Chapter 78: Kakuzu Joins
After a fierce battle, Kakuzu's heart was destroyed three times in succession, and he finally gave up completely.
There's not much to say about this fight—Kakuzu wasn't weak, but all of his techniques were already known to Obito, while he knew nothing about Obito. In such a situation, victory was impossible.
In fact, people often say that every Akatsuki member is Kage-level. This is both true and false.
There are two types of powerhouses in the Akatsuki organization. One type becomes much less dangerous once you know their secrets—your combat effectiveness against them increases significantly (Hidan: "Hey, that's uncalled for!"). The other type? Even if you know everything about them, you still can't beat them (Itachi: silently nods).
Kakuzu's secret of five hearts was common knowledge. Although his overall strength didn't drop by 50%, it was still reduced dramatically. On the other hand, Obito's Kamui—if you didn't understand it—even someone as powerful as Madara or Hashirama could be instantly killed.
"What? Still want me to take off the mask?" Obito said coldly, now having vented all his anger.
Kakuzu coughed and calmly asked, "So, who are you?"
"I am Uchiha Madara," Obito said, once again pulling out that tired old lie.
Kakuzu's face remained neutral, but his eyes flashed with disdain.
He had once fought Hashirama Senju! Granted, fans now joke that maybe he just watched Hashirama from 800 meters away while he threw a shuriken—but still, Kakuzu had a solid grasp of the power both Hashirama and Madara possessed.
You say you're Madara? Where's the 200-meter tall Susanoo Gundam then?
Still, Kakuzu wasn't stupid. Having just been thoroughly beaten and at the mercy of Obito, he didn't voice his sarcasm aloud.
But Obito could read his eyes.
"What? You don't believe me?" Obito snapped after a moment of awkward silence.
"Heh. I once fought Hashirama Senju. I know the power those two legends wielded. You say you're Madara? Just based on the level of Fire Style you used?"
Obito's Fire Style was certainly above average—better than Kakuzu's—but compared to the true Madara, it was on another level entirely.
Obito gritted his teeth in frustration. Why was it that every time he tried to use Madara's name for intimidation, someone had to poke holes in it?
He couldn't take off the mask to prove his identity—not that he was Madara anyway! And this guy fought Hashirama? Just how old was he?
Still, looking at Kakuzu's stitched-up, half-undead body, it was clear that his long life came at a cost.
Seeing Obito fuming, Kakuzu quickly changed tone. "Whether you are Uchiha Madara or not doesn't matter. I was defeated. I have no complaints."
Obito finally let out a long sigh. "In that case, join our Akatsuki organization. It's made up of S-rank rogue ninjas. Our goal is to overthrow the existing order of the five great shinobi villages and create a new world."
"…Sorry. I regret this. Can I quit now?"
"The organization's financial power will be entirely in your hands!" Obito growled, thinking of what Black Zetsu told him: Kakuzu's greatest weakness was money.
"No problem! From today, I'm a loyal member of Akatsuki. Boss, how much budget does our organization have?"
Obito had the sneaking suspicion that if he had just offered financial control earlier, Kakuzu would've joined without even fighting.
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Inside Akatsuki's underground base, nearly every member was present. Tendo Pain and Konan stood at the head, with Obito beside Kakuzu and Black Zetsu. Ayaan had also arrived, along with Sarah—the recruit he had brought in.
"So you're the new bounty hunter who's become famous recently… the one they call the Black Shadow Ninja?" Kakuzu eyed Ayaan with a critical gaze.
Ayaan glanced at Kakuzu, expression flat. Internally, though, he was disappointed.
The person he really wanted Obito to bring into Akatsuki was Orochimaru—hands down the most valuable ninja when it came to human experimentation and body modification. Orochimaru's value to Ayaan was akin to finding a rare treasure in the Grand Line.
Second to him were Hidan and Sasori. Hidan's immortality made him a fascinating subject for study. Sasori, while not as brilliant as Orochimaru, had still turned his own body into a masterpiece of living machinery—a feat that intrigued Ayaan.
As for the rest of the Akatsuki… they were nothing special to him. Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear technique was powerful, but turning into a half-human, half-ghoul didn't interest Ayaan in the slightest.
"Hmph. So you're one of the Akatsuki," Kakuzu said coldly. "If any of you die, I can still turn in your heads for bounties."
Tendo Pain and Ayaan both looked at Kakuzu with odd expressions. He had just joined, and he was already thinking about turning in his teammates for cash? What a loyal guy.
Ayaan responded with a casual challenge. "If you'd like, we can go outside and spar. Let's see who's collecting whose bounty."
Kakuzu's pride was pricked. As a bounty hunter, he viewed all other hunters as rivals. In his eyes, eliminating them was simply good business.
Pain remained silent. He merely opened his eyes slightly, revealing the mythical Rinnegan. Kakuzu's bravado deflated as he felt the overwhelming power radiating from those eyes. He was truly in the presence of a god.
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