The Kaguya clan's territory was easy enough to find.
It was on the very edge of Kirigakure, far from the village center.
If you compared it to Konoha, its position would be about the same as where the Uchiha were forcibly relocated by Danzo after the Nine-Tails' attack.
No wonder the Kaguya clan launched a rebellion in the original story—was it because they, too, suffered discrimination?
Wait, why did I use "too" there?
Anyway, since Kirigakure's policies were gradually loosening, the Kaguya clan had no plans for rebellion at the moment.
Casually grabbing a Kaguya clansman who was urinating in the wild, Takeshi easily obtained the location where Kimimaro was imprisoned—thanks to Kakuzu's terrifying interrogation methods.
No rebellion meant the village had no use for Kimimaro, and if they didn't need him, then it meant Takeshi could easily win over his heart.
Yep, the advantage was mine.
Leaving behind an ice clone to protect Haku, Takeshi prepared to head to the dungeon himself and use his "mouth ninjutsu" to persuade Kimimaro to become Danzo's second illegitimate son.
Once the Kaguya ninja was no longer useful, Kakuzu didn't hesitate—he disposed of him out of Haku's sight, a practical demonstration of the dangers of relieving yourself anywhere.
"You go look for the Kaguya clan's secret techniques and documents. I'll go to the dungeon to find him."
Takeshi unceremoniously assigned Kakuzu his task.
"Why aren't you the one looking for the documents?"
Kakuzu was clearly displeased. He was good at finding money, sure—but finding information wasn't exactly his specialty.
"You think that face of yours could convince the kid?"
Takeshi bluntly stated the truth.
Kakuzu glanced at Takeshi's face, then reached up to touch his own mask, feeling the coarse texture and faintly raised stitching underneath. He had to admit—Takeshi had a point.
Still… clans with such ancient traditions as the Kaguya surely kept a fair amount of gold and jewels at home, right?
If he took a few along with the documents, they probably wouldn't mind too much…
Decision made, Kakuzu accepted Takeshi's task without complaint.
...
Whether the Kaguya were careless or simply overconfident, the dungeon holding Kimimaro had only two guards posted at the entrance.
A Flying Thunder God kunai whistled through the air, landing between the two. In the instant it struck, Takeshi activated the technique, appearing in a flash and driving senbon into both their necks.
The sudden attack left the two with no time to form a bone defense—their eyes rolled back as they collapsed to the ground.
The noise outside didn't draw Kimimaro's attention. He sat in his usual spot in the corner of his cell, knees drawn up, head buried in his arms.
With a flick of a wind blade, Takeshi severed the chain on the cell door. The instant the iron hit the floor, Kimimaro lifted his head.
A stranger.
Kimimaro looked curious, but showed no other reaction.
"First time meeting you, my long-lost brother."
Takeshi's opening line was so awkward even he felt a little nervous saying it.
"Brother?"
Kimimaro eyed him up and down, tilting his head as if muttering to himself.
"Yeah. We're both sons of Shimura Danzo. You're not really a Kaguya—you're a Shimura."
Takeshi lied without so much as blinking.
"Shimura?" Kimimaro repeated the surname.
"Mm. Shimura. I'm Shimura Takeshi. Outside there's your second brother, Shimura Haku. You're our third brother—Shimura Kimimaro."
Sorry, old man—for Konoha's future, I'll have to sacrifice your reputation a little.
Then again, you didn't really have much of a reputation to begin with.
Recalling his father's universally despised name, the faint twinge of guilt Takeshi had felt vanished without a trace.
"Alright, let's go. We're going home."
"Home?"
At the sight of Takeshi's outstretched hand, a faint ripple stirred in Kimimaro's otherwise calm eyes.
Uh-oh… why does this kid sound like a sentient tape recorder?
As Kimimaro kept repeating words back at him, Takeshi began to wonder if he had the wrong person.
Just when he thought his "mouth ninjutsu" had failed and he'd have to use force, a sudden warmth in his hand told him Kimimaro had made his choice.
Kimimaro agreed to go with him. From that moment, there was no longer a Kaguya Kimimaro in the ninja world—only Shimura Danzo's illegitimate son, Shimura Kimimaro.
...
The moment they stepped out of the cave, a deafening explosion shook the Kaguya compound.
Thick black smoke rose from the clan's center, with the faint sounds of battle echoing through it.
"Seems like Kakuzu went a bit overboard."
Without the slightest intention of helping, Takeshi held onto Kimimaro and headed for where Haku was hiding. Dispelling the ice clone, he gathered the two boys and set out for their planned destination.
Kakuzu was left to fight alone in the Kaguya compound.
...
"There's a guy at home named Yamato—he's my underling. If you ever need furniture or anything like that, just ask him to make it."
In the abandoned temple they now occupied, Takeshi was repeating the same speech he had once given to Haku.
Kimimaro nodded along, though his gaze kept drifting toward Haku in the distance.
Strangely enough… they really did seem alike.
Comparing Takeshi and Haku's appearances, Kimimaro felt that Haku truly could be one of Danzo's illegitimate children.
Completely unaware of how much this line of thought would draw Danzo's hatred, Kimimaro didn't bother with such details.
After all—someone needed him, and that was enough.
Haku felt the same.
If Takeshi had mind-reading jutsu, he would've loudly lamented the lack of proper education for the children of the Land of Water.
They were way too easy to manipulate.
...
Takeshi: "Isobu, see? I told you I'd bring you two cute boys. I didn't lie, did I?!"
Isobu: "They are cute. If I could, I'd make them both jinchūriki right now and toss you aside."
Takeshi: "Huh? Isobu, that's pretty ungrateful. What's so bad about staying with me?!"
Isobu: "...You tell me."
Scratching at his head with a claw, Isobu ignored Takeshi and focused entirely on Haku and Kimimaro.
...
After about half an hour of introductions, Kakuzu finally arrived.
The black coat he'd worn when leaving the Land of Fire was gone—likely discarded during the earlier fight.
"What, were the enemies tough?"
Takeshi eyed the four storage boxes Kakuzu carried, wondering how he'd kept them intact through a battle.
"Hmph. Those bones… almost harder than my Earth Spear."
(T/N: Earth Spear. The user flows earth-natured chakra through all or parts of their body, causing it to become noticeably darker, all while increasing their defensive power to become as hard as diamond.)
Casually tossing one of the boxes to Takeshi, Kakuzu carefully set the other three down and opened them, revealing stacks upon stacks of cash inside.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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