Naruto: Reborn as Kakuzu, the Immortal Assassin

In the past, this land was engulfed in blood and fire—clashes of blades and swords, endless battles between ninja clans and warring factions. The flames of war swept across the Shinobi World like drifting smoke, sparing no one. Men took up arms to defend their clans and families, while women and children left behind at home had no escape from the ravages of conflict.

The chaos paid no heed to age or innocence. But then came the establishment of the shinobi village system, where each nation founded its own ninja village under the "One Country, One Village" policy. With clearer borders and relative order, the continent began to settle into a fragile peace.

Though this peace was tenuous, marred by irreconcilable tensions between nations, it marked the end of mass slaughter against innocents. To honor this hard-won stability, the year of this accord was designated as the start of a "New Era." Now, six years into the New Era, the scars of history remain, but life presses on.

...

White Tree Town—a settlement straddling the borders of the Land of Fire, the Land of Waterfalls, and the Land of Iron—was a testament to this tumultuous history. Its unique geographic position rendered it a place of chaos, beyond the reach of any nation's governance. Yet in this chaos thrived a strange kind of vibrancy.

"Step right up! Freshly made three-color dango from the Land of Fire! Delicious and affordable!"

"Sir, have a look! Sticky clay treats from the Land of Earth—chewy, flavorful, and unforgettable!"

"Here we go! Sugar candies from the Land of Wind! The finest specialty you'll ever taste!"

Merchants of all kinds filled the bustling streets, hawking their wares in accents from every corner of the shinobi world. Travelers and traders brought vitality to the town, and where merchants gathered, so did the people. Families strolled the streets, lovers wandered hand-in-hand, and swordsmen stood vigil in silent watchfulness. Even veiled figures darted through the crowds, avoiding notice.

But the lively atmosphere shifted in an instant with the arrival of a singular figure.

One by one, row by row, the people fell silent. All eyes turned to the newcomer with astonished gazes.

Draped in a loose black robe that concealed most of his form, his towering 190-centimeter frame was impossible to miss. Even the robe couldn't hide his explosive musculature. His piercing gaze sent a shiver down the spine of anyone who met it, carrying a presence honed through countless battles.

Those who recognized him bowed their heads in deference, for this was a man who radiated a bloodlust so intense it could only come from a life steeped in slaughter.

As he stepped forward, the crowd instinctively parted, clearing a path before him. His mere glance compelled others to avert their eyes.

The town, which thrived on disorder, fell eerily quiet in his wake.

Kakuzu swept his gaze over the street, smirking faintly. He ignored the wary stares and entered a nearby inn.

The innkeeper hurried over, his demeanor servile. "Welcome, honored guest! How may I assist you?"

"I need a room. Quiet—especially quiet. I don't want to be disturbed. Understood?"

"Yes, yes, absolutely! You have my word!" The innkeeper nodded fervently, handing over a key to an upper-level suite.

Kakuzu glanced at the key and nodded. A high-floor, premium room—isolated enough for his purposes. Without a word, he ascended the stairs, his heavy steps echoing in the silence.

Upon entering the room, he locked the door and surveyed his surroundings. Everything was immaculate—luxurious bedding, a plush sofa, and fine toiletries. Even the small card by the door offered an array of additional services.

Uninterested, Kakuzu sat cross-legged on the bed, ensuring no one was nearby. Satisfied, he retrieved a scroll from his robes.

Earth Grudge Fear—Secret Technique.

This was his "lifeblood" jutsu. Although he had already mastered it, the final notes in the scroll intrigued him. Turning to the last few pages, he read the reflections of the jutsu's creator, a monk from the Temple.

"To the brave soul who has reached this point: You have likely mastered my secret technique and uncovered its flaws. Transforming your body into black threads enhances physical capabilities and serves as a formidable weapon. However, it comes at a cost—the forfeiture of the body's potential for growth."

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed. So the monk had recognized the inherent risks.

Raising his right hand, he demonstrated the jutsu.

Whoosh!

His palm shot forward, black threads extending from his arm like a grotesque web. These threads, now integrated into his entire body, functioned as his new circulatory system. He could manipulate them effortlessly, stretching and retracting without risk of infection, unlike Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku.

But therein lay the crux of the problem.

"With nearly all of my flesh replaced by threads, my body can no longer develop," Kakuzu muttered, staring at his hand.

In the original story, he had lived over 90 years, yet fell to a young shinobi with barely a decade of training. Now the truth was clear.

"My remaining decades may be free from the fear of aging, but my surface body is forever frozen as it is," he said, his voice tinged with resignation.

"Without the internal workings of the human body, only its external shell remains. Chakra can no longer progress, not even by an inch."

Kakuzu's daily functions—eating, sleeping, even the most intimate activities—all remained normal. But the ability to activate his cells for training had been entirely stripped away.

"In the time I have left, there's only one way to grow stronger: continually seizing the hearts of powerful individuals and making their strength my own."

This was the side effect of the Earth Grudge Fear technique. He could no longer cultivate power through personal effort. If he only focused on stealing from the weak, his growth would stagnate. But the strong—like the Five Kage—not only possessed immense power themselves but were constantly surrounded by an elite squad for protection.

These squads typically consisted of at least ten shinobi, all at the level of jonin or higher. Faced with such formations, how could Kakuzu even begin to make his move?

"Ah, so this is the price of immortality."

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he rose from the bed and walked slowly to the window. He gazed out at the bustling streets below, the once-frozen scenes of life resuming their lively rhythm.

'Am I destined to be a fleeting blossom, here one moment and gone the next, like this view before me?'

'Heh, don't even think about it!'

Kakuzu shook off his doubts. He had no intention of becoming fodder for someone else's story decades later. Returning to the bed, he picked up the scroll and continued reading the words left behind by the Monk.

"Earth Grudge Fear has rendered me unable to develop my own strength. Such an outcome is unacceptable. Over the years, I traversed countless nations and regions, searching for a way to break this impasse.

"At last, I found a theory. The black threads of Earth Grudge Fear have merged with my body—they are now a part of me. They have replaced the living tissues of my body with inanimate threads.

"If I can find a catalyst and slowly activate life within these threads, they may form a new body."

The Monk didn't elaborate further but simply left his blessings for whoever might read his words.

Kakuzu guessed that the monk had been killed before he could complete his research. He likely only uncovered the theory behind breaking Earth Grudge Fear's limitations but lacked the necessary materials to put it into practice.

Closing the scroll, Kakuzu shut his eyes and meditated quietly.

'The monk's insights are incredibly valuable. If I can harness Earth Grudge Fear while continuously growing stronger, I would truly possess the power I desire.'

This, Kakuzu felt, was the only way to break the curse of his fate. He had to find a way to overcome the side effects of Earth Grudge Fear.

'Activate life... a catalyst... form a true body...'

Suddenly, Kakuzu's eyes snapped open. The answer was there, lurking in his mind.

The catalyst described by the Monk might not have existed in his era, but in Kakuzu's time, it certainly did. Or rather, it hadn't been discovered yet.

Hashirama's cells.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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