The less talkative Third Elder said calmly. This method was a desperate gamble; if it didn't succeed, they would be caught red-handed.
The Second and Fourth Elders exchanged glances. Although this method was a bit foolish, there was no better option at hand. They could only try it. If it succeeded, all would be well; if it failed, it was fate.
Under the cover of their clan members, the three Elders simultaneously unleashed their strongest ninjutsu, wildly expending chakra. Unlike the Great Elder, the strongest among them were only at an elite Jōnin level, and they were all quite old, unable to perform at their full potential. Three ninjutsu simultaneously struck a single point on the earth wall, producing a massive explosion! However, the sound was greatly dampened by the layers of the earth wall, becoming almost inaudible inside the village.
Once the smoke cleared, the three Elders looked on expectantly, ready to flee at any moment. But what filled them with despair was that not only did the earth wall not shatter, not even a single clod of dirt fell! This was their strongest combined attack, having consumed half their chakra. And it only yielded this result!
"How! This is impossible!" The Third Elder lost his composure, his eyes filled with terror. At this moment, he could think of no escape. His last glimmer of hope was extinguished. How could such a towering wall be so sturdy? What kind of powerful shinobi could achieve this?
The Second Elder also sighed, "Ah, it seems this is our fate. After a lifetime of scheming, who knew we'd die together with you all." The Fourth Elder, knowing there was no escape, chose to sit down where he was, closed his eyes, and mumbled something. He seemed to want to preserve his last shred of dignity; since death was certain, he would die with grace.
The number of clan members dwindled rapidly. Some even chose to defect at the last moment, surrendering to Kakuzu. However, none met a good end; their deaths were significantly more gruesome than those of normal people.
Kakuzu fought his way to the three Elders. Having already mastered Earth Grudge Fear and absorbed two hearts, Kakuzu was now at an elite Jōnin level. He deeply resented the five Elders; merely for their own power and status, they had sought to eliminate him. He had gone through immense hardship, traveling to the Land of Fire to assassinate the First Hokage, and luckily, the Hokage, being magnanimous, spared his life. Only then could he return safely to the village, never expecting it all to be a scheme by these five old scoundrels.
Now, Kakuzu only needed to absorb three more hearts to gather all five elemental natures, reaching quasi-Kage level strength. In truth, he could pick a few hearts from any of the numerous corpses lying around, but Kakuzu had reserved the last three slots specifically for the Elders.
"Do you regret your decision now, Elders?" Kakuzu's tone was cold, a mix of accusation and genuine inquiry.
The Second Elder looked at Kakuzu, his eyes clouded. "Regret is useless. And we have never regretted." The two other Elders then also sat cross-legged on the ground, just like the Fourth Elder. "Everything, was for Takigakure."
Seeing these three old scoundrels putting on airs even in the face of death, Kakuzu's rage ignited! What 'for Takigakure'? It's all just an excuse.
An enraged Kakuzu threw a punch at the Fourth Elder. His arm immediately detached from his body, connected only by black threads. The Fourth Elder felt an intense pain. When he opened his eyes, he saw a blood-red heart beating before him. He laboriously looked down at his own chest, seeing a bloody hole. Then, his vision turned black, and he departed from this world.
To say the two Elders could calmly face death was clearly impossible; Kakuzu's method of killing brought their terror to its peak. Witnessing death firsthand, and knowing you were next, was an indescribable feeling.
"Still nothing to say? Third Elder, I remember you once said I would achieve great things in the future, didn't you? Then why?"
The Third Elder's thoughts were instantly pulled back to that morning ten years ago. At that time, he was still wholeheartedly devoted to the village's development, toiling tirelessly. He deeply detested the two Elders above him, who only knew how to indulge in luxury. But when did he himself become the person he loathed most? He truly couldn't remember. His original goal when running for Elder was also to make the village better. In the end, it seemed only his own life improved.
"More words are useless."
He actually had a lot he wanted to say, but when the words reached his mouth, he found he no longer had the right to lecture anyone. In the end, he only managed to utter, "More words are useless." The moment his heart was extracted, all the events of his life flashed through his mind. All his memories played like a revolving lantern. At this moment, he seemed to have discovered why he had become like this. Yes, he knew.
At the same time, his thoughts instantly collapsed, and he fell to the ground, ceasing to breathe.
The Second Elder didn't know why the Third Elder had a smile on his face after death, but then again, this person was always peculiar. He had always been a maverick when he first became an Elder, but in the end, he was successfully lured by himself anyway. What high-mindedness? It was all just an act.
"Where's the Great Elder? Is he dead?"
"Is that your question before you die?"
The Second Elder nodded.
Kakuzu sneered, "He died before you did. Satisfied now?"
The Second Elder immediately burst out laughing. "Hahaha, that old man always put on airs in front of me, but in the end, he died anyway. I won after all."
Kakuzu didn't understand the convoluted feuds and grudges between these Elders. With only the Second Elder left, he might as well quickly send him to the other world to reunite with them.
"You think I'll just surrender?!" The Second Elder suddenly exploded! His hand sign speed was now too fast for the naked eye to track!
"Water Release: Cross Water Blades!"
The Second Elder spat out water blades like a high-pressure water gun, reaching Kakuzu in an instant. Seeing Kakuzu about to be cut into pieces the next second, the Second Elder smiled. At this moment, Torifū intervened with Susanoo, timely blocking the water blades and defusing the crisis.
"Damn it! It's you again! I was just about to—"
"About to what? Have you really not learned Earth Grudge Fear? Then I'll make sure you die knowing!" Kakuzu roared in fury, and then his back began to writhe continuously, as if something was about to burst out! With a tearing sound of clothes, a large amount of black threads surged from his back! They constantly writhed. And on these black threads were four masks of varying appearances.
"Let me show you complete Earth Grudge Fear!"