Chapter 137: Too Difficult for You? Then let’s fight! (Patreon)

Colt and the rest of his side weren't surprised by this outcome at all.

The Fourth Raikage might be hot-headed, but he wasn't a fool.

With one of his Jinchūriki captured and the other defeated in battle, he alone couldn't cope with the current Konoha.

If this continued, the Raikage feared that the Hidden Rock, who had been watching from the sidelines, might jump in to take advantage of this situation.

After all, the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Rock were old enemies.

His father, the Third Raikage, had been worn down to death by ten thousand Rock ninjas.

When the news reached the Hokage Building, Tsunade first laughed wildly, then waved her hand and handed control of the matter to Shikaku.

Her only request: they could return the Tailed Beast, but they had to make the Raikage feel the pain reach his bones!

"Uncle Shikaku, just let me go already. Hinata and the others are still waiting for me in the village," Colt said with a dejected face. The battle was over. The negotiations weren't his strong suit.

Staying here was just a waste of time.

He'd rather go back early to enjoy the company of his friends and girlfriends.

Shikaku held his forehead.

‘Stupid brat, this battle was originally for you to accumulate prestige and renown.’

‘The most critical time is coming, and you want to leave first?’

"Colt, what if you leave and the Hidden Cloud suddenly changes their mind? No one here is the Raikage's match except you."

In the end, Shikaku thought of a reason and forced Colt to stay.

‘Sigh’

Colt could only stay helplessly.

Soon, the Raikage brought his entourage to the agreed negotiation site.

"You’ll return Yugito, and the Hidden Cloud will compensate Konoha with 10 million ryō," the Raikage stated, showing his hand immediately.

Sitting beside him were Mabui and Darui.

Colt deliberately looked around and spotted Samui, the second most prominent kunoichi in the ninja world. He felt a twinge of regret at being enemies.

He had wanted to compare her to Tsunade.

"Lord Raikage, this compensation is too small. I believe that if the Two-Tails Jinchūriki was sold to the other countries, it would certainly exceed this amount," Shikaku frowned and retorted.

"Moreover, do you think Konoha is short on funds to even take such a meager amount?"

It was clear to all that the Hidden Cloud village was being insincere.

"Hmph!" The Fourth Raikage's nostrils flared as he exhaled roughly.

"Then let's continue fighting. At any rate, we Cloud shinobi will die fighting, whether we have money or not."

"You want more compensation? That’s too difficult for my side."

The man who could become the leader of a village was never a fool. He keenly sensed Konoha's dilemma.

They could win, but not by too much.

The other ninja villages wouldn't allow it either.

"Too difficult? Then don't do it! We’ll just fight!"

Colt stood up abruptly, flipping the negotiating table, and ended up scattering the documents across the floor.

This move not only shocked everyone from Konoha, but even the Fourth Raikage was stunned.

He was usually the one smashing the tables, but today he was on the receiving end.

His temper flared instantly.

"Let’s fight then! Brat, this old man has long been itching to deal with you!"

Lightning crackled around the Fourth Raikage's body as he activated his [Lightning Release Chakra Mode].

Thunder and lightning enveloped his body, not only providing high-speed attributes but also wrapping him in a layer of chakra armor.

Although it was only a B-rank jutsu, the strength of a technique never depended solely on its rank (though that was a factor), but also on the user.

The Hidden Cloud was a village that developed ninjutsu to its ultimate form, and the Fourth Raikage was the strongest among them.

Even if not quite as good as his father, the Third Raikage, he wasn't far off.

But would Colt be afraid?

Without hesitation, he slapped his hand on the ground and summoned Yugito.

"Come on then! Hit me!"

Standing behind Yugito, Colt spoke words that sent the Fourth Raikage's blood pressure soaring.

"If you have the ability, fight me one-on-one! What skill is there in hiding behind a woman?!"

The Fourth Raikage's hair stood on end in anger.

He didn't expect Colt to be so shameless as to use Yugito as a hostage!

Colt wasn't angered at all, instead looking at the Raikage as if he was a fool.

"The Two-Tails Jinchūriki is my current summoning beast. What's wrong with fighting alongside my summon?"

"You...!"

The Fourth Raikage was left speechless.

Mabui knew it was time for her to step in.

"Colt-san, please calm down. Our Raikage-sama can only offer this much compensation because of the village's financial difficulties. It's not that we don't want to express our sincerity."

"Your side would also not want our villagers to starve because of an excessive compensation, would you?"

Mabui's remarks were very diplomatic, playing to Colt's sympathy.

But Colt didn't appreciate this approach and snorted.

"You’re so poor that you can only give 10 million ryō? Let me tell you, even a Jonin, Asuma, in our village has a bounty of more than 30 million. Are you beggars? Giving that much for a jinchuuriki…"

"Also, your Hidden Cloud Village's poverty has nothing to do with us in Konoha. It's entirely your own fault."

Asuma, who had been silently watching the proceedings, nearly choked.

‘What the hell! Why did you have to use me as a comparison?!’

Kakashi glanced at Asuma sympathetically, with a hint of pity in his eyes.

He also remembered the Hyūga ninja using him as a unit of measurement.

"This..."

Mabui was at a loss.

She didn't expect this young kid to be not only strong but also immune to their tactics.

"How about this: 30 million ryō. This is the greatest sincerity our Hidden Cloud can offer."

Colt didn’t respond at all, but his eyes grew colder.

"For Yugito, we can give 40—"

"Not enough."

"Colt-san…"

"Okay, we’ll give Fifty million! This is our final offer!"

Tsk

Without a word, Colt activated the [Susanoo] this time, and the Mangekyō pattern appeared in Yugito's eyes as well.

"Enough!" the Raikage yelled.

This brat was getting on his nerves, and he didn’t know how he had held himself so far.

"Brat! One hundred million! Any more than that and I'll just kill Yugito myself. And then we’ll fight it out to the death!"

Colt looked at Shikaku, and seeing the other party nod imperceptibly, he knew this was the Hidden Cloud's bottom line.

He dispelled the [Susanoo].

"Alright, since you're so poor, we'll settle for the measly amount of one hundred million."

He waved his hand, looking as if he was doing the Hidden Cloud a favor.

It seemed they had truly reached their limit.

But the Hidden Cloud really was poor; even a Kage was richer than them.

In fact, what Colt didn't know was that because of this defeat, the pensions and reparations alone could make the Hidden Cloud's finances collapse.

Even at 100 million, the Fourth Raikage would still need to seek a loan from the Land of Lightning daimyo.

But he wouldn’t care. This was the reality of the ninja world. You reap what you sow.

The two sides signed the final treaty.

The Hidden Cloud would get Yugito and the other Cloud prisoners at the price of 100 million ryō in compensation and an open surrender.

On the day of the prisoner exchange, Yugito also returned to normal.

She looked at Colt with trembling eyes full of fear.

She'd rather die than see this man again in her life.

He was simply the devil incarnate!