After finishing a day's morning training under Pain's watch, Aoki Tsuki arrived at the underground guard changing room, ready to go on duty.
Ryōta called out, "Captain, you're here. Lord Osamu wants you to go over to the mission office."
"Do you know what it's about?"
Ryōta scratched his head. "I'm not sure either."
"I think I know."
Shinichi cut in. "I heard from colleagues who went out on missions that a very powerful guy has recently appeared in our country. He's been hunting down other rogue ninja everywhere, and people are terrified.
"The people the village sent to deal with him were killed too. No one knows what to do."
Usually, a situation like this would be reported to Hanzō, who would assign someone from the guard unit to handle it.
"Got it."
Aoki Tsuki turned and headed to the mission office. Takenaka Osamu was the same as always, busy assigning missions every day. He was the real center of the village's operations.
"Morning, senior."
"You're here. Come, sit down and talk. Ever since you became captain of the guard, you've been a busy man." Takenaka Osamu smiled.
Aoki Tsuki hurriedly waved his hand. "Senior, you make me feel undeserving. I owe everything I've achieved to your appreciation and promotion.
"No matter what position I hold in the future, you'll always be my senior."
Although both held the rank of Jonin, Takenaka Osamu's position as head of the mission department carried real authority and was a level higher.
Aoki Tsuki treated his superiors, subordinates, and colleagues well.
Most Amegakure ninja practiced Water Release, and quite a few came to him with questions about it. He was always willing to share what he had learned, but if no one asked, he wouldn't volunteer it.
Everyone knew how fast he was with a blade, and some thick-skinned people had asked how he trained.
His answer was "practice more." That was the truth!!
"You're far too polite."
That was what Takenaka Osamu said, but inwardly he was delighted. He had seen far too many people start looking down their noses at others after a promotion.
Especially those who became Jonin so young.
He had heard that in the Five Great Nations, some became Jonin at twelve or thirteen. How arrogant must they be?
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Aoki Tsuki broached the subject himself.
"May I ask why you wanted to see me, senior? As long as it's within my ability, I'll make sure it gets done. Even if I can't manage it, I'll do my utmost."
Takenaka Osamu smiled when he heard that. "I knew I could count on you."
After that word of praise, he explained the situation. Just as Aoki Tsuki had guessed, a troublesome figure had appeared on the scene, and a powerful Jonin was needed to deal with him.
Something was off with Hanzō at the moment, and Takenaka Osamu didn't dare risk upsetting him now.
After thinking it over, Aoki Tsuki was the only one who might be able to handle it.
"I understand. Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
Aoki Tsuki immediately expressed his understanding. If Hanzō dared leave the village now, he would most likely never return.
The Rinnegan had terrified him.
After obtaining the intelligence from the mission office, Aoki Tsuki immediately set out for the destination to investigate, and soon found something.
From the target's Forehead Protector and his distinctive green eyes, Aoki Tsuki recognized him from a long way off.
"Fuck, why does it have to be that menace Kakuzu? Who could possibly handle him?"
He believed his strength had improved greatly after two or three years of consolidating his skills, but he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could handle Kakuzu. This was a ruthless man who had dared to assassinate the First Hokage.
Never mind him; even Hanzō as he was now couldn't claim he was sure to win.
Without a second thought, he turned and left.
Kakuzu seemed to sense something. He glanced in the direction Aoki Tsuki had gone, then expressionlessly resumed dealing with his spoils.
He had just killed a listed rogue ninja, and the last thing he wanted was for someone to disturb him while he looted the body.
A few hours later, Aoki Tsuki returned to the village.
"Senior, the target is extremely difficult to deal with. It's Kakuzu, an S-rank rogue ninja from Takigakure."
When there was a problem, it had to be reported to one's superior immediately rather than borne in silence. If the superior didn't know, no amount of work meant anything.
Takenaka Osamu's expression grew grave. "So it's him. I've heard of him. They say he's very powerful and has been active in the Shinobi World for many years."
"That's right. Killing him is impossible, so we can only find a way to drive him out."
"Oh? Do you have a way?"
Aoki Tsuki looked troubled. "I do, but the cost will be rather high."
Takenaka Osamu immediately added, "As long as you can get this guy out of the Land of Rain, ask for whatever you need. Also, I'm raising this mission to S-rank."
Given Amegakure's circumstances, the reward for an S-rank mission was 500,000 to one million ryō.
That was one of the reasons Aoki Tsuki had come to report back. He couldn't work for nothing.
And he wanted more.
But he wouldn't ask for money directly like that. It didn't fit his persona.
"Senior, that's not what I meant. As long as I have enough money to get by, that's fine with me. Our village is having a hard time right now, so just pay me the A-rank rate."
Moved, Takenaka Osamu reached out and patted Aoki Tsuki on the shoulder. "There aren't many people left who devote themselves to the village like you do. These past few years, sigh..."
Anyone could see that Amegakure was in decline. It had been powerless to intervene as three of the great nations fought a war within its borders.
The Second Shinobi World War, after all, had been started by Amegakure itself.
Yet during the Third Shinobi World War, Amegakure hadn't even dared speak up.
Seeing that he had done enough to stir his emotions, Aoki Tsuki continued, "Senior, my plan is to outwit him."
"Tell me more..."
"We can post a bounty on the black market. Those rogue ninja put profit first, and a big reward is bound to bring out brave men. Besides, our goal is to drive him away, so it won't be too difficult."
Takenaka Osamu rubbed his chin, seemingly weighing the idea. After a moment, he said, "If others find out, won't they infer how vulnerable the village is?"
His concern was reasonable. If others found out that Amegakure couldn't even drive away a single rogue ninja,
the consequences would be unthinkable.
"We can conceal our identity when we post it."
"How much do you think it'll take?"
"At least two million ryō, I'd say."
"Will two million be enough? For a ninja as formidable as Kakuzu... even if it's only to drive him away..."
Takenaka Osamu frowned. He felt that if the bounty was too small, it wouldn't be worthy of Kakuzu's name, and no one might dare accept it.
Bounties on rogue ninja of the same rank started at ten million ryō.
But considering Amegakure's circumstances, it couldn't afford too much either. In the end, he slapped his hand down and made his decision.
"Three and a half million ryō. If it's too little, no one may dare take it. Go withdraw it from finance later and get this guy out of here as soon as possible. The Land of Rain needs stability right now. We can't let him keep wreaking havoc."
Delighted, Aoki Tsuki hurriedly replied, "Don't worry. I guarantee I'll get it done properly."
Once he had the money in hand, he happily headed home.
Since ancient times, public office had been a good place to enrich oneself.
If he were still an ordinary Chunin who only knew how to keep his head down and do missions, there was no telling how long it would take him to earn that much.
But now that his strength and status had risen, he could easily obtain it through internal channels. Other people wouldn't even get to see this mission.
His feet felt light, and even the air smelled sweet on the way home.
Granny Chiki next door couldn't hope to earn that much selling buns in her entire life.
Well, I can't keep all the benefits to myself. I'll buy two buns and let Granny Chiki earn a little too.
The buns were especially fragrant that day.
He didn't have to go on duty while on a mission. After a good night's sleep, he left the village the next day and posted an expulsion mission through an exchange station.
The mission was vague, with no specific information about the target. It only said that the details would be discussed in person.
He was just going through the motions and putting on a show, in case the village actually sent someone to verify it.
In truth, he had no intention of recruiting an unfamiliar ninja through the exchange station to deal with it, because he already had a better partner in mind.
Over the next few days, he tracked Kakuzu's movements.
That evening, Aoki Tsuki sat in a chair in his room, drinking tea and waiting patiently.
Late that night, a swarm of paper butterflies flew in through the window, then quickly gathered in the room and formed Konan's shape.
Even after seeing it many times, he still found the sight remarkable.
"Do you have new intelligence?" Konan asked directly.
She had seen the meeting signal Aoki Tsuki had left beneath the bridge they had agreed on.
"It's not intelligence. I have a good opportunity for you." Aoki Tsuki hurriedly brought a chair over and placed it in front of Konan. "Sit down and let's talk."
The sight made Konan even more wary. This was the first time he had been so attentive to her. Something was wrong.
"If you have something to say, say it. There's no need to beat around the bush."
Aoki Tsuki didn't insist. He was still nominally Hanzō's guard, so she couldn't possibly trust him.
"All right, I'll get straight to it. Isn't your Akatsuki short on both money and people right now?"
Although she didn't know what Aoki Tsuki meant, Konan nodded.
"Are you interested in a deal?" Aoki Tsuki paused. "Don't rush to say no. Hear me out before you decide."
He then briefly explained Kakuzu's situation before saying,
"I always conduct my business honestly. The village gave me two million ryō in startup funds. Once it's done, we'll split it evenly."
Konan, however, was unwilling to take the risk. Nagato still needed her care, and her instinct was to refuse the deal.
Aoki Tsuki continued enticing her. "I can also tell you a secret for free."
"What secret?"
"Kakuzu has lived for many years. Rumor has it he once tried to assassinate the First Hokage. He's powerful and has an instinctive fixation on money. He's spent years taking missions to kill rogue ninja with bounties on their heads.
"He's amassed an unimaginable fortune. If you can subdue him, it would greatly ease your organization's financial problems.
"And he can keep earning money for you too. This is a deal with tremendous returns."
Hearing that, Konan fell into thought.
If what Aoki Tsuki said was true, then Kakuzu fit Akatsuki's current recruitment criteria perfectly.
"Well? Give me a straight answer. If you won't do it, I'll find someone else," Aoki Tsuki pressed.
"I need to think about it. I'll give you an answer tomorrow."
With that, her body turned back into paper butterflies and flew out the window without lingering a moment longer.
Aoki Tsuki happily lit himself a cigarette. He knew she would never refuse, and he sat back with success assured.