Chapter 111: No Food Included
Uchiha Fugaku also chimed in at this moment.
"It's just as the Hyūga Head said. The Fourth Raikage is only offering 1.2 billion to ransom so many ninja, plus two Tailed Beasts, and the Fourth Raikage himself. He's simply insincere."
"What good is 1.2 billion ryō? It's useless. Let's just sell them all to the black market. There are plenty of people who need Tailed Beasts and experimental materials."
The Fourth Raikage was filled with rage when he heard this.
'Isn't 1.2 billion ryō enough to support your two clans for 10 years?'
'This is too much! They still want to sell them to the black market.'
'That place that uses ninja bodies for experiments and to steal secrets... the truly evil Uchiha Clan.'
Ryōsuke looked at the Fourth Raikage's grim expression and said flatly, "Fourth Raikage, you see the situation. The Hyūga Head suggests killing all of you. My Uchiha Clan Head wants to sell you to the black market."
"As for me, I'm giving you a chance to ransom your own village's ninja."
"Choose one. Make a choice for the ninja behind you as well. After all, you are the Fourth Raikage. You have the right to decide their fate."
The Fourth Raikage was furious. 'This is an outrageous insult! They propose these conditions and then want *me* to take the blame for it.'
'The evil Uchiha Clan!'
But he was still angry.
Right now, they had only given him three paths. One was to kill them. One was to sell them. And one was to pay the 6 billion ransom, plus the 200 million in compensation.
In reality, they had only given him one path.
His own life wasn't the main concern. This was about the lives of all the elite Jōnin and Chūnin from the Cloud Village who had deployed, as well as the Tailed Beasts. If all these people were sold or killed, then he, the Fourth Raikage, would become the ultimate sinner of the Cloud Village. As the village's leader, he absolutely could not lead the village into such a dire situation.
He said helplessly, "Fine. I accept your proposal. We will pay according to your prices."
When Uchiha Ryōsuke heard him, a trace of joy appeared on his face.
"Good. Then let's round it up to 6 billion ryō. We'll even give your Cloud Village a chance to pay. Just pay 300 million ryō per year."
"We'll give you 20 years to pay off this ransom. You can return to your village now and prepare the money to be sent to the Leaf Village."
"Of course, I will be keeping several Cloud Village ninja to assist us in investigating that letter."
"I trust Lord Fourth Raikage has no objections."
How could the Fourth Raikage dare to have any objections? 'Assist in an investigation? It's just a few ninja.'
'They even gave us installments. They are dead set on making us pay.'
In truth, he had considered the idea of just going back and defaulting on the debt.
After all, even if he, the Fourth Raikage, agreed, the powers within the village might not agree to such a ransom.
But could he think of something the other side couldn't?
'And they're just letting us go back so easily? Aren't they afraid we'll default?'
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but ask, "You're just letting us go back this easily? Aren't you afraid we'll default on the debt?"
Ryōsuke just laughed loudly.
"Before you default, you'd better think about the consequences. In fact, I'm rather hoping you *do* default. Then we would have a perfect reason to absorb the Cloud Village and the Land of Lightning into the Land of Fire's territory. That's not a bad idea, come to think of it. It's much more profitable than 6 billion ryō."
"It's just that it would require killing a lot more people, which is a bit troublesome."
When Uchiha Fugaku heard Ryōsuke's words, he was shocked. 'I didn't realize Ryōsuke had such ambitions.'
'To absorb the Land of Lightning into the Land of Fire's territory... in that case, the revenue from an entire country is something 6 billion ryō can't even compare to.'
'As expected of the man leading the clan to prosperity. To think he has such terrifying ideas.'
The Fourth Raikage's expression changed, his heart trembling. 'His ambition is that great?'
'He actually wants to absorb our Land of Lightning into the Land of Fire's territory! If he does that, many Cloud Village ninja will surely rise up to resist.'
'With his current combat power, it's likely that many, many people would die.'
"How dare you! The truly evil Uchiha Clan!"
Uchiha Ryōsuke didn't get angry. Instead, he asked, "Why would you think we wouldn't dare? You think our Uchiha Clan is evil? Then what about all the Leaf ninja who have died at the hands of your Cloud Village? Don't think for a second I'm soft-hearted like the First Hokage."
In Ryōsuke's mind, Senju Hashirama back then was hailed as the God of Shinobi.
Uchiha Madara, before his defection, was also a powerhouse comparable to the God of Shinobi, only slightly inferior. Both were top-tier experts who could take on an entire village alone. The shockwaves from their battles could alter the terrain. If the two of them had worked together to conquer the ninja world, they would have brought peace long ago, and there wouldn't have been so many sacrifices from the Leaf Village later on.
The Fourth Raikage's heart skipped a beat. 'That man known as the God of Shinobi...'
'He truly was a bit soft-hearted. At the first Five Kage Summit, he was a man who begged and even knelt for the villages to stop fighting.'
'His strength was monstrous, but he was too merciful.'
'But this Uchiha clansman in front of me... his combat power is on another level, I don't know how he compares to the First Hokage, but he is definitely a ruthless person.'
Thinking back to the previous battle, he no longer wanted to fight this man ever again.
Seeing the Fourth Raikage had nothing more to say, Ryōsuke looked at the two clan heads.
"Hyūga Head, Clan Head Fugaku, you should be satisfied with this result, right?"
Fugaku immediately nodded in agreement.
"Since you've said so, Ryōsuke, and the Fourth Raikage is willing to agree to these conditions, then it's decided. Let them go back."
He was also very happy inside. 'Ryōsuke is so domineering. He's completely intimidated the Fourth Raikage.'
'In truth, Ryōsuke probably isn't the kind of ruthless person who would actually kill all these Cloud Village people. Otherwise, it would probably cause chaos in the ninja world.'
The Hyūga Head also agreed. He had just been playing the bad cop, after all.
'Look how scared the Fourth Raikage is. It's so satisfying.'
At the same time, he greatly admired Uchiha Ryōsuke. 'What grand ambition. If only our Hyūga family could produce someone like him.'
Seeing that both had agreed, Uchiha Ryōsuke smiled and said, "Since both clan heads are in agreement, then the Fourth Raikage can take your Cloud Village ninja and leave. After all, we don't have any extra dinner to spare for all of you from the Cloud Village."
Hyūga Hiashi and Fugaku were both stunned for a moment, not expecting Ryōsuke to say such a thing. They barely held back their laughter.
The Fourth Raikage was also angry and annoyed.
"Then please release us! We wouldn't want to trouble you for food!"