"Please, I beg you, don't kill me!"
"You're shinobi… you're not supposed to attack ordinary people!"
"Is it money you want?"
"I'm the son of a daimyō, I can give you plenty of money!"
…
The young man, snot and tears streaming down his face, pleaded desperately for his life. But the next moment, the great executioner's blade of Juzo swung down,
Swish!
Thud!
A head rolled to the ground. Juzo turned back toward Ku.
"Mission complete. That head's worth twenty million ryō."
Ku tossed him a scroll. "Seal it in here. We're leaving."
Juzo shrugged and did as instructed.
…
Outside the capital of the Land of Water, the two Akatsuki members moved quickly through the forest.
"The competition for the position of the daimyō happens every year. These missions are always the same: mutual assassinations. And since they don't want to be exposed, they usually hire rogue-nin."
Juzo gave a crooked grin. "Ku, do you know who we killed last time?"
Ku nodded. "The client from that mission. Funny how he never thought someone would hire us against him, just as he had done."
Juzo sneered. "That's the tragedy of this country. The higher-ups treat slaughter as entertainment. The Bloody Mist… what's left to hope for in a nation or a village like that?"
Hope?
Ku glanced sideways at Juzo. In the original story, this man barely had any screen time, known mostly for his bond with Itachi.
But seeing him now, it was clear, Juzo must have sensed a kindred spirit in Itachi.
"Perhaps… the Bloody Mist wasn't truly the will of Kirigakure's leadership at all."
At those words, Juzo instantly quickened his pace, drawing level with Ku.
"…What do you know?"
Ku turned to him. "The cruel policies of Kirigakure began under the Third Mizukage. But why would the Fourth Mizukage, the one who could control tailed beasts, continue them? Why turn the village into the Bloody Mist?"
Ku didn't continue, leaving silence hanging between them. Juzo eventually muttered, "…You want my loyalty, don't you? The power in the Leader's eyes is beyond even the Sharingan."
Ku smiled. "Four years ago. The Land of Rain. You must remember what happened."
Juzo's eyes widened instantly.
Four years ago, in Amegakure, a terrifying battle had taken place. A massive crater a kilometer wide, colossal trees erupting from the earth, and lingering chakra that instilled dread.
"…It was you?!"
He stared at Ku. "I always suspected one side of that fight was the Leader. But the other side… it was you?"
"Surprised?"
Ku extended his hand, and a wooden branch sprouted instantly. "The power of Wood Release, paired with Flying Thunder God. Even the Six Paths of Pain… weren't much more than that."
Juzo's face twitched. "…And who won that battle?"
Ku thought for a moment. "If it was only the Six Paths, then I suppose I won."
'The Rinnegan… lost?!'
Juzo was shaken to his core. He and some of the others had only joined Akatsuki because of that overwhelming power. The Rinnegan, said to be the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths.
But this man had beaten it.
After a long silence, Juzo said, "…I need to know your goal."
Ku smiled. "Let's keep walking. I'll tell you when we rest."
…
Half a day later, in an inn at a market town.
"Now you can tell me."
Ku nodded. "Unifying the entire shinobi world. How does that sound?"
Juzo's eye twitched. "…Do you really think that's possible?"
Ku shook his head with a faint grin. "Not under normal circumstances. But with absolute power, even the Five Great Villages would have no choice but to submit."
"This world is broken. Shinobi live off missions. The great nations, countless small ones. Wars for resources, missions, profit… The big nations fight every few decades. The small ones fight nearly every day."
"But if the shinobi world were unified… war would end. Even Kirigakure's Bloody Mist could be brought to an end."
Juzo frowned. "The Five Great Nations aren't so easily subdued. Even the Leader plans to capture all the tailed beasts before making his final move."
Ku waved dismissively. "The Leader himself is being manipulated by someone he doesn't even realize. He may be the most tragic figure of all."
He looked straight at Juzo. "Do you know why the First Great Ninja War began only after Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, died?"
Juzo blinked. "The so-called 'God of Shinobi'?"
Ku nodded. "Because Hashirama wanted peace, and so the world had no choice but to give him peace. His power was so absolute that he could destroy villages at will. No one dared oppose him. But once he died, they couldn't restrain themselves any longer. And so… the First War broke out."
Juzo frowned. "Then why didn't the First Hokage just unify the shinobi world himself?"
Ku smirked. "…Because he was an idiot."
Juzo froze at the bluntness of the answer.
"He believed everyone could understand each other. He captured the nine tailed beasts and gave them away to other villages, hoping to create balance. But tailed beasts alone couldn't enforce peace; they weren't powerful enough to terrify the world into obedience."
"And resources… resources were never equal. How could there be peace? The Sand's deserts against Konoha's fertile lands, 'Share with me'? How could that work?"
Ku chuckled coldly. "Only unification can save this world. Peace won't last forever, but a hundred years of peace is possible."
…
Juzo listened silently, deep in thought.
If the Bloody Mist was truly caused by outside manipulation… then maybe…
He met Ku's eyes. "Tell me the truth about Kirigakure."
…
Inside a sealed room, Ku smiled faintly. "Zetsu's scouting is formidable. But if you're wary from the start, he's not much of a threat."
Without waiting for Juzo's reply, he continued. "That fool, Tobi… that apprentice. He's the one behind the Bloody Mist. With his Sharingan and special techniques, he controlled the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura."
"…What?!"
Juzo shot to his feet, stunned. "The man with the mask?"
Ku nodded. "Using a Mangekyō Sharingan ability, he first subdued the tailed beasts, then the jinchūriki. Only one man could do such a thing."
"Who?"
"Uchiha… Madara."
Juzo froze. That name carried even more weight than Hashirama.
But Ku waved it off. "Of course, he's not truly Uchiha Madara. He calls himself that, but Madara would never behave like a clown."
Relief flickered across Juzo's face, but his brow furrowed again. "…Even if he's not Madara, if he could control the Fourth Mizukage, I'd never stand a chance."
Ku looked at him calmly. "Thinking of killing him? For all the suffering he brought Kirigakure?"
Juzo sneered. "That masked bastard is the reason I've been hunted by Kirigakure all this time."
Ku shook his head. "You're not strong enough. His Mangekyō is no joke."
Juzo smirked. "I'm not alone anymore. Four years ago, I saw he was injured."
Ku scratched his head and sighed. "…True. I injured him. But he's still useful to me."
He tapped Juzo's shoulder, and the Flying Thunder God's seal flared briefly.
Juzo noticed and frowned. "When did you mark me?"
Ku smiled. "Loyalty in exchange for truth. That seal won't disappear unless you reach a certain level. Betrayal isn't an option anymore."
Juzo frowned, but said no more. He had chosen to trade loyalty for answers about the Bloody Mist.
…
Half a month later, Kirigakure.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Enter," came the voice of an old man inside.
When the visitor stepped in and closed the door, Master Genji asked, "Kwonbei, what is it?"
The man bowed. "Two days ago, an old intelligence relay point, one that was supposedly abandoned, was activated."
"An abandoned relay?" Genji frowned. "Did you send scouts? Was it a trap? A coincidence?"
Kwonbei shook his head and handed him a scroll.
Genji opened it, and his narrowed eyes flew wide. His breathing grew heavy.
"Elder, are you alright?" Kwonbei hurried to steady him. "This handwriting belongs to Juzo Biwa, the rogue. Can we trust anything he says?"
Genji waved him off. "Ao's Byakugan can confirm such things. That makes this intelligence credible."
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen… they fled the village, yes, but perhaps they were forced into it."
He looked at Kwonbei. "This matter is yours. If it's true that the Fourth Mizukage is being controlled, don't make it public. We must start from the beginning."
Kwonbei bowed and left.
But unlike his subordinate's doubts, Genji's old hands clenched tightly around his cane, his eyes blazing with fury.
Every strange action of the Fourth Mizukage resurfaced in his mind.
No matter who it was, someone would pay the price.
Even at nearly eighty, Master Genji's wrath boiled over.
…
Meanwhile, in the Akatsuki base in the Land of Rain.
Ku had been back for half a month without missions, resting. Another group had just returned.
"Ku-kun, how was the mission in the Land of Water?"
Ku looked across at Orochimaru and muttered, "Could you wipe your drool? It's dripping on the floor."
Orochimaru raised a hand to his lips, finding nothing. "Ku-kun… was that a joke?"
"Not a joke. Just a jab." Ku stood and brushed past him.
Humiliated, Orochimaru did not retaliate, swallowing his anger.
That technique of his was almost complete. Soon, Wood Release would clash against Wood Release.
Ku ignored him. At this point, Orochimaru wasn't the type to submit to anyone.
But if Orochimaru was back… then Sasori must have returned as well.
The next target: Sasori.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu