Chapter 131 (Patreon)

Hidan and Kakuzu charged straight toward Chiriku, clearly intending to kill him on the spot.

Chiriku remained perfectly calm. He slowly raised his right hand, and the translucent figure of a Thousand-Armed Kannon appeared behind him.

“Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder!”

Crimson chakra surged from Chiriku’s body. The serene Kannon behind him instantly transformed, its gentle expression twisting into the wrathful visage of a blazing red guardian deity.

Two enormous crimson fists shot forward, slamming into Hidan and Kakuzu.

Bang! Bang!

The two Akatsuki members were sent flying before crashing heavily onto the ground. Neither of them moved.

“Hahaha! Master Chiriku is incredible!”

“Exactly! As long as Master Chiriku is protecting the Fire Temple, it doesn’t matter who comes after us. They will all die here!”

The surrounding monks immediately began showering Chiriku with praise.

A faint smile appeared on Chiriku’s face.

“Take them away.”

“Yes, Master Chiriku!”

Just then, another figure casually stepped through the shattered gates of the Fire Temple and entered the inner courtyard.

“Who are you?”

“Do you have any idea where you are? This is the Fire Temple!”

Two monks immediately shouted at Yujiro.

“The Fire Temple is supposed to be a place where monks devote themselves to Buddha and where ordinary people come to pray.”

Yujiro continued walking toward the center of the courtyard.

“What a shame. All I see here is greed and corruption.”

He spoke in an utterly casual tone, as though he were discussing something insignificant.

“A temple like this has no reason to continue existing.”

“No reason to exist?”

“Hahaha! Who do you think you are? The Fire Daimyō?”

“This temple was personally recognized by the daimyō of the Land of Fire!”

Yujiro shook his head and smiled.

“Then it seems you and that so-called Fire Daimyō deserve each other.”

“Enough!”

Chiriku’s expression gradually turned cold.

“What exactly did you mean by that?”

“Nothing complicated. I was merely stating the truth.”

Yujiro smiled faintly before tilting his head and glancing at Hidan and Kakuzu, who were lying motionless on the ground.

At first glance, their acting was surprisingly convincing.

However, Yujiro knew that killing those two would never be so simple.

Hidan possessed an immortal body granted to him through his faith in Jashin.

Kakuzu, meanwhile, wielded the forbidden technique known as Earth Grudge Fear, which allowed him to store as many as five hearts within his body.

In other words, Kakuzu possessed five lives.

“I understand.”

Chiriku brought his palms together and stared coldly at Yujiro.

“You are one of their companions.”

“If that is the case, I shall grant you salvation as well.”

“What? Was I wrong?”

Yujiro sneered.

“Because the Fire Temple was recognized by the daimyō, you have convinced yourselves that you stand above everyone else.”

“You believe yourselves to be righteous while looking down on anyone you consider beneath you.”

Yujiro laughed.

He only needed to hear the way these monks spoke and see the arrogance written across their faces to understand what they had become.

They were no longer compassionate monks devoted to helping others.

They were nothing more than greedy men clinging to the Fire Temple’s reputation while indulging themselves.

“No wonder they called you trash.”

Yujiro shook his head.

“From where I’m standing, that was far too generous. You are even worse than trash.”

“You have committed far too much bloodshed!”

Chiriku’s expression darkened, and a cold gleam flashed through his eyes.

“I will personally put your soul to rest!”

His words spoke of salvation, yet the killing intent in his eyes could no longer be concealed.

Yujiro sighed once more.

So this was the so-called Fire Temple?

How ridiculous.

“Hahaha!”

Sudden laughter came from the ground.

The expressions of the surrounding monks changed instantly.

Even Chiriku’s eyes widened.

Everyone turned toward the ground a short distance to Yujiro’s right.

Hidan, who had appeared to be dead, abruptly sat upright.

He forcefully twisted his neck from side to side before revealing a strange grin.

“That bald monk hits harder than he looks!”

Hidan climbed back to his feet.

“He is merciless, and his technique is powerful. No wonder his head is worth thirty million ryō.”

On the other side, Kakuzu suddenly opened his eyes. He planted his right hand against the ground and swiftly pushed himself back onto his feet.

Chiriku’s expression became extremely ugly.

Hadn’t his attack just killed them?

How could they be completely unharmed?

“Hahaha! I don’t know who you are, but that doesn’t matter!”

Hidan walked over to Yujiro while laughing loudly.

“I have been growing tired of these bald monks for quite some time!”

Yujiro merely shrugged.

As expected of Hidan, his mind truly was as simple as ever.

“They speak of mercy with every breath, yet they tried to beat us to death without hesitation!”

Hidan laughed mockingly.

“What a joke!”

The faces of the Fire Temple’s monks became increasingly unsightly.

Kakuzu, however, was no longer paying attention to them.

His eyes were fixed entirely on Yujiro.

Black martial arts attire.

A black sword hanging from his waist.

That appearance and presence matched only one legendary figure.

Yujiro.

However, Kakuzu was not entirely certain.

There were countless people throughout the ninja world who attempted to imitate Yujiro’s appearance. For all he knew, the man standing before him could simply be another imitation.

“All right! You can stand back and watch!”

Hidan reached for his bloodstained Triple-Bladed Scythe.

“I’ll send every last one of these monks to hell and offer them to Lord Jashin!”

“There’s no need.”

Yujiro grinned.

“You’re too slow. I can finish this much faster.”

“Huh?”

Hidan scratched his head before taking a step back.

“Fine, then. You handle it this time.”

“But if you cannot manage them, just call me!”

“All right.”

Yujiro smiled before turning his attention toward Chiriku and the other monks.

After hearing their conversation, Chiriku’s face darkened completely.

“Do you truly believe you can kill me so easily?”

“In that case, I have no reason to hold back any longer!”

Chiriku raised his hands, and the image of the Thousand-Armed Kannon appeared behind him once again.

“Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder!”

This time, Chiriku made no attempt to conceal his murderous intent.

The serene Kannon instantly transformed into the wrathful red guardian deity. An enormous crimson fist tore through the air and hurtled toward Yujiro.

From the force behind the attack, it was clear that Chiriku intended to kill him with a single blow.

Yujiro stared indifferently at the wrathful guardian looming before him.

“Playing at gods before me?”

“How ridiculous.”

Yujiro raised his right hand and gently pressed it downward.

“Collapse beneath a hundredfold gravity!”