Chapter 59.5- Gamer of the Desert

“10% Might as well ask me to blow you while you’re at it” Kuriootsuchi muttered and I struggled to swallow my laughter at the comment.

“I can see how that might seem extreme, but I promise a minimum of a 50% profit increase in every village if you follow the measures I offer” He said next.

“Bold words”

“Yes, but I can back them up, I promise. Think about it this way. Right now you have to charge a price high enough to ensure you make profits, but low enough that your clients don’t go running to other villages. If you all work together to harmonise and raise prices while implementing my efficiency measures then your profitability will be amplified”

“You want to form a cartel of hidden villages”

“Precisely, Mizukage-dono”

“And all of it under you”

“Equal partnerships don’t work for the five, Kazekage-dono. You need me for this to succeed. You need someone with the big stick to ensure that anyone who deviates from the plan gets put back in the line. I promise you a long lasting peace.” He said.

“No” Tsunade said.

“What?”

“We’ve heard your offer. No.”

“Well, I like to believe you do not speak for everyone here. Let’s put it to a vote, shall we?”

“Sure, the answer remains the same” She looked confident.

“Mifune-dono, if you would?” Kabuto said, turning to the Samurai lord.

“Yes. I will call the titles, and the bearer can choose to either vote yes, no, or abstain.” He said with a cough before looking up at each of us in turn.

“What happens if you lose this?” I asked, turning to Kabuto before Mifune could begin.

“Then I will rain down death and destruction upon whatever remains of your villages and when I finish, you will all fly my flag. This is nothing more than Plan A. Please begin the vote.”

“I will proceed in the order at which you arrived at the Summit. Hokage-dono” Mifune called.

“I vote no” She said instantly.

“Raikage-dono”

“I vote no. Akatsuki has caused Kumogakure immense pain, it is only because of the threat of facing the tailed beasts alone that I even bothered attending this.” Darui replied, turning to Kabuto with hard eyes.

“Mizukage-dono?”

“I vote yes” Mei said almost instantly, making the entire room turn to her with narrowed eyes. Mifune coughed before proceeding.

“Tsuchikage-dono?” Kurotsuchi was silent for a second. Her eyes were covered by her hair.

“You said you’d rebuild our villages? Pay for it?” She asked instead of voting, turning to Kabuto after the silence stretched for a few seconds.

“Yes. Yes I will. I’d restore the Hidden Stone Village to better than it was before the Kazekage got to have his way with it.”

“Then I vote yes” The shock in the room was palpable, but Tsunade was still smiling smugly. I had the last vote, and she was probably certain that she knew how I’d vote.

I thought I knew how I’d vote as well. No. Let Kabuto bring the best he had. I would have both Leaf and Cloud on my side. The Sannin, Gai, Darui, that was a powerful team. But Kabuto had so much more. Without Stone and Mist to help, what were the chances. With both Nagato and Madara by his side, there was no chance he didn’t have the other tailed beasts under control already. Seven tailed beasts, Madara Uchiha, Nagato, Obito, Deidara, probably most of the Akatsuki as well. and who knows who else? Assuming he had the same roster as he did in canon, then that meant legends like Hanzo the Salamander, the Gold and Silver brothers, the previous Kage, and much more. In canon, they’d only won because they got lucky. What were the chances I’d manage to hit this Kabuto with the Izanami? What were the chances I’d even get the chance to fight him one-on-one in the first place.

He was careful about avoiding being alone from what I could see. And with the arsenal he had, the risk was just too great. We were already here. He had access to the Kamui to bring his army here. Obito being under his thrall also lost me one of my greatest trump cards. Kamui. Could I win? I wanted to say yes.

“Kazekage-dono?”, Mifune called, and I realised that it was the second time. The entire room was looking at me.

Two choices. Risk it, or bide my time.

Five years. In five years, Suna would be able to take on the world and win with me at her head.

“I have some conditions” I said, turning to Kabuto. The room suddenly heated up.

“I’ll hear them, Kazekage-dono”

“Suna is the strongest of the Five right now. We don’t need your help. I don’t want you sniffing around or poking your nose in my shit. I’ll kick you your 10% with no complaint, and abide by whatever pricing rules you dish out, but you don’t touch. my. shit. Ever.” I said to him then.

“That works for me, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself begging for my interference when your village gets left behind by the others” I scoffed in reply.

“I vote yes”

A/N; Saw that coming?