Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha lacks motivation.

Having already had his heart and soul ripped out, the leader of Takigakure was naturally unable to answer his question. After slaughtering all the high-ranking officials present, Kakuzu found the secret room where Takigakure hid its treasures.

However, to his disappointment, he discovered that the treasure vault was almost empty, and the village's accumulated wealth over the years had vanished without a trace, leaving only an old scroll and a glittering gold card.

"That bastard, where did he hide my money?!"

Kakuzu was unaware that the village was truly out of food. In order to buy the Seven-Tails from the First Tsuchikage, he had already squandered all the wealth that Takigakure had accumulated over the years, as well as his own private savings.

"Quick! The horns are over there!"

Covered in blood, Kakuzu heard the rustling footsteps around him and knew he couldn't escape. So, he steeled himself, tied the last scroll in the secret room to his waist, and his gaze lingered for a moment on the glittering gold card.

Kakuzu, whose consciousness was already somewhat blurred, seemed to be summoned by something, and shakily reached out and held the card in his hand.

The card felt icy cold to the touch. Before he could even examine its contents, hundreds of Takigakure ninja surrounded him. Having survived the previous battle, Kakuzu was now completely exhausted. Facing the encirclement and annihilation by his former comrades, he shook his head bitterly.

Just as he was about to close his eyes and await death, the mysterious card in his hand suddenly burst forth with a scorching energy, instantly pouring into Kakuzu's parched body. He, who had been completely powerless, was miraculously revived under the nourishment of this chakra.

"Kill him! Avenge our leader!"

"Hmph! It was that lousy kunai he sold me; it couldn't even kill a rabbit!"

"Whoever captures Kakuzu will be the next leader!"

Someone shouted, and the Takigakure ninja stared at Kakuzu, who stood frozen in place, their eyes bloodshot, a filthy desire swelling within them.

"Rogue ninja Kakuzu, surrender now!"

"Heh, no one loves Takigakure more than me. You are the real traitors!"

Having had some of his chakra restored by an unknown force, Kakuzu had no time to ponder the reasons. His cold eyes swept over his former colleagues, whose faces were flushed red, and his disdainful voice was like a spark igniting a powder keg.

In the blink of an eye, countless escape techniques rushed towards him.

"Earth Release·Earth Style Wall!"

With his hands slamming into the ground, Kakuzu unleashed a wall of earth several meters thick, withstanding the first wave of attacks while analyzing where to escape. However, in despair, he discovered that he was completely surrounded, with nowhere to run except for the waterfall behind him.

"I'll risk it all, even if it means death!"

Knowing he was doomed, Kakuzu laughed loudly and leaped off the waterfall behind him.

"What should we do? He jumped into the forbidden area."

"Chase him! We can't let him get away!"

"But the chief said that forbidden areas must not be trespassed."

"The leader is dead. Whoever captures Kakuzu will be the new leader."

Several Takigakure ninjas with strength at the elite captain level ultimately could not resist the temptation of power and followed Kakuzu's footsteps, jumping down one by one.

Hearing the noisy commotion around him, Chongming, who was pretending to sleep, slowly opened his eyes. His insect face, covered by armor, was expressionless, but he had clearly sensed a strange emotion earlier, one that was very familiar.

Kakuzu's betrayal by the villagers resonated with the emotions of the Seven-Tails, who had experienced a similar ordeal.

"Were we betrayed too?"

The Takigakure ninja were still in pursuit, and Kakuzu, now trapped in the forbidden area of ​​Takigakure, felt an even greater despair.

"Give up the resistance, Kakuzu. The leader is dead; perhaps we'll spare your life."

Takigakure, who followed closely behind, attempted to use verbal attacks to force Kakuzu to surrender.

"snort!"

Even a three-year-old wouldn't believe such a thing. Kakuzu simply raised his hand and threw out several kunai as a last-ditch effort.

Fire Release: Fire

"Stop! Idiot, this is forbidden territory!"

A hot-tempered ninja was about to use Fire Release to kill Kakuzu when his companion swiftly stopped him.

"So what if it's a forbidden area? The leader is dead, so the rules are no longer valid."

"Idiot, the divine beast is still in the forbidden area!"

Reminded by his companion, Takigakure, who had just been blinded by desire, immediately broke out in a cold sweat. As a member who had once moved the Seven-Tails, he knew the terror of divine beasts.

"What should we do then? If we go any further, we'll reach the territory of the divine beasts."

"It's alright, there's only one exit here. Unless he wants to become food for the divine beast, he'll have no choice but to surrender to us."

The forbidden area had only one exit, and was surrounded by smooth cliffs on all sides. The Takigakure ninja who were trying to capture him felt much more at ease and watched Kakuzu fight like a trapped beast from afar.

"Phew~ Aren't they coming after us?"

Seeing the Takigakure ninja stop, Kakuzu breathed a sigh of relief. As a high-ranking fighter in Takigakure, he knew that there were divine beasts in the forbidden area. It seemed that those who wanted to capture him were afraid to go forward.

"Gurgle~"

As Kakuzu relaxed, his body went limp and he slumped to the ground, his stomach rumbling. He searched himself up and down and found that he had no supplies on him except for the scroll at his waist.

If this drags on, we'll only face certain death.

"Kakuzu, surrender now! We've decided not to kill you!"

After half a day, the ninja from Takigakure grew impatient and loudly urged them to surrender.

"Do you think I'd ever trust traitors like you again?"

"Damn it, forget about any mythical beast, let's catch him first!"

Their stubborn resistance finally angered Takigakure, who had been waiting patiently. The group tacitly drew their melee weapons, hoping to take down Kakuzu with minimal disturbance.

"Heh heh, even if I die, I won't let you have your way!"

Excessive blood loss and mental exhaustion left Kakuzu with no strength left to resist. Watching Takigakure slowly approaching him, he gave a bitter laugh and dragged his mangled body toward the depths of the forbidden area.

"Quick, after them!"

This action terrified the Takigakure ninja, but they couldn't let their prize slip away. As long as they captured Kakuzu, they would be qualified to become the new leader. So, they gritted their teeth and chased after him.

"Huff~ Huff~ Huff~"

The weakened Kakuzu wasn't very fast, and it wasn't long before the Takigakure ninja caught up with him.

"Whoosh!"

"Pfft~"

In the darkness, a kunai shot out and struck Kakuzu squarely in the back. The powerful impact sent him flying several meters away, where he lay motionless on the ground.

"I lost it!"

A ninja from Taki cried out in alarm, "If Kakuzu is captured because of this, I'll have a chance to become the leader!"

"Cough cough. You're really lucky."

However, before this Takigakure ninja could be smug for long, Kakuzu, who should have been pierced through the heart by the kunai, slowly got up. He pulled the kunai out from behind his back, and looking at the carefully polished marks on it, a smile appeared on his lips.

That's right, this kunai was a refurbished one he sold; it couldn't even kill a rabbit, let alone a grown man.

"Damn it! You swindler, give me my money back!"

Takigakure, who also witnessed this scene, shouted angrily at Kakuzu.

"Hmph~ Kakuzu's masterpieces are non-refundable and non-exchangeable once sold!"

Kakuzu snorted coldly, and even as he faced death, he didn't forget to thriftily put away his kunai and continued running deeper into the territory.

"Whoosh!!!"

Taking advantage of this opening, several agile Takigakure ninja had caught up with Kakuzu and surrounded him. The Takigakure ninja, their faces contorted with rage, brandished their sharp blades and pressed closer and closer.

"Kakuzu, choose between surrendering and dying on the spot!"

"Hmph! I choose death!"

Even at the very last moment, Kakuzu did not choose to compromise. He drew the kunai he had just captured and charged forward.

"Ding!"

The kunai and the longsword clashed in the darkness, sparks flying.

"Bang!!!"

At first, Kakuzu, who had broken through his bottleneck in strength, was able to fight back and forth with the people surrounding him. However, his previous injuries had not fully healed, and his opponents found an opening. The kunai in his hand was knocked away, and he was sent flying quite a distance.

"Am I going to die?"

Lying on his back on the ground, Kakuzu's memories of the first half of his life played back like a revolving lantern. In his childhood, due to poverty, both his parents died from illness because they couldn't afford medical treatment, making him realize that all worldly things are ephemeral, only money lasts.

"Prepare to die!"

Seeing that Kakuzu had given up resisting, the Takigakure ninja who had just been cooperating exchanged cryptic glances, then suddenly increased their speed, their swords slashing down at Kakuzu on the ground.

"roar!!!"

Suddenly, a deafening roar rang out from nowhere, and all the attacking Takigakure ninja froze, their swords stopping just before striking Kakuzu.

"It's a divine beast!"

The moonlight overhead was blocked by a huge shadow. The group of people, drenched in cold sweat, looked up, their voices trembling.

"escape!"

Faced with the Seven-Tails, the group couldn't muster any will to resist. They only wished their parents had given them two more legs and fled without looking back.

As for Kakuzu, nothing is more important than his own life.

"Why are you back? Where's Kakuzu?"

The numerous Taki ninja who had been waiting outside the forbidden area were curious and asked questions upon seeing the disheveled appearance of the elite captains.

"Quick, let's go! The mythical beast has emerged!"

"Nakazu"

"Kakuzu? He's probably already been eaten by a divine beast!"

The few survivors, panting heavily, stared at the waterfall below, their eyes still filled with lingering horror.

"BOOM!!!"

Just when they thought the storm had passed, a huge figure burst out of the waterfall, splashing water everywhere.

"Run!!"

Someone shouted, and hundreds of Takigakure ninja scattered like wild donkeys, fearing that if they were even a step too slow, they would become food for the divine beast.

"Look! It's Kakuzu!"

Some of the bolder Takigakure ninja glanced back as they ran, and their sharp eyes spotted a black-haired youth lying unconscious behind the Seven-Tails—it was none other than Kakuzu, the rogue ninja they had been hunting for so long.

"How is that possible?"

Upon hearing this, the Takigakure ninja turned to confirm, but the Seven-Tails had already spread its wings and flown away, disappearing into the vast night sky.

"Mythical Beast, why are you in this card?"

At the mountaintop, Kakuzu, having regained his composure, carefully held the card in his hands and asked,

"Human, you have too many questions."

In fact, Seven-Tails was also a bit confused. She just felt that the human in front of her had a similar experience to her own before. Both of them had been betrayed by their brothers, so she took action to save his life.

But who would have thought that just as the Seven-Tails was about to abandon Kakuzu, whose fate was unknown, and go out for a stroll, it was suddenly attracted by the aura emanating from that glittering golden card.

Puzzled, the Seven-Tails tried to contact that aura. Unexpectedly, it would have been better if it hadn't; as soon as it touched that strange aura, it was firmly held in place by the immense suction force emanating from the card.

Before it could struggle, the next second, the Seven-Tails' enormous body transformed into a golden light and was sucked into the card.

"Damn it, was this some kind of human trick?"

Unable to escape the card, the Seven-Tails surveyed the empty surroundings, its brows furrowed deeply. In its view, the only one capable of such a thing was the descendant of Indra, who could freely use the Six Paths Old Man's pickled cabbage jar.

"Mythical Beast, how do we get down now?"

After calling out a few times, and seeing that the Seven-Tails didn't answer his previous questions, Kakuzu didn't dare to ask any more. Standing on the cliff and looking down, all he could see was sheer precipice. Filled with despair, he tentatively asked aloud.

"Fly down."

Suddenly deprived of its freedom, the Seven-Tails answered Kakuzu's question irritably.

"But... I don't have wings like you, my divine beast master."

Scratching his head, Kakuzu sat dejectedly on the edge of the cliff, his heart filled with sorrow.

"I never expected you to be the first to succeed!"

Suddenly, a slightly lazy voice rang out behind Kakuzu, startling him so much that he almost jumped off the cliff.

"Who goes there?!"

Kakuzu leaned warily against a huge rock, his eyes scanning the surroundings for the person who had spoken. The person who had managed to sneak up behind him so silently was definitely not to be underestimated.

"Seven-Tails, is this the one you chose?"

The voice rang out again, and Kakuzu, having discovered its source, looked up in surprise. On the rock behind him, a figure dressed in strange armor was leisurely crossing his legs, speaking with a strong sense of mockery.

"Who are you?"

After taking a few steps back to create some distance, Kakuzu subconsciously hid the Seven-Tails card behind his back, staring intently at the stranger who had suddenly appeared before him, trying to guess the other party's intentions.

Hey~ This just triggered the keyword!

"I'm just a Kamen Rider passing by for a moment~"

Uchiha Gin, who had transformed again using the Mirage technique, uttered his classic line with great satisfaction, and his gaze towards Kakuzu held a newfound appreciation.

This kid knows his stuff!

"Kamen Rider?"

Kakuzu, who aspires to become a bounty hunter, quickly searched his mind for the title, but found nothing. He became even more wary of the unknown enemy, his eyes darting around as he looked for an opportunity to strike.

"Your eyes are dangerous."

Uchiha Gin shrugged, waved one hand dismissively, and a golden card appeared in his hand the next moment.

"Ah! When was it taken?"

Kakuzu, who was on high alert, saw the card suddenly appear in the hand of the mysterious man who claimed to be a Kamen Rider. He subconsciously clenched his hidden hand, only to realize belatedly that the card sealing the divine beast had vanished.

"Don't worry, I'm just checking you out."

With a smile on his face, Uchiha Gin infused his chakra into the card and began to communicate with the enraged Seven-Tails within.

"It's you! You're the one who did this, aren't you?"

Inside the card space, the Seven-Tails roared angrily, while Uchiha Gin, standing in front of it, casually picked at his ear.

"Isn't this place pretty nice? It's spacious and comfortable. You must really like it here, right?"

The Tailed Beast Cards that Uchiha Gin gave out before were not just small cards used to introduce information about the Tailed Beasts.

The card itself was made from fragments of the amber bottle mixed with the chakra of the tailed beasts. After it was completed, Uchiha Gin added several Four Symbols Seals specifically for sealing tailed beasts.

Whenever a Tailed Beast is defeated by a card holder, the Tailed Beast will be sealed by a sealing technique triggered by the card, and the card holder can then forcibly use the Tailed Beast's power.

But that's not all. Uchiha Gin had also secretly added something to the Tailed Beast's subconscious while Uchiha Hikari was giving him a hint.

Once a Tailed Beast acknowledges a card holder, and their emotions resonate to a certain extent, the Tailed Beast will subconsciously trigger a sealing technique and enter the card. However, in this case, the card holder cannot use the Tailed Beast's power unless the Tailed Beast consents.

"What exactly do you want to do?"

Knowing that Uchiha Gin's strength was unpredictable, Nanami's tone softened somewhat.

"Nothing much, I'm just a little bored and want to play a game~"

Seeing that the Seven-Tails' attitude had improved, Uchiha Gin waved his hand, and a chair appeared out of thin air. After sitting down, he stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment and then spoke.

"game?"

"That's right, it's a battle fought by the nine tailed beasts. Didn't you lose before? Don't you want to win it back?"

Uchiha Gin crossed his arms, and his eyes, hidden beneath his mask, revealed a deep sense of mockery that even the Seven-Tails could sense.

"I don't want to participate."

You want to beat me up again? I'm just a caterpillar!

"That's not up to you."

It's either eat or be eaten.

Those who become knights are destined to be unable to escape battle.

"You can now lend your power to that kid outside. Since you chose him, it means you two are quite compatible. Train him well, and make sure he doesn't get killed by the other tailed beast riders~"

You've already become a card, and you still want to run away at the last minute? Go explain to Odin!

"I can accept that, but before that, I have a question I want to ask you."

After listening to Uchiha Gin's words, Nanami pondered for a long time before slowly replying,

"Oh? Go ahead and ask~"

"Who exactly are you? Why do you have not only the old man's aura but also that of his lecherous brother?"

"Hehe, if you win the game, I'll answer you, but remember to keep it a secret~"

Although Uchiha Gin talked a lot with the Seven-Tails in the card, it was only for a moment in reality.

"Release the divine beast!"

Enraged, Kakuzu seized upon Gintoki's momentary lapse in concentration, lunging forward to try and reclaim the Seven-Tails.

"Snapped!"

Uchiha Gin kindly slapped the newly recruited knight, sending Kakuzu flying several meters away.

"hateful!"

Covering his swollen cheek, Kakuzu was furious. He quickly formed hand seals, and scorching chakra gathered in his mouth. Uchiha Gin, however, remained calm and flicked his finger, sending the Seven-Tails card flying over.

"Cough cough."

Seeing the card flying towards him, Kakuzu was so startled that he quickly swallowed the flame in his mouth, coughed violently twice, and caught the Seven-Tails' card.

"And this too!"

Not far away, Uchiha Gin tossed something over. Kakuzu caught it instinctively, then looked at the gray box in his hand with a puzzled expression, wondering what it was for.

"Kid, don't die so easily. I'm rooting for you!"

Uchiha Gin's voice came again. Kakuzu, who had just come to his senses, quickly looked up, only to find that the mountaintop was empty. If it weren't for the strange gray box that had appeared in his hand, he would have almost thought that he was hallucinating.

"Mythical Beast!"

An excited Kakuzu shouted at his recovered Tailed Beast Cards.

"Keep your voice down. If you want to talk to me, you don't have to say anything."

Floating in the card space, Nanami pondered Uchiha Gin's words, a fierce fighting spirit slowly igniting in her cold eyes.

It's a seven-tailed creature, yet it lost to that three-tailed turtle before. This game just happens to give it a chance for revenge!

And that Nine-Tails who betrayed itself and then betrayed everyone—this time, it's determined to crush it under its feet!

"Human, what's your name?"

"My name is Kakuzu, my lord."

Unexpectedly, the divine beast master asked for his name, and feeling deeply honored, Kakuzu immediately replied truthfully.

"Kakuzu, what is your dream?"

"ha?"

"My temporary dream is to survive and then take revenge on those who betrayed me!"

There's still money left, and I'm going to get it back!

"If you want to survive, transform!"

"Transformation?"

Kakuzu was completely bewildered.

"The box that person gave you before is the transformation device; tie it to your waist."

According to the transformation guide left by Uchiha Gin, the Seven-Tails patiently taught him step by step.

"Then, insert me."

"Do you really want me to insert it?"

"Enough talk, hurry up!"

Deciding to heed the words of his savior, the Divine Beast, Kakuzu placed one hand on the transformation device at his waist and slowly inserted the Seven-Tailed Card into the slot on the side of the box with his right hand.

"Chongming! Nanao Chongming! The invincible beetle!"

As the card was inserted, the transformation device at the waist emitted bursts of electronically synthesized sound effects. Hearing the transformation device chanting its real name, the Seven-Tails in the card wished it could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

This is so embarrassing, can this thing be muted?

However, Kakuzu, as the user of the transformation device, didn't feel awkward at all. On the contrary, he felt a surge of excitement. He then looked ahead, his eyes narrowed, and he pushed forward with the hand holding the transformation device, subconsciously shouting,

"henshin!"

"Turn Up!"

Shadow Realm

"Clap clap clap~"

Uchiha Gin, who had been clapping and celebrating, hadn't left. Instead, he slipped into the Shadow Realm to witness the birth of the first Tailed Beast.

"Not bad! So this is the rider transformed from one of the tailed beasts?"

Looking at the Hercules-type knight outside, clad in silver-white armor and with a short blade at his waist, his mouth nearly stretched to his ears in a wide grin, and he kept clicking his tongue in amazement.

"I thought he'd turn into a cool, arrogant guy with a red finger pointing to the sky, but it turns out he's just a poor, working-class guy~" (End of Chapter)