Naruto: Reborn as Kakuzu, the Immortal Assassin

A quiet pavilion stood ten miles outside of Takigakure. Two men sat facing each other. On one side was Kakuzu, and on the other, a man in his fifties named Kimu, a figure of authority within the village.

Behind Kimu, about seven or eight meters away, stood over a dozen shinobi acting as guards. However, he had instructed them to keep their distance. He knew well enough that if Kakuzu turned hostile, they would be little more than fodder, unable to offer any real protection. Better for them to stay away and not spoil the atmosphere.

For now, Kimu held the position of acting village leader, tasked with negotiating with Kakuzu on behalf of Takigakure.

"Kakuzu, I'm glad you've come. As per your request, everything is prepared. Please, take a look."

Kimu pushed a pillow-sized bundle of documents across the table toward Kakuzu, his expression remaining politely neutral throughout the motion.

"You seem remarkably unconcerned about the village's current predicament," Kakuzu said, unwrapping the bundle with a calm demeanor, his sharp gaze never leaving Kimu.

Kimu let out a soft chuckle, his smile unwavering.

"Shinobi are shinobi, and the village is the village. The two should not be conflated."

His meaning was clear. The death of Gotou Tsubasa, one of their own, was not something Kimu mourned. After all, it was Gotou's miscalculation that had brought Kakuzu's wrath upon them. In fact, Kimu owed Kakuzu a debt of gratitude—without Gotou's demise, he would never have risen to his current position.

That said, Kimu sincerely hoped Kakuzu would not continue his rampage. Nearly half of Takigakure's upper echelon and elite jonin had already fallen to Kakuzu. Surely, enough blood had been spilled to quench his fury.

Kakuzu, unhurried, began leafing through the documents, his eyes scanning every word with precision, though his expression remained impassive.

"These records document everything about you, Kakuzu-sama," Kimu said. "I've brought them all here, as requested. Furthermore, I've already dealt with anyone who knew too much about you. Is there anything else you'd like from the village?"

Kimu's tone was respectful, devoid of any condescension. His demeanor stemmed not just from etiquette but from the pragmatic understanding that Kakuzu could end his life effortlessly.

"Requests? None, really," Kakuzu replied, still focused on the files. "I understand that keeping everyone silent is impossible, but I expect you to minimize any leaks about me."

Satisfied that the documents were genuine, Kakuzu placed them in his left hand. His gaze shifted back to Kimu, calm but piercing.

His reasons for agreeing to a truce with the village were simple: continuing the slaughter served no purpose.

Takigakure was small, but to underestimate it was a mistake. It was, after all, the only minor nation to have obtained a Tailed Beast. Moreover, the village possessed the "Hero Water," a secret weapon that could amplify chakra tenfold, albeit at the cost of one's life.

While Takigakure couldn't deploy the tens of thousands of shinobi that larger nations could, it could still muster over a thousand. If pushed to desperation, the village could unleash a barrage of techniques that even a Kage-level shinobi might struggle to withstand.

Kakuzu's revenge had been exacted. There was no need to burn the village to the ground.

Taking the stack of documents in hand, Kakuzu formed a quick seal with his free hand.

"Fire Release."

A small but intense flame erupted, consuming the files in an instant. The records, once filled with Kakuzu's history and exploits, turned to ash, carried away by the wind as tiny blackened fragments.

Kimu's brow furrowed slightly as he watched.

"Kakuzu-sama, I don't understand. These files contained a record of your deeds, your victories over countless enemies. Why destroy them?"

Kakuzu stood, glancing at Kimu before speaking.

"For most people, a written legacy serves as proof of their existence, something to be remembered by. But for me, that's unnecessary."

Kakuzu removed his Takigakure forehead protector and, with a single slash, carved a deep line through its center, splitting the village symbol in two.

He didn't put the protector back on. Instead, he slipped it into his pocket, keeping it as a memento—a reminder of the time he had once served the village.

"Kimu, I believe you'll make an excellent leader. Under your guidance, Takigakure should find peace."

Kakuzu's assessment was pragmatic. Kimu had shown a willingness to negotiate rather than engage in fruitless conflict. That alone spoke volumes about his capability as a leader.

"Thank you for your kind words, Kakuzu-sama."

"You are a strong individual. I have a feeling that in the future, you will carve out a place for yourself in the shinobi world." Kimu stood up, offering a polite smile as he bid farewell.

Kakuzu had already made up his mind to leave, so Kimu saw no point in trying to persuade him otherwise. Even his tone of address shifted immediately. Whether his parting words came from genuine foresight or were simply flattery was unclear. Regardless, Kakuzu responded with a carefree smile before vanishing in a flicker of movement.

Soon after, Kakuzu arrived at the edge of Takigakure, where the village met the outside world. The sound of rushing water filled the air—whoosh, whoosh. He stood within a mountain cave, gazing out at the cascading waterfall before him. Taking a step forward, he infused chakra into his feet. The energy clung to his sandals, allowing him to walk across the water's surface effortlessly. Each step created ripples that expanded outward, the sound of the flowing water growing louder with every movement.

Closing his eyes, Kakuzu allowed the waterfall to crash over him, the cold water drenching his body as he stepped forward steadily. The sensation lasted only a few seconds, and when he reopened his eyes, his body felt lighter. Though thoroughly soaked, he had successfully passed through the outermost barrier of Takigakure—the waterfall.

Without hesitation, he resumed running. This wasn't the kind of sprint he had used in his previous life, with arms pumping and exaggerated movements. Instead, it was the natural, streamlined run of a shinobi. His arms hung loosely at his sides, his body leaned forward in a relaxed posture, and all unnecessary movements were eliminated. His legs alone propelled him forward, driving his chakra into every step to maintain speed and stability. It was the epitome of a ninja's run.

The rhythmic splashing of water echoed as his boots skimmed the surface, leaving a trail of spray in his wake. Watching this style of running in his past life, Kakuzu would have dismissed it as impractical—mere theatrics. But now, experiencing it firsthand, he understood its purpose. On Earth, a human sprinting at full effort might reach speeds of about 10 meters per second. For a shinobi, that was child's play. Running at 20 or even 30 meters per second was entirely achievable.

(T/N: I don't think people on Earth run that fast ..... but so be it).

Such speeds made feats like scaling walls or running on water second nature. The secret lay in chakra. While chakra reserves were finite, a shinobi's ability to channel it efficiently was key. To conserve chakra and maximize its use, shinobi relaxed their upper bodies and minimized extraneous movement, focusing all their energy into their legs. This technique allowed for faster, more efficient movement. In this world, the ninja run wasn't just stylish—it was practical. Only someone who didn't run like this would seem strange.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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