Chapter 354: 354 – Kakuzu’s admiration!!

After testing the Demon-Slaying Bow, Kitazawa made his way toward the Hokage Building.

What should’ve been a ten-minute walk somehow dragged into thirty.

Ever since he unleashed Wood Release, his fame in Konoha had exploded past all reason. At this point, saying he’d surpassed Tsunade as the talk of the village wasn’t even an exaggeration.

By the time Kitazawa reached the Hokage Building, his three summoning storage scrolls were stuffed to the brim.

Every last inch was packed with offerings from enthusiastic villagers and shinobi—everything from vegetables and fruit to actual ninja tools. It was like he’d walked through a chaotic marketplace with “FREE GIFTS ACCEPTED” written on his forehead.

Kitazawa wiped the sweat from his brow.

Honestly? Fending off this level of enthusiasm was more exhausting than fighting Mōryō.

So this was the downside of fame…

Still, Kitazawa had enough self-awareness to understand the truth: this wave of worship wasn’t really for him.

It was for Wood Release.

He was riding on Hashirama’s legacy. If the First Hokage hadn’t once dominated the entire shinobi world with Wood Release, Kitazawa’s display wouldn’t have caused nearly this much uproar.

His own Wood Release was powerful, yes—but no more outrageous than Ōnoki’s Dust Release. Definitely not at the “invincible god of shinobi” level.

Kitazawa halted in front of the Hokage’s office and knocked lightly.

“Come in,” came Tsunade’s voice.

He pushed open the door and entered.

“How does it feel?” Tsunade asked with a knowing smile. “Have you gotten a taste of how beloved Wood Release is in Konoha?”

She had clearly seen the commotion outside.

“You sound like you’re enjoying this,” Kitazawa muttered.

“Enjoying? I’m delighted.” Her smile grew even brighter.

For her, Kitazawa’s popularity was another step toward early retirement. All she had to do was keep things afloat a little longer and then—bam—dump the Hokage responsibilities onto him and regain her freedom. Casinos, izakayas, and a carefree life were practically calling her name.

“Don’t think I don’t know what’s running through your mind,” Kitazawa said, shaking his head. “Whether you retire depends entirely on my mood.”

“I am your teacher!” Tsunade snapped, fist instantly clenching.

“So what?” Kitazawa countered calmly. “If you’re unhappy, you can always pick another student.”

“And where exactly am I supposed to find one now?” she retorted.

In today’s Konoha, anyone other than Kitazawa stepping up as the Sixth Hokage would face massive backlash.

“Then you’d better treat me nicely,” Kitazawa said, leaning casually against her desk.

His eyes inevitably fell on the assets before him.

“Your Wood Release is still worlds apart from my grandfather’s,” Tsunade grumbled, stomping on his foot. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

“I know,” Kitazawa replied with a nod.

Tsunade studied him for a moment. “It’s a pity I didn’t get to see your fight with Mōryō in person.”

“If you want a demonstration, I can recreate it right now,” Kitazawa said, picking up a cup from her desk and taking a sip.

“No need to waste chakra,” she said—then froze. “…That’s my cup.”

“I know.” He set it down, smiling. “I just performed a major service. I can drink a little of your water, can’t I?”

“That’s not the issue…” Tsunade hesitated, then sighed. “Forget it. Do whatever you want.”

After all, with their relationship, something that minor hardly mattered.

“What about the other villages?” Kitazawa asked suddenly.

“Publicly? Nothing.” Tsunade smirked. “But privately, I doubt any of them are calm.”

Hashirama’s era had left every village traumatized by Wood Release. Its return was bound to shake them.

“You should be careful,” she warned. “Someone might get desperate enough to send assassins after you.”

“I’m not worried about myself,” Kitazawa said. “But the Genius Class might be targeted. I’ll have the Anbu increase their protection.”

“Good.” Tsunade nodded. “We cannot afford to lose even one of them.”

“With Lord Third watching over them and the Anbu guarding them, most threats won’t get close,” Kitazawa reassured her.

“There’s something amusing, too.” Tsunade chuckled. “Iwa, Suna, and Kiri have all copied us and started their own Genius Classes.”

Kitazawa waved a hand dismissively. “Even with the system, the results depend on the students. They don’t have that many geniuses to begin with.”

“True,” Tsunade sighed. “Even I’m shocked by how many prodigies Konoha has this generation.”

Kitazawa grinned. “Maybe Konoha’s just lucky.”

Given the Ōtsutsuki origins of chakra, that wasn’t entirely wrong. The closer a village’s bloodline connections, the more absurdly gifted its youth became.

And Konoha currently housed two reincarnations of the Sage of Six Paths’ sons—who were practically guaranteed a last-minute divine buff when the world went to hell.

“Other than luck, I don’t have a better explanation,” Tsunade said. “If that’s all, you should get some rest.”

“I would… but what about my reward?” Kitazawa asked, eyes drifting to her lips.

Tsunade froze.

She didn’t have to guess what he meant.

“Do you even remember you’re supposed to be a student?” she asked, standing up to face him.

“What should a student look like?” Kitazawa replied innocently.

Tsunade held his gaze for several seconds—then leaned in and kissed him.

With her personality, she had no need for bashfulness. Since things had already reached this point, she accepted it with steady, deliberate certainty.

Kitazawa froze for half a heartbeat—but then he kissed her back.

His hands slipped naturally around Tsunade’s waist, pulling her closer. Even when the battle of lips and tongues ended, he didn’t release her. If anything, he tightened his hold.

Tsunade drew in a quiet breath, chest rising, but she didn’t push him away.

Feeling the warmth and softness in his arms, Kitazawa lifted a hand and gently ran his fingers through her hair.

“…Alright.” Tsunade finally regained her composure, stepping back half a pace. “If someone sees us like this, it’ll be troublesome. Go on and get some rest.”

Kitazawa nodded, choosing to stop before things crossed an irreversible line.

She had already accepted half of it; the rest was only a matter of time. Rushing her now would only ruin the natural pace.

With that, he left the Hokage’s office.

The Next Morning.

Kitazawa arrived at the ANBU base early.

“Kitazawa.”

Konan’s voice was cool as always, but the moment she looked at him, the memory of that colossal Wood Dragon flickered behind her eyes.

“Morning, Konan,” he greeted casually.

He sat at his desk and sifted through the intelligence reports from the last few days.

Predictably, every major development in the shinobi world revolved around one thing—his Wood Release.

Tsunade had already briefed him yesterday, but the reports offered more concrete details. Still, nothing stood out as particularly alarming.

No village would start a war with Konoha simply because Kitazawa had awakened Wood Release. War required overwhelming advantage or desperation—neither of which applied here.

After finishing the reports, Kitazawa headed to the Ninja Academy.

Konan didn’t follow.

By his order, she wasn’t required to shadow him at the academy except during the lunch break.

And truthfully, Konan had more than enough on her plate.

Besides her ANBU duties, she remotely managed the two booming enterprises of the Land of Rain and the Akatsuki: silver jewelry and purified rainwater.

When Kitazawa left, she finally returned to her dorm.

The instant she opened the door, she noticed a single slip of paper on her table.

Konan approached. Only one character was written on it: Bei.

A codename—the one belonging to Kakuzu.

Her own code was Shiro.

Bei was Kakuzu.

But this note wasn’t from Kakuzu—it was from Zetsu.

Only Zetsu could slip into Konoha undetected.

Konan’s brows knit together.

Why would Kakuzu seek her out?

Was something wrong with the Land of Earth operations?

But even if there were issues, it made no sense for him to personally travel to Konoha.

Pocketing the note, she headed out.

Deep inside the Forest of Death

Kakuzu stood among the towering trees, fingers brushing the bark as a strange nostalgia flickered in his eyes.

This forest—this monstrous ecosystem—was a creation of Senju Hashirama.

He had fought the God of Shinobi in his youth, sent by Takigakure’s elders to assassinate him.

He failed.

He was punished brutally.

And in his fury, he stole the village’s forbidden technique—Jiongu—and became a rogue.

Hashirama had changed the trajectory of Kakuzu’s entire life.

So when Kakuzu heard Wood Release had resurfaced in Konoha, he rushed over without hesitation.

“Kakuzu.”

Konan’s voice sliced through the quiet. “What are you doing in Konoha?”

“Kitazawa,” he replied simply.

Konan’s expression chilled. “The Akatsuki cannot afford conflict with Konoha. You know this. Actions like this are forbidden.”

Kakuzu blinked, surprised at her sharp tone.

Konan… felt different lately.

But Wood Release was the one wound he had never managed to close.

After Hashirama’s death, he’d thought revenge would forever remain out of reach. Then Kitazawa appeared—the second wielder of Wood Release.

If he didn’t face Wood Release again, that knot would never loosen.

Still, Konan’s logic was solid.

The Akatsuki needed money, and Konoha—and the Land of Fire—were some of their most profitable clients.

Starting conflict now would expose them completely.

Should he leave the organization?

No—leaving meant every member would hunt him.

He wasn’t afraid of the pursuit.

He was afraid of losing the money.

The profits from silver jewelry and Rainwater had already exceeded everything he’d earned in his entire life. Losing that… was worse than death.

“I think you misunderstand,” Kakuzu finally said. “I’m not here to assassinate Kitazawa. I want to spar with him.”

“…”

Konan’s mind went blank for a moment.

Did Kakuzu—the man who had murdered his own teammates for pocket change—just say he wanted to spar?

She had assumed he was aiming for the enormous bounty on Kitazawa’s head.

“Personally,” Kakuzu continued, face unreadable, “I admire Wood Release greatly. I simply want to witness it myself.”

For once, he wasn’t lying.

He had no intention of killing Kitazawa inside Konoha.

Kitazawa alone would be difficult—but Konoha still had Hiruzen, Tsunade, and even Orochimaru lurking around.

He wasn’t suicidal.

He just wanted closure—one more confrontation with the power that had shaped his fate.

“If it’s only a sparring match, I can relay the message to Kitazawa.”

Konan said after a brief moment of consideration.

“Good.” Kakuzu nodded. “If he agrees, tell him to meet me at the Valley of the End next Monday at nine in the morning.”

He intended to spend the entire week preparing.

And the Valley of the End—where Hashirama and Madara once clashed—was deliberate.

If he could overcome Wood Release here, it would feel like delivering vengeance before the very shadow of Senju Hashirama.

“I’ll go with you,” Konan added, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

“I understand,” Kakuzu replied calmly.

Of course he understood the hidden meaning.

She feared the spar might escalate into a true battle, dragging the Akatsuki and Konoha into conflict.

Kakuzu didn’t object.

He himself wasn’t certain Kitazawa’s Wood Release wasn’t at Hashirama’s level—if it was, facing it alone might be suicidal.

It wasn’t cowardice.

It was the lingering terror branded into him during his clash with the original God of Shinobi.

“I’ll wait until next Monday. One day. If he doesn’t appear, I’ll leave.”

With that, Kakuzu vanished into the forest.

Konan fell silent, thinking.

How should she bring this up to Kitazawa?

The moment Kitazawa stepped into the Ninja Academy, the Genius Class swarmed him like bees to honey.

Every question was about Wood Release.

Konoha had practically turned Wood Release into a festival—old ladies, toddlers, and even merchants selling vegetables talked about it daily.

“Alright, alright—go train,” Kitazawa said after answering a few questions, shooing them off.

“Kitazawa, you’ve really become someone impressive.” Hiruzen chuckled, pipe tucked at the corner of his mouth.

“It’s just the First Hokage’s fame rubbing off on me,” Kitazawa replied humbly.

“To defeat a demon like Mōryō… your Wood Release must be outstanding. Konoha may birth its next God of Shinobi,” Kosuke said with genuine admiration.

Kakashi said nothing, but his eye lingered on Kitazawa a little too long.

Kitazawa’s growth had always been abnormal—leaps of power in short periods, far beyond what Kakashi had ever seen. Even compared to Sasuke or Naruto, Kitazawa’s development had an uncanny, almost unnatural quality.

And now he had Wood Release as well—far surpassing Kakashi himself.

“Ahem, back to business,” Kitazawa said. “The Genius Class is becoming too well-known. Other villages might target them.”

“That’s true.” Chen frowned. “Many prodigies are killed before reaching adulthood.”

He thought of his late student and fell silent.

“I’ll have ANBU increase their protection,” Kitazawa said. “But as their instructors, we must also be vigilant.”

“Rest assured,” Kosuke declared, thumping his chest. “Anyone who tries to harm them will have to pass over my dead body.”

“Same here!” Chen echoed.

These aging shinobi had devoted their lives to the village. Their final wish was simply to see Konoha’s new flames grow strong.

Kitazawa couldn’t help thinking, This is the Will of Fire.

After wrapping up, everyone returned to their groups to continue teaching.

“Naruto, Sasuke, Neji—come here.”

The three immediately halted their training and approached.

“I have a mission for you,” Kitazawa said with a small smile. “This afternoon, show Shion around the village.”

He had originally planned to send only Naruto and Sasuke, but considering those two together was a recipe for chaos… he added Neji for balance.

Naruto thumped his chest. “Mission accepted! Leave it to me!”

Sasuke simply nodded.

Neji, composed as ever, also nodded.

“Alright, get back to training,” Kitazawa said, waving them off. “I’ll take you to meet her later.”

Noon—Kitazawa’s Office

“Kitazawa.”

Konan stood when he entered, hesitated briefly, then said, “There’s something I need to discuss.”

“What is it?” Kitazawa asked, curious.

“One of our Akatsuki members… greatly admires Wood Release and wishes to spar with you.”

She stated it plainly.

She had spent all morning deciding how to phrase it—and finally settled on Kakuzu’s ’admiration’ angle.

[Current Mission: Challenge from Kakuzu. Defeat him using Wood Release.]

[Reward: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken]

[Accept?]

Kitazawa’s eyes lit up.

As expected of Kakuzu. The man really is a walking money-delivery service.

Wind Release: Rasenshuriken—an S-rank jutsu.

Even the incom

plete version had destroyed two of Kakuzu’s hearts instantly.

But it came with a fatal flaw: the user suffered severe backlash. Naruto had nearly crippled his right arm using it before mastering Sage Mode.

Still, Kitazawa wasn’t worried.

If the system was giving Rasenshuriken now, it would surely grant him the necessary upgrades later.

A guaranteed profit.

A guaranteed victory.

Yes—this mission was absolutely worth taking.

And although Kitazawa could theoretically develop Rasenshuriken himself, why waste months when the system was handing it to him on a silver platter?

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