Kakuzu excitedly stuffed the additional hearts into his chest without hesitation. His hands trembled slightly as he secured each metallic organ, feeling an invigorating surge of power course through his veins. But what truly shocked him wasn't just the act itself — it was the astonishing new abilities he suddenly possessed.
Not only had he gained the power to control all metals within a ten-mile radius, but his original five Chakra attributes were still intact!
He had been worried that by replacing his heart with a metal one, he would lose the unique elemental Chakra nature he had cultivated for years. Yet, to his surprise, not only did his original Chakra attributes remain, but he had also awakened a brand-new ability — the power to manipulate metal.
Kakuzu's mind raced with vivid battle scenarios. Imagine this: an enemy flings a shuriken at him, expecting an easy kill. But instead, Kakuzu reaches out with his newfound metal control, causing the shuriken to freeze midair. Then, with a subtle flick of his will, the weapon changes direction, soaring back to strike its original thrower. The opponent's face twists in disbelief and horror.
Just the thought alone sent a thrill down Kakuzu's spine.
For Kakuzu, a lifetime spent as a mercenary and assassin meant proving his worth was everything. He lived for those moments of dominance, the bitter joy of watching foes' faces twist in shock when they realized they could neither kill him nor predict his moves.
Staring at Peter with fiery eyes, Kakuzu's admiration was mixed with curiosity and something else — greed.
The man in front of him, Peter, was mysterious and powerful beyond measure, but what fascinated Kakuzu even more were the incredible gadgets and products Peter possessed.
His gaze swept the room, landing on the densely packed glass display counters filled with various devices and items. Could it be that everything here was some kind of powerful treasure?
Kakuzu's eyes burned with a strange anger — if he didn't know how terrifyingly strong Peter was, he might have tried robbing the store already!
Seeing Kakuzu's eager expression, Peter chuckled softly and said, "Since you can control metal, I have something you might want to try."
He walked over to one of the counters and carefully took out a small black box, square-shaped and sleek. He handed it to Kakuzu with a smile.
Kakuzu picked up the box, eyes wide with curiosity.
The box creaked open slowly under his gaze, revealing a silvery substance inside.
"Boss, what is this liquid?" Kakuzu asked, perplexed.
Peter smiled and replied, "It's not liquid. Take a closer look."
Kakuzu leaned in, scrutinizing the shimmering contents. What he saw wasn't liquid at all, but a countless swarm of tiny, round metallic spheres clustered together so tightly that they looked like liquid from afar.
"These are nanorobots," Peter explained. "Since you can control metal, why don't you see if you can manipulate them?"
Kakuzu's eyes lit up with excitement. Without hesitation, he plunged his hand into the box. The nanorobots crawled onto his arm, moving like a living metal skin.
Almost immediately, Kakuzu felt his arm grow extraordinarily hard — as if armored by some invisible force. His hand clenched tightly, and with a sudden burst of strength, he slammed his arm against the glass counter.
"Clang!"
A crisp, metallic sound echoed through the room.
The glass shattered instantly, splintering into countless fragments that scattered across the floor with a tinkling noise.
Kakuzu's face lit up with exhilaration.
He realized that these nanorobots could change shape at his command, molding themselves into any form he imagined.
This power was beyond anything he had dreamed of — it was like discovering a vast treasure trove overnight.
Unfortunately, the box only contained enough nanorobots to cover one arm.
"Boss, how much is this?" Kakuzu asked eagerly. "I want more!"
Peter looked at him with an amused expression, tinged with a hint of surprise.
Kakuzu noticed the look and frowned in confusion. "Boss? What's wrong?"
Peter smiled wider. "Well, you just smashed the glass counter in my store. You owe me ten million taels for that."
Kakuzu's excitement vanished instantly. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Boss... why is it so expensive?" Kakuzu shouted, nearly on the verge of collapse.
He mentally cursed his reckless strength. Why did his hands have to be so violent?
"Hey, what can I say? You broke it," Peter said with a teasing grin.
Kakuzu nodded in resignation, pain flashing across his face. "Alright, I'll pay…"
Peter waved his hand casually, and in an instant, the shattered glass counter reassembled itself, restoring the store to its previous pristine condition.
Kakuzu blinked in disbelief, rubbing his eyes. He looked at Peter with a mixture of shock and heartache. How could one wave of the hand repair such expensive damage — and yet he still had to pay ten million taels?
Kakuzu clutched his chest, heart pounding. If he didn't have five hearts and a rapid blood supply, he might have fainted right there.
This was an experience Kakuzu would never forget in his long life.
Peter ignored Kakuzu's expression and continued cheerfully, "You said you want more nanorobots? Wait a moment."
He reached under the counter and pulled out four more identical black boxes, each filled with nanorobots.
Although Kakuzu's heart ached from the looming expense, the sight of the nanorobots erased his frustration almost instantly.
If he could cover his entire body with these, coupled with his metal heart, Kakuzu would become the coolest bounty hunter in the ninja world — a living weapon no one could touch.
In Kakuzu's eyes, being a ninja wasn't about physical skill, ninjutsu, or illusions anymore. It was all about value — currency.
A ninja was measured by their bounty.
One Ma = thirty million taels.
Life was nothing more than a string of beautiful numbers.
He fantasized about the future — immersed in the joy of exchanging heads for money every single day.
After all, the world was vast. Making money was the only thing that truly mattered.
Eating, drinking, having fun, and killing — these were the greatest pleasures life had to offer.
From this moment forward, Kakuzu vowed to live a life where he ignored the outside world and counted his money until his hands cramped — then spend it all buying more things from Peter.
If Peter could read Kakuzu's thoughts right now, he would surely say, "Young man, you have a bright future!"
"One box costs 20 million taels," Peter said, "so five boxes come to a total of 100 million taels."
The numbers pulled Kakuzu back to reality. He hadn't expected the nanorobots to be this expensive.
Fortunately, he hadn't spent the money he'd earned over the years and could still afford the purchase.
Peter's eyes gleamed with excitement. Kakuzu was truly a valuable customer.
He hadn't expected Kakuzu to spend 185 million taels in such a short time.
Kakuzu didn't hesitate. Taking the boxes, he commanded the nanorobots to cover his body.
But to his surprise, after using five boxes, the nanorobots had only covered half of his body.
His teeth clenched in frustration. "Boss, give me another box!"
Kakuzu's savings were nearly drained.
Peter smiled knowingly and said, "Brother, let's settle the bill first. That's 185.5 million taels in total, including 500,000 taels for the fairy beans I gave you earlier."
Kakuzu nodded, understanding Peter's caution. He handed over the money, leaving only a small pile remaining from his mountain of savings.
Peter estimated Kakuzu had about 30 to 40 million taels left.
After the transaction, Kakuzu suddenly realized that his lifetime of savings was nearly gone — spent in just a matter of moments.
A bittersweet mix of exhilaration and regret washed over him.