"Jashin-damned Kakuzu, I'm going to kill you!"
Boom!
Two scorching spheres of crimson energy erupted, and with a deafening explosion, the roof of the inn was blasted away by the intense heat of Scorch Release. Just as Pakura prepared to continue her assault, a towering figure stepped in front of her.
"You know, someone's gotta pay for all this damage."
As Kakuzu appeared, Pakura's delicate features turned ice-cold.
"Kakuzu! You bastard, I'll kill you no matter what! Scorch Release!"
Kakuzu understood why she was this furious. Her clothes had been changed because they were dirty—Ni had personally taken care of it. But was that something she could be reasoned with right now? More importantly—
"You don't seem to grasp the situation yet. You're just a prisoner of Ryūgakure."
"Dark Release!"
The scorching energy dissipated into Kakuzu's palm as if it were nothing. He immediately countered with a punch, sending Pakura flying with a pained scream. She hit the ground hard, completely drained of strength. Even so, she clenched her teeth, curling her body slightly as she struggled to back away.
"Kakuzu, you'd better kill me now. Otherwise, I swear I'll find a way to kill you one day!"
Kakuzu walked forward unfazed, crouching down to lift her chin with his fingers.
"You—let go of me…"
Pakura couldn't break free from his grip. She was no match for him. So instead, she simply closed her eyes and turned her head away, as if that could preserve a shred of dignity.
"What made you so hellbent on killing me?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Pakura scoffed. "You are my enemy, the enemy of Sunagakure. What else is there to say?"
Hearing that, Kakuzu chuckled. Another one fighting for their village. Everyone talked about protecting their home, but true peace in the ninja world? That was a fantasy. Ironically, the so-called villains probably had more practical methods to achieve it.
Pakura herself might just be another tool to push the world towards peace. He wasn't about to waste this opportunity.
"You can leave."
Releasing her chin, Kakuzu turned to go.
"You… you're letting me go?" Pakura couldn't hide her disbelief. She had fully prepared herself for imprisonment, even torture, but this?
Kakuzu stopped and looked back at her.
"But before you do, there are two things you need to take care of. First—since your Sunagakure identity is undeniable and you've been defeated, your village must compensate the Land of Dragons for the damages. I've already sent a formal letter to your Kazekage, but he doesn't seem to take it seriously. Maybe if one of his own people tells him, he'll reconsider."
"Second—the damage to this inn. You'll have to compensate for that as well. That's it. Understood?"
Pakura sat there, pressing her lips together. Kakuzu wasn't wrong. Sunagakure had been the aggressor this time, and they lost. Compensation was unavoidable. But she also knew why the Kazekage refused to pay—because Sunagakure simply couldn't afford it. Unlike the wealthier villages, Sunagakure was built in a barren desert with weak industry and low productivity. To make matters worse, the new Daimyō of the Land of Wind was extremely hostile toward the village, cutting their funding repeatedly. Sunagakure had no spare money for something like this.
"…The Kazekage has his own difficulties. I'm not giving you a single coin."
Kakuzu chuckled. He hadn't expected Pakura to be this stubborn. She had the attitude of a bandit—a fitting trait for a proper kunoichi. Interesting.
"Well then, you'd better get used to being a prisoner. Work hard and pay off your debt here."
"Never! I won't pay, and I won't stay here either!"
Kakuzu only laughed, completely unbothered, and left as if he had just heard a ridiculous joke. Pakura stood up, her face full of defiance. He might have let her live, but one day—one day, she would kill him.
...
"Since you're so insistent, go ahead."
A polite voice came from behind her. Pakura immediately sensed danger and turned around, hands raised to unleash her Scorch Release. But then—
"The legendary Sage Eyes…"
Despite his friendly demeanor, Nagato's Rinnegan radiated an overwhelming pressure.
"What do you want?" Pakura's voice was sharp with suspicion.
Nagato spread his hands. "Didn't you want to go back? Kakuzu-sama asked me to escort you."
Pakura's expression darkened. Take Nagato back to Sunagakure? That would be the same as inviting destruction upon her village.
"Hehehe… Lady, I'd advise you to just listen to Kakuzu-sama. Stay put. At least for now, we're not making any moves. But if you don't pay up… well, you've heard about Kakuzu-sama's ways, haven't you?" Kisame grinned, resting Samehada on his shoulder.
Pakura clenched her fists, feeling powerless. If Kakuzu were here, he would summarize the situation in one simple phrase:
"Pakura, you don't want anything to happen to Sunagakure, do you?"
...
Three days later, Pakura's face was pale from hunger as she hesitated before knocking on a door.
"You are… Pakura, right? How can I help you?" Ni greeted her with a kind smile.
Pakura took a deep breath. "Do you… have any work I can do?"
Ni took one look at her pitiful state and pulled her inside, quickly preparing a bowl of steaming-hot instant noodles. Pakura devoured it in seconds, completely abandoning the elegant image of Sunagakure's 'Hero of the Third Shinobi War.'
But that wasn't surprising. After all, ninja were still human. And without production skills, they had to eat somehow. If she was going to stay in Ryūgakure, she might as well make herself useful—and maybe, just maybe, gather some intel for her village.
Ni understood Pakura's predicament. As a prisoner, her situation was difficult. It wasn't like any normal employer in the Land of Dragons would dare take her in. Desperate and with no other options, she had come to Ni, likely thinking that as a fellow woman, she wouldn't be as harsh as Kakuzu.
After some thought, Ni finally said, "I actually do have a well-paying job available. If you work hard for a year, you'll be able to pay off your debt."
Pakura's eyes lit up. "What kind of job? I'll do it."
But the moment Ni told her, Pakura's face turned black.
"No way! I'd rather die!"
Seeing her reaction, Ni paused before saying lightly, "This isn't an opportunity that comes easily. As shinobi, we're trained to accept death. But sometimes… we must also consider our village."
Pakura ignored most of what Ni said. But that last sentence—it struck a nerve.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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