Chapter 185 : Encounter with Kakuzu

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After packing all his luggage and bidding farewell to his family, Kazekaze left the Hidden Leaf Village and set off for Mount Myoboku. Hiruzen, Danzo, Koharu, and Homura accompanied Kazekaze on his journey. However...

"Isn't there too much luggage?" Danzo couldn't help but complain to Kazekaze, feeling like the luggage he was carrying weighed at least five hundred pounds. He had no idea what Kazekaze had packed in there.

In fact, it wasn't just Danzo. Hiruzen and Homura each carried a large bag of luggage, following behind Kazekaze. Only Koharu seemed more relaxed, carrying a very small bag containing Kazekaze's spare haori and some scrolls. As for what was inside those scrolls, it was self-evident.

"We're going to be staying at Mount Myoboku for at least three months, so of course, we need to prepare more food," Kazekaze said without thinking. After all, he didn't want to taste the unique cuisine of Mount Myoboku. Especially anything made by Shima. He still preferred human food.

Aside from the haori Koharu carried, the rest of the luggage was filled with various instant foods. Although the taste might be inferior, it was better than eating bugs. 'And in a place like Mount Myoboku, there are no other creatures besides toads and bugs. Even if you wanted to hunt, there's nowhere to do it.' Kazekaze thought to himself.

During the day, Kazekaze made sure to cover a lot of ground. After all, he was going to Mount Myoboku to learn Sage Mode, and his heart was already filled with excitement. "I really want to see the toads of Mount Myoboku soon."

Unconsciously, the sky gradually darkened. "Let's rest here for today," Kazekaze found a clearing deep in the forest and decided to rest there for the night, continuing their journey the next day. Hiruzen and the others naturally had no objections.

It had only been ten years since the end of the Warring States period. Although the strongest from other countries had followed Hashirama's example and established ninja villages, they were all in their infancy. Many places were still undeveloped land, belonging to the primeval forest. And Hiruzen and the others were not children; they had completed various missions before Kazekaze returned to Konoha. Camping overnight in the wild was a common occurrence for them.

Thus, Hiruzen took on the role of commander, instructing Danzo and Homura to put down their luggage and gather some firewood. Danzo was a ninja proficient in Wind Release. By fully utilizing his ninjutsu, he could easily gather firewood. Then, using his Fire Release ninjutsu, he could start a fire.

In this regard, Sarutobi Hiruzen was already quite adept. He placed one hand on his hip and explained to Kazekaze, "A fire source is essential for camping overnight in the wild. It can deter wild animals and prevent us from being caught off guard in dangerous situations. And most importantly, being in the dark can easily make people feel insecure." Hiruzen's lips curled into a smile.

In terms of ninjutsu, Kazekaze was indeed stronger than him. But in terms of life experience, he undoubtedly had more than Kazekaze. Especially in terms of survival knowledge in the wild, he certainly knew more than a seven-year-old child, right? At least, that's what Hiruzen thought.

However... Just as they were about to complete these tasks before nightfall, their actions caught someone's attention.

"Those guys... Are ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village." Based on the emblem on Hiruzen and the others' forehead protectors, he quickly identified these ninjas. "I didn't expect to encounter Konoha brats here."

This ninja hid most of his body under dark clothing, his face covered with a black cloth, and a white cloth tied around his forehead. His eyes had light green pupils. He was none other than the elite Jonin of Takigakure, Kakuzu. He had just escaped the constraints of Takigakure.

"Forget it..." Kakuzu observed them for a while and decided to bypass them. Although he didn't know why these young ninjas had left the village and traveled so far, he had no interest in these nameless individuals. Moreover, Kakuzu didn't harbor any hatred towards Konoha ninjas.

'Compared to the ninjas of Konoha, it's the people of Takigakure that I despise the most.' As an elite Jonin of Takigakure, Kakuzu had once accepted a special assassination mission. To eliminate the First Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village.

However... Due to Hashirama's Wood Release, he narrowly lost to this opponent. Yet, what Kakuzu never expected was that Hashirama didn't kill him. Instead, he shared his ideals with him. He hoped that ninjas could stop killing each other. To bring true peace to the world. For children to be open and honest with each other, to share their hearts.

'Although I don't understand why Hashirama told me these things, he was indeed a respectable ninja.' Seeing the Konoha brats, Kakuzu couldn't help but recall the past. Although he didn't want to admit it, the First Hokage's strength was indeed above his own.

However... When Kakuzu returned to the village, he didn't receive any understanding. Instead, he was blamed by the village. Punished severely for failing the mission. 'I risked my life for Takigakure, only to be treated cruelly.' This treatment not only left Kakuzu disappointed in Takigakure but also fostered a strong desire for revenge.

Ultimately, with his immense strength, he successfully escaped and took the Earth Grudge Fear, a secret technique considered a treasure by Takigakure. In one night, Kakuzu took the hearts of all the high-ranking members of Takigakure to strengthen his own body.

'Those people are simply unreasonable. If they had seen Hashirama's strength, they wouldn't have said such outrageous things. Sending me to kill Hashirama and demanding success. What a joke. Even now, having mastered Earth Grudge Fear, I don't have a ten percent chance of taking down Hashirama.' Kakuzu couldn't help but complain in his heart.

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became, and the more he felt that the high-ranking members of Takigakure were out of their minds. In fact, he had used physical means to make them truly out of their minds.

However... Although Kakuzu had become stronger than before, he had no reason to assassinate Hashirama again. Moreover, whether it was Hashirama's character or his ideals, Kakuzu admired them greatly. 'For Hashirama's sake, I'll let you brats go.' Kakuzu took a deep breath and planned to leave.

However, just as he was about to pretend he hadn't seen anything, the seven-year-old Kazekaze suddenly clapped his hands. "Wood Release: Four Pillar House Technique!" The entire ground began to tremble, and a luxurious-looking building slowly rose, appearing before Kazekaze. Kakuzu's eyes widened, "That's... Wood Release?!"