An excited heart...
And trembling hands.
Watching Hanzō count the money bill by bill, Kakuzu finally understood just how disgusting this man truly was.
The faint shrk, shrk of banknotes sliding against each other stabbed straight into his chest.
It hurt. Deeply.
Counting money was Kakuzu's favorite thing in the world.
Every time he completed a bounty, he would stand in the exchange office, utterly ignoring everyone around him, calmly counting every single note. He could maintain an almost inhuman rhythm—smooth, precise—finishing tens of millions within three minutes.
It was a state of mind.
A moment of absolute bliss.
…Exactly like Hanzō of the Salamander right now.
The grin on Hanzō's face was so wide it looked ready to split his mask in half.
For Hanzō, happiness came at the moment he received his pay—or rather, the moment success became tangible.
That wasn't a realization from this life, but from the one before it.
Everything in a household cost money. He understood the value of it far too well.
Back then, the only thing he could do was study hard—so every time he received a scholarship, that sense of joy was indescribable.
That same happiness wrapped around him now.
If possible, his old dream had been simple:
to count his own money again and again—from morning to noon, noon to evening—never finishing.
Kakuzu, despite his anger, wisely chose not to interrupt.
Sometimes, he realized just how similar Hanzō was to himself—especially in their obsession with money.
That obsession had made Kakuzu treat money as his closest companion.
As his faith.
But the two were different.
Kakuzu wasn't attached to money for its value—he was devoted to it with pure belief.
Hanzō, on the other hand, simply wanted money itself.
Or rather, the power and possibilities money could buy.
"Is it because of Amegakure's meaningless bonds…?" Kakuzu wondered.
"A so-called Demigod reduced to this…"
For a brief moment, Kakuzu felt sympathy—for Hanzō, or perhaps for his former self.
Back when he was still a Takigakure shinobi, risking everything for his village just like Hanzō now.
"If one day your village betrays you, just like mine did to me… what will you become?"
By then, Hanzō had finished counting. He closed the money case and nodded.
"No problem. The amount's correct," Hanzō said calmly.
"I thought you ran your own financial network. Didn't expect you to have contracts with the Ninja Cat Clan."
He chuckled.
"Then again, those cats love money just as much as you do. A perfect match."
"Still, be careful. If your deposits ever exceed the Ninja Cats' total assets… they might just swallow it all."
"That's not your concern," Kakuzu replied flatly. "I have my arrangements."
"Now that you've taken the money, you'd better do your job. Start figuring out how we're getting into Iwagakure and retrieving my body."
"You don't need to worry," Hanzō said. "The timing's coming soon. Frankly, my patience is nearly gone."
"If things don't unfold as I expect, I'll carve a path straight through with forbidden jutsu—flood the area, poison fog around the village, and let Iwagakure choke first."
Kakuzu stared at him.
"You value profit above all else. So why attack Iwagakure at all? What business does a small nation have interfering? Planning to become the Sixth Great Nation?"
He scoffed.
"But that's impossible. You'd even sell the title 'Demigod'—how could you care about empty prestige?"
"This war may bring little direct profit and heavy casualties," Hanzō said slowly, meeting Kakuzu's gaze,
"but it determines the next twenty years of the Land of Rain's future."
"Strength. War isn't just about plunder—it's about demonstrating power, so others understand the cost of forcing you into a corner."
"Deterrence?" Kakuzu asked.
"That's part of it. But the real value lies in intangible assets."
"Intangible?" Kakuzu frowned. "Influence? Reputation?"
Hanzō shook his head.
"Think of this as passing time."
"War happens because of imbalance. Every war reshuffles—not just compensation payments."
"If Amegakure defeats Konoha and Iwagakure, our influence expands. More clients will recognize our strength and entrust us with missions."
"In the shinobi world, missions are finite. One village taking a job means another loses it. Aside from daimyo subsidies, mission income is a village's main lifeline."
Hanzō spoke like a lecturer.
"And then there are war reparations."
"Money isn't everything. Sometimes, even with money, you can't get things done—you have to beg."
"But as the victor, people will come to you, offering discounts just to secure contracts."
"Take Amegakure's orphanage. We used to build it ourselves with Earth Style, brick by brick. No contractor dared come, no matter how much we paid—war-torn, poor credit, unstable."
"But after defeating Konoha? A Wind Country construction team came to us. A four-hundred-million project—cut in half. Training included. After-sales support included. Two hundred million total."
"What?!" Kakuzu's eyes nearly popped out.
"Half price?! You didn't hold a blade to their throats, did you?"
"Even robbery isn't that ruthless!"
Hanzō laughed softly.
"Of course not. I have standards."
"In wartime, business is scarce. Solve a few key problems, and people line up to work with you."
"Of course, only if you can solve them."
"Oh—and your money? A good portion of Konoha's debt to me probably includes profits earned with your funds."
"…?"
"You really think Ninja Cats store money for free?"
"They invest it."
"What bank wouldn't love a miser like you?"
"You deposit billions and never withdraw. Zero risk. Even if they lose money, it's fine."
"Remember the look on that cat's face when you actually summoned it to withdraw cash?"
"And during wartime, profitable trades are everywhere. Ninja tools, for example—ten billion worth from the Land of Iron, sold to Konoha for fifteen."
"You buy your supplies from Ninja Cats too, don't you?"
"Where do you think that capital came from?"
"Oh—and you do know the Uchiha clan has long-standing contracts with the Ninja Cats, right? Most of their equipment comes from them—cheap, too."
...
After a long silence, Kakuzu spoke hollowly:
"So… the money I earned nearly dying on missions…
was invested by Ninja Cats…
and I ended up paying them again to buy tools purchased with my own money?"
"Good. You're learning."
Kakuzu felt his worldview shatter.
At that moment, an Ame-nin rushed over and handed Hanzō a scroll.
"Lord Hanzō—latest intelligence."
Hanzō scanned it, his smile uncontrollable.
"Perfect timing."
"I didn't expect such a gift."
Kakuzu snapped out of his thoughts. "What is it?"
"Your chance."
Hanzō tossed the scroll over.
Kakuzu read it—and inhaled sharply.
"Iwagakure… is finished."
Intelligence Summary:
1. Iwagakure attacked Kumogakure forces stationed in the Land of Hot Water.
The Third Raikage personally led a counteroffensive and has crossed the border.
2. The Fourth Tsuchikage fought the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki of Takigakure for two days and nights—from human forms to full transformations.
The battlefield became a dead zone.
The Tsuchikage retreated; Takigakure won narrowly and has begun massacring within the Land of Earth.
3. Earth Country nobility rebelled. Some fled to neighboring nations. Others hired samurai and shinobi, fighting internally for the daimyo seat.
...
"At this rate, Iwagakure won't last long," Kakuzu said quietly.
"I thought Konoha would suffer most in this war… never expected it to be Iwa."
"Nothing stays the same forever."
"My opportunity has finally arrived," Hanzō said, turning to Hattori Murakami.
"Transmit the order."
"Full advance. Target: Iwagakure."
"No siege."
"Form a defensive encirclement—block every gate."
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