The lower the concentration of Hashirama Cells, the more active they become. If these autonomous cells start running wild inside your body, it could be disastrous.
Kakuzu sat in place, his gaze distant as he looked out toward the horizon.
"You must neither reject nor suppress the Hashirama Cells, instead, you must try to fully integrate with them."
"However, before attempting fusion, you must ensure your body is strong enough to withstand the cells' devouring nature."
To put it plainly, it's like two people sitting at a table: the foundation of them playing nicely together is that both have the strength to flip the table and the discipline not to. Only when both sides are evenly matched can they truly cooperate and merge.
Danzo simply lacked the power to flip the table and the discipline not to. With both conditions missing, he still dared to play around with Hashirama Cells—no wonder he was doomed to turn into a tree.
Take Obito and Yamato, for example—the concentration of Hashirama Cells in their bodies wasn't excessively high. Rough estimates placed Obito's cell concentration at about 50 times the normal level. Yamato, the lucky one, likely had a slightly higher concentration, around 25 times.
For an ordinary person, playing with Hashirama Cells would end at this level.
Only Madara was able to achieve full integration. His success wasn't just because he was Indra's reincarnation—his body's sheer strength must have also played a crucial role, allowing him to perfectly merge with Hashirama Cells.
Kakuzu clapped his hands against the armrests and slowly stood up. It was time to strengthen his own body.
As for how he planned to do it, Kakuzu already had an idea in mind.
With everything in Ryūgakure running smoothly, he could set out immediately. However, there were still a few hidden threats that hadn't been dealt with yet.
Outside, Kakuzu unfurled a sealing scroll on the ground. Forming several hand seals, he undid the Eight Trigrams Seal.
Boom!
A towering column of smoke erupted into the sky as the Seven-Tails appeared.
"Chōmei, you wanted freedom, didn't you? I can give it to you."
Initially wary and prepared to fight, the Seven-Tails froze upon hearing those words. For a moment, she was at a loss.
Even more puzzling was how Kakuzu had called her by name the moment he arrived. However, that detail wasn't the most pressing concern.
"Human, what's your scheme?" the Seven-Tails asked suspiciously.
For centuries, shinobi had sought to either conquer or exploit the power of the Tailed Beasts. Naturally, this made the Tailed Beasts highly distrustful of humans, who excelled in deception and manipulation.
Kakuzu smirked. "Your suspicion isn't entirely misplaced. But do you think it applies to me?"
He raised a clenched fist and casually waved it before Chōmei's eyes.
The Seven-Tails fell silent, contemplating his words for a long time before finally speaking.
"What do you want from me?"
Nothing in the world came without a price—especially from a businessman like Kakuzu. Even a Tailed Beast like Chōmei understood that.
"When I need you, you must answer my call. I don't intend to harm you, but don't think about resisting me."
"So… you want me to become your summoning beast?" Chōmei asked uncertainly.
Kakuzu chuckled. "Let's call it that. Is it really that shameful to be my summon?"
The Seven-Tails remained silent.
She could sense the power of the Three-Tails, the Five-Tails, and even the Nine-Tails within Kakuzu. He also had traces of the One-Tail's chakra, though he hadn't yet sealed Shukaku within himself.
After a long silence, Chōmei finally made her decision.
"I will help you in battle. But don't ask me to do anything too excessive."
Kakuzu straightened from where he had been leaning against a tree. His expression remained unreadable—this outcome was exactly what he had expected.
"You may fly freely within the Land of Dragons. However, you must never cross the borders, nor should you interact with shinobi from other nations. This is the greatest freedom I can offer you. If you break our agreement, I will have no choice but to imprison you for the rest of your life. Understood?"
The Seven-Tails flapped her six wings lightly, signaling her acceptance.
Kakuzu placed a sealing technique on the Seven-Tails. This technique was something he had learned from Senju Tobirama. In simple terms, it allowed him to sense immediately if anything happened to the tailed beast. It was an extra layer of insurance, ensuring he could keep track of it.
Afterward, he met with Ni to handle a few remaining matters. With that, this task was essentially complete.
The Seven-Tails flapped its six wings at high speed, lifting itself into the night sky. It wasn't planning to fly too far—just enough to enjoy the freedom of soaring through the vast, dark heavens. During the day, it would rest in its cavern, enjoying peaceful naps and feasting on delicious foliage.
With the Seven-Tails taken care of, Kakuzu crossed the waterfall, leaving the village behind as he set out on his journey. His destination lay to the east. The first country he would pass through was the Land of Iron, followed by the Land of Sound.
...
Nearly a month later,
Kakuzu finally arrived at his intended location.
Standing at the edge of a bustling street, he watched as pedestrians moved in groups, their voices blending into the lively atmosphere. There was no doubt—this was another prosperous town. It reminded him of the first time he had set foot in White Tree Town.
Finding the person he was looking for in a place like this would be no easy task.
However, there was one place that might be able to help.
Pulling his cloak tighter around him, Kakuzu lowered the brim of his straw hat. The wide fabric of his robes cast a deep shadow over his entire form.
Before long, he was descending a flight of stairs, one step at a time. As he entered the underground world hidden beneath the town, his gaze swept forward.
Lining the walls in front of him were rows of bounty posters.
"Heh... I've missed this scent of money."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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