Chapter 30: The First Tenant

(Chapter for 100 Power Stones)

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'This kid… he wouldn't happen to be one of those children Senju Tobirama brought in from outside the village for his experiments, would he?' Kakuzu muttered, his thoughts drifting to the infamous Orochimaru.

Talking about abducting children and conducting human experiments always seemed to lead back to that snake. Some said Orochimaru's twisted nature was due to Danzo's influence, but Kakuzu believed otherwise. If anything, Orochimaru was more inspired by Tobirama. Many of Orochimaru's experiments were built upon the foundations left by that man.

"Enough with the nonsense," Senju Momoka snapped, her delicate brows furrowing. Despite her frustrations, she still had to defend her clan. Patting the boy on the shoulder, her expression softened, showing a mix of concern and sympathy.

"This is Maruboshi Kosuke. He's from the Land of Forests," she began, her voice steady but tinged with emotion. "The country has been torn apart by constant civil war. Years ago, during one of the conflicts, he and his mother were separated from his father. His mother, already frail, stayed behind to care for him. Meanwhile, his father was accidentally rescued by Konoha's border patrol ninjas.

"His father ended up settling in Konoha, becoming a ninja. While bravely fighting on the front lines, he never stopped searching for his family. A few months ago, he finally learned of their location. Konoha dispatched a team to bring Kosuke and his mother here safely. But tragedy struck just days before they were reunited…"

Momoka's voice faltered, her eyes misting over. It was clear she was a compassionate person.

"The barbarians of Kumogakure launched an attack on Konoha's front-line forces. His father… sacrificed himself to protect his comrades during the retreat. When this news reached Kosuke and his mother, who were already en route to Konoha, she couldn't bear the blow and… passed away. Now, Kosuke is here in Konoha, alone. He's the child of a hero."

Momoka gently stroked Kosuke's hair as the boy looked up at her with tear-filled eyes that refused to fall. Despite his grief, he held back his tears, standing firm.

After hearing the story, Kakuzu nodded. While he felt genuine sympathy for Kosuke, there were practical matters to address.

"So, you're saying you want to leave him with me because I have an empty house?"

"Yes," Momoka confirmed. "We've respected the boy's wishes. He doesn't want to go to the orphanage, so we're looking for a suitable place for him to stay. Your home is close to the Hokage's office, which makes it easier for us to keep an eye on him."

Momoka's reasoning made sense. The Konoha orphanage was newly established and still lacked proper facilities. It was understandable that a child might not want to stay there. However…

"And what about his daily life?" Kakuzu asked bluntly. "I can't exactly take care of a kid. I've got… things to do."

Momoka seemed to anticipate the question. "You don't need to worry. Kosuke is an exceptionally self-reliant boy. Isn't that right, Kosuke?"

She gave Kosuke an encouraging pat on the back. The boy immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply to Kakuzu.

"Kakuzu-sama, sir, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said. When he straightened up, he held out a stack of ten crisp, 100-ryo bills. "This is my rent for the month. Please accept it. I promise I won't cause you any trouble and will take care of myself."

Momoka chimed in, "As for his living expenses, the village won't abandon the child of a hero. He'll receive a monthly allowance of 20,000 ryo, which is more than enough for his needs."

20,000 ryo? That was about what many small shopkeepers earned in a month. More than sufficient for basic living expenses.

Kakuzu looked at the boy's earnest expression and couldn't help but ruffle his hair. Taking one of the 100-ryo bills from the stack, he said, "This'll do for your rent."

Kosuke blinked in confusion. "But why?"

"Why?" Kakuzu gazed up at the sky, pretending to think. "Let's just say you're lucky. You're my first tenant. From now on, your rent will be 100 ryo a month."

Kosuke's eyes sparkled with understanding, though he seemed hesitant. He bowed again, his voice steady and determined. "Thank you. When I become a ninja, I'll make sure to repay the rest. Also, you won't have to worry about cleaning. I'll handle it every day."

"Is that so? Then I'll count on you." Kakuzu pointed toward the house. "Room 002 is yours. It's right next to mine."

Kosuke nodded eagerly, hefting his luggage, which was almost as tall as he was, and hurried into the house. Moments later, the sound of vigorous cleaning echoed from within.

Kakuzu chuckled softly and turned his gaze elsewhere.

At this moment, Senju Momoka's gaze toward Kakuzu carried a trace of appreciation. Perhaps it was his earlier act of reducing her rent that softened the perceptive kunoichi's impression of him, making her feel that Kakuzu wasn't such a bad person after all.

"Miss Momoka, there's something you mentioned earlier that I still can't wrap my head around," Kakuzu said.

"What is it? Go on," she replied.

"Is Kumogakure really that bold?" Kakuzu asked, his tone laced with doubt.

When Senju Momoka mentioned that Kumogakure had launched a surprise attack on Konohagakure, Kakuzu's first reaction was disbelief. If it had been decades later, during the era of Hiruzen Sarutobi or Tsunade, when Konoha was relatively weaker, perhaps such an act might have made sense. But now? This was the age of Senju Hashirama, and Kumogakure had only been established for a few years. Instead of focusing on strengthening their village, they dared to provoke Konoha? That was nothing short of suicide. Did they not fear the day when Hashirama might show up at their gates with his colossal Buddha?

Hearing Kakuzu's question, Senju Momoka's expression instantly turned icy, and the surrounding air seemed to drop several degrees. It wasn't directed at Kakuzu, but the tension was palpable.

"Those brutes from Kumogakure… Their heads are filled with nothing but muscle. Do you think you can reason with people like that?" Momoka took a deep breath, as though trying to calm the storm brewing in her heart.

"In truth, there are still things I didn't fully explain earlier. Those muscle-brained fools aren't just strong—they're also full of underhanded tricks and despicable schemes."

Her voice dropped slightly, filled with a cold resolve.

"If I could, I'd personally head to the frontlines and deliver a blow so devastating they wouldn't dare to provoke Konoha for the next thirty years."

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