Obito, for all his shortcomings, still carried a certain level of plot armor. Kakuzu was waiting for him to push the story forward. This little lesson would likely keep Obito in check for a while, at least preventing him from stirring up chaos in the ninja world at this stage. With that settled, Kakuzu could also enjoy a period of peace.
The journey from the Land of Water back to the Land of Dragons was long, but Kakuzu wasn't in any hurry. He took his time traveling across the vast terrain. While passing through a small town—
Boom!
A deafening explosion shook the entire area.
Kakuzu's Byakugan flickered open slightly, scanning in the direction of the disturbance. What unfolded before him was the sight of a massive summon, covered in thick brown fur and shaped like a fierce hound. The key difference between this summon and an ordinary dog was that it had three heads.
The moment the giant summon appeared, the townspeople scattered in terror. But their actions weren't chaotic—there was order to their retreat. People could be seen directing others toward shelters, a clear sign that this wasn't the first time the massive summon had appeared here.
Kakuzu found the situation odd. A rampaging summon terrorizing civilians—why hadn't Kirigakure dealt with this? Then again, it made sense upon reflection. The political situation in Kirigakure was always unstable. The higher-ups likely had no time to bother with trivial matters like this. Even if the villagers pooled money to hire shinobi, there was no guarantee of success. After all, that summon was clearly powerful.
Kakuzu didn't mind getting involved. He could capture the beast and hand it over to Konan, or perhaps even help Nagato refine his Animal Path. Without hesitation, he flickered away.
Unlike when he had been dealing with Obito, this time, the eye on his forehead remained completely shut, leaving only a thin slit. When the time came to utilize the Six Paths' power, it would naturally open.
Upon arriving at the scene, Kakuzu halted.
"Oh? Someone got here first."
Two figures—an elderly woman and a young girl—were already engaged in battle with the three-headed beast.
The younger one had long, chestnut-brown hair flowing down to her waist. Forming a series of hand seals, she unleashed her jutsu at the enormous beast.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"
A dense, highly corrosive mist spread around the three-headed dog. The creature's flesh immediately began sizzling under the acidic attack. Even if it didn't succumb to the mist's external corrosion, inhaling it would ensure its internal organs suffered the same fate.
With the Boil Release in play, the summon was already halfway to defeat. It wouldn't stand a chance unless it fled immediately.
With a forceful swing of its muscular tail, the three-headed dog managed to temporarily knock the girl away. It then dug its claws into the ground, attempting to make a swift escape.
But the elderly woman didn't intend to let it go.
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!"
A flood of scorching lava surged forth like a river, cutting off the beast's escape route. The oppressive heat took its toll, and the summon became more sluggish by the second. Over time, its condition worsened until it let out a final, pitiful wail and collapsed.
The girl exhaled sharply, wiping sweat from her forehead as she approached the elderly woman.
"Grandmother, we finally took it down. What should we do with its body?"
"Mei, notify the village. Have them send shinobi to collect the corpse."
At the mention of the village, the girl, Mei, scoffed, clear disdain in her expression. It seemed she harbored significant discontent toward Kirigakure's internal affairs.
But before she could complain further, she suddenly sensed an even more powerful presence nearby.
"Who's there?!"
Mei's sharp eyes locked onto Kakuzu's position, her hands already forming the confrontation seal, ready to attack at a moment's notice.
The elderly woman, however, chuckled softly.
"Relax, Mei. There's no need to be so tense."
She took a few steps forward, her pace calm and steady despite her age, before stopping in front of Kakuzu.
"Kakuzu-dono, am I correct?"
She used the word "correct" because her eyesight was failing. By now, she could only perceive chakra signatures rather than actual faces.
"You're being too polite. This was your hunt—I have no intention of interfering." Kakuzu responded evenly, offering a faint smile.
Judging by her age, she was likely from the same generation as him—another relic from the Warring States era.
"Kakuzu-dono, you jest. You once saved my family, but due to the chaos of the Shinobi World War and Kirigakure's bloodline purges, those of us with Kekkei Genkai have been living in constant danger. That's why we haven't had the chance to meet you again."
"Oh? We've met before?"
"Not personally, but do you remember Rodo?"
"Rodo?"
Kakuzu repeated the name to himself. He vaguely recalled his first trip to the Land of Water—the time he assassinated the First Mizukage. During that mission, he had saved a Kiri shinobi. That shinobi was Rodo.
"My name is Terumi Akiko. Rodo was my husband. And this is our granddaughter, Terumi Mei."
Mei had stepped forward as well, her gaze filled with curiosity as she studied Kakuzu. She had heard his name many times before, but she never expected to meet him in person today.
Since they shared a past connection, there was no rush to leave. Kakuzu accepted the invitation to visit the Terumi household.
The Terumi clan was a small, traditional family, not large enough to be considered a major clan. Their bloodline had originally passed down Lava Release, but after Rodo joined the family, future generations also inherited an additional Kekkei Genkai.
"By the way, where is Rodo now?"
Kakuzu took a sip of tea, his expression calm, yet a hint of nostalgia flickered in his eyes. Time had flown by, and before he knew it, the year was drawing to a close. It was now the end of Year 48 of the "New Calendar." If he remembered correctly, this marked his forty-third year in this world.
Now approaching seventy, he was undeniably an old man.
Beside him, Terumi Akiko shook her head with a wistful smile, her gaze filled with both emotion and remembrance.
"He's gone."
Just two simple words, yet they carried the weight of countless memories.
Kakuzu, too, felt a surge of emotion. In this long and fleeting passage of time, perhaps he was the only one who could truly claim to be eternal.
The conversation between the two continued, sometimes pausing, sometimes flowing. They talked about the shinobi world, their clans, and the village they now resided in—Kirigakure.
Both had survived the Warring States Period and had witnessed the rise and fall of the shinobi world.
"Kakuzu-sama, there's something I don't understand. I hope you can help me figure it out."
"Go ahead."
"The fact that the Third Mizukage, Mufū, was controlled by an outsider is beyond doubt. He's now locked away in the underground prison beneath Kirigakure—there's no chance of him getting out."
"A few years ago, Genshī led the elders in selecting a new Fourth Mizukage—Yagura Karatachi. I know this boy well. He's young and impulsive, but he was never in league with Mufū."
"However, after he became the Fourth Mizukage, the policies he implemented were exactly the same as Mufū's—maintaining the reign of terror known as the 'Bloody Mist.' He insists that this is the only way to keep the village stable and united."
"I want to confirm one thing—has he been controlled as well?"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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