Gato and Kakuzu, a Two-Man Team

At the northern border of the Land of Fire, a black shadow swept through the forest.

Kakuzu's black robe fluttered beneath the moonlight like a ghost come to claim lives. Under cover of the night, he slipped into a caravan's camp.

The caravan guards, a group of wandering shinobi and samurai, were gathered around the fire, polishing their ninja tools, completely unaware that the Grim Reaper had arrived.

Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear silently tore through the night as five chakra threads precisely wrapped around the throats of the nearest three shinobi.

Most of these wandering shinobi were only at Genin level, while the samurai were even less capable. They might have been useful against ordinary people and bandits, but against an Elite Jonin like Kakuzu, they could only be slaughtered with ease.

"Enemy attack!" The shrill warning had barely left his mouth before it abruptly stopped, blood splattering across the tent canvas.

The entire camp descended into chaos. The caravan guards were easily killed before they even caught sight of their attacker.

"Damn it! Who are you?" When the caravan leader stumbled out of his tent, he stared in shock at the goods being consumed by flames, utterly furious.

As for the casualties among the wandering shinobi, samurai, and caravan hands around him, even the wandering shinobi captain pierced through by an earth spear meant nothing to him.

But those goods were worth a fortune!

Whoosh—

A kunai shot over and embedded itself in the Sakamoto Trading Company flag beneath the leader's feet, nearly chopping off his toes.

"You have three days to leave the Land of Fire." Kakuzu's black-robed figure emerged from the shadows, his hoarse voice addressing the caravan leader.

"You bastard! I'm a merchant with a special operating permit from the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire!" the leader continued to shout.

"Then I can only kill you." Kakuzu drew a kunai and slowly walked toward the leader.

A pair of green eyes radiated killing intent amid the blazing fire. The entire camp was engulfed in flames, surrounded by severed limbs and the cries of the wounded.

Unable to endure it any longer, the leader collapsed onto the ground. A mixture of shit and urine flowed from his lower body as he wailed, "I... I'll leave right away... Please spare me, sir..."

"Hmph. Remember, you only have three days!" Kakuzu snorted and vanished in a body flicker.

Looking at the goods burning in the fire, the leader collapsed in a pool of blood, feeling as though the sky had fallen.

The capital of the Land of Fire.

Inside Gato Company's headquarters, crystal chandeliers illuminated every detail of the account books.

When Kakuzu entered through the window, Gato, wearing small glasses, was calculating an account.

"Hey, hey, hey! Can you stop coming in through the window every time? You've broken this window seven times already!" Gato looked up at the travel-worn Kakuzu, his small glasses unable to hide his annoyance.

Before he could finish speaking, a heavy scroll crashed onto the account books on the desk.

"The Sakamoto Caravan has been dealt with."

Upon hearing Kakuzu's report, Gato quickly picked up the scroll and asked in a low voice, "You didn't kill that guy, did you?"

Although the other side's trading company leader was merely an ordinary person, what major merchant conducting international business in such chaotic times did not have nobles backing them? They might even have countless connections with shinobi clans.

So Gato only wanted to drive them away and burn their goods, making his own goods a little more valuable.

Since no noble had been killed, there would not be much investigation.

Of course, if things truly escalated to a fight to the death, Gato would not mind sending people to kill them, or even silencing the entire trading company!

Gato, who had become a world tycoon amid chaos, was no kind-hearted man.

"As usual, after the warning, if he agreed to leave the Land of Fire, I spared his life." Kakuzu sat on the sofa opposite him, leaning back against it.

"The money." Kakuzu's green pupils then turned toward Gato.

"Don't worry, you won't be shorted!" After examining the business secret scroll seized from his competitor, Sakamoto Trading Company, Gato took a box from beneath the desk and personally delivered it before Kakuzu.

After joining the organization and beginning to serve that lord, they had become partners.

Gato mainly operated out of the Land of Fire, establishing companies in major cities throughout the Land of Fire, as well as in surrounding small and medium-sized countries and the Land of Lightning, engaging in trade to earn money.

Besides protecting Gato, Kakuzu also helped him deal with competitors.

Although Kakuzu charged a high price, he completed every job well. He either burned a competitor's company to the ground, massacred a competitor's caravan, or even hijacked a competitor's merchant ship.

In short, Gato felt that Kakuzu was incredibly cost-effective, far superior to those boastful wandering shinobi and samurai!

"Heh heh." Kakuzu opened the cash box, took out a stack of banknotes, and began carefully counting them.

The time he enjoyed most was when he counted money.

Gato had also grown accustomed to his partner's habits. Although he was greedy and even exploited those wandering shinobi and samurai, he did not dare treat Kakuzu that way.

He had personally witnessed Kakuzu, shortly after boarding the ship, directly kill more than a dozen shinobi and samurai in just a few breaths after Gato's wandering shinobi and samurai had spoken disrespectfully to him!

Gato returned behind his desk and began planning his next commercial offensive against the Land of Rice Fields.

Sakamoto Trading Company was backed by the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire and the feudal lord of the Land of Rice Fields. This blow was enough to severely damage Sakamoto Trading Company. Taking this opportunity, Gato Company could push deep into the Land of Rice Fields and seize Sakamoto Trading Company's customers and sphere of influence.

As the two went about their own tasks, a gust of wind drifted in through the window.

Kakuzu, who had been counting money, focused his gaze and saw a figure sitting against the window before he knew it, someone who made his heart tremble with fear.

Kakuzu's fingers froze in the middle of counting, drawing Gato's attention. Following Kakuzu's gaze, he too saw the figure sitting at the window.

"My lord! You're here!" Gato immediately put down what he was holding, his fat face instantly breaking into a fawning smile.

Menma, wearing a white Three-Eyed Fox Mask, jumped down from the window.

"My lord!" Kakuzu also put down the money in his hands and stood up.

After all, the boss had come to inspect their work.

"How has the Iburi Clan been settled?" Menma walked past Gato and sat directly in Gato's genuine leather office chair.

Gato, meanwhile, bustled around ingratiatingly like a secretary, reporting the recent situation.

"Following your instructions, the supplies have been delivered to the designated location. These are the company's accounts for this month."

Menma did not take the accounts to inspect them.

He merely said calmly to Gato and Kakuzu, "How much do you know about the countries in the western part of the continent?"

"The Land of Demons, the Land of Snow, the Land of Bears, and the Land of Nether."

These countries were all backup options Menma had prepared.

"My lord, only the Land of Snow and the Land of Bears among these countries have shinobi." Gato had traveled through many countries over the years, but his knowledge of the western nations was limited.

"I only heard that a rebellion broke out in the Land of Snow a few years ago. It seems someone named Kazahana Dōtō is now their king, and they have their own Yukinin."

"The Land of Demons is governed by a priestess. They have no shinobi village. The Land of Nether has no shinobi either. As for specialties, it should be grain. Oh, right, the Land of Nether and the Land of Bears are connected by a plain that produces abundant grain."

"The Land of Bears seems to have a Hoshigakure, as well as the natural barrier of Hell Valley..."

Gato told them everything he knew.

Menma looked at Kakuzu. "How much do you know about Hoshigakure in the Land of Bears?"

"Hoshigakure?" Kakuzu's green eyes behind his mask turned thoughtful.

He had traveled throughout the Shinobi World for many years and had indeed visited the Land of Bears. He had even fought Hoshigakure shinobi.

"That village is like Takigakure. It has its own secrets. The Mysterious Peacock Method they cultivate... Hmph, it can only be called the stuff of clowns."

It seemed Kakuzu held Hoshigakure in contempt as well.