Even though the flames were blocked, they landed on the earthen walls and the surrounding area.
The three hiding behind the wall could still feel the intense heat.
This showed just how powerful the Fire Style jutsu performed by the white-masked man truly was.
If they weren't all powerful shinobi,
they wouldn't have been able to withstand such high temperatures.
Fortunately, they held out.
Jūzō was terrified.
He didn't want to die so miserably; he had nearly been roasted alive by the flames.
"This guy is definitely Uchiha Madara. He's ridiculously strong."
The other two also looked solemn; this man was indeed terrifying.
Even if he wasn't Madara, he was someone nearly as powerful.
Jūzō then suggested:
"Let's retreat. If he fires another Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu like that, we won't be able to block it."
"I'm sure you don't want to be roasted alive either."
"Facing such a formidable enemy, even if we retreat, the Leader shouldn't blame us."
"To put it bluntly, even Lord Pain with his Rinnegan might struggle against a monster like this."
He had thought Deva Path Pain was already absurdly strong, but he never expected someone like this to exist in the shinobi world.
He didn't know what to think anymore.
In the eyes of such a figure, he felt truly weak.
Kisame flatly refused.
"No. While he is strong, it doesn't mean we have no chance of winning. We must seize the initiative."
"The Tailed Beasts are crucial to the Akatsuki's plan. We cannot afford to fail."
Kakuzu snorted coldly.
"How are we supposed to take the initiative? Not only does he have massive Fire Style jutsu,"
"but he also has that powerful Susanoo protecting him."
"You saw my attacks earlier, didn't you? Against that Susanoo, they were completely useless."
Jūzō agreed with Kakuzu.
"Exactly. That monster has massive offensive power and ironclad defense. He's not even human. I'm not interested in fighting a freak like that."
Kisame looked at the two.
"I have a way to break through his defense."
"The two of you are legends in the shinobi world. Surely you aren't content with tucking your tails and running?"
Hearing this, Kakuzu recalled a painful memory from his past.
Fleeing from Senju Hashirama was a disgrace he could never wash away. Even if the opponent was strong, he had run away without even trading a single blow.
The white-masked man was right—strictly speaking, that hadn't even been a fight.
"Fine. As long as you can break his defense, I'll find an opening to use a high-powered jutsu to blast him to pieces."
Kisame smiled upon hearing Kakuzu had a stronger jutsu.
"Don't worry. I have a way to break his Susanoo and provide you with an opening."
"Jūzō, I'll need your help for this attack as well."
Seeing the other two committed to the fight, Jūzō had no choice.
"Fine, I'll follow your lead. We try once. If we can't defeat him this time, I'll leave immediately."
"Deal."
Kisame naturally agreed.
If a powerhouse like this was caught in a surprise attack once, they would certainly be on high alert. Trying the same tactic twice would never work.
"First, the two of us will use Hidden Mist to obscure his vision."
"Then, I'll use Samehada to absorb the chakra forming his Susanoo. Once that's gone, he'll have no defense left."
"After that, I'll leave the rest to Kakuzu."
Kakuzu understood.
"Once you strip away his defense, I'll deliver the final blow. I'll make sure there's nothing left of him."
This strategy made him feel strangely fired up, a feeling he hadn't experienced in years.
It felt like they were taking down a boss.
Back when he was young, he and his comrades used to surround and attack Chūnin like this.
Kakuzu and Jūzō quickly formed hand signs.
"Hidden Mist Technique!"
A thick fog immediately enveloped the area for several kilometers.
It was so dense you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
Because this was a combined effort from two mist users, coupled with the high ambient temperature causing steam, it was incredibly effective.
With such a heavy fog obscuring sight, even someone with the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan shouldn't be able to see through it.
Even so, the two remained extremely cautious.
Using the mist as cover, Jūzō suppressed his presence and approached the masked man. He swung the Executioner's Blade directly at the Susanoo.
With a loud clang, sparks flew, shining brightly within the thick mist.
However, his Executioner's Blade actually snapped in half.
"My Executioner's Blade!"
He was shocked. The hardness of this Susanoo was incredible.
Ryōsuke, watching the attacking Jūzō, said coldly:
"Attacking a Susanoo with a sword? You've got guts."
He then controlled the Susanoo's right hand to deliver a heavy punch directly into Jūzō's body.
Facing the attack at point-blank range, Jūzō frantically pulled back his sword to block.
The blade couldn't withstand the massive fist of the Susanoo. It was pushed back, piercing through his abdomen and nearly cutting him in half.
He coughed up blood and immediately lost consciousness.
Ryōsuke looked down at Jūzō.
"What a weakling." Even if he had used a bit too much force.
The power of the Susanoo wasn't just related to chakra volume and visual prowess; it was also linked to the strength of one's physical body.
Ryōsuke felt as though the Susanoo was intimately connected to his own physical form.
This Jūzō was one of the original Seven Ninja Swordsmen who had surrounded Might Duy years ago.
And Might Duy was the father of Might Guy.
Before Ryōsuke had become strong, Guy had helped him immensely.
Guy hadn't rejected him for being an Uchiha and had unhesitatingly taught him the invincible forbidden technique, the Eight Inner Gates.
That technique had allowed him to survive many crises.
It was only right that he helped his friend, Might Guy, avenge his father.