"Is Tsunade planning to stay in there with her brother for the rest of her life?" Sakumo Hatake asked with a hint of helplessness. It wasn't that he lacked patience, but he hadn't expected Tsunade to keep her younger brother, Senju Nawaki, in that room, talking for an entire day. Who knew how much longer they'd have to wait?
Kakuzu merely raised an eyebrow without commenting. Only Ni, standing nearby, smiled and offered an explanation.
"Don't worry, Kakuzu-sama. From what I know about Tsunade, she isn't someone who would break a promise. It's just that, well, she's a woman—you need to give her some time to process things. Once she overcomes this hurdle, I believe the inner turmoil in her heart will be resolved."
Hearing Ni's words, Kakuzu, Sakumo, and Heisei Rokuno exchanged glances. They shrugged in unison, clearly resigned to the situation. Since Ni had put it that way, they figured they might as well wait a little longer.
About two hours later, Kakuzu, who had been leaning against a railing with his eyes closed, suddenly snapped them open and looked ahead.
"Kakuzu-sama, what is it?"
"The Edo Tensei technique… it has been undone."
The unexpected development caught even Kakuzu off guard. He hadn't been actively controlling Nawaki, nor had he been using Nawaki's senses to listen in on the conversation. With neither Tsunade nor Nawaki possessing the strength to break free from Edo Tensei, there was only one explanation for why the technique had been released—Nawaki had let go of his regrets. More precisely, Tsunade had let go of hers.
Inside the room, Nawaki's body began to glow with the light of purification, his form slowly disintegrating into dust and drifting toward the sky.
Not long after, the doors of the palace creaked open. Tsunade stepped out, her eyes still red and swollen, but her expression was visibly lighter. At the very least, she no longer looked like a hopeless gambler.
"The dead cannot return to life. One should always look forward and not let the past hold them back," Kakuzu remarked.
Tsunade brushed her hair back and gave a small smile. "Kakuzu-sama, thank you for giving me this opportunity. Being able to see my brother one last time is more than enough."
Then, as if making up her mind, she continued, "Kakuzu-sama, I have one more request."
"Speak."
"I heard that you have a specialized biological research lab here. I would like to stay and overcome my hemophobia."
Tsunade wasn't someone who ignored favors. Kakuzu had granted her the chance to reunite with her brother, a kindness beyond measure. The debt she owed him was something money couldn't repay, and she was deeply grateful. Not to mention, she was already drowning in financial debt to Kakuzu as it was. He had generously given her extensions on repayment and even helped her resolve her inner demons. If she didn't do something in return, she would feel guilty.
Kakuzu nodded in agreement. He tilted his head toward the sky, considering his options. The debts that Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju had left behind… Well, their granddaughter could slowly work to pay them off.
Tsunade's medical skills were beyond question. Having her collaborate with Hiruko on research would be beneficial. Additionally, her combat strength was still valuable. After all, she had once been the Hokage. Though she and Hatake were often debated as the weakest Hokage, it didn't change the fact that she was still at Kage level. In times of need, she could be deployed for battle, and otherwise, she could protect the valuable assets within the research lab.
As for what else he could use Tsunade for… Kakuzu would have to think about that. There was certainly potential to further develop her abilities.
Time flowed onward. In the shinobi world, a decade had passed since the end of the Second Shinobi War. Now, the various villages were beginning to stir once more.
Kakuzu frowned slightly at the timeline. Something was off. If the Third Shinobi War was truly about to erupt, then based on the original timeline, it should still be a few years away. However, he was keenly aware that certain things had already undergone significant changes.
For instance, after the previous attack on Ryūgakure by Kirigakure, the Mist Village had not relented. Instead, they continued sending assassins and engaging in harassing strikes against Ryūgakure. Kakuzu had no illusions about his history with the Mist Village—he had killed the First Mizukage, creating a deep-seated enmity between them. But he was certain that the one orchestrating the current vendetta against him wasn't the Third Mizukage. The true mastermind hiding in the shadows was none other than Uchiha Madara.
Their last encounter had already solidified them as enemies. Madara, for the sake of his version of peace, would never allow Kakuzu to stand in his way. It was only natural that his plans had shifted. However, Kakuzu had no way of knowing exactly what Madara was plotting. Even Black Zetsu hadn't shown himself in quite some time, which only further confirmed Kakuzu's suspicions—a conspiracy against him was already in motion.
The advantage Kakuzu once held in knowing the original storyline was slipping away. Now, he had to be more vigilant than ever.
If Kirigakure wanted to play games, then Kakuzu would play along. For every assassin they sent, he would kill them. Let's see how many more troops they could afford to throw away.
Just as he steeled himself for a prolonged confrontation, another issue arose.
"Report! Kakuzu-sama, we have intelligence from the front lines. Sunagakure has mobilized at least 5,000 shinobi, and they are advancing rapidly toward the border!"
The report came from Heisei Rokuno, who had just returned. At the same time, an official letter from Sunagakure arrived in Kakuzu's hands.
Opening the official document, Kakuzu's eyes scanned the contents written inside.
["Kakuzu-dono, according to rumors, the Third Kazekage, Saburo, was last seen meeting with you. Many years have passed since his disappearance, and Sunagakure would like an explanation from you."]
The signature at the end of the document belonged to the newly appointed Fourth Kazekage—Rasa.
From the tone of the letter, Kakuzu didn't get the impression that Rasa was truly seeking trouble over the Third Kazekage's disappearance. If anything, he might even be secretly grateful to Kakuzu. After all, if Kakuzu hadn't taken care of Saburo, how long would it have been before Rasa could take the position for himself?
Despite his young age, Rasa now held complete authority over Sunagakure, and Kakuzu could easily imagine him quietly celebrating his rise to power. However, that didn't mean Rasa was friendly toward him. Far from it.
The reason was simple. Even if Rasa didn't care about the fate of the Third Kazekage, he couldn't just forget the way Kakuzu had slaughtered Sunagakure's forces during the Second Shinobi World War. That was something Rasa still held a grudge over.
Most likely, this was about revenge.
It was no coincidence that Rasa was taking action at the same time as Kirigakure. Someone must have been feeding him information from the shadows.
Meanwhile, the large-scale movement of Sunagakure's forces had put both the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire on high alert. With an army massing near their borders, they couldn't afford to sit idly by.
Tens of thousands of troops were now gathering at the borders. Whether or not they intended to launch an attack, they at least had to secure their own defenses against potential enemy incursions.
With so many forces mobilizing and countless shinobi assembling, the atmosphere was thick with tension—like the calm before a raging storm.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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