Naruto: Kurotsuchi Mayuri

"Do you have something you want to ask, Shisui?" 

After parting ways with the Akatsuki and resuming their journey, Kagetsu turned to the contemplative Shisui walking beside him. 

"Is this really okay? Handing over such a technique to that organization?" Shisui, unable to hide his doubts, voiced his concerns. "According to the intel, the Akatsuki's position in the Land of Rain hasn't been officially recognized." 

"Are you worried about Hanzo?" Kagetsu immediately caught onto Shisui's hint. 

In Konoha, Hanzo of the Rain was regarded as a figure whose fame rivaled that of the Kage from the four great nations. After all, even the legendary Sannin, in their youth, had fought him together and still suffered a crushing defeat. 

Had it not been for Hanzo's reluctance to eliminate them, and Tsunade's exceptional medical ninjutsu, the existence of the Sannin today might have been a question. 

"Yes," Shisui admitted. 

Under the influence of Orochimaru and Kagetsu, Shisui's perspective had matured significantly. In his view, there was no way the Rain Village would tolerate the Akatsuki, a rogue ninja organization, growing unchecked. 

The fact that they hadn't yet acted might simply be due to other underlying reasons. 

That said, Shisui felt a sense of admiration for the three founders of the Akatsuki, especially Yahiko. Yahiko's ideals of peace resonated deeply with Shisui's own. 

More importantly, Yahiko was actively working toward his vision of peace, putting it into action rather than just speaking about it. 

"If the village truly values that Paper Release user, we should consider inviting them to join Konoha," Shisui said after a brief pause. 

His words were tactful, but even someone as blunt as Anko could see his true intention. 

"That's basically kidnapping, Shisui!" Anko's blunt statement made Shisui freeze, his expression stiff. 

What Shisui had in mind was to find a way to invite Konan to Konoha, offering her the protection of the village. While this would be difficult with most other shinobi, Konan's status as one of Jiraiya's former students gave them a unique advantage. 

With Jiraiya's endorsement, having all three of them—Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan—integrate into Konoha as allies wouldn't be far-fetched. 

Shisui had also observed the deep bond between the three. Convincing one of them to join would likely influence the others to follow suit. 

However, Anko's interpretation was akin to forcibly abducting someone and bringing them to Konoha. 

"That would be difficult," Kagetsu shook his head. He didn't delve into the specific challenges the trio faced but instead shifted the perspective. "They won't abandon the organization they built with their own hands to come back with us to the village. 

Yahiko may seem easygoing, but he's probably a very stubborn person. If Konan were willing to leave with us, he wouldn't stop her—he might even give her his blessing. But he himself would never come along. 

And with the bonds they share, Konan wouldn't leave him or Nagato behind. So, inviting them is bound to fail. As for resorting to force..." 

"Are you worried about Lord Jiraiya?" Shisui assumed he understood Kagetsu's concerns. Given their identities, it was indeed difficult to take action against Jiraiya's disciples. 

Kagetsu didn't bother to correct Shisui's assumption. How could he explain that the eyes hidden beneath Nagato's bangs were the legendary Rinnegan? Facing that power, there was no guarantee they'd come out unscathed. 

He wasn't planning to sever ties with Yahiko's group just yet. 

"What about Amegakure and Hanzo?" Anko suddenly asked. "At this rate, they'll clash with Amegakure sooner or later, right?" 

"That depends on their strength and whether our warnings make any difference," Kagetsu replied while continuing on the road. 

"Where are we heading next?" Shisui noticed Kagetsu had no intention of returning to the village immediately. Picking up his pace to keep up with him, he asked curiously. 

"We're going to an underground Bounty Station located near the border of the Land of Rain and Konoha," Kagetsu responded. "I need to find a certain ninja." 

The employment of ninjas in the ninja world was predominantly handled by the Five Great Shinobi Villages, but many rogue ninjas, wandering shinobi, and defectors from villages still needed money to survive. 

The underground Bounty Station catered specifically to these individuals who operated outside the established shinobi systems. Their clients included nobles, merchants, and even other shinobi villages issuing bounties. 

The one who utilized these Bounty Stations most effectively was the Third Tsuchikage. During times of war, Iwagakure would hire large numbers of rogue ninjas and defectors to attack and harass enemy shinobi. 

Although the underground Bounty Station was a chaotic mix of individuals, it also housed powerful ninjas, some comparable to jōnin or even elite jōnin. 

Kakuzu was one such formidable ninja. 

As a long-standing figure in the Bounty Station, he had outlived numerous managers. As a regular client, he enjoyed the highest level of intelligence services the Bounty Station had to offer. 

Wherever there was a lucrative bounty, Kakuzu would appear. His high mission success rate and outstanding reputation had turned him into a legend among the Bounty Station's managers. 

For a major village like Konoha, finding someone like him wasn't particularly difficult. 

Or, more accurately, even Orochimaru could use his own resources to provide Kagetsu with relevant information. Of course, such intelligence was limited to Kakuzu's location and identity. 

"Come out!" 

Having exchanged his bounty for money at an underground Bounty Station, Kakuzu carried a case of ryo as he walked into a dense forest, stopping amidst the trees. 

War was a profitable time for rogue shinobi like him. The battles between Suna, Kumo, Konoha, and Iwagakure caused an influx of missions on the underground black market. 

Recently, Kakuzu had been wandering around the outskirts of the various war zones. 

In that time, he'd already killed at least a dozen shinobi from different villages. He wasn't surprised to find himself being tracked; it was to be expected. Whether or not information about him was leaked didn't matter much—he never trusted anyone to begin with. 

"Konoha brats, huh?" 

Kakuzu's gaze settled on the three shinobi who appeared before him. He squinted at their headbands, then turned without hesitation and began walking away. 

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