Naruto: Reborn as Kakuzu, the Immortal Assassin

In the 7th year of the New Ninja Calendar, six years since the founding of Konohagakure, the village bustled with vitality. After a year of effort, the lively atmosphere of Konoha had grown even more pronounced. Clans such as the Inuzuka and Aburame had joined the village, not only increasing its population but also contributing significantly to its strength as ninja clans.

Nestled in the northwest of Konoha was a small medicinal clinic.

"Atractylodes, poria, licorice," Kakuzu muttered as he took a villager's pulse with one hand, while the other jotted down the names of the herbs. Adjusting the prescription based on the pulse's indications, he finalized a formula.

"Old man, this is the Four Gentlemen Soup from my hometown. It's excellent for symptoms like weak voice, shortness of breath, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Take care of yourself, and remember—staying calm and avoiding agitation are the keys to a long life."

The villager took the prescription with heartfelt gratitude.

"Kakuzu-sama, you're truly a hero of Konoha! Not only have you set up factories to solve our livelihood issues, but you're also skilled in medicine. You've healed so many of us—on behalf of everyone, thank you!"

"No need for thanks, old man. It's already noon, you should head home for lunch. Remember to take the medicine after eating."

After seeing the villager off, Kakuzu returned to his seat. Behind him, Nara Shoroku approached with a chuckle.

"Ha! Kakuzu-sama, your reputation has spread far and wide in Konoha."

Kakuzu glanced at him and responded with a faint smile. Over the past year, aside from overseeing his rental properties and playing a hands-off role at the factory, Kakuzu had devoted himself to learning traditional medicine under Nara Shoroku.

In the modern world, a year of study would hardly be enough to master such a field. However, as someone who had lived two lifetimes, Kakuzu's learning speed was astonishing. He even recalled fragments of traditional Chinese medicine he had encountered in his past life, which, when combined with his current studies, created a synergy that propelled his progress.

Now, Kakuzu was adept at various techniques, from pulse diagnosis to dietary adjustments. When he and Shoroku had idle time, they decided to open this clinic, which had turned out to be quite popular, further solidifying Kakuzu's reputation.

"Kakuzu-sama, it's already noon. Why don't you take a break? I'll handle the clinic this afternoon."

"Much appreciated, Shoroku." Kakuzu patted him on the shoulder, stood up, and left the clinic, strolling along the streets of Konoha.

The weather was perfect—clear skies and a gentle breeze. The streets were more vibrant than they had been a year ago, with villagers bustling about and shops lining the roads. It was a scene brimming with the promise of a bright future.

"Kakuzu-sama, hello!"

"Wow, it's really Kakuzu-sama! I never thought I'd run into you here!"

"Kakuzu, I've admired you for so long—can I get your autograph?"

"He's a true talent in our village!"

The praise was constant, and for good reason. After all, he had received public endorsements from Hashirama Senju himself, owned a glass factory, managed a significant portion of Konoha's rental properties, and now spent his days healing villagers. It was hard not to become a local celebrity.

Fortunately, the admiration was still manageable—just friendly greetings and occasional autograph requests. There were no frenzied mobs like in the modern-day world of celebrities. Kakuzu returned each greeting with a polite smile, maintaining his composure as he walked through the village.

Lost in thought, Kakuzu's nose caught a tantalizing aroma that brought him to a halt. His heavily modified body, thanks to the Earth Grudge Fear technique, had replaced much of his organic tissue with black threads. Some might think he no longer needed food, but that wasn't entirely true.

Though most of his metabolism was artificial, his five hearts still required significant energy to function. This meant Kakuzu needed regular meals to sustain himself.

Following the scent, Kakuzu found himself outside a ramen shop.

Ichiraku Ramen.

To his surprise, the iconic establishment already existed in this era. Then again, it made sense—many things were passed down through generations, and Ichiraku Ramen seemed to be no exception.

"One large bowl of ramen, please," Kakuzu ordered as he sat down.

"Coming right up!"

Within minutes, a steaming bowl of ramen was placed in front of him. Kakuzu took a bite of the char siu, paired with the rich broth and springy noodles.

"Delicious!" he muttered. The flavor was extraordinary, far surpassing his expectations.

"Another bowl!"

"Got it—one more coming right up!"

This was true ninja-world cuisine. To miss out on Ichiraku Ramen would be an injustice. Kakuzu ended up devouring six bowls before finally feeling satisfied.

"The flavor is excellent. Wishing you prosperous business!"

"Thank you for the compliment, Kakuzu-san. Please come again."

After placing a stack of money on the counter, Kakuzu stepped out of the ramen shop. With his hunger satisfied, he continued to wander through the streets of Konohagakure.

However, as he walked further, Kakuzu began to notice something odd—there were noticeably fewer people around.

Hmm? What's going on?

His instincts as a shinobi immediately alerted him to the subtle shift. This was, after all, a bustling part of Konoha, home to establishments like Ichiraku Ramen. Yet after turning two corners and crossing a couple of streets, the lively crowds had thinned considerably. The remaining passersby moved in small groups, their expressions uneasy, even tense.

Scanning his surroundings, Kakuzu quickly found the answer.

On this street, one particular group of individuals stood out. They all wore identical uniforms, and on the backs of their attire was a distinct clan emblem: a design split into two parts—the upper half a red crescent moon, the lower half a white curved shape. From a distance, it resembled a ping-pong paddle.

The Uchiha Clan.

Kakuzu hadn't expected his aimless wandering to bring him to the Uchiha district. Though he had been in Konoha for a year now, he rarely ventured near the territories of the major clans. Despite the so-called new era in the shinobi world, the divide between commoners and shinobi clans remained palpable. The tensions and barriers weren't something that could be erased overnight.

The major clans had their own spaces, and they seldom mingled with outsiders. Similarly, ordinary villagers usually had no reason to venture into clan territories. Kakuzu was no exception. Places like the Uchiha or Hyūga compounds were areas he actively avoided.

His avoidance wasn't due to any unspoken social rules between the clans and commoners but rather out of practicality—he didn't want trouble. For instance, if he wandered into the Hyūga compound and some mischievous child decided to activate their Byakugan to peek at him, Kakuzu couldn't guarantee that his Earth Grudge Fear technique wouldn't be exposed.

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