Although Wind enhances Fire, a strong enough gale can prevent the flames from spreading, and Kakuzu's Fire Release was directly blocked outside the storm.
"This guy, I can't take him down with just one mask!"
The storm passed, and both were unscathed, which made Kakuzu frown.
He had once again accumulated Chakra within his body, and at the same time, the black threads dancing around him picked up the severed arm that had fallen to the ground and sewed it back onto his body.
"What a convenient ability."
Orochimaru couldn't help but light up at this sight.
"Hmph, Orochimaru, don't blame me if you die here!"
"Composite Ninjutsu: Strange Mask Blast Flame!"
The two masks on Kakuzu's shoulders simultaneously began to accumulate Chakra, using Fire Release: Head Engraving Pain and Wind Release: Pressure Damage at the same time, instantly creating a vast sea of fire.
Orochimaru's expression changed slightly; he saw a familiar figure in this move.
"Heh heh heh, I've seen someone stronger than you use this move!"
"Sword of the Sky!"
The long sword that Orochimaru had shot out earlier suddenly moved again, stabbing towards Kakuzu's back, while Orochimaru himself was completely engulfed by the flames of Kakuzu's composite Ninjutsu.
Naruto had long since hidden to the side to watch the show.
Kakuzu didn't expect the sword flying out of Orochimaru's mouth to still be able to move, and he didn't expect Orochimaru to be willing to kill him in a way that would result in mutual destruction. Although he had joined the Akatsuki for so long, this should be his first time meeting the other man, so why did he have such a strong killing intent towards him?
Could it be that he was also interested in his bounty?
Caught off guard, Kakuzu didn't have time to use Earth Release to defend, and the sharp Kusanagi Sword directly pierced through his heart.
His body staggered and he knelt on the ground, the blue Wind Release mask monster on his shoulder quickly withered, then fell to the ground, like a puddle of mud.
What had been pierced just now was the heart of Wind Release Chakra.
However, Kakuzu's main body was fine, he just gasped for a few breaths and recovered, then stood up again, pulling out the Kusanagi Sword stuck in his back.
First, he glanced at Orochimaru's charred corpse lying on the ground, then looked at Naruto watching the show from a tree, whose appearance made him feel somewhat familiar, and said with a frown.
"Orochimaru is already dead, aren't you going to make a move?"
Naruto's face also showed an expression of unfinished business; watching the battle between these top experts was quite interesting, that overwhelming sea of fire was truly spectacular.
"That guy isn't so easy to kill, but if ordinary Ninja didn't know you had five hearts, they might really not be able to do anything to you."
But if someone noticed this information, Kakuzu's strength would barely reach the Kage-level, a small Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Are you from Takigakure?"
Kakuzu's face turned ugly; the Earth Grudge Fear was a secret technique of Takigakure, and outsiders had no way of knowing about it except for the higher-ups of Takigakure.
Without waiting for Naruto to answer, a large number of black threads emerged from his body again, wrapping around Naruto.
"As expected, I still need to beat you up before you'll talk properly!"
Naruto's figure disappeared instantly, reappearing behind Kakuzu, a Wind Release Rasengan already condensed in his hand.
"What?"
Facing the Flying Thunder God Technique, those who don't understand it are basically killed on first encounter. Of course, those who do understand it can resist a couple of times. It's a technique that specializes in dealing with people.
Kakuzu didn't have a chance to react at all and was directly hit by Naruto's Wind Release: Rasengan.
Even with the Earth Release: Earth Spear defense this time, his back still exploded directly, and three hearts were destroyed simultaneously. The Fire Release mask monster on his shoulder also weakened and fell to the ground. He only had one Earth Release heart left.
Naruto landed beside him, looking at Kakuzu, who was lying on the ground, his aura somewhat weak. He couldn't help but gently poke the withered black threads on his body with his foot.
"Can we talk properly now?"
"Cough cough cough."
Kakuzu coughed. Although he was seriously injured, no blood flowed from his body. All the organs in his body were replaced by black threads. After coughing, he spoke intermittently. Losing four hearts at once was a huge blow to him.
"You... are you guys sent by... Takigakure... those guys?"
"Kakuzu, I came specifically for you."
Gurgle gurgle~
At this moment, the sound of flesh squirming suddenly rang out. The two looked over at the same time, only to see Orochimaru's charred corpse suddenly open its mouth wide, and an unscathed Orochimaru crawled out from inside.
"I originally wanted to find an opportunity to launch a sneak attack and show off, but I didn't expect Kakuzu to be solved by Lord Naruto in one move."
Orochimaru also walked over with a gloomy face. He wanted to use the Orochi-ryū Body Replacement Technique to sneak attack Kakuzu, but he didn't expect Kakuzu to directly attack Naruto. A battle that was supposed to last hundreds of rounds ended in two moves.
"You... cough cough cough... you actually... didn't die, cough cough cough..."
Kakuzu coughed anxiously again.
"This guy is even more capable of surviving than you."
Naruto quickly injected a little Yang Release Chakra into Kakuzu's body to prevent him from coughing to death here.
After a long while, Kakuzu finally recovered, looking at the two with a complicated expression, and said, "What exactly is your purpose?"
He could tell that these guys weren't here to kill him, nor were they from Takigakure. They lured him out and beat him up... probably to make it easier to talk.
Just like that Pain guy back then.
"Kakuzu, what do you think of the Akatsuki's treatment?"
"You, what do you mean?"
Naruto said with a smile, "You've been working for the Akatsuki for so many years. Has the Akatsuki ever paid you a salary? Do you get vacations? Do you have the five social insurances and one housing fund?"
"Salary? Vacation? Five social insurances and one housing fund?" Kakuzu was a little dazed. Having lived for nearly a hundred years, it was the first time he had come into contact with these terms. He only needed to care about bounties before.
Hearing this, Naruto couldn't help but look at Kakuzu with pity. In other words, this guy was really paying to go to work.
"You little brat!" Although Kakuzu didn't understand the meaning of the other party's eyes, he was very clear that he was being humiliated.
Naruto also retracted his gaze. He couldn't let such a good cow... employee run away, so he changed the subject and said, "Have you ever thought about changing jobs?"
Kakuzu finally reacted and asked, "You want to recruit me?"
He thought the other party was coming for the Akatsuki, but he didn't expect they were really coming for him.
"I have a path in Wave Country, not too risky, but with high profits," Naruto said with a smile.
"Wave Country? Isn't that place particularly poor?" Kakuzu looked suspicious.
"This is the Wave Country's recruitment contract, see what you think of the benefits?" Naruto directly took out a contract and threw it next to Kakuzu, who was still lying down.
"This is?" Kakuzu picked up the contract and just glanced at it, his eyes widening instantly.
He could only see two lines of words in his eyes.
Kado Company!
Monthly salary: !
He immediately got up, staring blankly at the string of numbers, which was higher than his half-year's income...
"Are you serious? Do you know how much ten million is? That's enough to fill a box, even I can't earn that much in half a year."
Kakuzu knew about Kado Company, it was a top-notch shipping company in the ninja world, and it could indeed afford this price, but, this guy...
"Of course, Kado Company now belongs to Wave Country, and I am now the Feudal Lord of Wave Country. As long as you agree, you will be the Minister of Finance of Wave Country in the future, and the entire wealth of Wave Country will be under your control, how about it?"
Naruto said with a smile, he was not afraid of the other party absconding with the money. After marking him with the Flying Thunder God Technique, there was no way to escape. As for work ability...
This money was like Kakuzu's lifeblood, he would definitely control the whereabouts of every penny and keep an eye on it.
"But I don't know how to manage money, my money... my money is given to the organization..."
Kakuzu swallowed, his expression hesitant and reluctant, still clutching the contract in his hand.
Naruto smiled even more meaningfully and said, "You don't need to know how to manage money, you just need to know not to waste money."
"So Orochimaru is with you because of money too?"
Kakuzu abruptly shifted the topic to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru wanted to speak, but Naruto answered first.
"Almost, Orochimaru likes to do research, but research costs a lot of money, and I happen to have plenty of it."
"I see." For some reason, Kakuzu felt relieved. At least this reduced his psychological burden a lot. After all, this guy's strength was so terrifying, and he had lost four hearts. If he didn't agree, he would probably be stuck here forever.
"My former boss was very strong."
Good fellow, so he's already a former boss, huh?
Naruto's mouth twitched, but he still said with a faint smile, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
After speaking, Naruto extended his right hand to Kakuzu.
"Then, happy cooperation, Mr. Kakuzu."
"Hap, happy cooperation."
Kakuzu also reached out and shook his hand, his speech a little stuttering. It was the first time he was so formal, a little unlike a ninja.
"By the way, I still don't know your name, boss?"
"Uzumaki Naruto."
"What!?"
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