Half a month later, Black Zetsu came looking for Kakuzu again.
During those two weeks, everything proceeded as usual.
Kakuzu continued making money.
Thanks to exporting Cup Noodles and Ninja Tools to other countries, he had made another massive profit.
His net worth now rivaled the annual income of a great family like the Uchiha.
Either way, Kakuzu earning in half a month what nearly a thousand members of the Uchiha Clan would make in a year for their entire food supply was a terrifying number.
“You finally showed up.” Kakuzu looked at Black Zetsu, who had appeared before him once more, and adopted a thoughtful expression.
“I have given you a long time to think,” Black Zetsu said.
“You should believe what I told you now, including my identity.”
The events he had told Kakuzu about had come true one by one since their meeting.
“Indeed, no matter how unbelievable it is, at this point, I have no choice but to believe your words,” Kakuzu said.
“But why would a great existence like you come looking for me?”
Kakuzu played along, pretending Black Zetsu was the so-called Will of the Planet.
Seeing Kakuzu believe him, Black Zetsu rejoiced mentally while keeping his expression deadpan.
“Human beings suspect one another, ultimately leading to endless strife.
In the era of the Sage of Six Paths, this did not exist.”
Kakuzu feigned puzzlement.
“Humans are my perfect creation.
You are intelligent and brave.
I do not wish to see you destroyed by internal strife.”
Black Zetsu’s persona was the will of the planet itself, so he adopted an air of universal compassion.
He was a flawless actor.
Despite lacking physical features, he could move people with his tone alone.
If Kakuzu were a native of this world, he might have actually believed him.
Unfortunately, he was a transmigrator, far more suspicious than even the most distrustful native.
“What do you want me to do?” Kakuzu asked.
‘He’s playing right along.
That saves me some effort,’ Black Zetsu thought.
“You can become the Savior,” Black Zetsu said.
Kakuzu froze.
Talk about poetic justice and karma.
A few years ago, he had used this exact script to scam Madara, now Black Zetsu tried to con him with it.
Black Zetsu mistook Kakuzu’s brief lapse in composure for shock.
“I know this is incredible, but you must believe me.
I chose you out of all humanity.
You are a special existence.
You possess the ability to become the Savior.”
“What benefit would becoming the Savior bring me?” Kakuzu asked.
This fit his persona, a man who chased profit.
His first thought should be about personal gain.
This fell entirely within Black Zetsu’s expectations, and he had his rhetoric ready.
“Fame and profit are inseparable.
As long as you become the Savior, you will possess boundless wealth.”
Kakuzu pushed back.
“For someone as greedy for money as me to become the Savior…
are you mistaken about something?”
“Kakuzu, you need not belittle yourself.” Black Zetsu waved his hand.
“I have watched the birth, growth, and development of humanity.
Throughout your history, true achievements are rarely accomplished by the aloof.
Often, it is pragmatic people like you who create miracles.”
Black Zetsu wasn’t bluffing. Find the original chapter at g.com.
Historically, those who accomplished great deeds were indeed not the self-righteous, but rather people with all sorts of flaws who were nonetheless deeply greedy.
“Miracles?” Kakuzu pretended to ponder this.
After a long pause, he spoke.
“This matter is of great importance.
I need time to think.”
“Of course.
Being suddenly asked to become the Savior, it is normal that you cannot accept it right away.
In that case, let us meet again in half a month.” Black Zetsu finished speaking and sank into the ground.
Half a month passed in a flash, and Black Zetsu came looking for Kakuzu again.
This was their third meeting.
Nothing was accomplished in a single stroke, so Black Zetsu had split his persuasion of Kakuzu into three sessions.
In reality, Kakuzu was deliberately stalling for time to maintain his cautious persona.
Even without his established personality, if the choice of becoming a Savior were ever placed before him, he would weigh the pros and cons.
He was, after all, a mortal with selfish motives, not a selfless saint.
“Will of the Planet, your words make sense.
I have decided to become the Savior.”
With that single sentence, Kakuzu cemented his partnership with Black Zetsu.
Both harbored ulterior motives, each convinced he had seen right through the other.
Partnering with Black Zetsu was no different than plotting with a tiger for its fur.
Kakuzu’s past partnerships with Tobirama and Madara had been the same dangerous game.
The results spoke for themselves, he had gained immensely from them.
Had he lacked that courage back then, his achievements would have barely exceeded those of the canon Kakuzu.
Upon hearing this, Black Zetsu immediately offered praise.
True to his nature as an old monster who had lived over a thousand years, his words flowed with eloquence, his compliments came were endless and unique.
Living that long certainly had its advantages.
“I cannot leave Konoha right now, but the village has always restricted my development.” Kakuzu analyzed his situation, speaking not just for Black Zetsu’s benefit, but as a summary of his actions over the past few years.
“I need to build a foundation outside Konoha that belongs solely to me.”
Breaking away from Konoha was inevitable.
Kakuzu had intended to go independent a few years ago.
Various unexpected events had delayed him until now, but the idea had never vanished.
“I have already found the people to handle things.”
During his multiple trips abroad to sign contracts, he had quietly commissioned his partner, Hangetsu, to fund an orphanage in the northern Land of Fire, gathering children orphaned by war and raising them.
“But I cannot guarantee his loyalty, and Tobirama might find out about this.”
Getting past Hashirama would be easy.
Tobirama, however, was too sharp and far too suspicious.
If discovered, Kakuzu’s foundation in Konoha would be ruined.
Before transferring his foundation to a safe location, he did not want to completely fall out with Konoha.
“I will keep an eye on it,” Black Zetsu said.
His persona was the Will of the Planet, to maintain the mystique, he could not help Kakuzu openly.
Keeping watch, however, was entirely acceptable.
With Black Zetsu’s assistance, the development of Kakuzu’s foundation outside the village progressed much smoother.
Funding the orphanage developd loyal subordinates, founding a school to teach commoner knowledge trained usable talent.
Everything progressed in an orderly manner…
“Sensei, why is this question confusing?”
The speaker was Kakuzu’s female disciple, Midori Kano.
Naturally, Kakuzu knew the answers to the questions he wrote himself, knowledge at the middle school level or below posed no difficulty for him.
The atmosphere between teacher and student appeared harmonious.
No one would have guessed that the adult man among them had already begun secretly building his power outside the village.
“Tobirama, from now on, I am leaving Konoha to you.”
This day should have been as peaceful as any other, until Hashirama spoke these words to his younger brother.
“What do you mean?” Tobirama stared, stunned for a moment, failing to grasp his older brother’s intention.
Hashirama looked completely serious.
“I mean, starting today, you are the Hokage, the Second Hokage.”
Tobirama tilted his head in confusion.
“What is wrong with you, Big Brother?”
If Hashirama’s health were failing, stepping up as Hokage to share his brother’s burden would be perfectly fine, he would be more than willing.
Hashirama, however, was still full of life.
Why the sudden abdication?
When something abnormal happened, there was always a catch.
Tobirama instantly went on high alert.
“What happened?” Tobirama’s expression turned grave, radiating an attitude that said, ‘If you don’t tell me, this conversation is over.’
Hashirama spoke calmly.
“I am leaving Konoha.”
“What?!
Why?!”
Tobirama stared, utterly bewildered by his older brother’s actions.
Hashirama’s eyes flickered.
“I need to find…
Madara.”
‘Madara Uchiha!
Again!’
Tobirama clenched his teeth.
He had assumed that once Madara left Konoha, the topic would gradually fade.
He never expected that three years after Madara’s departure, right now, his brother, the First Hokage and founder of Konoha, would actually leave the village too.
This was the man who built Konoha with his own hands and single-handedly ushered in the Hidden Village Era.
It was like a head of state abandoning their duties to travel just as the country began to develop.
It was mind-boggling.
“Why?
Give me a reason.” Tobirama asked in anger, fury burning in his chest.
“Don’t feed me bullshit about your bond with Madara or wanting to bring him back.
I want the real reason.”
Hashirama looked at his younger brother for a moment, then let out a helpless sigh.
“The reason is…
Madara has awakened Rinnegan.”
‘Rinnegan?’ Tobirama froze, taking a moment to process the true significance of those eyes.
They were the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, the progenitor of shinobi from a thousand years ago!
Among the Three Great Dojutsu of the shinobi world, Rinnegan was the only one without a physical form, existing only in legend.
Hashirama continued, “Madara already possesses the Power of Rinnegan.
I am the only one who can stop him.”
When they were young, Hashirama and Madara had confided in each other their shared ideal: World Peace.
Though both sought World Peace, their methods were entirely different.
Hashirama’s peace was what they had now: a relative peace maintained through mutual checks and balances among the hidden villages.
Madara’s peace, however, required uniting the shinobi world to enforce absolute peace.
In the past, Madara lacked the strength, and Hashirama had eventually persuaded him, through both force and words, to abandon that extreme method and accept the hidden village system.
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