A gentle breeze stirred the forest. As Kakuzu walked between the trees, he suddenly grew alert and stopped, turning his gaze toward the dense woods beside him.
"Who's there?!"
Kakuzu's voice was calm and unhurried. Though it was only a simple question, it carried a terrifying killing intent. He had just gotten his hands on a corpse worth a hefty bounty and was in high spirits when he realized someone was following him.
As a ninja, he hated being followed more than anything!
"Rustle."
After a few soft sounds, a figure slowly emerged from the woods. The newcomer was a young man dressed in black pajamas, his long red hair fluttering gently in the breeze. He held a long blade in his hand and looked less like a ninja than a samurai from the Land of Iron.
But Kakuzu soon noticed his eyes. They weren't human eyes. The young man's pupils were red and slit like a beast's, sending a chill down anyone's spine.
"Heh!"
"Are you here for revenge? Who are you?"
Kakuzu rested his right hand against his neck, stretched his muscles, and asked with a smile.
"Yes. I'm here for revenge."
"Would you give me the body behind you?"
Uzumaki Kuming lowered his eyes slightly and asked softly.
The young man who had emerged from the woods was none other than Uzumaki Kuming, who had tracked Kakuzu down. They were already some distance from the capital of the Land of Flowers. It was clear that after parting ways with Kuming and the others last night, Sarutobi Kotaro and his companions had discovered the enemy's trail and pursued them through the night.
Along the way, Kuming had found traces of several battles, as well as the bodies of other Konoha Ninja. He gathered up the corpses of his