As he chewed the familiar dishes of his homeland, Kakuzu couldn't help pausing with his chopsticks in hand. His taste buds, long accustomed to meals eaten on the road, finally savored a satisfaction he hadn't felt in ages.
After polishing off the food in front of him, he wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth and looked straight at the man beyond the iron bars. His voice was low. "What will the village do with me?"
"This mission has had a very negative impact." Keigo, head lowered as he gathered the bowls and chopsticks, spoke in his usual calm tone. "You should prepare yourself to spend the next few years imprisoned here."
After he finished speaking, silence fell over the dead quiet dungeon. The stillness in the air began to congeal.
It pressed down on Kakuzu until he could barely breathe. Clutching his chest, he gasped for air. A moment later, he abruptly raised his head and stared at the old man with graying temples. "The whole Shinobi World knows how strong the Hokage is."
Keigo finished arranging the wooden box. His eyes narrowed, a flash of coldness passing through them. "Are you questioning the leader's judgment?"
Kakuzu instinctively tried to raise his arm to argue, but the clatter of the chains around his wrist brought him back to his senses. He let it drop helplessly, gazing at the dust-covered corner with a heavy heart. "If this assassination had succeeded, what would the leader have gained?"
"Gained?" Keigo repeated softly. Bracing a hand against the cold stone floor, he stood and paced along the passage. His heavy footsteps began to echo through the dungeon. "Are your limbs starting to feel weak?"
The irrelevant question sent a shock through Kakuzu. How did he know what was happening to his