On the northern border of the Land of Fire, a dark shadow flickered through the forest.
Kakuzu's black robe fluttered in the moonlight like a soul-reaping phantom. Under the cover of night, he infiltrated a merchant caravan's camp.
The caravan guards—a group of wandering ninja and samurai—were huddled around a campfire cleaning their tools, completely oblivious to the fact that death had arrived.
Kakuzu's Jigenyu (Earth Grudge Fear) silently tore through the darkness. Five black threads lashed out, accurately constricting the throats of the three nearest wandering ninja. These men were mostly Genin level, and the samurai were even less of a threat; they were fine for dealing with commoners or bandits, but against an elite Jōnin like Kakuzu, they were merely wheat before a scythe.
"Enemy att—!" The shrill warning was cut short as blood sprayed across the tent canvas.
The camp devolved into chaos. The guards were slaughtered before they could even lay eyes on their assailant.
"Dammit! Who's there?!" The leader of the caravan stumbled out of his tent, gasping in horror as he saw his precious cargo engulfed in flames. To him, the deaths of the mercenaries and porters were trivial, but that cargo was worth a fortune!
Shu—
A kunai whistled through the air, pinning the "Sakamoto Trading" banner to the ground right between the leader's feet, nearly taking off his toes.
"You have three days to leave the Land of Fire," Kakuzu's rasping voice echoed from the shadows.
"You bastard! I am a merchant with a special permit from the Daimyo!" the leader shrieked.
"Then I'll just have to kill you." Kakuzu drew a kunai and began a slow, deliberate walk toward the man.
The cold steel of the blade reflected the dancing orange flames. Kakuzu's green eyes radiated pure killing intent. Surrounded by burning wagons and the screams of the wounded, the merchant leader finally broke. He collapsed into the dirt, his trousers darkening with urine.
"I... I'll go... Please, spare me, my Lord..."
"Hmph." Kakuzu vanished in a flicker of movement.
Left behind in the blood-soaked dirt, the leader stared at his ruined livelihood, feeling as though his world had ended.
Capital of the Land of Fire.
Inside the headquarters of the Gato Corporation, a crystal chandelier illuminated several ledgers. Gato, wearing his small spectacles, was busy auditing a set of figures when Kakuzu climbed through the window.
"Hey, hey! Can you stop using the window every time? That's the seventh time you've broken the latch!" Gato looked up, his voice full of petty annoyance.
Before he could finish, a heavy scroll slammed onto the desk, landing right on top of his accounting book.
"The Sakamoto caravan has been handled."
Gato quickly grabbed the scroll. "You didn't kill the head, did you?"
Though the rival merchant was just a civilian, anyone doing international trade in this era usually had noble backing or ties to a shinobi clan. Gato just wanted to drive them out and burn their stock to drive up his own prices. As long as no nobles were murdered, the authorities wouldn't look too closely.
Of course, if push came to shove, Gato wouldn't hesitate to have an entire company silenced. One does not become a global tycoon in a war-torn world by being a saint.
"The usual rule: I warned him. He agreed to leave, so I spared him," Kakuzu said, leaning back into a leather sofa. Then, his green pupils locked onto Gato. "The money."
"Don't worry, you'll get your cut!" Gato inspected the stolen trade secrets before pulling a heavy case from beneath his desk and bringing it to Kakuzu personally.
Since joining the "Organization" and serving that Lord, the two had become a functional duo. Gato focused on trade, opening branches across the Land of Fire and its neighbors to rake in the funds, while Kakuzu acted as both a bodyguard and a "problem solver" for Gato's competitors.
To Gato, Kakuzu was incredibly cost-effective compared to the boastful wandering ninja he used to hire.
"Heh." Kakuzu opened the case and began to meticulously count the stacks of cash. It was the only time he looked truly happy.
Gato had grown used to his partner's quirks. He knew better than to treat Kakuzu the way he treated his underlings. He had once watched Kakuzu slaughter a dozen of his own guards in a few breaths just because one of them had spoken out of turn.
Gato returned to his desk to plan a commercial offensive into the Land of Rice Fields. With the Sakamoto Trading company crippled, he could move in and seize their territory.
As they worked, a slight breeze drifted through the window.
Kakuzu froze, his fingers stopping mid-count. He stared at the window where a figure was now perched. Gato followed his gaze and immediately dropped what he was doing, his plump face breaking into a sycophantic grin.
"Lord Menma! You've arrived!"
Menma, wearing his white three-eyed fox mask, hopped down from the windowsill.
"Lord!" Kakuzu stood up as well. After all, the boss was here for an inspection.
"How is the relocation of the Iburi clan progressing?" Menma walked past them and sat directly in Gato's plush executive chair.
Gato buzzed around like a devoted secretary. "According to your orders, the supplies have reached the designated drop-off. These are the company's accounts for the month—"
Menma ignored the ledgers. "What do you two know about the nations in the west?"
"The Land of Demons, the Land of Snow, the Land of Bears, and the Land of Marshes."
These were his backup options.
"My Lord, only the Land of Snow and the Land of Bears have shinobi," Gato reported, drawing on his vast trade knowledge. "I heard Snow had an internal coup a few years ago; a man named Dotō Kazahana is in power now. They have their own 'Snow Ninja.' The Land of Demons is ruled by a Priestess and has no hidden village. The Land of Marshes and Land of Bears share a fertile plain—they're mostly known for grain."
"The Land of Bears has the Hidden Star Village," Gato added. "They have that natural defense, the Hell Valley..."
Menma turned his gaze to Kakuzu. "What do you know about the Hidden Star Village?"
"The Star Village?" Kakuzu's eyes narrowed behind his mask. He had traveled the world for decades. "They're like the Hidden Waterfall—they have their own secrets. They practice something called the Peacock Method... but honestly? It's little more than a clown show."