The leading Yugakure's Shinobi sneered triumphantly, "Scared stiff just from hearing my boss's name, huh?"
"Well, I must admit, I'm quite surprised."
Hidan said with a nod, genuinely baffled about how these lackeys had somehow started claiming him as their boss.
"If you're afraid, hurry up and end your life. Otherwise, when my boss gets here, he'll make you wish you were never born!" The leading Yugakure's Shinobi growled, his voice dripping with malice.
"How? Is it like this?"
Hidan said, pulling out a kunai. With practiced precision, he began slicing shallow, paper-thin cuts across the man's body. The precision of his skinning method ensured maximum agony without immediate death.
"Ahhhh!"
The leading Yugakure's Shinobi screamed like a dying pig, his face twisted in terror and pain, "How dare you! How dare you! Aren't you afraid of my boss? You're dead meat!"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you… I am Hidan!" Hidan said with a sinister grin, holding up the scratched Yugakure's forehead protector as proof.
"Impossible!!!"
The leading Yugakure's Shinobi trembled. In fact, he was not even a Yugakure's Shinobi, but merely pretending to be one. He relied on Hidan's notoriety to cheat people. Even if there were Shinobi more powerful than him, they would be wary of Hidan's name and would not cause too much trouble.
But who could have guessed he would run into the real Hidan himself today?
Legends spoke of Hidan's cruelty and penchant for torture. Those unfortunate enough to fall into his hands were said to be mutilated beyond recognition before dying miserably.
Realizing the truth, the impostor clenched his teeth. A moment later, black blood spurted from his mouth as he collapsed, poisoned to death on the spot.
"He actually committed suicide by taking poison. How boring."
Hidan muttered, disappointed by the anticlimactic ending. He turned his attention to the other three impostors.
Seeing their leader fall, the remaining three ninjas knew their fate was sealed. They bit down on hidden poison capsules, killing themselves instantly.
"Tsk!"
Hidan clicked his tongue in frustration. The lack of entertainment left him feeling dissatisfied. His gaze shifted to the bound men and women, but it was clear they were broken in both mind and body, reduced to mere husks by the impostors' torture.
In a single swift motion, Hidan mercifully ended their suffering.
"No, please! Don't kill me!"
Seeing everyone die, and considering Hidan's notoriety, Hana was terrified from the bottom of her heart, fearing that she would be the next one.
"I'll do anything to make amends! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you! I'll serve you faithfully!" Hana pleaded, throwing herself into Hidan's arms.
Despite having killed countless people, Hidan was rather inexperienced when it came to matters of intimacy. He had to admit, Hana was attractive and carried a charm that intrigued him.
Since she was offering herself freely, Hidan saw no reason to refuse.
The only thing that left him somewhat regretful was that their encounter ended after just 30 minutes.
It wasn't that Hidan was lacking, but rather, his priority was completing his task on Rose Street within the one-hour game time limit.
However, although it was only half an hour, Hana was already too weak to get up.
Her lifestyle of indulgence had given her plenty of experience, yet no one she had ever encountered compared to Hidan's strength and stamina. This wasn't surprising, as elite Shinobi like Hidan possessed physiques far beyond what an ordinary person could handle.
On top of that, Hidan was young, handsome, and exceptionally powerful. By the end of it, Hana was utterly captivated, both physically and mentally.
"I'll be your loyal dog, master! Please take me with you. No matter where you go, I'll follow you to the ends of the earth."
Hana vowed earnestly.
Her wealth, which was amassed through years of scheming, was already enough to last several lifetimes. She was more than willing to abandon her current life for Hidan.
To put it in Naruto's terms, Hana had turned into a wealthy cougar who had completely fallen for the charms of a young and handsome Shinobi...
…
Meanwhile, in another bustling night market.
Kakuzu was well aware of his appearance, which is not exactly the type to make women throw themselves at him. But from the start of this game, he had a plan.
After all, there was nothing money couldn't solve.
And if it couldn't, it just meant there wasn't enough of it.
Walking into the most prominent shop in the area, Kakuzu slammed a stack of money onto the counter in front of the plump shop owner, "Tonight, this place is mine!"
"Are you using this little money to get rid of a beggar?" The shop owner said disdainfully.
After all, this is the best location, and he can make much more money in one night.
Bang!
Kakuzu slammed another stack of money on the counter.
"I told you, this isn't..." The shop owner snorted again.
But before he could finish his words, another stack of money landed.
Plak, plak, plak!
One stack after another hit the counter, the sound echoing through the room. The shop owner's expression shifted from disdain to shock, and then to a full-blown grin.
Just like Kakuzu said, if you have the money, you can have everything.
"Alright, alright! Tonight, this place is yours. You can even order me and all the staff around however you like." The plump shop owner said, scooping up the money with a sycophantic smile.
Kakuzu nodded in satisfaction, "Gather all your employees. Go outside and announce that we're hosting a beauty pageant. The most beautiful woman will win a grand prize, and every participant will receive a reward!"
"Got it!"
Seeing Kakuzu slap down yet another stack of cash, the shop owner scurried off to make preparations.
Watching him leave, Kakuzu couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.
Every single coin had been earned through hard work and sweat. For someone like Kakuzu, who valued money above all else, spending it so lavishly felt like bleeding out.
But Kakuzu was also pragmatic… If he wanted to win the game, he had no choice but to pay to win.
He understood better than anyone that effort yields reward. Having lived for nearly a century, Kakuzu knew human nature inside and out. No one says no to money, and no woman can resist its allure.
It didn't take long for women to start signing up for the pageant, but Kakuzu wasn't satisfied just yet.
After thinking for a while, Kakuzu said to the shop owner, "Tell your staff to step it up and find more contestants."
"We've already done our best!" The shop owner replied, looking flustered as if he'd reached his limits.
Kakuzu snorted, "Whoever brings in the most beautiful woman will get all of this!"
As he said that, he slammed yet another stack of cash onto the counter.
Seeing the money, the shop owner's expression lit up with renewed vigor. Puffing out his chest, he declared, "Sir, with this much generosity, I'd climb mountains or cross seas for you. I swear I'll find the most beautiful woman, even if it kills me."
Hearing this, Kakuzu gave an approving nod.
Money truly unlocked a person's full potential!
However, before the shop owner could get far, he realized that several employees had been eavesdropping and were now racing out into the streets to recruit beautiful women.
With that much money on the line, no one was going to let the shop owner keep it all to himself.
In less than ten minutes, over a hundred women were lined up outside the shop, eagerly awaiting their turn.
Kakuzu, who is both the organizer and judge of the event, took his seat of honor and began evaluating the contestants.
Since he'd already spent the money, he decided he might as well enjoy the process.
"You, eliminated. Participation prize!"
"You, decent enough. Tentatively shortlisted!"
"You…"
Kakuzu's sharp eyes assessed each contestant with precision. He could instantly judge their measurements, facial features, proportions, and overall aura.
Those who didn't meet his standards were immediately eliminated, while the more promising ones were placed in the next round.
The more contestants he screened, the more participants showed up.
Jealousy among the women fueled the frenzy. Many who had come just to watch couldn't resist joining in when they saw someone less attractive making it to the next round.
In this way, Kakuzu relied on his 'power of money' to win the game...