Everything progressed smoothly, just as the two had anticipated.
After leaving the village, Kageyama Kogetsu immediately contacted Kakuzu and Pakura, then crossed space to their location.
Land of Rain, northeast, on a hilltop outside a small town, a black-crimson vortex of space–time unfurled—
Kogetsu stepped out and saw Kakuzu and Pakura standing there in black rain cloaks.
They stood at the cliff's edge in a fine, endless drizzle. The sky was thick with cloud, cool wind tugged at their hems, and the damp air carried a faint scent of earth.
Seeing Kogetsu, Pakura brightened. Kakuzu too, though for a different reason—business had arrived, and with it a hefty payout.
"Yo, long time no see," Kogetsu greeted with a grin.
"Mm," Kakuzu answered flatly, face settling back to calm.
Pakura reached to remove her rain cloak for Kogetsu.
"No need. I like the rain—I haven't had a good soak in a while," Kogetsu said, waving it off with a smile.
"You came because there's work for me?" Kakuzu got straight to it.
"Yeah. A job for you two. I'll cover from the back, and if you can't finish, I'll step in."
"What job?"
"Ever heard of the Guardian Twelve?"
Kakuzu and Pakura both shook their heads.
The Guardian Twelve had only just been formed and had no standout exploits yet, so these two wanderers hadn't heard of them.
"They're the Daimyō's personal guard of the Land of Fire.
"Six of them have gone heretical—claiming the Hokage and Konoha aren't necessary and shinobi should be under the Daimyō.
"The Hokage's advisors can't stand it. We struck a deal in secret—I'll beat them half to death and spirit them back to Konoha.
"The other half are moderates, but aside from Sarutobi Asuma and Chiriku of the Fire Temple, I want them brought back too.
"Go light on the four moderates."
Kakuzu and Pakura were stunned.
This was no small thing—it touched the struggle between the Land of Fire and Konoha.
But as missing-nin, drifters with no village, they could take it.
"The risk is high, the difficulty too. I—"
"Enough. I get it," Kogetsu cut in. "You mean raise the fee. Name a number."
Kakuzu weighed it, testing the waters. "If the Daimyō chose them as guards, they're at least tokubetsu jōnin with jōnin potential, if not full jōnin.
"We're old partners, so let's count jōnin at half again, tokubetsu jōnin at base.
"At current bounty-exchange rates, a tokubetsu jōnin averages four million ryō, a jōnin around ten million.
"Total eighty-four million ryō. Any objections?"
"In order," Kogetsu smiled. "But I'm taking a cut this time."
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Kakuzu blinked.
"Your methods are too rough. Can you guarantee the situation stays contained?
"If you stir up too big a storm, the Daimyō's troops, the Fire Temple, and Konoha will rush support. Then what?"
For money's sake Kakuzu wanted to say yes—but he couldn't, not convincingly. Tarnishing his own brand was small; ruining this man's plans and angering him was unacceptable.
"Fine. You get a share, proportional to contribution," Kakuzu said, voice low.
The sooner they finished, the sooner he could chase other contracts. On balance, not a loss.
"Works for me," Kogetsu said cheerfully.
"Then let's move," Kakuzu urged.
"What's the rush?" Kogetsu shot back. "I haven't seen Pakura in ages. We're at least playing for two days."
Kakuzu glanced at the two of them. "Boring. You play. I'll grab a nearby contract."
"Forget that. Only earning and never spending—what's the point of being a miser?
"Come on, play with me. My treat.
"Think about it. I spend, you enjoy. Isn't that basically profit?"
"Hmm… that tracks," Kakuzu said. No problem—made sense.
"I remember a lake nearby. We can rent a boat and cruise. Let's do that."
With a bang of white smoke, a splendid golden hawk swept out. Kogetsu took Pakura's hand and leapt onto its back.
Kakuzu followed. After these years, the hawk had grown; carrying three was easy.
Ten minutes later they reached the lakeshore.
Kogetsu grandly rented the largest pleasure barge—seventy to eighty meters long, thirty-plus wide, four decks high.
Ribbons and lanterns decked the ship. When night fell and the lanterns lit, the whole vessel flashed in dazzling color. Alongside the popular entertainments of the shinobi world, it boasted a dedicated kitchen crew and a troupe of musicians and dancers.
Kogetsu first took Pakura and Kakuzu through the amusements, then up to the top deck for a lavish feast with music and dance.
Sated, the three sat under parasols on the deck with wine and sweets, taking in the night.
The crew stayed within so as not to spoil the guests' mood.
"It's pitch black everywhere. What's there to see?" Kakuzu muttered.
"The Land of Rain is like this. A clear night view is rare. Today's already a blessing," Pakura said with a gentle smile.
"I said we'd see a night view, so we will."
Kogetsu rose from his lounger, shot into the sky, and plunged into the heavy cloudbank.
Daikokuten.
Suspended within the clouds, his right eye gleamed gold as he spun, pouring out chakra and swallowing a vast swath of cloud.
Shadow Clone Technique.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.
Four figures spewed ceaseless gales, whipping the regrouping clouds far away.
A bright moon and a spray of stars emerged. From afar, a brilliant shaft of light poured through the torn heavens onto the lake, like a colossal searchlight, serene and grand.
"Well? Beautiful, isn't it?" Kogetsu landed back on the deck, reclined again, and smiled.
"Your strength has leapt again—and you can fly," Kakuzu said with genuine awe.
The scale was outrageous—half the lake's cloudbank had been blown clear.
Pakura thought there was much he still hadn't seen, even the power to pull someone back from death.
"This is nothing—just a little warm-up.
"Stick with me. Your future's bright," Kogetsu said with a thumbs-up and a grin.
Kakuzu rolled his eyes. Even if it was true, could he be serious for once?
They lingered in leisure until about one in the morning, then retired to the grand cabin.
Kakuzu actually rested. Kogetsu had a spirited program lined up for the latter half of the night.
By seniority, Pakura came first—no falling too far behind Yakushi Nonō.
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