Chapter 87
Suddenly, Haneda pointed at the Third Kazekage puppet and spoke:
"How about I pay you one and a half times the amount to buy my own life and hire you to fight him?"
"Let's be clear, I, Uchiha Haneda, am willing to pay more!"
??? !!!
Sasori nervously glanced at Kakuzu, noticing the slight interest in his eyes. Now, Sasori was genuinely worried that Kakuzu might change sides.
"I'm a man of my word. Once I accept a bounty, I have to complete it," Kakuzu said, though a hint of temptation flickered in his gaze.
However, Kakuzu preferred to stick to his code as a bounty hunter, valuing his professional integrity.
"I'll offer double," Haneda said boldly, waving his hand.
He had recently come into a large sum of money, and now seemed the perfect time to use it to sway Kakuzu.
Seeing Kakuzu still hesitating, Haneda raised three fingers and said calmly:
"Triple."
"This is your deposit."
Without hesitation, Haneda kicked a suitcase full of cash toward Kakuzu.
The suitcase opened midair, releasing the familiar and enticing scent of freshly printed money.
Kakuzu immediately activated Earth Grudge Fear to catch the falling money, weighing the suitcase in his hands with a satisfied smile.
He was genuinely tempted!
"Deal," Kakuzu said, sealing the suitcase into a scroll and turning to Sasori.
"As a temporary ally, I'd rather not fight you."
Hearing this, Sasori's expression darkened, his gaze icy cold as if it could drip water. He knew exactly what Kakuzu was thinking.
Kakuzu wanted to get the money while preserving his strength for future bounties.
Realizing this, Sasori began to panic. He had just finished creating the Third Kazekage puppet and wasn't fully familiar with its Magnet Release. Fighting Sakumo was already a stretch, but adding Uchiha Haneda with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan into the mix?
"Aren't you afraid they'll cheat you?" Sasori coldly reminded Kakuzu.
"Cheat me? Anyone who's tried to cheat me is dead—without exception," Kakuzu replied indifferently.
As a Kage-level shinobi, Kakuzu knew Konoha wouldn't risk making an enemy of him by cheating him. Besides, if it came to it, he could simply collect payment directly from the Uchiha clan.
Selling Sharingan was always a profitable business.
When Kakuzu said this, not only did Sasori panic further, but even Black Zetsu, who was lurking in the shadows, grew uneasy.
At the same time, Asuma and Kurenai stood dumbfounded, utterly shocked by Haneda's move. They couldn't believe it—using money to settle disputes and bribe an enemy!
It was absurd, completely upending their understanding of what it meant to be a ninja.
Most shinobi, whether from a village or rogue, valued their reputation and trust above all else.
"Haneda, I never expected you could buy off an enemy with just a few words," Sakumo remarked in surprise.
After decades of carrying out missions, this was the first time Sakumo had encountered something like this.
What made it even more bizarre was that Kakuzu, like Sakumo, was a Kage-level shinobi.
Just as the situation seemed to calm, the black market's handler came running over, shouting to Kakuzu:
"The exchange office is willing to offer ten times the amount!!"
'Ten times?!'
Kakuzu's expression immediately changed. He never doubted the black market's willingness to pay such a sum.
"Ahem... I'm a man of honor, known throughout many countries for my credibility. I would never tarnish my reputation by betraying a client."
"Konoha shinobi, enough talk. Let's fight!"
Seeing his temporary ally switch sides again, Sasori was left speechless.
But deep inside, his hatred pushed aside these distractions, though a seed of doubt about Kakuzu's reliability was now firmly planted.
Watching the conveniently timed arrival of the black market handler, Haneda instantly understood the situation. This was all part of a grand scheme orchestrated by Madara and Black Zetsu.
There was no way an ordinary person could have evaded his Sharingan's detection and suddenly appeared here.
And the timing was too perfect!
"It seems we'll have to fight, Uncle Sakumo," Haneda said, lightning sparking around him as his *Chidori Blade* began to glow on his short sword.
"Haneda, you three take on the puppet master," Sakumo quickly commanded, stepping forward to face Kakuzu.
Sakumo knew the situation well. Although Kakuzu exaggerated his tales of fighting the First Hokage, there was no doubt he was much stronger than Sasori, especially in his current state.
Kakuzu was a seasoned Kage-level fighter, while Sasori was still in his teens, having only just mastered the Third Kazekage puppet and not yet fully adapted to it.
Strong versus strong, weak versus weak—it made perfect sense.
"An Uchiha brat, huh? Konoha's White Fang sure underestimates me," Sasori sneered, sending the Third Kazekage puppet charging toward Haneda.
"Let's finish you first."
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle!"
Without forming any seals, the iron sand scattered across the ground surged like a tidal wave toward Haneda.
At the same time, the iron sand morphed into countless fine needles, shooting at Haneda from all directions, as fast as bullets.
"Magnet Release... Perhaps I could use this move."
The short sword in Haneda's hand crackled with lightning, the sound of *Chidori* echoing continuously.
"Lightning Style: Chidori Stream!"
The area-effect Chidori Stream unleashed a powerful current that disrupted the magnetic field around them.
As the high-voltage electricity clashed with the iron sand, the needle-like sand particles were immediately neutralized, falling harmlessly to the ground.
Magnetism generates electricity, and electricity influences magnetism.
In essence, Magnet Release and Lightning Release counter each other, and Haneda's control over lightning proved superior.
"If all you can do is rely on Magnet Release, a low-tier Kekkei Genkai, then your defeat is inevitable."
Haneda's Three-Tomoe Sharingan swirled as he looked up at the treetop where Sasori's true body was hiding.
"Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear!"
A bolt of lightning shot out, forcing Sasori to leap from the tree, landing on the ground.
Mud splashed onto his face, but Sasori didn't care.
"Your lightning style is impressive. You're worthy of being turned into eternal art," Sasori said softly with a smile.
His eyes gazed at Haneda as if examining a piece of art, his appraisal cold and detached.
"I haven't fully mastered Magnet Release, so I won't play around with you anymore."
"Next comes the real puppet master's battle. I'll show you my art."
Sasori tore open a sealing scroll, summoning several more puppets from within.
With a slight twitch of his fingers, chakra strings connected to the puppets.
Sasori's fingers danced gracefully like a pianist's, filled with an artistic elegance.
Yet the puppets he controlled were merciless killing machines, charging at Haneda.
Haneda's Sharingan spun rapidly. The number of puppets was overwhelming, and their quality was impressive.
Through his Sharingan, Haneda could see that most of the puppets were made from the corpses of at least Chunin-level shinobi.
Some were even crafted from five Jonin!
Sasori had already developed the prototype for his Hundred Puppets Performance technique!
Haneda frowned. Facing Sasori was proving to be far too challenging for him, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out.
***
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