The next morning, a subtle atmosphere filled the Ninja Academy classroom.
Iruka-sensei stood at the podium, his eyes clearly a bit red and swollen, and his voice was much gentler than usual. When Choji secretly stuffed a potato chip into his mouth, to everyone's surprise, Iruka just sighed softly. "This is the last time. I'll give it back to you after class." This uncharacteristic reaction left the entire class stunned.
"Why is sensei so nice today?"
"Could he be sick?"
The students whispered among themselves. Only Naruto, Satsuki, and the few others who had been at the birthday party last night knew what was going on.
In class, Iruka began to explain the basic "Three Academy Techniques"—the Transformation Jutsu, the Substitution Jutsu, and the Clone Jutsu. For ordinary students, these were required courses that needed to be studied seriously.
"Boring..." Satsuki propped her chin on her hand, listening with complete disinterest. Children from the Uchiha clan had already mastered these basic ninjutsu long before entering the academy.
Naruto seemed to be listening intently, even nodding along from time to time. But no one knew that at this very moment, outside Konoha village, one of his shadow clones was already on the move.
Although his real body was still dutifully sitting in the classroom, Naruto's mind was already miles away.
The humid air of the Land of Hot Water washed over him. Naruto stood in a familiar but long-unvisited room, taking in the distinct scent of the hot springs, so different from Konoha. It had been over a year since his last visit, but the Flying Thunder God Technique allowed him to cross the distance instantly with just a thought.
The sign of the [Inu-no-Yu] Inn was still prominent, but the place had undergone a dramatic transformation. The random spot he had chosen back then had now been completely bought out by Hizashi—no, to be precise, the entire street had become the secret property of the [JIN] organization.
"To earn operating funds for the organization, Hizashi has completely gone into business mode..."
Naruto looked at the neat row of shops outside the window, each with a uniform [Inu-no-Yu] branch sign. As the leader of the organization, he couldn't help but feel a little ashamed—aside from bringing back the Uzumaki mother and daughter, he had been a completely hands-off boss. Hizashi, on the other hand, had been working tirelessly to make money for the organization.
After obtaining the power of the Nine Masked Beasts, Naruto decided to formally start building the membership of [JIN]. He activated the jutsu mark he had left on Hizashi, and soon, Hizashi, having released his Transformation Jutsu and returned to his original form, appeared before him.
"Lord Menma," Hizashi greeted respectfully, then began to report on the recent situation to Naruto, who was disguised as Menma.
First was the construction of the organization's base. It had been completed according to Naruto's requirements, costing several hundred million Ryo, not including the price of the land. It fully met the standard of being easily defensible. The Uzumaki mother and daughter were currently staying there. And for the past year, Hizashi had been personally responsible for teaching Karin the basics of chakra application.
Next was the tracking report on key targets of interest.
Deidara of the Hidden Stone Village had not yet officially defected, but the villagers' dissatisfaction with the Tsuchikage's disciple's explosive art was growing.
The missing puppet master genius of the Hidden Sand, Sasori of the Red Sand, was still nowhere to be found.
The Bloody Mist policy in the Hidden Mist Village was still ongoing. Not long ago, the Hidden Mist Jonin Zabuza Momochi had defected after a failed attempt to assassinate the Mizukage.
"As for the last one, the bounty hunter named Kakuzu..."
Hizashi took a scroll from his robes. On it was a dense record of Kakuzu's recent transactions and movements on the black market.
BOOM—!
A deafening explosion echoed through a forest somewhere in the Land of Fire. After the thick smoke cleared, the bodies of rogue ninja were scattered everywhere. In the midst of this mess, a strangely shaped middle-aged man was dragging the body of someone dressed in a leader's uniform.
The man was bare-chested, revealing a grayish-green skin covered in grotesque stitches. He wore a black mask that covered half his face, and his exposed eyes had an eerie black sclera and pupils that glowed green. The stitches seemed to squirm like living things as he moved, a chilling sight.
"Hmph, is this all you've got?" he kicked the body at his feet. "No wonder you're not worth much on the black market... but you were just a small fry I dealt with on the way anyway."
This statement, combined with his unique appearance, made his identity obvious.
Kakuzu, a living fossil of the ninja world.
This legendary rogue ninja from the Hidden Waterfall Village had once been sent by the village elders on a near-suicidal mission: to assassinate the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju.
The truth of that battle was widely debated. Some said he had indeed fought a world-shaking duel with Hashirama, ultimately losing to the Wood Style secret technique.
Others said he had just thrown a shuriken from eight hundred li away, only to be chased by Hashirama's wood clone for three days and three nights...
But with Hashirama Senju's death, the truth of the battle became an eternal mystery.
However, when Kakuzu, having narrowly survived the God of Shinobi, dragged his scarred body back to the Hidden Waterfall Village, what awaited him was the accusation of being a "deserter" and a cold prison cell.
At that moment, a boiling rage consumed the last of Kakuzu's loyalty. He had been willing to challenge a god for his village, only to be met with betrayal and slander.
Hatred spread through his chest, finally turning into a decisive action—he broke out of his prison, stole the village's forbidden jutsu, and brutally harvested the hearts of all the elders.
[Earth Grudge Fear]—this blood-soaked forbidden jutsu became Kakuzu's eternity. By stealing the hearts and chakra natures of others, he not only mastered all five basic elements but also gained a near-immortal ability.
Kakuzu, who had lived since the founding of the ninja villages, gradually came to understand the cruelty of eternity. In the end, on this endless path of immortality, he found the only companion that would not betray him.
Money.
Currency did not age, did not die, and would not fade in the river of time. Its eternal value perfectly matched Kakuzu's immortal life. From then on, he became the most feared bounty hunter on the black market—he didn't ask about the target's good or evil. As long as the reward was high enough, anyone could become his prey.
"The good bounties have been getting scarcer lately... looks like I'll have to leave this country for a while."
Kakuzu dragged his prize, walking quickly along the forest path, heading to a nearby bounty station, planning his next move.
"ROAR—!"
A deafening beastly roar suddenly came from ahead, shaking the leaves from the trees. Kakuzu's head snapped up. A giant white tiger burst from the bushes, its massive, sharp claws swiping at him.
"What the hell is this?!"
His combat instincts instantly kicked in. Kakuzu unhesitatingly dropped the body in his hand and crossed his arms in front of his chest. The hardening technique of Earth Style: Earth Spear immediately covered his entire body, his skin instantly becoming as hard as rock.
BANG!
The white tiger's claws slammed heavily onto Kakuzu's arms, making a sound like metal striking metal. The huge impact sent him sliding back several meters, his feet plowing two deep furrows in the ground.
"Is this... a summoning beast?"
Kakuzu narrowed his glowing green eyes, warily sizing up the beast before him. Before he could counterattack, a strange purple light began to glow on the ground under his feet, and a complex sealing formula spread across the ground like a living thing.
A sealing jutsu?!
His extensive combat experience allowed Kakuzu to make an instant judgment. He pushed off hard and leaped backward. The moment his toes left the ground, the purple sealing formation was complete.
SCREE—!
However, a clear cry cut through the sky. A crimson Vermilion Bird dove down, its wings leaving a trail of fire. Before Kakuzu could adjust his position, he was hit hard by the fiery impact and slammed back into the ground.
BOOM!
In a cloud of dust, Kakuzu's body was deeply embedded in the ground. Kakuzu felt a sharp pain all over his body. He struggled to push himself up, quickly analyzing the situation.
The strength of these monsters was far beyond that of ordinary summoning beasts. He might have a chance against one or two, but if he had to face more at the same time... his gaze swept around.
As the smoke gradually cleared, Kakuzu's face turned grim. His worst fears were confirmed.
Not far away, a man in a long robe and a fox mask stood quietly. On either side of him, nine uniquely shaped giant beasts were lined up—the white tiger and vermilion bird he had just fought, as well as a coiled azure dragon, a massive black tortoise, a winding golden snake, and several sage-like humanoid beings. Each one exuded a suffocating pressure.
"Damn it..." Kakuzu's voice was squeezed from between his teeth. "For a big shot like you to come after me? That doesn't fit your ideology, does it, [JIN]?"
A calm voice came from under the mask. "Kakuzu, the immortal ninja. I've come to welcome you as a member of [JIN]."
Kakuzu's pupils suddenly constricted. He slowly straightened up, the burned black stitches twisting on his skin with a faint "creak."
"Heh..." Kakuzu suddenly let out a cold laugh. "It seems my price is much higher than I thought. But unfortunately, I'm not interested in your ideology. The only thing that attracts me now is money."
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