"Kakuzu, you've really surprised me..."
A handsome, tall man with long, flowing hair landed in the arena!
Hashirama Senju, once hailed as the God of Shinobi, had inherited Indra's Rinnegan after the Fourth Shinobi World War. He currently stood fourth on the Heaven Ranking!
Kakuzu, Amegakure's finance minister, the Shinobi World Financial Consultant, the Shinobi World Financial Tycoon, the Eternal Earth Shinobi!
With wealth, fame, strength, and prestige all to his name, he had married a beautiful young wife at the ripe old age of ninety-nine and begun a second spring in his life.
In the arena, after they stared at each other for ten seconds, Hashirama scratched his head and asked, "Kakuzu, why did you challenge me?"
Kakuzu's dark green eyes looked somewhat dim under Impure World Reincarnation.
Toward the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War, he had been among the few ninja who gave up the chance to be revived through Indra's Rinne Rebirth.
In response to Hashirama's question, Kakuzu asked, "Am I not allowed to challenge you?"
Hashirama said, "That's not what I meant. I mean, you had more realistic opponents to challenge, like my younger brother, or A-Juan, who just won!"
Kakuzu lowered his eyes.
His greatest regret was that his glory was also his stain!
In his youth, he had been defeated by the First Hokage!
That was hardly a big deal in itself. It was all ancient history.
But in recent years, Kakuzu's stringent financial management had offended quite a few people. They spread rumors that his supposed challenge against the First Hokage amounted to throwing a shuriken from eight hundred li away!
"That wasn't what happened at all!!"
Back then, young and hotheaded, he had marched into the heart of Konoha, stood atop Hokage Rock, and thrown a large rock at the