226: Disappearance

In a relatively high-end single villa, a table was filled with brand new banknotes. Kakuzu stood there diligently counting each note one after the other. Suddenly, a staff approached with a black device and spoke him, "Kakuzu-san, there's a machine for counting money here..."

But without lifting his gaze, Kakuzu dismissed the staff "No. Machines are prone to mistakes. It's more convenient to work with my naked eyes. And..." He paused, creating a tense atmosphere in the room. He picked up a stack of banknotes, "These twenty are counterfeit. Please replace them."

Kakuzu's faint green eyes seemed to glow brightly. He didn't know if someone had purposefully placed the counterfeits or did so accidentally, but as long as he was here, it was impossible for him to leave with the counterfeits.

"Quick, hurry up and change them!" The manager ordered the staff, prompting them to go look for replacements.

"Yes!"

Ignoring the commotion, Kakuzu continued counting the banknotes as if no one else were present. It wasn't until two hours later, after meticulously counting, that he finally stopped, satisfied. He carefully placed the banknotes in a prepared black leather case, ensuring it fitted.

"Well, Kakuzu-san, is everything alright now?" The manager rubbed his hands together in a flattering manner.

"There's no problem. The numbers are correct." Kakuzu confirmed, his eyes observing everyone in the room.

"The bill..." The Manager smiled obsequiously.

Kakuzu retrieved a card with a purple rose seal engraved on it from his pocket. It contained the debt details mentioned by the manager, including the loan amount, date, interest, repayment date, and repayment amount.

"Remember to pay back early next time, if you continue to overdue, you would be making things difficult for me."

"Yes." The manager accepted the owed receipt from Kakuzu, glancing painfully at the black suitcase he carried, a weight lifted from his heart.

"Then, I'll be taking my leave. I hope I won't be coming to your place again.. next time." Kakuzu, carrying the black suitcase, opened the villa gate, the garden outside had turned into ruins.

A large number of black-clothed guards lay in disarray, wailing and screaming, highlighting the unglamorous nature of a debt collector's job.

Those who refused to pay back their debts on time were often the targets of the Purple Rose Debt Collectors. Regardless of the Manager's pleasant attitude, being targeted by a debt collector equated him to being someone untrustworthy who had breached the agreed-upon repayment terms.

This Manager, though appeared flattering, was among wealthiest people within this small town. His business ventures consisted of gatherings like gambling, brothels, and other properties associated with organized crime. It isn't an exaggeration to designate him as a big shot in the town. While the average debt collector might hesitate dealing with such a figure, however, for Kakuzu, it really wasn't a difficult task.

The manager's now honesty resulted from Kakuzu's demonstration of his power as a debt collector, effectively compelling him to dutifully settle his debt. To properly deal with such rogue debtors using unconventional means was often necessary to successfully recover the overdue payments. It is the modus operandi of the Purple Rose Merchant Association's debt collectors in the Land Of Demons.

Possessing exceptional strength was a prerequisite for joining the debt collection. The battle between debt collectors and debtors would keep on going.

Leaving the villa, Kakuzu retrieved a booklet from his pocket while carrying the black suitcase. The booklet detailed names, addresses, and information about a large number of dishonest debtors.

"The next target.... the Land of Valleys..."

Kakuzu thought for a moment, realizing he had little time for rest after concluding his business here. Resting too much would only reduce his efficiency in completing the jobs.

One his black robe, there was a sterling silver medal engraved with roses, representing his rank as a debt collector. This silver rank was an exceedingly rare designation, considered top-notch within the organization.

Achieving this rank in less than three years showcased Kakuzu's remarkable speed of promotion, unparalleled by any other debt collector so far. With a 100% debt collection success rate and a demanding workload throughout the year, Kakuzu embodied the model life for all debt collectors.

Kakuzu walked out of the town. The debtors here hae all been dealt with, then he still had to go to the next targets in the Land Of Valleys. The land Of Valleys, a small country with numerous valleys.

Kakuzu had been there a few times in the past while on his bounties. Not long after walking out of the town, an unnatural wind blew past him, making him pause subconsciously. Looking forward, five figures stood there, blocking his path.

Kakuzu said in a rather unexpected tone: "It really is a long-lost familiar face; I never expected to meet you here."

The group of five blocking his way was none other than Bug Men. Their abilities were rare and strange, and they were quite powerful. Although it wasn't widely spread in the world, according to inside information within the Land Of Demons, even the Sannin Jiraiya has suffered a loss at their hands.

"Long time no see, Kakuzu-san. I heard you were working hard to become the chief gold medal." Bug Man said playfully.

"Hmph! Isn't that a matter of course?"

"Makes sense."

"Did you specifically come here to find me? I must warn you that I'm extremely busy with my job, it's quite difficult to surpass the workload of a gold medal debt collector before next year." Kakuzu stated bluntly.

"You really are a dedicated workaholic, Kakuzu-san. I assure you that we won't take up too much of your time. In fact, we've come to ask you about a particular place." Bug Man scratched his head helplessly.

Among the staffs, Kakuzu was undoubtedly the most respected. Despite their differing job responsibilities, they occasionally heard snippets of information about Kakuzu from other employees.

For instance, there were exaggerated rumors about his 100% debt collection success rate, his ability to work tirelessly throughout the year, and his reputation as the most exemplary debt collector in the association.

Such extraordinary feats were only achievable by someone like Kakuzu. No matter how physically fit an ordinary ninja may be, they would succumb to exhaustion under such a demanding workload.

."What?" Kakuzu asked, ready to listen to the Bug Man's request.

"False Valley... are you familiar with this place?" Bug Man asked concisely.

"False Valley..?" The corners of Kakuzu's eyes widened slightly, a hint of surprise flickering in his gaze. 'False Valley', he repeated, as if the name itself was inconceivable.

"It seems you do know." Seeing the surprised expression in Kakuzu's eyes, Bug Man knew he was asking the right person. Kakuzu indeed knew about the place.

"What would you like to know about?" Kakuzu asked curiously.

"Our mission targets are headed to this place, but we have no idea of the whereabouts of it in the world, leaving us no choice but to ask for your help."

"Well... I don't mind sharing. The so-called False Valley is actually a refuge village."

"A refuge village?"

Kakuzu's words made them frown.

"That's right. A group of boring people established a village there. They claimed it to be a place of pure land to escape from the world. In simple terms, it's like an ideal place for humans." Kakuzu's tone was quite disdainful.

"Then where is this place?"

"It's very difficult to find, and the entrance changes frequently. If there's no one from the inside to guide you, it will be difficult to enter from the outside. But you're im luck." Kakuzu looked at the darkening sky, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"False Valley is within the territory of the Land of Valleys, my next debtor I'm looking for happens to be thete."

....

The Land Of Valleys.

It had been two days since the five man t3am and Kakuzu arrived in the remote region..

"Is False Valley here?"

Surrounded by mountains, vast and boundless forests stretch out. Bug Man was a bit surprised as he surveyed the environment. It didn't seem like there were any humans living here. Apart from the fragrance of wildflowers on the road, there was only the smell of poisonous insects and beasts left behind.

"There's no mistake. Although i haven't personally been theme, some acquaintances i knew before have. Moreover, my instincts tell me we're on the right track." Kakuzu asserted, his voice firm and unwavering.

Bug Man and the others were puzzled, but Kakuzu didn't explain further. He continued walking until he came upon a tree stump and he stopped. Kakuzu pointed to the stump, where the cut was as flat as a tabletop.

"This is a trace of artificial excavation."

They confirmed. It was impossible for a beast to make such a smooth cut. It had obviously been processed by someone's hand manually.

"Indeed, and looking at the traces of the cut, it happened recently. The nearest village lies over ten miles away, making it highly unlikely that someone would travel such a distance to log a single tree."

That meant there were still humans living in this mountain forest, inhabited only by insects and beasts.

There were several tree stumps like this around, some old, some very recent. The numerous stumps indicated that people here recklessly felled trees to likely construct a sizable building complex. However, the building complex remained hidden from sight, its location concealed by some unknown means.

Bug Man released his surveillance bugs, letting them fly high to search for any hidden building. Even with a special concealment method, hiding such a huge building complex was impossible, and there should be several loopholes.

Half an hour later, a bug flew back from a distance and landed on Bug Man's fingertips.

"How's it,? Did you find an entrance?" Shadow Man inquired.

"No, nothing was found. They thoroughly searched within five kilometers has been checked, and there's no sign of human activity." Bug Man shook his head in disappointment.

"Could it be farther away?"

"No, that's unlikely."

"Then I'll use my earth release to take a look."

Earth Man's body merged into the earth and disappeared, to search for the hidden entrance. Another hour passed, and Earth Man seemed to have disappeared with no signs of return, which immediately aroused the high vigilance of the group.

"Could he have been captured?"

It was the only possible explanation. If Earth Man hadn't been caught by the enemy, it is impossible for him to not have returned after so long. Bug Man sighed. False Valley was really a dangerous place. Worst of all, they didn't even know where the entrance to the place was located.

"Let me assist you in searching too. False Valley... Things seem to be getting interesting." Kakuzu said at that moment.

With that, Kakuzu left off alone, leaving behind the remaining members of the group. Bug Man looked at the remaining three people and with that, they started searching for an entrance. They meticulously searched through every area but found nothing. Apart from encountering ferocious beasts on the way, there was no trace of human presence.

As the hours ticked by, Earth Man's continued disappearance cast a shadow of concern over the group. The situation was developing towards an unfavorable direction.

About two hours later, Kakuzu took the lead in returning at the meeting point they agreed upon in advance. Looking at the deserted land, he frowned and remained silent. It wasn't until darkness fell, and Bug Man's group failed to return, that he realized something was wrong. The situation wasn't as simple as serious but very serious.

Kakuzu wasn't oblivious to the possibility that like Earth Man, Bug Man, and the other three had encountered difficult challenges. Although he was confident that his strength being above than any of the five of them, but being able to subdue the five of them silently... Kakuzu knew it was beyond his capabilities.

The enemy might have used some special means, and without understanding those means, he could fall prey to their schemes. Or... he was currently being watched. As he thought about this, he immediately ran towards the outer edge of the forest, leaving his current location at his fastest speed.

Despite wondering why the enemy targeted the five man but spared him, it wasn't the time for pondering. Kakuzu's sole objective now was to escape. Without knowledge of the enemy's capabilities and numbers, it was undoubtedly a very stupid decision to choose to confront the enemy behind the scenes.

Shortly after Kakuzu's escaped, shadows began stirring within the darkness. One of them stared at the direction Kakuzu escaped from, with confused and bewildered expressions in his eyes.

"Strange... why didn't he fall for the trick?"

So far, the traps arranged had never failed, but Kakuzu kept ignoring the traps here, which made him extremely confused.

"I remember that guy is immortal... Forget it, leave him alone; if he doesn't fall into the trap, we won't be able to attack him. He's a rogue at the same level as the village chief."

Someone else spoke, showing their helplessness. The Immortal Kakuzu, he knew of him. One of the top bounty hunters in the underground black market. A powerful S-rank rogue ninja from Takigakure. It was wiser not to provoke such person. The fact that Kakuzu was able to evade their traps hinted at his powerful capabilities.

....

The Land Of Demons.

Inside Shiraishi's office, he received a long-lost guest - Kakuzu. Kakuzu narrated to him what had transpired in the Land Of Velleys previously, especially the disappearance of Bug Men, which was quite a problem.

"So.. when you were moving towards False Valley, Bug Man and the four disappeared?" Shiraishi rubbed his brows. He hadn't anticipated so many complications to arise just to assist Yagura in exterminating the remnants of the Blood Mist faction.

Bug Men was unquestionably a valuable asset to them, and there was no room for such loss. Their disappearance needed to be thoroughly investigated.

"Yes, it seems the people within False Valley were involved." Kakuzu affirmed.

"Where's False Valley?" Shiraishi asked.

In the Land Of Demons intelligence system, such a place doesn't seem to be included. Shiraishi wasn't surprised by this; with numerous hidden secrets in this world, it was impossible for him to be aware of them all.

"The village known as Pure Land, has undisclosed access methods. It's only known to be in the vast forest of the Land Of Valley, but the exact location is uncertain."

Though his role was that of a debt collector, he also possesses a military background in the Land of Demons. However, his responsibilities differed slightly from those of Bug Men. For at least the next forty years, he needed to fulfill his contractual obligations.

"Pure Land?" Shiraishi thought while pinching his chin. He was certain he was unfamiliar with such a place and he had never heard of it.

"I see. In short, the large forest in that country needs careful investigation. Your next debt work can be put aside for now. We will need your assistance in this problem."

"No problem... What about this month's salary?"

"Double for you." Kakuzu had no objection. As long as the compensation was sufficient, attempting once more in the mysterious False Valley wasn't out of the question.

After reporting the issue, Kakuzu left the office.

Not long after, the door of the office opened again. Ruri entered from outside, looked at Shiraishi, and inquired, "What can I do for you?"

"I'm really sorry for interrupting your training. I have a mission for you here." Shiraishi said with a hint of helplessness.

The disappearance of Bug Men wasn't a trivial matter. The importance of this team was evident, and if something unforeseen occurs, retraining a new team will require time and effort. Therefore, False Valley's problem must be thoroughly investigated.

However, there lies the problem. Bug Men were formidable, and their disappearance without a trace raises questions. The people in False Valley must be powerful as well, otherwise, the collective disappearance of the five would be impossible.

While there were other teams present that could handle such tasks, Ruri's exceptional capabilities made her the preferable choice. Threats like this needed to be removed as soon as possible.

Ruri furrowed her brow. It was impossible for her to undertake ordinary missions solo, and Shiraishi only deployed her for challenging situations.

"Bug Men disappeared in a place called False Valley. I want you to investigate there."

"False Valley?" Ruri didn't care about the disappearance but was intrigued by an unheard location like the 'False Valley.'

"Yes, according to Kakutsu's account, it seems to be built within the large forest of the Land Of Valley. Bug Men disappeared there. I've written the specifics here."

Shiraishi placed a scroll on the table. Ruri picked up the scroll and quickly scanning its content twice.

In essence, it detailed that in the pursuit of the remnants of the Blood Mist faction, Bug Men had pointed to a location known as False Valley. Then, Bug Men disappeared from there, and only Kakuzu returned, inexplicably recounting the events.

"Strange."

"It's truly strange. But I'm sure Kakusu isn't lying, his soul fluctuation is normal." Shiraishi affirmed. This was precisely why he requested Kakuzu to join in. The fact that the enemy allowed Kakuzu leave but only intercepted Bug Men raised suspicions, no matter from the perspective. Whatever secrets existed there , they must be unearthed this time.

"I understand. I'll investigate."

"Please. Just in case, I'll have Tu and Soryu accompany you."

False Valley was too mysterious, and it was uncertain what potential enemies lurked there. Despite Ruri strength, there were still aspects that may be challenging..With the addition of Tu and Soryu, the plan becomes foolproof. Even in the face of unexpected changes, there was the option to escape in time.

Ruri had no objection to this, she picked up the scroll Shiraishi provided, and walked out of the office. Shiraishi watched Ruri's departing figure, hoping that this incident would be resolved smoothly.

....

Amegakure. Land Of Rain.

Summoned by the pouring rain, Nagato walked to the window of the tower.

Surrounding Amegakure, a canal formed by the collection of rainwater made Amegakure resemble a ninja village constructed on water.

Footsteps approached from behind; it was Konan. Different from the past, her expression lacked the tenderness and kindness, but only an almost cold-blooded expression.

However, Nagato understood this was all Konan's facade. She was merely forcing herself to appear ruthless. Behind her was White zetsu, giggling like a mischievous urchin without a care in the world.

Nagato wondered what had been amusing him all day; had he found something interesting?

"Nagato-sama, the target in the Land of Wind has been found." White Zetsu smiled and provided Nagato with the information he had gathered.

"The genius puppet master, Sasori of the Red Sand, who defected from Sunagakure?"

"Yes, it is Sasori. He's currently hiding in the big sand dunes of the country. It's a case of hiding in plain sight. For a dangerous S-rank rogue hiding in the sand, still remaining in the Land of Wind without leaving is truly crazy." White zetsu nodded.

"Any news on the other targets?" Nagato nodded, without making any comments, inquiring about the whereabouts of the remaining targets.

"Yes. The other one is in False Valley." White zetsu mentioned an unfamiliar location.

Konan looked at White zetsu as she frowned.

"False Valley... where's that?"

White zetsu said with a grin: "It is a 'pure land' built by a group of rebels who escaped the turmoil of the world and were wanted for rewards. It's also referred to as a refuge village. It's built in the wide forest of the Land Of Valleys. It is quite difficult to get inside without the guidance of someone inside leading the way. But for Nagato-sama, it should be very easy to get in."

"Escape from the world? Refuge village?" Nagato raised his head slightly, and looked at White setsu who was grinning unscrupulously. This reminded him of Madara, and the "Infinite Tsukuyomi" Madara once mentioned to him... It was also a way to escape from the world.

A glint appeared in Nagato's cold eyes, and he spoke in a calm tone: "Escaping from reality can't change anything. Allow me to go to the refuge village constructed by those rogues myself."

"Sasori..."

Before White zetsu could finish, Konan, beside him, took a deep breath and stood up.

"Let me go, Nagato. I'll win over Sasori."

Seeing the determined expression on Konan's face, Nagato fell into a momentary silence, sighed, closed his eyes, and eventually nodded in agreement.

-----

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