In the dense forest on the border of the Land of Hot Water, damp mist lingered among the towering ancient trees. Kakuzu and Hidan emerged from the shadows, the fallen leaves beneath their feet making a soft crackling sound.
"Hey, isn't this the rendezvous point that White Zetsu mentioned?" Hidan, carrying his Bloodstained Triple-Bladed Scythe, impatiently kicked away a rock at his feet. "Why isn't there a soul in sight?"
Kakuzu silently surveyed his surroundings, his green eyes gleaming dangerously in the shadows. Suddenly, a pale human face slowly emerged from the tree trunk ahead.
"Oh, you've finally arrived~" White Zetsu emerged fully from the tree trunk, grinning and spreading his arms wide. "Too late, Jiraiya and the Nine-Tails- Tails have already left the Land of Hot Water ~"
"What?!" Hidan instantly Hidan into a rage, slashing his scythe at the tree trunk beside him, sending wood chips flying everywhere. "What a joke! We didn't even have time to offer the sacrifices we found on the way to the Lord Jashin before we rushed here!"
Kakuzu out to stop his enraged companion and asked in a deep voice, "Where exactly did they go?"
White Zetsu tilted his head, revealing an exaggerated expression of regret. "Well... we haven't tracked them down yet~ Maybe they went to the Land of Fire? Or maybe they went to the Land of Iron? Who knows~"
"You bastard—" Hidan trembled with rage, his scythe pointed directly at White Zetsu's throat, "Are you playing us for fools?!"
"Calm down." Kakuzu down on Hidan's shoulder, his voice carrying the calm calculation of money. "Since the big job is gone, there should be other bounty targets within the Land of Land of Hot Water." He turned to White Zetsu, "How will the reward for this mission be calculated?"
White Zetsu took a few steps back with a grin. "Well... we'll talk about that after we find them~" He then began to slowly sink into the tree trunk. "Have a nice hunt~"
"Wait! You—" Hidan's angry roar was forcibly stopped by Kakuzu.
Watching White Zetsu's figure completely disappear, Hidan kicked a tree trunk in frustration. "I really want to chop this disgusting guy into eight pieces and offer him to Lord Jashin!"
Kakuzu straightened his collar and calmly strode forward. "Save your energy. Instead of getting angry here, go find some valuable bounties." He pulled out a small notebook and flipped through it. "The Land of Hot Water recently had a missing-nin worth ten million on the black market..."
"Tch!" Hidan reluctantly followed, muttering, "When we get back, I'm going to ask Pain why he sent such an unreliable guy to deliver the message..."
Sunlight filtered through the dense forest, casting dappled shadows on Kakuzu's stitched face. He Earth Flow silently along the forest path, ignoring Hidan's incessant cursing of White Zetsu behind him, his thoughts already wandering far away.
(Recent events are really giving me a headache...)
The appearance of the mysterious Heavenly Screen was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, completely tearing apart the veil of mystery that the Akatsuki had carefully maintained for many years.
Kakuzu's green eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled the images playing in the sky— Pain's Shinra Tensei, the organization's objectives... a lot of core information had been completely exposed.
What troubled him even more was that the leader had not convened a meeting of the Illusionary Body for some time since they left the Land of Rain.
Normally, Pain would issue instructions regularly, but now the entire organization is like a kite with a broken string, with each group acting on its own.
(What exactly is Nagato plotting?)
Kakuzu subconsciously touched his chest; the feeling of his five hearts beating steadily inside him brought him some peace of mind.
His long experience taught him that when the situation is unclear, the best course of action is to wait and see.
"Hey! Kakuzu! Are you even listening to me?" Hidan's annoyed voice pulled him back to reality.
"Shut up." Kakuzu glanced coldly at his companion. "Instead of complaining, we should think about how to make up for today's losses."
He pulled out the bounty book he always carried with him, his rough fingers tracing over the names and numbers.
Over the years, money has been his most loyal companion. In his view, grand organizational endeavors and world peace are nothing more than unrealistic fantasies of young people.
(So what Heavenly Screen the intelligence has been exposed?)
A sinister smile tugged at the corners of Kakuzu's mouth, the stitches looking particularly grotesque in the moonlight.
He's an ancient monster who's lived since the Warring States period; even the legendary Hashirama Senju couldn't take his life. What can these younger ninja from these villages do to him, even if they know his information?
"I heard Konoha sent Kakashi to lead a patrol on the border," Hidan suddenly leaned over, licking his lips with his scarlet tongue. "Should we go and meet them?"
Kakuzu closed the booklet and let out a cold snort, "The bounty of sixty million ryo is indeed tempting..." He paused, "But for now, we should deal with the target in the Land of Hot Water first. As for the elite of the Great Ninja Village, we'll deal with them after the organization gives clear instructions."
His voice was deep and hoarse, as if it came from the depths of hell. Having lived for nearly a hundred years, he had come to understand a profound truth: in chaos, those who lose their composure first are often the ones who die the fastest.
"Let's go." Kakuzu strode forward, his black overcoat fluttering in the night wind. "Maybe we can take care of a couple more bounty hunters today."
The sunlight filtering through the forest cast long, distorted shadows of the two people onto the forest path.
A glint of light flashed in Kakuzu's eyes—no matter how turbulent the Shinobi World became, he would, as he had done for the past few decades, emerge unscathed from this game of power.
After all, in the face of eternal life, everything else is fleeting. Only money remains an eternal truth.
Hidan, standing to the side, carried the Bloodstained Triple-Bladed Scythe, its metal tip leaving a thin trail in the ground. His tongue slowly licked his dry lips, and a sickly Kakkō flickered in his eyes.
His fingers unconsciously traced the Jashin Cult runes engraved on the scythe handle, his mind already conjuring up the bloody ritual that was about to take place.
(This time, I must prepare the most perfect offerings...)
Hidan's pupils dilated eerily in the darkness, as if he could already see the beautiful sight of crimson blood flowing under the moonlight.
He remembered the warrior from last time, who died halfway through the ceremony, preventing him from finishing the prayer.
"This time I must choose one with strong vitality..." he muttered to himself, his lips twisting into a manic arc, "It would be best if it could hold out until I finish reciting all the incantations..."
A flock of birds suddenly took flight from the forest, their flapping wings exciting Hidan even more. He quickened his pace, almost jogging past Kakuzu.
"Hey! Why are you walking so slowly?" he called impatiently, turning around. "Find the offerings quickly so we can start the ceremony!"
Kakuzu's somber voice came from behind. "What's the rush? The wanted criminal isn't going to suddenly run away."
Hidan paid no heed; his entire mind was consumed by the impending carnage. His blood seemed to boil, and every nerve ending craved the pain and the sweetness of blood.
(The Lord Jashin will surely be satisfied...)
He imagined himself standing in the center of a formation drawn with blood, feeling the thrill of sharp blades piercing his flesh. That supreme pleasure of being connected with the gods was incomparable to any worldly enjoyment.
"Hehehe..." Hidan chuckled involuntarily, the sound particularly eerie in the silent forest. He swung his scythe sharply, the blade severing several drooping vines.
"Almost there..." He licked the plant sap from the scythe, as if he could already taste blood, "My ritual... my sacrifice..."
At this Hidan was completely immersed in fanatical faith and the desire to kill, becoming a true "incarnation of Jashin."
The two figures gradually disappeared into the distance, and the dense forest returned to silence. Only a few drops of blood, not yet congealed, on the tree trunk split by Hidan, proved that this fruitless hunt had taken place.
In a small town in the Land of Hot Water not far away, a certain unlucky bounty hunter suddenly shivered, feeling a chill creeping down his spine for no apparent reason...