"Oh? A Kumo ninja? What rank?"
The black-clad man's eyes lit up at the mention of "Kumo," but he still explained the rules.
"You don't seem like a regular customer, so let me warn you—we don't pay for anyone who isn't on the bounty list."
"I know the rules, don't worry."
"And I guarantee that the one I killed is definitely on the list."
Come on, Kumo's Magnet Release user, Toroi—a Kekkei Genkai ninja? There was no way someone like that wouldn't have a bounty.
"Alright, let's take a look at the goods first."
"Put him here."
The second black-clad man gestured for Kazuyama to place Toroi on the iron plate. Then, he began flipping through the bounty records.
It didn't take long to find the relevant entry.
"Oh? A Kekkei Genkai ninja?"
"Toroi, the Magnet Release ninja from Kumo? It's been a while since we've had one of those."
"Not bad! Not bad at all!"
A hint of excitement appeared on the man's face as he carefully compared the details. The corpse of a Kekkei Genkai user was still incredibly valuable.
"Just to confirm—are you the one who finished him off?"
"Yeah, that was me."
"Impressive. Let me check the price… 50 million ryō. A-Hao, go get the money."
Kazuyama's heart practically soared. 50 million?! This guy was worth that much?
Then again, Kekkei Genkai users were rare, and their bodies were highly sought after for research. He had no idea who exactly was buying them, but that wasn't his problem.
Before long, a box of money was placed in front of him.
Opening it, he couldn't help but smile.
This is exactly why I came here.
For a moment, he understood why Kakuzu enjoyed counting money so much. He felt the same way. The sensation of the crisp paper bills sliding between his fingers was… indescribable.
The two men in black didn't rush him. After all, it was natural to double-check payment.
"By the way, has a guy called Kakuzu been here recently?"
The question made the two men pause slightly.
"He came three months ago, but since the war started, he seems to have gone south. Haven't seen him since."
"Nonsense, he clearly said he was heading toward Kiri."
The two men disagreed.
Kazuyama frowned slightly. The south? Kiri?
Whatever. Right now, Kakuzu's just another jobless wanderer obsessed with making money.
Honestly, that made them pretty similar. Both of them were constantly hustling for cash.
If fate allowed, he wouldn't mind running into Kakuzu—who knew? Maybe there'd be an unexpected opportunity in it.
With 50 million ryō now in his possession, Kazuyama left the exchange.
His savings had climbed to 476 million ryō.
He was only 20 million away from his goal.
The thought of unlocking a brand-new Kekkei Genkai made him grin.
"Excuse me, do you accept military supplies here?"
The two black-clad men, who had been about to leave, stopped in their tracks.
Hearing the words military supplies, a flicker of surprise crossed their faces.
How does this guy get his hands on everything? A Kekkei Genkai ninja was one thing, but now he had military supplies too?
Had he actually robbed Kumo?
"What? You don't want it?"
"Of course we do. What do you have?"
Kazuyama smirked.
"Weapons, food, explosive tags—fifteen carts in total."
Their eyes widened. Fifteen carts?! That was enough to supply an entire battalion.
"The exact price needs to be assessed in person. Where are the goods?"
Kazuyama chuckled lightly.
"Obviously, I hid them. I couldn't exactly carry all that around with me."
"As long as you're willing to buy, we have a deal."
"I'll get everything ready and bring it over. You just prepare the money."
Although he'd secured a buyer, he quickly remembered something—he still owed Kinrin two baskets of snakeberries. If he didn't settle that debt first, she might refuse to transport the supplies.
The two men in black nodded, not asking any further questions. When it came to military supplies, everyone knew where they came from.
Leaving the bounty station, Kazuyama made his way to the nearest town.
The Land of Waterfalls remained peaceful, untouched by war.
The Five Great Nations had an unspoken agreement not to interfere here. Takigakure, after all, was the only minor village in possession of a Tailed Beast, and its overall strength wasn't weak. No one wanted to provoke it unnecessarily.
Even Hanzō, in his prime, had waged war against Suna, Konoha, and the Land of Iron—but left Takigakure alone.
Stepping into town, Kazuyama took in the quiet, almost foreign atmosphere of peace.
Locating a pharmacy, he walked in and, under the puzzled gaze of the owner, bought out their entire stock of snakeberries—five baskets full.
After securing the berries, he found an inn with an onsen and booked a room.
Nothing beats a proper soak after a long day.
After resting for a few hours, night finally fell.
Kazuyama bit his finger.
"Summoning Technique!"
A puff of smoke cleared, revealing a jade-green snake.
"Huh? Where am I? Kazuyama boy, why are you summoning me?"
"Seirin, I need you to ask the Snake Princess to use reverse summoning to bring me to Ryūchi Cave."
"Hmph, that's all you need me fo—Hisss… Wait… what is this smell?!"
Before Seirin could finish complaining, Kazuyama shoved a snakeberry into her mouth.
Her eyes widened the moment she tasted it.
She was hooked.
"Do me this favor, and I'll give you a whole basket of snakeberries."
"Deal! Wait right there!"
Boom!
A puff of smoke, and Seirin disappeared.
Kazuyama grinned.
Storing the rest of the snakeberries in his last two scrolls, he readied himself for the trip to Ryūchi Cave.
Soon, an inexplicable pull took hold of him.
Bang!
In a flash of white smoke, he vanished.
Deep within Ryūchi Cave, Kazuyama landed steadily—though his face was a little pale.
"Ugh… this reverse summoning is dizzying…"
"Nope, I need a minute to rest..."
The disorienting sensation reminded him of a certain magical world's teleportation spells. It had to be a similar concept—but just as nauseating.
"Kazuyama boy, I did what you asked! Now, where's my basket of snakeberries?!"
Seirin, now back in her full-sized form, slithered toward him impatiently, eyes locked onto her promised reward.
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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