Near the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls, outside a currency exchange station, a tall man in black stepped out, carrying a money box in his hand.
He had cold, dark green eyes. A dark gray hat shadowed his hair and cheeks, draping down to his shoulders. A black mask covered the lower half of his face, and his arms and wrists were lined with grotesque stitching.
This was Kakuzu—a name mocked by some fans for supposedly throwing a shuriken at the First Hokage from 800 miles away before fleeing and claiming to have fought him.
But jokes aside, Kakuzu's history wasn't a laughing matter.
His long journey began in the early days of the ninja villages. As an elite of Takigakure (the Village Hidden by a Waterfall), he was once dispatched to assassinate the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. After infiltrating the Land of Fire, Kakuzu engaged Hashirama in battle but was ultimately defeated by the Hokage's Wood Release techniques. Barely escaping with his life, he returned to his village.
Instead of honor or sympathy, Kakuzu was punished severely for failing the mission.
Consumed by hatred, he broke free from prison, stole a forbidden jutsu—the secret art of Earth Grudge Fear—and used it to rip out and claim the hearts of Takigakure's elders. With those hearts, Kakuzu extended his life indefinitely, sustaining himself through the twisted power of his black tendril-like threads.
…
Not long after leaving the exchange station, Kakuzu was confronted by a group of ninja on the roadside.
He glanced at their forehead protectors and said coldly, "What business does Takigakure have with me?"
"Kakuzu," the lead ninja said curtly, "we've been ordered to bring you back to the village. Chief Shibuki commands it."
"Hmph?" Kakuzu tilted his head slightly. From behind the mask, his voice was emotionless. "So, these are your last words?"
Click. Click. Click!
"AAAAHHHH!!!"
Black tendrils exploded from Kakuzu's body, ripping through the Takigakure shinobi like they were made of paper.
The corpses dangled from the threads. Kakuzu stepped forward with his money box in hand, his gaze falling on the terrified leader now collapsed on the ground. "That kid Shibuki... what's he thinking? Be straight with me, or I'll rip out your heart."
The man stammered, "K-Kakuzu-sama, a man named Uchiha Yu has threatened to destroy Takigakure. Our forces can't stand against him. Chief Shibuki wants to hire you to defend the village..."
Kakuzu paused, his green eyes narrowing. "Uchiha Yu? The one with the 100 million ryō bounty?"
"I-I think so…"
"You idiots want to drag me into this mess?" Kakuzu growled, lifting the ninja by the throat. "You really want me to die for your village again?"
"Wait! Chief Shibuki said—he said he knows you still resent the village for the past. He's offering a generous reward. You won't be disappointed!"
"Oh?" Kakuzu's eyes lit up slightly. "How much?"
"One hundred million ryō!" the man blurted.
Kakuzu's eyes darkened. "You think you can buy me with that insult?"
"It's just the start!" the ninja said quickly. "If you kill Uchiha Yu, you can claim another 100 million from the bounty! That's 200 million total!"
Kakuzu paused.
"…That's a bit more like it."
The ninja looked relieved. "Then you'll—"
"But... I refuse," Kakuzu interrupted in a mocking voice.
"W-what?!"
"You think I haven't heard about that guy?" Kakuzu's tone was grim now. "He's the most dangerous Uchiha since Madara. Even with five hearts, I wouldn't last against him."
The man swallowed nervously.
"…So add another 100 million," Kakuzu said suddenly. "Then we'll talk."
The ninja blinked. "I—okay! Agreed!"
Kakuzu tossed him to the ground. "Where's the down payment?"
The ninja scrambled through the corpses and offered a small money box.
Kakuzu frowned. "This isn't 200 million."
"The village chief sent 20 million as a deposit," the ninja explained. "The rest will be delivered once you arrive."
Kakuzu stared silently for a moment, then sat cross-legged on the ground, set his own box aside, opened the new one, licked his thumb, and began counting bills with expert precision.
"K-Kakuzu-sama?"
"Shut up. Don't interrupt me when I'm counting money."
Two hours later, he closed the box, stood up, and surveyed the corpses.
"None of these have bounties worth claiming," he muttered. Then he glanced at the terrified Takigakure shinobi who still had his mouth sewn shut from fear. "Let's go. Don't dawdle, or I'll rip you to pieces."
As the sun set near the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Waterfalls, Obito and his companions rested briefly.
(Note: Obito, originally Yamato Arata, had transmigrated into the body of Uchiha Obito. His past life was gone—what remained now was war.)
A white figure rose from the ground behind him. It was Zetsu, his trusted messenger.
"Well?" Obito asked without turning around.
Zetsu reported, "Takigakure's preparing for an all-out battle. They've even paid a fortune to bring back a missing-nin named Kakuzu."
Obito chuckled. "I gave them a choice. They made theirs. If they want to perish—so be it." He stood up, fan in hand. "Let's erase Takigakure from the ninja world."
Late that night.
At the peak above the waterfall in the Land of Waterfalls, Obito, Tobi, and Maoyue Xiyan stood overlooking the scene.
Below, at the entrance of Takigakure Village, thousands of ninja had assembled. They wore identical uniforms and forehead protectors. Genin stood at the rear, chūnin in the center, jōnin at the front.
At the very front were two figures: the aging Chief Shibuki… and Kakuzu.
Even a minor village in a minor country had formidable power. This was the collective strength of a ninja village.
"What a fancy welcome," Tobi said lazily, arms crossed.
Maoyue Xiyan's eyes stayed on Obito. "You sure you don't need us?"
"You two stay back," Obito said flatly. "I can handle this alone."
He stepped off the cliff, descending from the waterfall's edge.
One man. One war fan.
But the pressure he exuded was heavier than a thousand men.
Gulp. Many Takigakure ninja swallowed hard. Some began clutching talismans or prayer tokens on their chests.
A quiet, desperate tension filled the air—like people praying to live to see tomorrow.
Shibuki's bloodshot eyes fixed on the approaching figure. He clutched his staff tightly, glaring at the lone man striding toward them.
Obito's pace quickened. Then he broke into a run—charging toward Takigakure's army.
With no escape left, Shibuki raised his staff and shouted, "ATTACK!!!"
"RAAAAAH!!!"
The shinobi army roared, surging forward like a tidal wave.
Obito vs. all of Takigakure—the battle had begun.
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