---
**July 7th, Clear Sky**
**Tenshi's Haven Casino.**
Located on the outskirts of Tanshu Street, this quiet establishment rarely saw visitors. Natsume had chosen it deliberately to avoid unwanted attention—especially from Konoha's shinobi. The Akatsuki's reputation was enough to spark panic, and their abilities were far too dangerous to risk exposure in public.
At precisely seven o'clock, Natsume arrived, punctual as always. Waiting for him were two figures: Kakuzu and Sasori.
Both were draped in the Akatsuki's signature black cloaks, emblazoned with red clouds. Kakuzu, tall and menacing, wore a hood that obscured most of his face, leaving only his cold, calculating green eyes visible. Sasori, concealed within his puppet Hiruko, appeared as a grotesque scorpion-like shell, with a tail arched high, ready to strike.
Neither of them could be considered truly human anymore.
Sasori, the infamous puppet master of Sunagakure, and grandson of Chiyo, had long since transcended mortality by transforming himself into a puppet. Kakuzu, the rogue ninja from Takigakure, had achieved unnatural longevity by using a forbidden jutsu that allowed him to possess five hearts—and thus, five lives.
Natsume couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He half-expected Uchiha Obito to appear, but dismissed the thought. It was still too early in the timeline for Obito to fully step into his role as "Tobi" within the Akatsuki. At this point, he was still sowing chaos in Kirigakure, consumed by his grief over Nohara Rin's death.
After Rin was forced to become the Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails and subsequently died by Hatake Kakashi's hand during the Third Shinobi War, Obito had become a nightmare for Kirigakure. What he didn't realize was that her death had been orchestrated by Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu, a ploy to awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan and entangle him further in the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Natsume's thoughts were interrupted by Kakuzu's sharp, business-like voice.
"So, are you the employer?" Kakuzu asked, his gaze cold and appraising.
"Yes," Natsume responded evenly. "This is just a shadow clone, so I'll need the two of you to provide protection along the way."
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed slightly. "Protection wasn't part of the original contract, and if you're only sending a clone, that's going to complicate things. I'll need more money."
Natsume raised two fingers. "There are two of you. I'll add two hundred thousand ryō for the additional protection."
Kakuzu's eyes gleamed with greed as he considered the offer. "That brings the total to 2.2 million ryō. Simple enough—escort you to Kusagakure, no problem."
The Akatsuki rarely took on high-paying jobs outside of assassination and mercenary work, but 2.2 million ryō to protect a clone? That was easy money.
"One more thing," Natsume added, his tone casual but firm. "I'll need you to retrieve something from Orochimaru."
Kakuzu's eyes flickered with interest at the mention of the Sannin. "Orochimaru?" he asked, intrigued but not intimidated. "That wasn't part of the deal, but I assume you'll offer the right price."
Natsume nodded. "Two million ryō for the delivery."
Kakuzu smirked. "Dealing with Orochimaru won't be easy. If he decides to interfere, the price will increase. He is a Sannin, after all."
Natsume raised another finger, undeterred. "Ten million ryō, in case things get complicated."
Kakuzu's greed surged at the offer. Ten million was more than enough to sweeten the deal, especially with the possibility of taking Orochimaru's head afterward for a bounty. He glanced at Sasori, who remained silent, like the puppet he appeared to be.
Kakuzu gave a curt nod. "We'll take both jobs."
"Good to hear," Natsume replied. "But fair warning—this clone isn't as fast as my real body."
Sasori finally stirred, with a flick of his hand summoning a puppet that landed on the ground. The puppet was an unsettling figure, clad in tattered robes, six-armed, and horned like some grotesque demon.
"A ride?" Natsume asked, eyeing the puppet suspiciously.
Sasori's monotone reply was curt. "Sit."
Natsume hesitated for a moment. *Is this some sort of punishment? Did I not pay enough?* He half-expected Sasori to summon the Third Kazekage puppet for a more elegant mode of transport.
With no other option, Natsume mounted the eerie puppet. Though it moved with an unsettling, jerky motion, it was fast, easily keeping pace with Kakuzu and Sasori as they sped through the forests toward Kusagakure.
The journey was swift, thanks to their combined abilities, and within two days, they arrived at their destination: the Village Hidden in the Grass.
Kusagakure, a small and underdeveloped village, sat on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass. Known for studying and stealing techniques from other villages, it lacked the power to be a major player on the world stage. Its most infamous act was the exploitation of Uzumaki survivors for their chakra, treating them as nothing more than tools. Karin's mother had been one such victim, drained dry for her powerful chakra.
Natsume glanced toward the village, his thoughts briefly wandering to its grim history. But now wasn't the time for sympathy.
They had a mission to complete.
**The Hidden Grass Village (Kusagakure)**
Natsume didn't know what the mother and daughter looked like, or where to find them exactly.
*I can't just wander around the village aimlessly.*
However, as living "blood vials," they were bound to be sought after whenever a ninja was injured.
That made things simpler.
**Block the entrance.**
At the only road leading into Kusagakure, Natsume, Kakuzu, and Sasori stood defiantly in the middle of the street, exuding an intimidating aura of arrogance.
Before long, a group of Grass ninja appeared.
"Hey!" barked the chunin leading them. "This is the Hidden Grass Village! Don't you have eyes? How dare you block our way!"
Neither Natsume nor Kakuzu responded. Sasori remained silent as well, but raised his left arm, revealing the nozzle of a concealed flamethrower.
"Huh?" The Grass ninja frowned in confusion.
Before they could react, Sasori's arm fired a cylinder that exploded in midair, unleashing a barrage of senbon needles.
The cold, metallic needles rained down on the Grass ninja, piercing their exposed skin. Screams filled the air as they collapsed, blood seeping from their wounds.
"Get lost," Natsume sneered. "Don't ruin our mood."
The Grass ninja, panicked and injured, scrambled to their feet and fled, some dragging themselves across the ground in a desperate attempt to escape.
"Follow them," Natsume ordered, watching their retreat.
Kakuzu and Sasori exchanged brief glances. Though the task was beneath them, they were being paid, so they complied with Natsume's commands.
The injured chunin limped back toward a wooden house deeper in the village.
"Help me!" the chunin gasped as he stumbled through the doorway. His voice trembled with panic. By now, he had realized that Sasori's senbon were laced with poison, leaving half of his body paralyzed.
He staggered toward a pale, beautiful woman, only to freeze upon seeing Natsume, Kakuzu, and Sasori standing in the doorway behind him.
Sasori didn't hesitate. With a swift flick of his tail, the puppet master pierced the chunin's body with deadly precision. Blood splattered across the room as the man crumpled to the floor, lifeless.
The remaining Grass ninja tried to flee, but they were swiftly cut down by Kakuzu.
The pale woman trembled in the corner, her eyes darting toward the newborn baby lying on a nearby bed. She knew there was no point in running; the power these men wielded was beyond anything she could hope to escape.
*Please don't hurt my child,* she prayed silently. She had no quarrel with these dangerous strangers.
Natsume turned his gaze to her. His expression softened slightly as he looked her over. *Quite beautiful.*
But beauty wasn't the issue here. After spending days around Tsunade, Natsume had grown immune to such things. What struck him more was her fragile demeanor.
*Pitiful.*
Her pale complexion and tear-filled eyes only heightened her appearance of helplessness. She looked utterly miserable.
"Where's your husband?" Natsume asked, glancing briefly at the baby.
"D-dead," she stammered, her voice trembling. It was clear her fear was not from grief, but from the presence of these fearsome shinobi.
*Of course. She wouldn't have found real love in a place like Kusagakure.*
"Take your daughter and come with me," Natsume said, not bothering to ask for her name. He didn't want to risk her saying the word *Uzumaki* and raising Kakuzu or Sasori's suspicions.
The woman froze, unsure of how to respond.
"What's the problem?" Natsume asked impatiently. "Do you love this village so much? Or do you want your daughter to end up as miserable as you?"
His words struck her like lightning.
Her life in Kusagakure had been nothing short of miserable. If she stayed, her daughter's future would likely be even worse. There was no question—leaving with these people was the only chance for a better life.
"Someone's coming," Kakuzu said, his head turning slightly. "A lot of them. All ninja."
Natsume nodded. It wasn't surprising. The woman and her daughter were valuable assets to Kusagakure, used as living medical tools. And given their position deep within the village, any disturbance was bound to attract attention quickly.
"I'll leave it to you two," Natsume said casually, unbothered by the approaching threat.
With Kakuzu and Sasori at his side, there was no need for concern. Unless someone of Raikage-level strength showed up, they had nothing to fear from the Hidden Grass.
The woman's heart raced as Kakuzu kicked the door open. He performed a set of hand seals, and black tendrils emerged from his body, writhing like snakes. From the tendrils, a mask formed, unleashing a massive torrent of fire.
In seconds, the streets outside were engulfed in flames.
The woman watched in horror as several Grass ninja, some of whom she recognized, were incinerated in the blink of an eye.
Realizing she had no other choice, she scooped up her baby and followed Natsume, her legs trembling with fear as they hurried away from the carnage.
*Better to take my chances with them than to stay here and die.*
Natsume led the way, with Kakuzu and Sasori dispatching any ninja who dared to stand in their path. The woman clutched her child tightly, her entire body shaking as she prayed for their safety.
By the time they left Kusagakure, no one dared to pursue them. Any who had tried were swiftly killed by Kakuzu and Sasori.
"You have any sturdier puppets?" Natsume asked, glancing at the baby cradled in the woman's arms. "I'll pay extra. Two hundred thousand ryō."
Sasori's expression didn't change, but he summoned another puppet—a reptilian creature that moved with a smooth, predatory grace.
Though Sasori wasn't as motivated by money as Kakuzu, being in the Akatsuki meant maintaining his puppets wasn't cheap.
The woman's eyes widened in astonishment. Two hundred thousand ryō was a significant amount, especially for someone from a poor village like Kusagakure.
Without hesitation, Natsume handed over the money, his wealth a testament to his status.
"Get on," Natsume instructed, climbing onto the puppet and gesturing for her to join him.
She hesitated for only a moment before climbing up as well. As the puppet began to move, barriers rose around them, shielding them from the wind and dust.
Natsume smirked. *That's a two-hundred-thousand-ryō service.*
"What's your name?" he asked after a while.
"Uzumaki Ena," she replied softly. Worry creeping into her voice, she added, "My lord, what will happen to us?"
"Don't worry," Natsume said, waving off her concern. "You'll be better off than you were in that village. You'll see."
Ena didn't ask any more questions. She could only hope his words were true. Anything was better than the life she had endured so far.
A little later, the baby started to cry.
"I'm sorry," Ena apologized quickly, turning her back to Natsume as she began to nurse the child. "She's still a newborn and must be hungry."
The air in the puppet carriage grew calm as the baby quieted, content in her mother's arms.
----------------------------------------
Get early access to the next 15 chapters by joining my Patreon. Support my work and dive deeper into the story by becoming a member today!
Patreon.com/Shinchan_37