In the Land of Dragons, inside a dimly lit laboratory—
"You bastards brought me here for this? This is humiliating! If Lord Jashin saw me in this state, he'd be furious... Hey! Kakuzu, you could at least say something!"
Hidan had been strapped to the experimental table for seven days and nights. His body was connected to multiple Earth Grudge Fear threads and electrical wires, constantly sending shocks through his nervous system. The transmission devices sent his neuron signals to the adjacent computer.
Hiruko, the scientist in charge, hadn't slept for an entire week. His bloodshot eyes weren't from exhaustion, but from sheer excitement. The louder Hidan screamed, the more exhilarated he became.
Finally—
"It's done!" Hiruko's triumphant shout echoed through the laboratory. Kakuzu, calmly sipping tea nearby, set his cup down and stood up with a composed demeanor. He knew it was time to assess the results.
"How's it looking?"
Hiruko eagerly handed over a report freshly printed from the computer. "Lord Kakuzu, the results are clear. This guy's cells possess a self-repairing mechanism. No matter how damaged the cells become, they regenerate under a certain force."
"In other words," Hiruko continued with growing enthusiasm, "we can consider this regenerative ability akin to medical ninjutsu—it restores destroyed cells to their original state, essentially granting immortality."
Hiruko's excitement mounted as he spoke. These cells were just as miraculous as Hashirama's, which he had researched previously. Hashirama's cells were versatile—capable of both regeneration and attack. Hidan's cells, however, specialized solely in self-repair. No matter how grave the damage, they would always restore themselves.
"This is the secret behind Hidan's immortality," Hiruko concluded.
Kakuzu's gaze sharpened. "Immortality... Can these cells be mass-produced?"
"I've started developing them from embryonic cells. If all goes well, it should be possible," Hiruko responded, though there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
Kakuzu stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"What if the cells lose their vitality after being separated from Hidan? Or worse, what if they refuse to integrate into other hosts?"
"That…" Hiruko faltered, unable to answer immediately.
Kakuzu smirked and patted Hiruko's shoulder. "No problem. We still have Hashirama's cells to suppress them."
"That's it!" Hiruko's eyes lit up with realization, his right fist striking his left palm. Immersed in his experiments, he'd nearly forgotten the fundamentals Kakuzu had taught him. In this world, there was nothing Hashirama's cells couldn't overcome.
If Hidan's cells were uncooperative, they could simply use Hashirama's cells to force submission. The thought of injecting life energy into Hidan's cells excited Hiruko immensely—he was confident they could be claimed and controlled.
Hiruko and Kakuzu exchanged a knowing look, bursting into a shared laugh only two mad scientists could understand.
Meanwhile, Hidan, still strapped to the experimental table, felt fear for the first time in his life.
After extracting a few of Hidan's cells for further experimentation, Kakuzu deactivated the Earth Grudge Fear threads and released him from the table.
"Kakuzu, you'd better compensate me for this! I need to kill someone, or I'll be dishonoring Lord Jashin!"
Kakuzu waved dismissively. "Don't bother me with your nonsense. And remember—don't target anyone from the Land of Dragons. Got it?"
"Yeah, yeah," Hidan grumbled as he got dressed and grabbed his red scythe. Just as he was about to leave, black roots suddenly emerged from the ground beneath his feet. A shadowy figure materialized before him.
"Black Zetsu?!" Hidan instinctively jumped back, swinging his scythe at the dark intruder.
The blade sliced through Black Zetsu's body, but not a drop of blood was shed. Instead, his black, goo-like form simply began regenerating, restoring itself to its original shape.
Kakuzu watched the scene from the corner of his eye and sighed internally. What a pity. It would've been convenient if someone from this world could take out Black Zetsu. Unfortunately, this dark mass of unknown origin wasn't even human.
"Heh, Kakuzu, your subordinates are as rude as ever," Black Zetsu said with a hint of displeasure.
"Speak your mind or shut up," Kakuzu replied coldly. He had no patience for Black Zetsu, whom he regarded as little more than a tool.
Kakuzu's indifference was nothing new, but Black Zetsu's gaze held a peculiar glint this time.
"Looks like your experiment is almost complete," Black Zetsu remarked.
"Seems that way. What, not happy for me?" Kakuzu's smile was mocking.
During their last meeting, Kakuzu had noticed a hint of frustration in Black Zetsu's eyes when he saw Hidan. It hadn't made sense at first, but now Kakuzu understood.
Black Zetsu's entire plan revolved around the chakra system created by his mother. Hidan's power, however, was completely outside that system, making him a potential threat.
How had the Sage of Six Paths defeated Kaguya back then? The Rinnegan and Susanoo alone wouldn't have been enough—it must have been the use of this world's unique Sage techniques. Meanwhile, Kakuzu had already started researching Hidan's immortal body. If Kakuzu succeeded, it would only introduce another unstable element to the equation.
Black Zetsu sighed internally. As expected, the scientists of this world weren't so easy to control.
"Why so quiet? Didn't bring me any news about Uchiha Madara this time?" Kakuzu asked, his tone flat.
Black Zetsu stayed silent for a couple of seconds. When he finally raised his head again, his dark, expressionless face showed no hint of change.
"Heh. I'm sure you've already guessed much about Madara's situation, Kakuzu. I won't bore you with unnecessary details. When the time is right, you'll meet him."
With that, Black Zetsu's body slowly sank into the ground, disappearing without a trace.
Kakuzu didn't dwell on the ambiguous parting words. Black Zetsu's visit was just a minor interruption. Kakuzu returned to his experiments, enjoying the peace and luxury of life in the Land of Dragons. But that peace was shattered one day by the arrival of an unexpected visitor.
Heisei Rokuno led a towering, white-haired man into Kakuzu's palace.
"Hey, hey! I'm just passing through the Land of Dragons, hoping to gather material for my writing. No need for such a grand welcome—let me off easy, alright? Hahaha!" The burly man's booming voice was carefree and bold, but Heisei Rokuno wasn't about to let his guard down. This man had a powerful chakra presence and a strange, unpredictable behavior. More importantly, he was one of the Legendary Three—Jiraiya.
The circumstances of Jiraiya's capture were, in truth, rather ridiculous. He had been caught peeping at the women's bathhouse and was reported to the local patrol by a laundry woman. Heisei Rokuno found Jiraiya and brought him to the palace without further incident.
They stopped just before Kakuzu's throne, and Heisei Rokuno announced, "Lord Kakuzu, I've brought Jiraiya."
"Hm? You may go." Kakuzu nodded, dismissing him with a wave.
Now, only Kakuzu, Jiraiya, and Kakuzu's private secretary, Ni, remained in the vast palace.
Time had passed, but Jiraiya was still the same boisterous man Kakuzu remembered. The once-young boy had grown into a sturdy adult.
"Haha! Long time no see, Kakuzu-san!" Jiraiya greeted him enthusiastically.
Kakuzu responded with a small smile but made it clear that business came first. He wasn't like Hiruzen Sarutobi, who let his students bend the rules. Kakuzu held out his hand.
"Pay the fine. Ten million. Otherwise, you're not leaving."
"Uh… what?" Jiraiya froze, dumbfounded.
"Kakuzu-san, c'mon now! I was just gathering some necessary research material! What law says I have to pay ten million for that?"
"Hm?" Kakuzu's eyes narrowed slightly at Jiraiya's attempt to argue.
"Law? In the Land of Dragons, my law is the only law. Well, little Jiraiya? Do you have anything else to say?"
Faced with Kakuzu's iron-fisted authority, Jiraiya turned to stone. Despite his fame as a renowned author in the shinobi world, he was perpetually broke. He regularly had to pay down debts for a certain woman, and ten million was no small amount. If he paid, he'd have nothing left for breakfast with a certain princess.
Frantically waving his hands, Jiraiya racked his brain for a way out.
"Kakuzu-san, this concerns confidential Leaf Village matters. I'll need your help this time."
...
A few days later, in Konohagakure.
The once-revered Hatake clan residence stood silent and shuttered. Wilting flowers around the entrance seemed to reflect the slow decline of this ancient family. Passersby whispered cruel remarks and, in some cases, spat at the gate.
Inside, Hatake Sakumo knelt on the floor. He stared ahead for a long time before withdrawing his gaze and turning to Kakashi, his son. He gently stroked Kakashi's soft white hair.
"Kakashi, bring me our clan's sword manual."
"Father…" Eight-year-old Kakashi didn't understand why his father wanted the manual now, but his instincts told him something was wrong.
Hatake Sakumo gave a small, weary smile and said nothing. Kakashi could only nod and head to another room to search.
Once Kakashi was gone, Sakumo exhaled and pulled out a pristine dagger. The blade's polished surface reflected his bitter smile. He raised the dagger, prepared to stab it into his abdomen—
"Coward."
The word cut through the air like a blade.
"Who's there?" Sakumo instantly reversed his grip on the dagger and rose to his feet, scanning the room with wary eyes. He finally sensed a presence on the roof.
Without a second thought, Sakumo leaped up—and froze when he saw Kakuzu.
Kakuzu stood with his back to Sakumo, dismissively waving a hand.
"Don't worry about me. Just focus on your own affairs and end your sinful, pathetic life."
"Kakuzu-sama, I…" Hatake Sakumo started, but Kakuzu was clearly running out of patience.
"Don't tell me I once led you," Kakuzu interrupted coldly. "Choosing suicide to avoid life's setbacks—you've already forfeited your right to live!"
"If I'm not mistaken, Kakashi's mother passed away from illness a few years ago, didn't she? You left your son behind to struggle alone in this world. Your life will be etched in the history of the ninja world as a disgrace. Go ahead, you fool who doesn't understand the value of life!"
Kakuzu's harsh words landed like hammer blows. Tears streamed down Sakumo's face, his knees buckling as he collapsed to the ground. For days, no one had listened to his explanations. All he had faced were endless curses and accusations. Fear and unease gripped him in a way he'd never known before. Now, at this critical point in his life, he was about to make the most irrational decision possible.
"Kakuzu-sama, what should I do now?" Sakumo asked through choked sobs, his hands braced against the ground.
Kakuzu turned slowly, looking down at the pitiful sight of Sakumo. Perhaps Sakumo had made a grave mistake in this recent mission. But so what? Would his past glory and countless contributions to Konoha be dismissed so easily?
The storm of public anger was undeniable. Yet, as the leading shinobi of the Land of Fire's Konoha, offering even a single word of fairness at this moment could have changed the entire outcome.
Of course, Kakuzu didn't say any of this. The times demanded thinking that fit the era. Instead, he left Sakumo with one final piece of advice:
"Remember! However you lost, that's how you'll win it back!"
...
Three days later.
Kakuzu and Hatake Sakumo, now clad in full battle gear, charged out of Konoha without informing anyone.
"Kakuzu-sama, will this really resolve everything?" Sakumo asked, glancing nervously at his companion.
Kakuzu shot him a sideways look. By now, Sakumo had already recounted the entire incident multiple times.
Sakumo's team had been sent on a mission. Not only did they fail, but they triggered a huge diplomatic crisis. One of Sakumo's comrades, already gravely injured, knew he wouldn't survive and begged Sakumo to kill him. Yet Sakumo couldn't bring himself to do it and tried to save him instead.
However, disaster struck during the retreat. They were spotted. Their pursuers included not only shinobi from the Land of Water but also from the Land of Lightning. The incident had already sparked a diplomatic crisis involving two major nations. One misstep, and a third Great Ninja War could break out with Konoha caught in the middle.
Konoha was now completely on the defensive.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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