Chapter 114: A Web of Shadows
Since he was unlucky enough to stumble upon Uchiha Madara—a man who was supposed to be dead—Kakuzu felt his chances of survival were virtually zero. Dying by Madara's hand wasn't a dishonor. He had been meant to die by Hashirama Senju's; being replaced by a being of the same legendary caliber was almost fitting. What more could he ask for?
Uchiha Madara tilted his head, observing Kakuzu. He knew the man had misunderstood the situation, but he couldn't be bothered to explain. Instead, he said, "I have a task for you."
"Huh?" Kakuzu was stunned. Did I hear that correctly? He's not going to kill me?
"What? You refuse?" Madara's voice was flat, devoid of threat, yet carrying the weight of absolute consequence.
"Of course not! I am at your service!" Kakuzu said quickly. It was no joke—who would choose death if life was offered? If Uchiha Madara had a use for him, he would be spared, for now. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, Kakuzu would cling to it.
"Find a way to lure Akatsurugi out of Konoha and bring him here," Uchiha Madara commanded.
Kakuzu immediately choked on his own breath. The Blaze God? He'd been active in the shinobi world; how could he not know the current Fourth Hokage? The man was a monster. Multiple Kage had fallen by his hand. Kakuzu had no illusions about his own ability to confront such a force directly.
"To be perfectly honest, Lord Madara, Akatsurugi is immensely powerful. I..." Kakuzu still possessed a shred of self-awareness. It was the same reason he'd thrown a kunai at Hashirama from eight hundred meters away instead of engaging in close combat.
Uchiha Madara snorted coldly, pondered for a moment, and said, "Remain here. I will enhance your strength."
Kakuzu was taken aback, but only a fool would refuse a power-up from Uchiha Madara. He didn't know how the legendary shinobi planned to do it, but a man of such stature would not act without purpose.
Back in Konoha, within the Hokage's office, Hatake Sakumo delivered his mission report, including the encounter with the rogue ninja, Kakuzu.
Akatsurugi's eyebrow rose. Kakuzu? So this immortal freelancer had the audacity to target Konoha? He was seeking a swift end.
"Lord Hokage," Sakumo said, his voice firm. "I formally request a mission to hunt down Kakuzu." It was clear the White Fang's pride had been wounded.
After a moment's consideration, Akatsurugi nodded. "Granted. His kinjutsu is called Earth Grudge Fear, a forbidden technique from Takigakure. It allows him to steal the hearts of others to prolong his life and augment his power. You've discovered its weakness: destroy the masks that house the hearts."
Sakumo confirmed this with a nod.
Weighing Kakuzu's known capabilities against Hatake Sakumo's, Akatsurugi saw no issue. With Konoha currently at peace, he approved the request. Hatake Sakumo returned home, gathered his gear, and set out once more.
In the cave, Kakuzu waited with bated breath, eager to see how Uchiha Madara would "enhance" him.
Finally, Madara returned. "These three hearts are for you. Earth, Water, and Fire. Unless you are utterly incompetent, few in this world will be able to kill you now. I don't care how you do it, just lure Akatsurugi here." Three white, featureless humanoid creatures stood passively before him.
Kakuzu blinked, staring at Madara. This was the method? Personally sourcing hearts for him? It was... not what he had imagined. What were these white things? They didn't look human.
But he didn't question it. If Uchiha Madara wanted him dead, there were far simpler methods. He unleashed his black threads, which wrapped around the three Zetsu clones. They offered no resistance as he devoured their cores, assimilating their potent chakra.
The moment the assimilation was complete, Kakuzu's expression shifted to one of sheer disbelief. He could feel the vast, surging power within him. It was overwhelming. If not for the fact he'd absorbed them from these white monsters, he would have sworn the Earth Nature heart belonged to Ōnoki himself.
"For the Earth Grudge Fear," Madara stated, "the strength of the heart dictates the strength of the user. Find the remaining two hearts yourself. Do not forget my task." With that, he turned and vanished into the shadows of the cave.
Kakuzu was ecstatic. The power contained within these three hearts was so immense he felt intoxicated, even daring enough to briefly entertain the thought of challenging Madara. Reason, thankfully, prevailed. "Lord Madara," he called out to the empty cavern, "you have my word. I will not fail."
Emerging from the cave, Kakuzu could scarcely believe his fortune. Had he truly become so powerful? Was this a blessing born from misfortune? The world seemed full of beauty.
Then he remembered the mission, and his face fell. Akatsurugi was the Hokage. How does one lure a sitting Kage from his village?
"By causing enough trouble," he muttered to himself. "Cause chaos at Konoha's gates, force a response. Eventually, he will have to show himself." Besides, he still had a score to settle with that white-haired Konoha dog.
And so, Kakuzu made his way toward Konoha. With three hearts of such incredible power, he felt it was enough. He wasn't tasked with killing the Blaze God, only luring him out. Uchiha Madara would handle the rest. The elite Iwa jōnin heart he'd once prized now felt mediocre in comparison to the gifts from Madara. He wondered what those white creatures were. If he could find more, perhaps even ones with Kekkei Genkai... the possibilities were dizzying.
He now possessed the Earth, Fire, and Water hearts from Madara, plus the Earth heart from the Iwa jōnin, and his own original Earth heart. Three powerful Earth Nature hearts made his mastery over Earth Release terrifying. His journey was swift.
Meanwhile, the disguised Hatake Sakumo was also on the move, scouring the countryside for any trace of Kakuzu, but so far, there had been no leads.
Unbeknownst to him, Kakuzu had already reached the outskirts of Konoha, his green eyes fixed on the village walls.
Just then, a delegation of six Suna ninja exited Konoha's main gate. Nara Shikaku saw them off. "Safe travels," he said.
The leader of the Sand delegation was an elite jōnin, a master of Wind Release. They bowed in farewell and turned to begin their long journey home. They never saw the web of black threads that shot from the forest's edge, moving faster than any natural shadow.
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