Even though the Ten Tails was now just an empty shell, its power was still formidable. Even if someone were to summon fully formed Tailed Beasts right now, they wouldn't be able to stop the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path in time.
"Wood Release!"
Kakuzu pressed his hands together, his face now adorned with black markings.
"True Several Thousand Hands!"
Boom! Boom!
A colossal wooden Buddha, towering over five hundred meters, erupted from the ground. In that instant, the entire Land of Dragons trembled violently.
Standing atop the Buddha's head, Kakuzu clasped his hands together, his cloak billowing wildly in the turbulent winds.
"So this is what it feels like... There's no doubt about it."
As the giant statue advanced, Kakuzu remained deep in thought. On the other side, Nagato was far from composed. His Rinnegan burned with a savage fury.
"Ahhhhhh!!"
The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path rampaged like a monstrous beast, charging forward recklessly.
Kakuzu was not about to indulge him.
"True Several Thousand Hands: Top Transformed Buddha!"
Thousands of fists shot forward, raining down relentless blows upon the Demonic Statue. Each impact echoed through the mountains, shaking the heavens.
Finally, amidst the deafening explosions and the billowing clouds of dust, the battle reached its conclusion.
...
Inside the laboratory.
"Nagato, you're finally awake! You scared me half to death just now."
"Nagato, what happened to you?"
Konan and Yahiko's anxious voices finally brought Nagato back to his senses. Clutching his throbbing head, he furrowed his brow and attempted to sit up, only to be stopped by Tsunade.
"Don't move. I'm running a full-body examination on you."
Tsunade manipulated the medical equipment, scanning Nagato thoroughly. Meanwhile, Hiruko analyzed the incoming data on a nearby computer.
Though Nagato was temporarily immobile, lying on the examination table, tears of regret silently streamed down his cheeks.
"I... I don't know what happened. At that moment, I felt nothing. I could hear your voices, but my mind was completely blank... I... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."
Overcome with emotion, Nagato disregarded Tsunade's warnings and abruptly sat up.
"Enough, Nagato. I know it wasn't your fault. Just focus on your recovery."
Kakuzu sat nearby, looking visibly exhausted.
"Kakuzu-sama... You were right. These eyes of mine may one day bring calamity upon the shinobi world. Please... take them away from me."
Yahiko and Konan hesitated, struggling to find the right words. They had witnessed Nagato's devastating power firsthand today. As much as they wanted to defend their friend, they couldn't ignore reality. This was beyond their control.
Ultimately, the decision lay with Kakuzu.
Feeling everyone's gaze on him, Kakuzu gave a faint, knowing smile.
"Nagato, listen to me. Stay put and complete your examination. I didn't take away your light before, and I won't take it away now."
Destroying the Rinnegan would undoubtedly erase Uchiha Madara's legacy, but Kakuzu had no intention of waiting another hundred or thousand years to settle things with Black Zetsu. This conflict needed to be resolved in the coming decades, along with the endless cycle of reincarnation between Asura and Indra.
If Uchiha Madara made his move, Kakuzu would simply respond in kind.
Nagato wanted to argue further, but before he could speak, Tsunade used her monstrous strength to press him back onto the examination table.
Nearby, Ni, having confirmed Nagato was unharmed, turned her gaze toward Kakuzu with concern.
"Kakuzu-sama, your body..."
"Don't worry, Ni. Do you think I would take action without absolute confidence?"
At that moment, Shizune approached. Though she was merely Tsunade's assistant, she was an excellent medical ninja in her own right.
"Kakuzu-sama, we've analyzed your blood samples. Based on Konoha's records, after the battle at the Valley of the End, the First Hokage's cells entered a temporary state of dormancy. Simply put, his chakra reserves were exhausted, and his body had reached its limit."
As Shizune explained, Tsunade removed the tubes connected to Nagato and added her own insight.
"In other words, my grandfather's cells went into a state of decline after overexertion. If he had..."
Tsunade trailed off, reluctant to delve further into the subject. Though she rarely discussed it, the thought of her grandfather's fate still pained her.
"From what you're saying, the First Hokage's cells should be capable of regenerating, right? His condition back then wasn't permanent—he just didn't have time to recover. Am I wrong?"
Kisame grinned, his sharp teeth glinting as he pieced the puzzle together.
His conclusion wasn't far off the mark.
"Tsunade, don't be so resistant. Your great-uncle was the first to experiment with your grandfather's cells. You have no reason to feel guilty about it."
Kakuzu's teasing made Tsunade groan in frustration, pressing a hand to her forehead. Meanwhile, Kakuzu and Hiruko exchanged knowing glances.
Tsunade's silence was as good as consent—this was their chance to explore the topic further.
During the battle at the Valley of the End, after Hashirama unleashed his divine power, he passed away within months. Kakuzu had personally examined his pulse and felt the lifeforce draining from him. But something strange happened—shortly after Hashirama's burial, Tobirama exhumed his brother's body and began experimenting on his cells.
Even decades later, Hashirama's cells retained their vitality. Kakuzu had formed a theory back then: Hashirama's death had been temporary. His body likely needed a year to fully recover, but he simply didn't survive long enough to reach that point. His soul had already been taken to the Pure Land, making resurrection impossible, even though his physical body was regenerating.
"Kisame, your analysis is correct."
"Oh? So does that mean you only have about a year left to live, Kakuzu?" Kisame asked, amused.
"In theory, yes. But fortunately, I have Lord Jashin to thank."
The moment Kakuzu mentioned Jashin, Hidan's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Wait, wait, wait—you actually sought out Lord Jashin? Don't tell me he pulled you back from the brink of death! I've been telling you all along, Lord Jashin's power is beyond your comprehension..."
Hidan launched into one of his long-winded speeches about Jashin's greatness, but no one paid him any mind.
Kakuzu's survival had nothing to do with divine intervention—he had simply utilized the immortality bestowed upon Hidan by Jashin, incorporating those undying cells into himself.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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