171 He isn't your mission anymore

Kakuzu seethed with anger. The small mask over his mouth slipped down, releasing inky tendrils that resembled black noodles. They wriggled out, causing visible disgust in the onlookers. Aoto, however, met this display with a stoic expression. He remained unfazed, fully aware of what Kakuzu was capable of.

"Aoto Yamazaki, what in the hell are you?" Kakuzu demanded, his voice taking on a more menacing and spectral tone. All Aoto could wonder was how this man managed to speak without a visible tongue.

"I've already told you, I'm just an ordinary individual with a business venture in mind. It would be wise for you to depart instead of baring your fangs and summoning your additional hearts; you're bound to lose," Aoto reiterated. Kakuzu glanced at Hidan, who was ensnared beneath the wooden roots with a root gagging his mouth. Hidan struggled to scream or utter a word, but the obstruction stifled him.

Frankly, his attempts to speak made everyone cringe in this highly tense situation, and they all just wanted to subdue him.

Finally, Kakuzu gave a reluctant nod, anticipating the shift in circumstances. He had personal motives for seeking Aoto, but now it seemed too troublesome. And for some reason, the man with the hat and walking stick sent shivers down his spine.

It was as if this man paid him little heed and somehow looked down on him. It was subtle but discernible. After living for so many years, Kakuzu had encountered a fair share of individuals and could roughly gauge their thoughts.

Usually, he disregarded such subtle arrogance because these people lacked the strength to back it up. However, Kisuke had effortlessly destroyed one of his hearts with a single strike. It had been precise and swift, leaving Kakuzu unable to toughen his skin in time to halt the attack. This was what unsettled him.

Aoto nodded and proceeded, followed by the others. They kept a watchful eye on Kakuzu, ensuring he didn't launch a surprise attack. Surprisingly, he refrained and instead moved to free Hidan. The roots were remarkably resilient; even someone as strong as Hidan couldn't free himself without first hardening his hands to gradually tear them away. Once his mouth was liberated and he could speak, Hidan began to scream.

In a fit of rage, Kakuzu proceeded to engulf his throat with tendrils that emerged from his hands. Hidan seethed with fury, but he was powerless.

-----

Aoto and the others continued on in silence for several kilometers before Shikuro raised his hand, signaling that they were in the clear. Kakuzu remained oblivious, as Shikuro had dispatched a magical butterfly that left an imprint on Kakuzu's back. There was no chakra fluctuation, so Kakuzu remained unaware.

"He didn't pursue us?" Corazon inquired, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"No. He went in the opposite direction with Hidan," Shikuro replied, mirroring the same action with Hidan.

"Well, he's certainly cautious," Aoto acknowledged. It was to be expected, considering Kakuzu was a man who had evaded Hashirama. Whether it was a bluff or not, if he had truly escaped from Hashirama, it indicated a shrewd mind.

"Why did you lay bare our secrets for him to hear?" Corazon was visibly irritated. Aoto's decision to reveal so much and then spare them showed a significant lapse in judgment, one that could be perilous in the future. In plain terms, it was just plain foolish.

"Killing them would draw the attention of the organization backing them. We're already entangled in business with them, enriching their organization in the process. They've been eager to recruit me for a long time, and this was an opportunity to demonstrate how deeply entrenched we are here. I don't want to incite a conflict with them, at least not now," Aoto explained.

"Conflict? It's just an organization. How could it lead to a conflict?" Shikuro scoffed.

"It's because their leader possesses the Rinnegan," Aoto revealed.

"Those eyes? It's them," Shikuro suddenly grasped who Aoto was referring to—the man in the Hidden Rain village. He hadn't anticipated that the head of this organization was the same person. That meant this organization had ties to Madara.

"So, you spoke so much that they now fear you," Kisuke remarked.

"Something along those lines," Aoto confirmed.

"But that's a massive gamble. What if the organization becomes even more afraid and decides to attack us?" Corazon voiced his concern.

"They can try, but they'll fail. They lack the manpower to handle us if they come for us. Their primary objective isn't to settle a personal grudge but to work towards global peace," Aoto reminded.

"Global peace? I can get behind that. This world does need peace," Corazon replied, his optimism shining through.

"Corazon, you've lived in another world for quite some time, and that world is just as chaotic as this one, if not more so. Do you genuinely believe that true world peace is attainable?" Aoto queried.

Corazon fell silent for a moment before saying, "One can dream, at least."

"Yes, we can dream. But that doesn't mean that in the pursuit of world peace, we should inflict more pain upon others. Love is a universal force that can unite people, but remember, hatred can do the same," Aoto reflected. He fell into silence, for he knew he was speaking the truth.

They pressed on, ensuring they weren't being trailed.

----

Hidan had finally ceased his protests and begrudgingly trailed behind Kakuzu. He wasn't pleased about following Kakuzu, but something had transpired half an hour ago that made him realize he had no choice.

A figure who didn't seem entirely human had appeared before him. He appeared as if he was a distant mirror image, and that mirrored figure had beaten him soundly. In one day, he had been defeated twice, and both times he'd been toyed with.

"I encountered Aoto Yamazaki. He's formidable and dangerous."

It was Pain who had materialized, and upon hearing Kakuzu's words, he was taken aback.

"Explain," Pain demanded. Kakuzu proceeded to recount the events, and the more Pain learned, the more he fell into silence.

"He's no longer your mission. We will handle it," Pain declared before vanishing.

----

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