The night air was crisp, yet the atmosphere around Kakuzu felt suffocating. His mind reeled in disbelief as he stared at the empty space where his targets had once stood. One second, he had been tailing them carefully, waiting for the right opportunity to strike—and the next, they had vanished without a trace.
Kakuzu clenched his fists, his expression darkening. How was this possible? He had been tracking them for an entire day. Their movements had been sharp but not beyond his expectations. Yet, in an instant, they had disappeared, as if swallowed by the very shadows of the night.
His frustration grew as he realized the implications. If they were gone, that meant the money was gone too.
"Damn it…" he muttered under his breath.
It had been a long time since he had encountered such a bizarre situation. He had spent years perfecting his ability to track high-value targets, ensuring that when he struck, he never left empty-handed. Yet now, he had nothing.
Still, he wasn't about to give up. He was Kakuzu, after all. Money was his lifeline, and he wasn't about to let it slip away. His fingers twitched in anticipation, ready to take action when—
"Oi, mysterious ninja—why are you following us?"
Kakuzu's entire body stiffened. The voice had come from behind him. Behind him.
His pupils shrank as he turned his head slightly, only to see two figures standing in the shadows.
The two ninjas he had been following… were now standing directly behind him.
One of them, a man with sun-kissed blonde hair, grinned as he continued, "Is it me, the yellow-haired one, or my black-haired friend you're so interested in?"
A chill ran down Kakuzu's spine. Impossible.
There was no way they could have appeared behind him so silently.
Without hesitation, his instincts took over. His body flickered as he activated a high-speed retreat technique, moving dozens of meters away in an instant. He landed in a crouch, his breathing measured but wary.
He had always prided himself on his caution. Even during the Warring States Era, when he had foolishly attempted to assassinate the First Hokage, he had done so from a great distance, ensuring minimal risk. And now, his intuition screamed at him that these two were just as—if not more—dangerous than Hashirama himself.
His mind raced. Who were they? Ninjas of the five great nations? That seemed unlikely. What kind of elite shinobi would be robbing rich merchants in the middle of the night? Rogue ninjas, perhaps? But their names—Xiao Hei and Da Huang—sounded more like the names of stray dogs than powerful warriors.
Just as he steadied himself, another voice called out from behind him—again.
"Oi! Mysterious ninja—are you looking for the black-haired one, or the yellow-haired one?"
Kakuzu's breath hitched. What the hell?!
It was the same line as before, spoken in the same tone.
But…
They had somehow moved behind him again.
A creeping sensation of dread slithered up his spine. He wasn't easily frightened, but this—this was unnatural. Even among the strongest shinobi he had encountered, he had never seen anything like this.
Slowly, he turned his head, and sure enough, the two men stood there, watching him.
He forced his voice to remain calm as he spoke, "I… I don't mean any harm. So, how about you just let me go?"
The blonde-haired ninja laughed—a cold, amused laugh that sent an unsettling feeling through Kakuzu's chest.
"No harm? No harm, and yet you've been tailing us since last night. Let me guess… You wanted to rob us after we finished robbing others?"
Kakuzu remained silent.
The black-haired one—who had been addressed as "Xiao Hei"—tilted his head slightly, scrutinizing him. Then, with a sly smirk, he turned to his companion.
"Da Huang, after all the people we've robbed, we haven't robbed this one yet, have we? And judging by the way he carries himself… he looks like a rich man."
The blonde one—Da Huang—grinned widely. "Hahaha! You're onto something, Xiao Hei! This one might be carrying more ryo than we expected."
For a moment, Kakuzu was frozen.
Then, his face darkened.
They wanted to rob him?!
His entire body tensed with barely restrained fury. They could insult him, they could attack him, but they would NOT take his money.
"Damn you two! Don't go too far!!!"
The blonde ninja's grin widened. "Hahaha… Then how about this? Hand over the money, and we'll let you walk away."
Kakuzu immediately funneled chakra into his limbs, preparing for battle.
"Arrogant fools!!!"
WHOOSH!
He moved. But he had barely begun his counterattack when—
In the blink of an eye, the blonde one vanished.
In the next breath, Kakuzu felt cold steel press against his throat.
His body went rigid.
His mind screamed. How did he—?!
The blonde ninja's voice was dangerously close, his tone playful yet laced with a quiet menace.
"Pay the ryo, and we won't kill you."
Then, as if to solidify the threat, both men released their chakra in full force.
A wave of overwhelming energy crashed over Kakuzu, nearly buckling his knees. This… this wasn't normal. These weren't ordinary thieves. They were monsters.
For the first time in a long time, Kakuzu felt true helplessness. He couldn't win this fight.
His jaw clenched. Slowly, with great reluctance, he raised his hand.
From within his cloak, a thick tendril of black threads extended, pulling out a hefty package. It dropped onto the ground with a soft thud.
"…That's everything I have," Kakuzu said through gritted teeth. "You never saw me tonight."
The black-haired one—Xiao Hei—stepped forward and knelt down, inspecting the package. He untied it and took a quick glance inside. His eyes glimmered.
"Hoh… Not bad. There's nearly 100 million ryo in here."
He turned to his companion, who placed a hand on his shoulder.
In an instant, the two men vanished, leaving Kakuzu alone in the middle of the road.
Silence stretched in the aftermath of their departure.
Then—
Kakuzu's entire body slumped to the ground. He stared blankly at the night sky, his fingers twitching as realization set in.
His ryo… His precious ryo…
"…Ahhhhhh!!! My money!!! My money!!! What's the point of living anymore?! What's the point of my life?!"
His anguished wail echoed through the night.
Meanwhile, deep within a forest near Konoha…
Minato and Fugaku had returned to their original appearances, the transformation technique fading away.
They each spat on their hands before rubbing them together, their eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
They looked at the stolen money, and then—
"Hahahahahaha!!!"
Their laughter filled the silent forest, carrying far into the night. If anyone had been passing by, they might have thought the woods were haunted by demons.