Naruto: IY Ch. 33

"Hanzō! Get back to Ame!"

A group of noble men and women approached, attended by their servants. At the front was the Daimyō's heir of the Land of Fire. He pointed angrily at Hanzō.

"You disgrace!"

The six Ame ninjas, whose chakra and vocal cords had been sealed, let out muffled sobs.

If you asked them who they hated the most... It would naturally be the Five Great Nations!

The Five Great Villages had blockaded all trade routes with their power. It was these nobles who had made the Land of Rain weep.

Hanzō clenched his fists, to be scolded like this with a finger in his face... this was a first.

"I'm going to report this to my father."

Hanzō looked at the girl's attire, a white robe with green trim. A noble from the Land of Wind?

"Why are you glaring at her? If anything happens to her, I'll have my father hire Konoha ninjas to kill you!"

This one wore a robe trimmed in red, so, Land of Fire.

Beside her, nobles from the Land of Water and Land of Earth also wore smug, satisfied expressions.

The representative from the Land of Lightning wasn't a noble, but a ninja. He didn't say anything, instead trying to find the best angle to get in a photo with Yahiko. Was this the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki?

Why? Why? Why?

Hanzō was dumbfounded, Yahiko had become a servant for the nobles?

No wonder!

No wonder his village had developed.

Jiraiya quietly pulled out a handkerchief, as if to shred it with his teeth, he was so jealous...

Nagato and the others breathed a sigh of relief, they'd been saved.

Facing Hanzō's scornful glare, he could clearly see the word "slave" form on his lips.

Yahiko felt he had to say something. Yoake's policies had never included flattering the nobles.

"I appreciate your sentiments, but in my heart, there is only Ria."

Yahiko gave the noblewomen a deliberately cold stare.

"Ahh~ That's a line from the movie!"

"A young Jin, so cute!"

The noblemen nodded in satisfaction, live fan service. The noblewomen looked like they were melting.

Just like in the movie: Jin only had eyes for Ria.

Hanzō looked at the crazed young people.

I don't get it! Why is everyone calling Yahiko Jin?

Should he fight or not?

If they fought, wouldn't it push the Land of Rain's situation even closer to collapse?

Damn it!

I hate this!

Couldn't there be a little normalcy?

"Hanzō, let's form an alliance. We'll swear on the death of the Salamander, our two villages will never invade each other!"

Seeing Hanzō hesitate, Yahiko pressed the advantage. He had come here only to win some food for the citizens of Ame.

If the villagers could eat, would he need to lower himself to attack a small-time leader?

The nobles all nodded repeatedly.

The Fire Daimyō's heir seemed very pleased. The warning in his eyes was clear as he looked at Hanzō.

Don't be stupid. War kills people. If Yahiko dies, where will these young fans get their next movie fix?

No invasion? If we don't invade, what's Ame supposed to eat?

Hanzō didn't care for their proposal, that was what he muttered inside.

If their fathers had shown up, maybe he'd take them seriously. But a bunch of spoiled children?

Heh.

Still, he wasn't sure if he could sway their fathers either.

Seeing Hanzō remain silent, Yahiko tapped Kakuzu on the shoulder with his finger.

"You're up!"

Kakuzu rubbed the spot, confused. "Up for what?"

"Negotiations."

"Got it." Kakuzu instantly switched his demeanor and threw on a shirt over his bare torso.

Yahiko told him he wanted him to negotiate with Hanzō.

What? Recruit? Isn't that just giving money away?

How much would the recruits be paid?

Five thousand ryō per month, including food and lodging?

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Kakuzu rejected it outright. You can cut me down and hang my head on that crooked old tree over there, but you can't insult me like this.

"You charged me two ryō for a movie ticket in Konoha."

"I... Didn't you also collect one ryō from me?"

"Shut up! You're on the payroll!"

"Let's renegotiate..."

Kakuzu's eyes turned red as he quickly grabbed Yahiko's hand.

Shuzen, having once played a noble from the Land of Whirlpools for a couple days, knew just how extremely bored and empty nobles could be.

"You guys don't know, during that scene, the director dropped by the set, and heard geese honking from the tent..."

While Yahiko and Kakuzu discussed business, the smooth-talking Shuzen took the nobles aside to chat about behind-the-scenes easter eggs from the Yoake production team.

A few moments later, Hanzō was nearly out of patience.

"You! Come here!"

Kakuzu, annoyed, pointed at Hanzō,

The Salamander, confused, pointed to himself. "Me? Are you talking to me?"

"Yes, you! Damn right, you!"

In that instant, Hanzō felt something ridiculous, for a second, he actually felt his life was in danger from Kakuzu, who dragged him up onto the bridge.

The two of them discussed alliance terms on the bridge.

"What?! To hell with you! 300 ryō a month and you don't even include housing? Even Kumo's slaves aren't treated this badly!"

Feeling Hanzō's spit flying, Kakuzu calmly wiped his face.

Negotiation? Fine, take it slow.

What had Hanzō just heard?

Kakuzu had said: Housing can be included, but you need to pay a 1000 ryō deposit up front, and there's a 301 ryō monthly cleaning fee.

"..."

Ten minutes later.

"To arms! I absolutely cannot accept such an inhuman treaty!"

Hearing Hanzō roar on the bridge as if he was about to rip Kakuzu apart...

Yahiko's brow instantly furrowed into a knot. "Inhuman? How is this inhuman?"

Was fighting the only way left?

But hadn't Hanzō come to Yoake just so his villagers could get a bite to eat?

Didn't Yahiko tell Kakuzu to try to push the salary down to three thousand?

Three thousand wasn't good enough?

At that moment, Kakuzu glanced over at him. Yahiko raised five fingers.

Fine, five thousand then.

Sigh...

Another ten minutes later...

Before anyone could react, a bundle of wires was thrown across.

Yahiko and the others didn't even have time to respond, Kakuzu had already been beaten half to death by the enraged Hanzō.

"Severely injured..."

Well, at least he wasn't dead.

"Hanzō! What the hell is wrong with you!"

"Yahiko! What the hell is wrong with you!"

The two voices exploded simultaneously.

Yahiko met Hanzō's bloodshot, beast-like eyes.

He suddenly felt a bit guilty, but then got furious.

"You're the one going too far! Five thousand ryō a month in salary, five days of flexible vacation time, food and lodging included, where are you going to find a better job than that?"

"WHAT?!"

"Huh?"

Hanzō froze.

Both of them instinctively looked over at the bundle of wires lying on the ground.

Yahiko was dumbfounded.

What the hell was Kakuzu doing?

Was he that desperate to become a decorative streetlight?