Naruto: My Progress in Konoha.

"Just a pawn… what a nuisance!" Haruki muttered as he reached out, gripping the bounty ninja's neck. With a subtle twist, he heard a chilling crack—the man's head snapped to the side, lifeless.

Thud.

Haruki released him and let the body drop. He pondered the intel he extracted from the man's mind: they weren't avoiding eliminating the Crafting Village leader—they were after a live capture. The Black Market had issued a bounty specifically for capturing him alive.

With their combined skills, they certainly could kill him—but that would forfeit the prize. So they sold the intel instead. The man remembered that the Black Market had already assigned someone else to handle the boss—but that person hadn't yet returned. They only discovered Haruki's kill after the fact, and hastily pursued.

Haruki had intentionally lured them—not even their speed matched his. But clearly, they weren't alone: someone capable of capturing a village leader was involved. Now the markers they left behind were problematic—harassing him from both sides.

As Haruki weighed whether to clear the traces, an unfamiliar aura pierced his senses.

"Too unnatural to still be alive..." he mused, drawing his longsword and staring into the burning treeline. A figure emerged.

Draped in a black robe, emerald-eyed, masked, wearing a scratched-down Water‑Village headband—Haruki recognized him immediately.

"Kakuzu?"

It was indeed Kakuzu—the infamous immortal from the future—a rogue S‑rank missing‑nin once of the Water Village, who had attempted to assassinate the First Hokage, Hashirama. Defeated and wounded, he fled punishment—escaped prison—and stole the Water Village's forbidden secret weapon: Earth Grudge Fear.

The weapon resembled black tentacle veins that could stitch together flesh—and steal a foe's chakra nature. Haruki's Sharingan observed five chakra nodes in the man—counting five hearts—evidence of the stolen ability.

Kakuzu considered Haruki, then said, "You know me?"

Haruki inwardly thought: I know more than that—you and your whole past! —but said nothing.

Surprisingly, Kakuzu was the Black Market's hired hand. A survivor from the Warring States era, battle-hardened. Haruki could not match him purely in technique. However, the presence of his Mangekyō Sharingan gave him confidence. Even if unused, having it gives far more options than not.

Kakuzu smirked: "Ghost‑Blade Haruki, a 170‑million‑ryō bounty."

Haruki mentally scoffed: So you remembered that.

Continuing, Kakuzu said: "Your kill is my mission. You'll pay for it with your life." He flickered forward with a Body Flicker Technique, and punched fast enough to catch Haruki off-guard.

Lucky for Haruki, he'd stayed alert—and the Sharingan picked up Kakuzu's movement. He tilted his head and narrowly dodged.

He instantly countered: Swish!

Blade sliced upward from under Kakuzu's arm, aiming to sever his limb.

But at the last instant, Kakuzu formed seals, unleashing Earth Release: Earth Spear—his skin turned pitch-black, becoming diamond-hard.

Clang.

Their weapons collided—the blade met unyielding stone.

Kakuzu pressed forward, trapping the sword and swinging a brutal punch at Haruki's face. But Haruki was quick: he withdrew the longsword and jumped back.

Boom!

Kakuzu's punch missed, and Haruki didn't hesitate—he swung the blade toward Kakuzu's neck, infusing it with Wind chakra to sheath the edge in a cutting gale.

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