The wanted notices Konohagakure and Kumogakure issued for Orochimaru soon threw the entire Shinobi World's underground into turmoil.
Some wandering ninja and powerful fighters had already begun moving, searching everywhere for traces of Orochimaru.
There was no helping it. Konohagakure's bounty alone was an irresistible temptation, let alone Kumogakure's added reward!
Had things stopped there, it would still have been one thing.
But Sunagakure's subsequent move shook the entire Shinobi World.
Sunagakure released the news that Orochimaru had killed the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, then issued a wanted notice of its own.
Although Sunagakure was so poor it could barely scrape by and could not offer much money, it was still a major shinobi village. To avenge the Fourth Kazekage and vent its anger, it offered a huge pile of gold dust outright.
Now the entire Shinobi World was in an uproar!
By the sea, wind and waves swept in, carrying wafts of salty, damp air onto the land.
At a restaurant.
Two ninja wearing black robes embroidered with red clouds were taking a short rest.
The taller man was carefully reading a newspaper, while the other man, with a red Triple-Bladed Scythe reeking of blood propped beside him, looked bored.
"Hey, Kakuzu, shouldn't we get going?"
"This mission was such a pain. Why wouldn't you let me kill anyone? I still haven't gathered enough offerings for Lord Jashin."
"I want to kill some people on the way back. Kakuzu, help me..."
"Hey, I'm talking to you, Kakuzu."
Hidan muttered on and on, only realizing after a long while that his partner, Kakuzu, had not responded at all.
"Hey, what are you looking at, anyway? You haven't said a word all this time."
Hidan turned toward Kakuzu in displeasure.
"Huh? Kakuzu, what's wrong?"
Only then did Hidan notice, to his