Mei Terumī craned her neck upward, staring at the ice-cold expression of Kakuzu. She looked at the eight massive black spears behind him and the countless dark tentacles that were gradually filling her entire field of vision.
The sky suddenly darkened as if even the brilliance of the full moon had been swallowed whole.
In the next instant, the killing intent manifested! Within a split second, thousands of tentacles surged downward like a tidal wave, poised to completely submerge and crush the two of them into dust.
"I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to die!"
Watching the onslaught, Mei's eyes widened. She frantically scanned every corner, searching for a way out as sweat soaked her brow, yet she found nothing.
Before her were the tentacles; behind her was the cliff.
Although her Lava Style: Melting Apparition Jutsu could suppress these black threads, given their sheer number and the speed at which they regenerated, she wouldn't be able to hold out for long, even if she exhausted all her chakra.
Moreover, these tentacles weren't even the core problem. Melting them away was useless! The real threat was the S-Rank rogue shinobi who summoned them—Kakuzu.
The masks on his body seemed capable of releasing high-level ninjutsu without hand signs. If the blue eagle mask represented the top-tier Wind Style: Pressure Damage, then what did the yellow-patterned dog mask on his chest represent? Earth Style? Or something else?
How many masks did he have left? Aside from ninjutsu, did these masks have other hidden effects?
This is bad... very bad...
A profound terror swirled in Mei's heart. Watching the tentacles draw closer, she felt a wave of absolute despair. Even her hands, poised for hand signs, were trembling so violently that she nearly caused her chakra to go berserk.
At the end of the day, the current Mei was just a young girl the same age as Ren Uchiha. Although gifted, she was still far from becoming the Fifth Mizukage who would one day suppress the 'Blood Mist Village.'
Seeing Mei frozen in terror, Ren Uchiha—who had been standing behind her—stepped forward. He grabbed her shoulder to shield her behind him, his face filled with a mock heroic righteousness.
"A real man always makes his entrance at the final moment. Leave this to me!"
"What did you say?" Mei looked at Ren in shock. Is he actually an expert? Has he been playing the pig to eat the tiger this whole time?
But she immediately remembered the scene not long ago where he was nearly beaten to death by three Jashin cultists. Her expression twisted, and she grabbed Ren by his waistband, trying to pull him back as she desperately wanted to kick him in the rear.
"Run, you idiot! You're no match for him!"
Ren merely flashed a disdainful smile. Internal thoughts: "You poor sweet summer child, you have no idea what it means to be a hero descending from the heavens."
At that thought, facing the churning, overwhelming mass of tentacles, Ren showed no fear. He whipped his hand up, revealing a bank passbook, and shouted with immense pride:
"I! HAVE! MONEY!"
Mei's breath hitched in horror.
Are you seriously trying to bribe a cold-blooded, ruthless, top-tier bounty hunter?! Don't you know a person like him earns more in one mission than you'll see in a lifetime? How could Kakuzu possibly care about your pocket change?! This is a joke!!
Mei wanted to shove Ren's head into his own lap to shut him up so she could carry him and bolt. However, as Ren's roar echoed...
SHOO—
Suddenly, the wind died down, the waves stilled, and a strange, eerie silence fell over the area.
The surging tentacles stopped abruptly, parting to reveal Kakuzu behind them. He stared fixedly at Ren with his ghostly green eyes. His tone gradually became restrained, even tinged with a hint of... eagerness. The corner of his mouth beneath the mask twitched visibly upward as he spoke in a low, cold voice:
"How much?"
Mei's breath hitched again. The air she was holding in nearly choked her to death. She stared at Kakuzu in total disbelief—her shock now surpassing the moment Ren had pulled out the bribe.
Mr. Kakuzu... where is your dignity as an S-Rank rogue and a Kage-level powerhouse? And are you seriously asking him how much he's offering?! Is there something wrong with these two, or is there something wrong with me?
Mei suddenly realized she didn't understand this world at all.
The oppressive atmosphere lightened instantly. Ren smirked and laughed heartily, never intending to reveal that he was actually broke—having spent his seven-figure savings on tools and explosive tags long ago. He was left with nothing but bandages and his underwear.
Instead, he adopted an arrogant, haughty expression, looking down on everything as he spoke to Kakuzu.
"Mr. Kakuzu... have you ever heard of the Gold Style: Super Rich Jutsu?"
At the words 'Gold' and 'Super Rich,' Kakuzu's eyes widened slightly. He asked impatiently, "What kind of Bloodline Limit is that?"
Ren smiled self-assuredly, speaking with a calm, dashing air.
"This 'Gold Style' is the powerful ability to pave one's path with wealth, solving ninety-nine percent of life's problems! As a member of the incredibly wealthy Uchiha clan, I have a fair bit of insight into it. Just last year, the clan allocated me a land deed in the core commercial district of Konoha, worth over a million. Now, all my money is in this passbook, including my real estate, shops, and various fixed assets."
"And you, my friend, Mr. Kakuzu..."
Ren raised the small green book between his fingers, a brilliant smile radiating from his face. "All of this... can be yours. You only need to grant me a path to live."
Gulp.
Kakuzu swallowed hard, his gaze locked onto the passbook in Ren's hand. He began to imagine exactly how much was inside. One million? No, real estate in Konoha's core district was worth at least three million. Adding in everything else the kid mentioned... eight million? Or maybe... ten million?!
Kakuzu's breathing grew heavy. "That... that sounds... quite reasonable."
Mei watched in dazed confusion. Is this kid actually the eldest son of the Uchiha, like Uchiha Itachi? No, the age doesn't fit... wait, could he be the secret love child of the Police Force Chief, Uchiha Fugaku?
However, before Mei could finish her thought—and the moment Kakuzu showed a lapse in his guard—Ren's gaze turned sharp. He twisted his body, putting all his strength into his waist!
Using his masterful 'Uchiha Style: Manipulated Shurikenjutsu,' he hurled the passbook behind Kakuzu with everything he had! The thin book streaked through the air like a blur of white light.
Without waiting to see if Kakuzu would chase after it, Ren spun around and scooped Mei up by her waist and knees in a princess carry. With a fierce glint in his eyes, he sprinted straight to the edge of the cliff and took a massive leap downward!