Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Bounty Exchange in the Land of Lightning
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Land of Lightning, a coastal port city.
Under the gloomy sky, Kakuzu's figure clad in a black robe slowly made his way through the bustling streets, exuding an aura that warned others to keep their distance.
His pale blue eyes coldly scanned the surrounding pedestrians, as if appraising their worth.
His intimidating presence was chilling; passersby hurriedly gave way, none daring to meet his gaze.
Kakuzu arrived at a restroom on the outskirts of the city. He glanced around cautiously for a moment before stepping inside.
After knocking on the restroom door in a specific sequence, a hidden door materialized in the corner, revealing a dark passageway leading to an unknown destination.
However, this was far from Kakuzu's first visit. He descended the stairs with practiced ease.
The space below suddenly opened up into a spacious chamber. The two girls at the reception desk spotted the guest and immediately flashed professional smiles.
"Welcome."
"I'm here to exchange a bounty." Kakuzu's voice was hoarse and laced with gloom.
"Understood, please wait a moment." One of the girls bowed deeply, then curtsied gracefully before hurrying off to summon the Bounty Exchange's manager.
Moments later, a bald man with a knife scar on his forehead emerged, his face beaming with smiles.
"So it's Lord Kakuzu. I've heard tales of your legendary name for years."
"Hmph." Kakuzu snorted coldly, unmoved by the flattery.
"Enough chit-chat. This time, I'm cashing in this one's bounty." Kakuzu pulled a storage scroll from his pocket.
He unfurled it.
The corpse of a ninja wearing a Konoha headband appeared on the ground.
"Let me take a look." The bald man deftly flipped open the bounty ledger and nodded after cross-referencing the details.
After searching through the Konoha ninja entries for a moment, the bald man found the match.
"A special jonin of the Sarutobi Clan... bounty of eight million." The bald man recited the target's full intel before squatting down for a thorough inspection.
To guard against scams using the Transformation Technique or genjutsu.
Though a bounty hunter of Kakuzu's caliber would never stoop to such tricks, rules were rules.
"Confirmed authentic, Lord Kakuzu." The bald man rose and clapped his hands. The two receptionists approached, carrying a sturdy box.
Kakuzu took the box, set it on the counter, and opened it. He picked up the stacks of bills, his fingertips flipping through them with rapid precision, the corners of his mouth curving upward ever so slightly.
Kakuzu was clearly in high spirits, humming softly to himself now and then as he counted the money.
Meanwhile, the bald man directed his staff to open a storage vault in the nearby wall and stow the corpse inside.
He then waited patiently for Kakuzu to finish counting.
Having worked at the Bounty Exchange for many years, he'd heard plenty about this powerful "bounty hunter" who insisted on counting his earnings on the spot—but this was his first time dealing with Kakuzu personally.
Tap, tap, tap—
As he waited for Kakuzu to complete his count, footsteps echoed from the stairwell.
"Looks like more business today." The bald man looked up.
Kakuzu, mid-count, paused and directed his pale blue gaze toward the sound.
A mysterious figure wearing a white three-eyed fox mask descended the stairs, his long robe swaying with each step, an eerie aura clinging to him.
"Tch, putting on a show." Kakuzu sneered under his breath, though his interest in the stranger was already piqued.
Many wanted ninja concealed their true faces behind masks or cloths, so Kakuzu always paid close attention to such types.