NSGT: Chapter 53

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What's this guy doing here?

Hatake Kuroshi raised an eyebrow somewhat strangely.

Kakuzu didn't seem to have much connection to Kirigakure either. As far as he remembered, this person just really liked money.

Could it be because this place was making too much money, he wanted to come take a look?

"Hm—if there's anything unusual, tell us immediately."

"Of course, keep an eye on his location. If he deliberately approaches the sanctuary, report immediately as well."

Hatake Kuroshi casually took the frontal photo from the ANBU's hand.

"Yes."

The ANBU member took the photo, acknowledged with a lowered head, and then vanished using Body Flicker.

Kirigakure had just shed its 'Bloody Mist' reputation. Regardless of Kakuzu's purpose, they had to watch him carefully.

S-rank missing-nin, plus the Akatsuki title; no matter which village Kakuzu appeared in... there would always be ANBU secretly tailing him. But notoriety came with a price, right?

Kakuzu didn't care about the ANBU tailing him. Frankly, they were already used to this feeling.

Besides, these ANBU wouldn't act unless they were reasonably certain. If they wanted to watch, let them watch.

Women in bikinis were arranged everywhere here, holding trays with fruit platters and various flavored juices.

"Isn't it better to have some juice before soaking in the hot spring?"

"Ah—really, stop staring at me like that."

"These fruits are super delicious too, don't you really need one?"

Many men didn't even enter the hot spring, getting stuck around the women at the entrance first.

The fair skin was indeed eye-catching. Was this also a level of service?

But compared to these, Kakuzu was more curious about who designed all this.

Orange juice was charged starting from the second glass. Fruit platters and water were slightly more expensive than outside, but all prices were within an acceptable range.

Everything cost a bit more than usual, but not to the point of being unaffordable.

Even these details have been designed? In a sense, it's quite thorough.

Kakuzu soaked in the hot spring while looking at the price list posted on the wall.

Women distributed fruit platters everywhere outside, but the price list was posted inside the hot spring area, past the entrance.

Although this behavior wasn't exactly fraud, it was indeed quite shrewd.

Kakuzu couldn't help but reveal a smile. Perhaps this was the resonance between shrewd businessmen.

Before this, no one had turned a village into a cultural tourism industry. He had never seen this method of accumulating wealth before.

Seeing these things counted as learning; there would always be a place to apply them.

One could never have too many ways to make money.

However, the things posted here now were basically useless to him.

He wasn't going to pay.

Just coming here to experience and learn was enough.

Making money here was fine, but having him pay money here was pointless.

When Kakuzu emerged from the changing room carrying his case, the ANBU secretly guarding outside collectively sighed in relief.

"Looks like nothing happened."

"Let's wait until he leaves before relaxing. He's still an S-rank ninja, after all."

"If we make a mistake and cause casualties, Lord Kuroshi might blast us into smithereens."

Several ANBU members thought about Hatake Kuroshi's smiling face while using Red.

They all sighed deeply, raised their cameras again, and aimed the lenses at Kakuzu.

The woman at the cashier counter was just a civilian. She maintained her business smile as usual, quickly calculating the consumption data.

"Thank you for your patronage."

"The total consumption amount is 653,000 ryo. Please pay in cash; checks are also supported."

A long list of data printed out, densely packed with various consumption items.

Well, to understand this place's method of accumulating wealth... the best way was to try everything that cost money.

Spending so much wasn't particularly strange.

Kakuzu said calmly and peacefully:

"I have no money."

"?"

The woman at the cashier clearly didn't grasp the current situation.

This person, what is he saying so righteously?

Seeing Kakuzu pick up his case and turn to leave, the woman at the cashier finally reacted.

"Wait a moment, mister customer? You cannot leave without paying?"

The woman walked around the cashier counter, quickly taking two steps forward, trying to stop Kakuzu from leaving.

However, the moment her hand touched Kakuzu's shoulder, Kakuzu slightly raised his eyes.

Immediately, a mass of black threads suddenly shot out from Kakuzu's arm, lunging straight towards her face.

"Ah—!"

The cashier, having never seen such a sight, screamed instantly, quickly releasing her grip and crouching down, covering her head.

Several ANBU members quickly lashed out with water whips, directly severing the black tentacles. One of them silently departed, rushing towards the Mizukage Tower.

The passage from the hot spring area to the cashier counter was instantly closed off, and a red warning light lit up outside the door.

Although the alarm was sufficiently informative and cautionary, that kind of sound ultimately affected human emotions too much.

If it rang abruptly, not only would it certainly scare people, but it might also deter these cautious wealthy individuals from returning.

So Hatake Kuroshi only used warning lights. Buttons were also installed nearby to promptly seal off incident locations, which could then be declared under maintenance.

ANBU members patrolling near the hot spring saw the situation at a glance and then explained to the people currently soaking.

"There's an issue with the cashier machine. After finishing your bath, please do not rush to pay. You can wait in the rest area."

The red light indicated that Hatake Kuroshi or the Mizukage had been notified, and the person inside was an extremely dangerous high-risk missing-nin.

The green light was actually the real maintenance light.

But most of these ordinary tourists were first-timers anyway.

They wouldn't pay attention to these things. Whatever the ANBU said, went. It wouldn't affect their normal enjoyment anyway.

If it can't be fixed, wouldn't that be great? They could get away without paying.

Then, ANBU members who received the message directly entered the hot spring cashier area through the staff passage.

The ordinary civilian cashier hid under the table.

The ANBU members who had severed the tentacles with water whips now charged towards Kakuzu from all directions.

Behind Kakuzu was the already sealed-off isolation door.

Kunai and ninjutsu of various elements flew towards him simultaneously. They didn't need to conserve chakra; just trapping Kakuzu in this place was enough.

Although this place was sealed off, it was still related to cashier functions.

Even if Kakuzu moved to another location away from the isolation door now, they might not be able to go all out.

They could only hope that Lord Mizukage and the others would arrive quickly after receiving the news.

Bang bang bang

Vacuum Sphere and Wild Water Wave attacked simultaneously. The isolation door rang out crisply, and several noticeable dents appeared on the iron door.

Kakuzu almost instantly dodged these multiple attacks.

Once he moved away from the isolation door, the ANBU directly reversed their kunai grip and charged forward.

"Reaction speed is quite fast. But if it's just mere ANBU..."

Kakuzu's gaze slightly darkened.

That these people could react so quickly was beyond Kakuzu's expectations.

Although they instantly targeted vitals, attacking with all their might... if it was just these ANBU members sent to deal with him, it was far from enough.

"Secret Technique: Earth Grudge Fear."

A mass of fine black threads rapidly grew from beneath the ground, almost instantly entangling the water whips, forcefully cutting off the surging water flow.

Splash! Several puddles of water fell to the ground.

Seeing the black threads about to climb up along the whips, the masked ANBU members frowned slightly, leaned back, leaped away, and landed on top of the cashier counter.

However, the large patch of black threads on the ground didn't need to rely on other objects; they flew straight up from the ground, rushing towards the ANBU members.

It's over!

Although these threads looked soft and harmless from afar, charging head-on like this, they were clearly sharp blades!

Just at this critical moment of life and death, a lighthearted voice suddenly sounded.

"Don't make things difficult for them in a place like this~ With money lying around everywhere, even I would hesitate to strike."

Thousands of threads were instantly pressed onto the ground, not retracting into the earth... but forcefully pinned down by some unknown power!

The ground, as if unable to bear the weight, cracked open with numerous small fissures with a roar.

The ANBU members, who had almost given up hope, barely retreated two steps, chests heaving violently as they gasped for breath.

It was truly like walking through the gates of hell and back.

Hatake Kuroshi had teleported directly here. Although finding the employee passage at the entrance took some time, he still arrived quite opportunely.

What strange ninjutsu is this!?

Kakuzu couldn't help but frown slightly, looking at Hatake Kuroshi's palm.

He had never seen this kind of ability before.

Kakuzu slightly retracted his hand, and the vast expanse of black threads instantly withdrew.

Black eye patch, strange techniques. Judging by his attire, he didn't seem to be a ninja either.

"After dealing with you, I will take all the money here."

As soon as the words fell, Kakuzu held his case in one hand, while the other pointed directly at the smiling Hatake Kuroshi.

Immediately, dense threads grew out from his arm, and one of his arms detached from his body, flying rapidly towards Hatake Kuroshi's chest.

This punch would surely pierce his heart.

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