Kakuzu

Naruto was surprised by Orochimaru's sudden retreat. He didn't realize his teasing could have such an effect on the older man. Black Zetsu, on the other hand, was clueless about Orochimaru's true form and didn't understand the dynamics between men and women.

The two of them watched as Orochimaru, who had been imposing just moments ago, fled in a hurry. Black Zetsu, now seemingly taking Naruto as the leader, approached him to inquire about their next move.

Naruto considered their options and asked about any news from White Zetsu. He had plans to find Kakuzu first, as the man was crucial for financial matters. Unable to rely on Kakuzu's wealth at Carduo at the moment, Naruto was prepared to make money on his own, but preferred not to do the dirty work himself.

Moreover, Naruto suspected that Itachi might be investigating the Cloud Village's movements. He didn't want to disturb Itachi, nor did he want to see Konoha Village destroyed because of him. If Cloud Village were to cause trouble, he would retaliate with Kurama's Tailed Beast Bomb.

Following Naruto's instructions, Black Zetsu began communicating with White Zetsu in their unique way. To their surprise, White Zetsu had located Kakuzu.

Kakuzu had been making money in nearby countries, unable to accept legitimate tasks as a traitor. He resorted to underground exchanges, often involving assassination missions for rewards. Many countries used such exchanges to reward strong individuals from rival nations, preventing potential disputes and wars.

Black Zetsu informed Naruto of this development, prompting Naruto to agree to go with him.

The pace of their journey was brisk, and the distance short, allowing them to rendezvous with White Zetsu in the afternoon.

Located near the border of the Land of Fire, they found White Zetsu waiting in a forest.

"Welcome," White Zetsu greeted them, gesturing ahead. "He's over there, working."

With that, the recombined White Zetsu and Black Zetsu surged forward, guiding Naruto.

However, Naruto hesitated, watching with a mix of fascination and revulsion as they melded into their distinct black and white halves once more. Did they not find it unsettling?

Shaking off his discomfort, Naruto followed suit.

As they approached their target, the sounds of battle erupted suddenly.

Kakuzu's occupation revolved around dispatching individuals for profit, exchanging heads for rewards. Hence, encountering a conflict was not unusual.

Indeed, as Naruto breached a cloud of dust and smoke, he found Kakuzu standing amidst a clearing, looking somewhat disheveled, surrounded by several lifeless bodies. Their identities remained obscured, but one could discern peculiar black threads stitched across their torsos, indicative of extensive surgical alterations.

These threads now replaced Kakuzu's blood vessels, morphing into inky tentacles that granted him extended longevity by assimilating the hearts of others.

In acquiring hearts from slain ninja, Kakuzu could also inherit their unique abilities and attributes, even fashioning them into clones to aid in combat—a formidable and vexing skill indeed.

It was triggered by a certain secret treasure he acquired during the defection from Hidden Waterfall Village. Incorporating this secret treasure into his own techniques seemed to be a source of conflict.

Upon Naruto and Black Zetsu, White Zetsu's sudden intrusion, Kakuzu promptly noticed them. He released the only survivor from his grasp and leaped away.

"Who are you?" Kakuzu questioned. "Why are you interrupting my work? Are you here to steal my trophies?"

He refrained from calling it a task, acknowledging his status as a traitor made it clear this wasn't an ordinary mission.

Naruto, still masked, observed the wary Kakuzu and adopted a deliberately profound tone. "Undead Ninja Kakuzu, I'm here to invite you to join Akatsuki. Come with us."

"Huh, Akatsuki? I've never heard of it," Kakuzu responded with a disdainful snort.

The Akatsuki organization was indeed shrouded in mystery, even eluding investigation by Jiraiya before its formal activities began.

White Zetsu casually added, "It's an organization dedicated to creating genuine peace."

Naruto shot a sideways glance at White Zetsu. Despite being unaware of Black Zetsu's origin and secret plans, White Zetsu seemed to know about Uchiha Madara's scheme.

Can you really trust that explanation?

Regardless of White Zetsu's beliefs, Kakuzu clearly wasn't buying it. He snorted again, asserting, "That kind of organization is fine, but it's not my concern. I only trust money now."

Earlier, I mentioned Kakuzu's background. After risking his life to assassinate the First Hokage for the village, he faced punishment and disgrace upon his return, prompting him to defect and take valuable village secrets with him. Since then, his sole allegiance has been to money.

Strangely, despite Kakuzu's love for making money, he doesn't seem to enjoy spending it, leaving many puzzled about what he does with his wealth. This might explain how Konan could afford 600 billion exploding tags.

One piece costs 10,000 taels, so how much did that cost?

"Since you enjoy making money, why not join us as our financial officer? You can handle making money, and I'll handle spending it," Naruto said unabashedly.

Kakuzu, unable to see Naruto's face behind the mask, questioned, "Why should I make money for you?"

"It seems you're not convinced. Then let's fight until you are," Naruto snorted. Strength speaks volumes. He moved forward without further ado.

.....

Want to read more exciting chapters, then join my Patreon right now and get access to 30+ premium chapters.

Free members get 2+ advanced chapters for free.

JOIN NOW

Link: pa#treon.com/KittyLovesMilk (Remove the #)