Toji and Kakuzu parted ways there, without exchanging any extra words, simply turning around and walking off in different directions.
After packing his belongings, Toji set off on a new journey.
He did not rush straight to Konoha.
Instead, he took a detour toward Tanzaku Town at the border of the Land of Fire.
Tanzaku Town stood where three nations met, drawing all kinds of people as travelers constantly came and went.
It was the perfect place to gather information.
After staying in Takigakure for so long, Toji had become somewhat disconnected from the wider ninja world, so he settled there for the time being and began collecting useful intelligence.
He quickly learned that the major hidden villages had been established one after another.
Kumogakure had failed in an attempt to capture the Nine-Tails and suffered heavy losses.
Madara Uchiha had defected from Konoha.
* * * Three days later, inside a tavern, Toji came across information about himself.
It was a bounty notice issued by Takigakure.
[Wanted: Takigakure missing-nin Kakuzu and Suguru Geto.
Bring them back alive for 75 million ryō.
Corpses worth 35 million ryō.] No reason was listed, but the reward for bringing them back alive was twice as high.
They were likely hoping to recover Earth Grudge Fear from him and Kakuzu.
Quite the clever plan.
Toji took a sip of wine.
The name “Suguru Geto” on the bounty was the alias he used while traveling the ninja world.
Other than the dead elders and Kakuzu, who had only just parted from him, no one knew his new name was Toji.
From the first day he transmigrated, he had already planned to defect someday.
For ten years, he stayed hidden, always wearing masks and coverings to conceal his face.
It was all for this day.
Once he escaped, he threw all those disguises away.
With a new name and a new face, no one would know who he truly was.
Of course, this was the ninja world.
A ninja’s chakra and favored techniques were like anti-counterfeit marks.
They could not be hidden, nor easily changed.
He planned to head to Konoha, but to be safe, a new name and face were not enough.
He needed to create a brand-new identity.
Toji, a doctor from a distant land, filled with compassion.
That was his plan.
Entering Konoha as a complete outsider would make it nearly impossible to gain access to ninja hearts, so he needed a profession that perfectly matched his true goal.
Doctor was the best choice.
Toji’s medical skill was actually not bad.
As a taijutsu ninja, learning to treat his own injuries was necessary.
Combined with his past life as a medical student, and ten years of gradual study, he had learned quite a few medical ninjutsu techniques.
He was not top tier in the ninja world, but it was more than enough to fake an identity and blend into Konoha.
And now, he also possessed Earth Grudge Fear.
In his past life, Toji often saw jokes online saying Kakuzu would make the perfect surgeon.
Now he was about to put that idea into practice.
* * * Back at the inn, Toji clapped his hands and summoned Earth Grudge Fear.
A writhing mass of black threads appeared.
“You’re a strange little thing.” Without changing expression, he swallowed the black threads whole and refined them inside his body.
Earth Grudge Fear immediately fused with his heart, and a strange power spread through his body, transforming and strengthening his flesh.
It was similar to the parasites from Parasyte, as both existed by inhabiting a host body.
The only troublesome part was releasing Earth Grudge Fear.
He had to cut openings in his skin so the black threads could crawl out.
Toji clicked his tongue softly.
So that was why Kakuzu’s body was covered in stitches.
They were necessary for using the technique.
“That looks way too ugly…” A man had to care about his face.
Since he did not need Earth Grudge Fear in battle for now, Toji only made one opening on each hand for releasing the threads.
Then, following the instructions of the secret art, he began training.
* * * Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Now fully skilled in using Earth Grudge Fear, Toji began the first step of his plan.
Stealing hearts.
He waited outside an underground bounty station and severely wounded five ninjas in a row.
While they still had some life left in them, he raised both hands and released Earth Grudge Fear, wrapping around their hearts and devouring them.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
The hearts beat like powerful engines, giving him vitality, while the chakra pathways attached to them connected through Earth Grudge Fear and granted him new chakra natures.
“Wind, lightning, water, fire, earth.
I have everything now,” Toji muttered as he clenched his fist and felt the abundant life force and strength within him.
Earth Grudge Fear truly was an incredible secret technique.
Even ordinary hearts of average quality had increased his power greatly.
But to say it transformed him completely would be false.
First, he fought with taijutsu, not ninjutsu.
Second, chakra natures taken through stolen hearts did not truly belong to him.
They could not merge and evolve into kekkei genkai, kekkei tōta, or higher forms.
In the end, it was still borrowed power.
But Toji was not discouraged.
With a lifespan close to endless, he had limitless possibilities.
After turning in the corpses of those bounty station ninjas for another large reward, he began the second step of his plan.
Pretending to be a doctor.
Though calling it pretending was unfair.
He was genuinely treating people.
Starting from Tanzaku Town and moving toward Konoha, Toji traveled through villages and towns along the way, using medical ninjutsu to heal the sick and injured.
He only charged a symbolic fee of one ryō, and to everyone he met, he told the life story he had created.
A gambling father.
A sick mother.
An old master doctor who passed on his inheritance.
A homeland destroyed by war.
A dream to bring peace and take away pain.
His sorrowful tale moved listeners to tears and made them respect him even more.
One month later, his fame steadily rose throughout the Land of Fire.
People praised him with titles like: “Divine Doctor Toji,” “Bodhisattva Toji,” “Saint Toji.” * * * Feeling the time was right, Toji finally arrived at Konoha.
Standing at the village gate and looking into the distance, he saw the familiar Hokage Rock.
But at this time, only Hashirama’s face was carved upon it.
“…I’ve finally reached Konoha.” Many emotions filled Toji’s heart.
Ten years.
He had finally walked from one village to another.
At this point, Konoha was still in its early stage, and the village was not yet large.
The Anbu and Police Force had not been established, but guards and barrier techniques were already in place.
Because of Madara’s recent defection, the village atmosphere was tense.
So the moment Toji approached, a ninja with pale white eyes immediately stopped him.
“Stop.
Who are you?” Byakugan…
A ninja from the Hyuga Clan.
Toji calmly replied, “My name is Toji.
I am a doctor.” “A doctor?” The Hyuga ninja hesitated.
“You have chakra?” “When traveling everywhere to heal people, I need some way to protect myself.” “You…
wait here.
I need to report this above.” “No need to report it!” Just then, a loud and cheerful voice suddenly rang out as a tall man wearing red ninja armor strode out from the village.
“I’ve long heard of the famous Dr.
Toji.
Welcome to Konoha.” The man who arrived was none other than Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi himself.
Toji: “…” He never expected that right after leaving the novice village, he would run straight into the final boss.
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