Menza had done a fair bit of thinking while healing in the Medical Bay. Of course, with his unrivaled intelligence (except for Rini, Kureji, Toonami & Konami, and Akihiro) what might take months for someone to work out, took him mere minutes. He reflected on the events of the past few years. He engaged in a deep and critical introspection of himself and his abilities. It was something that Nee-san had failed to do and Menza being his one time catspaw had vowed to learn from the mistakes of his former liege. As painful as it were, he'd need to analyze his shortcomings and correct them. He was an unbridled genius but the fastest way for a genius to die was to become overconfident and overestimate his own abilities. He thus came to a single conclusion:
He was not cut out for the ninja world.
The people that inhabited this world were far more dangerous and unpredictable than he could have ever imagined. They were so stupid compared to him that he serially underestimated them. That, when combined with their propensity for acting on emotion, made them a lethal danger. He could not risk any more harm to himself by dealing with these troglodytes. Thus, Menza decided that he was going to retire from the shinobi world. He had spoken with Hizashi and the two had worked out an agreement. Menza would work for a certain underground (literally and figuratively) organization. He'd continue his research alongside them while also sending useful projects and inventions to the Society. In essence, he'd be regulated to a purely research and development role with little to no field contact. Menza decided that this was the best way for him to get what he wanted out of life. He enjoyed research and the comfort of the laboratory. He had dealt with shinobi thinking that they were test subjects that could be controlled and analyzed for his own amusement. He was wrong.
Nevertheless, while Menza had come to hate dealing with shinobi, he hated losing even more. He had rendered his services twice. He had assisted in Taichi Kotoshura's Resurrection and had helped Rin and Yui capture the Nine-Tails. He had been paid for the former by way of the Sage's Tools. The artifacts had been stolen by Rin and given to him personally. Unfortunately, the matter of the 9 Tailed Fox remained unresolved. Rin had failed to hold up his end of the bargain and so Menza had taken him prisoner as promised. Unfortunately, Yui had managed to escape his custody and now he had to deal with the prospect that she had blabbled to the Kage of the world about his activities. It was likely that this scared but violent young girl would run to the most powerful people possible. She was madly in love with Rin and with that level of desperation, it was inevitable that she'd involve others. This would make operating in the ninja quite difficult. There was only one way left for Menza to win and that was to make one final deal.
Menzagakure Productions Present....
He was not cut out for the ninja world.
The people that inhabited this world were far more dangerous and unpredictable than he could have ever imagined. They were so stupid compared to him that he serially underestimated them. That, when combined with their propensity for acting on emotion, made them a lethal danger. He could not risk any more harm to himself by dealing with these troglodytes. Thus, Menza decided that he was going to retire from the shinobi world. He had spoken with Hizashi and the two had worked out an agreement. Menza would work for a certain underground (literally and figuratively) organization. He'd continue his research alongside them while also sending useful projects and inventions to the Society. In essence, he'd be regulated to a purely research and development role with little to no field contact. Menza decided that this was the best way for him to get what he wanted out of life. He enjoyed research and the comfort of the laboratory. He had dealt with shinobi thinking that they were test subjects that could be controlled and analyzed for his own amusement. He was wrong.
Nevertheless, while Menza had come to hate dealing with shinobi, he hated losing even more. He had rendered his services twice. He had assisted in Taichi Kotoshura's Resurrection and had helped Rin and Yui capture the Nine-Tails. He had been paid for the former by way of the Sage's Tools. The artifacts had been stolen by Rin and given to him personally. Unfortunately, the matter of the 9 Tailed Fox remained unresolved. Rin had failed to hold up his end of the bargain and so Menza had taken him prisoner as promised. Unfortunately, Yui had managed to escape his custody and now he had to deal with the prospect that she had blabbled to the Kage of the world about his activities. It was likely that this scared but violent young girl would run to the most powerful people possible. She was madly in love with Rin and with that level of desperation, it was inevitable that she'd involve others. This would make operating in the ninja quite difficult. There was only one way left for Menza to win and that was to make one final deal.
Menzagakure Productions Present....
- Menza's Message to the Kage of the World:
Menza stood in the Medical Bay Facility surrounded by cameras. He was going to make a video that would be sent across the world. Each Kage would receive a copy of this taped video message. What they would choose to do with the information contained therein was up to them.
The video would begin with a flicker. It was a tad bit grainy given the technology and setting but it was otherwise fairly clear. Menza stood before the camera smiling. He was wearing a black turtleneck sweater, slacks, and a white lab coat. It was the standard attire for a scientist.
"Hello Kage and Leaders of the Shinobi World....some of you may know me as Menza Sukiyama or Menza the Cursed One. To some of you I have been a close friend and ally....and to other's I've been an absolute nightmare. Plaguing your people and politics endlessly over the past few years. Well I'm here to give bad news to my friends and great news to my enemies....
Effective immediately I will be retiring from the world of shinobi! That's right ladies and gentleman, I will no longer be an active menace against you or your people. I will be winding down my operations and transferring to a peaceful environment where I can study the sciences without having to deal with your ignorant and violent kind."
Menza was smiling as he spoke but it was clear from the tone in his voice that he was pissed off. He stared into the camera and continued:
"But before I leave, there is some business I'd like to settle. You see, this matter involves a girl. A girl named Yui Kotoshura. Now I won't bore you with the details but its important for you to know that this girl has twice engaged my services. And unlike you brutes, my services do NOT come cheap. She has refused to pay me and so now I have taken something of her's....."
The camera panned to the side and would provide a view of a gurney with a young man laying on top of it. It was Rin Uchiha. Rin would be utterly unconscious, an IV hooked into his arm keeping him sedated and restraints keeping his body strapped to the bed. Menza would walk over to Rin and poke his cheek with a scalpel.
"So now Kage of the world what happens next is up to you. I will have my payment one way or the other but because I am a fair and honorable man, I will give you a set of options."
Menza twirled the scalpel in his hands and began rattling off the possibilities:
"Option One!
You give me an unconscious Yui Kotoshura and Ōtsutsuki and I'll call it even....you can have this boy back safe and sound, I'll even throw in the Nine-Tailed Fox as a goodwill gesture. What you choose to do with that Bijuu is up to you. Fight over it, make an agreement, I don't care. But the essence of option one is Yui and an Ōtsutsuki for this innocent gentleman and the Nine-Tailed Fox."
Menza was being a bit misleading here. By the way he spoke, it sounded as though Rin and the Nine-Tailed Fox were separate entities. He wasn't sure what the extent of the world's knowledge was when it came to Rin's identity as the host for the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Hokage probably knew, but whether that information was shared was a complete and total mystery to Menza. Given Rin's state when he had first found the boy though, perhaps his recklessness had compelled him to reveal his abilities to Kiri and Kumo. Regardless, he opted to add a bit of disinformation into the mix. It would make the Kage's question the situation. Did Rin still have the Nine-Tails? Did Menza remove it from him? Were the two always separate? By creating an information gap, Menza was strengthening his bargaining position.
"Option Two!
Some of you Kage might be high minded! You'd never turn over two innocent shinobi in exchange for power. Well, fortunately I have a second proposal that ensures that everyone goes home happy, alive, and well. In exchange for 15 Million Ryo I will relinquish my claim to Rin, the Nine-Tailed Fox, Yui, and your precious Otsutsuki. Everybody wins, no one is harmed. An ideal although expensive solution."
Menza would now place his scalpel near Rin's throat.
"Option Three!
Some of you might be saying. 'We will never negotiate with terrorists! Especially not you Menza!' And I'd say 'How noble!'. Unfortunately, that puts you squarely in the third option. Let's say you do nothing. You waste my time. You attempt to negotiate. You attempt to free Rin. You do anything other than select the first two options....Well then I kill Rin and then I release the Nine-Tailed Fox. Where? It will be in one of the three villages. I may even split him into three and unleash them in each. I might throw a plague on top of it just because I can...."
Menza would walk up to the camera. The Kage of the world would be given a close up of his face. They'd peer into his elliptical eyes and see that he was completely serious.
"Choose wisely Kage of the world. You are the smartest and most powerful ninja in your respective villages. Are you willing to sacrifice the safety and integrity of your people over some blonde bimbo and her heroic boyfriend? I think when the chips are down you will do the right thing.....attached are the instructions on where, when, and how the drop-off will occur. You have a month to decide. Oh and one more thing.....this is for Yui Kotoshura."
The camera would close in. Menza would lean next to Rin's unconscious face and stare into the camera.
"Hello Yui-dear! Depending on how things shake out we may be seeing each other very soon. The Kage of the world might send you to me....or they might reunite you with your love. I'm not sure what they'll do but there is one thing I want you to know Yui-dear.....
"This is all your fault. You brought this on yourself and the world. An Ōtsutsuki may die........Rin may die....millions may die....all because of you.
Menza would slap Rin's cheek with the scalpel.
"Personally I hope the Kage choose option three. I do so very much want to kill this boy. He's extremely irritating and he's worked my last nerve. Its funny you see...when I told Rin to follow my orders in order to keep you safe, I said that if he failed I wouldn't give him a body to bury. I told him that I'd inflict unimaginable suffering on you and then harvest your flesh until there was nothing left....now that the roles are reversed, I don't think I'll do that. I'll make sure Rin's body gets back to you. I want you to see his corpse. I want it to be a reminder. Remember when I helped you out with that thing? The last words I said to you was: "What is given can be taken away".
Menza looked into the camera and began to laugh manically. It was a cliche'd and villainous laugh but it was actually a genuine one. He could imagine Yui watching this video. Shaking with anger and fear for what was to become of Rin. She'd be totally helpless and at the mercy of the very Kage whose help she sought. It was absolutely delicious.
The video then abruptly cut out and the message ended.
