Kakuzu had been in a terrible mood lately. He had discovered that a powerful new competitor had appeared in the Black Market he frequented, snatching away every job he had his eye on.
His heart was bleeding... Were they stealing his money?
They were stealing his life!
Kakuzu quietly took note of this person: Silver Masked Asura, a man with a thirty-million-Ryo bounty.
Exchanging other people's heads for bounties while searching for the man's whereabouts had become his daily routine these past few days.
"Suira, a rogue ninja from Hidden Mist Village. Bounty: five million Ryo. A cheap head..."
After comparing the fallen man before him with the bounty notice in his hand, Kakuzu spoke without the slightest ripple of emotion.
He skillfully severed the man's head and dealt with the corpse.
Kakuzu seemed to hear a familiar electronic voice by his ear.
"Alipay payment received: five... hundred... thousand... Ryo."
That job was complete. Next came the location of the next head—no, the next job.
The life of a working man was often this plain and unadorned... and boring.
"Shamon, a noble of the Grass Country. Someone paid ten million Ryo for your head. Any last words?"
With his arms folded across his chest, Kakuzu coldly watched the terrified noble piss himself.
"Y-you're the Immortal Ninja from the legends of the Underground Black Market, aren't you? I'm willing to pay twenty million for my own head."
"Hmph! I, Kakuzu, am a man who keeps his promises. You think a mere twenty million Ryo can buy me off?"
"If my colleagues in the Black Market found out, how would I, Kakuzu, ever show my face again?"
The noble gritted his teeth. "Thirty million Ryo."
"Deal!"
The noble, who had already prepared himself for death, froze when Kakuzu agreed so readily. For