Chapter 43: Gold Release: Super Wealth Technique!
Mei Terumi craned her neck upward, staring at the cold-eyed Kakuzu, the eight massive black tendrils behind him, and the countless pitch-black threads that gradually filled her vision.
The sky suddenly darkened, swallowing even the full moon's radiance.
The next moment, murderous intent erupted!
In a flash, thousands of tentacles surged downward, threatening to completely engulf and crush them both!
"This is bad! This is bad! This is bad!"
Mei Terumi stared at the scene before her, her eyes darting to every corner, sweat dripping from anxiety, yet she could find no avenue of escape.
Tentacles lay before her, a cliff behind her.
While she could suppress these black threads with her Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique, given their sheer numbers and constant regeneration, even if she exhausted all her chakra, she wouldn't be able to hold out for long.
Furthermore, these tentacles weren't even the real threat! Melting more would be meaningless!
The real danger was the S-rank missing-nin who controlled them—Kakuzu himself!
The masks he wore seemed to allow him to unleash powerful jutsu without hand seals.
The blue bird-like mask represented Wind Release: Pressure Damage, an ultimate-level Wind Release technique. So what did the yellow-striped canine mask on his chest represent?
Earth Release? Or something else?
How many other masks did he possess?
Besides unleashing jutsu, could these masks have other functions?
Not good, not good, not good!
Mei Terumi's heart filled with dread.
She watched the approaching tentacles with despair, her hands trembling as she tried to form hand seals, nearly losing control of her chakra due to a mismatched seal.
Ultimately, Mei Terumi was just a young kunoichi, the same age as Tsukasa. Though exceptionally gifted, she was still far from becoming the future Fifth Mizukage who would end the Bloody Mist era.
Seeing the terrified expression on Mei Terumi's face, Tsukasa, who had been standing behind her, suddenly stepped forward. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her protectively behind him, his expression turning serious:
"The hero always arrives at the critical moment—leave this to me!"
"What did you say?" Mei Terumi looked at Tsukasa in shock. "Is he actually a hidden master? Has he been holding back this entire time?"
But Mei Terumi immediately remembered the scene not long ago when he was nearly beaten to death by three Jashin Cult members.
Her expression twisted, and she grabbed Tsukasa's belt to pull him back, anxiously wanting to kick sense into him:
"Get back here! You can't possibly be his opponent!"
Tsukasa immediately showed a disdainful smile, thinking to himself: You innocent girl, you don't understand what it means to be a heaven-sent warrior with perfect insurance.
With this thought, facing the surging, churning swarm of tentacles, Tsukasa remained completely unfazed.
He raised his hand, flashed a bankbook, and shouted with immense confidence:
"I! HAVE! MONEY!"
Mei Terumi's breath caught, her mind reeling!
You're actually trying to bribe a heartless, cold-blooded, elite bounty hunter of the shinobi world?!
Don't you know that he earns more from a single contract than you'll make in your entire lifetime?
How could Kakuzu possibly care about your meager savings?
This is absurd!
Mei Terumi raged internally, wishing she could stuff Tsukasa's head into a bag and drag him away from here.
However, as Tsukasa's declaration rang out...
In an instant, the wind died, the tension subsided, and an eerie silence descended upon the surroundings.
The surging swarm of tentacles suddenly froze, revealing Kakuzu behind them. He stared at Tsukasa with his gleaming green eyes.
His tone gradually shifted—becoming reserved, even attentive. The corners of his mouth twitched visibly beneath his black mask, and then he slowly and coldly asked:
"How much?"
Mei Terumi's breath caught again, the air she'd been holding nearly choking her.
She stared at Kakuzu in utter shock—a shock no less intense than when Tsukasa had pulled out his bankbook to attempt a bribe.
Kakuzu-san, where is your dignity as an S-rank missing-nin, as a Kage-level powerhouse?!
And you're seriously asking this guy how much he'll pay?!
Is something wrong with these two, or is something wrong with me?
Mei Terumi suddenly felt like she couldn't understand this world anymore, and the oppressive atmosphere unexpectedly lightened.
Tsukasa grinned confidently. He wouldn't dare call himself broke—after all, he'd already spent his entire seven-figure savings on explosive tags and ninja tools, leaving him with nothing but bandages and basic clothing.
Instead, he showed a defiant expression, his eyebrows raised as if looking down on everything, and slowly addressed Kakuzu:
"Kakuzu-san, have you ever heard of the Gold Release: Super Wealth Technique?"
Hearing the words "Gold" and "Super Wealth," Kakuzu couldn't help but widen his eyes slightly, asking impatiently:
"What kind of Kekkei Genkai is that?"
Tsukasa smiled smugly and spoke with calm confidence:
"The so-called Gold Release is using money to pave the way forward. It's a powerful ability that can solve ninety-nine percent of life's problems!"
"I'm not particularly talented, but as a member of the exceptionally wealthy Uchiha Clan, I have some expertise in this area."
"Just last year, the clan allocated me a property deed in Konoha's prime commercial district, worth over one million ryō."
"Right now, all my assets are in this bankbook—including real estate, shops, and various fixed assets under my name."
"And you, my friend, Kakuzu-san."
"You simply need to let me walk away."
Tsukasa raised the small green bankbook between his fingers, a bright smile on his face.
"All of this becomes yours!"
Click.
Kakuzu swallowed hard, his eyes fixated on the bankbook in Tsukasa's hand.
Just imagine how much money could be in there!
One million? No—real estate in Konoha's core commercial district would be worth at least three million ryō, and considering all the other assets this kid mentioned...
Eight million? Or even ten million ryō?!
Kakuzu's breathing quickened. "This... this sounds... acceptable."
Hearing this, Mei Terumi also stared at the bankbook in Tsukasa's hand with surprise.
Could this kid's hidden identity actually be the heir to the Uchiha Clan?
But that didn't match—the details were off. Could he be an illegitimate son of Uchiha Fugaku, captain of the Konoha Military Police Force?
However, before Mei Terumi could process this further, she saw that Kakuzu had revealed an opening in his guard.
Tsukasa's eyes turned fierce. His foot pivoted, power generating from his waist!
Using the masterful techniques of Uchiha-style shuriken manipulation, he gripped the bankbook and hurled it with all his might—directly behind him!
The thin bankbook shot through the air like a white streak, breaking through the wind!
Without taking time to see if Kakuzu would chase the bankbook, Tsukasa immediately spun around, grabbed Mei Terumi around her slender waist and behind her knees, and lifted her into a carry.
Then, with fierce determination in his eyes, he charged straight toward the cliff's edge and leaped down without hesitation!
End of Chapter 43
If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a Power Stone or Review!
P@atreon/Soulforger (45+ advanced chapters)
Buy me coffee - ko-fi*com/soulforger01