"Little Renye, what's wrong?"
Senju Hashirama saw Renye suddenly stop and couldn't help but feel curious.
"Uncle Hashirama, I have something to discuss with Kakuzu," Renye said.
"Then go, but don't fight him again."
"Hmm, I know..."
Hashirama watched Renye leave, muttering, "I wonder what little Renye wants to do?"
The reason Renye went back to find Kakuzu was because he suddenly remembered that guy seemed to be very rich in the original story.
Adhering to the principle of never leaving empty-handed, he planned to extort a large sum of money from the other party.
On the other side, Kakuzu struggled to get up from the ground, tottering towards the Village.
A hint of resentment flashed in his eyes as he said coldly:
"Damn higher-ups, I will never let you go!"
Since he survived, the old guys in the Village should die.
Just then, Kakuzu heard footsteps behind him.
He instinctively turned around and met a pair of scarlet eyes.
"You... why are you back again?" Kakuzu's face instantly turned pale, and he stammered.
He thought Renye was here to kill him.
After all, it was Senju Hashirama who promised to let him go, not the Uchiha boy in front of him.
Thinking of this, Kakuzu closed his eyes in despair.
He still had a large amount of poison in his body, making it difficult to even walk, so he couldn't possibly be Renye's opponent.
The only thing he could do was close his eyes and wait for death.
Damn old guys, you've escaped a calamity...
Strangely, at the last moment of his life, he didn't fear death; instead, he was annoyed that the Village's higher-ups would survive.
Renye didn't know why this guy closed his eyes.
But he didn't care; he was here to ask for money this time.
"Kakuzu, I think you should pay me for the antidote."
Hearing this, Kakuzu suddenly opened his eyes wide, shocked:
"You're not going to kill me?"
Renye was a bit puzzled: "Why would I kill you?"
Senju Hashirama had already spoken; it would be impolite for him to kill Kakuzu now.
Seeing that Renye didn't seem to be faking it, he instinctively breathed a sigh of relief.
However, he quickly realized the meaning of Renye's words just now.
This boy seemed to be asking him for money...
"How much money do you want?" Kakuzu probed.
He had saved some money from missions over the years, but he didn't know if it was enough.
Renye looked Kakuzu up and down, thinking, 'This guy doesn't look like he has money, does he?'
Finally, he slowly held out three fingers, "Thirty million ryo!"
"Thirty million ryo?!" Kakuzu nearly dropped his jaw.
He had only saved a few million ryo from all his hard work over the years.
This boy was asking for thirty million; why didn't he just rob him?
"What, you don't have that much money?" Renye frowned unhappily, his voice growing colder.
He thought Kakuzu, this miser, was unwilling to pay.
He was deliberately making excuses...
Seeing Renye preparing to make a move, Kakuzu was almost in tears.
"No, I really don't have that much money!"
"Aren't you very fond of money?" Renye looked puzzled.
Wasn't Kakuzu famous for loving money in the original story?
How could he not have money?
"Boy, I really don't have that much money, I swear!"
What Renye didn't know was that the current Kakuzu wasn't obsessed with money.
It was only after being betrayed by the Village that he realized the power of money.
Coupled with the secret technique "Earth Grudge Fear," which allowed him to steal others' hearts to extend his life, Kakuzu gained immortality.
But as those around him gradually left, he could only be accompanied by time and solitude.
Thus, he placed his pursuit of life and sense of security on money, ultimately forming the philosophy of money above all else.
Renye could tell Kakuzu wasn't lying to him and sighed helplessly; it seemed he had come at the wrong time.
"Whatever money you have now, take it all out."
Kakuzu honestly took out all the money he had on him. Renye took the scroll and counted it; it was about three million.
He put the scroll away with satisfaction, placing it at his waist.
Although it wasn't much money, it wasn't a wasted trip...
"Boy, can I leave now?" Kakuzu asked cautiously.
"Have you paid off the debt? Then go!" Renye snorted coldly.
He had originally thought he would make a fortune, but he only got this much money.
"But I don't have any more money..." Kakuzu gritted his teeth.
This damned brat was truly bullying him too much!
If he weren't in such a state right now, he would have fought the other party to the death long ago.
"Alright, you can go now," Renye waved his hand.
Just as Kakuzu was about to leave, he heard Renye's next words.
"Remember, Kakuzu, you still owe me twenty-seven million ryo. I'll come find you then..."
Hearing this, he turned his head in disbelief.
But Renye's figure had already disappeared.
Kakuzu: "..."
Failing to assassinate the Ninja God was bad enough; now he also owed a huge sum of money.
At this moment, he truly realized the importance of money...
——————
Land of Hot Water, Hot Spring Village.
After a journey full of twists and turns, the two finally arrived at their destination.
"Haha, we're finally here!"
Hot Spring Village in the twilight was enveloped in swirling white mist.
Renye followed Hashirama into the hot spring inn, the wooden floor creaking softly underfoot.
The proprietress hurried over in her wooden clogs, and upon seeing the two, she immediately broke into a warm smile: "You two have arrived just in time! The 'Flowing Haze Pool' in the men's bath just had its water changed, and you can even enjoy the twilight view of the valley from there!"
She led them through a corridor hung with lanterns.
Pushing open the wooden door to the men's bath, a rush of steaming hot air, carrying the scent of sulfur, wafted towards them.
"Hahaha, hot spring, here I come!" Hashirama jumped straight into the hot spring, waving to Renye on the bank, "Little Renye, come down quickly, it's really comfortable."
Renye hesitated for a moment before slowly taking off his clothes.
The hot spring water covered his lean, battle-scarred body, and his taut muscles gradually relaxed in the warmth.
This was his first time in a hot spring, and it was indeed very comfortable.
This trip was not in vain...
He glanced at Hashirama not far away, who was leaning comfortably by the edge of the pool, his hair submerged in the water, a gentle smile on his face, "Little Renye, how does it feel?"
Renye nodded, "It feels alright."
Just then, a heavy thud suddenly echoed from a distance.
He instantly burst out of the water, grabbed his innocence from the bank, and his Sharingan spun rapidly.
Hashirama, however, remained leisurely in the water, raising his hand to cast a Wood Release vine, easily entangling the culprit—a stray cat.
"Little Renye, you're too tense," Hashirama gently stroked the stray cat, "It's just a little cat."
Renye froze in place, watching Hashirama gently place the cat by the pool and feed it fish cakes he had snuck from the kitchen.
Long periods of combat had triggered his instinctual reactions.
He re-entered the pool with some embarrassment.
PS: Dadas, I think I have a fever, boo hoo hoo...