After using Flying Thunder God to send Chinatsu back to Konoha, Fujiwara Kirito came to the meeting place with Pakura.
Kakuzu had been brought here by Pakura.
Looking at Kakuzu, who was dying and seemed to be about to die at any moment, Kirito smiled and said, "Your vitality is really something else. Even after taking that hit, you're still hanging on. How do you feel?"
"I really didn't expect that you would save me." In a weak voice, Kakuzu's body trembled as he raised his head with difficulty and looked at Kirito. "Where's that guy Hidan?"
"Seems like after that idiot scammed you out of your life, he fell into a trap that had been set in advance. He was blown to pieces and buried underground. Probably won't last long before dying completely from lack of nutrients." Kirito smiled lightly.
"That idiot…" Kakuzu's expression twisted, cursing softly.
Kirito understood Kakuzu's thoughts. It was rare for this guy to meet someone like Hidan. He whispered, "What, you feeling sad over your partner's death?"
"No, not really." Kakuzu looked away and asked flatly, "Weren't you sent by the leader to find the Eight-Tails in the Land of Lightning? Why are you here?"
"That kind of errand is fine to delay." Kirito didn't care. He changed the subject and suddenly said, "The important thing is, what do you plan to do next? As far as the world knows, you've already died at the hands of the Nine-Tails' team."
"You want me to betray Akatsuki?" Kakuzu was no fool. He understood immediately.
He didn't believe Kirito saved him out of friendship. They didn't have that kind of relationship. The other party must have an ulterior motive.
"Betray is a bit of a strong word. Let's just say you're temporarily withdrawing from Akatsuki," Kirito replied. "You've just gone through a near-death experience. You know what kind of state the Akatsuki is in. If things keep going the way they are, it'll fall apart sooner or later. You don't disagree, do you?"
"True..." Kakuzu didn't deny it. "But I'm afraid I'll disappoint you. The Earth Grudge Fear tentacles in my body are almost completely destroyed. I can't even replenish my hearts."
"That's not a problem." Kirito pulled out a senzu bean. "This is a special medicine. As long as you're not completely dead and still breathing, it'll instantly restore your physical strength, energy, and reset your body to top condition."
"There's such a thing?" Kakuzu stared at the plain-looking bean. He didn't doubt it. Kirito wouldn't lie to him—there was no need to lie to someone on the verge of death.
"So, what will it be?" Kirito asked patiently. "Wait here until your last heart stops, or eat this and swear loyalty to me?"
"Do I have a choice?" Kakuzu let out a bitter laugh. Who wants to die if they have a chance to live?
Then he seemed to recall something and added, "But I have a condition. If you can't meet it, living will only be torment."
"Money?" Kirito smiled. He was already picturing the look on Kakuzu's face when he saw Konan pull out the 600 billion explosive tags.
Kakuzu nodded firmly. "Money is the only thing that doesn't betray."
"Up to you. If you still want to be the financial officer, go ahead. But don't show your face for now. I'll take you to meet an old acquaintance."
Kakuzu blinked. Old acquaintance?
Then it hit him. "You mean Sasori?"
To him, the only 'old acquaintance' Kirito had would be the supposedly dead Sasori.
But if he was still alive, then Sasori probably was too.
Kirito nodded and flicked his finger, shooting the senzu bean into Kakuzu's mouth.
Moments later, the dormant Earth Grudge Fear tentacles in Kakuzu's body stirred and then activated fully.
"This is…" Kakuzu's shock deepened as the chakra and threads in his body began rapidly recovering.
Eventually, even the four lost hearts regenerated from nothing.
"Looks like you won't have to harvest hearts to survive anymore." Watching Kakuzu's recovery, Kirito's eyes gleamed with surprise. Then he placed his hand on Kakuzu's shoulder and left a Flying Thunder God mark. "Alright, let's go."
As he spoke, he placed his other hand on Pakura's shoulder and, in Kakuzu's stunned gaze, teleported to Sasori's location using Flying Thunder God.
Hokage's Office.
"That damn Kirito!"
With a roar, the desk Yamato had crafted with Wood Release a few days ago was smashed into pieces by Tsunade.
"Hokage-sama, please calm down." Kakashi, Yamato, and Naruto had just finished reporting and assumed Tsunade was angry because of Kirito's threat to Konoha. They tried to calm her down.
They had no idea she was furious because Kirito hadn't come home.
"That's enough. For the safety of Konoha, no one is to speak of what happened with him today," Tsunade said sternly, arms crossed.
"I understand." Kakashi nodded, then Tsunade added, "Also, Naruto, from now on your Rasenshuriken is classified as a forbidden technique. You are not allowed to use it."
Naruto panicked. That jutsu was his hope to catch up with Sasuke. "Why, Tsunade-sama?!"
"You've felt the power of that technique yourself. As a Jinchūriki, you can't control chakra perfectly due to the Nine-Tails. The Wind Style: Rasenshuriken is more poison than jutsu. It destroys cellular nerve centers, cutting off intercellular links."
"You can't throw it like Chinatsu and Kirito, which means you'll always suffer some recoil."
"Keep using it, and eventually, your right hand won't be able to mold chakra."
Tsunade's words shattered Naruto's hopes. If he lost the ability to use chakra in his dominant hand, catching up to Sasuke would be impossible—he might not even remain a ninja.
Orochimaru's hideout.
The second Uchiha had been training with Lightning Style: Chidori for three years.
Elsewhere, in a dark and gloomy underground chamber lit by flickering candlelight—
Orochimaru lay on a medical bed, listening to Kabuto's report with amusement. "Really? Both Kakuzu and Hidan are dead?"
"Yes. Seems Naruto's squad took them out," Kabuto replied, mixing milk powder.
Beside the bed, a baby girl who resembled Orochimaru lay in a crib. Upon hearing their conversation, she suddenly woke up and wailed, her tiny face flushing red.
(End of this chapter)