CH - 87 Kakuzu

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"Hey, little girl, why are you causing such a commotion? Worried that I, your esteemed Kakuzu-sama, might have slipped by the observation of those Grass Village ninjas?" Konan's words had barely faded when a deep voice resonated through the air.

In no time, a man with small, pea-like eyes appeared before Konan. Clad in a tightly-fitted black trench coat that reached up to his chin, he regarded her with a composed demeanor and remarked, "While Grass Village may be relatively small, I must admit that their intelligence-gathering abilities are rather noteworthy."

Konan wasn't particularly taken with his tone and attitude. With her hands on her hips, she inflated her cheeks and countered, "That's not true! Grass Village is strong and capable!"

Her initial encounter with Kakuzu on this mountain hadn't been the most pleasant. She had been engrossed in practicing her ninjutsu when she was abruptly interrupted by a deep voice stating, "Too Weak! Such ninjutsu won't even kill a fly." Caught off guard, she had spun around to find an unfamiliar man standing behind her. In that moment, she had been genuinely startled, even suspecting that he might be a spy from another village. She had even been on the verge of alerting the guards. However, the man had gone on to critique her ninjutsu as inadequate.

In order to avoid raising the enemy's suspicions, she refrained from saying much and instead opted to nod and smile in compliance. As it turned out, this uncle wasn't as bad as she initially thought, and they ended up spending the afternoon together. Despite his frugal habits, he displayed a wealth of knowledge. He preferred to live outdoors to save money, and even in times of hunger, he would rather chew on tree bark than spend on food.

In the subsequent days, she observed that although he appeared irritated whenever she inquired about ninjutsu, he would readily provide instruction if she offered food in return. And if she sweetened the deal with an extra hundred or two ryo, he would display remarkable patience and offer detailed guidance. As long as you had money to spare, he proved to be quite an effective teacher.

Eventually, she discreetly confided in Akihiko-Sensei about her interactions with Kakuzu. His reaction was peculiar, and he merely uttered, "Stay cautious," without delving into further discussion. From his response, Konan inferred that Akihiko-Sensei probably had some knowledge about Kakuzu, though he didn't seem intent on capturing this uncle who had infiltrated their village. Instead, he issued a warning to her, indicating that while this peculiar uncle might be potentially dangerous, he posed no immediate harm to her.

Gradually, their interactions became routine. She would visit Kakuzu to provide meals, inquire about ninjutsu, and learn about business from him. He was knowledgeable and adept at business, although stingy. He would seize opportunities to deal without spending money, his eyes gleaming with interest at the prospect of profit. He also had a tendency to boast.

He would often recount tales of fighting the god of the ninja world, asserting that he came here in the first place only to collect a debt of ten million ryo. Supposedly, he wouldn't have bothered with such a small village otherwise, referring to Grass Village as the Village of Swindlers.

Konan reached into her ninja tool pouch, retrieving the lunch she had brought here. With a sense of pride, she presented the meal, her words laden with conviction, "There's truly no other place in the entire ninja world quite like this, Doubt it? Take a look at this. This is what I've brought from the factory. All the workers can enjoy this. Tell me, where else can you find such an exceptional haven?"

A wry chuckle escaped Kakuzu's lips, though his actions contradicted his demeanor. His hand moved to seize the offered meal, and he nonchalantly took a bite, all while casting a sidelong glance at Konan.

Upon their initial meeting, he had been genuinely taken aback by her practice on this mountain. Her prowess exceeded that of her peers, rivaling even the strength of seasoned Jonin-level ninja. Her unique paper-based techniques had further intrigued him. Whether out of recognition of her potential or due to their shared affinity for money matters, he occasionally extended more guidance than he typically would.

He remarked, "It's passable. Grass Village's ability to retain its tranquility amidst the current chaos in the ninja world is undoubtedly speaks about the Grass Village leader's capabilities. Nevertheless, the streets are excessively clean, and that's something I personally despise."

The idea of clean streets causing annoyance perplexed Konan, she couldn't quite grasp his point. But her curiosity was interrupted as Kakuzu interjected, "Given today's unusually generous meal, feel free to voice your thoughts. Despite your yong age, you seem to thinking something heavy."

Konan responded with a playful sticking out of her tongue before her demeanor turned solemn. Seating herself, she heaved a sigh and confided, "Kakuzu-Senpai, Grass Village is preparing for war."

Kakuzu's eyelids flickered ever so slightly at her revelation, yet he didn't offer an immediate reply. Instead, he resumed his meal, sipped his tea, and then spoke with an air of calmness, "Is that so? War, you say? Hmph, Which country would be foolish enough to initiate conflict with the Land of Grass? Don't they possess any foresight?"

"The Land of Grass is already a formidable force," Kakuzu continued, recalling the rumors circulating. He then inquired, "Is it the Rain Village?"

"...Indeed, you're right," Konan confirmed, not surprised that Kakuzu was aware of the situation.

"So, it's that half-wit demigod of the ninja world who lacks foresight. Expected, really. Even I don't dare label myself a demi-god after tangling with the true God of the Ninja World." Kakuzu sneered at the title 'demigod'. Only someone from the era of the First Hokage would know the true terror of the God of the Ninja World, otherwise, he wouldn't hastily flee after launching a shuriken from 800 meters.

With a contemplative pause, he continued, "What do you want to convey to me, little girl? War? Is that meant to be surprising? Is your Grass Ninja Village truly contemplating sitting idly by while the Five Great Ninja Villages tear into each other? That's an absurd notion! In the Ninja World, no village can remain aloof in the midst of chaos."

"That's not my intention," Konan responded, shaking her head. She was well aware that Grass Village couldn't afford to remain passive amidst the ongoing conflicts.

"What then? What do you mean?" Kakuzu inquired, raising an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you expect me to intervene? Let me clarify, little girl, the idea that I would act in exchange for a meal is quite amusing. Know that my services come at a high price," He emphasized this with a rubbing of his fingers, implying a demand for payment.

Konan chuckled and shook her head, clarifying, "Not at all, It's just that I'll be rather occupied for a while, so I might not be able to bring you meals, Kakuzu-senpai."

As her words sank in, Kakuzu's hand, midway toward his meal, paused abruptly. No more free meals? How was he going to save on food expenses now?

Setting down the emptied lunchbox, Kakuzu's gaze intensified, a more focused expression overtaking him. Approaching Konan with a steady demeanor, he addressed her with his customary calmness, "The Land of Rain has indeed crossed a line."

…

"They've crossed the line! They've truly overstepped their bounds this time!" A deep, hoarse voice reverberated throughout The Land of Rain.

Sanshōuo no Hanzō, his eyes flaring with fury as he studied the intelligence in his possession, was so incensed that even his poisonous mask seemed as though it might shatter from the intensity of his anger.

The report detailed Kusagakure's declaration of war in response to Amegakure's initiation of hostilities. Who in their right mind would believe such an absurd scenario? And more importantly, what motivation could drive this inexplicable desire for war?

The Land of Rain was currently ensnared in turmoil. Sandwiched between three major nations, the constant influx and departure of ninja from the three powerful villages perpetuated the chaos in the region. Furthermore, remnants of the aftermath of the Second Great Ninja War still marred the landscape, left unresolved.

With what resources would they wage war? Even the so-called Demi-God of the ninja world wouldn't be able to withstand such a daunting challenge on his own.

For Hanzō, his aspiration was simple: wait for the conflict to subside and seize the opportunity to engage in negotiations with the Five Great Ninja Villages, thereby forging a peace treaty. He yearned to explore the possibility of shielding the Land of Rain from becoming a battleground for the warring Great Nations.

Amegakure was neither inclined nor equipped to enter into battle. Despite the threats posed by that small Grass Village during the Second War and the recent disruption caused by the trio of young troublemakers who had ventured into the Rain Country to abduct people, Amegakure had opted to turn a blind eye to these provocations. Yet now, this so-called Swindler's Village had the audacity to level accusations against Amegakure?

Where was their sense of honor? Ah, right—perhaps they possessed none, Hanzō's countenance grew even more somber, his aura radiating a tightly restrained fury that seemed to envelop his entire being. The intensity of his anger was such that he yearned to dismantle the very foundation of Grass Village.

At this moment, the other Rain Shinobi present were equally consumed by anger, overwhelmed by a sense of injustice. However, witnessing their leader's intense wrath, they hesitated to voice their sentiments. Their expressions were taut with indignation and fury, awaiting their leader's command to unleash the wrath of Rain Ninja Village upon these Grass Ninjas.

At that moment, a Rain Ninja hurriedly burst into the scene, his voice laden with urgency, "Hanzo-Sama!"

Hanzo inhaled deeply, attempting to regain his composure, and turned his gaze to the newcomer. His words carried an air of calmness tinged with restrained anger, "What's the matter? Why the hurry?" His tone dripped with a cold snort, "Has Grass Ninja Village launched an attack?"

"Um... Hanzo-Sama, Grass Ninja Village hasn't initiated any attack. It's just that..." The Rain Shinobi responded, briefly pausing.

"Just what? Spit it out!" Hanzo's impatience was evident as he urged the ninja, his anger simmering beneath the surface.

"Their leader has arrived and seeks an audience with you." Despite the weight of the Demi-God of the ninja world bearing down on him, the Rain Shinobi's voice trembled slightly, but he pressed on, "They claim that they have a substantial business proposal and wish to establish a collaboration with Rain Ninja Village."

As the news settled in, a collective sense of disbelief washed over those in attendance. How Could these guys even have the audacity to appear at Amegakure? A business proposition? What ludicrous notion of business could they be presenting? This had surely crossed the line.

"Do you think we would entertain the notion of cooperation?" Hanzō's lips curled into a cold, disdainful sneer as he mulled over the idea. His voice dripped with contempt as he continued, "Even if Amegakure were razed to the ground, even if a single ninja were left standing, we would never stoop so low to join forces with those backstabbers!"

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