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JST Chapter 62: A Deal with Kakuzu
🕑 Added 2024-09-30 01:13:35 +0000 UTCAs Madara fell into self-pitying silence and Tobirama eagerly searched the void for enemies...
Kazuki was very realistic. He ignored the two old men who couldn't explode gold coins for the time being. He slowly walked to Kakuzu's side and looked at his broken body.
It was a pitiful scene.
Two of his hearts had been pierced by Kazuki's sword attacks, one had exploded by his own ninjutsu, and the last had been pierced by the water dragon.
Only a half-shattered heart remained, barely keeping Kakuzu alive.
"Kill me..." Kakuzu said in a neutral voice as he lay on the wet ground. "After so many years in the shinobi world, it's time for me to leave this place."
"It's not unfair for me to die at the hands of a kid with such talent as you."
Kazuki looked at him silently, feeling a slight hint of respect.
Even though he had defeated Kakuzu using Tobirama's power, the old man didn't seem to be particularly shaken. In fact, he didn't even flinch as much as when Kazuki had mocked his fight with Hashirama.
Shinobi are strange like that. Only the things in the deepest part of their hearts can affect their emotions, especially old monsters like Kakuzu.
"You are a ninja from Takigakure?"
Kazuki took Kakuzu's forehead protector. There was a waterfall pattern on it and a mark carved by force...
"What? You have been a bounty hunter for so long, and you still wear the forehead protector of the village?"
"Kid, if you want to kill me, just do it. Don't ask these boring questions."
Kakuzu lay flat on the ground and reluctantly pointed at the last heart. "Be ruthless and give me a quick death."
"A body like yours will be more valuable as a living research material..."
Kazuki slowly sat down beside Kakuzu and said with a faint smile: "For example, seal you up, keep you alive, and then slowly study the black lines in your body..."
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed.
Although he was not afraid of death, if he fell into that situation, as a strong man with dignity, it would be much worse than death!
Just when he wanted to say something to anger Kazuki and exchange for a dignified death.
Kazuki laughed and shook his head. "I said, I won this battle unfairly, so I will not treat you like that, but give you a decent death."
"But, in return..."
Kazuki raised a finger and said with a smile: "A small thing... I want you to do a small thing for me."
Kakuzu was silent. What else could he accomplish in this state? But he still nodded. "Tell me, kid."
"I am a person who loves to listen to stories. I want to know why you betrayed Takigakure, and why you have such strength, but are so obsessed with money?"
Kazuki sighed and said slowly: “Forgive my presumption, but I am really curious. Can a ninja with the power of a Kage satisfy his needs with money? And why would a ninja who betrayed the village decades ago still wear the village's forehead protector…”
Kakuzu turned his head away. This is the story he buried in his heart. Telling Kazuki about this is not much different from being tortured.
“I want to hear this because you are a respectable opponent…” Kazuki's voice seemed to be magical and captivating. "I promise you, this will be a secret. I swear on the honor of the Uchiha Clan that only I will know."
Kakuzu struggled for a moment but nodded resignedly and told his story. "I was originally a jonin in Takigakure. At that time, I was still very young, and I liked that place..."
"But one day, I was ordered by the higher-ups to assassinate Senju Hashirama. At that time, I didn't know what kind of person he was. With his tolerance and mercy, I had a chance to escape, but I was locked up by the higher-ups and sentenced to death..."
"The ninja who risked his life for the village was treated cruelly... From then on, I knew that they just wanted to kill me, so I escaped from prison, seized the village's secret technique, and killed all the higher-ups..."
"During that time... During that time, none of my former friends stood up for me, but I don’t want to blame them. There has never been anything real in this shinobi world. Everything is fake. "
Kakuzu's voice became deeper and deeper, as if he had entered a state of last moments, and the emotion in his tone became stronger. "After becoming a bounty hunter, I gradually discovered the beauty of money..."
"In this fake world, only money is the most real. Compared to those false promises and fetters, money can always be exchanged for the same amount of goods!"
Kazuki listened to Kakuzu's story silently and pondered.
Kakuzu's experience reminded Kazuki of Hatake Sakumo.
However, compared to Hatake Sakumo who committed suicide, Kakuzu is strong-willed and irritable...
"Why, you don't think I'm a good person, do you?" Kakuzu grinned. "Don't be disgusting, I don't need your pity!"
Kazuki shook his head slowly. "I don't care whether you are a good person or a bad person..."
"But I really don't want to kill you."
Kazuki looked down at Kakuzu and said softly: "Let's do this, tell me where you keep your money and work for me for ten years. Consider that the price of your life, how about that?"
Kakuzu sneered. Sure enough, no matter how strong the kid is, he is still a kid, and he can say such poor words.
It's even more immature than Tsunade!
In Kakuzu's opinion, Kazuki has no reason not to kill him. This is just a routine used to squeeze out the last bit of his value before he dies. As long as he said it, Muramasa's blade would immediately pierce his heart.
But in order to seek death, Kakuzu casually said a place where the gold was hidden, and then waited for his death peacefully.
But to Kakuzu's surprise, Kazuki did not make a move but walked away.
After a while, Kazuki brought the body of a bandit and put it in front of him. "Although it may not meet your requirements, you can still use it for the time being, after all, the situation is urgent."
Kakuzu was stunned. What does this mean? Are you really not going to kill him?
"Kid, do you know what you are doing..." Kakuzu's eyes were cold. "Are you going to humiliate me?"
Kazuki smiled helplessly and flicked the Takigakure forehead protector in his hand. "Do you really think I'm like the higher-ups of Takigakure?"
Kazuki looked directly at Kakuzu, with clear sincerity in his eyes. "I'm not playing with fire, nor am I unleashing a dangerous enemy... I'm reflecting on what you said: Is there really nothing real about this world?"
"The current situation is that you want to kill me, but now the condition for me to forgive you is just to work for me for ten years. My condition is not excessive, right?"
Kazuki looked directly at Kakuzu and said slowly: "If you think this world is still real, then you should keep your words..."
"If after today you repent, I have no problem having you as an enemy. But I will have confirmed the falsehood of the world, and that would be enough for me."
Kakuzu's heart trembled. Did this strange Uchiha kid really listen to his story?
"Don't dawdle, Kakuzu, tell me about your choice like a man." Kazuki looked down at Kakuzu and said irritably: "Your dawdling makes me feel the fakeness of the world..."
Kakuzu remained silent for a long moment before slowly answering: "The contract is established. But only for ten years, I will only work for you for ten years."
Kazuki nodded, looked at him with disdain, picked out the bandit's heart neatly, and stuffed it into Kakuzu's back. "Okay, go, I will contact you when I need you."
Kakuzu's body shook as the black lines absorbed the vitality of the new heart, allowing him to barely recover from his near-death state.
Kakuzu slowly stood up and stared at Kazuki without hesitation, as if trying to see his true intention. "Don't you want money? Tell me, how can I give you the money I saved..."
Kazuki waved his hand. "Save it for me first. When I need it, I'll go to the Bounty Station to post a notice, and you'll know."
"Go, see you again in the future, my first worker."
"Little devil..." Kakuzu snorted coldly, but didn't know what to refute. He is really Kazuki's worker, and he still owes a ten-year death contract, and his deposit has been cleared by him...
Kakuzu stood up and walked slowly out of the valley. With his experience, he knew that the best thing was to escape as soon as possible.
But his steps were slow, as if he was waiting for Muramasa to pierce his chest again and for Kazuki to burst out laughing, using his pride as part of a macabre game of cat and mouse...
This was not that Kakuzu had paranoia, but that many shinobi were twisted in their hearts.
However, that death never came. When he reached the exit of the valley, he couldn't help but look back.
Kakuzu sat on the ground to rest, and noticed his gaze, and even waved goodbye to him.
"Tsk... What a boring kid, ten years later, I will find a way to kill you again..."
Kakuzu was angry in his heart, but still waved awkwardly at Kazuki.
[From the target Kakuzu: You get Earth Grudge Fear (Chakra Mimicry)!]
[Earth Grudge Fear (Chakra Mimicry): Your chakra can perform Earth Grudge Fear Mimicry, which can absorb the vitality and chakra of others, and perform complex surgical operations.]
"You don't seem to be that sincere, Kakuzu-san."
Listening to the pleasant electronic sound, Kazuki smiled and said to himself: "I wonder how long it will take for Asuma and Tsunade to get back?"
"Hmm, maybe I should not heal yet. The wounds add a more shocking touch to the scene..."
