Naruto: Reborn as Kakuzu, the Immortal Assassin

The chapter for the 100 power stones, thank you

...

"I'm Mizukage Byakuren. If you have business, you talk to me," Byakuren announced as he arrived on the southern shore of the island within minutes, crossing several kilometers effortlessly. He took in the scene before him: Kakuzu standing over the battered and nearly lifeless body of his disciple, Mufū.

"Cut the nonsense," Kakuzu replied, his tone calm but laced with menace. "You people from Kirigakure are worse than scum. Hand over what I want, or I won't hesitate to pay a little visit to your village."

Kakuzu's gaze was steady, his fingers lightly tapping the top of Mufū's head. The motion was casual, yet chilling. It spoke volumes—Kakuzu was not bluffing.

The Mizukage's lips curled into a smirk. Then, he laughed—a loud, mocking laugh that echoed across the shoreline.

"Interesting," Byakuren said, his arms crossed. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. Making demands in my presence—most wouldn't dare."

The condescension in his tone was palpable, the arrogance of someone far above Kakuzu in rank and stature. After all, Byakuren wasn't just anyone—he was the Mizukage, while Kakuzu was but a rogue bounty hunter.

Kakuzu, however, met the insult without flinching. His response was simple and ruthless.

"Looks like asking the esteemed Mizukage for cooperation is too much trouble. In that case…"

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Kakuzu's grip tightened on Mufū's head, the sound of bone under pressure filling the air. The pain jolted Mufū awake, his groan of agony splitting the silence.

"Enough! Don't be reckless!" Byakuren's expression darkened, his earlier smugness replaced by a more pragmatic edge. "What you're after is nothing of consequence to me. If it's that important, take it and leave."

He raised his left hand, the fingers unhurriedly uncurling to reveal his palm. A strange yellow eye-like symbol rested at its center.

Kakuzu didn't let his guard down, but it was already too late.

The symbol glowed red, and an immense surge of chakra condensed in an instant.

"Damn it!" Kakuzu realized too late what was happening. The attack was swift and devastating.

Whoosh!

A violent gust of wind surged forward, sharp and unrelenting, like an invisible blade. It tore through Kakuzu's torso, obliterating everything above his chest in a heartbeat.

With cold efficiency, the Mizukage had struck.

"You're still too green to demand payment from me," Byakuren muttered as he dusted his hands off, his movements precise and calculated. Just as he turned to check on his disciple, the body before him exploded into smoke.

Boom!

The air cleared to reveal an empty space where Kakuzu's body had been.

"A shadow clone!"

Byakuren's eyes narrowed, his left eye twitching as the jagged scar running beneath it seemed to twist along with his grimace. The realization infuriated him. This rogue wasn't just bold—he was cunning, and his techniques bore an unsettling resemblance to those of Senju Hashirama.

At a lake not far away, Kakuzu slowly lowered his hand, releasing the lifeless body of a Kirigakure shinobi he had been holding. The corpse splashed into the water with a dull sound, sinking beneath the surface.

"Kirigakure truly is unwelcoming," Kakuzu muttered, cracking his neck as though he were loosening up after light exercise.

Nearby, another ninja, Chūki, stood trembling. Sweat dripped down his face as he fixed his gaze on Kakuzu, his heightened sensory abilities warning him of the overwhelming difference in strength. Chūki's Dark Release allowed him unparalleled perception, but against Kakuzu, it was useless. Strength and intent radiated from the bounty hunter like a storm.

Kakuzu stepped forward.

Before he could close the distance, however, a flicker of movement interrupted him.

Whoosh!

Byakuren appeared, his arrival marked by a sudden gust of wind. The Mizukage's eyes burned with fury as he blocked Kakuzu's advance.

"You dare toy with me? And you've slaughtered my men… Unforgivable," Byakuren snarled, his killing intent suffocating.

"Mizukage-sama, this man—" Chūki began, but the Mizukage silenced him with a wave of his hand.

"Take care of Mufū. Leave this one to me," Byakuren commanded, his voice cold and absolute.

Chūki hesitated but nodded, retreating to tend to Mufū as the two powerful shinobi squared off.

"Understood. Please, Mizukage-sama, take care," Chūki nodded before swiftly stepping onto the water's surface, disappearing into the distance. The area was now left with only Kakuzu and Byakuren.

A gentle breeze brushed past, rippling the calm surface of the water as Kakuzu and Byakuren faced each other.

"Let's begin," Byakuren said, his eyes shedding their earlier fury and murderous intent, now replaced by an icy chill that seemed to seep into the air around him. To him, Kakuzu was already a dead man—an unworthy adversary not worth wasting words on.

"Heh. Then I must thank Mizukage-sama for his generosity," Kakuzu replied with a sardonic smile, his eyes narrowing as he observed Byakuren intently.

Suddenly—whoosh!—a shadow clone, hidden beneath the water's surface, burst forth, appearing behind Byakuren in a flash. The clone's hand seals were already completed.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"

The clone slammed its palm onto the ground, and an immense surge of chakra flowed into the riverbank. Rumble—! The earth erupted into a massive mudslide that surged across the water like a tidal wave, crashing toward Byakuren's back with overwhelming force.

Yet, despite Kakuzu's preemptive strike, Byakuren remained motionless, his gaze filled with disdain and arrogance.

"Such a simple shadow clone technique," Byakuren muttered under his breath. "Do you think someone like me—the Mizukage—would fall for it twice?"

Calmly, Byakuren extended his left hand, palm facing his back.

"Dark Release: Absorption Void!"

A crimson glow emanated from his palm, and an intense suction force surged outward. The massive mudslide, seemingly unstoppable, was pulled into Byakuren's hand as if drawn into an endless abyss. In mere moments, the attack was entirely absorbed.

This was Byakuren's Bloodline Limit: Dark Release. (Note: In this story, Dark Release combines abilities from both the anime and the movies, forming a unified concept.)

"Here. Have it back," Byakuren said coldly. With a flick of his wrist, he turned his palm outward toward Kakuzu. The eerie, blood-red glow in his hand intensified, radiating a malevolent energy.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"

The very mudslide Byakuren had absorbed earlier now surged forth, but this time, its target was Kakuzu himself.