The Anbu's investigation turned up something astonishing.
Kakuzu had lived from the Warring States Period to the present day. He was a ninja from the same era as the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha.
He was at least seventy-five this year.
Ordinary people could live to that age if they stayed out of wars.
But apart from exceptions like Madara Uchiha, Kakuzu was the only ninja who had lived this long and was still so powerful.
The Marshal, an elder of the Mist Village, was also from Madara Uchiha's era, but he could no longer mold Chakra.
As soon as Madara Uchiha stirred up the pond, all sorts of Monsters and Demons came bubbling up.
A dangerous figure like Kakuzu couldn't be met by ordinary Leaf Village Ninja. The Anbu's elite would have to be there, ready for anything.
Kakuzu watched impassively as the Leaf Village Anbu dug up every last detail about him.
He wasn't embarrassed or angry that his identity had been exposed. He'd worn the Takigakure Rogue Ninja Forehead Protector for decades; Kakuzu had never needed to hide who he was.
That was because he was strong enough.
When Shinnosuke finished, Kakuzu pulled out a small notebook and glanced at the Bounty List inside before replying, "Sarutobi Shinnosuke, eldest son of the Third Hokage of the Leaf Village, Elite Jonin of the Leaf Village Anbu."
"Your bounty in the Black Market is... 30 million ryo."
In the Original Work, Asuma Sarutobi had a 35-million-ryo bounty in the Black Market, clearly higher than the bounty for an ordinary Elite Jonin.
Asuma's bounty was so high because he'd once served as one of the Guardian Twelve, had earned the Daimyo of the Land of Fire's favor, and was a well-known figure in the Land of Fire.
Another factor was