The room was tense, filled with the faint hum of danger.
"You think you can toy with me?" Kakuzu growled, his hand shifting from a fist to a claw. He gripped Heisei Rokuno's neck, lifting the man entirely off the ground. Kakuzu's fury was palpable, a searing heat that filled the air. Anyone would be furious after being played, and Kakuzu was no exception.
"Argh…!" Rokuno's legs kicked desperately, trying to find purchase, but the floor stayed just out of reach. He clawed at Kakuzu's hand with one, while the other pointed frantically toward the shop's interior, as if trying to explain something.
A nearby woman with striking violet hair gasped, her expression briefly frozen in terror. But she quickly regained her composure, stepping forward with a forced calmness.
"Sir, please! There's no need for this. We only acted out of caution. What you seek is inside the store," she said evenly, her voice steady despite the situation.
Kakuzu's gaze flickered between the two, his grip unwavering. But the explanation piqued his interest, and after a moment, he released Rokuno. The man crumpled to the floor, gasping for air, too frightened to delay further. He scrambled to the door and pushed it open, the violet-haired woman leading the way inside.
"Follow me," she said, her tone now polite and measured.
They moved deeper into the shop, past rows of mundane items, until the woman stopped before a hidden panel. She opened a concealed door, revealing a narrow, pitch-black passageway. Rokuno stayed behind, guarding the entrance without needing instruction.
The woman lit a torch, illuminating the hidden corridor.
"This way."
Without hesitation, Kakuzu followed her into the shadows. The passage sloped downward, ending in a staircase that descended about five meters. At the bottom lay a large, dimly lit room. The chill in the air was unmistakable, emanating from an imposing refrigeration unit against the far wall.
A lone table occupied the center of the room, its surface covered with photographs and documents. The violet-haired woman walked over and began lighting additional torches, chasing away the room's oppressive gloom. With the added light, the photographs came into clearer view—faces of people from every corner of the shinobi world.
The woman's demeanor shifted as she turned back to Kakuzu. Gone was the coy allure, in its place was the poise of someone who understood their trade well.
"These are the most sought-after targets in the ninja world—nobles, merchants, and even shinobi—people someone wants gone but can't deal with directly. So their names end up here," she said with a thin smile. "We handle over seventy percent of such contracts in the ninja world. Naturally, the bounties vary depending on the target's strength and influence. Let me show you."
Kakuzu's gaze lingered on the documents as the woman spoke, his interest steadily growing. He stepped closer, his sharp eyes scanning the names and figures on the table.
The bounties were arranged in descending order, from left to right.
The first was a striking portrait of a man with long, flowing hair, clad in red armor. His face was strong, exuding an aura of power. Below the image, the name Senju Hashirama was written in bold, accompanied by an astronomical bounty.
Kakuzu's lips curled into a faint smile. He wasn't surprised to see Hashirama here. After all, his grudge against the First Hokage was part of why he had left Takigakure in the first place. What intrigued him was a different question.
'Who wants Hashirama dead?' Kakuzu mused to himself. The answer didn't matter—there were too many who resented the man who ended the Warring States period.
The next photograph showed a man with wild, spiky hair that obscured part of his face. His stern features radiated an intimidating presence even through the still image. Uchiha Madara.
Kakuzu chuckled softly. If Madara ever saw this list, he'd likely destroy the entire exchange out of sheer indignation.
'Why is my bounty lower than Hashirama's?' Kakuzu imagined the Uchiha fuming.
Beyond the top two names, the bounties dropped significantly. Names like Hyūga Tennin, Raikage A (First), Tsuchikage Ishikawa, Mizukage Byakuren, and Senju Tobirama were listed, each with formidable sums.
The woman pointed out the logic behind the numbers. "Those with the title of 'Kage,' or those deemed to possess Kage-level strength, command the highest rewards. They're not only powerful but influential, which makes them far harder to eliminate."
Kakuzu nodded, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Targets like the head of the Hyūga clan or the Mizukage represented more than individual strength—they were symbols of their respective villages. Taking them out would be no easy feat, especially when considering the repercussions.
Lesser bounties followed—elite jonin, prominent clan members, and other key figures. These were still formidable, but their roles often placed them in more vulnerable positions, making them easier to target.
Half an hour passed as Kakuzu studied the list, the gleam of interest never fading from his eyes. He finally straightened, his lips curling into a wicked grin.
"This bounty exchange is quite the enterprise. As long as the money's good, you'll take on anyone, won't you?"
The woman returned his smile. "Indeed. So many choices. Do you see any that catch your eye?"
"Of course," he replied, reaching toward the table. The thrill of the hunt burned bright within him.
Eliminating someone like Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara was out of the question. Next in line were the clan leaders and village higher-ups, all of whom were heavily guarded. Such high-risk targets were not jobs Kakuzu would bother taking.
Among the hundreds of bounty posters spread before him, some of the simpler tasks stood out. For instance, assassinating minor-country officials. The people issuing those bounties weren't important, and the rewards were laughably low—only 2 million ryō. Kakuzu couldn't help but sneer. For the sake of his reputation, such jobs weren't worth his time.
His eyes swept across the pile of bounties, pausing on a few. After a brief comparison, one poster caught his attention.
Name: Ganraku
The image showed a young man with a head full of wild, curly hair.
Affiliation: Missing-nin from Iwagakure
Bounty: High
The purple-haired clerk noticed Kakuzu's interest and immediately understood. She sifted through the pile of documents and retrieved additional information about Ganraku.
"Ganraku was originally the captain of the elite Iwagakure's Explosion Corps. However, after the establishment of the village, he clashed with the Tsuchikage over ideology. Rumor has it that he severely injured the Tsuchikage's prized student, Mū, using explosive techniques before defecting from the village.
Abilities: Unknown."
"Oh? A missing-nin?" Kakuzu's interest deepened, even beneath his mask.
From the looks of it, Ganraku's bounty was personal. The Tsuchikage must have inflated the price to avenge his student. That suited Kakuzu just fine—bounties with this kind of high return were rare.
"This one it is!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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