, and without hand seals, a glowing blue orb appeared in his right hand.
In an instant, the orb expanded to five or six meters.
"Super Giant Ball Rasengan."
At such close range, Kakuzu had no time to react. The black threads snapped, and he was sent flying, a crater forming where the orb struck.
Hayashi drew a Kunai, throwing it to pierce one of Kakuzu's white masks. Seeing another Kunai aimed, Kakuzu feigned death but quickly reconnected using Jiongu.
Yet his expression was grim. Two of his hearts had been destroyed, including the Fire and Wind masks. His carefully laid trap had been outsmarted, his plan shattered.
He leaped back, creating distance from Hayashi.
"You know too much about me," Kakuzu muttered.
"I know enough. Now, let's see if you truly live up to your immortality."
Kakuzu lunged toward Jikū in the distance, showing that his greed outweighed caution.
Hayashi sighed, forming hand seals.
"Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning."
When the smoke cleared, Kakuzu was gone. He had abandoned his reputation for survival.
Hayashi turned to Mikoto and the others. That battle had been terrifying; they had witnessed true powerhouse combat.
Brushing dust from his clothes, he said to Jikū, "Sorry for letting him escape and for further damaging the Temple of Fire."
Jikū waved it off with a wry smile. "You saved my life. A Ninja surviving a shattered heart—truly a first for me."
Hayashi chuckled, "The Ninja World is full of surprises."
From above, an eagle's cry echoed. A black ninja eagle landed on Hayashi's shoulder. He retrieved a scroll from it and read carefully.
Mikoto asked, "What is it?"
Hayashi's expression grew serious. "An Anbu Ninja found Fugaku's whereabouts."
"Really?"
He watched the eagle spread its wings and vanish into the sky, leaving only the distant horizon.
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