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JST Chapter 121: Root’s New Odd Couple
🕑 Added 2024-12-02 00:07:13 +0000 UTCKakuzu suppressed his confusion. Even if he fought with Hatake Sakumo, he was not sure of winning.
"What's wrong? Has the White Fang of Konoha come to hunt down this lowly bounty hunter?"
Kakuzu simply threw the money box on the ground and rolled up his sleeves. "It seems that you have been tracking me for a long time..."
Hatake Sakumo waved his hand. "No way, Kakuzu-senpai, I came here to be your partner."
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed. He had heard rumors about Sakumo being betrayed by his village. In fact, he had provided that information to Kazuki himself.
Has he become a Konoha defector?
A strange feeling flashed through Kakuzu's heart. Hatake Sakumo's story was actually very similar to his own...
Both were betrayed by the village's high-ranking officials.
"This is for you..."
Hatake Sakumo looked at Kakuzu's distrustful look, shook his head, took out a note from his backpack, and threw it to Kakuzu.
Kakuzu caught him with hands hardened by his Earth Release ninjutsu, still cautious.
It was an official order written by Kazuki, appointing him as the Finance Minister of the root department. It also included information about Sakumo and his incorporation into the group.
Kakuzu stared blankly at the contents of the note, and for a moment he was a little unresponsive.
Over a year ago, when Kazuki and Kakuzu first met, he was still an ordinary Genin, just beginning to get his hands dirty under Tsunade's supervision.
Now, somehow, he had become the leader of Root and was offering Kakuzu an official position in the organization.
Hatake Sakumo walked over slowly and stuffed a bunch of scrolls into Kakuzu's hands. "This is what Kazuki wants you to have. Take a look at them."
Although he was still wary, Kakuzu recognized Kazuki's handwriting and writing style. Gradually, his wariness lessened, and he began to read the scrolls.
As Kakuzu looked, his eyes gradually became dull.
In them, he found a collection of advanced techniques of the five elements, from the Fire Release of the Uchiha clan to the Water Release of Senju Tobirama, passing through rare and practical jutsu of Earth, Wind and Lightning.
Kazuki described these scrolls as rewards for his hard work and suggested in a boss's tone that he study hard and recharge, and not always use the same tricks, as it would damage the future image of Konoha Root.
It also included financial details of the Root, naming him responsible for all financial arrangements and budget allocations, with the only caveat being to ensure regular funding for the orphanage.
Finally, Kazuki talked about Hatake Sakumo's experience, hoping that Kakuzu could talk to Hatake Sakumo as a mentor and senpai, and the two could become good companions. At the end of the scroll, a formal letter of entry into the Root Organization was written, signed by Uchiha Kazuki.
"So, what do you say, Kakuzu-senpai?" Sakumo chuckled. "It's still quite strange to say that. Normally I'm the senpai in Konoha, but with your age, I'm afraid even Sarutobi Hiruzen will call you senpai..."
Hatake Sakumo handed a Konoha forehead protector to Kakuzu, motioning him to accept it.
Kakuzu held these scrolls, and the feeling in his heart was difficult to express in words.
The ninjutsu Kazuki gave him went far beyond the ryo he had sent him before.
Kakuzu saw at a glance that many of the ninjutsu, properties, and nature transformations of the Five Elements in these scrolls were priceless treasures, and even among shinobi clans, they were classics that could be kept as the bottom of the box...
"Why? You don't agree, Kakuzu-senpai?"
"Boy, stop looking at me with that dangerous look, I'm one of the founders of the new root!"
Kakuzu keenly noticed Hatake Sakumo's increasingly threatening eyes, took the Konoha forehead protector without hesitation, and said coldly: "Come with me, I'll take you to complete the first mission now."
Hatake Sakumo shrugged, this guy got into the state really quickly. "What mission..."
"Take you to have a heart-to-heart talk..."
Kakuzu patted Hatake Sakumo on the shoulder, a melancholic tone in his words as he spoke: "Kazuki probably told you? I was once assassinated by the leaders of my village, and I was even asked to assassinate the First Hokage..."
Hatake Sakumo nodded silently and laughed in his mind.
At that time, he also complained to Kazuki that Kakuzu's experience was more tragic and helpless than Sakumo's own.
While Danzo's methods were at least discreet, the Takigakure leaders had practically pushed Kakuzu to certain death, as if they wanted him to commit suicide himself.
Kakuzu and Sakumo walked side by side.
This is how the first meeting between the finance minister and the intelligence minister of Konoha's roots took place.
Even though the two men were not very talkative and came from completely different worlds, they soon discovered that they shared surprisingly similar experiences. As they chatted, the conversation became more pleasant. They even bought some sake and food to continue their conversation.
"Sakumo-kun, I tell you, let's work hard at the Root, this place is good!"
Kakuzu took a big sip of sake, chewing on the snacks, and exclaimed excitedly: "Trust me, you won't go wrong. I've met more people in the shinobi world than you've eaten salt. Kazuki will be the future of Konoha!"
Sakumo clinked his sake cup with Kakuzu's.
After hearing how Kakuzu had dealt with Takigakure, Sakumo couldn't help but feel deep admiration.
While he himself had chosen suicide to redeem himself, Kakuzu had taken a much more radical path: he had massacred the entire Takigakure leadership, stolen their secret technique, and deserted the village.
Although Takigakure's weakness was a determining factor, Sakumo had never even considered the possibility of resisting.
Comparing himself to Kakuzu, Sakumo felt he had a lot to learn.
"I know, senpai. If it weren't for Kazuki, my life would have ended long ago..."
The two of them clinked their sake cups again. What had started as a reserved conversation had turned into a friendly chat.
While Kakuzu and Sakumo were having a happy dinner.
In Konoha, at the Hokage Residence, Sarutobi Hiruzen was worried.
"Other shinobi villages have again sent their condemnations, and the daimyo is also urging the village to respond..."
Hiruzen let out a deep sigh. "It's complicated. Tsunade, what do you think?"
Tsunade frowned. If it weren't for Hiruzen insisting over and over again that Danzo would not return to power, and that this was for the sake of Kazuki's future, she would have already refused her position as assistant to the Hokage.
For Tsunade, that position had no value whatsoever. She was simply a secondary voice, an intermediary for the Hokage.
"Old man, things like war will not change because of your attitude..."
Tsunade shook her head. "If the other villages decide to invade Konoha, no amount of declarations will stop their greed."
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed.
How could he not know?
But the problem was that if he responded with a pacifist attitude and Konoha lost the war, he could at least reduce his responsibility by claiming that he tried to avoid the conflict.
However, if he responded firmly and they lost, all the blame would fall on him as Hokage.
Meanwhile, Koharu and Homura exchanged glances before suggesting: "Hiruzen, why don't we rehabilitate Danzo? Tsunade lacks the experience needed to handle a war."
Sarutobi Hiruzen had notified that the leader of the Root had become Kazuki, which made Koharu and Homura very dissatisfied.
For them, if Hiruzen was able to remove Danzo, what prevented him from removing them as advisors?
This made them feel very insecure.
Tsunade snorted coldly and looked at them dangerously.
Before she could respond, Hiruzen was firmer than expected, declaring seriously: "Koharu, Homura, don't mention Danzo again in these meetings. That topic is closed."
They were both stunned. It was rare to see Hiruzen so determined.
Even Tsunade, surprised, looked at him curiously.
What she didn't know was that although Hiruzen was reluctant to lose Danzo, who could take the blame for him, he didn't dare disobey Tobirama's order...
"I'll leave this matter to Kazuki and Tsunade."
Hiruzen exhaled deeply before concluding: "Tsunade, you are now the Hokage's assistant. Kazuki leads the root. You will represent Konoha's position in negotiations with the other four great shinobi villages."
"Old man, you are the Hokage!"
Tsunade said dissatisfiedly: “I don’t agree with you making Kazuki the leader of the Root. He’s just a simple genin of Konoha and you already want him to bear the darkness of the village?”
“I can understand that you have high expectations of him, but the speed at which you are promoting him... is simply excessive.”
Hiruzen smiled bitterly. Kazuki is certainly not suitable to bear the darkness of the village.
But the deepest darkness in the history of Konoha is in his body, and the environment of the root is needed to erode Kazuki.
What can Sarutobi Hiruzen do?
He was just a poor Third Hokage, unable to resist the Second Hokage's orders.
