Naruto: The Hidden Shadow Style

Haseo carefully studied the man before him. The enemy didn't have particularly distinctive features, but combining his forehead protector, unusual pupil color, slightly unique facial structure, and the fact that he appeared to be between forty and fifty years old, along with his recent mention of a "bounty," Haseo managed to piece together the man's identity.

Could it possibly be Kakuzu, the rogue ninja from Takigakure, later member of Akatsuki known as "Nishi," who famously survived an assassination attempt by the First Hokage?

But why did he appear so absurdly inept right now?

The exact reasons might already be lost to history, but ten to twenty years ago, the leader of the Land of Waterfalls, head of Takigakure Village, decided to send Kakuzu—Takigakure's gifted ninja—to assassinate Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage of Konoha.

Then, accepting this mission, Kakuzu finally discovered the First Hokage operating alone outside Konoha—a commendable feat indeed, since not just anyone could track down the Hokage's whereabouts… Soon after, he found an opportunity and launched the assassination attempt.

And then… there was no further outcome.

No one other than the two participants knew exactly what happened during that battle, but the result was clear: Kakuzu suffered severe injuries and fled in panic, while the First Hokage remained completely unharmed.

Whether or not the First Hokage held back during the fight, surviving that encounter became the high point of Kakuzu's ninja career.

But for the other side—the legendary Hashirama Senju—this event meant absolutely nothing. The First Hokage probably forgot all about it shortly afterward. What was a lifetime highlight for someone else was no more significant than a speck of dust to him.

Haseo doubted Konoha had kept any records on Kakuzu at all. If Kakuzu had tried to assassinate the Second Hokage instead, considering Tobirama's personality, there was no way he'd let the assassin escape. Even if somehow he did escape, Tobirama would've recorded every detail about the attacker—height, weight, specific jutsu techniques—instructing future Konoha ninjas to remain especially vigilant against him.

But the First Hokage… was unlikely to seriously submit any post-battle reports to the village.

It wasn't even that Hashirama meant to pretend nothing happened, because to him, Kakuzu's assassination attempt literally hadn't happened at all… How many assassination attempts did the First Hokage even survive in his lifetime?

Despite taking enormous risks and carrying out an assassination mission against the First Hokage—one where success bordered on miracle and failure was expected—Kakuzu's defeat couldn't really be blamed on him.

Yet when he returned to Takigakure nearly dead, instead of being treated as a lone hero, he was punished, which eventually forced him to become a rogue ninja.

Actually, perhaps it could be said that the moment he accepted this mission, he had already become a traitor… Suppose he actually succeeded, how could the small village of Takigakure withstand Konoha's retaliation? And if he failed, how could Takigakure face the wrath of Hashirama himself?

It was the Hokage's own prerogative whether or not to take these assassination attempts seriously, but Takigakure dared not gamble on how merciful the First would be.

The only way for Takigakure to avoid or reduce the blame of angering the Hokage and Konoha was to prove that the person who launched the assassination had little connection with them.

Therefore, Kakuzu must be a rogue ninja.

Later, after obtaining the Secret Art of Takigakure "Earth Grudge Fear," Kakuzu defected. It's unclear whether he stole this technique after turning against the village or whether it was granted by Takigakure as a reward—necessary silence under circumstances where they couldn't kill him—for completing missions.

Regardless, after Kakuzu left Takigakure, he had already cut ties with the village. He truly became a purely self-serving rogue ninja. Then comes the question: Why would such a rogue ninja dare commit an act as high-risk as attacking the Hokage?

Was there someone offering a bounty on the Third Hokage's head in the black market? Was Kakuzu doing this merely for the reward money?

Was this guy really the kind who valued money over common sense?

Haseo had trouble understanding Kakuzu's survival logic. What value could money possibly have for a ninja anyway?

However, it wasn't something he needed to understand either. Haseo placed one hand behind his back and quickly formed several hand seals, signaling his teammates to prepare for battle at any moment.

"Don't waste words with them. Eliminate them before the Hokage arrives!" The Anbu squad leader issued the same coded command almost simultaneously with Haseo.

Kakuzu's earlier provocation hadn't been amusing at all. Haseo's mission was to protect the Third Hokage—how could they possibly allow enemies anywhere near him?

They were enemies, plain and simple. What was there to say?!

After the Anbu command was issued, three Konoha squads rushed forward toward their equally numbered foes.

At this moment, Haseo Squad wasn't hesitating out of fear; it was simply because the three Konoha squads involved were hastily formed temporary units with no prior coordination between them. Acting too hastily might even result in getting hit by allied techniques. Therefore, Haseo assigned his own squad the role of support and backup rather than frontline attackers.

He wasn't trying to be the main damage dealer—he just wanted to give his teammates a little extra firepower.

Sure enough, just before Haseo's squad charged into the enemy formation, the Anbu ninja's jutsu struck first.

Suddenly, the sky above this small battlefield darkened, and Haseo halted his advance, lifting his head to look upward. He saw a flying disk with rough, simplified lines and an exceptionally fierce beast pattern engraved on its underside descending from the heavens.

No, to be precise, the object looked more like a flat, round saucepan lid... This was the Anbu ninja's Ninjutsu technique called [Earth Release: Summoning Technique – Heaven-Drop Lid].

This thing fell naturally from a high altitude, accelerating solely under the force of gravity. For a ninja's reaction speed, unless both legs were amputated, one certainly wouldn't get flattened into a meat pancake.

"Boom!"

With a dull thud, the Heaven-Drop Lid slammed onto the ground.

Dust exploded into the air, and birds roosting in the trees took off in panic.

Though its destructive power was limited, the large-scale assault instantly scattered the enemy's formation and split the battlefield... This way, the Anbu squad, the Uchiha-Hyuga scouting team, and Haseo's squad would each be able to engage their own targets and defeat them one by one.

Kakuzu could indeed be considered a powerful ninja, but the average quality of his subordinates couldn't possibly surpass that of Konoha's side.

Haseo was just about to pitch in, helping the "powerful" Uchiha-Hyuga team and the Anbu clear out some grunts—after all, even a ninja like Kakuzu couldn't possibly fight eight elite jonin at once. And even if he somehow could, there was no way he could instantly eliminate Konoha's most elite forces. Once the Hokage arrived at the battlefield, victory would already be decided.

Yet just as Haseo was thinking this, from within the dispersing smoke and dust, a dark figure emerged.

"Young ninjas shouldn't appear on a battlefield like this. Wasn't that what you were taught?"

The person who appeared was Kakuzu.

In an instant, Haseo understood completely. Choosing first to eliminate the weakest opponent was the most natural battlefield thinking… From Konoha's side, wasn't Haseo exactly the weakest link in Kakuzu's eyes?

Haseo had never been taught where young ninjas should or shouldn't appear, yet he had definitely been taught that no matter what kind of enemy appeared before him—strong or weak, famous or unknown—he must never hesitate to strike!

[Lightning Release] crackled in a dazzling arc across Haseo's body. He slashed forward with his right hand, fingers together like a blade, radiating unparalleled violent energy toward the suddenly emerged foe!

Haseo wasn't particularly ruthless by nature—but to be honest, he did have a bit of cruelty in him.

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