h4Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Kakuzu’s Regretless Life/h4

"What is this?"

Even after living for nearly a century and considering himself well-traveled, Kakuzu couldn’tprehend what was happening before him.

A person had been struck by abined ninjutsu—yet remainedpletely unharmed. This defied all logic.

"Your skills are indeed impressive. I originally wanted to y with you a little longer!"

Hikari’s voice emerged from the crackling lightning. Strangely, the roaring thunder didn’t distort his words, as if his voice and the lightning upied entirely different channels.

"Oh?"

Even after witnessing Hikari’s bizarre resilience, Kakuzu remained unfazed, standing calmly in ce.

"I can see now that you’ve been hiding your abilities. But so what?"

"Can you still save your littlepanions?"

His Earth Grudge Fear clones had been gone for quite some time. Kakuzu had every reason to believe that those Konoha brats would soon fall to his clones.

"That’s something I can’t agree with."

Perhaps annoyed by the noise of the lightning, Hikari casually brushed his clothes as if dusting off dirt. Strands of electricity scattered, revealing his unharmed form.

Seeing this, Kakuzu was genuinely taken aback.

He could ept that ninjutsu had no effect on Hikari, but for his clothes to remainpletely untouched after being struck by such attacks? That was downright excessive!

Was he just ying around with him?

"Honestly, if you had just fought me properly, I might have let you go today." Hikari said, raising his right hand. A ck rod materialized in his grip.

"Lightning Release: sh!"

"Water Release: Water Vortex!"

Two more jutsu were unleashed.

Yet Hikari simply watched as the attacks approached, making no move to evade. With a light swing of the ck rod—

*Snap!*

Like water dousing mes, the seemingly effortless strike dissolved both techniques into raw chakra.

"What is that thing?" Kakuzu couldn’t help but ask.

Hikari stepped forward. "It’s useless. I know just as much about Earth Grudge Fear as you do. For someone like you, who’s be one with the technique, there’s no true distinction between the main body and the clones. If you die here, one of your clones will simply be the new ’you’. Am I wrong?"

Kakuzu’s expression shifted several times at those words.

The secrets of Earth Grudge Fear had died with the elders of Takigakure—he had made sure of that.

The Akatsuki knew his weaknesses—his hearts—but they didn’t realize that even without them, his Earth Grudge Fear body could survive for a short time.

And yet, Hikari knew everything.

That terrified him.

No matter how strong a shinobi was, they always had exploitable weaknesses.

Earth Grudge Fear was Kakuzu’s lifeline.

If others learned its secrets, they would hunt him down.

The longest-living humans in history barely surpassed a century, but Kakuzu—if not killed—could live for two, even three hundred years.

He had achieved a twisted form of immortality.

People would stop at nothing to seize that secret, even sealing him away as a research subject.

Like Orochimaru.

That man had discarded his own body without hesitation. Kakuzu didn’t dare imagine what would happen if he fell into Orochimaru’s hands.

But those were worst-case scenarios.

Right now, two of his clones were chasing the Ino-Shika-Chō trio. He refused to believe Hikari could just fly over there.

Even if he could, Kakuzu had already bought enough time. His clones had surely eliminated those Konoha genin by now.

"Still thinking about them?"

Hikari’s sudden question sent a chill down Kakuzu’s spine.

"Aren’t you curious? After your clones went after them, there hasn’t been a single ripple of battle." Hikari pointed toward the direction where the trio had fled with Kazahana Koyuki.

They were only few hundreds of meters away. At this distance, Kakuzu should have sensed any chakra fluctuations—especially if his clones were involved.

Run!

With his n exposed, Kakuzu abandoned all thoughts of continuing the fight.

Only those tired of living sought death willingly.

And the longer someone lived, the more they clung to life.

Kakuzu still had endless riches to amass in this world. He wasn’t about to throw his life away now.

Watching Kakuzu flee, Hikari shook his head before forming hand seals.

A ck shadow emerged from his body, taking his form, and dashed after Kakuzu.

*Tap! Tap! Tap!*

Urgent footsteps echoed from the distance, followed by a sh of golden hair as Ino appeared.

"Hikari-senpai! Are you okay?!"

Only after confirming the battle was over and Kakuzu gone did Ino rush to Hikari’s side, scanning him for injuries. Relieved to find none, she quickly reported.

"Just now, a pitch-ck clone came our way. We fought for a bit, but then it broke through the ice and dove into the sea. Once we confirmed it was safe, I came to find you. I’m d nothing happened to you, Senpai!"

"Don’t worry. I’m not that easy to take down." Hikari reassured her. "By the way, did you capture Kazahana Dotō?"

Compared to Dotō’s three subordinates, his strength—enhanced by chakra armor—was firmly at the jōnin level.

Capturing him would be ideal, but Hikari wouldn’t lose sleep over it if he escaped.

Right now, he was more interested in how Akatsuki would react to losing Kakuzu.

"I’ll call Shikamaru over. That guy’s already been dealt with."

---

Run. Keep running!

d in Akatsuki’s ck-and-red cloak, Kakuzu fled in desperation.

A pitch-ck figure pursued him relentlessly, maintaining a steady distance of about ten meters.

What horrified Kakuzu most was how the shadowy entity phased through obstacles—ice, trees, boulders—as if they didn’t exist.

And its speed never wavered, remaining unnervingly consistent.

*Bam!*

An invisible force struck Kakuzu’s chest, sending him flying backward.

Hikari’s Yin Release shadow ced a hand on Kakuzu’s body as dark markings began spreading across his skin.

"This is... a sealing technique?!"

Those were Kakuzu’s final words before a faint, translucent silhouette materialized before him.

Its face was unmistakable—Kamizuki Hikari.

Now, he finally understood why his Earth Grudge Fear clones had failed to escape.

How could anyone fight something intangible, something that didn’t even emit chakra?

Somehow, this felt... familiar.

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