Several high-ranking officials of Takigakure sat in elevated seats within the council chamber, their gazes fixed on the lone figure being escorted out of the dungeon.
That man was Kakuzu.
At this moment, Kakuzu was no longer a respected jōnin of the Village Hidden in the Waterfall. He was a criminal, wrapped in thick iron chains engraved with sealing techniques that suppressed chakra circulation and restricted even the smallest movement.
Assassinating the leader of a major ninja village was an unforgivable crime.
Even the high-ranking officials of Takigakure had never expected Kakuzu to return alive after failing his assassination mission against the First Hokage of Konoha, Senju Hashirama.
And yet—he had survived.
That survival alone became his greatest sin.
After failing the assassination and barely escaping with his life, Kakuzu had returned to Takigakure, believing he would at least be interrogated fairly. Instead, the village leadership immediately imprisoned him under the pretext of mission failure.
Their reasoning was simple.
If Konoha chose to pursue responsibility, Takigakure would not be able to withstand retaliation. Someone would have to be sacrificed to appease Konoha's fury.
And there was no scapegoat more suitable than Kakuzu.
To weaken his resistance, Takigakure imprisoned him in a lightless underground cell, one so isolated that time itself seemed to cease. There was no sound, no sunlight, no sense of day or night.
Every two or three days, he was given a single Byōganmaru merely to keep him alive.
Despite Kakuzu's formidable strength, prolonged confinement, starvation, and sealing techniques had reduced him to a pitiful state. His body was emaciated, his chakra stagnant, and his consciousness often blurred.
Yet when he saw the familiar faces of Takigakure's leaders, a faint spark ignited in his dull eyes.
Hatred.
"I acted for the village," Kakuzu rasped.
"I followed your orders when I went to assassinate Senju Hashirama."
His voice trembled with suppressed fury.
"Why…?"
"Why are you treating me like this?!"
Kakuzu was an old-fashioned ninja, shaped by rigid traditions. Since the day he became a shinobi, he had been taught one unbreakable rule:
A ninja is a tool. Obedience is honor.
He had believed that following orders—no matter how dangerous—would earn him trust and respect.
That belief was why he accepted an impossible mission.
That belief was why he nearly died.
And that belief was why he now stood here in chains.
"Silence."
Takigakure's leader spoke coldly, without a trace of sympathy.
"When a mission fails, you should commit seppuku. Instead, you fled back here and dragged disaster upon the village. And you still dare to ask 'why'?"
To the leader, things were simple.
Ordinary ninja executed orders. Leaders bore responsibility for survival.
If Konoha demanded blood, Takigakure could not afford pride.
Kakuzu struggled violently, chains clattering loudly as he attempted to channel chakra—only to fail. His body and spirit had already reached their limits.
The council members laughed mockingly at his futile resistance.
"Kakuzu, stop struggling."
The village leader leaned forward.
"Answer me this. After your mission failed, did you attack a noble from the Qinghua Family of the Land of Fire?"
Konoha's investigation report accused Takigakure of multiple offenses. Whether the accusation was true mattered little—but confirmation would strengthen their position.
"No!"
Kakuzu denied it instantly.
"I didn't do it."
He had been imprisoned for so long that he knew nothing of the outside world. Whatever conspiracy was unfolding beyond these walls, he refused to accept crimes he had not committed.
The leader believed him.
But belief alone was meaningless.
Whether Kakigakure had truly committed the crime no longer mattered. What mattered was that Konoha had already decided they were guilty.
And someone had to bear that guilt.
"You're the only Takigakure ninja who recently entered the Land of Fire," the leader said coldly.
"If not you, then who?"
"Konoha has released the investigation report."
"They intend to punish us for multiple crimes."
"If you're smart, you'll cooperate. Confess, and your final days will be easier."
Kakuzu laughed hoarsely.
"At this point… does my answer even matter?"
His laughter echoed hollowly through the chamber.
The leader smiled faintly.
"Good. I'm glad you understand."
In his mind, everything he did was for Takigakure's survival. Sacrificing one ninja to save the village was not cruelty—it was pragmatism.
Eventually, Takigakure chose surrender.
They would hand Kakuzu over to Konoha as the culprit, beg forgiveness, and sign whatever humiliating treaties were required. Becoming a vassal was better than annihilation.
"Are you going to hand me over to Konoha?" Kakuzu asked quietly.
"Yes."
"If you cooperate, you won't suffer as much before that."
"I see…"
Kakuzu closed his eyes.
"What in this world… is truly trustworthy?"
His heart turned to ash.
"Take him away," the leader ordered.
"Give him proper food for once."
"In a few days, he'll be sent to Konoha."
That meal would be his last.
That night, a Chūnin delivered Kakuzu's dinner: rice, vegetables, meat, and even a flask of sake.
Compared to his previous torment, it was a feast.
Kakuzu ate ravenously.
"Hey," the guard said hesitantly, "is it true you acted on your own? Assassinated the Hokage… even killed a noble family?"
"You caused all this trouble for Takigakure."
Kakuzu remained silent.
At this point, defending himself was meaningless.
No one would believe him.
"If Konoha destroys the village," the Chūnin continued anxiously, "I'll have to flee. No missions means no money…"
His worries were painfully practical.
Takigakure was a small village. Its so-called Chūnin were often little more than strong Genin. Loyalty was a luxury when survival was uncertain.
"Shut up," Kakuzu snapped.
"Is money all you think about?"
The guard scoffed.
"Why do ninja complete missions? For money."
"Whoever pays me—I sell my life to them."
"Ninja Way? That's for big shots."
"You had one. Where did it get you?"
Kakuzu was speechless.
For the first time, the ideals he had clung to all his life cracked like glass.
After a long silence, he spoke:
"If I give you ten million ryō… will you let me go?"
The guard froze.
"Ten… million?"
"That's my savings."
"If you let me go, it's yours."
Temptation overwhelmed fear.
Ten million ryō was wealth beyond imagination.
After a long struggle, the guard made his choice.
Love gold.
Minutes later, he returned with trembling hands.
"It's real…"
"Here's the key," he whispered.
"I'm leaving immediately."
Kakuzu grasped the key.
For the first time in years, he felt awake.
He had lived in vain.
But from this moment on—
He would live for gold.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)