The moment Saburo breathed his last, a rune etched into the wall of Ebizō's room in Sunagakure began to fade. Ebizō slowly opened his half-lidded eyes and sat upright, his fists clenched and his expression tense.
This rune was part of a sensory barrier ninjutsu with a simple purpose: to detect whether its caster was alive or dead. If the caster perished, the rune would vanish along with their life. A bead of cold sweat slid down Ebizō's forehead. The death of Saburo, the Third Kazekage, would plunge Sunagakure into chaos.
...
In the ancient land of Rōran,
Kakuzu sat in a dimly lit room with two massive scrolls unfurled before him. He placed his hands on the center of each scroll and channeled chakra into them.
Poof! Poof! Two clouds of white smoke erupted from the scrolls, revealing two tails. One was yellow with black streaks, and the other was a crimson, octopus-like appendage. The remnants of chakra clinging to them represented Shukaku and Gyūki.
The dark lines of Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear technique began to strain and split. Two of his partners emerged from his back. With precision, Kakuzu sealed the two tails into each partner using the Eight Trigrams Seal. Once the sealing ritual was complete, the two partners returned to his body. Stretching his limbs, Kakuzu's face twitched slightly as he felt the volatile power of the Tailed Beasts stirring within him.
"It seems you're eager for a demonstration," Kakuzu muttered.
Without further ado, Kakuzu stepped out of the room and walked to another chamber. He pushed the door open to find Hidan sprawled on the floor, relishing in some twisted ritual. The instant the door creaked, Hidan bolted upright, yanking a black iron spear from his chest.
"Oi, Kakuzu, you bastard! Don't you know how to knock?" Hidan growled. "I was in the middle of communing with Lord Jashin! Do you have any idea what it means to interrupt my conversation with a god?"
Hidan's irritation was palpable, but Kakuzu remained unfazed.
"I've granted your wish. Now introduce me to your so-called Evil God." Kakuzu's voice was flat and commanding.
Though Hidan's power was useful, Kakuzu needed to confirm the legitimacy of this "Evil God." Blindly using powers he did not fully understand was not Kakuzu's style.
"You've got some nerve! You stole my chance to kill the Third Kazekage, and now you want me to summon Lord Jashin? Keep dreaming!" Hidan snapped.
Kakuzu sighed, already losing patience.
"You owe me money."
"What?" Hidan's eyes widened in confusion.
"The Third Kazekage was supposed to fetch a high bounty at the black market. Instead of selling him, I let you tag along to kill him. That cost me a fortune. You either repay me, or you know the consequences."
Hidan scratched the back of his head. Kakuzu's logic, though infuriating, was sound. By taking part in the kill, Hidan had technically cost Kakuzu a lucrative payday.
"Fine, fine. I'll do it," Hidan grumbled.
He lay down within the blood-drawn symbol of his Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood.
"Watch closely, Kakuzu. Don't show any disrespect to Lord Jashin, or you'll pay for it."
Kakuzu crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, watching Hidan with cold detachment. He had already prepared himself for any surprises.
As Hidan completed the ritual, Kakuzu stepped into the circle. The atmosphere shifted. The room, once dimly lit, grew darker. Wisps of black mist began to rise from Hidan's body and hovered in the air like sentient shadows.
"Who are you?" Kakuzu demanded, his hands transforming into steel shields.
The dark mist didn't respond. Kakuzu reached out to grasp it, but his hands met nothing but air.
"No chakra… and no discernible source," Kakuzu muttered, narrowing his eyes.
A memory stirred within him—a research paper he had once seen in Konoha. This world was not limited to chakra alone. According to the ancient texts, chakra had originated from the Ōtsutsuki clan's fruit, making it a foreign power to this world.
Whatever this dark force was, it did not belong to the realm of chakra.
In this world, the original sources of power should have been the Sage Techniques of the Three Great Sacred Grounds, Hidan's immortality, and the prophecies of the witches. However, once chakra was introduced, it could be combined with various other forces, creating the current shinobi world. The wisp of black energy before them was something that required a special ritual to summon, reminding Kakuzu of the curses recorded in ancient texts.
Curses were mysterious things. Even Tobirama Senju, known for his research prowess, could not confirm their existence. Yet Tobirama had never seen the entire picture of this world. Perhaps the organization that modified Hidan had managed to invoke some kind of curse, resulting in his immortality. According to what Kakuzu knew, these curses could grant power but often at a cost to the body. For example, if the curse's power invaded the brain, it could cause mental degeneration.
"Alright, pack it up," Kakuzu ordered.
Hidan grimaced in pain but stood up, grumbling under his breath.
"You disrespectful jerk! I swear, if you've insulted my Jashin-sama, I'll—"
Kakuzu didn't wait for him to finish. He walked out of the room, deep in thought. Curses that led to a significant drop in intelligence were strictly off-limits in his book. In the shinobi world, immortality without the corresponding mental capacity would eventually lead to being buried alive.
That said, curses ultimately modified the body, causing cellular changes that were distinct from those of others. If it were possible to extract and purify the essence of this cellular power without retaining any harmful impurities, perhaps the mind could be spared. Take, for example, certain individuals who had implanted Hashirama's cells but learned nothing of Hashirama's ideals of peace and love. If they had even a tenth of Hashirama's enlightenment, the shinobi world would be much more peaceful.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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