Hidan hesitated.
"They're coming for the Two-Tails Jinchūriki. Guard it. I'll take care of this brat," Kakuzu ordered, not waiting for Hidan's response. His eyes signaled something behind him, and without hesitation, he raised his hand.
Morkel was undeniably powerful, but he had a fatal weakness—lack of combat experience. Kakuzu, having lived for nearly a hundred years, believed he had a chance to win despite the difficulty.
Across from him, Morkel noticed the pinholes covering Kakuzu's hands. It looked as if his entire body had been stitched together with threads. Suddenly, the pinholes on Kakuzu's forearm split open, and countless black threads surged out, propelling his fist straight at Morkel and Naruto.
Just before impact, Morkel used the Flying Thunder God technique to teleport away. At the same time, Naruto countered with a Rasengan.
"Bang!!"
The two forces clashed, sending a shockwave through the battlefield.
In a flash, Morkel reappeared behind Kakuzu and beside Hidan. He had teleported to a kunai he had previously thrown when Hidan swung his sickle. Without hesitation, he swung the Kusanagi sword in his hand. Normally, the sword's length wouldn't be enough to reach Hidan's body, but Orochimaru's legendary blade had an extension ability.
"Slash!!"
Before Hidan could react, his head was severed cleanly from his shoulders.
However, what shocked Morkel was that Hidan's severed head was still talking!
Lying on the ground, Hidan shouted, "Hey! Kakuzu! That Morkel brat took the Two-Tails Jinchūriki!"
Hearing this, Kakuzu turned around, but it was too late. Morkel had already launched a piercing attack.
"Zap!!"
Lightning-infused chakra pierced straight through Kakuzu's back, sending him crashing to the ground.
"That's it?" Morkel muttered, looking almost disappointed. He stretched his hands out nonchalantly, as if it had been no challenge at all.
Then, his gaze shifted to the injured Two-Tails Jinchūriki, lying in a pool of blood. Without hesitation, he knelt beside her, his hands glowing with green healing chakra.
As he treated her wounds, he muttered, "Naruto's self-healing ability seems to be far stronger than hers. If I had arrived any later, she would have bled to death. Looks like I'll have to risk my life again…"
Morkel's medical ninjutsu surpassed even Tsunade's. As long as someone had a breath left, he could save them.
Moments later, the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii, opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Morkel's striking face. For a woman revered in the Cloud Village and admired by many, she had never been particularly moved by anyone. But now, this young man made her heart race.
His deep, bright eyes captivated her.
"Wha..." she murmured, still in a daze.
Before she could finish, Naruto's urgent voice rang out.
"Morkel, watch out!"
Reacting instantly, Morkel scooped up Yugito and teleported to Naruto's side just as a fireball erupted from Kakuzu's seemingly lifeless body.
Morkel frowned, shocked to see Kakuzu still alive.
"Oh? You're still breathing?" he mused.
He was sure he had pierced Kakuzu's heart. No normal ninja could survive that. Before he could get an answer, Hidan's severed head spoke again.
"I love that look of surprise! Non-believers like you always underestimate us! Kakuzu, get my head back on already!"
Kakuzu ignored him, fixing his gaze on Morkel. "You possess Flying Thunder God and Wood Style... impressive. But killing me won't be easy. I once fought against the First Hokage himself."
"Oh? Is that so?" Morkel replied nonchalantly, raising his left hand. A massive Rasenshuriken formed in his palm.
Yugito gasped. "He knows the Rasenshuriken too?"
She had heard of Morkel before—Konoha's genius ninja with unmatched talent and a face that charmed countless women. But why was he here?
Before she could ask, Morkel hurled the Wind Style shuriken.
Knowing its destructive power, he swiftly teleported himself, Yugito, and Naruto outside the cave.
A moment later, an earth-shattering explosion collapsed the entire cave.
Naruto sighed in relief. "Mission accomplished. It's fun doing missions with you, Morkel."
But Morkel was still frowning.
"Something's wrong. They're not dead yet."
Naruto blinked. "What?!"
Just then, from the rubble of the collapsed cave, a black hand pushed through the debris.
With a terrifying growl, a monstrous black figure with a strange mask emerged, spewing flames.
Morkel quickly grabbed Naruto and Yugito, dodging the inferno. But then the ground beneath them cracked open, and Kakuzu's black-threaded hands shot up, attempting to seize them.
Morkel reacted instantly.
"Earth Style: Earthen Wall!"
A massive earth wall erupted beneath them, launching Kakuzu and Hidan into the air. Kakuzu had been in the process of sewing Hidan's head back onto his body.
"You actually care about me, Kakuzu," Hidan snickered.
"Now is not the time for this! We've been cornered!" Kakuzu snapped.
He had already lost three of his five hearts. He was running out of options.
Morkel seized the opportunity, throwing multiple shuriken.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
A single shuriken multiplied into thousands, raining down upon the duo. Kakuzu hardened his body using Earth Style to deflect them. Meanwhile, Hidan swung his scythe at Naruto.
"Don't let his scythe touch you!" Yugito warned. "If he gets your blood, he can use a deadly curse technique!"
Naruto blocked the scythe with his kunai, then yanked the weapon's rope, pulling Hidan toward him. Sensing danger, Kakuzu attempted to grab Hidan and pull him back.
Morkel smirked. "Got you."
"Shadow Binding Technique!"
His shadow extended, latching onto both Kakuzu and Hidan. Kakuzu's eyes widened in fear—he was trapped!
"The Immortal Duo… it ends here."
Morkel's shadows transformed into hands that wrapped around their necks.
Despite Kakuzu's attempts to fight back with fire, Morkel created an ice shield out of thin air, blocking the attack without forming hand seals.
Yugito gasped. "N-No hand seals?!"
Morkel chuckled. "It's just basic Ice Release."
With a final motion, the shadows snapped Kakuzu's and Hidan's necks. Though Hidan kept talking, Kakuzu lost his last heart.
"Time to claim the bounty," Morkel said.
They teleported to the Ghost Country's bounty station, where the sight of Morkel made everyone go silent in fear.
Yugito was puzzled. "Why does everyone look at him like he's the devil?"
Morkel placed Hidan's severed head on the counter. "Can I exchange this for a bounty?"
The clerk hesitated. "Only his head? We need proof of identity…"
Morkel smacked Hidan's head. "Speak."
Hidan grumbled. "I am Hidan, follower of the Evil God! Ding!"