The Surgery Was a Success

One day later~

Unknown cave...

"Hidan, the surgery was a success!"

Looking at his masterpiece, Black Zetsu proudly announced his victory.

"Huh? That's it? I thought it would hurt a lot, but it's just this? Are you sure I have Wood Release?" This pain isn't even a tenth of what I experienced when I inherited the evil god's power. Is Wood Release really this easy?

"Idiot, don't you even know what you've been through in battle? Your body has long since become accustomed to pain." Since Black Zetsu is so confident, it seems that Hidan's Wood Release transplant has truly succeeded. Hahaha, Senju Hashirama, your power is mine now.

"Enough with the chit-chat. What's it to you? Kakuzu, you need to know your place. What kind of class do you think you are? How dare you talk to me like that? I'm not the same person I used to be. I'm an immortal ninja with Wood Release, unique in the Ninja World. Even the leader would have to give me a wide berth if he saw me now. Watch your tone when you talk to me in the future."

Feeling the unusual power within him, Hidan arrogantly pointed at Kakuzu.

"Hmph, you've gotten your way. Soon there will be a second immortal Wood Release ninja. Get down here." Kakuzu reached out and pulled Hidan off the operating table, Kakuzu eagerly lay down on it.

"Hey~ talk properly, don't get physical, or I'll use my Wood Release to teach you a lesson." Hidan, who was forcibly dragged down, complained to Kakuzu with great dissatisfaction.

"Black Zetsu, it's up to you. Go ahead and do whatever you want. I'm ready to die." Ignoring Hidan's complaints, Kakuzu called out to Black Zetsu beside him. Hidan that weakling Hidan could do it, there was no reason why he couldn't.

"Understood. I'm familiar with this business, so feel free to leave it to me."

Half a day later...

Bang~~

Inside the cave, the sound of a heart exploding rose and fell in waves...

"Black Zetsu, you have to give me an explanation!" Kakuzu's face turned as black as coal as he looked at the three broken hearts.

"This... it might be due to differences in individual constitutions. Although Hidan was modified by the Jashin ritual, his physical body is still within the human realm, possessing the foundation to support Wood Release Cells. But Kakuzu, you... you're probably no longer human. These threads extending from Earth Grudge Fear clearly cannot support Wood Release Cells, which is why you failed." Although Kakuzu failed, at least his life wasn't in danger. He hadn't held out much hope to begin with, and now that Hidan had succeeded, it was already a significant achievement.

"What do you mean by different constitutions between people? I don't care. Even if the Wood Release didn't work, you have to compensate me for my missing heart. According to the exchange rates in the Underground Exchange, a Jonin is worth 30 million taels of silver. Just pay me 100 million taels." Since I didn't get the Wood Release, I'll get some compensation from that. I absolutely can't lose out.

"Um, according to your calculations, three Jonin hearts are only worth 90 million, right? Asking for 100 million is outrageous! Even I, Black Zetsu, am not this greedy." Although he inherited Madara's fortune and wouldn't be short of 100 million, would Black Zetsu suffer such a loss?

"The extra ten million is for emotional compensation. I've used these three hearts for so long, I've developed an attachment to them, so I have to pay extra." I was too conservative. Why didn't I think of asking the leader to reimburse me for the hearts used up during the mission? I risked my life to do the organization's business, it wouldn't be right not to reimburse me.

"I don't have a hundred million, but as for the heart, now that you mention it, I suddenly remembered that Sasori of the Red Sands has Uchiha Obito's heart. Obito not only possesses Wood Release but also has the bloodline of the Uchiha Clan. If you could get that heart, given the characteristics of Earth Grudge Fear, you might be able to obtain the power of Wood Release."

This might be a way for Kakuzu to obtain Wood Release. Sasori probably won't be fixated on just a heart, right? After all, he's already given him the body.

"Hmm? That's one way, but Sasori isn't easy to deal with." Unexpectedly, the Wood Release technique had taken a turn for the better, but dealing with Sasori is proving difficult.

"Don't worry about that. I'll handle Sasori. After all, I'm the one who gave Obito his body." If I had known Kakuzu fail, I would have kept Obito's heart first. Going to Sasori now is a little embarrassing...

"Well, then I'll trouble you. If this succeeds, I'll waive the 100 million taels for the sake of our comradeship." If they could obtain Uchiha Obito's heart, the loss of the hearts of three ordinary Jonin would be insignificant.

"Uh... so I should thank you?" This miser really has no shame whatsoever...

"You're welcome. It's all for the organization." Hopefully, Obito's heart won't let him down.

Land of Water, Coastal Area

"Hahahaha, I knew all the sacrifices were worth it. All my years of hard work for the organization have been worthwhile. I never imagined that I, Jūzō, would actually obtain the power of Wood Release, the God of Shinobi, in my lifetime. This power is almost on par with the leader's, isn't it? Hahahaha~"

Having successfully transplanted Wood Release techniques, Juzo Biwa exudes an air of disdain for the world.

"Jūzō, I advise you to tone it down. In this day and age, even if the God of Shinobi were to be resurrected, it wouldn't amount to much in this era." Why are these people on my side so arrogant just because they have a little strength? Can't they learn from that cunning little bastard, Uchiha Gen? If Nagato hadn't attacked Konoha last time, I wouldn't have even realized that evil Uchiha Clan brat had become that strong.

With such strength, how could he tolerate Hiruzen Sarutobi and his gang plotting against him? What exactly was Uchiha Gen thinking?

"Black Zetsu, can't you just let me have some fun before bringing this up?" The Ninja World has developed so fast. Has the power that the God of Shinobi used to suppress the Ninja World back then become outdated?

"Hmph, I was just kindly reminding you, lest you misjudge the situation and get slapped to death." What do you mean by "giving you a taste of pleasure"? Although I don't have a specific gender, I still identify as male, okay?

It seems the plan to resurrect Mother needs to be accelerated. I don't want to use this body for even a second longer. What was Mother thinking when she created a genderless body for herself...?

"I know, I know. I, Juzo Biwa, am a strongman who survived the Bloody Mist Policy. Do I need you to teach me this?" Biwa Juzo Biwa waved his hand impatiently at Black Zetsu's nagging.

"Hmph, you'd better watch yourself. The White Zetsu monitoring Kirigakure have all disappeared recently. Kirigakure must have acquired some ability to detect White Zetsu. I hope you'll go and investigate this matter; after all, it's your hometown."

Currently, only Konoha and Hidden Snow Village have been able to discover White Zetsu. What's going on with Kirigakure? There's no news of Kirigakure establishing diplomatic relations with either of them.