Chapter 280 : Revolutionary Party?

"Wait, you want me to tell you why?" Kazuhiko looked up at Kakuzu with a puzzled expression.

"You've been hanging around for a while now. Are you expecting me to explain everything to you? What, you think it's because I'm some sort of mind reader and can instantly understand what people are thinking?" He said with a smirk.

"Just get to the point. I don't have time for this." 

Kakuzu rolled his eyes at Kazuhiko's joke.

To be honest, Kazuhiko wasn't always this relaxed. When he spoke to the other clan elders or the citizens of the Land of Red, there was a certain formality, an air of authority he had to maintain. 

Maybe it was because they held him in such high regard, almost like a God, that they treated him with such reverence, lowering themselves subconsciously during conversations. 

This meant he had to keep up the image of a leader, always projecting confidence.

But with Kakuzu, it was different. There was no pretense, no need for grand gestures or authoritative speeches. Despite their hierarchical relationship, talking with Kakuzu felt more like chatting with a friend. 

The atmosphere was natural and relaxed, and Kazuhiko appreciated that he didn't have to put on a face all the time.

Recently, even the younger members of his clan, like the chubby Uzumaki kid who usually followed him around, started treating him with a reverence that felt a bit uncomfortable. 

It wasn't that they disliked him; it was just that they saw him as something akin to a god. After all, Kazuhiko had achieved remarkable feats, which led people to deify him in their hearts.

Kazuhiko understood that this was a necessary part of his role. He needed to be a symbol, a beacon of hope for the Land of Red, to inspire confidence in the people. 

Yet, he also came to understand the saying "It's lonely at the top." It was clear why emperors in ancient times were often described as isolated and distant.

Kakuzu, however, was a different story. He didn't deify Kazuhiko. Their conversations were easy, free from formalities. Maybe it was because Kakuzu was older and had seen a lot in his life, or maybe it was because he'd tried to assassinate the First Hokage—either way, he didn't see anyone as invincible. 

It could also be that Kakuzu valued money above everything else. To him, no one was beyond reproach if they interfered with business. 

As a result, Kakuzu didn't put anyone on a pedestal, not even Kazuhiko. This meant their conversations were always genuine, allowing them to talk about anything without feeling pressured to uphold any grand images.

In Kakuzu's eyes, Kazuhiko was just a regular person with emotions, joys, and sorrows. And for Kazuhiko, this natural approach to conversation was a breath of fresh air.

Kazuhiko appreciated talking with Kakuzu; their conversations had a unique atmosphere. He knew that these exchanges would become rarer as time went on, especially after he successfully unified the ninja world and established a singular regime. 

With such changes, genuine dialogues would become even less frequent.

Kakuzu looked at Kazuhiko with focused eyes, and in a calm voice, he asked, "What's your reason for doing all this?"

Kazuhiko understood Kakuzu's question, which was about his reasons for founding the Land of Red.

This reason was completely different from the political systems of any other country in the ninja world.

As Kakuzu's question lingered in the air, Kazuhiko felt a sense of seriousness. Finally, someone asked him about his motives. 

Even the elders of the Uzumaki clan, who had absolute trust in him and followed his orders without question, never asked him why he was doing what he was doing. 

They had witnessed his many miracles and had complete faith in him. However, Kazuhiko had been hoping that someone would eventually ask him the reason behind his actions.

The one who asked this question had to harbor doubts about the existing system of "one country, one village" in the ninja world. Yet, Kazuhiko never expected that Kakuzu would be the first to bring it up.

Kazuhiko took a deep breath and replied with conviction, "Peace in the ninja world!"

He met Kakuzu's gaze and spoke passionately. "This world has long been ill. I want to heal it!"

He explained that the existing system, created by the First Hokage, was incapable of achieving this goal. The setup of one country with one ninja village would only lead to perpetual wars among the major countries.

"The ninja wars that erupted after the First Hokage's death demonstrate the failure of his approach. This system will only continue to create more wars, leading to the second ninja war, the third, and eventually the fourth!"

"Since the First Hokage's way is flawed, I'm determined to create a new path!"

"I don't know if this path is right or wrong, but now that the First Hokage's way has failed, I won't follow it any further!"

"So, for the sake of peace in the ninja world, I've created a new system, one that's different from any of the existing countries. It's a whole new way forward!"

Kakuzu was taken aback. He'd had his suspicions, but hearing Kazuhiko say it so openly left him momentarily speechless.

After a long silence, Kakuzu looked at Kazuhiko, his mind racing with thoughts.

"Is this the new god of the ninja world?" he wondered. "The First Hokage built the ninja village system to bring peace, but if that has failed, then I can see why he'd create his own new path!"

Once he managed to calm his racing thoughts, Kakuzu asked, "Does anyone else know about this new path?"

"Of course," replied Kazuhiko. "Someone else has already joined me on this journey!"

Kakuzu nodded without pressing for more details. Whoever this other person was, they were bound to be important.

"Can I join?" he asked.

"Of course."

"Great," Kakuzu replied before turning to leave Kazuhiko's office.

Just as he was about to close the door, he heard Kazuhiko's voice again. "By the way, those of us on this new path? We're calling ourselves the Revolutionary Party."

As Kakuzu stepped out into the darkening evening, he muttered to himself, "Revolutionary Party, huh? I like the sound of that..."