Konan's Whereabouts

The Land of Birds, the underground black market.

The underground office was dimly lit, the space was very secluded, and the air was thick and sticky.

There were many people, mostly rogue ninja in tattered clothes, mixed with a few treacherous missing-nin tried to hide their identities.

Over the years, as Mist Village's Odd Jobs Agency (Odd Jobs Shop) has spread to almost every town in small countries, those small country ninjas who could barely make a living by doing low-level missions have either been recruited by the Odd Jobs Agency with stable and respectable jobs or given up their freedom to become private soldiers of daimyo and nobles.

Those who were unwilling to back down, or whose skills were mediocre, could only flock to the underground black market, competing with the few remaining missions from those missing-nin who had fled to the ends of the earth in earlier years.

There was competition in the black market before, but at least there were fewer people and things were relatively orderly.

But these days, it's not uncommon to see people fighting over a low-level kill order.

But at this moment, the entire underground black market was eerily quiet.

Just moments ago, the people who had been fighting like cocks, their eyes bloodshot, pulling at each other over a trivial task, were now huddled together, cautiously watching the tall figure in front of the task platform.

Kakuzu was completely wrapped in an old, faded robe, with only half of his face, which was covered by a mask, showing.

He seemed oblivious to all of this, and simply placed a blood-soaked sack on the table covered with files and plaques.

"This is the mission objective. Check it, then pay."

The old man in charge of distributing the sack glanced quickly at it and respectfully shook his head at Kakuzu:

"Let's skip the inspection. As one of the top legends in the Ninja World's black market, we trust you to handle things."

"Hmph, stop trying to get on my good side."

Kakuzu impatiently interrupted his flattery, saying coldly:

"Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and get the money, I'm in a hurry."

"Yes, yes."

The old man hurriedly closed the account book in front of him, skillfully took out a gray cloth money bag from under the counter, and handed over the counted money.

Kakuzu quickly took the money, and in front of the old man, he took out the money and counted it carefully.

After confirming that the amount was correct, he nodded in satisfaction and then carefully put the money pouch into the innermost layer of his robe.

Having done all this, he didn't look at anyone again and turned to leave.

The crowd parted to the sides in unison, making way for a narrow passage.

Only after Kakuzu's figure completely disappeared from sight did the hushed whispers return to the black market.

Behind the counter, the old man dragged the blood-soaked sack off the stage, watched Kakuzu's departing figure, and sighed with emotion.

"Life is truly unpredictable. I never imagined that someone as remarkable as him would stoop to this insignificant black market in the Land of Birds, competing with us lowly mudfish for food."

He gave a bitter smile, thinking of the Odd Jobs Agency) that had rapidly spread throughout the Ninja World over the years, and then of the dwindling number of missions and people in the black market, and muttered to himself:

"It seems that the profession of ninja, born out of conflict, will soon come to an end."

Kakuzu, of course, did not hear those sentiments.

After leaving the black market, Kakuzu cautiously circled half of the town before reluctantly entering a vegetable shop and buying a small basket of vegetables.

When those few sheets of paper money were passed from his fingertips, the muscles in his face almost twitched.

Good heavens, how come the vegetable prices are so high in this small town?

These unruly people will get what's coming to them sooner or later!

Filled with resentment, Kakuzu carried his pitifully small vegetable basket and turned into a nearly abandoned residential area.

There are hardly any houses left in this area. The alleys are narrow and damp, and they smell musty all year round, with rotten wood and moss mixed together.

He passed several dilapidated old houses and finally stopped in front of a drab little house that looked no different from the other abandoned houses from the outside.

Kakuzu first scanned his surroundings to make sure there were no signs of a search before letting out a sigh of relief. He then pushed open the old door, slipped inside, and walked confidently toward a dusty corner of the living room.

He crouched down and used several tentacles that silently extended from his wrists to pry open a wooden board in the corner.

After the wooden piece was removed, a very narrow and dark staircase leading downwards was revealed.

Kakuzu quickly Hand Seals, leaving a Shadow Clone guarding the top of the stairs, while his main body, carrying a small bamboo basket, walked down sideways.

However, just as he reached the bottom, before he could even get a clear look at the basement, a Paper Shuriken and Explosive Tag, made of countless folded pieces of white paper, came hurtling towards him!

Kakuzu's heart skipped a beat. He dared not be careless for a moment, instinctively taking half a step back, then letting out an angry growl:

"Don't attack, it's me!!"

As he uttered that low shout, the extremely menacing piece of white paper came to a precise stop in front of his shop.

The pieces of paper hovered in mid-air for a moment before slowly parting to the left and right, making way for him to pass through a narrow path that was only wide enough for one person.

"Tch, they're certainly quite vigilant."

Kakuzu muttered unhappily as he walked along the narrow path formed by the white paper.

The basement was small, even narrow, barely big enough to fit a bed and a wooden table.

The small space was very dark, with only a small oil lamp emitting a faint light.

Konan sat by the lamp, still wearing her signature Black Cloak with Red Clouds.

Of all the former Akatsuki members still alive today, she's probably the only one left still wearing this outfit.

At this moment, she was sitting there, one hand still in the starting position of manipulating the paper, glancing warily at the dark and narrow entrance behind Kakuzu.

Konan breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that there was indeed no extra trace of energy there.

But when her gaze fell on the vegetable basket in Kakuzu's hand, her brows furrowed slightly.

"Is that all? The money I gave you earlier should be enough to buy groceries for at least a week."

Konan looked at Kakuzu in front of her, and said with suspicion:

"You... you didn't take kickbacks again, did you?"

Kakuzu's body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, then he quickly recovered, placing the vegetable basket steadily on the ground. He glanced disdainfully at Konan with his eerie green eyes.

"Hmph, where do you think this is? This godforsaken backwater is already pretty good for you. You should be grateful!"

He said it as if it were a matter of course, then, as if remembering something, his eyes narrowed slightly:

"Also, let's make this clear beforehand: the money you gave me is only enough for you to stay here until the end of this week."

Once the time is up, unless you pay more, you have to move out of here immediately!

"We're not colleagues anymore. If you want me to do something for you, you can't do it without money."

Upon hearing Kakuzu's threatening words, Konan's expression instantly turned cold.

That greedy bastard!

Just to hide in this wretched place for a few more days, I gritted my teeth and handed over half of the profits I had made over the years from selling pirated books to him!

That was the wealth he had prepared to use to rebuild Rain Village in the future!

But now, this bastard is taking advantage of my vulnerability and demanding more money? How can someone be so heartless?!

Konan instinctively wanted to refuse, but the words caught in her throat, and she ultimately bit her lower lip in reluctance.

Right now, I can't afford to turn against Kakuzu.

At this moment, she absolutely cannot show herself in the Ninja World.

To protect what Nagato entrusted to her as his last possession—that one last Rinnegan!