Want to recruit me? Come fight your boss first!

The final ripple of the spatial vortex dissipated into the air, carrying away every trace of that man's presence.

In the deathly silent canyon, nothing remained but the cold rain, three young people clad in brand-new black robes, and a bizarre plant that had sprouted from the earth, half-black and half-white.

"Yay, he's finally gone! The pressure was so intense when Lord Madara was here!"

White Zetsu spoke in an innocent, cheerful tone. He twisted his pitcher-plant-like body, curiously leaning toward Yahiko and poking him with a leaf-shaped hand.

"Hey, hey, why are you still kneeling? You're getting your new clothes all dirty."

Yahiko said nothing, standing as still as a soulless stone statue.

"Ignore him, he's a failure," Black Zetsu's raspy voice rang out, carrying undisguised contempt. "He only knows how to weep while clinging to false dreams."

"Eh? But I think his dream is quite nice. World peace, everyone playing together—how happy that would be!" White Zetsu retorted.

"Foolish. Only absolute power can bring order," Black Zetsu snorted.

The two consciousnesses began to bicker within the same body, adding a layer of eeriness to the already oppressive atmosphere.

Konan walked over to Nagato and whispered, "Nagato, we should..."

"Let's go."

Nagato did not look at her, nor did he look at the kneeling Yahiko. He simply raised his head to gaze beyond the canyon, toward the world shrouded in eternal, gloomy rain.

His voice, like the look in his eyes at that moment, held no warmth.

Konan bit her lip, but eventually walked over to Yahiko and reached out a hand. "Yahiko, get up. It's time to go."

Yahiko slowly raised his head. The anger in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a hollow, ash-gray emptiness.

He glanced at Konan, then at Nagato, who was already draped in his black robe with his back turned.

In the end, he said nothing and silently rose from the muddy water.

The young man who had once been full of spirit, firmly believing that he could change the world with dialogue and smiles, seemed to have died along with that grand display of fireworks.

"That's the spirit!" White Zetsu clapped his hands, grinning. "Let's go, let's go! I know a shortcut, and we can find Kakuzu in no time! That old guy is a total money-grubber!"

Black Zetsu said nothing; his body simply sank, merging into the shadows of the ground first.

Nagato and Konan followed.

Yahiko stood in place for a few seconds before finally taking a step forward.

Three figures in Black Red-Cloud Robes followed behind the bizarre plant, disappearing into the depths of the rain curtain.

In a hidden cave a hundred miles away from Amegakure.

Lin Feng stumbled out of a spatial vortex and collapsed onto the ground.

"Phew... I'm exhausted."

He let out a long sigh, feeling as though his body had been hollowed out.

Between the Shinra Tensei, the Bansho Ten'in, the miniature version of Devastating Planetary Destruction, and the final "firework show" of controlled sealing jutsu, he had certainly maintained his aura of superiority, but the chakra consumption was very real.

The most taxing part was the mental strain.

Playing the role of "Madara" in front of so many people—especially Nagato, the true wielder of the Rinnegan—felt like walking a tightrope every single second.

He could even sense that when he crushed that Sharingan, Nagato's gaze held not only shock but a hint of suspicion.

Fortunately, he had pulled it off perfectly in the end.

Lin Feng focused his mind and pulled up the system panel.

[Host: Lin Feng (Persona: Uchiha Madara)]
[Persona Maintenance: S (Current status: extremely low risk of OOC)]
[Rinnegan Proficiency: 35%]
[Unlocked Abilities: ...Demonic Statue of the Outer Path (Primary Link)...]
[Items: 'Impressive Entrance BGM' (Single-use)]

Seeing that his proficiency had increased by 20%, Lin Feng finally felt a sense of security.

This meant his control over the various abilities of the Rinnegan was becoming more intuitive; at the very least, he wouldn't face the embarrassing situation of nearly blowing himself away while using Shinra Tensei again.

His attention shifted to the new ability: "Demonic Statue of the Outer Path (Primary Link)."

"A link?"

Lin Feng closed his eyes and, following the system's prompts, attempted to extend his consciousness along with the power of the Rinnegan.

In an instant, his mind let out a "boom!"

He "saw" it.

In some distant, unknowable place, a withered husk of the Ten-Tails, unimaginably massive, lay bound by countless giant chains, sleeping in silence.

It was like a dormant volcano; though it appeared lifeless on the outside, it contained terrifying power capable of destroying the world within.

Lin Feng's consciousness, like a slender thread, was connected to one of the "fingers" of this colossal creation.

He could vaguely sense its state—starving, weak, and possessing a primal craving for chakra.

He could even attempt to make that "finger" twitch ever so slightly.

"What the..."

Lin Feng abruptly severed the connection, a layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead.

In that brief moment, he felt as though his mental energy had nearly been drained dry by that immense presence.

This primary connection was, indeed, very "primary."

However, this also put his mind completely at ease.

As long as this link existed, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path on Nagato's side would forever remain under his control.

Nagato thinks he is a god?

No, he is merely a laborer holding the button to a nuclear bomb, unaware that the true launch code is in someone else's hands.

"Next, let's see how those little brats perform."

Lin Feng rested for a moment, recovering some of his mental energy.

He closed his eyes once more, and this time, the ocular power of the Rinnegan swept out like an invisible radar toward the location of White Zetsu.

A clear image quickly emerged in his mind.

Land of Hot Water, Underground Bounty Station.

This was one of the most chaotic and filthiest places in the entire ninja world.

The air was thick with the foul stench of cheap alcohol, sweat, and blood mixed together.

Countless rogue ninjas with ferocious expressions and bounty hunters gathered here, shouting curses, gambling, and trading intelligence and money stained with blood.

In a corner at the deepest part of the bounty station.

A man wearing a Takigakure forehead protector, his face covered by a mask with only a pair of eyes glowing with an eerie green light visible, sat before a mountain of banknotes.

He was Kakuzu.

An old monster who had lived for nearly a hundred years, a bounty hunter who worshipped money as his only faith.

He was counting the bounty he had just received, one bill at a time, with a tenderness akin to caressing a lover, muttering to himself.

"A C-rank rogue ninja, three million ryo... hmm, not bad."

"This one from Kirigakure is actually worth five million... it seems his head was tougher than I imagined."

Just then, three uninvited guests appeared at the entrance of the bounty station.

Their uniform Black Red-Cloud Robes looked completely out of place among the motley crew of desperadoes surrounding them.

In an instant, the noisy clamor of the bounty station quieted down significantly.

Countless malicious gazes fell upon them.

"Yo, newcomers?"

"Looking at this getup, is this some newly formed little organization? Trying to make a name for yourselves here?"

A drunken giant, dragging a massive spiked club, swayed over and blocked their path.

"Little brats, if you want to survive here, you have to pay your respects first. Hand over everything valuable you've got!"

Konan's brows furrowed slightly, and she instinctively took half a step back.

Yahiko's hand was already pressed against the hilt of the blade at his waist, his eyes cold.

However, Nagato simply walked past the giant calmly, not even bothering to spare him a glance.

It was a pure, bone-deep indifference.

The giant froze for a moment, then flew into a rage: "You dare ignore me, you bastard!"

He roared, raised his spiked club, and swung it fiercely toward the back of Nagato's head!

"Watch out!" Konan cried out in alarm.

"Shinra Tensei."

Nagato didn't even turn his head, merely uttering the four words indifferently.

Hum!

An invisible repulsive force erupted with him at the center.

The giant, standing over two meters tall, along with the hundreds of pounds of spiked club in his hand, was sent flying like a swatted fly. He was launched backward at a speed several times faster than he had approached, crashing through the wall of the bounty station with a loud boom and disappearing into the street outside, his fate unknown.

Hiss—

A collective intake of breath echoed throughout the bounty station.

Everyone was stunned by this display.

These three brats were tough customers!

Nagato walked all the way to the corner piled high with banknotes and stopped in front of Kakuzu.

Kakuzu finally lifted his head from his money, his green eyes examining Nagato with keen interest.

"An interesting ocular technique," he rasped. "Kid, what business do you have with me? I don't recall seeing your name on my bounty list."

"We would like to invite you to join our organization," Nagato said, getting straight to the point.

"Join you?" Kakuzu acted as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world. "Hahahaha! And why should I?"

He extended a finger wrapped in bandages and pointed at the surrounding banknotes.

"I only believe in this. What can you offer me? Ideals? Peace?"

"We can offer you the protection of the strong, and... an endless supply of money," Nagato replied calmly.

Kakuzu's laughter ceased, and his green eyes narrowed. "Oh? That's a bold claim. No one in the ninja world dares to speak to me like that."

He slowly stood up from the pile of money, and a cold, powerful chakra began to radiate from his body.

"If you want me to join, fine. In the world of ninjas, the rules are simple."

Kakuzu held up a single finger.

"Beat me."

His eerie green eyes swept over Nagato, then over Konan and Yahiko behind him, before finally looking toward the empty space behind them, as if he had seen through something.

"Or, call out that coward hiding behind you."

"A spineless wretch who only knows how to hide in the shadows and send a few brats out to do his bidding has no right to be my boss."

"Tell him to crawl out here and spar with me!"