The Beheading Valley is located at the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire.
A persistent, cold drizzle pattered against the dark, muddy swamp.
Two figures, dressed in black trench coats with red cloud patterns and wearing straw hats pulled low over their heads, were walking one after the other through the damp forest path.
The wind chimes made a crisp yet eerie sound on the edge of the straw hat.
"Hey! Kakuzu! How much longer are you going to walk?!"
Hidan, walking behind, carried the conspicuous deep red, blood-red Triple-Bladed Scythe in one hand.
He wore a black triangular pendant from Jashin Cult around his neck, and constantly muttered curses.
"We haven't encountered a single living person who can even breathe along the way!"
"This great lord has not offered any sacrifices to the great Lord Jashin for three whole days!"
"If you don't let me perform the ceremony, the Lord Jashin will unleash divine punishment, and I'll be the first to slice you into sashimi!"
Kakuzu, didn't even turn his head.
On that aged face, completely covered by a dark green mask, only a pair of eyes gleaming with a cold, eerie green light flickered.
He was clutching an abacus tightly to his chest, and skillfully flipping through a small ledger in his hands.
"Shut your stinking mouth, Hidan."
Kakuzu's voice was deep and hoarse, like rusty gears grinding together.
"Can Jashin pay you a salary? Can he buy you Explosive Tag?"
"In this world, nothing is worth my second glance except for glittering gold and silver."
"Instead of worshipping those unseen and intangible gods, you'd be better off chopping off a few valuable heads on the black market."
"Huh?! You dare insult the great Lord Jashin?!"
Hidan up on the spot, swinging his Bloodstained Triple-Bladed Scythe with a whooshing sound, as if to slash at Kakuzu from behind.
But Kakuzu was clearly already used to his partner's erratic behavior.
He turned and went straight into a dark cave hidden behind the waterfall.
The cave was extremely deep; after many twists and turns, it suddenly opened up into a bright and spacious area.
A dark, underground hall, reeking of cheap tobacco and a strong stench of blood, appeared before the two of them.
Black market Underground Exchange branch!
"Bang!"
Kakuzu casually tossed a burlap sack he was carrying on his shoulder onto the counter.
The sack was opened, revealing the head of a missing-nin who died with his eyes wide open in disbelief.
The person in charge behind the counter was a one-eyed old man. After skillfully inspecting the goods, he immediately pulled out a thick wad of banknotes from a metal box and pushed it over.
"The bounty is five million taels. Count it carefully, Kakuzu."
Kakuzu's fingers flew across the banknotes like butterflies flitting among flowers, checking each anti-counterfeiting mark in an instant.
After neatly stuffing the money into the inner pocket.
Kakuzu didn't leave immediately, but instead tapped the table heavily with his knuckles:
What big moves have been made on the black market bounty list lately?
"Don't waste your time on cheap junk; I'm only interested in high-quality stuff worth tens of millions."
Upon hearing this, the one-eyed leader's expression changed slightly.
He glanced around warily, then carefully pulled out a scroll of sheepskin list, freshly printed and sealed with scarlet top-secret sealing wax, from a hidden compartment at the bottom of the counter.
" Kakuzu... you've asked just the right question."
The person in charge lowered their voice, their hands trembling slightly:
"This morning, the top spot on the underground black market's bounty list was completely overturned."
"This is an enormous order that has broken the record for the highest order in the Shinobi World in thirty years!"
"However... I advise you not to get involved. It's said that several renowned assassination groups that went to scout the location vanished without even catching a glimpse of their target."
"Enough talk, give it to me!"
Kakuzu snorted coldly, snatched the parchment scroll, and unfurled it!
The moment that list was completely spread out under the kerosene lamp.
Even Kakuzu, who had seen countless storms throughout his life and lived Kakuzu nearly a hundred years.
Those eerie green pupils suddenly froze to the size of pinpoints!
Right above the bounty poster.
It features a striking portrait of a person wearing floral shorts and holding a white jade pipe in their mouth!
Target: Senju Kenya!
What nearly stopped Kakuzu's heart from beating was the long, dazzling string of zeros below the portrait!
Bounty: A full 500 million taels of cash!
If we can bring back an intact body and a sample of the mutated Wood Release technique, we will add an extra 200 million ryo!
Total -- 700 million for two days!
The list of funders is densely packed: a revenge bounty fund secretly set up by Shimura Danzō death, the Land of Fire Exiled Former Nobility Association, and several mysterious underground banks that secretly added to the investment!
"Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands... seven... seven hundred million taels?!"
Kakuzu's hands, which had been as calm as still water, began to tremble uncontrollably at this moment!
Seven hundred million taels!
What does this even mean?!
Akatsuki worked themselves to the bone as mercenaries for three whole years, they might not be able to amass such a terrifying fortune!
If he takes on this order, he could even buy half of a Shinobu village on the spot!
"Hey! Kakuzu, what are you shaking for?"
Hidan, standing nearby, peeked over and immediately spotted the arrogant, laughing black-haired youth in the portrait:
"Yo? Senju Kenya? Is that the guy who supposedly blew up the Konoha Tower?"
Hidan stuck out his scarlet tongue and licked his lips frantically:
"This man seems to have a lot of backbone!"
"If we capture him, nail him to the ritual circle, pierce his heart with a spear, and offer him as a sacrifice to the Lord Jashin!"
" The Lord Jashin will surely grant me even more eternal power! Hahahaha!"
"Shut up, you idiot!"
Kakuzu abruptly shoved the scroll into his arms, clutching it tightly, his green eyes flashing with a mad, greedy glint.
"He belongs to me!"
"Not a single hair can be damaged; that's all pure silver!"
Kakuzu turned around, strode out of the Bounty Station, and stepped into the rain with a chilling aura.
" Land of Fire!"
"Take Senju Kenya's head!"
at the same time.
The bustling commercial street intersection in Konoha.
Senju Kenya, dressed in brightly colored floral shorts, sat comfortably under a parasol, munching on a skewer of piping hot oden that had just come out of the pot.
Kato Yosuke jogged through the crowd, then leaned close to his ear with a strange expression and whispered a few words.
Kenya, the beef meatball in his mouth still in his mouth.
He raised his eyelids, biting his white jade pipe, a cold smile playing on his lips:
I heard someone offered a bounty of hundreds of millions for my head?