Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 100: Only Money Never Betrays

A deafening explosion echoed through the forest, followed by a bright beam of light that vaporized the ground, leaving a cylindrical crater behind.

Kakuzu leapt onto a tree branch just in time to evade the attack. Looking down at the hole left in the earth, his expression darkened.

That was real Dust Release.

Which meant...

His gaze shifted to Mu, who was retracting his hands, and to the other three figures standing beside him.

These people were real.

"You're starting to understand the situation, huh?" Kaguya Yuko glanced at Mu, who had struck first, then turned his attention to Kakuzu with a grin. "Your reflexes aren't bad. The more I see, the more excited I get."

With that, bone blades began to sprout from Kaguya's palms, knees, and other joints. He flashed a maniacal smile before vanishing in a blur, reappearing right in front of Kakuzu.

"Let's have some fun!"

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed as he hardened his arms, engaging Kaguya in a fierce taijutsu battle.

He deliberately left an opening, planning to trade injury for a decisive blow, only for Gari to appear behind Kaguya with a wicked grin.

"Explosion Release—Landmine Fist!"

Kaguya Yuko was blasted into pieces. Startled, Kakuzu dodged just in time, sacrificing one of his arms to the explosion.

"You guys... aren't allies?"

"Hah? Allies? You seem to be misunderstanding something."

Gari smirked coldly. "It doesn't matter how we fight each other; none of us can die anyway. As long as we bring you back to him, that's all that matters."

"Can't die?" Kakuzu's gaze shifted to the gray fragments in the air that were beginning to reassemble into Kaguya Yuko's body. His heart sank.

It must be some kind of resurrection jutsu.

These people weren't just strong—they were functionally immortal, even more resilient than he was.

And all four of them were legendary figures from the shinobi world.

Today... there was no way out of this without paying a heavy price.

"You want to fight me?" Kaguya's eyes locked onto Gari.

"I'd be happy to, but you don't really want to fight now, do you?" Gari sneered.

"Hmph, I don't care either way."

Though Kaguya's tone was dismissive, he didn't make a move toward Gari.

The Explosion Release brat wasn't nearly as interesting as the prey before him.

As the two resumed their bickering, Kakuzu glanced at his destroyed arm, which he replaced with a makeshift black tendril using Earth Grudge Fear. Deciding there was no point holding back anymore, he unleashed all his masks.

"Haah!"

With a guttural roar, the black, stitched-up creatures separated from his back and took positions around him.

Sensing their chakra, Mu's eyes gleamed faintly.

"So this is the source of his so-called immortality."

The masked monsters opened their mouths, unleashing attacks imbued with elemental fury.

"Wind Style—Pressure Damage!"

"Fire Style—Searing Migraine!"

Wind fed fire, creating an inferno that swept toward Gari and Kaguya, engulfing them in a sea of flames.

Meanwhile, two other masked monsters charged at Mu and Aburame Shikuro, while Kakuzu himself seized the opportunity to grab the two corpses he had been carrying and retreat swiftly.

He could always find new hearts. But fighting these four head-on was a death sentence.

Each of them, even alone in their prime, would've been a nightmare to face.

Kaguya Yuko, Gari, and Aburame Shikuro—just one-on-one with any of them would cost him at least one heart to secure victory.

As for the Second Tsuchikage... he'd have to prepare for the possibility of dying outright.

Dust Release was too devastating. One misstep, and he'd be obliterated.

Now all four were here together, each equipped with immortality? Was this some kind of cruel joke?

Had he offended someone?

A lineup like this just to capture him—was that even necessary?

Suddenly, Kaguya's earlier words replayed in his mind, and Kakuzu's expression froze.

He had merely survived his encounter with the First Hokage. Did these people seriously believe he had the power to fight on par with the God of Shinobi?

Perhaps it was time to stop boasting about his past exploits.

This kind of treatment was more than he could handle.

"Dust Release—Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"

The connection to one of his masks was severed as Mu's attack erased it in a burst of white light.

Kakuzu felt Mu's sharp gaze lock onto him from above.

He continued to flee, occasionally splitting off clones to mislead his pursuers. But Mu, a sensory ninja, wasn't fooled.

To make matters worse, the connections to his remaining masks were being severed one by one. It was clear the other three had taken them down in a matter of moments.

Outwardly, Kakuzu's expression remained stoic, but internally, a rare hint of panic surfaced.

How long had it been?

How long since he last felt the threat of death?

His eyes flicked toward the two bodies he was carrying. He hesitated.

If he abandoned them, his speed would increase, and his chances of escape might improve.

But that wasn't the answer he sought.

These weren't just corpses—they were money.

If he abandoned them, it would mean betraying his only connection to the world: money.

Without money, Kakuzu had no reason to exist.

Many shinobi lived for their comrades, lovers, or family. But for him... it was only money.

'Dying alongside money... isn't so bad.'

The sound of something slicing through the air reached his ears. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the white glow of Dust Release approaching. Kakuzu tightened his grip on the corpses.

At least he wasn't dying for nothing.

...

"Even at death's door, he didn't let go of the bodies?"

"Is that funny to you?"

"No."

The captured Kakuzu stood encased in a sealing frame. His glowing green eyes regarded Haneda Fuji, who looked at him calmly from the other side.

"I don't mock anyone's chosen purpose. Every individual has the right to pursue their own happiness and meaning. But because those pursuits differ, conflict and war are inevitable."

Kakuzu's voice was quiet. "You're not normal either, are you?"

Given a choice between life and money, most rational people would choose the former.

He had chosen the latter and become an outlier. Yet this man didn't scorn him—instead, Fuji seemed to understand, even if he didn't necessarily agree.

That alone made him an anomaly in Kakuzu's eyes... a rare and valuable one.

"Mr. Kakuzu, since you love money so much, would you be interested in helping me manage finances? Accounting, collections, things like that."

"How much are we talking?"

"At least a million ryo a month, with no ceiling—it'll depend on your performance."

"...Deal."

Their conversation was unnervingly normal, considering Fuji was the reason Kakuzu had been captured in the first place.

But Kakuzu harbored no resentment.

Not when there was so much money stacked in plain view—a sum that matched his bounty.

The underground black market had also placed a price on his head.

It was as if he had exchanged his own life for the reward money.

Fair trade.

As one of the black market's most reputable bounty hunters, Kakuzu respected this transaction.

After all, only money never betrayed him.

(End of Chapter)