Satoru smiled faintly:
"No, just heading the same way. I want into the underground market."
"Hm... I won't guide you unless..." Kakuzu trailed off, but Satoru got the hint instantly.
"Here's ten thousand ryo cash!" the boy pulled a stack from the System inventory and handed it to the Akatsuki member.
Satoru knew Kakuzu preferred paper money.
The bounty hunter's gaze on the young ninja shifted.
Satoru felt uneasy; he half-thought Kakuzu would kill him and take all the money.
"Fine! I'll guide you," Kakuzu yielded to the money—thus to Satoru.
Know this: in the original story, Kakuzu joined Akatsuki hearing of earning potential—his money obsession was that deep.
Satoru had money to burn. Nearly every ten-lottery series brought fortunes. Once thought useless, now he got the saying "for money even the devil will dance."
Kakuzu's power was Kage-level at least. If money solved it, not a problem.
En route, the immortal Akatsuki's attitude toward Satoru gradually changed.
"I can really get that much money? Working for you?" he asked.
"I'll pay monthly salary. No jobs—rest. Jobs—work, plus bonus, annual..."
Satoru listed tons. Kakuzu didn't get all, but realized the kid's terms were unprecedented in the shinobi world.
"But I'm a rogue ninja—sensitive identity. Working for you, I fear harming both," Kakuzu was smart. He saw Satoru was clever but couldn't fully grasp his plan.
"Simple. When I become Hokage, no issue," Satoru stated plainly.
His Hokage ambition was no secret—no need hiding.
"Become Hokage... That easy?"
"Paragon, aren't your goals too grand?"
"But so confident?" Kakuzu asked.
Then Satoru listed achievements.
"Enrolled Ninja Academy at three, Third Hokage student at three-and-a-half. Graduated early in half-year. Over a hundred D- and C-rank missions."
"I'm only four now. I beat you. Think I'm worthy of Hokage?" Satoru asked.
Kakuzu was speechless. Satoru before him transcended "genius." No one matched his power at that age!
"If you become Hokage, I'll come naturally. Hope you don't shut the door then," Kakuzu said.
"That's the underground market. I have business. Thanks," unknown how long they talked, but Kakuzu suddenly hefted his money case, glanced at Satoru, and vanished.
Satoru's goal achieved. He looked up—two bruisers at the underground market entrance. They seemed very alert; no one dared enter.
"So this is the underground Black Market? Great! I'll see who ordered me!" Satoru smirked coldly and strode in resolutely.
"Who're you?! Brat! This ain't for just anyone!" one brute barked.
"Bam!" Satoru knocked one out with a simple gut punch.
"I'm here to place an order!" Satoru casually pulled several hundred ryo and gave to the terrified brute.
"O-okay, got it..." the brute knocked on the door; only then did insiders open.
"Cut!" insiders didn't even glance at Satoru, immediately dropping the barrier. They wanted no trouble with his type. Young but ferociously fierce—who knew his backing.
Barrier down, Satoru entered easily.
To his slight surprise, though dim, it was crowded. These people's power overall not weak. After all, they walked knife-edges. Too weak, long dead.
"A kid showed up?"
"Whose kid? This ain't for you!"
"Hey, entrance guys, why not watch this punk?!"
Satoru drew attention too easily. Barely entered the underground market, several ninja stopped him. Others watched like a show.
"I have business—don't interfere," Satoru said.
"Kid? What business? Ordering a hit or you killed someone and here for cash?" the man before him laughed, clearly despising Satoru.
The boy said little, just released his chakra.
Though only four, Satoru's massive chakra impressed onlookers strongly.
"So strong! This brat's no ordinary!" surrounding ninja gaped, no longer daring underestimate Satoru.
"Still interfering?"
Satoru frowned. Seeing no retreat, he threatened:
"Fine, I'll just kill you."
Satoru eyed the blocker and, unrestrained, charged at max speed. Simultaneously, kunai in hand pressed to the man's chest, ready to pierce heart anytime.
Being only four and short, pressing kunai to heart was tricky.
But Satoru's agility quickly subdued the ninja before him.
"Hey, kid, you're fast... Think it's a misunderstanding. Whatever you want, I won't stop," this ninja wasn't suicidal. Realizing Satoru's power jonin-level at least, naturally shut up.
Satoru said:
"Someone ordered my hit. Want to find who. Know a good way?"
"That's... client identity is top secret..."
"Some way exists, right?" Satoru gave him several thousand ryo.
Satoru strong and rich—the man no longer resisted.
"That's... Ask Lord Yamamoto. He handles orders. In other words, only he contacts posters," paid, the ninja told all honestly.
"How find Yamamoto?" Satoru asked.
But asking, Satoru sensed wrong. Nearly all surrounding ninja stared.
"You want Lord Yamamoto?"
"Then die here! Without Lord Yamamoto, we wouldn't last long."
Satoru's wish to find Yamamoto struck the sorest chords in all present.
Attitudes flipped 180 degrees.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: Granulan