Naruto: Reborn as Kakuzu, the Immortal Assassin

With a clenched fist—crack!—the iron door of the safe was ripped off with brute force. Tossing the twisted metal aside without a second glance, Kakuzu's sharp gaze locked onto the secret technique scroll hidden within. Seizing it in his hand, he prepared to leave immediately.

However, as his fingers touched the scroll, an unusual sensation snapped him back to attention.

"Hm? A barrier?"

Unexpectedly, the Earth Grudge Fear scroll had an embedded trigger barrier. Any attempt to forcibly take it would activate the seals, obliterating both the intruder and the scroll. Kakuzu's sharp eyes caught sight of dozens of explosive tags concealed within the barrier, now glowing ominously as they prepared to detonate.

Boom!

A thunderous explosion engulfed Gotou Tsubasa's estate once again, the second in quick succession. Flames surged, shockwaves tearing through everything in their path. The wounded ninja who lay scattered on the ground—some barely clinging to life—were consumed by the blast, their struggles ending in an instant.

The once-proud estate began collapsing into ruins as the explosion continued for nearly half a minute. When the flames and smoke finally subsided, the area had been reduced to rubble.

Among the wreckage, a blackened iron fist burst out, shattering a massive stone overhead into fragments. Kakuzu leapt out of the crater, one hand gripping the Earth Grudge Fear scroll tightly, the other supporting his weight as he emerged unscathed.

Standing tall, he clenched his fist, a feeling of exhilaration coursing through him. This was power—absolute power!

The most noticeable change in Kakuzu's appearance was the addition of a pitch-black armor-like coating over his body. This wasn't just for show.

This layer, a result of his ultimate Earth Style technique, enhanced his physical defense tenfold. Ordinary weapons like kunai or swords couldn't even scratch him. Even a cluster of explosive tags detonating point-blank would fail to harm him.

But now wasn't the time to bask in his strength. After all, Takigakure was not his domain. Staying any longer would be courting death.

Glancing at the scroll in his hand, perfectly intact despite the chaos, Kakuzu didn't hesitate. With a single leap, he vanished into the distance.

Simultaneously, the clone he had left in his room dispersed in a puff of smoke. The entire operation, from infiltrating the estate to seizing the scroll, had taken Kakuzu no more than three minutes.

By the time Gotou Tsubasa and his men arrived five minutes later, the estate was in ruins. Guards lay scattered and incapacitated, some dead, others barely alive.

Gotou Tsubasa stood frozen, his mind reeling. The scene before him was a nightmare. His personal sanctuary, obliterated, his guards, decimated.

An elder approached cautiously, attempting to offer words of comfort, but Gotou suddenly shoved him aside and rushed into the debris. He searched frantically until he unearthed a charred but recognizable steel object—his custom-made safe.

Its interior, however, was empty.

"Damn it!!! Unforgivable!!!"

Gotou's roar, laced with violent chakra, echoed throughout the area. The overwhelming pressure left nearby ninjas clutching their ears in pain.

When his anger subsided slightly, Chiba Mei appeared in front of him, landing gracefully and kneeling.

"Lord Gotou, it's confirmed. Someone saw Kakuzu fleeing westward just minutes ago."

The truth was clear.

Taking deep breaths to calm himself, Gotou steadied his trembling hands. Though furious, his mind worked quickly. The Earth Grudge Fear was a family heirloom—its loss was a devastating blow. However, as the village chief, he knew emotions couldn't cloud his judgment.

"West, is it? Planning to seek refuge in the Land of Earth? That's not happening!"

"Spread my orders immediately," Gotou barked. "All Chunin and above, regardless of mission or leave status, are to mobilize. Block every exit from the village."

He paused, his voice growing even colder. "Send a message to the daimyo. Request that he deploys his samurai to seal off the entire country. Focus on the west, but don't neglect other directions—Kakuzu might try to mislead us. No matter what, he cannot escape."

Chiba Mei nodded and vanished in a flash, leaving Gotou to seethe in silence.

Within minutes, Takigakure sprang into action. Ninjas moved swiftly across rooftops and narrow streets, while messenger birds were released from the village's tallest watchtower. The pigeons carried messages to the daimyo's palace and the watchtowers scattered across the Land of Waterfalls.

By dawn, the entire country would be locked down, impenetrable even to the smallest insect.

Watching the swift execution of his orders, Gotou's rage eased slightly. He sneered.

Kakuzu, you're nothing more than a tool crafted by my family. Did you really think you could betray us? No—you will always live under my shadow.

He clenched his fists, determination blazing in his eyes.

When I catch you, I'll flay you alive before the entire village. Only then will my authority be absolute.

In a dark cave illuminated by flickering firelight, Kakuzu sat silently, his expression calm and composed.

He knew that Gotou Tsubasa must be turning the world upside down searching for him. But Kakuzu didn't care. With deliberate ease, he unfurled the scroll in his hands, the faint glow of the fire reflecting off its surface.

The scroll's width was similar to that of an average summoning scroll, with a thickness of about five to six centimeters. Judging by its size, it seemed to contain quite a bit of text. Unrolling the scroll, words gradually came into view.

"My name is Ryuuin, a monk of Nanji Temple and the creator of the secret technique, Earth Grudge Fear."

Nanji Temple! Kakuzu recognized the name. He had heard of this temple from others before. It was a renowned Buddhist temple located in the southern lands during the Warring States period. Unfortunately, it was ultimately destroyed in the fires of war.

Based on the timeline of Nanji Temple's disappearance, it had been roughly two centuries since its fall. This meant the scroll was at least two hundred years old.

What followed was a detailed account of how the monk Ryuuin developed the Earth Grudge Fear technique. The specifics were lengthy, and Kakuzu didn't dwell on them. What intrigued him was the mystery: if Ryuuin had created such a powerful technique, how did he meet his end? The logic didn't quite add up.

As he read further, the scroll provided an answer.

"The creation of Earth Grudge Fear granted me the potential to live as long as the heavens and earth themselves. Immortality was within my grasp. However, my arrogance and ostentation drew the ire of powerful clans. Thousands of shinobi besieged me underground."

At this point, the situation became clear. The monk Ryuuin, despite his immense power, had ultimately met a violent end. In his final moments, he recorded the Earth Grudge Fear technique in this scroll, leaving it for a destined successor. Over the course of centuries of chaos during the Warring States period, the secret technique eventually fell into the hands of the Gotou family.

However, none of the Gotou clan members succeeded in mastering it. Only now had it reached Kakuzu's possession.

What kind of advanced technique could remain unmastered for over a century? Driven by curiosity, Kakuzu turned to the next page.

From the beginning, the page detailed the training method for Earth Grudge Fear. Yet, when Kakuzu read the opening line, he froze completely.

"This… this is—"

For a moment, Kakuzu felt as though he was holding a forbidden manual, the kind one might expect to find in a legend. The instructions were clear:

"To master this art, one must first…"

...

Pls Drop some Power Stones