Chapter 68: Kakuzu: Why is it These Two?!
The Outskirts of the Fire Capital.
Kakuzu sat poised in an ancient pavilion, dressed in standard traveling black, quietly reading a weathered historical scroll.
He was waiting for fools.
As a veteran bounty hunter who had survived for nearly a century, Kakuzu didn't just rely on the terrifying vitality of his Earth Grudge Fear. He relied on caution. Anyone who dared to target his unique anatomy—unless they were from the Five Great Nations—usually ended up as a corpse in a ditch.
Lately, however, rumors had reached him that a group of "wealthy nobles" were looking to purchase the secret of immortality.
Kakuzu wasn't a child. He had considered the possibility that this was a Konoha trap. After all, the Hidden Leaf had a long memory, and an S-rank forbidden art like his was a high-value asset for any major village.
But Kakuzu had spent a fortune at the underground exchange stations to verify the movement of Konoha's elite. Every known high-level master was currently accounted for on missions or border duty. Even if one or two were free, Kakuzu was confident he could either kill them or escape.
"The Land of Fire and the Hidden Leaf... they aren't what they were in Lord Hashirama's day," Kakuzu muttered, closing his scroll.
"That old bond of mercy... forty years is long enough. I've stayed away from the Leaf's business out of respect for the man who spared me. Consider the debt paid."
Kakuzu was a realist. Gratitude had a shelf-life. If his survival was at stake, he would slaughter a Leaf shinobi without a second thought. If a powerful employer paid him enough to level Konoha, he would accept the contract.
"They're here," Kakuzu's gaze sharpened.
In the distance, two figures approached. They were dressed in heavy black robes adorned with crimson clouds. Their faces were hidden behind traditional straw hats with thick, beaded veils.
"Hmph. Look at that attire," Kakuzu mused, leaning back on the stone bench.
"Either some new, self-important rogue organization or a group of bored nobles playing ninja dress-up."
In the current climate, rogue ninjas and private noble guards were mostly "scattered sand"—unorganized fodder. To an immortal relic like Kakuzu, they represented zero threat.
He waited patiently for them to enter the pavilion.
"So," Kakuzu said, his voice a cold, gravelly rasp. "You're the ones asking about the Earth Grudge Fear?"
"We are," a voice replied from behind a veil. It was calm and carried a hint of amusement. "What's the price?"
"To meet a man like me without showing your faces is a lack of both sincerity and manners," Kakuzu lectured, his tone that of a teacher scolding a failing student. "Gold is eternal, but it cannot buy a second life."
"Your experience is shallow. You've provoked someone you cannot hope to handle."
"Remove your hats. Let this be the last time you breathe fresh air."
A thick surge of killing intent filled the pavilion.
The two newcomers didn't flinch. Slowly, they reached up and removed their straw hats, revealing their faces.
"Danzo, I told you these hats were a bit much. The beaded veils are so thick he didn't even recognize us from five feet away."
"Hmph. I told you I handle the logistics. My choice was perfect."
In an instant, the killing intent in Kakuzu's eyes was replaced by total, soul-chilling shock.
No... it can't be.
The man on the left was the infamous Danzo Shimura, the "Darkness of the Shinobi" and Commander of the Anbu.
And the man beside him... Kakuzu's brain stalled for a second before the realization hit him like a Tailed Beast Bomb.
Sarutobi Hiruzen. The Third Hokage.
Even a man with ninety years of experience could be caught off-guard. What kind of Hokage and Assistant travel together in matching 'edgy' robes to meet a rogue ninja from a minor village?
Is their schedule that empty? Do they have a mental illness?
Kakuzu had accounted for Anbu squads. He had accounted for the Sannin. But he had fundamentally ignored the possibility of the Actual Leaders of the village showing up personally.
"What was that line you just said?"
Danzo stepped forward, his eyes locking onto Kakuzu with a cold, predatory light. "You want to talk about sincerity? I heard you have 'Gold-Tier' credit in the underground. It seems your reputation is as hollow as your chest."
"If someone told you they wanted to buy your limbs, would you sit and have a polite chat with them?" Kakuzu fired back, his mind racing as he channeled chakra. "The 'Darkness of the Leaf'... this was your idea, wasn't it? You've always been the one dragging the First Hokage's name through the mud with your schemes."
"How typical. How vicious. I accept my defeat today—but don't think you're getting the Earth Grudge Fear!"
Kakuzu wove a single-handed sign, his senses flaring. Normally, a man of Danzo's reputation would have brought an army to jump a lone target.
Where are the others? Kakuzu wondered. There are no signatures in the trees. No traps in the dirt.
If it were just Danzo and a squad of Anbu, Kakuzu was confident he could break out.
But the man standing next to Danzo—the smiling Hiruzen—sent a cold shiver down Kakuzu's spine. The Hokage looked younger, stronger, and more vital than the reports suggested.
Kakuzu's "Survival Instinct," honed over thousands of battles, was screaming at him. If you fight that man, you will die.
The "Professor's" reputation wasn't a marketing stunt; it was built on a mountain of bodies.
A soft breeze drifted through the pavilion, rustling the leaves of the nearby trees. The beaded veils on the discarded hats clinked together like wind chimes. It was a peaceful, serene morning—and the most dangerous standoff in Kakuzu's life.
Hiruzen acted as if he didn't even notice the tension. "Tell me, Kakuzu... if we were to harvest a moderate amount of the Earth Grudge Fear threads, would it cause you irreversible damage?"
"N-no," Kakuzu stammered, caught off guard by the technical question. "The threads regenerate as long as the core is intact."
"Good. Then we can negotiate."
Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully. "You're currently using Earth Style: Hardened Spear, aren't you? It's a fine technique. I'm quite fond of it myself."
Suddenly, Hiruzen's body erupted in a brief, blinding flash of blue electricity.
Lightning Style: Chakra Mode.
The light vanished as quickly as it appeared.
Kakuzu's heart sank. He had been secretly hardening his skin under his robes, preparing for a sudden strike. He thought he was being subtle, but Hiruzen had seen right through it—and had flashed his Lightning Style (the natural counter to Earth) as a silent warning.
The God of Shinobi indeed...
"I've heard the legends of the Third Hokage," Kakuzu said, his voice gaining a hint of genuine respect. "I didn't realize you had mastered the Cloud's secret Nintaijutsu as well."
"I appreciate the mercy, Lord Hokage. You're nothing like the man standing behind you."
If Hiruzen had chosen to attack in that moment, Kakuzu would have lost at least one heart before he could even move.
"Since you appreciate the gesture, sit down," Hiruzen said, gesturing to the stone bench. "Let's talk like professionals."
Kakuzu sat, his mind in a whirl.
What is happening? he wondered. Is Konoha actually trying to buy a jutsu? In a position of total military superiority, they're offering to pay?
He looked at Danzo, who was scowling in the background. This doesn't fit his style at all.
Danzo was fuming. He hated how effective Hiruzen's "Good Cop" routine was.
It was my idea to lure him here with the 'Stupid Noble' ruse! Danzo thought bitterly. Why does Kakuzu think I'm the only villain here? I did it for the village!
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