Chapter 295: Kakuzu: The Black Pot Dropped from the Sky

Located in the base behind the giant waterfall, the middle-aged man who served as the leader of the Land of Waterfall ninjas was waiting anxiously. The ninja squad he had dispatched had set out some time ago, but no news had been sent back yet, which made him feel somewhat uneasy.

"Leader! Leader! They're back!"

Just as he was pacing back and forth, the voice of a subordinate suddenly rang out from outside the door. Excited, he immediately pulled the door open and walked out, wanting to see what kind of background that mysterious intruder had.

However, the scene that greeted him after stepping out of the room truly made his jaw drop.

He saw his elite subordinates, whom he took such pride in, lying on stretchers one by one, black and blue, with not a single patch of good skin on their bodies. After being wrapped in bandages, each of them was as swollen as a pig's head.

"Ouch~ Ouch~"

The sounds of painful groaning pulled the Land of Waterfall ninja leader back to reality. He scanned the area and found the squad leader he had personally selected.

He rushed to his side in two or three steps, looking with some pity at the subordinate before him, who was so swollen that even his own mother wouldn't recognize him. He gave his thigh a hard pat and asked anxiously,

"Thud!"

"Xiongda, just how many people did the other side have?"

The ninja squad leader, Xiongda, was his most capable subordinate, and his strength was quite impressive. After drinking the Hero's Water a few years ago, he had even advanced to elite status. In the entire base, only he himself and the eccentric Kakuzu could suppress him.

But now, he had actually been beaten into this state, and yet he was injured but not dead; there wasn't a single fatal wound on his body. From this, one could see that the attacker's strength must have far exceeded theirs.

"Wuwuwu, Leader, I'm not Squad Leader Xiongda, I'm Outhou. The captain is over there!"

The man who had been mistaken for someone else was now streaming with tears. His thigh hadn't been in such bad shape originally, but after being patted like that by the leader, it was truly ruined. Still, he endured the pain, stretched out a trembling finger, pointed at the creature wrapped like a mummy to the side, and identified him.

"Uh... so it's Outhou."

The leader, who had misidentified the person, said with shifty eyes. Although Outhou had many tricks up his sleeve, his strength was average. That pat he had just given him had likely crippled his leg. He immediately turned his gaze to the medical staff who were performing the bandaging and issued an order.

"After you're done, have a high-quality wheelchair made for Outhou, you hear me?"

"Yes, yes, yes."

"Xiongda, what exactly happened? Did you run into an ambush?"

This time he had found the right person. Xiongda, wrapped like a mummy with only his mouth and nose exposed, began to tremble violently upon hearing the leader's question, as if he had recalled something terrifying. He then struggled to let out a sound.

"One person... the other side only had one person."

"Nani? What ninjutsu did he use?"

"A punch... just one punch."

"With so many of you, how could you be beaten into this state by one punch?"

Hearing Xiongda's description, the leader expressed doubt immediately, even suspecting that his subordinates had been controlled by genjutsu.

"... hat punch, it blotted out the sky and covered the sun."

Recalling the punch Hashirama Senju had thrown into the void toward him, the ninja named Xiongda spoke with a voice filled with deep-seated fear. It wasn't that he hadn't seen a fist the size of a sand pot before, but a fist bigger than a mountain was something he was seeing for the first time in his life.

"Sigh~ Did you find out any intelligence on the opponent?"

Seeing his capable subordinate starting to ramble, the leader sighed slightly. He feared Xiongda's brain had been beaten to a pulp. He then asked as a matter of routine, without holding out any hope.

"Hashirama Senju, he said his name was Hashirama Senju!"

The name was the only useful piece of intelligence their squad had obtained. As for the opponent's goal—a seven-tailed green caterpillar?

He was afraid that saying it out loud would make the leader laugh his teeth off.

"Hashirama... Hashirama Senju."

As the leader of the Land of Waterfall ninjas, his knowledge base was naturally several times higher than others. He only found the name Hashirama Senju somewhat familiar, but he did know a thing or two about the surname Senju.

"How did a guy from the Land of Fire end up here?"

A sharp glint flashed through his half-squinted eyes. The Land of Waterfall ninja leader was completely baffled. Although their Land of Waterfall was adjacent to the Land of Fire, there was no interaction between the two countries. Separated by several natural canyons, they had always lived without interfering with each other, and there had never been any conflict.

But this time, the other party had actually taken the initiative to come to their door.

It was ninety-nine percent likely that they had heard rumors of the Hero's Water.

"They don't come early or late, but choose this specific time—there must be a mole!"

The spring that nurtured the Hero's Water only produced a small amount of essence every few decades. Calculating the time, this year should be the day the Hero's Water was produced. The fact that the other party chose this critical moment to arrive meant they were definitely targeting their secret treasure.

"Investigate for me who has been out recently."

The seed of suspicion had already been planted. The leader calmly ordered his trusted aide.

"Leader, recently, only Kakuzu has been going out frequently."

Before long, the aide returned with the investigation results. According to the base's records, only the young man named Kakuzu had been going out recently.

"Is there anything suspicious about it?"

The leader's heart skipped a beat. Kakuzu was one of the subordinates he thought very highly of; his talent was truly remarkable, and he possessed extraordinary strength at a young age. He had originally intended to bestow a portion of the Hero's Water upon the lad once it was produced. He never expected that the other party would be more anxious than him, even going so far as to commit treason.

"Uh... according to the guards' descriptions, Kakuzu always goes out empty-handed and comes back carrying a large bag..."

As expected! To commit treason so blatantly, not even bothering to cover it up—was he not taking him seriously?

Although the leader was secretly hateful, he did not make a scene. Now that the other party was working from the inside out, and with Xiongda injured in bed, he would be unable to hold his own if a fight actually broke out.

Hmph! Why use force when you can use leverage?

On the other side of the base,

After polishing a rusty kunai until it looked brand new, the young man named Kakuzu placed it on the table with satisfaction. Looking at the dense array of kunai flashing with cold light before him, he revealed a gratified smile.

"Hehe, I can make a big profit again!"

Golden light flickered in Kakuzu's eyes. Each of these kunai was a green banknote.

It was worth it for him to go out day and night to clean up the battlefield and loot corpses, digging out one damaged kunai after another from layers upon layers of severed limbs.

"However, why has the Land of Fire stopped fighting recently? Next time I'll only be able to go to the Land of Earth to make a fortune."

Caressing the kunai that flashed with cold light, Kakuzu felt puzzled. A few years ago, the Land of Fire had been his treasure trove; there were battlefields everywhere, and he could get a big bag just by looting casually.

Yet now, things were a bit sluggish. After wandering around a large circle, he had only managed to find a few, which wasn't even as much as he earned from doing a mission.

"Next time, unless I receive a mission, I absolutely won't go to the Land of Fire."

"Clatter~"

Behind the largest waterfall in the Land of Waterfall, a long-haired man with a conflicted expression looked around.

"Could the intelligence really be wrong? That shouldn't be, it was always quite accurate before~"

At this moment, Hashirama Senju stood somewhat dejectedly on top of a large, white cocoon, his eyes filled with annoyance, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself.

One had to know, it wasn't easy for him to make a trip to the Land of Waterfall. The remaining Tailed Beasts were either in the eastern seas or near the Land of Hot Water. He had originally planned to take down all the Tailed Beasts in the west of the Land of Fire before moving to the east, but he had actually come up empty-handed here.

"How hateful!"

"Thump!!"

Hashirama stomped his feet in anger, his large foot, imbued with monstrous strength, stepping fiercely onto the cocoon beneath him, emitting a violent thumping sound.

Chomei: Use Harden!

"Kurama, don't come over here, there's a terrifying guy here!"

Inside the cocoon, Chomei gritted its teeth, not daring to make a sound for fear of arousing the suspicion of the star of disaster above. It could only call out to the Nine-Tails in the chat room to give it a heads-up in advance.

"What, is he moving that fast?"

The Nine-Tails, which had already entered the borders of the Land of Waterfall, cried out in disbelief after hearing Chomei's words.

"Is the other guy that red-eye disease type like Indra?"

The Nine-Tails, feeling a tightness in its chest, hurriedly asked to confirm.

"Uh... there's no aura of Indra, it's just..."

Chomei cautiously probed the Hashirama Senju above its head. Upon confirming there was no cold power unique to Indra, it breathed a sigh of relief and informed the Nine-Tails, who was about to arrive, of this good news.

"Just what?"

Hearing it wasn't Indra, the Nine-Tails' hanging heart was finally put to rest. It feared nothing, only the Old Man and his two precious sons. Thus, it asked casually with a tone of ease and pleasure.

"Beep~ Beep~ Beep~"

However, Chomei, who had just been in the middle of a call, suddenly cut off the conversation. The cold, busy signal made the Nine-Tails' whole body turn cold, its fur standing on end, and its vigorous pace became sluggish.

"Hmph~ This great one won't be afraid!"

After thinking for a moment, the Nine-Tails raised its head and snorted coldly. As long as it wasn't Indra, who could make anyone faint just by glaring at them, it wouldn't panic. That idiot Chomei must have been controlled by a human because it was in its molting period and unable to fight back.

Thinking of this, the Nine-Tails moved its four limbs again and rushed toward the waterfall not far away. It wanted to save Chomei before it was completely taken down.

Time returned to a few minutes ago.

"Click~"

Hashirama Senju lifted his foot in confusion. He wondered, he hadn't used much force, so how could this uniquely shaped white giant rock beneath his feet be stepped through by him?

"Uh... is this rock hollow?"

Shaking off the unknown liquid stuck to his foot, Hashirama Senju finally discovered that the giant rock he had been standing on for so long was actually hollow.

"Huff~ Huff~"

Just as he was puzzled, a suppressed panting sound slowly drifted out from the hole beneath his feet, making him feel as if his heart were being scratched by a cat. So, he leaned down and pressed his face against it to take a peek inside.

"Holy crap, what a big beetle!"

Hashirama Senju's eyes flashed with excitement as he stared fixedly at the fully formed Chomei inside the cocoon, his drool almost falling out.

"So cool!"

Armored insects had a fatal attraction for men, and even Hashirama Senju, a father of children, was no exception.

"If I catch this and take it back, it'll make Madara drool with envy!"

At this moment, Hashirama Senju, whose mind had been bewitched by the cool beetle, had already cast the matter of capturing Tailed Beasts to the back of his mind, rubbing his hands and preparing to catch this cool, large beetle.

"..."

Chomei, feeling offended, dared not show even a hint of displeasure, because it had sensed a trace of familiar power from the man above its head even before Hashirama Senju had stepped through its cocoon.

As a cautious type among the Tailed Beasts, Chomei upheld the principle of "if the enemy doesn't move, I don't move." Moreover, having been forced to break out of the cocoon prematurely, its state was still very weak, so it immediately began to play dead.

"Pity it's not a Tailed Beast, but it's not bad either~"

Hashirama Senju examined the slightly panting Chomei carefully, sweeping his gaze over the single tail on the creature's rear, and revealed a look of disappointment, though he quickly adjusted his expression; after all, the harvest was quite bountiful—he had captured one handsome giant beetle.

Not a Tailed Beast?

Hearing Hashirama Senju's muttering, Chomei, who was playing dead, couldn't help but have its eyes light up, thanking the old man in its heart for the design he had given it; after all, no one would mistake wings for a tail, right?

"Rip!"

Suddenly, a harsh sound rang out in Chomei's ears, and it subconsciously glanced over, horrified to find that the smiling Hashirama Senju was tearing open its giant cocoon as easily as tearing paper, clapping his hands, and walking toward it step by step.

Sensing danger, Chomei was greatly alarmed and subconsciously used its scales, attempting to confuse Hashirama Senju's vision.

"Looks like it has good vitality, it should be able to hold out until Konoha~"

Watching Chomei begin to resist, Hashirama Senju, who thought the creature was about to kick the bucket, nodded in satisfaction, then clapped his hands together and unleashed his signature Wood Style; several ferocious wooden dragons, carrying immense power, rolled toward the bewildered Seven-Tails.

Good news: this terrifying man is not Indra.

Bad news: it is his living-hell-king of a younger brother.

Chomei was moved to tears; the experience of being drained by Wood Style until it felt like it was dying was still fresh in its memory. Compared to Indra, who could make anyone faint just by glaring, Ashura wielding a giant wooden figure to give a Thai massage made them tremble even more.

"Kurama."

Although it had just contacted the Nine-Tails, it hadn't yet informed the other of the man's true identity. Now that the wooden dragon warning had come, it had to give Kurama a heads-up.

However, before it could even dial, those wooden dragons had already coiled around its body. Accompanied by a familiar suction force, Chomei felt its body go limp and it lay down flat.

Hey, this living-hell-king—can't beat him, might as well just lie down~

Anyway, he looks silly and dull, and hasn't recognized that I am a Tailed Beast. Once he relaxes his guard, I'll just spread my wings and run away.

And so, with no intention of resisting, Chomei was easily taken down just like that.

"This mucus..."

After easily capturing it, Hashirama Senju clapped his hands excitedly. This trip was definitely not in vain; just by virtue of this handsome giant beetle, he could brag in front of Madara for a lifetime.

However, just as he lifted his foot, the residual mucus in the cocoon caught his attention. This liquid, rich in some kind of peculiar power, was filled with a violent aura.

Lowering his head, Hashirama Senju discovered a long-standing artificial small canal beside the cocoon, and the residual mucus in the cocoon was slowly flowing into it.

Is someone collecting this mucus?

Hashirama Senju raised an eyebrow, speculating in his heart.

"Leader, the Hero Water has started flowing early!"

In the ninja encampment of the Land of Waterfall, the leader had just finished comforting the injured ninja squad and hadn't even sat down when he heard an urgent report. Upon hearing this, he stood up with a start, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes.

"How could it be so early?"

According to their records over many years, the flow cycle of the Hero Water was extremely precise, with an error of no more than one month. According to the timeline, the Hero Water should have flowed again at the end of this year; why would it be early?

"Take me to see it!"

With suspicion and doubt in his heart, the leader immediately summoned his confidants and ran toward the direction of the Hero Water.

"This Hero Water, why is it so viscous?"

Arriving at a hidden crevice, the leader frowned, looking at the viscous liquid slowly flowing down from the cliff wall, and called out in confusion.

He had been the leader for some years, but he had only witnessed the flow of the Hero Water twice. The previous Hero Water had always been as clear as water, but this time, why had it become so sticky and gross, making one feel physically uncomfortable?

"But the efficacy hasn't changed, and it even seems stronger."

Using his finger to dip a little of the viscous Hero Water, the leader put it into his mouth and tasted it carefully. Feeling the violent chakra surging through his meridians, his eyes lit up again; the efficacy of this Hero Water was actually better than before.

The Land of Waterfall is about to take off!

The leader looked excitedly at the viscous Hero Water before him, his agitated mood no longer containable. As long as they possessed this pool of Hero Water, their Land of Waterfall would surely rise.

"Eh~ why are you drinking this?"

Just as the ninja leader of the Land of Waterfall was lost in beautiful fantasies, a voice of disgust rang in his ear, making his whole body tense up. He subconsciously assumed a defensive posture and looked at the newcomer with vigilance.

"Who are you, and how did you break in!"

This was their forbidden ground; not to mention strangers, even their own people had to go through layers of screening before they were qualified to enter.

"Uh, I am Hashirama Senju, I came down from above~"

After all, he was an outsider, and he still had to respect the locals when on their turf, so he rubbed his head in embarrassment and replied with a sincere expression.

"You are Hashirama Senju! You are the one who beat Xiong Da and the others into that pathetic state?"

The leader, who had been on high alert, saw his eyes turn red instantly upon hearing Hashirama Senju's self-introduction. The seemingly honest man before him was actually a cruel thug.

Moreover, this guy was suspected of coveting their secret treasure; he absolutely could not be let off easily.

"Xiong Da? You mean those guys with bad breath, right? I only gave them a small lesson and didn't hurt their lives."

Hashirama Senju suddenly realized and replied with a frown.

"What is your purpose? Are you eyeing our secret treasure?"

Since the other party had already found this place, the leader stopped beating around the bush and laid his words out directly.

At the same time, his hand behind his back gave a subtle gesture to his confidants, signaling them to cooperate with him and wait for an opportunity to act.

"Secret treasure? No, no, I'm just here to find a green caterpillar with seven tails."

Not expecting the other party to misunderstand his purpose for being here, Hashirama Senju hurriedly waved his hands to explain.

"Seven tails? Green caterpillar!"

The leader, whose expression had been uncertain, saw his pupils shrink instantly upon hearing Hashirama Senju's explanation. His heart seemed to skip a beat, and a surprised sound leaked from his lips.

"You know? Please tell me, I, Hashirama Senju, will definitely reward you heavily!"

Hashirama Senju, who had been about to leave, stopped in his tracks upon seeing the leader's expression, turned to look at him excitedly, and asked anxiously.

"... e don't have any seven-tailed green caterpillar here. We won't pursue the matter of Xiong Da for now, so please leave immediately, otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite."

Recovering from his shock, the leader's eyes flashed with an unreadable light, and he issued an eviction order with a blank face. At this moment, he couldn't care less why Hashirama Senju had beaten his subordinates or whether he was coveting their secret treasure.

"Then what the hell were you shocked about just now!"

"Isn't it normal to be shocked when hearing about such an unbelievable insect? Don't you all agree~"

The leader explained with a straight face, and incidentally turned to ask his confidants behind him.

"That's right, that's right~"

"It simply shocked me for a hundred years~"

"Alright, sorry to bother you, I'll take my leave now~"

Although he always felt that the other party's attitude was a bit off, Hashirama Senju couldn't keep pressing them. After all, this was a personal matter; if it really blew up, it would rise to the national level.

He had just promised the Daimyo of the Land of Fire that he would seek a path of peace, so he couldn't turn around and start a war with his neighbors.

Watching Hashirama Senju's back, the leader finally breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze then turning to the slowly flowing Hero Water. He not only knew about that seven-tailed green caterpillar, but he knew it better than anyone.

The Hero Water was not a rootless water; its secret was only known to the leaders of each generation.

In the giant waterfall of the Land of Waterfall lived a divine beast. It had three forms in total, one of which was the seven-tailed green caterpillar described by Hashirama Senju just now.

Initially, the divine beast was in the form of a seven-tailed green caterpillar. After a period of time, the green caterpillar would form a cocoon. The cocoon cycle was very long. After more than a decade, a six-winged beetle would break out of the cocoon and soar for decades, then the six-winged beetle would return to molt and turn back into a green caterpillar...

Round and round, endless and unceasing.

And the Hero Water they had been guarding was what flowed out from the cocoon when this six-winged beetle broke out.

"The Hero Water is still flowing, which means it is still here. As long as it is here, our Land of Waterfall will surely prosper."

"Leader... look at that guy, he jumped off the cliff!"

Just as the leader was staring at the Hero Water and daydreaming, a surprised voice from a confidant rang out behind him.

"Let him jump, can we stop him if he wants to die?"

Interrupted, he looked displeased, but as he looked in the direction his confidant was pointing, the scene before him left him shaken to his core.

He saw Hashirama Senju, who had just left, leap off the hundred-meter cliff. Just as everyone was astonished, a wooden Arhat figure comparable to a mountain peak stood up from below the cliff. With its massive body, every step it took caused the earth to shake.

But this sight was not what shocked them the most. When they saw the giant beetle being carried on the back of the departing wooden figure, the ninja leader of the Land of Waterfall completely lost his composure.

"This guy wasn't coveting the Hero Water at all; he was clearly here to dig up the roots of our Land of Waterfall!"

(End of chapter)