It was precisely because of this natural barrier that Takigakure managed to survive amidst the four great nations. One could even call it fortunate.
The further he walked, the more moist the air became for Torifū, and the surrounding trees grew increasingly dense. Various mosses covered the tree trunks, creating a tranquil and peaceful scene. At this point, the sound of the waterfall could already be heard, meaning they should arrive soon.
"Takigakure is just ahead. Are you coming in with me?"
Torifū shook his head. Then, the four puppets transformed into streaks of light and drilled into the mark on Kakuzu's arm. Kakuzu shook his arm; though he felt nothing physically, the thought of four people inside his arm made him somewhat uncomfortable. However, none of that mattered. He pushed through the bushes and surveyed the area around the waterfall, finding no shinobi guarding it. With nothing to worry about, Kakuzu strode confidently towards the village entrance.
Reaching the bottom of the waterfall, Kakuzu took a deep breath and leaped, disappearing into the cascading water. Getting his clothes wet every time he entered the village had always annoyed Kakuzu. He believed the old geezers in the village never left possibly due to the waterfall.
From inside the mark, Torifū could see the outside world. After entering the waterfall, a village appeared before him. It was much smaller than Konoha, and most of its houses were made of wood and giant leaves. To put it nicely, it was very close to nature; to put it bluntly, it was very backward. It couldn't compare to Konoha at all. The streets weren't very crowded, but the villagers' attire was quite elaborate.
Kakuzu was something of a celebrity in the village; after all, everyone regarded him as Takigakure's hope. Upon seeing Kakuzu return, the villagers came forward to greet him.
"Kakuzu-sensei, have you returned from a mission? It must have been a complete success, right?"
This person intended to flatter Kakuzu but unknowingly stepped on a landmine. Already in a foul mood, Kakuzu felt as if the man's words were mocking him. Luckily, he managed to control his temper and didn't explode. Otherwise, there would be no need to fulfill any bet; merely harming a villager would be enough to land Kakuzu in jail. He forced out a strained, unnatural smile, "Yes, it was completed very smoothly."
The words, gritted out through his teeth, made the villager realize the gravity of the situation. He quickly apologized to Kakuzu. To avoid further commotion, Kakuzu simply waved his hand, dismissing the man. The priority now wasn't to argue with them, but to report the mission. Since he hadn't completed it, punishment was unavoidable; it just depended on what the Elders would decide. Kakuzu believed that even if a Kage from a great nation undertook a mission of this difficulty, they wouldn't succeed, so the Elders shouldn't say much. The bet he made with Torifū was just an extra layer of assurance for himself.
The surrounding villagers gradually dispersed, and Kakuzu no longer lingered, walking deeper into the village. He stopped before a very large residence. Takigakure had no Kage or office building, only the joint residence of the Elders. All missions were assigned and reported here. Important village meetings were also held here. One could say this large residence was the center of power in Takigakure. Every Elder, once elected, would move their entire family into the residence. And once elected, an Elder typically served until their death, making the position of Elder a lifelong, unshakable post in Takigakure. Every shinobi's ultimate goal was to become an Elder.
The Elders divided the village's power, constantly scheming against each other to protect their own authority. All sorts of dirty dealings were commonplace, and no one truly led the village toward steady development. They were all focused on consolidating their own power.
Kakuzu pushed open the door of the residence and entered. In front of the central room, five old men of varying appearances sat cross-legged with their eyes closed. They gave off a profound and unfathomable aura, but Torifū estimated that the strongest of these five old men was likely at a quasi-Kage level, while the weaker ones were merely elite Jōnin. Their overall strength seemed decent, but their hearts weren't united.
The leading old man in the center sensed Kakuzu's arrival and spoke indifferently, "Well, was the mission completed?" His voice didn't have the hoarseness of an elderly person and sounded rather robust, indicating he was likely the strongest one.
Indeed, in response to his inquiry, Kakuzu bowed and said, "Reporting, Great Elder, the mission failed. Hashirama Senju's strength was beyond my ability to contend with."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the other four Elders all opened their eyes, staring intently at Kakuzu.
"The mission failed, and you still dared to return to the village! What if you bring disaster upon the village? Can you bear the responsibility?!"
Kakuzu hadn't even reacted before he was barraged with questions. The four Elders nagged and scolded him for over ten minutes before the Great Elder finally called a halt, making them close their mouths. But Kakuzu wasn't someone with a good temper. It was an impossible mission to begin with, and after being beaten by Hashirama, he came back only to be severely scolded by these four old geezers. Anyone would lose their temper, but Kakuzu endured. He held his peace, believing that a moment of patience would bring tranquility, and a step back would open up vast horizons.
Kakuzu initially thought the Great Elder was reasonable and had stopped the other four Elders to speak up for him. But the Great Elder's next words left him utterly bewildered.
"Kakuzu indeed failed this mission, but there's no need to insult him like that."
"After all, he is the future hope of our Takigakure. I propose we first escort him to the prison, and then we can discuss the specific disciplinary measures."
"???"
Kakuzu's mind was filled with question marks. The other old geezers just yelled at me, but you, you're directly sending me to prison! So, all along, you're the real devil here! And what about being Takigakure's future hope? Is this how you treat your hope?
Kakuzu was completely stunned by the Great Elder's outrageous move, so much so that he didn't resist even when the village shinobi dragged him away towards the prison. It wasn't until Kakuzu was locked up, triple-layered with chains, that he finally came back to his senses. But it was too late; he was already in prison.
"I'm in now?" He muttered to himself, though it was unclear to whom he was speaking.
Torifū, however, replied, "Yes, you're in. I won the bet."
Silence descended like a deep night. Kakuzu leaned against the cold prison wall, remaining speechless for a long time.