Konoha New Era : Third Hokage Ascends

The former site of the Ninshū was remote and barren, so the Jashinists had little choice but to carve out a cave for temporary shelter. In true ninja fashion, the cave, though not very large, was designed with a winding path that could easily confuse any ordinary person who wandered in.

Sometimes, ninjas would set traps in terrain like this. For intruders, avoiding or disarming these traps was necessary unless they had the firepower to blast through the cave.

Most of the Jashinists were resting inside, draped in loose, dark robes that gave them an eerie appearance. Even Kakuzu, who wasn't a devout follower of Jashin, adopted a similar look to keep his identity concealed.

Although Kakuzu had been hired by the cult, he had no interest in their teachings. The Jashinists only ever babbled strange doctrines to him, so he mostly kept to himself, lighting an oil lamp and reading a book by its dim glow.

Few would imagine that a ninja like Kakuzu—who had taken countless lives—was privately a middle-aged man with a love for literature. When not on a mission, he would often spend his time reading, finding in books both relaxation and a broadening of knowledge.

As he turned a page, Kakuzu glanced at the other cult members, who were exchanging their doctrines about the "Jashin God." Where this belief had come from, he didn't know, but he'd heard it arose in the late Warring States Period and gained a foothold in the Great Ninja War. Even the minor Hidden Villages  followed it, though its true origins remained a mystery.

To Kakuzu, it was a pointless pursuit. These believers were constantly conducting rituals and sacrifices in hopes of gaining power from the evil god. But none of them even knew what this supposed power was. It all seemed like a waste to him.

Just then, an excited cultist entered, holding a scroll. He hurried over to the leader of the group. "News from the capital."

Everyone, including Kakuzu, looked up. It had been dull spending time with these zealots, and while Kakuzu enjoyed reading, the urge to fight was always there. He wouldn't mind if a decent opponent showed up.

"The shrine maiden of the Land of Demons has hired shinobi from Konoha to investigate us," one of Jashinist said, passing the scroll to the leader.

The leader unrolled the scroll and skimmed through it. "It appears they've sent a student of the Second Hokage himself. Seems the shrine maiden is taking us quite seriously, haha!"

A student of the Second Hokage? Kakuzu's eyes narrowed at this. He remembered when, as a shinobi of Takigakure, he'd been sent to assassinate the First Hokage. That mission had ended in failure, and if not for the Hokage's mercy in sparing him, Kakuzu would have died that day. He'd killed the village elders who had betrayed him afterward and left Taki for good.

Since then, he'd never been pursued by Konoha, which had likely deemed him insignificant. He considered that lucky—he had no desire to live his life constantly hunted. Taki, meanwhile, still considered him a fugitive, but he had no fear of them.

Konoha, however, was different. Founded by the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, Konoha boasted some of the most powerful ninja clans in the world, including the Senju, Uchiha, Hyuga. During the Great Ninja War, Konoha had shown its strength by fending off two fronts at once and emerging as the strongest of the Five Great Villages.

Kakuzu's fighting spirit flared. A student of the Second Hokage had been sent on this mission. He recalled that the Second's students had proven themselves formidable in the war, especially Sarutobi Hiruzen and Fumori Masaki. He wondered how they would measure up against him.

As he considered this, he absently placed a hand on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his five hearts. Thanks to the secret technique he had stolen from Taki, Kakuzu could transplant others' hearts into his own body, extending his life and giving him access to their chakra natures.

The leader turned to Kakuzu. "Any ideas on how we can handle Konoha's shinobi if they come for us?"

"Do you know the name of the one they sent?" Kakuzu asked calmly.

The leader opened the scroll again. "It's Fumori Masaki."

Kakuzu's eyes lit up. Masaki had proven himself a master of wind-style techniques during the war, particularly against the Land of Lightning. Kakuzu wondered how his own wind-style heart would compare.

"No problem," Kakuzu replied. "If they come, I'll handle them. You focus on your plans."

"Excellent. With someone of your experience—someone who even went up against the First Hokage—I have no doubt you'll succeed," the leader said, perhaps intentionally poking at Kakuzu's past.

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed at the leader, but he made no comment. His failed assassination of the Hokage was a point of frustration. In retrospect, he considered the attempt shameful.

"We shouldn't just sit and wait," the leader suggested. "If this Fumori Masaki intends to move against us, perhaps we should strike first. He has companions, doesn't he? Maybe we could capture one as a sacrifice for our god."

"Three are his students, which may be challenging, but the fourth is a civilian," said the cultist next to him, examining the scroll more closely.

"A civilian named Kana... Why does that sound familiar?" the cultist muttered to himself, rubbing his chin.

At the name, Kakuzu's gaze sharpened. "Kana... She's the author of the well-known Journeys of the Sage of Six Paths."