As the various ninja villages of the ninja world stirred, responding to Konoha's invitation and some highly intriguing intelligence, Kakuzu, situated in the Land of Demons, found himself entangled in an internal struggle.
The bounty hunter network's intelligence system was incredibly powerful.
Just how powerful was it?
Take, for instance, the recent widespread topic of discussion across the ninja world: who was the awakened user of Wood Style?
While people in various ninja nations were still desperately trying to ascertain from Konoha whether the resurgence of Wood Style was true, the bounty hunter network's manual had already updated with information on Nawaki.
Bounty List: Nawaki
Origin: Konohagakure, Land of Fire
Clan: Senju Clan
Ninja Registration Number: 005350
Ninja Rank: Genin
Grandfather: First Hokage of Konoha, Senju Hashirama
Sister: Tsunade Hime, one of the Sannin
Teacher: Orochimaru, one of the Sannin
Teammates: ...
Abilities: Taijutsu, Water Style Ninjutsu, Wood Style, Summoning Jutsu (Unknown)
Bounty: 100,000,000 Ryo
...
"Truly tempting!"
Kakuzu gazed at the string of zeros beneath the entry, his internal conflict deepening.
Although he prided himself on having survived his encounter with the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and often boasted of his strength and experience when hunting bounty targets, he knew that in the face of Wood Style, he was as fragile as a child.
He couldn't even defeat a single Wood Style clone casually summoned by Senju Hashirama.
"Nawaki..."
"He doesn't bear the Senju Clan name, and his Wood Style has only recently awakened. His strength should not be as terrifying as the First Hokage's, right?"
"If I could catch him by surprise, perhaps..."
A flicker of light flashed in Kakuzu's green eyes as he considered the feasibility of claiming that substantial bounty.
However, when his gaze fell upon the entry 'Teacher: Orochimaru,' he fell into hesitation once more.
"Tsunade, though also one of the Sannin, is merely a medical ninja with a strong aptitude for taijutsu."
"But this Orochimaru..."
Kakuzu flipped the roster to the page detailing Orochimaru's bounty.
1.3 billion!
That was 300 million more than the bounty on Sarutobi Hiruzen, the current Hokage of Konoha.
"Having a teacher who could easily defeat a fully tailed-beast transformed Four-Tails Jinchuriki and force back the most senior of the Five Kage, Onoki of the Stone..."
"This venture is likely not viable!"
Kakuzu sighed with resignation, finding it hard to comprehend why Konoha always produced such troublesome individuals.
Despite the incredibly high bounties, he was forced to painfully abandon these colossal fortunes due to various reasons.
It was the same with Hatake Sakumo last time, and now it was the same with Nawaki, who was just a child.
Why were these bounties, so visible yet so unattainable, displayed for him to see?
With a heavy heart, he painfully set aside Orochimaru's information, intending to find some more cost-effective targets to soothe his five throbbing hearts.
It hurt too much!
"Hey!"
"You there, turn your head and let this old man see your eyes!"
The sudden call made Kakuzu pause in his perusal of the roster.
He glanced left and right, finding himself alone. A surge of wicked anger, fueled by the bounty, flared up within him.
"Truly..."
"Seeking death..."
With killing intent boiling in his eyes, Kakuzu slowly tucked the roster back into his cloak. His chakra surged, and he squeezed out words of extreme rage between gritted teeth as he slowly turned around.
And then...
He froze!
Familiar armor in the style of the Fire-elemental Warring States period, a flaming war fan and a jet-black scythe blade crossed on his back.
Wild, salt-and-pepper hair framed half of a cold face, upon which a scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan slowly rotated.
Arms crossed, chin slightly raised, he leaned against a pillar at the entrance of the bounty hunter network, his arrogant gaze fixed on Kakuzu with that ominous eye.
It was as if...
A Shura demon emerging from the abyss, gazing upon an ant struggling for sustenance in the dust.
"Uchiha... Madara?"
He was actually still alive?
It was the height of summer, yet Kakuzu felt not even a hint of warmth.
His entire body turned as cold as if he had been doused from head to toe with a bucket of ice-cold water on a harsh winter day, so cold that the five hearts within him nearly stopped beating.
The Shura who had fought alongside the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, during the late Warring States period was standing before him, very much alive.
"Oh?"
"You actually recognize this old man!"
Uchiha Madara lowered his arms, his eyes filled with amused interest as he slowly descended the steps from the bounty hunter network's entrance.
"Tap, tap..."
His footsteps were slow, much like an elder on the verge of death.
Yet, each step seemed to land on Kakuzu's heartbeat, the sense of his soul being suppressed so intensely that Kakuzu felt as though he could barely breathe.
"No wonder Orochimaru told me you once fought with that fellow Hashirama."
"This old man initially didn't quite believe it, but..."
"The only ones in this ninja world who can recognize this old man at a glance, besides the Kage of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, are likely those like you who have lived since the Warring States period."
Kakuzu's pupils nearly shrunk to the size of pinpricks. Under Uchiha Madara's terrifying pressure, his body wobbled, and he stumbled back two steps.
"You..."
"I have never hunted a single ninja of the Uchiha clan!"
Kakuzu didn't know why Uchiha Madara had suddenly appeared before him, but that didn't diminish his desperate desire to continue living.
For someone like him, who wantonly stole others' hearts to prolong his life, the fear of death far surpassed that of ordinary ninjas.
If he had truly possessed the courage to face death, he should have committed suicide in shame after failing to assassinate Senju Hashirama and returning to his village, rather than using the forbidden jutsu, Earth Grudge Fear, to live on.
"Is that so..."
Uchiha Madara's face remained expressionless. Though he was slightly shorter than Kakuzu, he loomed over the bowed Kakuzu like a giant.
"Then should this old man..."
"Be grateful for the immortal ninja's great kindness on behalf of those juniors who betrayed this old man?"
Kakuzu's body trembled. While taking a step back, he stealthily let a ball of messy black threads fall to the ground along his cloak, watching the approaching Uchiha Madara with a tense gaze.
With a sneer, Uchiha Madara reached back and gripped the hilt of the scythe behind him.
"Hmph..."
"The Earth Grudge Fear forbidden jutsu of Takigakure that just burrowed into the ground from you, wasn't it?"
Kakuzu thought his movement was subtle, but what kind of individual was Uchiha Madara?
Every subtle sign during a battle escaped his senses, let alone the minor movements Kakuzu made right before his eyes.
"Trying these petty tricks in front of the Sharingan, how truly..."
"Naive!"