Naruto: Reborn as Kakuzu, the Immortal Assassin

Kakuzu couldn't help but recall someone's words: "Every technique carries risks. No matter how powerful or miraculous a jutsu or secret art may seem, it is never without flaws."

The Earth Grudge Fear was no exception. This secret art, capable of granting longevity to rival the heavens and the eternal brilliance of the sun and moon, was rarely seen even in the original story.

Another infamous immortality jutsu was much more familiar to fans: the Living Corpse Reincarnation. Someone constantly used it for body-swapping, treating gender as a mere afterthought. By using younger vessels, they truly achieved immortality. However, the side effects were significant. Constantly replacing bodies damaged their soul, leaving them so weakened that the mere sight of a Sharingan would have them cowering.

The Earth Grudge Fear had its flaws as well. Of course, they weren't as drastic as self-castration. While it had its drawbacks, the benefits—like stealing others' hearts to achieve genuine immortality—far outweighed them. For those willing to sacrifice everything, it was a trade worth making.

Yet, despite its allure, the technique had been around for over two centuries without a single successful practitioner. The reason was simple: it was incredibly difficult to master.

"My secret art involves stitching one's body with threads, enhancing its capabilities to an extraordinary level. Success allows the body to house five hearts. However, the process of using these threads to modify the body is excruciatingly painful."

"The pain is akin to being pierced by thousands of arrows or enduring endless slashes by blades. It surpasses the limits of human endurance. If one cannot endure it or falters midway, the threads will spiral out of control, wreaking havoc on the body and ultimately leading to a gruesome explosion. Before pursuing my secret art, proceed with caution."

This was why, despite its allure, no ninja had mastered the Earth Grudge Fear in over a century. Mastering such a godlike secret art required opportunity, a robust physique, and unyielding willpower—none of which could be lacking.

Kakuzu smiled faintly, setting the Earth Grudge Fear scroll gently on the ground before slowly unfurling its contents. Taking a deep breath, he steadied his slightly restless heart.

This was his destiny. His ultimate technique. He would succeed.

As for the pain?

He scoffed. Compared to the torment of illness in his past life and the numbness brought by slaughter in this one, it was nothing.

"Success or death!"

With unwavering resolve, he shouted, "Hah!"

Threads shot from Kakuzu's body, his long hair standing on end. His eyes turned bloodshot, veins bulging as the Earth Grudge Fear ritual began.

...

Three Days Later

"Useless!"

"Worthless scum!"

The terrified eyes of a messenger ninja glazed over, life leaving his body. Seconds later, he collapsed, dead with a look of eternal disbelief frozen on his face.

His killer wasn't an enemy. It wasn't even a rival.

It was his own village leader—Gotou Tsubasa of Takigakure.

Gotou, seething with rage, flung the lifeless body aside with a growl. This was the third messenger he'd killed in as many days.

The reason for his fury was simple. Despite mobilizing Takigakure's entire force and scouring the Land of Waterfalls, there was still no trace of Kakuzu. Every report was the same: nothing.

This outcome drove Gotou to the brink of madness. To lose their clan's secret art like this? It was unacceptable.

"Keep searching! Find that damned Kakuzu!" His enraged roar echoed through the office.

First Squad Captain Chiba Mei accepted the mission under tremendous pressure.

Privately, though, Mei was on the verge of collapse.

Where the hell is Kakuzu hiding? We've been searching non-stop for three days and nights. If this keeps up, we'll all be dead from exhaustion.

Though cursing Kakuzu in his heart, Mei didn't dare disobey Gotou's orders. Forcing his tired body into action, he vanished with a Body Flicker Technique.

As Mei left, the room grew quieter.

Several elderly men—representatives of Takigakure's major ninja clans—gestured for the fallen messenger's body to be removed. Clan ninjas entered, cleaning the room and taking away the corpse.

These elders, effectively the village's council, had been exhausting themselves searching for Kakuzu as well.

Finally, one of the eldest stepped forward to speak.

"Village Chief, we've deployed all available resources. Continuing like this will only weaken the village."

Gotou's face remained tense, but the elder's words brought a trace of clarity back to his anger-clouded mind. He stood, nodding slightly.

"You've all worked hard these past few days. Go and rest. I'll handle the rest."

Satisfied, the elders took their leave.

Alone, Gotou's gaze turned toward the window, his mind a storm of frustration.

He couldn't understand. They had scoured the entire country. How had Kakuzu slipped away? Could he truly have escaped the Land of Waterfalls in just three days?

Sighing, Gotou disappeared in a flash, leaping down to the streets below.

The moon hung high, its pale light illuminating the road as Gotou wandered, hands clasped behind his back, deep in thought.

Where are you, Kakuzu?

By ninja standards, this made no sense—absolutely no sense.

Lost in thought, Gotōu Tsubasa came to an abrupt halt. Without realizing it, he had arrived outside Kakuzu's house. On the very first day of the incident, this place had been sealed off.

Just thinking about Kakuzu filled Gotōu with rage. He turned on his heel, ready to leave, when a sudden thought struck him.

Gotōu paused again, then stepped forward and entered the house.

The room was pitch black, devoid of light or any signs of life. Yet, in the stillness of the air, Gotōu caught a faint, familiar scent.

That smell... Could it be from the scroll?

Gotōu sprang into action, leaping into the air. His hands blurred through six seals in less than two seconds.

Fire Release!

A raging inferno erupted from Gotōu's mouth like an unstoppable torrent, engulfing the wooden floorboards below. The flames roared, consuming everything in their path.

Water Release: Water Wall!

In an instant, Gotōu countered his own fire with a surge of water, dousing the inferno. The intense heat followed by the deluge left the floor brittle and fragile, like paper.

Letting out a fierce roar, Gotōu slammed his fist into the weakened floor. Veins bulged on his forehead as he mustered his strength, tearing a large section of the ground apart.

A faint glow emerged from beneath the shattered floorboards.

There, standing shirtless with rippling muscles and unkempt hair, Kakuzu exuded an aura of wild confidence. Slowly, he opened his eyes and gazed upward, unhurried and composed.

"Village Chief, it's been a while. How have you been?"

Kakuzu's calm tone and indifferent expression made Gotōu's head feel like it was about to explode.

He had spent days without sleep, mobilizing nearly the entire country, exhausting everyone in the process. And yet, the person at the center of it all—Kakuzu—had been right under their noses the whole time, casually training in secret.

...

Pls Drop some Power Stones