"Of course."
Ren didn't waste any time. He placed the box he was holding on the counter and opened it, revealing dozens of neatly stacked bundles of cash inside.
"The commission for this mission is ten million Ryo. Is Mr. Kakuzu satisfied?"
Ren nodded with a smile, and Kakuzu's previously impatient expression instantly brightened. His eyes were fixed on the money, and it took him a moment to snap out of it.
"What is the mission content?"
Kakuzu shifted his gaze from the cash, looking at Ren and asking in a deep voice.
From his tone, it was clear he was already considering taking on this job.
"Mr. Kakuzu just needs to help me retrieve an item. Of course, there might be combat involved. That's all."
"Hmm?"
Ren's vague description made Kakuzu frown. Just as he was about to inquire further, he saw the former continue.
"Don't worry, Mr. Kakuzu, it will take at most three days. After three days, regardless of the mission's success or failure, I will still pay you the commission as agreed."
Upon hearing this, Kakuzu's brows relaxed, and he agreed.
"Alright."
Seeing Kakuzu agree, Ren closed the box again, then picked it up and started walking out, simultaneously calling out to Kakuzu beside him.
"Let's go, Mr. Kakuzu. I'll tell you the specific mission details on the way."
Kakuzu didn't speak. He nodded and followed, leaving the man sitting alone behind the counter, watching the two leave, wondering what he was thinking...
After leaving the exchange, Ren took out a map, found their direction, and led Kakuzu out of town. Once they entered the jungle, they began to move at a steady pace.
"You can talk now, can't you?"
Kakuzu looked at Ren beside him while leaping through the trees, asking in a calm voice.
He knew that back at the exchange, it wasn't convenient to discuss the specifics with someone else present. Now that they were in such a desolate wilderness, it was time to speak up.
"Yes."
Ren didn't decline, stating directly.
"Our mission location this time is Takigakure Village in the Land of Waterfall."
"Hmm?"
Kakuzu was stunned when he heard this location, but he quickly reacted, staring at Ren and continuing to ask.
"Takigakure Village? Your target..."
Kakuzu recalled Ren's previous words, thought for a moment, and then said in a deep voice.
"Is it the Hero Water?"
Ren was suddenly amused and stopped, squatting on a tree branch to look at him.
"No, I have no interest in that."
Kakuzu was somewhat confused. He knew that he used to be a Ninja from Takigakure Village, and he was very clear about what good things were there.
The secret technique for eternal life, Earth Grudge Fear, had already been taken by him. The Hero Water, which increases the user's Chakra by dozens of times at the cost of death. And then there was...
Thinking of this, Kakuzu's expression changed. He looked at Ren, who was leaning against the tree branch in front of him, and said with some surprise.
"Your target is the Tailed Beast of Takigakure Village?"
After all, besides the two items mentioned above, there was nothing else valuable enough in Takigakure Village to warrant the other party spending ten million Ryo to hire him.
"As expected of Mr. Kakuzu."
Ren said noncommittally, then stood up from the tree branch and looked at him.
"That's right, my target is the Seven-Tails of Takigakure Village. Mr. Kakuzu just needs to assist me in extracting it, and then ten million Ryo will be delivered to you."
Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, his green pupils fixed on Ren. After a long moment, he spoke again.
"I think we need to renegotiate the price. Ten million for a Tailed Beast is too cheap, isn't it?"
"Phew."
Upon hearing his words, Ren finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The other party hadn't refused; he was just dissatisfied with the price. And in Ren's opinion, anything that could be solved with money wasn't a problem.
"Hmm... Then I'll add five million Ryo? What do you think, Mr. Kakuzu?"
Ren pondered for a moment, cautiously offered a price, and then waited for the other party's reply.
"Too little. Thirty million Ryo."
Kakuzu unceremoniously stated a high price, directly doubling Ren's offer.
"I don't have that much money, Mr. Kakuzu."
Looking at the other party's calm expression, Ren spread his hands helplessly, then continued to probe.
"How about this, Mr. Kakuzu? I'll raise it to twenty-two million. This is all the funds I have. If you still don't agree, then I have no choice."
Kakuzu was silent for a moment, then looked up at Ren and said in a deep voice.
"Alright, but you need to pay me one-third of the deposit first, in case you suddenly die and I don't get the money."
"No problem!"
Ren quickly agreed, then immediately pulled out seven banknotes from his Pregnant and handed them to the other party.
After all, although Kakuzu would often harbor murderous intent towards people or things he disliked, he still had the reputation of a Bounty Hunter. Since he accepted his deposit, they could at least cooperate until the mission failed.
"Then let's continue, Mr. Kakuzu."
"Mm."
Having settled the terms, the two finally began to focus on their journey.
Because they were currently in the southern part of the Land of Fire, and the Land of Waterfall, where Takigakure Village was located, was to the northwest of the Land of Fire, situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth. So the two traveled quickly, finally arriving in the Land of Waterfall on the morning of the third day.
"Wow, so many waterfalls. It must be convenient for bathing."
Ren stood on a giant rock, looking at the several waterfalls rushing down before him, and couldn't help but exclaim in wonder.
"Alright, let's hurry up."
Kakuzu stood beside him, looking at the familiar scenery, a trace of reminiscence in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
"Alright!"
Ren jumped down from the giant rock and followed Kakuzu, continuing forward.
After all, he only had a rough idea of Takigakure Village's location. If he had to go over every single waterfall, the Third Shinobi World War might be over by then.
But Kakuzu, being a native of this place, for him, going to Takigakure Village was no different from going home.
After passing through a patch of jungle, Ren's eyes lit up. What greeted him was a giant pond. A massive waterfall cascaded down, splashing water several feet high in the pond. It was particularly spectacular.
"Hmm... How do I get in?"
Just as Ren was deep in thought, Kakuzu walked to the other side, his voice drifting back.
"Follow."
"Hehe."
Ren's eyes lit up, and he quickly followed. Soon, the two arrived at the back of the waterfall.
Kakuzu came to a rock wall, fumbled for a moment, and then pressed a spot.
The next moment, to Ren's astonished gaze, the stone wall in front of them suddenly split open, revealing a passage.
"Let's go."
Kakuzu entered first, with Ren close behind.
Looking at Kakuzu ahead, Ren couldn't help but sigh that the money was indeed well spent.
If he had come alone, figuring out how to infiltrate silently would have been a problem.
Now, with someone leading the way and taking a shortcut, it saved a lot of effort.