"And also…"
Shikamaru rested his hands behind his head, his gaze flicking toward the barbershop the two had entered. After a brief pause, he continued,
"Don't you think that guy earlier…"
"Looked a lot like Sasuke?"
His words made the others recall the details. The boy had long hair, and if not for Shikamaru pointing it out, most of their attention had been on Kakuzu.
"Tch—"
Shikamaru stared intently at the barbershop, gritting his teeth before sighing in irritation. "I've got a bad feeling we're about to get dragged into something troublesome."
"Such a pain… What's wrong with just doing low-rank missions back in the village?"
His tone was casual, but there seemed to be something more beneath his words.
Choji, who had been snacking, suddenly frowned.
"Shikamaru, you must've seen wrong. Why would Sasuke be here?""When I left, I heard Naruto mention that Team 7 had gone on a mission to the Land of Waves."
"Ugh—" Shikamaru covered his face with a heavy sigh, waving his hand dismissively. "None of your business. Go eat your chips."
"Oh…"
Choji, who had finally mustered some brainpower, was now utterly deflated by Shikamaru's dismissal. In the end, he could only take a deep breath, pull out all his snacks, and start shoveling them into his mouth.
Turning sorrow into appetite—that was his motto.
Ino was the only one who grasped her teammate's implication.
She knew Shikamaru's earlier words were hinting at the resemblance between that guy and Uchiha Kaito.
"No…"
"That guy isn't as good-looking as Kaito."
Shikamaru: "…"
A deceased white moonlight would only grow more perfect in the hazy memories over time.
And in Ino's heart, Kaito was exactly that. Even if that boy earlier was somewhat handsome, he couldn't hold a candle to Uchiha Kaito.
Ino's sharpness made Shikamaru genuinely want to praise her, but after hearing her remark…
All he could say was that women—especially lovestruck women—were an absolute pain in the ass.
Asuma finally snapped out of his daze from that damn Enrollment Brochure, carefully folded it, and tucked it into his inner pocket before cutting off his subordinates' idle chatter.
"Shouldn't the most important thing right now be… this?"
He pointed at the barbershop. "My dear subordinates…"
"Let's get down to business."
Clearly, Asuma hadn't picked up on Shikamaru's earlier implication, dismissing the resemblance as mere coincidence.
Shikamaru's expression darkened.
He thought…
Figuring out whether that guy was really Uchiha Kaito was the most crucial thing.
Remembering the incomprehensible contents of the Enrollment Brochure, Shikamaru couldn't help but cringe. The last time he'd felt this speechless was back in school, watching some idiot perform a "Martial Soul Awakening" on the podium.
Under the guidance of the seasoned Asuma, the three of them each used transformation techniques to disguise themselves.
Asuma, whose scent was perpetually saturated with tear-inducing cigarette smoke, opted to stay outside with Choji and Ino for surveillance.
Meanwhile, the team's strategist—Shikamaru—grumbled endlessly about how troublesome this was before reluctantly entering the barbershop to make contact with the Rain Village ninja.
Before he went in, Asuma even handed him ten million ryo, earnestly explaining that if he found himself in danger, he should use the money to buy his life from Kakuzu.
After hearing how Kakuzu, who loved money more than life itself, could even figure out a way to birth a child if the price was right, Shikamaru stood frozen at the door for a full three minutes.
If that guy inside really was Uchiha Kaito…
Honestly, it wouldn't be surprising if these two eccentric characters ended up together.
"Sorry, sir."
"Our shop has been reserved by a VIP today. We're closed to other customers. Our deepest apologies!"
Just as Shikamaru stepped inside, the owner rushed over to demonstrate the true spirit of bowing craftsmanship. Before Shikamaru could gather any intel, he was gently but firmly ushered out by the owner's impeccable customer service smile.
Meanwhile, inside the barbershop, Kakuzu took advantage of the owner's brief absence to expertly pull out a burlap sack from his person.
He even gave it a few vigorous shakes to inflate the deflated bag.
After all, sometimes air could turn into money.
"Kakuzu! Put that thing away!!!"Kaito, who was just then looking in the mirror, happened to catch sight of Kakuzu carrying a sack and heading toward the counter to collect money. Startled, he quickly called out to stop him, interrupting Kakuzu's smooth little routine.
"Huh?"
"Boss, aren't we taking our money back?"
Kakuzu looked puzzled.
He had never gotten a haircut before, and in his old-fashioned mindset, he saw no need to spend money on such things. But since the boss had willingly paid, even if no one said anything, he still had to make a profit.
"No need..."
"Why would you rob a barbershop?"
"Let's go. After getting some new outfits, we can start recruiting."
Previously, their robberies had targeted only black-market and gray-market businesses—casinos and brothels, places already steeped in blood and darkness, backed by local gangs and daimyo. Robbing them had carried no moral burden.
"O... okay."
Kakuzu reluctantly tore his gaze away from the counter, glancing at the shabby table. The shop was indeed as poor as the boss had said.
However, unwilling to leave empty-handed, Kakuzu went to the water dispenser and drank an entire bucket of water before finally following Kaito out of the barbershop, satisfied.
Thanks to the skilled hands of the Shinobi World's Tony, Kakuzu now sported a topknot. To give him a more immortal-like aura, Kaito even snapped off a roadside branch to use as a hairpin for him.
The mask Kakuzu had worn for years was also discarded by Kaito, forcing the man who had hidden in the shadows for so long to stand directly under the sun for the first time without his ninja disguise.
The sensation was oddly refreshing for Kakuzu.
Standing on the street, he tilted his head slightly, basking in the sunlight and the gazes of passersby.
"Martial Uncle, I have to say..."
"It does feel a little different now."
Without his disguise, his smile even seemed gentler. If before, Kaito thought his grin could scare children, now Kakuzu carried the air of a benevolent elder.
Kaito didn't linger on the street like an idiot to share in Kakuzu's epiphany. Instead, he headed straight to a nearby clothing store and, with the power of money, acquired the white robes he wanted in under five minutes.
A few minutes later...
Uchiha Kaito and Kakuzu stood dressed in custom-made white Taoist robes, with decorative swords strapped to their backs. Just standing there, they exuded an ethereal aura, drawing second glances from everyone who passed by.
Shikamaru, observing from behind, saw the two completely transformed and for the first time began to doubt his own suspicions.
No... that can't be right?
Could that guy really not be Uchiha Kaito??
No matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn't connect Uchiha Kaito with that white-robed youth.
Kaito's cultivation of immortality naturally gave him an undeniable presence. Having rarely ventured out in Amegakure before, and now with the robes enhancing his image, he radiated an otherworldly aura.
Shikamaru just didn't know how to put into words the indescribable air about him.
Clap—clap—
Just as Shikamaru's mind raced to find any similarities between the two, the sound of applause suddenly rang in his ears.
"Everyone!"
"Look over here!!"
Shikamaru: "..."