Who are you calling a stable boy?!

Jiao Du became more and more confused by Zheng Jing's words.

Putting aside the fact that he had never heard of any ancient records, he had never even heard of the custom that greetings were sacred and inviolable!

Do not make jokes.

A ninja, after all, should be someone who will stop at nothing to complete a mission.

This is a truth he, an old man who once fought against the First Hokage, summarized from his own experience!

"It sounds like you might be a descendant of some ancient ninja clan?"

While continuing to talk to Zheng Jing to distract him, Kakuzu's right hand, which was touching the ground under his robe, was secretly sending threads of the secret technique, Earth Grudge, towards Zheng Jing's feet.

"That's not it."

Zheng Jing picked up the golden cudgel and shook his finger.

Upon hearing this, Kakuzu smiled slightly beneath his mask.

"Really? Then—"

In an instant, thick tentacles made of silk threads burst forth from the ground beneath Zheng Jing's feet!

Chapter 176: More Money! More Money!

Just as the threads of the Earthly Grudge were about to touch Zheng Jing, the figure carrying the stick suddenly disappeared.

"Well?"

Jiao Du couldn't help but frown.

"Hey, I'm not some magical girl, can you stop clinging to me like this?"

Following the sound, Kakuzu turned his head and looked at Zheng Jing, who had somehow landed a few steps to his right.

I couldn't see it clearly...

He couldn't see at all how the other person moved over.

Although he was mentally prepared, Kakuzu had never seen such a troublesome method before.

If the other party is determined to escape, I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to catch up in a short time.

Kakuzu pondered a way to kill his target in one blow.

"Don't say I, Old Zheng, didn't give you a chance. You've been following us for almost three days. Originally, I didn't make a move because you were just following along."

Carrying his golden cudgel, Zheng Jing tilted his head and looked at Kakuzu.

"As the old saying goes, what goes around comes around. You have nothing to say now, right?"

"Oh."

Kakuzu chuckled softly.

"Young man, you are very confident."

"Hey, you're starting to act old now."

Zheng Jing chuckled and jumped towards Jiao Du, raising his staff to strike Jiao Du's head.

Seeing the staff coming, Kakuzu quickly formed hand seals, hardened his body with Earth Release, and prepared to take the blow head-on. At the same time, he used Earth Grudge to entangle Zheng Jing's body.

He wanted to kill this strange young man with a single blow before Zheng Jing could use that mysterious movement technique a second time.

"puff."

The sudden pain in his chest froze Kakuzu in place.

He lowered his head shakily and looked up.

The stick, wielded with the speed and agility of a gazelle, struck him the moment his body hardened, its tip pointing downwards and piercing his chest, tearing apart his heart.

The speed of this move caught him completely off guard.

"Look at my memory."

With a kick, he knocked Kakuzu to the ground, then pulled out his staff. Zheng Jing squatted down, carrying the golden cudgel, and looked down at Kakuzu, who was unable to move for the moment.

"I almost killed you. Old Lan said he wanted to study chakra later. With such good material like you, we can't waste it."

"..."

"Get up, you still have four hearts. Don't be afraid, ah, I, Old Zheng, am kind-hearted, I'll just crush three more and it will be fine."

As he spoke, Zheng Jing grinned and gave Jiao Du an OK sign.

"Don't worry, you won't die."

-

Sitting on the oxcart, listening to the sounds coming from the woods, Aizen read a martial arts novel that Zheng Jing had brought him from his own dimension.

With him around, the oxen that were initially uneasy about the noise now leisurely sway their heads and nibble on the few stubborn weeds growing by the roadside.

A moment later, the woods fell completely silent.

Aizen adjusted his glasses and closed the book, "Peerless Twins".

"Old Lan! Look what I caught for you!"

Zheng Jing, who had just emerged from the forest, lifted up the motionless Horned King to show Old Lan.

Aizen blinked as he looked at the man dangling his limbs like a broken-backed dog.

"This is?"

"Didn't you say before that you wanted to study chakra and those secret and forbidden techniques when you had the chance?"

Zheng Jing casually tossed Jiao Du onto the cart: "Look, suddenly there's a good piece of material, and I almost beat him to death because I was quick. I don't know exactly how he's doing the heart transplant, and I was afraid that if I beat him too hard, he'd bring back a lump of minced meat. So I had to force him to take out his heart piece by piece, and then I'd crush it up one by one and send it over."

"Hey, when that old bastard had only two left, he tried to run away! Luckily, I, Old Zheng, was on my guard and had already decided to take him."

Upon hearing this, Aizen seemed to become interested as well.

He turned his head and looked at Kakuzu, who was lying face down on the cart.

How many hearts does he have?

"There could be up to five. This old guy has survived for quite a while by stealing people's hearts. His fighting methods are also related to the heart, but I don't know the specific principles behind them."

Zheng Jing gently kicked Jiao Du.

"Come on, you talk to Lao Lan yourself."

"..."

"Oh! I forgot you still have it booked."

He slapped his forehead, remembering that Kakuzu was still being immobilized by Zheng Jing's finger pointing at him.

"untie."

"...Who exactly are you people?"

"You're actually asking?"

Zheng Jingyi raised an eyebrow.

"Consider it a small consolation for the losers. Don't worry, I have no intention of resisting."

Kakuzu sat up and touched his chest.

There are still holes there, made by Zheng Jing's stick.

He was acutely aware of the vast difference in strength between himself and Zheng Jing.

Putting everything else aside, just the ability to immobilize him with a single command left Kakuzu momentarily at a loss for how to deal with it.

Even if we take a step back and consider that it's conceivable, Kakuzu wouldn't have tried to resist.

Not at least not now.

Rather, he considered it lucky that he was spared from death.

He knew how much money he could get for his head.

As for using the organization to threaten the two people in front of him, Kakuzu would naturally not do such a foolish thing.

Right now, if he wants to live, he can only try his best to cooperate with these two strange young men and wait for the organization to send someone to rescue him.

Without him, the organization's funding chain would soon run into problems, so Kakuzu believed that the organization's reinforcements would arrive soon.

As long as he can stay alive until then...

"Hmph, then listen up! I, your grandpa, am no different from anyone else! I am Zheng Jing, the monster assassin!"

Patting his chest, Zheng Jing finished speaking about himself and then reached out to put his arm around Aizen.

"This is your grandfather, Aizen the Glasses-wearing Shinigami, remember that?"

Shaking his head helplessly, Old Lan smiled and didn't refute.

Monster Slayer Zheng Jing.

Aizen, the Grim Reaper with Glasses.

If he had known it was such a monster, he would never have touched those two bounty posters if the organization hadn't sent people to help him.

No, even if the organization is willing to transfer someone, he must first get the employer to pay more.

Pay more!

Lowering his eyes and banishing those futile thoughts from his mind, Kakuzu spoke again.

"None of you are ninjas?"

Although he was immobilized, Kakuzu heard Zheng Jing and Aizen's conversation.

It's not surprising that people want to study secret and forbidden techniques.

It's quite rare to see someone researching chakra.

"Old Blue is Death, I am a monk."

As for the monk Kakuzu, that's understandable.

He had heard that there was a special group called Ninja Monks in the Land of Fire.

But what does "Grim Reaper" mean?

He glanced at Aizen.

Could this seemingly kind and gentle young man be an even more fanatical religious fanatic than Hidan?

Hidan is a fanatic, and this guy even considers himself a god?

Death truly exists in this world...

"Old man, have you asked enough?"

Leaning over, Zheng Jing raised an eyebrow and pressed down on Kakuzu's shoulder.

"Old Lan, you ask."

"No rush, let's talk as we walk."

As he spoke, Aizen gently put away the book "Peerless Twins," turned around, and tugged at the reins.

The water buffalo let out a low moo, then leisurely set off on its four hooves, clattering along the road.

"What's your name?"

"...Kakuzu."

"Mr. Kakuzu, don't be nervous. As long as you cooperate, you should be able to save your life."

With a smile, Aizen spoke gently.

Kakuzu gazed at Aizen's retreating figure.

Having lived a long life and met many people, he had gained some experience in judging character.

He always felt that compared to Zheng Jing, who seemed crazy...

On the contrary, Aizen, who is gentle and unpretentious, is more dangerous.

Chapter 177: Quitting is a form of wisdom