----
Chiriku, despite being a monk, clearly lacked any true "great wisdom." He was completely unable to comprehend Naruto's so-called Mahayana Buddhism.
"Sigh… I alone am sober while the world is drunk," Naruto lamented, shaking his head. He abandoned his attempt to scam ninjutsu out of monks with made-up sutras and, under the judgmental gazes of his teammates, returned to the Fire Temple.
By the time they arrived, it was already late at night. The day had been filled with tracking and combat, leaving them all exhausted.
The Fire Temple was still lit by torches and lanterns, maintaining a traditional atmosphere. The monks handled the reburial of the stolen corpses and reinforced the protective barriers around the temple.
As they sat down for dinner, Naruto was surprised. "Huh? I thought you guys only ate vegetarian food."
Since the meal was provided by the temple, he had expected simple, plant-based dishes but there was fish and meat on the table.
Kakashi, already pulling out his "spiritual sustenance" (Icha Icha Paradise), replied, "Of course not. If they didn't eat meat, where would they get the strength to train?"
Though already used to his antics, Sakura couldn't help but warn him, "Kakashi-sensei, reading that in a temple… Aren't you afraid of divine punishment?"
Kakashi, unbothered, flipped a page with one hand while eating with the other. "Nah, what would be divine punishment if someone took my books away."
Naruto gave him a disgusted look. "You're beyond saving."
After dinner, they each retired to their guest rooms for the night.
---
Morning at the Fire Temple
Naruto was woken up by the sounds of monks training.
"Man, these guys are dedicated."
Looking to the side, he saw that Sasuke was also awake, apparently disturbed by the noise as well.
Taking the opportunity, Naruto dragged him outside for some light sparring before heading to the temple's main hall.
His goal? To grab some protective charms and souvenirs.
Sasuke, holding a wooden talisman between his fingers, looked unimpressed. "And this is supposed to be useful?"
"Eh, it's more of a keepsake," Naruto admitted. "The Fire Temple's pretty famous, after all."
He wasn't superstitious, but these charms made for good gifts for friends and family. If there was any deity in this world he might actually respect, it was Hashirama Senju's Top Transformed Buddha.
At the temple entrance, Kakashi leaned casually against a pillar, reading as usual. Meanwhile, Sakura seemed about to enter the main hall.
Naruto suddenly had a thought.
If Kakashi and Sakura arrived together…
Did that mean Kakashi had deliberately struck this cool pose at the last second?
"Us waking up early isn't weird. You being up early is what's unusual," Naruto commented.
"Well, we are guests here," Kakashi said. "Anyway, it's about time we say our goodbyes to Master Chiriku."
Naruto, out of habit, sensed Chiriku's chakra. He hesitated.
"Actually… that might not be necessary just yet."
---
About ten kilometres from the Fire Temple, two figures moved steadily toward their destination.
They both wore black cloaks adorned with red clouds.
One had grey hair, wore his forehead protector around his neck, and carried a massive triple-bladed red scythe. His expression was filled with annoyance.
"Oi, Kakuzu. That's a temple up ahead. Why the hell are we going there?"
The taller man, Kakuzu, wore a Takigakure (Hidden Waterfall Village) headband with a slash through it, marking him as a rogue ninja. His face was mostly hidden behind a mask, with only his green eyes visible.
Holding a map, he responded, "That's not just any temple. The Fire Temple is one of the most renowned in the Land of Fire."
Hidan, resting his scythe on his shoulder, pointed it at Kakuzu.
"Tch, and? You betraying Jashinism now? Lord Jashin doesn't take kindly to that, you know."
"Shut up," Kakuzu snapped. "You were the one who said religion could be profitable, which is the only reason I agreed to team up with you. Now I still have to make my own money."
Folding the map, he tucked it away and grumbled, "And on top of that, the Akatsuki keeps forcing me to hand over my hard-earned money."
"Ugh, you reek of greed," Hidan complained. "Why are we even going to this heretical temple? Weren't we supposed to be hunting the Seven-Tails? There was no reason to pass through the Land of Fire."
From the Land of Lightning, they could have just travelled through the smaller nations like the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Iron to reach Takigakure. There was also a sea route option.
Instead, Kakuzu had taken them on an unnecessarily long detour.
With a calm, matter-of-fact tone, Kakuzu answered, "If you must know, there's someone very valuable at the Fire Temple."
Hidan immediately caught on.
"Wait, don't tell me… You're trying to cash in another bounty?"
"This particular monk is worth 30 million ryo," Kakuzu confirmed.
Hidan scowled. "Seriously?! You're wasting time chasing bounties again that's why our missions always take forever! Whatever. Is this guy strong?"
"Of course," Kakuzu replied. "He used to be one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, an elite chosen to protect the Daimyō."
Hidan grinned, licking his lips. "Oh, a strong opponent? Perfect. I can offer him as a sacrifice to Lord Jashin. Since he's not a jinchūriki, I don't have to bring him back alive, right?"
Kakuzu shrugged. "Just don't go overboard. He still needs to be recognizable."
Hidan didn't care. "Pfft, whatever. Anyway, you're worrying too much. It's not like I can die."
"Maybe," Kakuzu muttered. "But don't underestimate them. If you're careless, you will die."
Hidan hoisted his scythe onto his shoulder. "You should know by now that's not a warning you give me."
---
Ten kilometres wasn't too far, but it wasn't too close either.
By the time Kakuzu and Hidan reached the Fire Temple gates, they saw five people waiting for them.
Chiriku, Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stood shoulder to shoulder each one either serious or tense, their expressions varied.
Hidan tilted his head lazily. "What's this? A roadside ambush? Whatever. We can just offer them all to Lord Jashin."
"Don't be careless, Hidan," Kakuzu warned. He recognized the faces immediately.
30 million. 50 million. 20 million. An easy 100 million ryo standing right there.
But this wasn't an easy job.
"That bald guy he's our target. But also…" Kakuzu narrowed his eyes.
"That's Copy Ninja Kakashi… and the Second Coming of the Yellow Flash, Uzumaki Naruto, who also happens to be the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. And those other two? Their squad is supposedly very formidable."
Kakuzu quickly calculated the risks.
A hundred million Ryo was tempting, but taking down a jinchūriki wasn't part of the plan.
The stakes were far too high.
Still, Hidan never backed down from a fight.
"Well, we weren't planning to grab the Nine-Tails, but hey why not? It'd still count as a mission success."
Kakuzu gave him a flat look. "And? What's your move?"
Hidan's grin widened.
"Obviously…" He spun his triple-bladed scythe, the sharp edges gleaming under the sun.
"We fight."
----
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