Tobirama Senju vanished in a flash of Flying Thunder God, leaving Kakuzu standing at the post with nothing but a faint breeze in his wake.
Kakuzu, ever the reliable man of business, sighed. "The deal's already sealed. Guess I'll keep an eye on his stall." Stretching lazily, he stood up, his sharp eyes scanning the steady flow of villagers coming and going.
With Hashirama Senju holding down the fort, it wasn't like Konoha would face any real trouble. This was more a formality than an actual task. Still, Kakuzu resigned himself to standing guard.
Amid his boredom, a voice rang out.
"Kakuzu-sama! It's an honor to meet you. I'm Hyūga Ryūten of the Hyūga Clan."
"Hm?" Kakuzu turned to look.
A man with flawless Byakugan eyes stood there, bowing in a perfect ninety-degree angle. His broad robes swayed slightly as he rose, revealing a square-jawed face.
"Ah, the Hyūga heir. Pleasure to meet you," Kakuzu said, extending his hand in greeting.
Ryūten, ever polite, quickly stepped forward, bowing again as he extended both hands to clasp Kakuzu's.
"Please, there's no need for such formality. Just call me Ryūten."
"Uh... sure," Kakuzu replied, his tone tinged with awkwardness.
The younger man's unyielding courtesy was unsettling. A polite demeanor was one thing, but this level of deference bordered on oppressive.
From an age perspective, Kakuzu had maybe ten years on Ryūten—not an insurmountable gap for friendship or even camaraderie. Yet Ryūten's unwavering "respectful junior" act made Kakuzu feel... off. Was it because he seemed so much older, or because Ryūten made himself seem so small?
If anything, Ryūten embodied the stereotypical Hyūga: less arrogant than the Uchiha, but equally hard to get close to. No doubt his stiff, hierarchical upbringing played a part, with its rigid divisions between main and branch families.
Kakuzu glanced at Ryūten, who was still standing upright, awaiting his next words. This dynamic was exhausting. For the sake of diplomacy, Kakuzu forced a smile.
"Uh... have you eaten yet?"
"No."
"How about... sleep—" Kakuzu caught himself mid-sentence and quickly corrected. "I mean, want to grab a bite later?"
Ryūten stepped forward, bowing slightly.
"I'm at your service. Whatever you decide."
Kakuzu felt a bead of sweat forming. Why did it feel like Ryūten was dictating the flow of this conversation despite being so deferential? He sighed inwardly. Yep, this conversation was dead in the water.
Before things could get more awkward, a flicker of movement caught Kakuzu's attention.
"Report!" A sensory ninja materialized before them. "Kakuzu-sama, the Tsuchikage is less than ten kilometers away."
Kakuzu and Ryūten straightened immediately, dropping their casual chatter.
"The First Tsuchikage," Kakuzu murmured, his interest piqued.
Curiosity was only natural when it came to someone like Ishikawa, the man who had built Iwagakure during the chaotic Warring States Period.
Soon enough, the Tsuchikage arrived. Short in stature but commanding in presence, he made his entrance by floating down gracefully from the sky—a rare and awe-inspiring feat in the shinobi world.
"I am Ishikawa," he announced. "I've come to attend the Five Kage Summit."
The Tsuchikage wasted no time introducing himself, his tone devoid of arrogance despite his status.
"Welcome, Tsuchikage-sama!" Kakuzu greeted him with a courteous smile. "Your journey must have been tiring. We've prepared accommodations for you in our finest inn, complete with hot springs, exquisite cuisine, and luxurious beds. For an additional fee, there are... special services. Please, this way."
"Nani?" Ishikawa's brow twitched, clearly puzzled by the last part of Kakuzu's statement.
Kakuzu simply smiled and gestured discreetly behind his back. The nearby Nara clan member, Shikame, quickly stepped forward.
"Tsuchikage-sama, it's an honor to host you. Please allow me to guide you to your quarters."
Members of the Akimichi clan moved forward as well, taking the Tsuchikage's luggage. Without further ado, Ishikawa was escorted to the inn, his retinue following closely behind.
Among them were two notable figures:
First was Mu, the Tsuchikage's apprentice, a man wrapped head to toe in bandages.
Second was a short ninja with a large nose and a mischievous grin plastered across his face. His sly look said it all—he was already scheming something. As their eyes met, Kakuzu smirked knowingly. The little ninja's lips formed a silent sentence: Name your price.
Kakuzu chuckled to himself. So, even Onoki of the Both Scales wanted to explore Konoha's... more colorful offerings. But given his young age, Kakuzu figured the kid could handle it. If the money was good, Kakuzu didn't see why not. After all, it wouldn't be his waist on the line.
By the following afternoon, Konoha welcomed the delegation from the Land of Water. Among them was none other than the founder of Kirigakure, one of the Five Kage who had brought an end to the Warring States period—the Mizukage, Byakuren.
The Mizukage's age showed, he appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, with a deep, jagged scar running across the corner of his left eye. Kakuzu made no attempt to extend an invitation for leisure activities to him—he could tell that Byakuren wasn't someone who enjoyed such jokes. The man likely had a fiery temper, and Kakuzu could imagine a scenario where, if he dared make such a suggestion, the Mizukage would glare at him, drag him off to indulge in whatever service he mentioned, and then demand Kakuzu foot the bill. Definitely not worth it.
Kakuzu thought Byakuren's temper must be the most intimidating among the Five Kage—until three days later.
A grand entourage of over sixty men appeared at Konoha's gates. The spectacle immediately put Konoha's guards on high alert.
The group was clad in rudimentary battle armor, their muscular arms exposed for all to see. Each man stood still, staring unblinkingly at Konoha's gates with eyes like boulders. To an outsider, it might have looked as though they were preparing for an attack.
From the crowd emerged a tall, dark-skinned man in his prime. His powerful presence alone commanded attention.
When he stepped forward, his voice boomed like thunder.
"I am A, the First Raikage, here by invitation to attend the Five Kage Summit!"
"And yet your Konoha has seen fit to leave us standing outside your gates. Is this how you treat your guests?"
The sheer force of his voice was deafening, and it was clear this was intended as an intimidation tactic.
The display left Konoha's shinobi grinding their teeth or glaring in frustration. None of them appreciated the Raikage's tone, but they dared not act rashly.
Kakuzu, however, remained composed. He stepped forward, his calm demeanor drawing quiet admiration from the Konoha shinobi.
Some thought Kakuzu's composure spoke to his magnanimity—his ability to tolerate such provocation. Others believed it was his vast patience, refusing to stoop to the Raikage's level.
But little did they know, Kakuzu's calm had a simpler explanation.
Why would I care? I'm not even a Konoha shinobi—I'm just here to guard the gate for a paycheck. What's there to get mad about?
Clearing his throat, Kakuzu reminded himself to stay discreet in this situation. He stepped forward, facing the towering Raikage.
Even with the Raikage's impressive height, Kakuzu's presence seemed to dwarf him, his aura pressing down like a heavy storm cloud.
In a low, gruff voice, Kakuzu broke the tense silence.
"Enter. Don't cause trouble."
With that, he turned to leave, but paused mid-step to glance back at the Raikage.
"And if you do… you'll face the consequences."
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