Three figures moved at high speed through the forest.
Kōga was on the right front, Haruki on the left rear, and Fu in the center. Her wings were slightly spread, the extra propulsion pushing her speed past that of her two guards.
Even so, all three wore heavy expressions and kept glancing back.
Finally, Kōga's brow furrowed, and he turned his head to look at Haruki.
"You noticed it too, didn't you?"
Haruki met his gaze, his expression darkening as he nodded. "Yeah. It's been twenty minutes... and we still haven't been able to shake them."
Kōga's eyes hardened. "They've locked onto us."
Ahead of them, Fu slowed her pace and looked back, her usual relaxed demeanor fading. "What do we do?"
Kōga scanned the terrain. The forest path forked here...one branch continued ahead, while a smaller trail veered down toward a relatively open riverbank.
"Since we can't shake them…" Chakra flared beneath his feet, and he surged forward, leading the turn toward the riverbank. "We'll find a clearing and prepare for battle."
Haruki and Fu followed at once. The trio left the treeline, rushing down the slope to step onto the riverbank.
The river ran about ten meters away. The clearing was perhaps thirty meters wide, hemmed in by rock walls on both sides—open, with no cover at all.
Kōga skidded to a stop in the center, spinning around. Fu and Haruki landed securely on either side of him. Standing with their backs to the river, they faced the path they had just descended.
"Come out!" Kōga shouted at the empty treeline. "Aren't you tired after following us for so long?"
The bushes on the slope above rustled. A sneer followed.
"Oh? Not running anymore?"
The leaves parted, revealing two figures. The one in front had a massive, bloody triple-bladed scythe slung over his shoulder and an arrogant grin plastered across his face.
The one behind wore a black cloak with red clouds... his green eyes were utterly emotionless, his hands hanging loose at his sides.
The pair leapt down the slope, stopping directly in front of the trio. Hidan slammed his scythe into the dirt.
"Yo, you three are pretty fast—but you're still getting sacrificed to Lord Jashin!" He leered. "Can't sacrifice all of you, but I'm sure Lord Jashin'll be satisfied!"
His smile turned increasingly twisted.
Kōga and Haruki's expressions darkened. Both took half a step forward, shielding Fu behind them. They didn't know exactly who these two were, but the enemy's target was clear... their village's Seven-Tails jinchuriki.
Fu, however, acted as if she hadn't heard Hidan at all. Her gaze slipped past her guards and fixed on the forehead protector hanging at Kakuzu's brow. It bore the symbol of Takigakure, a deep scratch gouged horizontally across it.
A rogue ninja.
Fu's eyes widened. "You're…" Her voice brimmed with shock and suspicion. "A rogue ninja from the village."
Kōga and Haruki both froze, shifting their wary gazes to Kakuzu. Doubt flooded their minds.
'When did the village produce a rogue ninja like this? Why don't we know who he is?'
Fu studied Kakuzu's face carefully. Then, as if a memory clicked into place, her expression shifted. "You… you're the one who failed to assassinate the First Hokage...and fled the village after murdering all the elders…" She gasped. "Kakuzu?!"
The revelation left Kōga and Haruki staring in sheer shock. They stared at the man, scrutinizing him sharply.
Short black hair, green eyes, a cold, hard face. He looked forty at most.
"Kakuzu…?" Haruki's voice was dry. "Fu, are you sure? That legendary S-rank rogue ninja who 'failed to assassinate the First Hokage'? If he were alive, he'd be over ninety by now!"
Kōga stared intently at the man's build, his tone grave. "According to the records, Kakuzu's defection happened over sixty years ago. This man… no matter how you look at him, he doesn't look ninety."
Fu bit her lip, her eyes never leaving Kakuzu. "I'm not mistaken. I've seen the portraits and the records in the forbidden scrolls in the village's old archives. And..."
She paused, a sudden chill creeping into her voice.
"The records say that after Kakuzu failed his mission and returned to Takigakure, he was severely punished. In a fit of rage, he stole the village's forbidden technique, Earth Grudge Fear, and used it to... take the hearts of other ninja, gaining near-immortal life and youth!"
Fu blinked. The horror and chill drained from her eyes, and a strange eagerness lit her face instead. "But… I always hoped that if I ever met you, Kakuzu, I could become your friend!"'
She stepped forward, past her two guards, as if she might actually try to shake his hand.
The bizarre gesture froze the air on the riverbank.
Hidan raised an eyebrow, his arrogant smirk stiffening before twisting back into a cruel sneer. He looked at Fu like she was a complete idiot.
"Hey, Kakuzu. This kid from your village…" he drawled. "Is she stupid? How can she say something as childish as making friends?"
Kakuzu's cold expression didn't change.
"How should I know? I left Takigakure many years ago," he replied indifferently. "She's no acquaintance of mine. In my eyes… there is only money."
He paused, turning his eyes toward Fu. "That said… if you've got money and hand it over, I wouldn't mind being friends."
Fu's eager expectation collapsed instantly. Her eyes darkened in disappointment.
"Is that so? That's a pity. I... don't have any money!"
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