Chapter 63 — All Quiet on the Western Front (Part 9)
"I'll pay you. From now on, you work for me. How about it?"
Standing at a safe distance, Ren ignored Kakuzu's seething anger and, instead, tried to recruit him.
He knew better than to underestimate his opponent just because he had beaten him once. Kakuzu's deadly elemental jutsu hadn't even been revealed yet. And besides — this was only the Second Great Ninja War; Kakuzu had yet to reach his peak.
"How much?"
The moment money was mentioned, Kakuzu instantly calmed down. He recognized only money, not people. Breaking a black-market contract? At worst, he'd just wear a different mask the next time he showed up.
Ren tilted his chin toward him and asked,
"That client who hired you as a bodyguard — how much are they paying you?"
"In our line of work, there are rules. I can't disclose the employer's name, let alone the exact fee."
Kakuzu shook his head. No way he was stupid enough to give away a number — unless Ren made him an offer he couldn't refuse… or else they'd have to keep fighting.
Ren studied him. As expected of the man who would one day become Akatsuki's treasurer — not an easy one to fool.
"I'll give you eighty million. I'm pretty sure your current employer can't match that."
His opening bid was ten times the standard rate for such jobs. Ren didn't know the exact black-market prices, but judging from the "Konoha's Gold" bounty incident, eighty million ryō was roughly equivalent to a small Hidden Village's entire annual budget.
"How much?!" Kakuzu thought he had misheard.
Damn — eighty million?
From the First War until now, he hadn't managed to save up that much. And here Ren was, offering it outright?
"Eighty million. I don't have it on me right now, but once we return to the village, you'll get it."
"Do I look like an eight-year-old to you?" Kakuzu said flatly.
Ren removed his mask, revealing his distinctive face. Pointing to his own cheek, he asked,
"Recognize me?"
"Hannya… Konoha's new-generation prodigy. But no, I don't know the face — I know the mask," Kakuzu replied with disarming honesty.
"Then you should know I'm Tsunade's disciple. I can tap into the Senju clan's wealth — and the Hyuga clan's too. Back in the village, money won't be a problem."
There was truth and falsehood mixed in, but Kakuzu hesitated all the same. Seeing his uncertainty, Ren pressed on.
"Besides, have you ever seen anyone carrying eighty million on their person? That much money is either an inheritance or sitting in a bank. Even if I said I had it right now, would you really believe me?"
"Then how much do you have right now?"
Kakuzu was tempted. He hadn't been paid for this job yet, so at the very least, he wanted an upfront deposit.
Ren fished in his pocket and took out a savings book — the sum of all the money he'd earned from past missions: one million ryō.
"This is all I have on me. It's yours."
He tossed the passbook to Kakuzu as though it were nothing more than scrap paper, his expression unconcerned. In his other hand, however, Jü'an remained firmly at the ready.
To Ren, money was nearly meaningless. In this world, wealthy merchants and daimyo were little more than walking ATMs. It was just that most ninjas were too rigid in their thinking… but Ren was not.
Kakuzu caught the bankbook, glanced at the seven-digit figure inside, and after a moment's hesitation, nodded.
"Eighty million — and I drop this job?"
"Exactly." Ren agreed without missing a beat.
It was all part of his plan — the eighty million would be paid in installments. Ren understood Kakuzu's nature well: once he got the money, he'd only squirrel it away somewhere safe. Spending it recklessly was never his style.
With this as a pretext, Ren now had an excuse to stay in contact with Kakuzu more often. The man had the potential of a future Kage, and Ren fully intended to recruit him under his banner.
Seeing that Ren was truly willing to pay eighty million to buy him out of his current mission, Kakuzu agreed without hesitation.
[Can loyalty be bought with money? That answer… is yours to write.]
[A man who once served Uchiha Madara now pledges loyalty to you. Power Index +1.]
[Power Manifestation Reward: The Book of Curses.]
The sudden system prompt left Ren momentarily stunned.
Kakuzu really lived up to his reputation from the original story — he was a true money-grubber. Whoever paid him was whoever he served.
But this Book of Curses?
"What is it?" Ren asked inwardly.
[The Book of Curses — an introductory text to the Curse Power System, the foundational manual of the Evil God Cult.]
Ah. So it was related to that cult Hidan belonged to… and if he remembered correctly, Hidan's so-called immortality was tied to curses as well.
"Got it," Ren nodded.
He couldn't care less about whether a power came from some "Evil God." The ninja world's power systems were endlessly diverse — knowing a little about each was the safest bet, ensuring he wouldn't be caught clueless against an unfamiliar enemy.
Take Ryōsuke, for example — facing that old man had been frustrating because his techniques were an eclectic mess. The man was like a rogue cultivator, pulling out some random jutsu you couldn't even name.
No idea if White Fang had managed to deal with him or not.
"So… what now?"
Kakuzu landed at a comfortable distance, neither too far nor too close, waiting for instructions.
Ren refocused and switched his Sharingan to the Byakugan, scanning for Uzumaki Nagato's location.
"Found him. Huh… he didn't run far? Come with me!"
Gripping his blade, Ren sprinted forward. His Byakugan saw it clearly — Nagato was just a few hundred meters away, watching them. Why he hadn't fled, Ren didn't know. But at this distance, it was already too late to escape.
Nagato himself was bewildered.
First, a strange ninja had burst from underground to block the strike meant for him. Then that rogue ninja had shown up to pull him out of danger. His Rinnegan wasn't suited for cooperative combat, so to avoid hindering that rogue, he had simply stayed back to watch.
But then… those two started talking.
And talking turned into negotiating.
For money.
And now—wait—
Oh crap… they're coming toward me?!
His long red hair whipped in the air as confusion overtook him. He didn't even know who Kakuzu really was. In this situation… should he run, or stay?
"You idiot! You're dead meat!"
The taunting voice came from the tree trunk behind him.
It was Zetsu — and not just any Zetsu, but the real White Zetsu.
Turns out Uchiha Madara hadn't been at ease even after hiring Kakuzu as Nagato's escort, so in the end, he sent White Zetsu himself to watch over things.
White Zetsu, however, was sorely disappointed. Was this really the man Madara had chosen as his successor? The guy had zero talent for being a shinobi, and his ideas about war and peace were utterly immature.
Perhaps… Madara should consider another candidate for the Eye of the Moon Plan.
And for now, the Rinnegan needed to be taken back.
Catching Nagato completely off guard, White Zetsu's ambush was flawless. In an instant, his hands locked around Nagato's neck — and with a sharp, almost casual yank, like pulling an elastic band, he wrenched the boy's head clean off.
At that moment, Ren and Kakuzu arrived — just in time to witness the act.
"What the…?" Kakuzu blinked.
The client who had hired him earlier… hadn't he looked kind of like Venus flytrap plant? Only black? If those two were partners, then why had Black one told him to protect Nagato… while White one just killed him?
Was this… left brain versus right brain?
Ren didn't move. He just watched as White Zetsu, clutching Nagato's head, activated the Mayfly Technique and vanished into the ground.
Up in the tree, the headless corpse swayed, blood spraying in arcs, before tumbling down to the forest floor.
Ren was speechless. In this butterfly-effect-riddled world he'd helped create, the ninja world had become a new, chaotic system. With Nagato dead, who would Madara choose as his new executor?
He sighed, turned to Kakuzu, and said:
"Let's go. Since I've bought you out of this mission, you're going to help me with something else."