280. Delivering Goods

"Such a large sum of money isn’t a small figure. How could we possibly carry that much around with us?"

Ishikawa, now a bit recovered, longed for the convenience of home delivery but was helpless as they hadn’t brought enough money on this trip. They could only stand there staring blankly.

The others shared the same sentiment—who in their right mind would carry so much cash while traveling these days?

"I’ll pay! I brought money!"

But there’s always someone unconventional. From the crowd emerged a figure with a wig, pushing through the group. Byakuren his eyes filled with wisdom, walked out slowly, clutching a storage scroll tightly in his hand, his face written all over with reluctant pain.

Before departing, the First Mizukage had stuffed all of Kirigakure’s funds on him to prevent Iwagakure from pulling any dirty tricks and raiding them during the peace talks.

"Mizukage-sama, so generous!"

Uchiha Gin’s eyes lit up. He hadn’t expected someone to actually have enough money. He immediately switched to a flattering expression, rubbing his hands as he darted forward.
"Here~ This scroll contains 100 billion ryo. You can check it, and return any extra."

Taking the scroll, Uchiha Gin shook his head at the First Mizukage’s comment. "There’s also the transportation fee for one more beast."

"Ugh, there’s no refunding that. Mizukage-sama, transporting a tailed beast costs 10 billion each, so this just barely covers it."

"You—!"

Byakuren almost fainted from anger but, with the goods in Uchiha Gin’s hands, he had no choice but to accept it begrudgingly.

Uchiha Gin had calculated that Kirigakure desperately needed a tailed beast for stability, so he dared to charge such an exorbitant price. Tossing the storage scroll in his hand, he glanced at the grim-faced Tobirama Senju and casually tossed the scroll with the 100 billion ryo toward him.

"I’m not fond of money, nor counting it. You, White Hair, are quick at everything. I’ll leave the counting to you."

"Smack!"

The bewildered Tobirama reflexively caught the flying scroll. Hearing Uchiha Gin’s teasing, he was about to toss it back but stopped when he remembered the amount of money inside. Ultimately, he succumbed to the power of gold.

"Of course, as Konoha’s Fastest, I wouldn’t shy away."

It’s just money. Let’s see who gets worn out counting first!

Sitting down on the spot, Tobirama transformed into a cold, calculating cash counter.

"Mu, inform them to return to the village to fetch more money and send more people."

Seeing his old rival had already paid, the cautious Ishi River turned to Mu behind him and gave the order.

"Little A, go inform the village. Have them bring the funds quickly."

The First Raikage also instructed his assistant to act swiftly.

"Brother Gin, it seems we’ll have to stay here for a few more days."

Delivering messages and gathering money would take time, inevitably causing delays.

"No problem. Everyone, feel free to rest. Once all the tailed beasts are transferred, we’ll sign the agreement."

The delighted Hashirama Senju was visibly pleased with the results, waving to show his patience.

Everyone smiled in agreement, except for the leader of Sunagakure, who, having gained nothing, had a face as dark as soot and a faintly explosive air about him.

"Hah~"

About to erupt, the Sunagakure leader scanned the room. Ultimately, he chose restraint, unwilling to make the already struggling Sunagakure a target for the other great nations.

With every nation now possessing at least two tailed beasts, their prior advantage had vanished. They could only bide their time and plot for the future.

The tailed beast expo concluded, and the kages began returning to their respective camps. As he left, the First Raikage gave Uchiha Gin a meaningful look. The latter immediately understood and smirked knowingly.

Meanwhile, Madara Uchiha and Tobirama Senju remained stationed near the tailed beasts, though they were no longer glaring at each other.

"Swish, swish, swish~"

Tobirama, tirelessly counting the massive sum inside the scroll, had bloodshot eyes, entirely focused on his task.

"White Hair, hurry up. If the amount’s correct, I’ll deliver the goods."

Previously, Uchiha Gin had assigned the delivery task to Madara, promising to erase his debt for construction costs and tailed beast information fees if the job was completed perfectly.

"Ugh, shut up!"

How much had I counted up to again?
Interrupted by Madara’s voice, Tobirama’s eyes burned with rage, wishing he could tear the man to pieces.

"Blah, blah, blah!"

As night fell, Uchiha Gin wandered alone through the streets. Following the First Raikage’s address, he made his way to a suspicious establishment with ambiguous lighting.

“Heaven on Earth.”

Reading the name, Uchiha Gin’s eyes sharpened as he scanned his surroundings before swiftly slipping inside.

Coincidentally, a few short figures passing by the street corner witnessed his actions clearly.

"Oh my, dear customer! You seem new here. Is this your first time?"

Upon entering, Uchiha Gin was greeted by a mature hostess guarding the door. Though elderly, she was stylishly dressed and exuded charm, an apparent favorite among granny enthusiasts. Gin’s initial expectations instantly deflated.

Clicking his tongue in disappointment, Uchiha Gin scanned the service board and realized it was a 24-hour foot spa with accommodations included. No wonder the Raikage’s men were stationed here. It was an all-in-one leisure spot.

"Is this place legit?" he asked skeptically, still harboring some hope.

"Absolutely legitimate!"

"Tsk."

Too disappointing.

"What service would you like, dear customer?"

"I’m looking for someone."
Realizing the lack of "special services," Uchiha Gin decided to focus on business.

"Who might you be looking for?"

The hostess scrutinized his attire and guessed he might be a ninja—perhaps here on an undercover mission?

"Hey! Brother Gin, over here!"

Before Gin could describe his targets, the First Raikage’s voice called from above. Looking up, he saw them on the second floor.

"Oh, so you’re a guest of Raikage-sama! My apologies for any neglect!"

The hostess’s demeanor immediately shifted to one of extreme hospitality, bowing to lead the way.

"Uh..."

This puzzled Gin. Was this establishment owned by Kumogakure?

Following her upstairs, he was warmly greeted by the First Raikage, while the hostess suddenly seemed bashful, her earlier charm replaced by a subtle awkwardness.

"Wait a minute..."

Noticing her odd behavior and the Raikage’s slightly pale expression, Gin’s mind raced with wild speculations.

So Brother A likes gnawing on tree bark?

"Hey~ Beautiful, I’ll come find you later tonight."

The Raikage teased the hostess playfully before pulling the still-dumbfounded Gin into a private room.

"Phew~ Brother A has such... unique tastes."

Sitting before the Raikage, Uchiha Gin’s expression was complicated. Though he didn’t understand, he respected others’ preferences.

"Women are like fine wine; the older they are, the better they taste."

He agreed with that statement—but wasn’t this wine cellared for a bit too long? Could A have a hidden constitution?

Gin had seen his share of older women, but he couldn’t fathom taking a liking to someone as seasoned as the hostess earlier.

"Let’s not dwell on that. Brother Gin, I’m still waiting for you to enlighten me."

The Raikage pulled out a gray box that Gin had given him earlier, placing it on the table with a furrowed brow. Before Gin arrived, he had tried every method to open or damage it but found it indestructible.

"This is a ninja tool called a Driver."


Reaching out to pick up the gray Driver, Uchiha Gin examined its crooked patterns carefully, a subtle, unreadable expression flashing in his eyes.
“So it’s a ninja tool. But what exactly is its connection to the tailed beasts?”

As the First Raikage had expected, this device was no ordinary object. Since Uchiha Gin mentioned that the Driver was related to the tailed beasts, it surely had some profound use.

“Do you remember the cards I gave you?”

Setting down the Driver, Uchiha Gin turned to the First Raikage.

“Here they are.”

Raikage A cooperatively pulled two golden cards from his pocket and handed them over.

Without further explanation, Uchiha Gin took the Two-Tails Beast Card and inserted it directly into the slot on the side of the Driver.

“Yugito. Zzzzt... device... zzzzt...”

A sharp, screeching sound suddenly echoed. The Beast Card, which had just been inserted, was ejected from the slot.

The Driver in Gin’s hand emitted a synthesized electronic voice:

"Out!"

“As I thought... I can’t use it.”

A sigh escaped Uchiha Gin’s lips as he pushed the Driver toward the Raikage, his disappointment evident.

“What... is this?”

The First Raikage, a bystander through all this, was utterly bewildered, unable to make sense of the situation.

“Brother A, this Driver is my life’s work. Whoever wears it can harness the power of a tailed beast, transforming into what I call a ‘Beast Rider.’”

“Beast Rider?”

“Exactly. A warrior who uses the power of a tailed beast. I call them Beast Riders.”

Uchiha Gin’s expression turned solemn as he gazed at the Driver on the table, as if looking at a priceless treasure.

“Borrowing the power of a tailed beast... wouldn’t that make one person as destructive as an actual tailed beast?”

Realizing the significance of the Driver’s capabilities, the First Raikage swallowed nervously, moistening his dry throat.

Earlier that day, he had witnessed the immense power of a tailed beast. Even a village’s kage could not suppress one so easily.

“In theory, yes. But...”

Uchiha Gin’s eyes flickered with a hint of hesitation before he let out a sigh and shook his head.

“But what?”

The First Raikage, impatient to know, urged him to explain.

“The conditions for using the Driver are incredibly stringent. Not just anyone can become a Beast Rider.”

“Go on.”

Uchiha Gin first held up the golden cards in his hand.

“First, you need a Beast Card. This acts as the link to the tailed beast’s power, and there’s a natural attraction between the Beast Card and the potential Rider.”

“Second, you must either gain the recognition of the tailed beast or defeat it in direct combat.”

At this, the First Raikage frowned. From what he had observed of the Four-Tails earlier that day, the hostility between tailed beasts and humans was overwhelming—so much so that communication was practically impossible. How could anyone gain their recognition?

Defeating a tailed beast in combat seemed like the more feasible option.

“What’s the difference between these two methods?”

“The difference is significant. A Beast Rider who earns a tailed beast’s recognition can fully harness the beast’s power. But a Rider who transforms after defeating a tailed beast will face many limitations. Every time they borrow power, they’ll endure the violent chakra of the tailed beast, which can eventually lead to corruption and berserk transformations.”

“Phew... such harsh conditions.”

“And there’s one more thing: transforming into a Beast Rider comes at a cost. Each battle drains the Rider’s life force. So unless it’s absolutely necessary, one should avoid transforming to fight.”




"So, weak-bodied people won’t qualify, huh?”
"Ah, well..."

Looking down at the Driver on the table, the First Raikage's expression grew complicated. It seemed he'd need to start a selection process for Beast Riders as soon as he returned to his village. He wondered whether he'd live to see a Beast Rider from the Hidden Cloud Village in his lifetime.

“Phew~ Thanks for the ninja tool, Brother Gin.”

Combining the superior skills of a ninja with the devastating power of a tailed beast, a Beast Rider was bound to make other villages green with envy.

“No need for thanks; we’re all brothers.”

After all, this Driver was just a prototype, and the Hidden Cloud could serve as guinea pigs to help identify its flaws.

“By the way, Brother Gin, doesn’t Konoha keep a tailed beast on standby as a deterrent?”

Carefully putting away the Driver, the First Raikage suddenly recalled a question and asked.

Hearing this, Uchiha Gin rolled his eyes and replied casually,
“Tailed beasts? We don’t need them. Lord Hokage Hashirama is practically the god of tailed beasts. Which one of them wouldn’t tuck its tail and behave in front of him? Plus, there’s my cousin. His Sharingan is a tailed beast’s worst nightmare. As long as the two of them are around, the Land of Fire has nothing to fear from tailed beasts.”

“True, true.”

The First Raikage nodded with a slightly awkward smile, though his thoughts ran in a different direction.

“Brother A, now that we’ve discussed the main business, about what we talked about earlier... the foot massage...”

Seeing the First Raikage’s subtle expression, Uchiha Gin thought he might back out, so he cut straight to the point.

“Oh? Massage? Of course, we’ll go!”

“Is it... legitimate?”

If it were legitimate, he’d turn around and leave.

“Heh, do I look like someone who’d go for something legitimate?”

“Alright, let’s go!”

“Hold on; I’ll check if Technician No. 36 is available.”

“Excellent, excellent~”

As the First Raikage stepped out, Uchiha Gin rubbed his hands excitedly. He’d never tried this kind of not-so-legitimate foot massage before and was curious about the experience.
“Hopefully, I get someone with a slim waist and... well, you know~”

“Oh? Anything else?”

A sudden voice interrupted his daydream. Lost in thought, Uchiha Gin unconsciously muttered,
“Big... feet! Barefoot, for sure!”

“You’ve got quite the imagination, huh?”

The voice sounded again.

“Of course, I...”

Just as he was about to reply, Uchiha Gin froze, cold sweat trickling down his back. He recognized the voice.

Swallowing hard, he forced on a serious expression and turned around as if nothing had happened.
“Go on, say it again?”

Behind him stood his childhood friend, Uchiha Hikari. Her smiling expression betrayed no anger, but the throbbing vein on her forehead and the dark aura around her were absolutely terrifying.

“Misunderstanding! This is a misunderstanding! I’m here on official business!”

Eyes filled with righteous light, Uchiha Gin tried to find a way out.

“Oh?”

“Really! I swear on my ancestors!”

It was a typical Uchiha Gin move—dragging his cousin’s name into things.

“Fine, I’ll trust you this once. Finish your business and come home early.”

Unable to find any clear evidence, Hikari reluctantly withdrew her killing intent. It seemed Gin's cousin’s name carried significant weight.

“Brother Gin! Technician No. 36 is available; I booked you two hours. Go change!”

Just when Gin thought he had dodged a bullet, the First Raikage’s booming voice echoed from outside, causing Hikari to pause mid-turn.

“No! Hikari, listen to me!”

Her eyes flashed red, and with a cherry-pink blade in hand, she spoke coldly:
“If you’re not honest, I’ll cut it off.”

“Oh noooo!”


---

A Few Days Later

Ninja from all over the world flocked to Konoha, bringing massive amounts of money and boosting the local economy.

In the familiar meeting room, the Five Kage sat around the table with their aides standing behind them. However, this time, Tobirama stood in for his brother, Hashirama.

“The amount checks out.”

After tallying the funds from the Hidden Rock and Hidden Cloud villages, Tobirama, pale and dark-eyed, stood and reported to his brother. Counting money had worn him out to the point of exhaustion.

“Haha, good work, Tobirama!”

Hashirama smiled warmly, then produced the peace treaty.

“Everyone, please sign.”

The other Kage wasted no time signing the agreement. When it was the Hidden Sand Village’s turn, the First Kazekage, Reto, hesitated. Instead of signing immediately, he seemed lost in thought.

“Kazekage-dono, is there a problem?”

“No issue; the Land of Wind desires peace. However...”

Having gained no benefits from this meeting, Reto wasn’t willing to sign without something in return.

“Go ahead, speak your mind.”

“Well, Lord Hokage, you know our land is plagued by endless sandstorms and scarce resources.”

“No way are we giving you money!”

Before Hashirama could respond, Tobirama jumped in, determined to protect the treasury.

“No, no, you misunderstand. We don’t want money.”

Reto shook his head and turned to Hashirama with a meaningful look.

“Then what do you want?”

“That’s... we hope the Hokage can help us combat the sandstorms.”

“Ah, no problem!”

Eager to help, Hashirama agreed without hesitation.

“Hold it! My brother is busy; he doesn’t have time for this!”

Tobirama interjected, knowing Hashirama’s tendency to overextend himself.

“Well, in that case, we won’t sign.”

Realizing the stalemate, Tobirama reluctantly compromised.

“Fine. My brother will help with one city’s sandstorms.”

“The capital!”

“No way!”

Tobirama firmly rejected the proposal. Instead, he chose a less significant location: Roran.

Though Reto initially wanted more, seeing his aide’s reaction, he conceded. Roran was his aide’s hometown, and agreeing would strengthen their relationship.

“Very well, Roran it is.”

And so, the treaty was signed, ushering in a fragile peace. How long it would last, no one knew.


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