"An enemy?" Hizure's expression shifted.
He watched as the figure descended slowly from the cliff's edge, walking down the steep precipice as if it were flat ground. After all, anyone appearing after an enemy's death would naturally be assumed hostile.
"No." Uchiha Kin shook his head.
"A friend."
By now, Kakuzu had reached Kin's front.
"You're a bit late, Mr. Kakuzu," Kin complained.
He had already sent Kakuzu the information and even exposed their mission details. Not that he cared—missions meant little to him.
Originally, Kakuzu should have arrived much earlier, but he'd been delayed. It had to be said: Kakuzu's sense of timing was terrible. That was something to fix later.
"Stopped to collect a bounty."
Kakuzu pulled out a stack of bounty slips, flipping through them while glancing at Hizure and Hyuga Kiyoshi. Unfortunately, neither of them were listed.
Finally, he pulled out two slips, confirmed they were the ones he'd cashed in, and tore them apart.
He'd run into some bounty-worthy ninja on the way and wasted time detouring to the Underground Bounty Exchange. Otherwise, he would've arrived sooner. But when money was on the road, how could he not pick it up?
Kakuzu didn't bother explaining. Instead, he cut straight to the point.
"The job and the money."
The only reason he'd come was Kin's promise that he'd handle finances. After all, earnings from an organization dwarfed solo work.
Kin placed his hands on the ground. With a puff of smoke, an office briefcase appeared.
"Inside is 500 million ryo. I trust you'll manage it well, Mr. Kakuzu."
He was a man of his word.
Kakuzu didn't reach for it immediately. Instead, he frowned.
"Aren't you afraid I'll run off with the money?"
"I trust your professionalism."
Kin wasn't worried. If Kakuzu fled, he'd just track him down. The man was a hoarder, not a spender—the money would likely multiply by then.
As for catching him? Easy. They'd met, after all.
Kakuzu nodded, picked up the briefcase, and sent it away with a summoning jutsu.
He liked this employer—generous with payments. A shame there were no bounties here, or he could've earned extra. Then he said to Kin:
"State your task."
Kin thought for a moment.
"Fighting, managing money, distributing funds—that's the gist. Mainly, though, it's about making money."
Kakuzu's frown deepened. A bad premonition crept in.
"Distributing money too?"
He'd accepted managing funds, but handing them out? That hurt.
"I plan to build an organization," Kin explained. "Our main trade will be selling jutsu. Things like merchant caravans, storefronts, and bribes will cost a fortune upfront."
Leaving the village wasn't about conquering the world. His goal was mass-producing basic jutsu.
Once all jutsu became common knowledge, people would have no choice but to delve into his Foundation Internal Energy Technique. That'd speed up deductions significantly.
"Jutsu?" Kakuzu's brows knitted tighter. "What kind?"
Even minor techniques would draw the Five Great Nations' wrath. They'd be hunted relentlessly.
"Every single jutsu the Five Great Nations possess."
Kin grinned, teeth gleaming.
From the start, he'd intended to put all village techniques on the market. With more shared knowledge, research-oriented ninja would flourish.
Then he'd release the Foundation Internal Energy Technique.
Right now, only the Five Great Nations and Amegakure had it. Smaller villages were left in the dark.
"Tch—" Kakuzu and Hizure sucked in a sharp breath.
This meant war with the entire shinobi world. Both fell into thought—were they sturdy enough for this?
They didn't know how Kin would obtain the jutsu, but his confidence suggested preparation.
Still, the Five Great Villages were no joke.
Even Hyuga Kiyoshi, usually expressionless, paled slightly.
He knew Kin wanted progress for the shinobi world—but this was madness.
If the Five Nations discovered their jutsu were leaked, the retaliation would be brutal.
S-rank missing-nin were tolerated if left alone. But leaking jutsu? Zero tolerance.
"Relax, it won't happen immediately. This is just the goal. And the profits will all be under your management, Mr. Kakuzu."
Deal.
Kakuzu didn't speak, but his mind was made up.
Selling jutsu? Each technique would fetch a high price. With this many, the profits—
Hizure wanted to bolt, but Kakuzu had already moved behind Kin, and Hyuga Kiyoshi's gaze pinned him in place.
Then there was Kin's terror. For now, escape was off the table.
He had no other options.
"So, what's our first move?" Kakuzu asked, fully committed.
Money was all that mattered. Danger? Irrelevant.
"First, we need a base."
Operating as scattered mercenaries wouldn't do.
"Any ideas?" Kakuzu pressed.
Kin stroked his chin, mentally reviewing locations. Then it hit him.
"What do you think of the Land of Rain?"
Land of Rain
A nation reduced to ruins, its few surviving citizens hiding in fear.
Though the war had ended, their terror lingered. They still dreaded the sight of shinobi.
In truth, many ninja had scouted the Land of Rain, but none dared provoke conflict.
The presence of Hanzo the Salamander made the Five Great Villages hesitate.
Hanzo wasn't invincible, but his feat of holding off five nations single-handedly was legendary.
As long as he lived, the Five Nations wouldn't risk losses over a worthless battleground.
With no gains to reap, the Land of Rain was abandoned.
"Hanzo won't be an easy opponent."
Kakuzu walked beside Kin, with Hizure and Hyuga Kiyoshi trailing behind.
Even Kakuzu, whose strength rivaled a Kage's, respected Hanzo. Without an antidote, Hanzo's poison could overwhelm him.
Naturally, he was wary.
"But the Land of Rain is perfect."
Kin had his reasons. Unlike remote regions, it sat between Earth, Wind, and Fire, offering easy access.
And with Hanzo alive, few dared enter—only scouts checking his status. The risks were minimal.
In fact, the Land of Rain's potential recovery hinged on Hanzo's survival.
"Besides, Hanzo might make a fine ally."
...
Read 50 advance at patreon.com/CNBLUE
(End of Chapter)