Chapter 67: He's the Dead Last, But I'm Second-to-Last!
"Tch. So, you're another one of those immortal freaks, huh?"
Deep within the forests of the Land of Hot Water, Hidan stood with bizarre black-and-white symbols etched across his body, resembling a skeletal pattern. A massive scythe was still lodged in his abdomen, blood continuously pouring out — yet not only did he show no sign of pain, he actually looked amused and slightly confused.
"You're not the only immortal around here," Kakuzu said coldly, standing back up from the ground, though inwardly he was cursing in pain.
One of his hearts… this bastard actually destroyed one of them!
"Still, I have to admit, this guy's ability is strange. No wonder he uses such a huge scythe."
Kakuzu had more or less figured out Hidan's technique. He collects blood with his weapon, then uses some kind of ritual to link the victim's body to his own. But while Hidan may be immortal, his opponents are not. Even Kakuzu, with all his abilities, had suffered a significant loss.
"Well? Have you thought it over?"
Despite the pain, Kakuzu kept a calm, indifferent tone.
"Join us. You may be immortal, but the mess you've made in the Hidden Hot Springs Village is bound to draw attention. We can offer you protection. We won't interfere with your beliefs or daily activities — all we ask is that you complete missions and help fund the organization."
"Tch, what a pain."
Hidan grinned, revealing sharp teeth. He wasn't particularly interested in joining a group, nor did he care for protection. If anyone came after him, he'd just sacrifice them to Lord Jashin — simple. But the offer… wasn't half bad.
Especially the part about not meddling in his beliefs — much better than the Hidden Hot Springs Village. And besides, this Kakuzu guy was an immortal too.
"Fine. I'll join your little group, damn it."
After a moment of thought, Hidan finally nodded, prompting Kakuzu to exhale in relief.
He didn't want this fight to continue. He hadn't known about Hidan's ability before, which had let the man collect his blood. If the fight dragged on, he'd be the one in danger.
If he had to start over, Kakuzu wouldn't be afraid — but this was the ninja world. Without intel, even the strongest could die from one careless mistake.
"A wise choice. Now, I'll take you to—"
Kakuzu's cold voice was suddenly interrupted by another.
"Looks like you've completed your mission."
The moment the voice rang out, Kakuzu's eyes sharpened. Even Hidan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Space twisted unnaturally, and in the next moment, a figure stepped out from thin air.
This eerie method of appearing was deliberate — Uchiha Obito wanted to make a strong impression.
"No need to worry, I'm Uchiha—"
"Uchiha Obito?!"
But before he could finish, Kakuzu's eyes lit up with excitement.
"A mask and a Sharingan? That's him, no doubt! Hidan, let's take him out — this guy's worth a fortune!"
"..."
Obito's face darkened.
For a moment, he considered that recruiting this guy might have been a mistake. Maybe it would be easier just to kill him.
Where the hell did this money-hungry maniac come from?
Meanwhile...
"Not bad at all. You're picking this up fast, Gen."
Deep in another part of the forest, Might Guy beamed at Kitagawa Gen with clear approval. Kakashi, standing off to the side, kept his head low, engrossed in a familiar little orange book.
Despite their tight schedule over the past few days, Gen had shown impressive diligence — and a surprisingly intense interest in the Eight Gates technique.
Kakashi had no idea when this kid got so interested in it, but once he latched onto Guy, he wouldn't stop asking questions.
Guy, of course, was more than happy to teach — even winking every time Gen made progress.
"You're seriously turning this into a competition? That's my student you're training, you know…" Kakashi sighed, amused yet helpless.
"It's all thanks to Guy-sensei's excellent teaching," Gen said humbly, despite already having a solid grasp of the technique.
"Otherwise, I wouldn't have learned it so quickly."
"You've already mastered opening the first four gates — beyond this point, I won't be able to teach you more for now."
Guy gave Kakashi another wink — which the latter ignored — before his expression turned serious.
"The Eight Gates technique puts immense strain on the body. It requires continuous, disciplined training. You're doing well, but your physical conditioning still needs work."
"Understood. I'll keep training hard," Gen replied earnestly.
Kitagawa Gen gave a small nod, though he couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
His physical fitness wasn't good enough? Seriously?
Of course, he understood.
Physical capabilities weren't easy to judge just by looking. Even after sparring, it was hard to get a clear read — especially when it wasn't an all-out fight.
Still, he had confirmed something important.
"When I use the Eight Gates, I feel a kind of boiling blood — like a rush of power, something deeper… something unique."
The Eight Gates technique fundamentally worked by releasing the chakra limiters within the body to gain temporary explosive power. But for someone with Ōtsutsuki blood, that system of restriction shouldn't even exist in the same way. In fact, triggering the "Gates" might actually awaken his latent power.
"So maybe... using the Eight Gates as a catalyst to ignite my bloodline… could I actually pull off a full-on 'Genshin Impact mode'?"
Gen rubbed his chin, deep in thought. The only thing he wasn't sure of was: how many gates would he need to open to reach the desired effect?
Opening all eight? Not a chance. Sure, the Ōtsutsuki could theoretically regenerate using Yin-Yang Release, but he was only at Ōtsutsuki "Stage Twenty-One"...
"Alright, enough chatting. Let's focus on the mission at hand."
Kakashi's voice broke through Gen's thoughts as he finally closed his little orange book and pulled out a map.
"We haven't found our target after days of searching, but we need to stay alert. Aside from the one we're officially tracking, there's someone else we need to be careful of…"
He paused, his voice turning grave.
"That guy might show up — and don't forget, he's the one who moves like a ghost."
"Relax, Kakashi, we're on it," Guy said cheerfully, clapping Kakashi's shoulder.
"And besides, he might've been the class dead last, but I was second-to-last!"
"…Is that really something to be proud of?" Kakashi muttered, half exasperated and half amused. He knew Guy was just trying to lighten the mood — and honestly, it worked a little.
Gen couldn't help but chuckle, remembering the time Guy once kicked Uchiha Obito square in the face.
"Hmm?"
As they walked, Gen suddenly paused, sensing something off. Kakashi, who had just been joking with Guy, came to an abrupt stop as well.
Guy tensed immediately. "What's wrong?" he asked, on full alert.
"Someone's here," Gen replied in a low voice.
Kakashi sniffed the air slightly, eyes narrowing. "Get ready for combat. They're—watch out! Incoming!"
The words had barely left his mouth when the air twisted unnaturally. In the next moment, a storm of kunai exploded toward them, the sheer number darkening the sky.
"They're using a space-time technique to launch an ambush?" Kakashi's hands flew into seals, analyzing the situation even as he moved.
He already had a good idea of who the attacker was.
"Earth Style: Multi Mud Wall!"
With a steely gaze, Kakashi slammed his hands to the ground, conjuring four solid stone walls etched with snarling dog heads to encircle the team — just in time to block the incoming kunai barrage.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion followed — the kunai were laced with explosive tags. The blast rocked the walls, nearly bringing them down. Smoke and dust engulfed the area.
"Careful. I smell three distinct scents. We're up against multiple enemies," Kakashi warned in a hushed voice.
But before he could say more, a voice snarled behind him:
"Still relying on that mutt's nose, huh, you useless runt?"
Kakashi's eyes widened. He spun and leapt away just in time to dodge a strike — the attack slicing through the space he'd been in.
"Kakashi!" Guy called out in concern, but then felt a tremor beneath his feet. Without hesitation, he grabbed Gen and jumped away.
A split second later, a forest of jagged earth spikes burst from the ground, and a massive figure with a huge scythe lunged forward, swinging down with murderous force.
"Watch yourself, Gen!" Guy yelled, pushing him clear and engaging the attacker alone.
As Gen landed and steadied himself, a cold voice rang out from nearby.
"So, it looks like I'll be dealing with you, huh..."
"Kid."
Gen's expression darkened.
"…"