The Root Jonin who had lost an arm had their strength reduced by more than half. They could no longer fight at full Jonin level.
Kakuzu had only managed to kill one Jonin with his chakra beam, which was somewhat underwhelming. However, the mission was still accomplished—Root's forces had been severely weakened.
One Jonin was dead, another critically injured, and even an elite Jonin had sustained wounds.
By the time Isamu arrived to join forces with Kakuzu, they could wipe out the remaining Root ninja.
Although Kakuzu's current chakra beam was not as powerful as his attacks in the original story's later stages, it was still a formidable jutsu.
Most ordinary Jonin struck by such a technique would be as good as dead, with no chance of survival. Even elite Jonin would barely make it out alive if hit directly.
The only reason two Root members survived was due to their extensive use of defensive ninja tools.
From his elevated position, Jiraiya clearly observed with his perceptive eyes that just before the chakra beam struck, three elite Root members had summoned numerous defensive tools to absorb part of the attack's energy.
The Root Jonin who died had also summoned defensive tools, but knowing they wouldn't be enough, he resorted to a desperate measure—a powerful sealing jutsu that required sacrificing his life. The jutsu absorbed more than half of the chakra beam's energy, drastically weakening it.
This allowed the elite Jonin and the other Jonin to quickly follow up with defensive jutsu and survive.
The Root ninja who used the sealing jutsu had made the decision without hesitation. His mission was everything to him, and his life was expendable—a result of Danzo's brainwashing.
If he had hesitated for even a moment, he would have lost the chance to activate the seal. In that case, only the elite Jonin would have had a slim chance of survival, and the other Jonin would have died without a doubt. Even if the elite Jonin survived, they would have been critically injured.
"Root ninja really are emotionless war machines," Jiraiya thought to himself.
He reached out, and the Lightning Flame Blade returned to his hand through chakra manipulation.
As the barrier was about to regenerate, Kakuzu burst through the mountain valley and into the barrier.
Chakra beam attacks consumed an enormous amount of chakra and put immense strain on Kakuzu's body, so he could only use it once per day. Any more, and his body would be unable to endure it.
Since he couldn't use ranged attacks again, there was no reason for Kakuzu to remain hidden. Now that he had broken into the barrier, it was effectively useless, as the Root ninja couldn't maintain it while fending off attacks.
Danzo, upon seeing a strange-looking ninja charge into the barrier, let out a small sigh of relief. It seemed Jiraiya only had one ally, which was within his expectations. He had been contemplating retreat in case Jiraiya had multiple reinforcements.
With only Kakuzu joining the fight, Danzo decided to stay.
Although one Jonin was dead and another injured, Danzo's side still had the numbers advantage. By coordinating their attacks, they could still eliminate Jiraiya and Kakuzu, although the pressure had significantly increased.
"Just stall them. An elite Jonin will arrive soon to assist you. Together, you can finish them off," Jiraiya commanded Kakuzu.
"I don't need anyone else's help. I can handle them myself," Kakuzu responded coldly, staring down the Root ninja. His body began to twist and writhe as masked creatures emerged from within him.
"Kakuzu! How much is Jiraiya paying you? I'll pay double," Danzo immediately recognized him after seeing his technique.
Given Danzo's vast network of intelligence through Root and the Anbu, he was well aware of Kakuzu's reputation as a bounty hunter.
However, Danzo did not know about Kakuzu's five hearts.
Still, he knew Kakuzu was a difficult opponent and deeply motivated by money. Danzo believed he could sway him.
"Money is great. I love it. But I can kill you and still take everything you have," Kakuzu replied flatly.
His soul was bound to Jiraiya through a sealing jutsu, meaning Jiraiya controlled his life and death. There was no way Kakuzu could betray him, no matter how much Danzo offered.
"Perhaps you don't know who I am," Danzo said.
"I am Danzo of Konoha, the one who controls much of the village's power. If you kill Jiraiya and join me, I can offer you more money than you could ever imagine."
"Killing me here will only earn you pocket change. And you won't even succeed. You don't have the strength to defeat me."
"I admire talent. Help me eliminate Jiraiya, and I'll even send Konoha ninja to help you get revenge on Takigakure."
Danzo had done his homework, knowing Kakuzu held a grudge against his former village.
Kakuzu's response came in the form of two devastating jutsu. A wave of scorching fire and a ferocious gust of wind surged toward Danzo.
Root's elite Jonin, the wounded Jonin, and another Jonin near Danzo all launched their own jutsu to counter the onslaught.
Jiraiya, now a blur, surged forward with his Lightning Flame Blade, its lightning radiance intensifying as he targeted Danzo.
"You've risen quickly, Jiraiya. You even made me feel threatened. But you're not ready to take me on," Danzo said coldly, forming hand seals. A massive wind blade tore through the air, slicing toward Jiraiya.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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