"Wood Release: Wood Clone Technique!"
On the right side of Kakuzu's body, an earthen yellow hue spread across his skin. Tendrils of wood intertwined, forming a solid structure, which then forcefully separated from his body. The moment it broke free from the ground, a new lifeform took shape. The wood clone opened its eyes and gazed at Kakuzu. It said nothing, simply nodding in acknowledgment before closing its eyes and sitting cross-legged. Slowly, it attuned itself to the natural energy in the air, stimulating the vitality within. The Wood Release genes within it stirred, while the Tailed Beast sealed in Kakuzu's body remained still.
The clone had become a self-sustaining entity, operating as an extension of Kakuzu himself.
Observing this, Black Zetsu gave a subtle nod and pulled a White Zetsu from the ground, placing it beside the wood clone to assist in its training.
"Kakuzu-sama, this is the best way to cultivate using the Wood Clone. With White Zetsu providing support, the dual effects of the Divine Tree will amplify the process. The Hashirama cells will be absorbed more efficiently, and the Tailed Beast's chakra will stabilize."
"Your Ten-Tails project will soon come to fruition."
Kakuzu slowly opened his eyes and looked at Black Zetsu. It was hard to read the expression of something so pitch black, but Kakuzu could guess—Black Zetsu was undoubtedly pleased that things were progressing according to plan. However, Kakuzu wasn't concerned about any schemes at this stage. He knew Black Zetsu wasn't foolish enough to try anything against him right now. Moreover, Black Zetsu's reasoning made sense.
The Wood Clone and White Zetsu were both connected to the Divine Tree. Using a Wood Clone for this training accelerated the suppression of the Tailed Beast, enhanced the fusion of the Kekkei Genkai, and facilitated the adaptation of Hashirama's cells. Normally, this kind of absorption process would take ten years. Now, it could be completed in five. The time saved would be invaluable in executing the rest of Kakuzu's plans.
The only downside was that training through the Wood Clone wasn't easy. To maximize the effect, half of Kakuzu's power had to be transferred into the clone. As a result, he was currently operating at only half his usual strength.
He clenched his fist, feeling the residual power within. His conclusion?
It would suffice.
Even at half strength, he remained one of the strongest shinobi in the world.
"Rokuno, guard this place. Do not let anyone disrupt my clone's training and integration."
"Understood!" Rokuno bowed in acknowledgment.
Taking the coat from Ni's hands, Kakuzu draped it over his shoulders and strode toward the exit, Ni following closely behind.
Seeing this, Black Zetsu hesitated.
"Kakuzu-sama, may I ask where you're headed?"
Kakuzu glanced sideways at him, then turned away with an indifferent response.
"To find Uchiha Madara."
"What!?"
Black Zetsu flinched in shock. If Kakuzu sought out Uchiha Madara now, wouldn't that ruin everything?
But upon closer thought, he calmed down. It had to be a joke—after all, Kakuzu had no idea where Madara was. Even if he turned the entire shinobi world upside down, he wouldn't find him.
Lucky for him, Black Zetsu remained composed. Otherwise, he might have fallen right into Kakuzu's trap.
Wiping the nonexistent sweat from his brow, Black Zetsu initially intended to question Kakuzu further, but by the time he refocused, Kakuzu and Ni were already gone.
"Hmph, no matter what you do, I'll always know, Kakuzu. Enjoy your little victories for now. Once Mother is revived, you won't be so arrogant."
His gaze darkened as he sunk back into the earth.
Three years had passed since the Second Great Shinobi War.
Three years weren't enough for nations to recover fully—only to lick their wounds in silence. The shinobi world had once again entered a period of superficial peace. But such tranquility was always an illusion. The hatred and grudges left by war could never be erased. Even as villages clung to their rules, their treaties, and their fragile stability, conflicts still brewed beneath the surface.
And as history dictated, the five great nations that suffered the most during the war would always be the ones entangled in political maneuvering.
Yet, an unexpected piece of news was about to shake the entire shinobi world.
...
Land of Waterfalls – A Tea House
A group of shinobi, samurai, ronin, and merchants sat around a square table. Though strangers, they gathered in conversation, boasting and speculating about the latest developments in the world.
Some discussed how the new leader of Takigakure, Shinnosuke, had assassinated his predecessor to take the seat of power. Others debated the endless feuds between the Five Great Nations. But one topic stood out above the rest.
"Heh, who would've thought that Kakuzu, the infamous warrior from the Second Shinobi War, was actually from our Land of Waterfalls?"
A shinobi downed his drink and grinned at the others.
His words had the effect of a bombshell, drawing immediate interest.
A ronin, lazily chewing on a straw, raised an eyebrow. "No kidding? I heard he's a missing-nin."
Gasps spread across the group.
"Wait, if he really was a rogue ninja, why wasn't he marked as such by Takigakure before?"
"A guy that strong has such a background? Damn."
"That's not even the biggest issue. If Takigakure officially declares him a rogue ninja, the entire shinobi world will hunt him down. According to the treaty between the Great Nations, they all agree to pursue each other's missing-nin."
"So you're saying... Kakuzu's about to go to war with the Five Great Nations? This is gonna be interesting! Hahaha!"
Laughter and speculation filled the air.
Following the White Tree Town incident, Kakuzu had gained immense notoriety. But now, just as his legend was rising, he faced a crisis that could exile him from the entire shinobi world.
If the higher-ups of the Land of Waterfalls truly confirmed his missing-nin status, then Kakuzu wouldn't be able to move freely anymore. He would be forced to live in the shadows.
While the men continued their reckless gossip, a figure wearing a conical straw hat silently rose and exited the tea house.
Back in his quarters, Kakuzu quietly sifted through the intelligence reports in his hands.
The amount of information was vast.
Clearly, this wasn't the work of just one person. Multiple factions had their hands in this.
Closing the report, he laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them, his gaze calm yet unreadable.
No matter who had started this mess, his immediate problem was the missing-nin status.
Thirty years ago, when he left Takigakure, he had thoroughly erased all traces of his identity. That was the foundation for everything that followed.
Now, someone wanted to stir things up again. If that was the case, Kakuzu had no problem crushing this threat before it even had a chance to grow.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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