The underground chamber of Root was now fully constructed. Hidden in the shadows, Root's operatives silently observed everything that transpired within. In this dark and oppressive atmosphere, countless secret dealings and unspeakable schemes would unfold.
Inside Danzo's personal office, the lighting was dim. A single beam of light seeped through a narrow crevice, intermittently illuminating the room. The glow happened to cast over half of Danzo's face while fully lighting up Kakuzu's.
Seated at his desk, Danzo handed a sealed scroll to Kakuzu. The contents required no explanation—it was Hashirama's cells. Among those in Konoha, Danzo used them the most extensively.
Having obtained what he needed, Kakuzu nodded slightly and was about to leave when Danzo spoke.
"Kakuzu-sama, I have another request."
"Oh?" Kakuzu raised an eyebrow and halted his movement. "What is it?"
Leaning forward slightly, Danzo's expression darkened further.
"I have an unspoken favor to ask. Iwagakure has always been a significant threat to Konoha."
Danzo stopped there, leaving the statement incomplete—an approach befitting someone in power. Kakuzu chuckled. It had been more than a decade since Tobirama Senju's passing, and the once-young boy before him had risen to Konoha's upper echelons. Time truly flew.
As he tapped his fingers lightly against the desk, Kakuzu studied Danzo with a half-lidded gaze.
"Are you... negotiating with me?"
Danzo hesitated momentarily. Indeed, he was no longer an ignorant child. He had his own ambitions and ideals. Even when dealing with elders and predecessors, his mindset had shifted.
"Kakuzu-sama, I am merely requesting your assistance."
Seeing Danzo's serious expression, Kakuzu leaned back slightly, absentmindedly toying with the sealed scroll in his hand. His eyes held a mixture of amusement and calculation.
Fine. Since he still needed a continued supply of Hashirama's cells, it wouldn't hurt to humor Danzo's request. Still, he intended to add a condition of his own.
A few days later, in a secluded corner of Konoha, an underground chamber was suddenly raided by Root operatives. From within, they dragged out a tall man with pale skin, appearing to be around twenty-four years old. He never would have imagined that, despite his efforts to remain hidden, he had still been discovered.
Panic crept into his heart.
His entire life had been dedicated to the study of forbidden techniques, particularly those involving human experimentation. Now, being hauled before the Hokage, his fate was sealed—he would undoubtedly be sentenced to death.
Despair, helplessness, and resentment filled his heart. He had only pursued these experiments to strengthen his frail body, to overcome his own mediocre talent. And now, just as he was on the verge of a breakthrough, his path had been completely severed.
Tears of frustration welled in his eyes and fell silently to the ground.
From a distance, Danzo and Kakuzu watched the scene unfold.
This entire capture had been orchestrated by them.
Kakuzu needed someone competent to manage his future laboratory. While the infamous scientific madman Orochimaru might have been the ideal choice, he was too unpredictable and difficult to control—especially in his youth, when his mind was brimming with wild ambitions.
Orochimaru was the best choice, but not the most suitable one.
Instead, Kakuzu had selected this desperate man—Hiruko.
At this stage of his life, Hiruko was fixated solely on overcoming his own limitations. He had reached a crossroads, making him the perfect candidate to be manipulated.
Kakuzu had chosen his fate for him.
After all, in the grand scheme of things, Hiruko was merely an ordinary Chunin of Konoha. Too weak to even step onto the battlefield, his fate could be altered with just a few words from someone powerful.
Calling it cruel would be pointless—this was simply the reality of the world.
Besides, Kakuzu's intervention in Hiruko's destiny might even be a blessing in disguise. At least, under his guidance, Hiruko wouldn't harbor delusions of starting a world war simply because he had mastered a few Kekkei Genkai.
As for the issue of a missing Chunin in Konoha, would Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage, suspect anything?
Kakuzu wasn't concerned in the slightest.
After all, standing beside him was none other than the Shinobi World's most infamous scapegoat—Danzo.
If Hiruzen ever uncovered the truth, Danzo would have no hesitation in pointing fingers and berating him.
"Hiruzen, I did this for Konoha."
"Hiruzen, your indecisiveness will be the village's downfall."
Kakuzu had made his decision regarding Hiruko. With that settled, he took the opportunity to visit an old acquaintance he hadn't seen in years—Maruboshi Kosuke.
Kosuke hadn't changed. He still possessed the heart of a child, holding onto his unwavering beliefs. The failure of past missions and the loss of his comrades remained obstacles he could never truly overcome. He was still Konoha's eternal genin.
Kakuzu had no intention of changing that—at least, not for now. After all, in Konoha, who were the strongest shinobi? The genin, of course. And being a genin came with its own perks—namely, staying out of life-threatening situations.
The two shared a few drinks before Kakuzu bid Kosuke farewell.
There was another "eternal genin" in Konoha that Kakuzu hadn't forgotten—Might Duy.
When he saw Duy again, the man was grinning as always, flashing a thumbs-up while showering praise upon his comrades. He remained the same—outwardly strong, yet evoking a sense of pity in those who truly understood his situation.
But Kakuzu wasn't planning to intervene just yet. The time to change Might Duy's fate had yet to come. Acting prematurely would only be counterproductive.
Before Kakuzu left Konoha, Sakumo Hatake personally came to see him off. And he wasn't alone.
Standing beside Sakumo was someone else.
"Kakuzu-sama, thank you for all the guidance and training you've given me these past days."
Sakumo's words carried sincerity. After fighting alongside Kakuzu in Sunagakure—cutting through enemy lines together—he had unknowingly grown closer to the man. In his heart, Kakuzu was already half a mentor, half a comrade-in-arms.
Kakuzu merely nodded slightly in response. His attention, however, was drawn to the person beside Sakumo.
Realizing his lapse in manners, Sakumo quickly made introductions.
"Ah, I forgot to introduce you. This is my wife, Sato Sakuragi."
The woman before him wasn't particularly tall, but her delicate features were striking. What stood out the most was the slight swell of her abdomen.
"You sure work fast, Sakumo."
Sakumo scratched his head sheepishly and let out an awkward laugh.
"Kakuzu-sama, don't put it like that… Sakuragi is already three months pregnant."
Hearing this, Kakuzu said nothing more.
He knew that soon, the legendary "Kakashi" would be born.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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