Kakuzu: 500 Affection Points

"Kakuzu, can you stop thinking about money all day?"

A morgue in a certain black market.

Kakuzu took the bills the other man handed him and began counting them carefully.

Hidan, standing nearby, grew even more puzzled.

The foul stench inside the morgue kept wafting into his nose and mouth.

"Cut the crap..."

A few minutes later, the two of them walked out carrying a box of cash.

"Hey, hey, hey."

"Wasn't our mission to find the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"

"Do you look anything like a member of Akatsuki right now?!"

Hidan glanced at Kakuzu and pursed his lips.

The two had just robbed the Fire Temple in Konoha and slipped away.

Now they were going to grab something to eat and replenish their strength.

Suddenly, Kakuzu sensed that something was wrong.

He looked at Hidan, and they both leaped away at the same time.

A large number of Explosive Tags went off at once.

Hidan quickly turned and swung his scythe. A figure suddenly appeared.

Their weapons clashed, sending sparks flying.

Only then did the two of them make out the symbol on the newcomer's forehead.

"Konoha?"

The man was Asuma Sarutobi, one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja who protected the daimyo of the Land of Fire.

Hidan forcefully knocked Asuma's dual blades aside, then retreated to Kakuzu's side.

Seeing the emblem of the Land of Fire at Asuma's waist, Kakuzu instantly grew interested.

"Now that's a stroke of luck..."

"If I remember right, your head's worth five million ryo more than Chiriku's..."

Asuma gave an awkward smile. "So I'm worth that much?"

At the same time, the Ino-Shika-Cho team, hidden nearby, was already in position.

Shikamaru stealthily slipped behind Hidan and Kakuzu with the Shadow Imitation Technique.

Asuma was only buying them time.

But Kakuzu was more alert than Hidan. The instant the shadow drew close, he leaped into the air.

Hidan didn't have time to react before the shadow caught him.

"Now!"

Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki, Konoha's Chunin, leaped out from the bushes on either side.

They wrapped chains around Hidan and quickly crossed paths.

Asuma swung his chakra blades, cutting straight through Hidan's body.

Splurt!

Blood sprayed everywhere, and Hidan fell.

"Yoshi! We got one!"

Just as the group was starting to celebrate—

"Damn you bastards! That hurt!"

Everyone stared at Hidan in shock.

"Best not to let your guard down in a fight!"

Kakuzu's voice came from beside them again.

Asuma whipped around.

Kakuzu was already right in front of him.

At the critical moment, Shikamaru used the Shadow Imitation Technique to hold Kakuzu firmly in place.

A bead of cold sweat slid down Asuma's forehead.

Behind him, Hidan charged over, swinging his scythe. Asuma hurriedly met him head-on.

Unbeknownst to them, the Kakuzu Shikamaru had pinned down was only a Lightning Clone.

Behind a tree some distance away, Kakuzu's right hand suddenly detached.

Asuma tried to dodge, but Hidan slashed his cheek.

After wounding Asuma, Hidan let out a sinister laugh.

He slowly licked the blood off his scythe.

The next second, he changed into a new stance...

Nearby.

Chuan Yu and Karin were searching for Itachi.

Suddenly, Karin sensed the chakra of Hidan and Kakuzu.

Chuan Yu surveyed the surroundings.

This looked like the place where Asuma had been killed in his memory.

He suddenly recalled the tears in Kurenai's eyes that day.

Chuan Yu couldn't help frowning.

The future and all that...

What did it have to do with him?

That was Shisui's business...

Still, Asuma had been dealt a raw deal, dying without even knowing why...

Forget it. He'd do it for Shisui...

And for the child in Kurenai's belly...

Chuan Yu took Karin and hurried toward Hidan and Kakuzu.

By now, Asuma was already on his knees.

They knew nothing about Hidan's abilities.

If Hidan stabbed himself in the chest just once more,

Asuma would be as good as dead.

Shikamaru had lost all composure. Faced with Hidan's raised scythe,

he shouted furiously, "Stop!!!"

At the very last moment,

Chuan Yu appeared out of nowhere.

He kicked Hidan in the face.

Hidan tumbled out of the ritual circle.

"Who was that?"

Everyone turned to look.

Chuan Yu stood in front of Asuma.

Kakuzu frowned. "Do you know what you're doing?"

Chuan Yu stared at Kakuzu without expression. "You seem to be crossing the line yourself."

Their eyes met, and killing intent instantly filled the air.

"I told you not to make enemies of the Five Great Nations if you could help it. You're giving Akatsuki unnecessary trouble."

Chuan Yu had already connected to the system in his mind.

The best way to deal with Kakuzu

was to use the power of money...

As long as he could set him up with it,

Kakuzu would call him Daddy in no time.

"You saved these people. Do you still have some attachment to Konoha?"

"That doesn't sound like you, Uchiha Chuanyu..."

Kakuzu kept his right hand behind his back, ready to attack at any moment.

But just then,

the thing Chuan Yu suddenly took out threw Kakuzu completely off balance.

"So what if I do still have some attachment to them?"

Chuan Yu opened his palm.

A handful of Golden Fertilizer gleamed in the sunlight.

Kakuzu's whole body trembled as he stared at Chuan Yu.

"This..."

"Is it for me?!"

Chuan Yu gave a slight nod.

Suddenly, the system issued a notification.

[Kakuzu's affection increased by 100 times!]

[Special reward triggered: Heart Possession!]

[Kakuzu: 500 Affection Points]

Good heavens.

Only just now had Chuan Yu learned that the system was stocked with countless amounts of Golden Fertilizer.

But this had to be the system's excrement...

"I'll leave Hidan to you."

Kakuzu nodded emphatically, then charged toward Hidan in a rage.

A series of miserable screams suddenly came from some distance away.

Shikamaru took the opportunity to hurry over to Asuma.

"Why did you save us?"

The others watched Chuan Yu warily.

Chuan Yu couldn't exactly tell Asuma it was because of Kurenai...

He turned away and let out a deep sigh. "If you want to get ahead in life, you've got to wear a little green."

With that, Chuan Yu rose into the air and disappeared into the forest.

Asuma watched the direction Chuan Yu had gone, then scratched his head in confusion. "What does that mean?"

Two figures slowly entered the inner room.

Pain slowly turned around.

"Long time no see..."

Beneath the black robe, Obito suddenly raised two fingers.

"Release..."

A strange sound rang out.

Pain's brow furrowed.

"The ability of that eye can even hide things from my Rinnegan..."

Obito smiled disdainfully. "That's Uchiha Shisui's eye..."

"The strongest genjutsu can naturally conceal any reality."

"But every technique has its weakness..."

Pain suddenly looked at Sasuke behind him.

"As for the matter between you and Itachi..."

"Settle it soon..."

Sasuke arrogantly revealed his Mangekyo.

"I don't need you telling me what to do!"

Just as Pain was about to leave, Obito suddenly called out to him.

"Uchiha Chuanyu will definitely get in your way, won't he..."

Pain stopped and casually rolled his shoulders. "Leave him to me..."

"Itachi doesn't have much time left..."

After donning Akatsuki's black cloak,

Sasuke gazed coldly at the sword in his hand.

"Itachi..."

"This time..."

"I'll kill you with my own hands..."

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