Chapter:25

Kakuzu's expression turned grim as one of his masked monsters was destroyed. Each masked creature represented one of his five lives, and losing another meant his chances of survival were dwindling.

"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!" Kakuzu commanded, and the wind-element mask opened its mouth, releasing a powerful, compressed sphere of wind that tore through the air toward Uchiha Fugaku.

"Do you think such a weak jutsu can break through Susanoo's defense?" Fugaku's voice echoed from within the giant black avatar of Susanoo.

The chakra armor emanated an ominous, cold aura, protecting him like an indestructible fortress.

The immense hand of Susanoo reached forward, catching the wind sphere effortlessly.

Despite its cutting edges, which spun like a deadly buzzsaw, the attack barely scratched Susanoo's chakra shield. With a swift squeeze, the sphere crumbled, dissipating into nothingness. The second giant hand of Susanoo shot forward to grab the masked creature.

"Retreat!" Kakuzu shouted, and the wind-element mask backed away just in time, narrowly avoiding Susanoo's grip. He couldn't afford to lose another heart, not now.

"Running won't save you," Fugaku taunted, his Mangekyō Sharingan glowing ominously. The arm of Susanoo extended unnaturally, chasing down the retreating masked creature, grabbing it mid-flight, and crushing it in an instant.

Kakuzu's face contorted in rage as another one of his hearts was destroyed. "Damn it!" he muttered.

This battle was becoming more dangerous than he'd anticipated. Fugaku's power had far surpassed his expectations. Kakuzu realized that Uchiha Fugaku was not just a strong clan leader—he was at a level that rivaled the strongest shinobi Kakuzu had ever faced.

"I have no choice." Kakuzu called back the last remaining lightning-element mask, which re-integrated with his body, forming a mask on his left shoulder.

"Water Style: Water Encampment Pillar!" he shouted, as water erupted from the ground, forming a high-pressure column of liquid. Simultaneously, the lightning-element mask fired off a stream of electricity into the water.

"Lightning Release: False Darkness!" The combined attack—a high-speed torrent of electrified water—rushed toward Susanoo with deadly force.

Fugaku smirked behind Susanoo. "A decent strategy, but still futile." Susanoo's giant hand blocked the combined jutsu with ease, dispersing the attack without suffering any damage.

Kakuzu's eyes widened in disbelief. Even his most powerful combination jutsu had been rendered useless.

Fear began to gnaw at his resolve. He had hunted countless shinobi over the years, but this... Uchiha Fugaku was on another level entirely. Retreat seemed like the only option.

"Water Style: Water Encampment Pillar! Lightning Release: False Darkness!" Kakuzu repeated his attack, using it as cover to flee. He turned and dashed away, hoping to put distance between himself and the monstrous Uchiha.

"You won't escape," Fugaku said coldly, controlling Susanoo to swat aside the incoming jutsu with one hand while extending the other to pursue Kakuzu.

A massive palm crashed into the ground where Kakuzu had stood moments earlier, creating a crater and sending shockwaves through the earth. Kakuzu barely dodged in time, but the giant hand followed him relentlessly, smashing down with crushing force.

The second hand of Susanoo joined the attack, sweeping toward him. Kakuzu's agility allowed him to dodge again, but the sheer force of the missed blows sent gusts of wind strong enough to knock him off balance.

He regained his footing quickly—his experience as a battle-hardened shinobi prevented him from panicking. But even as he righted himself, the relentless Susanoo hands were upon him again. He narrowly avoided one only to find himself mid-air with no support.

Desperate, black tendrils shot from Kakuzu's body, latching onto a nearby tree. With a powerful tug, he yanked himself out of the trajectory of the next strike, swinging to safety. Cold sweat dripped down his brow—this battle was closer than he'd ever imagined.

"Impressive survival instincts, but this ends now," Fugaku declared. His Mangekyō Sharingan spun faster, feeding more chakra into Susanoo. Suddenly, a third arm sprouted from the chakra avatar, reaching out with lightning speed.

Kakuzu's eyes widened. There was no time to react.

The third hand of Susanoo grabbed Kakuzu and the tree he had clung to, crushing both in a single motion. The tree splintered into pieces, and Kakuzu's body was squeezed tight in the massive chakra fist, completely restrained.

(End of chapter).

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