Chapter 106: The Greedy Gambler
This simple and brutal binary Law felt like a heavy hammer smashing directly onto everyone's crown.
The temperature in the meeting room instantly plummeted to freezing point.
Sasori of the Red Sand manipulated hiruko to shrink further into the shadows. He instinctively rejected this uncontrollable 'Biochemical Virus'—his body had already been transformed into a puppet, and what if this Virus could even corrode inorganic matter? Wouldn't his pursuit of 'eternal' art become a joke?
Biwa Jūzō silently held kubikiribōchō across his chest, his Adam's apple bobbing. He was a madman from the Hidden Mist, unafraid of killing or being killed, but this death by 'turning into Pus' was just too disgusting, too undignified.
Even the most fanatical Orochimaru shut his mouth, frantically calculating probabilities in his mind, considering whether he should first go outside to capture a few civilians for Live Experiments to gather some data.
No one wanted to be the First to Try the Crab.
Looking at these S-Rank Rogue Ninjas who were usually lawless but now cowered in fear, Yahiko suddenly let out a scornful laugh.
"Hah."
This light laugh was filled with undisguised contempt, like a resounding slap across everyone's face.
"Is this what you call S-Rank Rogue Ninjas? Are these the Scoundrels who treat the Five Great Nations as nothing?"
Yahiko stood up, looking down on everyone from above, the mockery in his eyes almost overflowing.
"You're not even as good as that woman who just joined. Pakura dared to wield her blade to sever her past for dignity, while you, faced with a ticket to evolution, are like a bunch of Unweaned Children calculating risks."
"If you don't even have the resolve to gamble with your lives..." Yahiko turned around, his back to everyone as he looked at the heavy rain outside the window, his voice cold as ice shards, "then you'll only be fit to scurry around like Rats under the pursuit of the Five Great Nations' Anbu for the rest of your lives, never touching the true peak."
"A bunch of Trash."
As these two words were uttered, the air completely solidified.
Killing Intent.
Several strands of Killing Intent mixed with shame, anger, and brutality surged through the room. For these proud and arrogant powerhouses, being called Trash to their faces was worse than being killed.
But still, no one moved. The aura emanating from that arrow was just too bizarre.
Amid this suffocating stalemate, a crisp metallic clang abruptly rang out.
Clink.
The Gold Coin that had been pinched between Kakuzu's fingers was flicked up and landed steadily in his palm.
This old fossil who had lived for over eighty years and fought the First Hokage slowly raised his head from the shadows. In those dark green eyes, the meticulous calculation and stinginess were fading, replaced by the madness of a gambler seeing an unbeatable hand.
"Leader."
Kakuzu's voice was low and hoarse, like two rusty iron sheets grinding together, "I have a technical question about the definition of that 'death'."
Yahiko tilted his head and raised an eyebrow: "Speak."
Kakuzu extended his large hand covered in Sutures and pressed it against his chest. There, besides his original Heart, four other Trophies taken from powerful individuals were beating.
"You said the price is death."
Kakuzu stared intently at the arrow, his tone as calm as if discussing a business deal: "So, if I 'die' once but come back to life, does that count as failure? Will this arrow give me a second chance?"
The entire room was stunned.
Orochimaru sharply turned his head, his snake-like pupils bursting with incredulous light: "You want to..."
"Ordinary people have only one life, that's an Absolute Cost. But I have five lives, that's my Margin for Error."
Kakuzu interrupted Orochimaru, a ferocious grin spreading across his lips. He stood up, black Earth Grudge Fear Tentacles writhing like mad Snakes from his collar and sleeves, tearing through the back of his clothes to reveal four ferocious Mask Monsters.
"If this Virus is a lethal attack targeting the body, I don't believe it can instantly destroy all my Hearts at once."
Kakuzu walked step by step toward the conference table, each step making the floor creak.
"As long as I have even one Heart left beating, this deal isn't a loss for me. Once successful, I'll gain that power—a harder currency than money."
He roughly pushed aside the obstructing Biwa Jūzō, his eyes filled with greedy green light.
"In this world, nothing is untradeable, including life."
Kakuzu walked up to Yahiko, his masked face leaning close to the golden arrow, but at the last moment, he stopped his hand and turned to look at Yahiko.
"If I succeed, I want an extra Ten Percent of the Mission Dividends next quarter."
Even at a time like this, he was still bargaining!
Yahiko looked at this old monster who had been distorted by money to his very bones, the corners of his mouth lifting into a satisfied smile.
This was the 'Mad Dog' he wanted.
"Deal." Yahiko stepped aside, making an elegant 'please' gesture, "As long as you survive, you'll get what you want."
"You said it."
Kakuzu snorted coldly, the hesitation in his eyes completely vanishing.
He violently tore open his shirt, revealing that terrifying body covered in Sutures like a Ragdoll yet surging with immense Chakra. Five Hearts beat violently under his skin, emitting dull thumping sounds.
Without any hesitation.
Kakuzu's large hand covered in black Tentacles grabbed the golden Arrowhead on the table.
"Come on, let me see how much this so-called Divine Domain is worth!"
Thud!
He stabbed backward—the Rust-Stained Arrowhead, without any flourish, directly pierced his beating Heart!
Silence.
Deathly silence.
Everyone held their breath, staring intently at Kakuzu's body.
The expected spray of blood did not appear.
The moment the Arrowhead pierced his skin, the arrow suddenly emitted a bone-chilling shriek, as if some living creature had been awakened.
"Ugh... AAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Kakuzu threw his head back, letting out an extremely shrill scream.
This wasn't the wail of physical injury, but the agony of a Soul being torn apart.
A visible Black-Purple Aura erupted from all the pores on his body—the Virus replicating madly.
"What... what is this thing?!"
Kakuzu's eyes widened in terror. His proud Earth Grudge Fear Tentacles, as if encountering a natural enemy, began convulsing wildly, withering, even emitting a scorching'sizzling' sound.
Immediately after, Kakuzu's skin began to blacken and fester at a visible rate, as if an invisible potent poison was disintegrating his existence at the Genetic Level.
"Not enough... one isn't enough!!"
Kakuzu maintained his final clarity amidst the excruciating pain—a clarity named greed. He frantically mobilized the Chakra within his body, trying to forcibly transfer the Virus to the Mask Monsters on his back.
This wasn't just a High-Stakes Gamble; it was a Despicable Game where a Mortal exploited Loopholes in the Rules to contend with the Shinigami.
And within that death-filled golden light, a bloody Tug-of-War between 'greed' and 'evolution' officially began.
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