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After Cerberus flew beyond Konoha's borders, Uchiha Genichi had it drop its disguise and then used an Anywhere Door to bring it back to his room.
As for Kars, Genichi sent him to the Land of Fire — straight to the nearest black market cash exchange outside Konoha.
This time Genichi intended to put the Sealing Book scroll up as a bounty reward and let the underground exchange handle it.
After all, when Kars had first opened the Sealing Book, the Anbu had swarmed and pinned him down. That suggested the scroll might have hidden locators or sensing seals attached — a literal hot potato you couldn't keep around.
If he just tossed it or hid it rashly, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, might eventually figure something out.
So Genichi decided the safest move was to hand the Sealing Book over to an underground exchange. If Hiruzen later found the scroll there, he'd assume bounty hunters were behind it. That would effectively sever any tie back to the Uchiha.
While Genichi mulled this, Kars had already arrived at the cash exchange that used to be a public restroom. He found the market boss, a bald middle-aged man, and walked straight to business without a moment's hesitation.
"I want to post a bounty," Kars said flatly.
The bald boss didn't blink. He pulled out a bounty ledger with an amused smile and asked, "Who's the target? What's the bounty?"
"The Third Hokage of Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi."
Kars planted the Sealing Book scroll on the floor and set it beside him. "Price?" he added. "Ten billion."
"Ten… ten billion?!" The bald man's expression shifted instantly; disbelief leaked into his voice as he tested, "Sir, our rules require half the bounty in advance. Do you have five billion cash with you?"
"Of course not." Kars shook his head. He picked the scroll back up and smiled faintly. "But I brought the Sealing Book that records the forbidden techniques used by successive Hokage. That ought to be worth ten billion, right?"
[Emotion value from Ueno Yabuki +35.]
"Sir, don't joke." The boss had been hoping for a big score, but when Kars admitted he hadn't brought cash, the man tightened, slipping back into a businesslike tone. "We only accept cash. No barter."
He paused, glanced at Kars's expression, and then couldn't resist another barb. "Besides, how do we know that scroll is actually the Sealing Book?"
Kars's face cooled; a dangerous gleam flashed in his eyes. Before anything else could happen, the exchange door opened again.
Two cloaked figures in black robes with red clouds and wearing straw hats walked in, moving calmly into the market.
Through Kars's shared vision, Uchiha Genichi immediately recognized them as Akatsuki members.
One of them was especially familiar: Kakuzu, the showman the legends said had even crossed blades with the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
The other man looked familiar too — the unlucky partner who'd once shown up in Kakuzu's memories, the same one Kakuzu had casually eliminated along with a bounty target.
Kakuzu spotted the scroll in Kars's hands and asked coolly, "Kid, that scroll you've got — you say it's Konoha's Sealing Book?"
Kars's lips twitched into a half-smile. "So what if it is? So what if it isn't?"
Kakuzu didn't bother with Kars's teasing tone. His murky green eyes flashed and he said in a low voice, "If it is, hand it over now. If not, you die."
Kars's smile faded. The market went tense, every breath on edge.
"....."