His body stiffened, and he consciously took a defensive stance just in case.
Two figures approached him from the opposite end of the road.
One dragged a massive triple-bladed scythe over his shoulder, whistling off-key, bare chest wrapped in crude stitching and arrogance. The other walked calmly beside him, tall and broad, face hidden beneath a stitched mask, eyes sharp and calculating. Threads shifted faintly beneath his cloak, alive in a way that made Sukuna's skin itch.
'Hidan and Kakuzu.' Sukuna pursed his lips. Of all the times, why did it have to be today that they were here.
Chances were they aimed to go inside the bounty market, if that's the case then he didn't have to get involved, period. Just ignore them.
Sukuna didn't stop. He didn't reach for a weapon. He just maintained his pace, showing no interest in them besides the very first look.
However, the world didn't seem to have it easy for him today.
"You… you're the rookie bounty hunter recently taking bigger bounty missions, ain't you." It was Kakuzu who spoke.
'So it was Ryomen they wanted.' Sukuna sighed, this meant a confrontation was inevitable.
"Well I'll be damned," Hidan said cheerfully, stopping a few paces away. "You don't look like much. Thought you'd be taller. Or uglier."
Kakuzu ignored him. His gaze fixed on Sukuna—or rather Ryomen, as he called him—weighting him like a sack of coin. "Ryomen," he said flatly. "You're that brat who asked me for directions all those years ago, ain't you."
Sukuna's own eyes went wide just slightly, to think that the man remembered that small interaction they had all that long ago.
"You remember…!"
"I don't forget anyone who gave me money…" Kakuzu spoke with a tone which said he was just stating facts.
Sukuna now really wished to know just how much this man liked money.
He inclined his head slightly. Polite. Neutral. "Yes, that was my first day of being a bounty hunter. Do you have any business with me."
"We do," Kakuzu replied. "Akatsuki."
'Fuck…' Sukuna knew then certainly that things weren't so simple.
Hidan grinned wider. "We're recruiting. Well—he is. I just get to watch."
"Recruiting? Like some sort of bounty hunting agency. Can't say I ever heard of Akatsuki before."
Kakuzu seemed to sigh. He glanced at Hidan, expecting him to do the boring explaining stuff, but the Jashin cultist looked completely bored, half expecting to just be done here and then go start killing to give a sacrifice to his god.
Irritably, Kakuzu began to explain. "It's an organisation dedicated to bringing peace in the ninja world. We are recruiting powerful comrades for this mission. I'm here to invite you."
Sukuna's mind raced. Akatsuki recruiting now? Isn't it like too late. And Kakuzu here personally meant this wasn't a courtesy visit. This was an acquisition.
"I work alone," Sukuna said calmly. "No interest in cults, cloaks, or world peace. If anything, world chaos helps me, that's how I get work."
Hidan snorted. "Ooo, he's sassy. I like him already."
Kakuzu didn't laugh. Though the man grunted. He too was a bounty hunter; a world without chaos meant no bounties, and that meant no money. And he wouldn't have that.
But still, he was here since it was the leader's order. He couldn't let Ryomen just go like that.
"This isn't a request."
There it was.
The street seemed to hold its breath. Shinobi's, Rogues and Bounty Hunters passed by at the edges, unaware that two missing-nin and one very dangerous genin were standing at the edge of violence. Sukuna could feel the pressure rolling off Kakuzu, dense and predatory, like a coiled serpent wrapped in muscle and greed.
"My answer is still a no," Sukuna replied, voice steady.
Kakuzu stepped closer. Threads shifted beneath his sleeves, restless. "Pain doesn't take rejection well."
"Pain is just another product of rejection… it hurts, but a man needs it in life to build character," Sukuna answered.
For a heartbeat, it felt like the world paused.
'What the brat talking about?'
"Ahem… Pain is our leader's name."
"OH…" Sukuna nodded. Acting on point.
Hidan looked at both of them and then rolled his shoulders, scythe scraping against stone. "So… fight, then?"
'Sigh… unfortunately, I don't think there is any other option…'
Sukuna for a second thought about killing them here and saving himself some future hassle, perhaps Asuma's life as well.
However, if he did so, then his Ryomen identity would be targeted later on. Currently he used this identity for not only anything unofficial off the village, but also intel gathering like today.
Some intel access is only for personnel with clearance. Like Ryomen could access the underground bounties on some higher-profile targets which normal bounty hunters couldn't get access to.
Sukuna's eyes narrowed behind the mask, calculating distances, exits, angles. And ultimately pondering whether to kill and have Akatsuki go hunting Ryomen. Or just run away, and still have Akatsuki hunting Ryomen (but this time, only for recruiting him).
'I mean if they're coming anyway, then better reduce their number before they do that, right!' He rolled his eyes.
'Fight it is then…'
Sukuna did not, though, attack.
The instant Kakuzu's intent sharpened, he turned and ran.
"Ha… he's running away. Kakuzu, are you sure this guy is strong? Did you lie to the leader." Hidan spoke nonchalantly.
It was Kakuzu who advised Pain to bring Ryomen into the Akatsuki, seeing his record. Though there was also a bit of his jealousy in the mix, since Ryomen was taking more bounties from his hands, and Kakuzu also had to deal with Akatsuki missions.
Without saying anything, he gave chase to the running figure; following behind him was Hidan.
To any outside observer it might have looked like panic, like a bounty hunter realizing he had bitten off more than he could chew. In truth, every step was measured.
Sukuna cut through side streets, vaulted low rooftops, slipped past the treeline beyond the outskirts of Fire Country's settlements.
If he was fighting, then he'll fight somewhere which favored him.
He didn't flee blindly—he guided them, pulling them farther and farther from the bounty market, from witnesses, from places where consequences lingered.
Till now, people knew Ryomen was a strong bounty hunter, but none knew what made him strong. Every bounty was completed without leaving behind a trace. Sukuna always erased every and all evidence, burned them like how he did with the Raikage, Shisui, or anyone else as long as he remembered. Not leaving behind evidence was his motto.
Kakuzu followed without hurry. Hidan laughed and complained loudly about the running, but neither of them stopped the chase.
Only when the forest swallowed them whole—when the canopy thickened, when the ground turned uneven and the paths vanished—did Sukuna slow.
'This far should do it…'
Just as he was ready to tear through both of the enemies who were still chasing him, his senses flared and he felt it.
A familiar, nauseating pressure crawled along the edge of his senses.
'fucking zetsu…' he all but cursed under his breath.
One was close by, and surely would observe if he were to fight here with Hidan and Kakuzu. He could try to kill him, but then he can sense their presence would be revealed. That was a huge no… no.
'Perhaps I should just get out of here…' he murmured, but then shook his head.
No… let's give it a try at least. No dismantle, no cleave, and no blatant distortions of space.
'I was bothered not having anyone to train CE reinforcement against. This is my chance…'
He'll have to fight with only his body; however, why not try it. He would be needing to do that in the Chunin Exams anyway. Better practice it now.
xXx
A/N : Its kind of makes sense that Akatsuki would approach him if he's doing really that good in bounty market. They usually search for strong Shinobi. So I added that in.
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