Escape From Konoha

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In a world filled with hypocrisy, only money was deemed trustworthy.

This was the creed of a man who had spent decades as a bounty hunter.

What he held in his hand might have been a lifeless body, but Kakuzu saw it as something more profound - a huge amount of money. If this corpse were sold through the underground money exchange, it could fetch a staggering 20 million ryo.

Ever since he had become a bounty hunter, Kakuzu had been accustomed to lucrative rewards. It seemed yet another major deal had been successfully closed.

Indeed, in this cold and hypocritical world, it was only money that could provide him warmth.

As he walked down the country road in the Land Of Tea, he was alone. The sun hung high in the sky, nearly noon, casting a dazzling light. Just as he averted his gaze from the sun to continue on his way, five individuals abruptly appeared ahead, blocking his path.

Leading the group was Bug Man. As the underground money exchange staff had suggested, Kakuzu had a pattern of staying for some time in each country during his activities. At present, he was active in the Land Of Tea.

It had taken a day to finally locate this renowned bounty hunter known as the 'Undead,' who was infamous for his involvement in underground money exchanges.

"You're Kakuzu-san, right? We are..."

"So soo..."

The Bug Man's words were abruptly cut off as Kakuzu gently set down the corpse he was carrying. In the stunned eyes of the Five Men, he casually produced a booklet from his pocket.

Each page of this booklet featured a person's portrait, name, and the reward amount on their head. The early pages contained the names of the contemporary Five Kages and other renowned ninja from various nations. Sakumo Hatake's name was recorded in the early pages with a reward of 110 million ryo, making him one of the highest-paid targets next to the contemporary Five Kages.

However, every corner of the page bearing Sakumo Hatake's name was smeared with ink. The bounty mission for him had been terminated with Konoha White Fang's death.

Kakuzu continued flipping through the pages, leaving the five Men puzzled as to what he was searching for. His green eyes, filled with an obsession, scanned each page meticulously.

But when he reached the final page, he couldn't find any information about the Five Man. Frowning, he took out another booklet from his pocket. This second booklet featured targets with lower rewards, below 10 million taels.

Finally, on the last page of this booklet, he found the target he was seeking. "I've finally found it. Right here. The name, Bug Man, with a reward of 500,000 ryo... Quite a cheap head."

No wonder it had seemed familiar but hadn't appeared on the high-reward list.

The Bug Man was at a loss for words. It was not uncommon for bounty hunters from underground money exchanges to be pursued by their peers. In many cases, they had to be cautious of being ambushed.

He had only been with the underground money exchange for two years and wasn't widely known. Thus, receiving 500,000 ryo as a reward was already highly respectable to him.

"Seeing that your strength is good, there should be a lot of room for appreciation in the future. Put the head on your neck for deposit first, and I will come to you when your head appreciates in the future."

Kakuzu said with a pertinent evaluation.

The reward of 500,000 ryo, to be honest, didn't reflect the Bug Man's abilities. Judging from his flawless posture, his current market price should be at least six million ryo, if not more.

Killing him now would be a waste.

The Bug Man remained silent as Kakuzu was about leaving, carrying the corpse.

But then, the Bug Man called out, "Please wait, Kakuzu. We're here to hire you a job."

"Hire?" Kakuzu found the term interesting and halted his departure.

Bug Man continued, "We're planning to establish a company here, and we require a capable financial manager. The salary is highly negotiable. Your task would be to manage the company's finances on a regular monthly basis."

"How much money?" Kakizu asked directly about the remuneration. For him, any opportunity that could bring in money, whether through reward tasks or employment, was worth considering.

The other party wasn't asking him to join some dubious organization but simply to help identify financial issues and loopholes within their company.

This position belonged to non-staff financial experts who wouldn't accept outside assignments. If it allowed him to earn extra money while carrying out reward tasks, there was no reason to decline.

"We'll settle accounts on a monthly basis, and your remuneration will range from 500,000 to 1 million ryo."

Whether he'd earn 500,000 or 1 million taels each month depended on his performance. This was what the Bug Man was trying to say.

"12 million ryo for a year."

Kakuzu was confident in his financial abilities.

"Your confidence is impressive. Let's hope for a productive partnership. We'll send someone to draft a formal contract. Is that agreeable, Kakuzu-san?"

The Worm Man smiled.

"As you wish."

Kakuzu then left with the corpse without further delay. The Bug Man watched him go, finding him to be quite an interesting character.

Soon enough, he gathered more information about Kakuzu. Among those involved in the underground money exchange, he had an impeccable reputation. He was known for his unwavering trustworthiness when it came to money. He was a man who wouldn't betray money and, in turn, wouldn't be betrayed by money.

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Two days later, Kakuzu received a document from the man known as the 'Bug Man.' It not only outlined the nature of his work, working hours, but also specified the salary and payment schedule.

After a quick read, Kakuzu had a good grasp of his responsibilities and workload. While it wouldn't consume much of his time, it demanded a highly skilled professional to ensure precision due to the huge sums involved. A single mistake could create financial vulnerabilities impacting the company's operations.

Following that, Kakuzu delved into details about the newly established company and its industry. It was named Purple Rose Pharmaceutical Technology Co., a drug company involved in research, production, and sales. It was evident that their primary source of income was the sale of medicines.

They had already developed more than a dozen new drugs set for market release, which were currently undergoing production and would soon be available for sale worldwide.

The company's primary clientele was the ninja nations, with its headquarters situated in the Land of Ghosts. The purple rose served as the company's namesake, which was the national flower of the Land of Ghosts. This suggested a strong affiliation with the Land of Ghosts' government, potentially facilitating their operations as a neutral country.

Neutral countries, like the Land of Ghosts and the Land of Iron, held a unique position in the ninja world. Unlike smaller countries oppressed by the major powers, neutral countries had independent cultures, national sovereignty, and armed forces for self-defense.

They neither participated in major power conflicts nor suffered the consequences of such wars. Reading this, Kakuzu nodded in approval. In an era frequently marred by war, establishing the company in the Land of Ghosts seemed like a prudent choice.

Since the company had not officially launched yet, Kakuzu felt no urgency in initiating contact with them to manage their finances. Instead, he turned his attention to the reward list, focusing on high-reward targets.

As for those with lower to medium rewards, they held potential for growth. And where there was potential, there was room for profit. Thus, he decided not to actively pursue targets below the 10 million tael mark, waiting until their values increased to maximize his earnings.

Prematurely disposing of these potentially lucrative targets would only lead to diminished income. Patience was a prerequisite for a successful bounty hunter, one who knew when to capitalize on the appreciation of their prey.

Take the Bug Man, for instance. Although he currently had a bounty of only 500,000 ryo, Kakuzu believed that his worth would increase manifold in a few years. That's when he'd make his move. As for his role as the Bug Man's financial manager, there was no direct conflict.

He would meticulously fulfill the responsibilities of financial management according to his principles and limitations. However, high-reward targets with substantial growth potential were non-negotiable. The two aspects of his life didn't clash in his perspective.

With the list securely tucked away, what Kakuzu carried wasn't a corpse but a black leather suitcase brimming with money. As he embarked on the solitary path of hunting bounty targets once more, he didn't feel alone because money was his companion.

Money was his belief, capable of providing him with the warmth of human connection. It didn't matter how many lives he took today or when and by whom he would be killed tomorrow.

Life wasn't about happiness, and death wasn't worth lamenting. What truly mattered was his bright path to wealth in a world mired in conflict and deception.

You see...

In a world where money alone could bestow glory, everyone was beyond salvation. This was the perspective of an elderly man, bearing scars from decades of living, experiencing betrayal and escape, and subsequently treading the path of killing and wealth acquisition.

Carrying a suitcase filled with money, he stood apart from the crowd, moving in the opposite direction. He left the small town and wandered onto the countryside road under the setting sun

. His figure grew smaller, slowly fading into the distance.

Today, Kakuzu-san embarked on this solitary journey.

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