Asuma stared down at the black tentacles protruding from his chest. Blood trickled from his lips. Regret, sorrow, and helplessness flashed across his eyes as he closed them for the last time.
His death mirrored the tragic fate he met in the original timeline. In the end, Sarutobi Asuma still fell at the hands of Kakuzu.
Kakuzu had outplayed him, deceiving him with a feigned weakness. One sacrificed heart was all it cost to land the fatal blow. Intelligence had once again proven to be a ninja's greatest weapon, and Asuma—despite his strength—had lost the battle of minds.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Abbot Chiriku faced a similar fate.
Though he had witnessed Asuma's death firsthand, he was powerless to prevent it. His own situation had become dire. He had failed to stop Hidan from completing the blood ritual for the Evil God. Now, the ceremony had begun.
Hidan's scythe pierced his own body with glee, and as the ritual linked their fates, Chiriku's body mirrored the wounds.
"Stupid monk," Hidan sneered, his voice laced with manic devotion. "Now prepare to witness the gates of the Evil God open wide! You're a fine offering! Hahahahaha!"
He plunged the weapon into his own waist again—once, twice—and then targeted other parts of his body, grinning with sadistic pleasure. With every stab, Chiriku's body jerked in pain.
Cries of agony echoed through the desecrated halls of the Fire Temple.
And in the end, Chiriku too succumbed—his life extinguished in screams, his body broken and defiled by the sacrificial rite.
Nearby, Kakuzu watched, unimpressed.
"Hidan, you're wasting time again," he muttered with irritation. "That freakish ritual of yours always slows us down."
But Hidan never skipped the sacrifice. His worship of the Evil God was non-negotiable, and Kakuzu had long since learned that trying to argue was pointless.
When Hidan finally finished, Kakuzu stepped forward and inspected the bodies.
Two bounties. Two fat rewards.
"Hidan," he said with a grunt, "grab one of the corpses. We're heading to the exchange."
"Huh? You're kidding, right?" Hidan blinked. "Why the hell would I carry a corpse? I already did my part. My offering to Jashin-sama is complete."
The implication was clear: You want help? Too bad.
Kakuzu's eyes twitched, but he said nothing. Their partnership was never built on trust or respect—only mutual convenience. And since Hidan was immortal, there was no leverage. No threats. No consequences.
In the end, Kakuzu slung both bodies over his back and began the long journey.
His pace slowed slightly under the weight, but Hidan just walked beside him, complaining the entire way.
"Kakuzu, you're too slow. At this rate, we'll never get back. Just ditch the bodies already!"
"Impossible," Kakuzu replied, voice firm. "They're worth ryo. No corpse, no reward."
"I still don't get why you're so obsessed with money," Hidan said with a scoff. "Such a vulgar thing. I wouldn't even use it to wipe my ass. Only Lord Jashin is eternal."
"Money is the only thing that never betrays you," Kakuzu retorted. "You have your god. I have my cash."
And so they bickered the entire way until they reached the Gold Exchange Office, where they successfully cashed in the bodies of Asuma Sarutobi and Chiriku for their bounties.
But not all was quiet.
Behind the scenes, a secret message was dispatched from the exchange—a silent whisper that found its way to Konoha. Simultaneously, monks who had survived the temple massacre slipped away and sent word back to the village.
---
In the Hidden Leaf Village
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in quiet contemplation at his clan's compound, enjoying the rare peace of retirement. Once, he had been the Sandaime Hokage. Now, he was just an old man with fading relevance in a rapidly changing world.
The rise of the Uchiha had signaled the end of his era. With the clan's overwhelming strength and dominance, Hiruzen had been forced to step down. While he had his share of faults, it was Danzo who bore the brunt of Konoha's darkest sins. And Danzo had already met a fitting end.
Compared to that, Hiruzen's fate seemed merciful.
He had watched the village evolve faster than he ever imagined possible. The new generation, under Uchiha leadership, had ushered in unprecedented growth. Even Hiruzen had to admit he was no longer capable of leading Konoha through such transformation.
Still, it was the village he loved. That hadn't changed.
"Lord Hiruzen," a familiar voice called from outside.
A trusted former subordinate, now long retired from ANBU, stepped into the room. In his hand was a sealed scroll.
"This is a report from the Gold Exchange Office… about your son."
Hiruzen's hand trembled slightly as he accepted the scroll.
"Asuma Sarutobi's bounty has been claimed," the man continued quietly. "And the abbot of the Fire Temple, Chiriku, was also confirmed dead."
Crash!
The teacup in Hiruzen's hand shattered against the ground.
"…Asuma?"
The confirmation was like a kunai to the heart.
"Yes."
For a long moment, the old man didn't speak. His breath became heavy. His posture, once regal, slumped with grief. Pain. Guilt. Rage.
Asuma had died—his body traded like merchandise for money.
He had already lost his wife. Now, his son had fallen before him.
The fire that had once made Hiruzen the "God of Shinobi" stirred again.
"…When did it happen?" he finally asked, voice hoarse.
"Yesterday."
"I see."
The former ANBU bowed respectfully and left him alone. He had only come out of loyalty and sympathy.
Moments later, Hiruzen stood in front of a sealed closet. With trembling hands, he opened it and removed the old battle armor he hadn't worn in years. He strapped it on slowly, methodically—like a warrior preparing for his final mission.
Then he marched toward the Hokage's Office.
When he entered, his voice was calm—but resolute.
"Lord Hokage. I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, formally request permission to leave the village."
Uchiha Fugaku, the current Hokage, turned to face him with surprise.
"My son, Asuma Sarutobi… has been killed. His body was retrieved at the Gold Exchange. I wish to avenge him."
His tone was composed, but Fugaku saw through it. Beneath that calm exterior, Hiruzen was a volcano ready to erupt.
"Do you know who did it?"
"Not yet."
Fugaku paused, then nodded. "Very well. I'll assign a team to assist you—several Uchiha and Uzumaki jonin. Asuma was one of Konoha's own."
Hiruzen met his gaze for a long time.
Then he bowed slightly. "…Thank you."
By the time the mission was assembled, the names on the roster were already known throughout the village.
Uchiha Itachi.
Several elite jonin from the Uchiha and Uzumaki clans.
And Sarutobi Hiruzen—former Hokage, father, and now, a man with vengeance in his heart.
-----------------------
In the ninja world, especially in the influential nations surrounding Kankinso, the threads of business and politics are tangled like a spider's web. Most of this corruption stems from the hidden, dishonorable dealings of the daimyos of the Five Great Nations.
Of course, these daimyos would never publicly support an organization like Kankinso. After all, the Gold Exchange wasn't just a hub for intelligence trading—it also doubled as a covert assassination network.
By all logic, someone like Sarutobi Asuma, Son of the previous village leader, should never have appeared on the bounty list. Perhaps when the bounty was first issued, no one believed anyone would be reckless enough to actually claim it. But someone did. And now, the entire Gold Exchange network was in a precarious situation.
Though Kakuzu had delivered Asuma's corpse and received his reward, the fallout was just beginning. The manager of the Gold Exchange still naively hoped that Konoha wouldn't retaliate—at least, not right away.
They were wrong.
Sure, the Gold Exchange kept some ninja on-site for defense, but their numbers and skill were nowhere near those of the Five Great Nations. They were under-equipped, undertrained, and about to face a storm.
"Boss! We've got a problem! Konoha's ninja are here—to kill us!"
Before the panicked informant could finish, an earth-shattering explosion rocked the compound. Konoha's assault had begun.
Kunai embedded with explosive tags tore into the outer buildings. The first wave was pure destruction—tearing down structures and instilling chaos. In seconds, the "public toilet" façade that disguised the Gold Exchange was reduced to rubble, its foul stench wafting through the air like a final insult.
"Water Style: Waterfall Technique!" roared Sarutobi Hiruzen, his hands weaving through seals with practiced precision. His water jutsu surged forward, washing away debris and dousing fires. With the path cleared, Konoha's elite rushed in, merciless and swift.
"Wait! I—I was just here to get some intel!"
"No! Please, spare me!"
Their cries fell on deaf ears. To even step foot into a Gold Exchange meant you were no innocent. In Konoha's eyes, everyone inside was fair game.
Despite the bitter history between Sarutobi Hiruzen and the Uchiha clan, Asuma's death had unified them in outrage. To Fugaku and his clan, this wasn't just an attack on a former Hokage's son—it was a slap across Konoha's face.
"Where is Sarutobi Asuma's body?" Uchiha Itachi asked coldly, activating his Sharingan.
The manager, a mere Chunin in strength, didn't stand a chance. One glance, and his will crumbled. He gave up the location, and before he could even beg for mercy, Itachi ended his suffering with a swift stab of his kunai.
Moments later, Itachi emerged with the corpses of Asuma and Chiriku. The compound had been reduced to ashes. The Gold Exchange hub had fallen.
"Take their bodies back to Konoha," ordered Sarutobi Hiruzen, now clad in his old black combat gear. "The rest of us will continue cleansing the Fire Nation."
For a man who had survived wars, political strife, and internal clan disputes, Hiruzen had finally earned his rest. But peace was stolen from him the moment he received word of his son's death. Now, the retired Third Hokage was back on the battlefield—and he wouldn't rest until vengeance had soaked the earth.
The escort team departed, carrying Asuma and Chiriku's remains back to the village. Meanwhile, the others split up, searching for every remaining Gold Exchange branch within the Land of Fire.
By the next day, another exchange office was reduced to rubble. With no time to lose, Sarutobi Hiruzen kept his forces on the move, refusing to let word of their purge spread.
Five relentless days passed.
When the smoke cleared, every single Gold Exchange outpost in the Land of Fire had been destroyed. They never stood a chance—not against two Kage-level shinobi and a full contingent of Konoha's finest.
Even the shadowy financial backers behind Kankinso were stunned. No one dared utter a word of protest. Because when Konoha gets serious… even the giants of the underworld must kneel.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't finished.
Next, he led his forces across the border into the Land of Wind. The Gold Exchange branches there were now under siege as well.
The secret financiers—those puppet-masters who had always stayed hidden—were furious. "What does the Land of Wind's Gold Exchange have to do with Konoha?" they hissed. "Is Konoha planning to invade?!"
The Land of Wind's daimyo, alarmed by the intrusion, sent a message to Sunagakure, hoping they'd stop Konoha's aggression.
To his surprise, Sunagakure replied:
"The Gold Exchange poses a grave threat to the Land of Wind. This is a joint operation between Sunagakure and Konoha."
The daimyo nearly spat blood in rage. He threatened to cut off all funding to the village if they didn't put a stop to the invasion.
But Gaara, the new Kazekage, remained unmoved.
The Land of Wind's poverty, after all, could be traced back to that very same daimyo's stinginess. Gaara simply passed the daimyo's threats along to Uchiha Fugaku, smiling ever so slightly. Now, Fugaku owed him a favor—a political chip that would surely come in handy.
As for the Sarutobi clan, they had their own resources to fall back on. Hiruzen didn't flinch at the costs. He had made up his mind.
Sunagakure didn't just stay silent—they quietly sent scouts to assist Hiruzen's squad, providing terrain intel and coordinating from the shadows. Kankinso's grip on the Land of Wind was shattered.
Still, it didn't stop there.
Without rest, Sarutobi Hiruzen marched onward—this time, into the Land of Earth.
Now the hidden puppet-masters behind the Gold Exchange truly panicked. He had razed them in Fire. They'd accepted his wrath in Wind. But Earth? Was he planning to destroy the entire ninja underworld?
Desperate, the financiers rallied mercenaries and rogue ninjas, setting up an ambush in the Land of Earth, hoping to finally kill the old war dog.
Unfortunately, their plotting didn't go unnoticed.
Iwagakure's Anbu picked up on the rogue activity almost immediately. And despite the fact that their own daimyo was part of the scheme, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, didn't hesitate.
He informed Konoha.
"The daimyo is playing with fire," Ōnoki muttered grimly, scanning the intelligence. "Be grateful the god of Konoha—Uchiha Xiuyu—doesn't trouble himself with trivial matters. Otherwise, the Five Great Nations would be forced to kneel."
The veteran Tsuchikage sighed.
There would always be fools who misread the times. And when they did, reality would crush them—mercilessly.
Ōnoki stood his ground. Even if the Daimyo of the Land of Earth were to beg him face to face, he would not yield.
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