Kakuzu paced back and forth irritably.
Waiting.
It was one of the emotions he hated most, second only to taking a loss.
Suddenly, the faint flutter of wings came from the cave entrance.
A gray carrier pigeon nimbly avoided the hanging vines and landed precisely on his shoulder.
Kakuzu's body tensed instantly, the rhythms of his five hearts falling subtly out of sync. He warily glanced toward the depths of the cave.
Hidan lay sprawled across a pile of hay, deeply asleep, his massive Triple-Bladed Scythe resting beside his hand. He smacked his lips and muttered incoherently in his sleep about things like "the Chaos God's blessing" and "eternal pain."
Only after confirming that the madman had not been disturbed did Kakuzu relax.
He carefully removed the message tube from the pigeon's leg and unfolded the thin sheet of paper.
After one glance, his breathing stopped.
A reply from the Purifiers.
There were no unnecessary pleasantries, only one cold, harsh line: Soul-Severing Cliff A-rank vault, assets successfully transferred.
Attached beneath the letter was a longer, folded list.
Kakuzu unfolded the list with trembling fingers.
It was no ordinary list. It was the wealth he had accumulated over decades, the entire meaning of his life.
Cash, antiques, bankbooks...
Every entry, every number, was accurate down to the last unit.
These were not merely numbers. They were records of every mission he had undertaken, medals earned through blood and calculation.
His finger traced the bottom of the list.
[Forgotten assets: three Ancient Rōran Kingdom commemorative gold coins. Coordinates: Soul-Severing Cliff vault, third floor, west wall, hidden compartment behind the third brick from the bottom. Filed.]
A bead of cold sweat slid down Kakuzu's temple and dripped onto the ground with a faint sound.
He himself had nearly forgotten those three gold coins