Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 142: A Kage-Level Opponent!

Witnessing the tree's sudden emergence and its rapid disintegration, Tonari stood silently for a moment, processing the magnitude of what he had just accomplished.

"Amazing," he muttered, gazing at the spot where the towering tree once stood. "Senju Hashirama's cells truly live up to their reputation. The power of these cells... It's hard to imagine the sheer pressure the world must have felt facing him.

"And then there's Uchiha Madara—what a terrifying monster! To think that he could fight Hashirama to a standstill. Not even Kakashi could pull off something like that."

The experiment had provided Tonari with valuable insight into the overwhelming potency of Hashirama's cells. He now understood why so many sought to claim even a fraction of their power.

"If you think about it, it's like having a cheat code in a game. Anyone would want something this overpowered," Tonari remarked with a smirk, turning his attention to the massive, half-charred jellyfish lying limp on the riverbank.

To his surprise, the creature began to writhe again. Slowly, it dragged its scorched and slimy body toward the water, shedding charred flesh and leaving behind only its intact portions.

Intrigued, Tonari approached the creature with his blade, severing its remaining tentacles with precision. As expected, the water content in its body was immense; even after such massive injuries, the jellyfish still seemed hydrated enough to keep moving.

"Tonari, in its center, there's something unusual," the Two-Tails muttered, its sharp eyes locked on the jellyfish's translucent body.

Tonari squinted and saw it—a faintly blue, almost invisible orb nestled deep within the creature.

The jellyfish must have sensed Tonari's intent, as it began squirming faster toward the river. Its efforts were pitiful on land, but it was clear the orb was important.

Without hesitation, Tonari drove his blade into the creature, carving toward the orb. Water poured out of the jellyfish's body, and its writhing ceased entirely when Tonari extracted the strange object.

Holding the orb in his hand, Tonari felt its texture. It was squishy yet firm, like a water balloon.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked, turning to the Two-Tails.

The tailed beast stared at the orb before shaking its head. "I'm not sure, but I can sense an immense chakra flow inside it. It seems like the creature's entire existence was powered by this."

Tonari nodded, turning the orb in his hand. To test its properties, he sent a small surge of lightning chakra into the orb. The energy vanished almost instantly, absorbed into the orb without resistance.

His eyes lit up. "This world never ceases to amaze me. The people here aren't the only wonders; these mysterious creatures are equally fascinating. Who knows what kind of technology or techniques I could develop from studying this?"

Satisfied, he carefully stored the orb away.

"This concludes the mission," Tonari said with a grin. "Time to handle my real business."

---

He didn't get far before a sharp warning came from the Two-Tails.

"Careful!"

Tonari reacted instantly, leaping to the side and wrapping himself in chakra. Three kunai whizzed past, embedding themselves in the ground where he had just stood.

"What's this?" Tonari muttered, looking toward the source of the attack.

The Two-Tails hissed, "The enemy is fast and incredibly skilled at concealment. If they hadn't attacked, I wouldn't have sensed them. Tonari, this person is very strong—exceptionally strong!"

For the first time, the beast's tone carried a grave seriousness. Tonari's gut twisted.

"I know who this is..." he whispered.

A figure emerged from the shadows, walking slowly toward Tonari with deliberate confidence. He wore a wide-collared cloak that hid most of his face, save for his eerie, glowing green eyes. A scratched-out headband identified him as a missing-nin.

Tonari's heart sank.

"Of all the people to run into... why did it have to be him?"

He recognized the man instantly: Kakuzu.

---

Kakuzu, a former elite shinobi of the Hidden Waterfall, had become a notorious bounty hunter. Known for his immortality and mastery of forbidden techniques, he was a figure of terror in the underground world. His ability to harvest hearts and extend his life indefinitely made him nearly impossible to kill.

Tonari cursed his luck. Running into Kakuzu—an actual Kage-level fighter—was like stepping into a death trap.

"He's worse than I imagined," the Two-Tails muttered.

Tonari's mind raced. Could he escape? Could he fight? The odds were grim.

Kakuzu stopped a few meters away, his expression unreadable. He pulled out a ledger—his infamous bounty book. After flipping through the pages, he looked up at Tonari, his glowing green eyes narrowing.

"Tonari, Chūnin of Konoha," Kakuzu read aloud. "Known for his proficiency in taijutsu, fire release, water release, and earth release. A promising young ninja with a bounty of five million ryō."

Tonari's jaw dropped.

"Five million ryō? That's outrageous!"

Kakuzu closed the book with a snap, his tone as cold as ice. "A five-million-ryō bounty for a Chūnin? You must have angered someone important. Thank you for making me rich."

Kakuzu lunged.

Tonari barely had time to react. Blue chakra erupted from his body as he activated his Two-Tails cloak. The transformation gave him an edge in speed and power, allowing him to narrowly deflect Kakuzu's strike with his blade.

Their clash sent shockwaves through the air. Tonari managed to pierce Kakuzu's chest, shattering one of his hearts. But Kakuzu was relentless. Black tendrils erupted from his body, forcing Tonari to retreat.

Kakuzu's broken mask slid off, revealing one of his heart vessels. Without hesitation, the tendrils retrieved a replacement heart from Kakuzu's back, restoring his strength.

"You're better than I expected," Kakuzu admitted, his green eyes narrowing.

Tonari gritted his teeth. He was outmatched, but he refused to give up.

"I'm just a Chūnin from Konoha," Tonari said, his voice steady. "Do you really want to risk angering Konoha's elite over me? Orochimaru, Tsunade, even the White Fang—they'll come for you if I die."

Kakuzu tilted his head, considering the warning.

"You're bluffing," he said flatly, though there was a flicker of doubt in his voice.

Tonari smirked, even as his muscles screamed in pain. "Maybe. But are you willing to bet on it?"

For a moment, silence hung between them.

Then Kakuzu laughed—a low, menacing sound. "You're an interesting one, boy. But you're not leaving here alive."

The battle was far from over.

End of Chapter

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