Money!
As soon as he heard the payment was settled, Kakuzu's first impression of Diarmuid improved significantly.
Diarmuid was already handsome to begin with, and with such a generous hand, he appeared even more appealing in Kakuzu's eyes, a true "good person." Especially considering this guy hadn't even stated his business yet and had already handed over two large crates of gold. Look at that! Now that is a friend worth making!
Feeling pleased, Kakuzu nodded in satisfaction. "If the money is right, anything is negotiable. Diarmuid, do you have enemies? Do you need me to eliminate someone for you?"
"No, no." Diarmuid waved his hand. "I am a man of peace; I don't really have enemies."
He wasn't joking. He hadn't been in this world long enough to make enemies; he barely had any social connections. If he had to name one, it would be the previous boss of this Exchange Point, but Diarmuid had already "taken care" of him personally and assumed his position.
Having controlled the Land of Bears Exchange Point for about two months, Diarmuid had proven himself quite adept at making money.
An Exchange Point is inherently a dark place. In terms of status, Diarmuid, a former Marine Admiral, mixing in such a place was a significant step down in prestige. There was a stark contrast, considering he used to belong to the camp of "Justice." Now, running a criminal underworld hub like an exchange office seemed particularly strange.
But Diarmuid didn't care. He never considered this world his home, so he wasn't about to bind himself with moral standards here. That would be nonsensical. Moreover, this world was dark enough as it was. The Five Great Nations, which symbolized "justice," weren't exactly saintly either. All crows under heaven are black; no one had the right to judge anyone else.
He wasn't here to be Mother Mary and save the market; his first priority was reaping benefits.
Thus, a man with low moral scruples like Diarmuid naturally "usurped the nest," becoming the boss of the Exchange Point to establish a foothold. However, he had put a stop to business dealings that he found truly repulsive, such as human trafficking. It wasn't just a matter of morality or darkness, in any world, that was simply inhumane. Diarmuid hadn't sunk that low.
"Then what is it you want?" Kakuzu asked, curious.
"It's like this… I have a great yearning for Ninjutsu and becoming a shinobi, but unfortunately, I've never had the opportunity. I want to learn the relevant knowledge from you. I heard you've been dominant in the shinobi world for decades; surely you must be a formidable shinobi," Diarmuid said.
Kakuzu was an anomaly; he possessed a very unique Secret Jutsu called Earth Grudge Fear. With this technique, he was essentially immortal. As long as his hearts weren't all destroyed, he could live forever. Thinking back, if Madara had known this, he wouldn't have collapsed just because Black Zetsu gave him some "heart-to-heart" talk.
Furthermore, this technique allowed him to master Ninjutsu of all five natures. While Diarmuid wasn't sure exactly how many jutsu Kakuzu knew, the man was a seasoned veteran; he had to have something valuable. Having him guide Diarmuid through the basics should be no problem.
"You want to learn Ninjutsu from me?" Kakuzu looked at Diarmuid with surprise.
Based on the aura Diarmuid projected, Kakuzu assumed he was a powerful master. Yet, the moment he spoke, it turned out he didn't even know Ninjutsu? Had his eyes deceived him?
"That's right. Not only can I provide substantial compensation, but we can also make an exchange. You teach me Ninjutsu, and I can teach you this..." As Diarmuid spoke, he raised a fist and slammed it toward the adjacent wall.
Before the fist even touched the surface, the power of Armament Haki shattered the wall.
Standing so close, Kakuzu had the vision to recognize the feat. He looked on in shock. "Nintaijutsu? No... wait, you didn't use any Chakra at all... What is this?"
"Never mind Chakra, I don't even have any," Diarmuid laughed, then explained, "It is a secret passed down through generations, known as Haki."
As he finished speaking, Diarmuid channeled a portion of his Conqueror's Haki. His presence suddenly flared, exerting a crushing pressure directly toward Kakuzu.
Kakuzu's expression changed instantly. Startled, he instinctively recoiled several steps, a kunai sliding from his sleeve into his grip. In that moment, he felt as if he were facing a wild tiger, a sense of extreme danger that made his heart pound wildly!
Seeing Kakuzu's reaction, a smirk played on Diarmuid's lips.
Though his strength was somewhat suppressed in this world, it didn't mean Diarmuid lacked the means to survive. Roughly speaking, he estimated himself to be in the "second tier" of this world, roughly the level of the Five Kage. Anything higher would be the freaks like Madara or Hashirama. Even at full strength, those were opponents Diarmuid might not be able to handle.
One primary reason was that his power was largely based on physical attributes and Devil Fruit abilities. He was still quite lacking in means to deal with spiritual or soul-based attacks. Diarmuid felt he wouldn't be able to handle something like Genjutsu. Not to mention Uchiha Madara's Sharingan. [1]
This wasn't just a gap in raw power; it was a fundamental difference in power systems. Just as Conqueror's Haki was something most Vice Admirals in the Navy could withstand, Kakuzu, experiencing it for the first time, was filled with dread. The same logic applied: Diarmuid had zero resistance to Genjutsu. Someone like Kurenai might actually be able to trip him up.
Therefore, Diarmuid was being cautious about his positioning here. In a head-on clash, he didn't fear any Hokage, but he still had major flaws regarding the bizarre variety of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Sealing Jutsu. These weaknesses had to be shored up quickly, or they would become his Achilles' heel!
Seeing that Diarmuid was only demonstrating his power and had no real intention of attacking, and considering the man's generosity, Kakuzu relaxed. He stowed his kunai and asked, "Haki? I've roamed the shinobi world for many years, but I've never heard of such a power."
"If people had heard of it, it wouldn't be called a 'generational secret,'" Diarmuid said with a smile.
Kakuzu's impression of Diarmuid shifted again. This man was likely very strong, but his power system was entirely different from that of the shinobi world. Kakuzu was naturally curious about this unknown power, and since Diarmuid was offering a generous commission and Kakuzu currently had no other business, the deal was quite tempting.
"Fine. I will teach you Ninjutsu, and you teach me this power. The fee... 20,000 Ryo, not a single coin less. I can't guarantee how much you will ultimately learn. However, since I've taken the money, I will teach you everything I can... including Ninjutsu of all five natures, excluding Secret Jutsu," Kakuzu said after some thought.
He paused for a moment, appearing slightly hesitant, then added: "If you truly want to learn a Secret Jutsu, I have the Earth Grudge Fear. If you're adding more money... ahem, I could consider teaching you."
Diarmuid: "???"
As expected, this guy is a total money-grubber!
However, he'd pass on the Earth Grudge Fear. After learning that thing, one became neither human nor ghost, and it severely impacted one's looks. Besides, the core of that technique was immortality and the ability to master five-nature Ninjutsu. Diarmuid didn't care about the immortality. He might not be "unkillable," but he was currently functionally immortal; as long as he wasn't killed in battle, he was fine. As for the five-nature power, he would try to master it himself first; if that failed, he'd reconsider.
"That won't be necessary," Diarmuid said, waving it off.
Kakuzu actually looked a bit disappointed.
"20,000 Ryo, not a single coin less. I will also teach you the power of Haki. Of course, how much you learn depends on your own talent; I won't hold anything back," Diarmuid said seriously.
"Very well. Then let's sign the contract..." Kakuzu said, sliding a scroll from his sleeve.
This guy actually has a sense of contractual integrity?
Soon, Kakuzu had written and drawn on the scroll before handing it to Diarmuid. "Sign and leave your thumbprint."
Diarmuid scanned it. Seeing no issues, he signed the contract with Kakuzu then and there. Once finished, Diarmuid called out, "Go, fetch 20,000 Ryo for Kakuzu."
Kakuzu grew even more satisfied with Diarmuid. What style! The man hadn't even started his lessons and was already paying up front! He secretly decided that as long as Diarmuid wasn't a total lost cause, he would teach him properly.
"There will be another generous gift upon completion," Diarmuid added.
Kakuzu nodded. "My thanks."
Soon, the two crates of gold that had been sealed, along with the 20,000 Ryo, were handed over to Kakuzu. Having received them, Kakuzu was completely at ease.
Diarmuid didn't care much for wealth; money earned was meant to be spent, which was why he was so lavish. For someone like him, with little sense of belonging to this world, high strength, and few moral qualms, he would never truly lack for money. There were far too many ways to acquire it.
He didn't immediately drag Kakuzu into training. First, Diarmuid wanted to build a rapport to get a better understanding of each other. He also took the opportunity to learn about the current state of the world from Kakuzu. The two chatted over a meal.
Currently, according to the Konoha calendar, it was the year Konoha 50, fifty years after the First Hokage founded Konohagakure. The current Hokage was the Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen. It was a time of war: the Third Shinobi World War.
The trigger had been the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, with no trace of him alive, no body found. If Diarmuid remembered correctly, he had likely been killed by the rogue Sasori of the Red Sand and turned into a Human Puppet. Thus, Sunagakure was leaderless and in disarray, prompting other nations to make their moves.
Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning had been the first to strike, raiding Sunagakure and the Land of Wind, effectively firing the first shot of the Third Shinobi World War. Once the fuse was lit, no one could hold back. The Land of Earth declared war on the Land of Fire; Iwagakure and Konogakure were currently in a state of combat. The battlefield was situated in... the Land of Grass and the Land of Rain.
Indeed, that's how great nations bullied the small. To prevent war from destroying their own soil, they fought in smaller countries. Only when a victor couldn't be decided would the scale of the war gradually expand.
Understanding this, combined with intelligence gathered by the Exchange Point, Diarmuid had a rough idea of the current phase. The Battle of Kannabi Bridge had not yet begun. Currently, the ones shining in this war weren't Minato, but the A-B Brothers of the Hidden Cloud, whose Lightning Release struck terror into the shinobi world. Konoha and Iwa were still in a phase of mutual testing.
The Third Raikage hadn't died yet either.
Diarmuid thought it over and felt there was nothing he could meddle in for now, nor any benefits to be gained. At least for the moment, it was better not to be a busybody; let them fight. His priority was to increase his own strength and master the power system of this new world.
As for Konoha... there was a very ironic saying that suited the village perfectly: "An external enemy can never destroy it; in the end, all collapse comes from within."
In several Shinobi World Wars, Konoha always ended up as a victor. Yet almost all catastrophic setbacks were caused by internal darkness and power struggles. Konoha's decline came from the inside.
Right now, Orochimaru and Danzo hadn't started their messy schemes yet, or rather, they hadn't reached an extreme level. He could afford to wait. He would build his strength first; who knows, he might even team up with those two "shadow players" to cause some trouble when the time comes.
[1] This is the author's note in Chapter 474 explaining about the power system and the Genjutsu-thing:
As for the power system, Genjutsu resistance, and strength evaluation, these are just judgments Diarmuid is making based on his current situation. They are his own conjectures, as he hasn't actually fought them yet. However, I don't think Genjutsu resistance has anything to do with Conqueror's Haki; you can't generalize the two. But did you guys forget the protagonist has a cheat called 'Iron Will'? I haven't even brought it up yet, okay? I was trying to set a hook, but I got flamed for it. It hurts, man.
And this is my comment, lol:
This is an old fanfic, so don't judge the author.