I Just Wanted to Slack Off, But I Was Forced to Become Hokage

Chapter 40: Ino-Shika-Shika-Chō VS Kakuzu!

'An A-rank ninja combat mission has been triggered!'

'Kage-level corresponds to A-rank!'

Nara Keisuke quickly scanned the mission prompt that popped up on his panel. A moment later, an astonishing shockwave blasted from behind him. A heaven-shaking roar erupted from where Akimichi Chōza had landed, and the entire ground trembled from the immense impact, as if a small-scale earthquake had suddenly occurred.

"Don't stop! Retreat to a safe distance at top speed!" Yamanaka Inoichi's urgent voice reached the ears of Keisuke and the other Chunin, but the sound grew more and more distant. "I'm heading back!"

Sarutobi Asuma, Yūhi Kurenai, and Tobitake Tonbo ran ahead. The "slower" Nara Keisuke trailed behind, gradually falling behind the Chunin squad. He turned to glance at Inoichi's departing back, and with a thought, his consciousness returned to his main body.

He instantly took off the [Chakra Crystal] ring from his right hand and tossed it to his [Shadow Doppelganger]. Nara Keisuke's main body continued to follow in the footsteps of Asuma and the others, retreating to the rear. Meanwhile, the [Shadow Doppelganger], now wearing the [Chakra Crystal] ring, vanished into thin air, silently moving towards the battlefield.

By the time Yamanaka Inoichi rushed back, the surrounding environment had undergone an extremely terrifying change. The originally flat ground had been blasted by Chōza's "Spiked Human Bullet Tank," creating a massive crater nearly ten meters in diameter. The earth was cracked and shattered, and dust and smoke rose into the air.

Swish—

Akimichi Chōza, having returned to his normal form, flashed out of the smoke, his face grave as he stared at the figure within the haze. "Uncle Shikano, I felt something was very wrong just now... It seems my Spiked Human Bullet Tank didn't have the effect it should have."

"Yes, I saw it!" Nara Shikano's expression was extremely grave as he also looked in the direction of the smoke. "He must have broken free from the Shadow Paralysis Jutsu's control... The amount of Yin Release chakra a kunai mixed with chakra metal can hold is still too little, not enough to completely control the enemy."

As the dust and smoke settled, Kakuzu's figure was revealed before the off-generation Ino-Shika-Chō team. Compared to when he first appeared, Kakuzu's skin had become as black and coarse as charcoal. What was even more noteworthy were his hands, which were now clasped together, fingers interlocked like gears.

"The Serpent Seal!" Through observation, Nara Shikano instantly came to a rough conclusion. "An Earth Release nature transformation, an ability that hardens the body! To be able to withstand Chōza's attack, it must be an extremely high-level Earth Release ninjutsu!"

"Not bad, your analysis is very correct," Kakuzu said, still maintaining that special hardened state with blackened skin. "No physical attack can harm me."

Hearing Kakuzu's words, Nara Shikano's eyelid twitched slightly. The other's claim of an "invincible defense" was definitely just a boast. According to the "principle of canceling nature transformations," there was a clear counter-relationship between different chakra natures. Take Earth Release ninjutsu, for example. The hardness of earth and stone could block water flow, but it could also be pierced by lightning. In short, Earth Release countered Water Release but was countered by Lightning Release.

To break through Kakuzu's so-called "invincible defense," all that was needed was a high-level Lightning Release ninjutsu. But thinking of this, Nara Shikano sighed internally. A high-level Lightning Release ninjutsu... wasn't that asking too much of the Ino-Shika-Chō?

'I still misjudged his strength after all.' Nara Shikano pursed his lips slightly. 'To think he could withstand Chōza's Spiked Human Bullet Tank head-on... Even among the elite ninja of Iwagakure, only a very few can do that... Where did this rogue ninja from Takigakure learn such an advanced Earth Release ninjutsu?'

"Are you not going to continue your attack?" Kakuzu sneered. "Then it's my turn!"

As his voice fell, Kakuzu simply brought his hands together. "Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"

Boom!

A belt of high-pressure wind that was almost materialized instantly erupted from in front of Kakuzu, sweeping forward with unstoppable momentum, as if wanting to annihilate all obstacles in its path. The formation of the high-pressure wind belt created a swirling air current, which scraped against the Ino-Shika-Chō team with the ferocity of a storm.

"Fall back!"

Nara Shikano, Akimichi Chōza, and Yamanaka Inoichi tacitly flickered backward, avoiding the direct impact of the Wind Release. At the same time, the three of them raised their arms in front of them to block the flying debris.

But even so, when the three landed on the ground, the violent storm still pushed them back several more meters, their feet leaving six deep drag marks on the ground.

"What terrifying Wind Release power!" Yamanaka Inoichi was shocked beyond words, but before he could finish speaking, a blindingly strong light of lightning once again bloomed ahead.

"Wait, that's..."

For Kakuzu, if it wasn't necessary, he would never fight. But once a battle truly erupted, he would go all out!

'It's a pity. I heard that Konoha's Ino-Shika-Chō are all secret technique clans. Their hearts are of no use to me...' A trace of regret flashed through Kakuzu's mind. The black color covering his skin vanished without a trace, replaced by streaks of silvery-white, free-flowing arcs of electricity.

"Die under this move, Konoha's Ino-Shika-Chō team! Lightning Release: False Darkness!"

Rumble—

Like a thunderclap on a clear day, with the sound of rolling thunder, a distorted, radiant spear of lightning condensed in front of Kakuzu. Carrying an aura of utter destruction, it shot towards the distant off-generation Ino-Shika-Chō team.

"It's Lightning Release!" Nara Shikano's pupils contracted slightly, and a viscous shadow rose from beneath his feet. "Chōza, defend now!"

A black shadow suddenly rose in front of the Ino-Shika-Chō team, and then, under Nara Shikano's will, it transformed into a shadow shield resembling a giant cocoon, firmly protecting the three of them within.

Shadow Shield Technique!

And behind the shadow shield, Akimichi Chōza also activated his family's secret technique at top speed. His hedgehog-like brown hair instantly grew long and hard, covering the area behind the shield and forming a second layer of defense.

BOOM!!

In the blink of an eye, the lightning spear crossed the battlefield and accurately struck the shadow shield. The collision of spear and shield directly erupted into a loud roar, and rolling waves of air spread out in all directions.

Lightning Release ninjutsu was already extremely destructive, with immense piercing power. As a B-rank ninjutsu, "Lightning Release: False Darkness" possessed the astonishing power to split mountains and crack stone. The Nara clan's "Shadow Shield Technique," being a Yin Release nature transformation, was far less effective at resisting Lightning Release than a Wind Release ninjutsu would be.

Nara Shikano gritted his teeth, unleashing his Yin Release chakra without reservation to maintain the effect of the "Shadow Shield Technique." After an extremely difficult moment, a sweat-drenched Shikano finally dispelled the shield.

The lightning spear, its power not yet fully spent, continued to pierce forward, striking Akimichi Chōza's hair-shield, which was right behind the shadow shield. Having been worn down by the Shadow Shield Technique, the power of "Lightning Release: False Darkness" had already dropped considerably. This time, when the lightning spear struck Chōza's tough hair-shield, it only managed to shake it slightly. After leaving a few scorched marks on the brown protective shell, the lightning spear finally lost its last ounce of power and dissipated into the air.

The hair-shield was retracted by Akimichi Chōza. The three members of the off-generation Ino-Shika-Chō all stared at Kakuzu with extremely grave expressions.

'So strong! This rogue ninja from Takigakure!'

Nara Shikano's hands were slick with cold sweat. 'Earth Release, Wind Release, Lightning Release... to have mastered three different high-level nature transformation ninjutsu at the same time, and the effect of each one is astonishingly strong... Since when did a ninja of this level appear among the bounty hunters?'

To put it bluntly, in Nara Shikano's eyes, just based on the few abilities he had displayed, Kakuzu's skill level already surpassed the vast majority of Jonin in Konoha Village.

'This guy... is a monster whose strength is no less than that of the Sannin!'

"Such proficient coordination. As expected of Konoha's Ino-Shika-Chō team." Kakuzu gazed at the three ninja from afar, his hands coming together again to manipulate the chakra in his body. "You are the first group not to be pierced by Lightning Release: False Darkness... But even if you can block Lightning Release, can you block the next move? Fire Release: Searing Migraine!"

'No way, he's even mastered Fire Release?!' The three Ino-Shika-Chō members were shocked.

A small fire snake shot out from in front of Kakuzu. After landing, it instantly expanded its range, forming a sea of flames like a tidal wave that swept towards the three of them. The scorching flames burned everything around them, and the air itself became searingly hot and distorted from the extreme temperature.

Faced with such a raging sea of fire, Yamanaka Inoichi's mind went blank. Nara Shikano, having just expended a great deal of energy, couldn't form a strong enough shadow shield at this moment. Only Akimichi Chōza still gritted his teeth and moved forward.

"Partial Expansion Jutsu!"

Akimichi Chōza used his family's secret technique, expanding his hands and pushing them fiercely towards the sea of fire. "Super Open Palm Slam!"

Whoosh—

Under Chōza's explosive push, the continuous sea of fire was actually slapped open, creating a wide gap as if it had been split in two.

"A desperate struggle!" Kakuzu sneered, just about to mold Wind-style chakra to combine "Wind Release: Pressure Damage" with "Fire Release: Searing Migraine."

But just at that moment, a lacquer-black bullet, appearing from nowhere, pierced through his chest without any warning.

An invisible approach.

A shadow bullet through the heart!

[You have killed the A-rank Ninja Combat Mission target once!]

[You have obtained one A-rank [Shinobi Secret Scroll]!]

(End of Chapter)

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