Two months later.
Mountains' Graveyard.
Uchiha Madara stood in the center of the underground cavern with his arms crossed.
Before him lay a massive map of the shinobi world, meticulously marked with the composition and personnel of every major force…
Madara gazed at the map, eyes shining with vigor, looking noticeably younger than before.
A faint trace of the "Shura of the Shinobi World" had returned to him…
Ever since his defeat at Hashirama's hands,
Madara hadn't simply idled away those decades in the hidden cave village…
He had conducted a thorough "baseline assessment of ninjutsu" across the entire shinobi world!
The conclusion he ultimately reached was that—even with the Rinnegan—his aged body still carried the risk of failure.
Bearing the burden of the Ten-Tails was one factor.
His reputation, which would cause the shinobi world to unite against him like never before, was another…
After all, his notoriety was rock-solid!
More importantly, Uchiha Madara despised this frail, aging body of his.
He wanted to bring the Infinite Tsukuyomi—belonging to the Uchiha—to the shinobi world in his most perfect form…
The ultimate peace!
But now, things were different…
"Sarutobi Hiruzen is quite interesting indeed…"
"He's managed to make Konoha's hypocritical peace look rather convincing… He inherited the will I held in my youth and even refined it further. There are still capable people in this shinobi world!"
"If I don't change the plan, Seisui might be drawn in by that false peace… Even Obito, that foolish brat, might fail to grasp the true cruelty of this world!"
"I'll have to act personally after all…"
"He is the inheritor of my will—it's only natural that other shinobi would struggle to deal with him…"
Madara muttered to himself, "I can only endure this aging body for now!"
At the side, the White Zetsu named Hi-kun watched Madara with a complicated expression.
It wanted to say…
Madara-sama, don't you think you're acting a bit strange?
Over the past two months, Madara had been constantly talking to himself.
'Does the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, even know he's your successor? What's that called again… Oh right, in books they call it one-sided wishful thinking!'
Hi-kun muttered inwardly, 'And also… isn't Madara-sama just trying to save face for himself?'
For a long time, Black Zetsu had repeatedly hinted—subtly—that Madara's "proxy plan" was unreliable…
The special body formed from the power that gives rise to all things made it so that ordinary chakra—even Tailed Beast chakra—could not significantly replenish Madara's life force…
But if you kept thinking about it, there should always be a solution!
After all, he had the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Black Zetsu with centuries of experience, and the Rinnegan…
Fully restoring himself to his prime might be difficult, but if he persisted in finding a way, he might at least recover a fraction of his former peak. Wouldn't that be enough?
That would still be far better than relying on a proxy!
But Black Zetsu had no choice. His "character setting" was that he was a creation of Madara's Yin-Yang Release…
He could offer advice, but not push too far—otherwise he'd expose himself…
And so, he could only watch helplessly as Madara continued to age, sighing day after day.
'Dragging out life like this is disgraceful! I refuse to consider methods of prolonging it!'
And just like that, he had stubbornly given up on treatment…
Hi-kun sighed.
In its view, Madara's self-talk was just him trying to justify his past refusal to seek treatment…
White Zetsu Hi-kun was somewhat special.
The current White Zetsu were divided into two groups.
One group consisted of ancient humans who had been buried within the God Tree for thousands of years—these were of relatively higher quality, and most of the White Zetsu used as scouts came from this group.
Hi-kun was one of them.
This group of White Zetsu was controlled by Black Zetsu through special methods.
The other group, however, were inferior products cultivated using Hashirama's cells—barely good enough to serve as cannon fodder…
Ever since Madara had taken notice of Hi-kun, and because he wanted to personally control the "struggle" against Konoha, he had resumed his research on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
Hi-kun had thus received an enhancement, improving all of its abilities.
Although it still couldn't compare to Tobi, the "child of the God Tree," it had gained the ability to read and learn, and could think independently to a certain degree—no longer asking what feces tasted like…
For example, it was quite satisfied with the name "Hi-kun," and inexplicably felt a certain sense of belonging toward Konoha…
After all, fire was the symbol of Konoha!
Hi-kun could tell that Madara seemed to hold some level of recognition toward Konoha—but then why was he still arranging for the Hidden Sky Village to attack it?
So strange!
"Madara-sama, after two months of close observation, the other scouts have confirmed that Uchiha Seisui still intermittently exhibits Izuna-sama's chakra…"
Hi-kun waited until Madara finished talking to himself before cautiously stepping forward to report: "It seems Izuna-sama has not been discovered by Uzumaki Mito. You can rest assured!"
Madara suddenly turned around and clapped his hands, laughing loudly: "Good!"
"I knew it—Seisui would protect Izuna! They both carry Uchiha blood; they must share the same distrust toward Konoha's false peace!"
"With my brother's intellect, how could he be deceived by such a hollow peace? He must understand me!"
At first, Madara didn't know what state Izuna's chakra was in within "Seisui"…
Whether it had consciousness or not, whether it was a soul or merely residual chakra…
But after multiple observations and corroborating reports from the White Zetsu, Madara confirmed that "Izuna" possessed self-awareness!
Because if he didn't, it would be impossible for him to repeatedly emerge and recede within Seisui's body—even appearing during ordinary daily situations…
"Hi-kun! Tonight, I will celebrate with a grand feast! Go and get me some good wine and food…"
Madara grinned widely, laughing: "From this alone, I can confirm that what I've done is correct! Do you know why?"
Hi-kun was full of question marks, yet sincerely asked: "Why, Madara-sama? You are truly wise…"
Madara chuckled: "If Izuna had accepted Konoha's ideology, then with Sarutobi Hiruzen's attitude toward the Uchiha, there would be no need to conceal the fact that Izuna exists within Seisui's body…"
"Then Sarutobi Hiruzen would definitely have used it as propaganda material to promote the integration of the Uchiha and the village!"
"The fact that he hasn't done so can only mean that Izuna does not recognize Konoha, has evaded Mito's detection, and that Seisui shares a similar mindset—so the two of them have been working together to avoid exposure…"
Hi-kun thought it through carefully for a moment, then suddenly nodded in realization: "That really makes sense!"
Madara's analysis wasn't actually wrong…
He had simply overlooked one point—Hiruzen's decision not to expose Izuna's existence was due to Mito wanting to protect Seisui's unique identity of carrying both bloodlines…
It was also to ensure that the Uchiha would have only a single central pillar in Seisui, preventing any possibility of Izuna dividing authority.
"Hmph, naturally!"
Madara said with a faint smile, "However, Izuna is even more impressive than I imagined…"
"The fact that he and Seisui together managed to deceive both Mito and Hiruzen—truly worthy of being my younger brother!"
Over the past two months, Madara had not slept well.
He had been terrified that Uzumaki Mito might seal away Izuna's chakra—or even his soul…
Madara knew that, back in the day, Mito had held quite a grudge against Izuna, yet there was nothing he could say about it…
After all, Izuna had always been pestering Uzumaki kunoichi…
Despite there being so many women within the clan, he never showed interest in them…
Even Madara couldn't understand that, and could only let it go.
"Not only that, despite not knowing about the Eye of the Moon Plan, Izuna still hasn't been deceived by Konoha!"
"That kind of brilliance…" Madara swayed his head in intoxicated admiration, then sighed: "However, from this point alone, it shows that Izuna's pursuit of peace is somewhat extreme! As his older brother, I have no choice but to criticize him on this…"
Hi-kun's face filled with question marks: "Madara-sama, you're saying Izuna-sama is extreme?"
Even it couldn't quite hold it together anymore.
The deranged old man in the cave calling someone else extreme?
How does he even say that?
"Of course!" Madara replied righteously: "The reason I am not deceived by Konoha's false peace is because I know about the Eye of the Moon Plan…"
"If it were my younger self, I might have accepted this second-best illusion. That's why I say Sarutobi Hiruzen inherited the will I had in my youth…"
"But Izuna doesn't know about the Eye of the Moon Plan, yet he still fails to understand Hiruzen—who essentially represents my younger self. That level of stubbornness is excessive. It is indeed extreme."
"Logically speaking, he should first be drawn in by Konoha and the so-called Will of Fire, then gradually come to realize under my plan that the chain of hatred in the shinobi world cannot be severed, and develop profound insight under his brother's guidance…"
"On a day when Izuna can no longer comprehend true peace, I would appear before Seisui and explain to both of them the greatness of the Eye of the Moon Plan!"
"But with Izuna reacting like this, it's almost as if he doesn't acknowledge my younger self at all…" Madara sighed.
Back then, Izuna indeed hadn't understood his younger self…
After all, it had been Izuna who insisted that hatred must not be forgotten, opposing any alliance with the Senju Clan…
Hi-kun's eyes widened, its pupils drifting unfocused.
What is Madara-sama even talking about?
Only after quite a while did Hi-kun gradually grasp Madara's logic.
That is, he hoped Izuna would not only acknowledge his younger self, but acknowledge his current self even more…
So Izuna should have shown an attitude of believing first, then doubting Konoha—instead of doubting it from the very beginning.
'Izuna-sama is truly something else… to be able to get along so well with Madara-sama. How did he even manage that? He must have had it rough…'
Having been enhanced by the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and gained intelligence—and having read a few books—Hi-kun couldn't help but complain inwardly.
Madara-sama is way too hard to deal with, isn't he?
Hi-kun had originally thought that perhaps all shinobi were this mentally unstable…
But then it remembered hearing the fireside talks in Konoha—why was Sarutobi Hiruzen so mentally stable?
So tolerant!
Hi-kun unconsciously sighed, feeling that its own origin was quite miserable…
"Why are you sighing, Hi-kun?"
"What I mean is—Madara-sama's insight is brilliant!"
Hi-kun straightened up and put on a big smile: "Your logic and wisdom are absolutely top-tier in the shinobi world. Sarutobi Hiruzen definitely can't compare to you…"
The corner of Madara's mouth lifted slightly: "You can't say it like that. If you regard Sarutobi Hiruzen as an opponent, you must treat him seriously!"
There was another reason why Madara was in such a good mood…
In the past, he didn't dare face Izuna. Even though he could have used Impure World Reincarnation to bring him back, he had never considered doing so…
Because deep down, Madara knew he had broken his promise to Izuna.
Even if he tried to console himself with the Infinite Tsukuyomi, deceiving oneself is the hardest thing of all…
But now that Izuna could intermittently appear within Seisui's body, things were different!
It gave Uchiha Madara a stage…
A stage to prove that he had not broken his promise—but rather, had simply discovered the path to ultimate peace and temporarily set aside caring for the clan!
Madara turned his head and looked at Izuna's photograph hanging on the cave wall.
Step by step, he walked toward it.
He gently brushed away dust that didn't even exist.
"Izuna, don't blame your brother… I only want to prove that I am right…" Madara said softly.
As long as he launched an attack on Konoha, everything would get better…
"Hi-kun, do you know?"
"There's also a possibility that Izuna hasn't completely rejected Konoha. After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen inherited the will I had in my youth—he might be guiding Seisui to observe…"
"So as long as I prove to Izuna that the chain of hatred cannot be severed, and that Konoha lacks the strength to uphold the Will of Fire, then it will prove that the Eye of the Moon Plan is correct!"
"In the past, I had no way to explain this to Izuna—words alone weren't enough."
"But now, I finally have a chance to prove it to my younger brother! Facts cannot be refuted!"
Madara spoke in a grand, almost lyrical tone as he laid out his plan.
A shocking expectation had taken root in his heart…
Once Izuna understood his intentions, he would be able to meet his younger brother again!
After all, the misunderstanding would be resolved…
He himself possessed a body formed from the power that gives rise to all things—restoring its deficiencies was already extremely difficult, let alone true resurrection…
But Izuna was different. He still had the physique of a normal shinobi.
After conducting in-depth research on the various techniques of the shinobi world and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Madara believed he could bring Izuna back to life…
At the mere thought that one day Izuna might stand by his side again, fighting alongside him for the Eye of the Moon Plan…
He might even be able to persuade Seisui—or even Sarutobi Hiruzen!
Madara couldn't help but curl his lips upward; just imagining it filled him with incomparable satisfaction…
His younger brother, his clansmen, and an outstanding successor would all stand on his side!
"Having the Hidden Sky Village attack Konoha—even with my careful manipulation, it may not yield significant results…"
"But it will allow Sarutobi Hiruzen and Izuna to understand that even small hidden villages—and the hatreds of the past—do not simply disappear. This is what it means to see the greater picture through the small!"
Hi-kun showed a puzzled expression.
Hadn't Madara-sama listened to Sarutobi Hiruzen's fireside talks?
The Hokage had clearly said that on the path of refining the Will of Fire, there would inevitably be all kinds of obstacles—but one must not stop moving forward or resort to extreme solutions just because of resistance…
Wasn't that already made perfectly clear?
'If one turns to extremes at the first sign of setbacks, isn't that just like Madara-sama—' Hi-kun's heart jolted, and it immediately forced that treasonous thought out of its mind.
Wait… why do my thoughts feel a bit strange?
Hi-kun felt an itch in its head, as if something were about to grow out…
"Madara-sama, what if Konoha isn't successfully struck by the Hidden Sky Village?" Hi-kun asked cautiously.
Even though it felt that Madara-sama was somewhat… unhinged at the moment…
He had, after all, fed it grilled meat and strengthened it using the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path…
Some things still had to be said!
"Then that would be a good thing!" Madara said something shocking.
"That would prove that the will I held in my youth is not so easily crushed! Besides, this is merely digging a small pit for Konoha and Sarutobi Hiruzen…"
"Hi-kun, you must understand—Sarutobi Hiruzen is an enemy who must be taken seriously. I understand your desire to quickly destroy the Will of Fire, but that is incorrect!"
"We must proceed gradually…"
"I have already prepared a backup plan!"
A black rod appeared out of thin air in Madara's hand, and he tapped it against the map.
"The situation of the shinobi world will inevitably explode! War is unavoidable…"
"I already have a way to control the fuse of the great shinobi war in my hands…"
Several question marks popped up above Hi-kun's head: "Are you going to control them with genjutsu?"
It really wanted to say—if you had that ability, Madara-sama, why didn't you just do it earlier?
"I cannot control all of them…"
"Though the power of ants is laughable, there are still a few troublesome individuals."
"The Third Raikage, that brat Ōnoki—even the Third Kazekage and Chiyo of Sunagakure—they each possess considerable strength, and their villages have various sensory techniques. Around every 'Kage' gather talented shinobi…"
"If I try to control them rashly, the chance of failure is not small—and it would expose my existence…"
"But Kirigakure is different!"
Madara let out a cold laugh: "According to intelligence, Kirigakure is implementing a policy known as the 'Bloody Mist.' The Third Mizukage has effectively become an isolated figure…"
"Moreover, although Kirigakure has many Kekkei Genkai, it lacks sensory ninjutsu. It is very suitable as a target."
"The Third Mizukage's usual temperament is also erratic—controlling him will be even harder to detect."
"And given the shinobi's covetousness toward Konoha, all I need to do is have Kirigakure attack at the right moment, and the other villages will swarm like hyenas!"
"In chaotic war, it often only takes prying one or two leverage points to determine the direction of the whole!"
After learning about Kirigakure's current state,
Even Uchiha Madara—once known as the "Shura of the Shinobi World"—couldn't help but frown deeply.
What the hell are they doing?
A Shura shows no mercy toward enemies and opponents, dancing with ruthless ferocity on the battlefield…
It does not mean striking mercilessly at one's own people—forcing academy students to slaughter each other and launching uncontrollable purges!
Madara couldn't help but sigh. Under the system of one country, one village established by Hashirama, there were still places where shinobi lived worse lives than during the Warring States era…
In a sense, that was also a rare kind of "talent"…
This only strengthened his conviction further…
Sarutobi Hiruzen might indeed be good…
But the rest of the shinobi world was so rotten that only the Infinite Tsukuyomi could save it!
Hi-kun nodded thoughtfully and murmured, "Madara-sama's plan… this time it actually sounds quite reliable…"
"I hope Sarutobi Hiruzen can give me a satisfying challenge—don't collapse like a weakling so easily," Madara said softly.
"After all, he carries the will of my youth. Don't embarrass me too much…"
"That way, the trial can proceed on multiple fronts, allowing both Izuna and Sarutobi Hiruzen to understand that the only solution for the shinobi world is the Infinite Tsukuyomi…"
"As for Izuna, there is no need to say more—he will certainly support me."
"As for Sarutobi Hiruzen, he is worth a bit of effort. It wouldn't be impossible to grant him a place by my side."
Hi-kun realized something.
Ever since it had become smarter…
Every time it started to think Madara-sama was incredible, if it listened just a bit longer, it would end up feeling confused again…
So contradictory!
The more it thought about it, the more it felt like Madara-sama didn't actually want Konoha to lose…
No, that wasn't quite right—he did want Konoha to lose, but to lose beautifully…
Hi-kun's eyes turned into spirals; its brain simply couldn't process Madara's beautifully chaotic mental state…
Way too complicated!
"Hi-kun, how is the intelligence gathering on the Hidden Sky Village going?" Madara asked.
"Madara-sama, we have already obtained preliminary information…" Hi-kun straightened up.
With Tobi—the "child of the God Tree"—and Black Zetsu both assigned to long-term missions, it was now acting as the leader among the White Zetsu.
"The Hidden Sky Village is concealed beneath the forest near Yugakure. Their forces are currently dispersed, but the core technological personnel are mostly still present and can be reorganized…"
Hi-kun hurried out and quickly returned with a set of documents.
"Madara-sama, this is the intelligence gathered by the other White Zetsu!"
Madara paused for a moment.
These White Zetsu, who had always behaved like idiots, had actually completed their work so well—it felt somewhat unfamiliar to him.
He opened the dossier.
The document recorded the various technologies possessed by the Hidden Sky Village.
'Small-scale flying ninja tools,' 'Ancor Vantian Fortress flying stronghold,' 'naval carrier catapult systems,' 'Zero-Tails energy storage'…
Madara nodded slightly as he read.
Although, in his view, these technologies still held little real significance on a true battlefield… they did possess a rare capability within the shinobi world—flight.
If used properly, they would carry considerable strategic value on a "mortal" battlefield…
"Hmm…"
Madara pondered: "Well done. However, I still need to make some adjustments!"
Hi-kun stood at attention: "Please give your orders, Madara-sama!"
"All White Zetsu responsible for reconnaissance—your infiltration depth in both the Hidden Sky Village and Kirigakure must be raised by five meters closer to the surface! We need more precise and detailed intelligence…"
A puzzled expression appeared on Hi-kun's face.
Shouldn't something like this be adjusted based on specific circumstances?
If they followed such a rigid directive, what if they were discovered…
Hi-kun silently nodded. When it came to military orders, it still didn't dare question Madara-sama…
But just as it turned to leave, Madara stopped it.
Madara let out a heavy sigh: "Forget it. Act according to the situation. Go—buy me some wine and food…"
Hi-kun scratched its head and sank into the ground.
Madara looked at Izuna's portrait, his emotions complicated.
The reason he had withdrawn the "advance White Zetsu by five meters" order was because he recalled something Izuna once said.
Back then, their father, Uchiha Tajima, had been exactly that kind of man—overly controlling, micromanaging even the smallest positional details of clan formations…
In private, Izuna had once sharply criticized Uchiha Tajima:
"Father seems meticulous, but it's really just a form of psychological defense born from arrogance…"
"He insists on controlling even meaningless details—so if they lose, it's because subordinates failed to execute properly; if they win, it's entirely his own credit. At its core, it's a lack of confidence."
"Since he holds the authority to interpret everything, no one can challenge his judgment of right and wrong…"
"By doing this, Father ignores the timeliness of the battlefield and the gaps in information—and he refuses to listen to others' advice. No wonder the Uchiha couldn't defeat the Senju!"
Madara let out a long breath.
He did not want to become someone like Uchiha Tajima…
"Could it be that I am just as stubborn as Father? No—I do not believe others are wrong. It is simply that the Eye of the Moon Plan is a truth too difficult for ordinary people to comprehend!"
"Isn't what I am doing now precisely to make Izuna, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and the Uchiha understand me?" Madara muttered.
Yet deep inside, a small knot quietly formed.
For the first time, he felt that perhaps he was not absolutely correct…
—
Shinobi world.
Bounty Exchange.
Kakuzu sat in the underground black market, holding a newspaper, lost in thought.
After receiving Sarutobi Hiruzen's advance payment, he had been closely monitoring Konoha for over a year…
Hiruzen's stance—possessing overwhelming strength yet still choosing to reason—had left a deep impression on Kakuzu.
And the recent incident, where the "Shinobi Code" clashed with the "Will of Fire," had pushed Kakuzu's interest to its peak.
Kakuzu recalled his own experience in Takigakure.
Back then, the village leadership had cared nothing for him as a young shinobi.
They treated him as a disposable tool, sending him on a mission to assassinate Senju Hashirama—the so-called God of Shinobi…
There had never been any chance of success.
Yet despite such an absurd mission, Takigakure still branded him a failure, claiming he had damaged the village's reputation and sentencing him to death!
After so many years, Kakuzu naturally understood Takigakure's true intention.
They wanted to establish absolute authority—deciding who lived and who died, using fear to control all shinobi!
So Kakuzu killed them all.
From that day on, he never believed in so-called comrades or villages again. Instead, he placed his faith solely in money—something that could always be traded…
'But Konoha is different…'
'The case of Uchiha Yashiro is not the same as when Takigakure simply wanted me dead. He truly failed to complete his mission and caused real losses to the Land of Fire and Konoha…'
'Even if it exceeded his personal capabilities, execution would still align with the Shinobi Code.'
Kakuzu closed his eyes.
As a bounty hunter who had traveled far and wide, he was deeply familiar with intelligence from various nations.
Over the past three months, nobles and hidden villages everywhere had condemned Konoha, claiming it had abandoned rules that had been upheld for centuries—that it was untrustworthy and a disgrace to the shinobi community…
Even the nobles of the Land of Fire had raised significant opposition.
Based on Kakuzu's experience, even if Yashiro's situation was somewhat unjust, Konoha would most likely resolve the issue by having him commit an "honorable suicide" to appease public opinion…
But what shocked him was that, according to the latest intelligence, all the nobles of the Land of Fire who had opposed Konoha had suddenly fallen silent overnight…
Madoka Masamune of the Madoka clan—the one who had taken the lead—had been exposed by a branch family member, Madoka Ikkyū.
The Madoka clan issued a public statement to the shinobi world, declaring that Madoka Masamune had colluded with foreign powers and was a traitor to the Land of Fire!
Unable to tolerate such corruption within the family, they executed him according to clan law…
Furthermore, to demonstrate their apology to Konoha, they voluntarily donated funds to Konoha's research institutions and orphanages. This prompted the nobles who had previously followed Masamune to do the same—far exceeding the one million ryō limit set by Sarutobi Hiruzen…
'Interesting… setting a one million ryō cap on donations shows that the Daimyō and the Hokage did not want to overburden their own people…'
'But for those opposing nobles, it gave them a chance to realign—allowing them to exchange money for their lives while feeling grateful…'
Kakuzu, extremely sensitive when it came to money, immediately grasped the underlying mechanism.
He had dealt with nobles many times before—he had seen tricks like this…
'Not only that, the Hokage has even become the Land of Fire's 'Shōgun.' This shows the nobles trust him deeply. Even though a Kage is still a shinobi, he can be accepted by the nobles as one of their own…'
Kakuzu couldn't help but marvel further.
He also noticed a detail.
To restore the reputation of Konoha's shinobi, the nobles of the Land of Fire had begun submitting articles to major newspapers, declaring that Konoha's shinobi were the ones who truly acted in the interest of the nation—that they worked hand in hand with the nobles as brothers to ensure the people lived better lives…
Hearing nobles refer to shinobi as "brothers"—and in such a subtly ingratiating tone—made Kakuzu feel like he had truly lived long enough to see anything.
'This noble claims that Konoha developed 'Sage Region Pills' to reward administrators—an act of immeasurable merit…'
'One pill costs one hundred thousand ryō. Supposedly a health supplement passed down from the Three Great Sage Regions? It even sounds like something that needs to be taken long-term—costing a fortune each year—yet these notoriously stingy nobles are actually fawning over it…'
Kakuzu lifted his head and glanced at the bounty board inside the exchange. His gaze sharpened.
This round of condemnation had stirred up half the nobles of the shinobi world—and the Land of Fire nobles defending Konoha using the 'Sage Region Pills' as justification had clearly attracted more attention than just his own…
When combined with the fact that Sarutobi Hiruzen had become the Land of Fire's Shōgun, along with the nobles' sudden reversal…
It wasn't hard to see that the 'Sage Region Pills' were a crucial factor!
Many foreign nobles had grown curious—what kind of miraculous effects could this so-called health supplement from the Three Great Sage Regions possibly have, to unite the Land of Fire's nobles so completely?
Nobles never act without profit—so it had to be something valuable!
And so, these foreign nobles began hiring bounty hunters to investigate…
Wasn't it just money?
They had plenty of that too!
'So this wave of condemnation actually became the best advertisement for the Land of Fire's product? I wonder if the Hokage planned this intentionally. If he did, then he's nothing short of a business genius!'
'And what about Uchiha Yashiro…? Is Konoha actually using money to cover the consequences of a failed mission?'
'With the scale of losses involved, how exactly will Konoha handle Uchiha Yashiro?'
The more Kakuzu thought, the more restless he became. He desperately wanted to know the answers.
Would Konoha truly be a village fundamentally different from Takigakure?
And more importantly…
Between money and people—what truly mattered more?
All his life, Kakuzu's answer had always been money. He believed everyone else would choose the same…
But now that the answer might be reversed…
Kakuzu stared at his slightly trembling hands. He did not feel anger at having his worldview challenged.
Instead, a trace of unease arose within him…
"Am I actually hoping that money isn't everything?" Kakuzu's green eyes deepened as he suddenly stood up.
In truth, he had already gathered enough intelligence for Konoha long ago—he had simply been waiting and watching.
After all, going to Konoha alone carried risks…
But now, Kakuzu decided to head there immediately!
He would see with his own eyes, and feel it for himself…
What the outcome of Uchiha Yashiro's case truly was…
How Konoha sustained such an expensive compensation system for failed missions…
And he had also become somewhat interested in the Will of Fire.
On the road, Kakuzu casually killed a Kumogakure ninja with Storm Release who attempted to rob him, collecting his materials.
"Good…"
"Now I've completely gathered the required funds…"
"Let's just count it as a ten percent discount for the Hokage—so I can spend a bit more time in Konoha…"
Kakuzu wiped the blood from his hands and sped toward Konoha.
Like a wanderer returning home after years away…
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