Chapter 199: Kisame Joins the Team

Kakuzu had no interest in intercepting Kisame's final strike. To accomplish great things, the cooperation of others was essential.

"Kisame, your strength is invaluable to Ryūgakure. Join us," Kakuzu invited, his tone steady.

However, Kisame showed no change in expression. Resting Samehada on his shoulder, he chuckled.

"That's a pretty insincere invitation."

Kakuzu felt a twinge of frustration—Kisame wasn't wrong. If he wanted to recruit someone, there needed to be a compelling reason.

His thoughts drifted to the original Akatsuki and the circumstances under which each member had joined. Unlike the others, Kisame had no grand ambition, he had truly just been a rogue shinobi looking for a cause. Hidan and Kakuzu had joined for their faith and greed, respectively. Deidara and Sasori pursued art. Itachi had his mission as a double agent. Nagato sought his vision of peace, while Konan followed out of loyalty. Orochimaru had joined for the Rinnegan. Tobi and Black Zetsu had their own hidden agendas. Even Jūzō Biwa had his reasons.

But Kisame? He had simply been a drifter in the underworld, dedicating himself wholeheartedly to an organization with no personal agenda beyond survival and purpose.

Kakuzu sighed. "I want to create a new world. I don't know exactly what it will look like when it's finished, but I do know this—it will end pointless conflicts and reduce unnecessary bloodshed among shinobi. Disputes will be settled through law, not endless war. To build such a world, I need strong allies. Will you join me?"

Kisame remained silent for a few moments, his sharp eyes studying Kakuzu. Then, a grin spread across his shark-like face.

"Sounds interesting. At least more interesting than staying in this village shrouded in blood, don't you think? Heh heh."

His betrayal of Kirigakure was rooted in disappointment. He was tired of shifting between protector and executioner, of living in the so-called "Bloody Mist." Kakuzu offered a different path, one that intrigued him.

Seeing Kisame's acceptance, Kakuzu allowed a rare smile to touch his lips. With Nagato here, he no longer minded forming a new Akatsuki—one that would reshape the world.

With Kisame on their side, their plans in Kirigakure would undergo some adjustments.

When Kakuzu and Nagato set foot on the small islands surrounding Kirigakure, the locals did not react with panic. After months of operating in the Land of Water, their names had spread. Initially, many shinobi had cursed them, and villagers had feared them. But as time passed, the people noticed something: Kakuzu and Nagato killed only shinobi, never harming civilians. This set them apart from the ruthless forces that had plagued the land.

Kakuzu had already chosen his next target.

...

"Hozuki Mizuki, this is not coercion but a sincere invitation. Besides, this may be your clan's last chance. Whether you seize it or not is up to you."

The middle-aged man before him remained silent. The Hozuki Clan had survived since the Warring States Period, reaching its peak under the rule of the Second Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu. However, Gengetsu's reign had been short-lived, he perished alongside the Second Tsuchikage.

In the years that followed, the clan's influence dwindled. Despite possessing a powerful kekkei genkai, they had been targeted by the Third Mizukage, who harbored deep hatred for bloodline clans. Though they had managed to secure a position within the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, their numbers had steadily declined. Now, only a dozen or so remained.

Kakuzu's offer was clear: relocate, or face extinction. This wasn't an opportunity he was offering—it was an ultimatum.

Relocating an entire clan was no small matter. Normally, such a decision required a collective vote, lengthy discussions, and negotiations with the ruling government. A nation wouldn't simply allow one of its most notable clans to leave without resistance.

After three months of deliberation, the Hozuki Clan made their decision: they would leave the Land of Water, provided Kakuzu ensured their safe passage.

In a world bound by loyalty and deep-rooted connections, such a choice might seem extreme. But this was Kirigakure, a village shaped by isolation and distrust. Here, bloodline clans had little attachment to their homeland, especially after years of persecution. Under the Third Mizukage's rule, their fate had been uncertain at best and doomed at worst.

Kakuzu did not press them further. Instead, he ordered Nagato to clear their path.

...

With the Hozuki Clan secured, Kakuzu turned to his next target—the Yuki Clan.

They were in an even more dire state. Their numbers had dwindled to just two: a seventy-year-old elder and his thirteen-year-old granddaughter—the last of their bloodline. The elder had already made up his mind to abandon their surname and let the girl live in anonymity, ensuring her survival in the shadows.

Kakuzu's offer was generous. Not only would he guarantee their safety, but he would also provide them with a new home in the Land of Dragons.

As for loyalty to Kirigakure?

Kakuzu scoffed at the very notion. That village had long since forsaken them.

With these matters settled, Kakuzu considered dispatching Kisame to locate any other remaining bloodline clans in Kirigakure. However, just as he was finalizing his next moves, an unexpected visitor arrived.

After a brief moment of thought, Kakuzu decided to meet this person.

Days later, the two sat across from each other. Kakuzu, now over sixty, found himself looking at someone who appeared to be at least a decade older.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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