"Lord Kakuzu, the dilution research on the Hero Water is nearly complete. I've removed all impurities, leaving only the beneficial components for the human body."
"However, there's a catch. The so-called impurities and beneficial elements are actually interconnected. By eliminating all impurities, we've ensured it no longer harms the body, but the effectiveness of the Hero Water has also been significantly reduced. Now, drinking it would at best boost one's chakra level to that of an ordinary Kage."
Kakuzu sat in a mink-fur chair, flipping through the lab report in his hands while listening to Hiruko's analysis.
Regarding the final experiment on the Hero Water, Kakuzu had a fitting analogy.
Alcohol—whether red wine or white liquor—has a kick. Many drink precisely for that effect. After extensive research, Hiruko had ultimately decided to remove that "kick," leaving only the components that expand the circulatory system and enhance chakra.
It was like taking a high-proof liquor and diluting it into mild rice wine. While the taste might lose its depth, one could now drink it endlessly without getting intoxicated, and the increased blood circulation would be more efficient.
Kakuzu nodded in acknowledgment, offering no further comments. After all, perfection is rare in this world. The fact that the new Hero Water could still grant the chakra reserves of a standard Kage was already an impressive feat.
"Not bad. That concludes the Hero Water experiments. What about the other one?"
Hearing this, Hiruko's expression turned more serious. He knew this was the experiment Kakuzu was truly invested in—the one that mattered most.
"Lord Kakuzu, the purification of Hashirama Cells is complete. As per your request, we've integrated the cells of an immortal body into the Hashirama Cells. The two complement each other and are indeed compatible. All thanks to the sheer strength of Hashirama's genes."
Both Hidan's so-called immortality and Hashirama's cells were priceless materials for research. The fusion of these two could lead to unforeseen miracles.
However, Hiruko had one concern.
"Lord Kakuzu, this is our first experiment of its kind. We have no prior samples for reference. I fear that..."
Kakuzu understood Hiruko's hesitation. He pondered for a moment before nodding decisively.
"It's fine. Proceed."
If he counted it up, how many tailed beasts' chakra had he already absorbed into his body? Perhaps his physical resilience wasn't as monstrous as Uchiha Madara's at the start, but Kakuzu had been improving himself continuously.
Moreover, considering the Great Toad Sage's prophecy and Madara's recent emergence, the shinobi world was bound for even greater upheavals in the future.
Given that, he had every reason to take this gamble.
Seeing Kakuzu's unwavering resolve, Hiruko no longer hesitated. He retrieved a vial of diluted serum and a prepared embryonic cell sample from the cryogenic storage.
...
Inside Ryūgakure Village
The streets were bustling with people, and the roads were packed with flowing traffic.
A fair-skinned young man with long hair, clad in a traditional kimono, walked leisurely through the city. He was none other than one of the legendary Three Sannin—Orochimaru.
At this moment, he lacked the eerie aura he would possess in later years. Instead, he appeared rather composed, even respectable. After all, he was still in his early thirties, and at this stage, he had once genuinely aspired to become Hokage.
This time, he had crossed borders on an official mission assigned by the Third Hokage.
Orochimaru strolled past shops and winding alleyways before finally stopping at a deserted corner.
His eyes subtly shifted to the side.
"My friend, I have an official travel pass. I followed all the proper entry procedures. Moreover, Lord Kakuzu has always maintained friendly ties with Konoha. I have no reason to cause trouble."
The person following him had been tailing him for quite some time. Even Orochimaru, known for his patience, was starting to get annoyed.
He had done nothing suspicious, yet he was being shadowed like a common thief. Anyone would find that irritating.
The moment he finished speaking, a voice from behind responded.
"I know you entered through proper channels, but do you really think I'd let a foreign shinobi with such a powerful chakra presence roam freely here?"
Hearing this, Orochimaru frowned slightly.
"Then what do you propose?"
"You could tell me your objective. Perhaps I can even assist you."
A smirk tugged at Orochimaru's lips.
To be fair, the man had a point.
As one of the Three Sannin, Orochimaru was a well-known figure throughout the shinobi world. It was only natural for others to be wary of his presence.
But at the end of the day, they were both shinobi—both tasked with carrying out missions. Could he simply reveal his assignment to a stranger?
From his perspective, this was unreasonable meddling.
"In that case…"
Orochimaru suddenly spun around, extending his arm backward.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!
His pale white arm transformed into a swarm of venomous serpents, their fangs bared as they lunged toward the source of the voice behind him.
At the same time, Orochimaru took a slight step back, deliberately controlling his attack's intensity.
He hadn't come here to cause trouble. His plan was simple: restrain his pursuer and leave.
It was a solid plan in theory.
However, in the next instant, a silver-white figure flashed like an illusion, slipping effortlessly through his Hidden Shadow Snake Hands.
Before he could react, the figure had already closed the distance, appearing right before him.
"Not good!" Orochimaru's slit-like pupils constricted once again. He had underestimated his opponent's strength. Just as he was about to form a defensive hand seal, a cold sensation pressed against his neck.
"This is..." Orochimaru did not panic. In fact, he sensed a familiar presence from his attacker. He glanced down at the short blade pressed against his throat—it was unmistakably "White Fang."
With that realization, the identity of his opponent was obvious.
Hatake Sakumo was no longer wearing Konoha's vest, nor did his arm bear the Hokage's half-sleeve. His attire was simple, and his expression remained composed. Compared to the past...
"Heh heh." Orochimaru chuckled twice. "The esteemed White Fang of Konoha... has now become Kakuzu's personal swordsman?"
Orochimaru refrained from commenting on what had happened to Sakumo in Konoha. After all, they were at least acquaintances—one could even say they had grown up together. So, he made a jest.
However, the moment the words left his mouth, Orochimaru realized something was off. Sakumo's face remained expressionless, as cold and detached as a true assassin.
The chilling blade of White Fang pressed further against Orochimaru's neck, forcing him to take two steps back involuntarily.
"Sakumo, don't joke around."
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
"You..." Orochimaru wanted to say something else, but suddenly, he noticed something unusual about Sakumo's chakra.
"Your chakra... seems to have grown even stronger."
"As expected of the Hokage's student, your perception is sharp."
Orochimaru could only manage a bitter smile. The three disciples of the Third Hokage had all made a name for themselves in the ninja world, but people tended to forget—Sakumo had once been considered above the Legendary Sannin.
There was no need to compare on purpose. From the moment they enrolled in the Academy, Jiraiya had been beaten senseless by Sakumo on multiple occasions. By the same logic, Orochimaru himself had also never been a match for him during that time.
Orochimaru sighed inwardly.
He had long since noticed the weakness of the Hatake Clan—their naturally low chakra reserves. He had hoped to exploit this flaw to defeat Sakumo. However, judging from the current situation, that plan was no longer viable.
If Sakumo could now fight tailed beasts without collapsing from exhaustion, then Orochimaru would have to seek another way to improve his strength.
"Looks like I'll have to advance my forbidden jutsu experiments ahead of schedule. Hopefully, everything will go smoothly."
Naturally, Sakumo had no idea what was going through Orochimaru's mind. He only knew that fighting against the Sannin was no longer an issue for him.
"Orochimaru, now can you tell me why you're here?"
"You have a point." Orochimaru closed his eyes and smiled slightly.
Land of Dragons, Gambling House
The gambling tables were packed with people from all walks of life, a testament to the casino's booming business. And these past few days, due to the arrival of a certain someone, the casino had been even livelier than usual.
"Lady Tsunade, you've already lost so much. How about taking a break?" A casino staff member, holding stacks of debt slips in his hands, beamed at her.
"No need!" Tsunade, who was already deeply immersed in the game, waved her hand domineeringly, making a bold declaration.
Hearing her words, the staff member's face lit up with joy.
"However, Lady Tsunade, you've already racked up a debt of three billion ryo. According to our casino's rules, we can't extend any more credit to you. Would you consider repaying at least some of your debt first? Then we can continue lending to you."
"What did you just say?!" Tsunade grabbed the staff member by the collar, making him drop the debt slips in fright.
"L-Lady Tsunade, please have mercy..."
The commotion instantly drew the attention of everyone around.
Tsunade, realizing her outburst, finally sobered up a little. She understood the reality—she had already amassed an astronomical amount of debt, and it was reasonable for them to refuse further loans. After all, as someone who had spent years frequenting gambling houses, she knew how the system worked.
But giving up just like that? Not a chance.
"Shizune, bring me another billion!"
Her loud demand caused Shizune, standing beside her, to tremble. Even the piglet, Tonton, in her arms, shivered in fear.
"Lady Tsunade, we... we have no more money left to gamble." Shizune leaned in and whispered into her ear. "We lost everything at the last casino. We're completely broke. Maybe we should just stop here. Otherwise, soon, the entire Land of Dragons will be full of debt collectors."
Tsunade clenched her fists so tightly that they emitted a low rumbling sound. But in the end, she could only sigh and loosen her grip.
She had never cared about debt, but there was a limit to everything. She had lost money from the Land of Wind to the Land of Earth, then to the Land of Iron, and now to the Land of Dragons. To be honest, she truly had nothing left to gamble with.
"Fine, I guess this time I'll—"
Before she could finish her sentence, a thick stack of cash was suddenly placed in front of her with a loud thud.
"This is..." Tsunade looked over in disbelief and saw a smiling Sai.
"Lady Tsunade, this is a small token of my appreciation. Please use it as you wish."
The pile of chips was worth at least two billion ryo. The moment Tsunade saw them, the fire in her eyes rekindled.
She swept her gaze over the other gamblers at the table, then pointed at the dice with a fearless grin. She uttered a single word.
"Roll!"
...
One Week Later, Land of Dragons' Palace
Orochimaru clutched his chest and respectfully bowed before Kakuzu.
"Lord Kakuzu, it must have been nearly twenty years since we last met."
Kakuzu nodded. The three little troublemakers from back then had all become renowned figures in the ninja world.
Orochimaru, understanding his place, stepped aside. This matter no longer concerned him. The real event was about to begin—Tsunade's audience with Kakuzu.
The moment she saw him, Tsunade felt a wave of unease.
If it were any other debt collector, she could have easily escaped with a transformation jutsu. But tricking Kakuzu? Not a chance.
Kakuzu wasted no time with pleasantries.
"Tsunade, do you know how much tax revenue your three billion ryo gambling debt could have generated for the Land of Dragons?"
His sharp tone made his displeasure clear.
"Lord Kakuzu, about that money..." Tsunade began, but Orochimaru coughed twice beside her.
Years of experience together allowed Tsunade to grasp his unspoken warning immediately.
The message was simple: Kakuzu could be reasoned with about many things, but never about money.
Once upon a time, even their grandmaster, Tobirama Senju, had nearly had his office turned upside down for delaying Kakuzu's salary by just one month. In the end, Tobirama had to scrape together funds by any means necessary to settle the debt. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
If even Tobirama hadn't been given any leeway, what chance did they have?
"Lord Kakuzu, I will repay this debt."
Kakuzu smirked. "Oh? So now I'm your creditor?"
Tsunade gritted her teeth. "Rest assured, Lord Kakuzu. As the last member of the Senju Clan, I will honor my debts."
Hearing this, Kakuzu merely chuckled internally.
In the end, she was no different from her grandfather—always gambling, always losing, terrible at it, yet unable to stop.
Back in the day, the Senju brothers ate his food, drank his wine, and left without paying a single coin. Now, it was time for their granddaughter to settle the bill.
The problem was, Tsunade was completely broke. So how was she supposed to repay the debt?
There were two possibilities.
One option was to sell the Senju estate in Konoha. After all, Uzumaki Mito was still around, and chances were Danzo and Hiruzen wouldn't dare to seize Senju property while she was alive. But if Tsunade even brought up the idea, wouldn't she be afraid of Mito strangling her with Adamantine Chains on the spot?
As for Jiraiya… forget it. That guy was too busy in Mount Myōboku, barely managing his own affairs. There was no way he'd show up just to bail Tsunade out.
And even if he did come back, knowing his pent-up frustrations from all this time, he'd definitely want to let loose and enjoy himself first.
Kakuzu, on the other hand, could use this debt as a way to keep Jiraiya tied down.
So, in reality, Tsunade paying off this debt was impossible. Not in this lifetime.
If she couldn't produce the money, then there was only one option left—she'd have to stay and… work off the debt.
Of course, these things couldn't be said so bluntly. Sometimes, it was better to go in circles to get the desired result.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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