A spear.
A katana.
A warhammer.
A greatsword.
Four ornate weapons—less practical than ceremonial—floated beside the platinum armor.
The moment Kakuzu made contact with that presence, his expression shifted. For perhaps the first time since facing Hashirama in his youth, he felt something close to genuine danger.
The Obsidian Dragon Lord, moments away from being killed, let out an ecstatic roar.
"Platinum Dragon Lord! You finally—"
A single glance from the white armor made the dragon shrink instinctively.
"—arrived at the perfect time!"
"Perfect time?" Kakuzu sneered. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
He was a shinobi who once dared to throw a kunai at Senju Hashirama. Once he accepted a contract, he only withdrew when survival became mathematically impossible.
And killing a Kage-tier opponent?
That paid well.
"Earth Grudge Fear."
The seams along his arms split open. Countless black tendrils shot forth like a swarm of needles, burrowing into the Obsidian Dragon Lord's wounds.
A piercing howl echoed across the battlefield.
"Secret Technique — Heart Seizure."
Black threads tore free the dragon's core, ripping out its life source and chakra-equivalent energy. The stolen heart fused into Kakuzu's body.
The dragon possessed no chakra—but its overwhelming vitality and dense magical essence caused Kakuzu's frame to swell.
Two small horns protruded from his forehead.
His gray, stitched skin darkened with a faint obsidian sheen.
He exhaled sharply.
Magic leaked from his breath.
Still—
Chakra and magic refused to merge.
Like oil and water.
He had experimented many times. The result was always the same.
Perhaps Konoha's "Bloodline Seed" research would be his future path.
Through Earth Grudge Fear, Kakuzu could carry five hearts—each representing a different chakra nature. If all five evolved into bloodline limits—
His power would leap fundamentally.
"Are you prepared, ninja?"
The platinum armor spoke coldly. The floating weapons hummed with restrained force.
Kakuzu lifted his head, unimpressed.
"He was your ally. You watched him die. Dragons really are cold-blooded."
The Obsidian Dragon Lord collapsed like a severed puppet. Its massive form lay limp, dragon eyes wide with disbelief.
"Platinum Dragon Lord… why…"
Its life drained too quickly to finish the question.
Kakuzu's threads withdrew.
The dragon's body was left internally shredded beyond repair. Even resurrection magic would fail.
He knew the Fifth-Tier spell [Resurrection] well.
What he did not know—
Was that every shinobi carried an identity seal tied to chakra signatures and Uchiha Soren's mark.
Any creature slain by a shinobi could not be resurrected without Soren's consent.
Ascension authority exceeded even World-Class logic.
"Ally?" The Platinum Dragon Lord's voice was emotionless. "He was merely a self-important fool. His death simplifies matters."
The Council State's instability stemmed from its five Dragon Lords. Bound by the ancient Dragon Emperor's covenant, the Platinum Dragon Lord tolerated them.
But only barely.
Having the Obsidian Dragon Lord eliminated by ninja hands—
Saved him trouble.
"Yet any who slay dragons shall face dragon judgment."
With a gesture, the greatsword shot forward.
The air screamed.
Kakuzu entered full Earth Grudge Fear mode. Eight massive black tendrils erupted from his back. Two lashed toward the descending blade.
They were severed instantly.
As if sliced by heated steel through butter.
The greatsword continued downward.
"Now that's not in the intelligence brief…"
Six tendrils surged simultaneously, attacking from multiple vectors. Only then did they halt the weapon's advance.
Kakuzu's gaze flicked to the remaining three weapons.
Close combat was disadvantageous.
Ninjutsu would be preferable.
His eyes scanned the wider battlefield.
The Obsidian Dragon Lord had commanded a vassal army. Now, with its death, morale shattered. Ogre and goblin forces scattered like stray dogs.
Kirigakure's shinobi were harvesting the rout efficiently.
Kakuzu withdrew a flare and launched it skyward.
Retreat signal.
Disciplined combat shinobi began withdrawing in clean formations.
The platinum armor did not interfere.
It simply watched.
Then—
As the shinobi attempted to escape—
An invisible wall stopped them.
Above. Below. All directions.
No breakthrough.
No tunneling.
No phasing.
"Abandon hope of retreat," the Platinum Dragon Lord said.
"Unless you kill me, none of you will leave."
Upon manifesting, he had already deployed—
Mid-Tier Origin Magic — World Severing Barrier.
A vast dome enclosed the battlefield.
Complete isolation.
Physical and magical interference—
Nullified.
And for the first time in many years—
Kakuzu's expression grew serious.
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