274. Tailed Beast Distribution

"I could sue you for slander, you know!"

Uchiha Gin, who was initially hoping to bond with the two injured Raikages, turned visibly annoyed upon hearing the First Raikage's words. His expression darkened immediately, and he almost started pointing fingers. As someone who prided himself on his integrity, how could Gin, of all people, be associated with such scandalous places?

"Could it really not have been you?"

Seeing Gin's exasperated reaction, the First Raikage stroked his small mustache and turned to the Second Raikage, whispering,
"Little A, didn't you inquire about that guest yesterday? What did you find?"

"It seems it wasn't Mr. Gin's appearance after all. According to the proprietress, the guest was a bald man with fierce tattoos."

"My apologies, my apologies. We clearly misunderstood. Please accept my sincerest apology."

Realizing their mistake, the First Raikage immediately offered a heartfelt apology.

"It's natural for you two not to know my character and to jump to such conclusions," Gin replied, waving his hand to show he wasn't petty about the matter. However, in his heart, he made a mental note of this slight.

"So, Mr. Gin, what brings you out so early?"

The First Raikage, curious, asked Gin, who was now dressed in formal attire—quite different from his casual look the previous day.

"Oh, just heading to a meeting. You know how it is; I am, after all, a humble civil servant," Gin replied, standing straighter to avoid further misunderstandings with passersby.

"A meeting? Is it at the Hokage's building?"

"Of course."

Hearing this, the two Raikages exchanged a knowing glance. The First Raikage leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Mr. Gin, do you have any inside information?"

Recognizing the opportunity, Gin hesitated for effect, then gave a subtle hand gesture, signaling the universal language of negotiation.

"Oh, oh!"

The First Raikage quickly caught on. With practiced ease, he pulled out a stack of substantial Fire Nation currency, discreetly handing it to Gin.
"Just a little token of appreciation for your help."

"Ahem... such information is top secret and not easily shared," Gin said, his tone shifting just enough to suggest a willingness to compromise.

The Raikage handed over a second stack of bills, and Gin, now satisfied, leaned in and whispered two words: "The tailed beasts."

Hearing this, the First Raikage's eyes lit up. It seemed the rumors in Hashirama's letters were true—Konoha planned to distribute the tailed beasts.

Now fully invested, the First Raikage handed over more funds, prompting Gin to share a bit more:
"Let me tell you something unique—something even most of Konoha doesn't know. The tailed beasts vary in strength, and Konoha’s strongest beast has eight tails. One of those alone is worth three of the others combined."

"Thank you, Mr. Gin. We owe you a great debt!"

Overwhelmed with gratitude, the First Raikage almost shed tears. Gin, satisfied with the transaction, thought smugly, I'm such a trustworthy broker of secrets.

As the three men approached the Hokage's building, the guards confirmed the Raikages' identities and let them through.

"Wait, Mr. Gin, why are you heading up as well?" the First Raikage asked, noticing Gin was still with them as they ascended to the higher floors.

"Just passing through," Gin replied with a casual smile.

"Lord A, something feels off. The higher floors are reserved for top officials," the Second Raikage whispered cautiously.

"Maybe Mr. Gin is just here to grab chairs," the First Raikage reasoned, though even he seemed doubtful.

But as they neared the top floor, the doors to the meeting room opened, and a tall man with long black hair, wearing the Hokage's crimson robe, stepped out with a bright smile.

"Welcome, welcome!" the man said, waving warmly at the two Raikages.

"The Hokage?"

Their doubts dissolved as they focused on the man radiating charisma.

"That's me. Judging by your complexion, you must be our friends from the Hidden Cloud," Hashirama Senju greeted them with his usual affable demeanor.


"First Raikage, A."

Sensing the terrifying aura emanating from Senju Hashirama, the First Raikage couldn't help but sweat slightly. However, as the leader of a village, he couldn't afford to lose face. He straightened his expression and calmly announced his name.

After introducing himself, the First Raikage's tiger-like eyes widened as he stared intently at Hashirama. He refused to let his presence falter, believing that while Hashirama’s aura might surpass his own, ninja battles were decided by skill and strategy, not sheer power. Surely, no one could dominate just by relying on one unique technique, could they?

In the Land of Lightning, their exclusive Lightning Release techniques were renowned for their destructive power. At equal levels, they wouldn’t be outmatched, and they even had a chance of defeating opponents stronger than themselves.

"Please, come in. The other Kage are already seated; we’ve been waiting for you."

Due to their exhaustion from the previous night, the two Raikage had taken longer to arrive and were the last to enter.

Noticing their unsteady steps, Hashirama was puzzled. They bore no visible injuries, which ruled out an attack. But why did they seem so weak? Could they have eaten something bad? Just as he was pondering this, his eyes landed on Uchiha Gin trailing not far behind the Raikage. Hashirama's eyes lit up instantly—his support had finally arrived!

Hashirama had been feeling a bit nervous. After all, this was the first international meeting of Kage, and other nations’ leaders had brought assistants for support. But with both Tobirama and Madara away overseeing the tailed beasts, he felt uneasy facing these foreign powers alone. Seeing Gin, he felt relieved.

With newfound confidence, Hashirama beamed as he walked toward Gin.

The two Raikage, who had been on guard against Hashirama, tensed as he approached, instinctively forming hand seals. But to their shock, Hashirama walked right past them and headed toward the relaxed and unbothered Uchiha Gin.

"Brother Gin, you're finally here!"

Under the astonished gazes of the two Raikage, the founder of the village system, the First Hokage, greeted Gin with respect and even a hint of eagerness, warmly grabbing his hand.

"Ah, I wanted to do right by you, so I even dug out a formal suit I’ve only worn once. Took some time to dress up so Konoha wouldn’t lose face!" Gin replied with a chuckle, fully playing along with Hashirama's respectful attitude.

"Brother Gin, you…"

The First Raikage was stunned. This unassuming Uchiha, whom he had thought was just an ordinary ninja, turned out to be someone even the Hokage treated with deference.

"Ah, Brother A, I just didn't want mundane matters to affect our pure friendship. Besides…"

Gin winked subtly at the Raikage, signaling that he had delivered valuable insider information earlier.

"Ha, ha! Yes, yes, no need for such formalities between us," the First Raikage quickly agreed, his old, weathered face breaking into an awkward grin.

"Brother Gin, let me treat you to a foot massage tonight!"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly accept…"

Hashirama, who had been silently observing, finally caught on. His expression turned complicated as he looked at Gin, realizing this man had even won over the Raikage. Gin’s charisma is truly terrifying.

As time ran short, Hashirama interrupted, "Let’s save the pleasantries for after the meeting. Gentlemen, please head inside; the conference is about to begin."


---

Inside the Meeting Room

The spacious room was filled with tension. Gin peeked in and immediately noticed two older men glaring daggers at each other. One of them was the Mizukage, Katsura, whom he had briefly encountered yesterday.

"Apologies for the delay," Hashirama said, breaking the tense atmosphere. All six pairs of eyes turned to the late-arriving Raikage.

"How grand of the Raikage to keep us waiting so long," quipped Ishikawa, the Tsuchikage, with a smirk.

"Indeed, such behavior is unbecoming of a leader," added Reto, the Kazekage, his arms crossed in a pose mimicking a commander.

Katsura, perhaps due to under-the-table dealings with the Land of Lightning, remained silent, opting not to stir the pot.

"Hmph!"

The First Raikage let out a cold snort, his voice booming like thunder and shaking the room. He couldn’t afford to show weakness in front of these leaders, lest they perceive the Land of Lightning as easy prey.

"Alright, alright, let’s start the meeting," Hashirama interjected, eager to prevent a fight from breaking out.

"Lord Hokage, are you attending this meeting alone?" Reto asked, eyeing Hashirama skeptically.

"Of course not. Brother Gin—wait, where are you?"

Hashirama looked around, suddenly realizing Gin was nowhere to be seen.



"This Kazekage must have been in the Land of Wind for too long; he’s gone blind from all the sand. How can he not see someone as obvious as Brother Gin?"

As Senju Hashirama searched for Uchiha Gin, Reto, the one who raised the question, suddenly noticed that his subordinate, Shāmon, spoke up from behind him. But unlike his usual firm tone, Shāmon's voice trembled with a trace of excitement, catching Reto off guard and prompting him to turn around.

"Yo~ Shāmon, long time no see!"

Uchiha Gin greeted with a bright smile. Shāmon, now bearing a more resolute expression than when they first met, looked surprised but overjoyed.

"Mr. Gin, what brings you here?"

Never expecting to meet Uchiha Gin again in such a setting, Shāmon, now the second-in-command of Sunagakure, was both happy and astonished.

"Didn't I tell you? My hometown is in the Land of Fire. Isn’t it normal for me to show up here?"

"But this is…"

"Shāmon! You’re being inappropriate."

Reto, frowning, coldly reminded Shāmon to compose himself.

"My apologies, Mr. Gin. Let’s catch up properly after the meeting," Shāmon said softly to Gin before regaining his usual calm demeanor, though the joy in his eyes was unmistakable.

Understanding Shāmon’s constraints, Gin said no more and walked toward Hashirama, casually glancing at the mysterious bandaged man along the way. The heavy scent of medicinal herbs suggested recent injuries.

"Hey~ Wig Guy."

As Gin passed the Water Country’s delegation, he nonchalantly greeted Katsura. However, today Katsura seemed aloof, sitting with his eyes closed, ignoring Gin completely.

"Playing the silent, mysterious type, huh?" Gin muttered, unimpressed. Losing interest, he moved to stand behind Hashirama, casually assuming Tobirama’s usual position.


---

Hashirama, filled with emotion, began to address the group.

"To have the First Five Kage of the Great Nations gather like this for a summit—it’s truly an honor and…"

But before he could finish, Ishikawa interrupted, his tone sharp.

"I’m only here because I acknowledge the importance of the Five Kage Agreement, not because I agree to sign anything freely. The Land of Water is struggling to hold out as it is."

Hashirama’s face turned awkward, his celebratory mood deflated. He opened his folder, determined to push forward.

"I propose that the nations sign a peace treaty. As a condition, I will distribute the tailed beasts evenly among you."

"So, this is a trade?" Reto asked after a moment of thought.

Hearing this, Gin realized it was time for him to speak.

"Exactly," he interjected. "The distribution of tailed beasts will consider various factors. And…"

The Kage, taken aback by Gin's involvement, turned their attention to him. This unknown figure, who had no prior mention in intelligence reports, was clearly more significant than he appeared.

From his attire, he was unmistakably an Uchiha, though his curly hair didn’t match the iconic appearance of Madara Uchiha. Gin, accustomed to such scrutiny, remained unbothered. He smiled slyly and locked eyes with the other Kage without hesitation.

"And what?"

"The tailed beasts won’t be handed out for free. They will be sold, and each nation must voluntarily purchase them," Gin said, his tone casual but firm.

The room fell silent. The Kage's expressions darkened, especially those from poorer or war-torn nations like the Land of Wind and the Land of Water.

Kazekage Reto, realizing his nation’s financial limitations, broke the silence.

"In that case, our village already has a tailed beast sealed by monks in an ancient temple. We don’t need another. If we are to sign this agreement, our terms must differ. We require compensation instead."

"What do you want?" the Raikage asked, surprised someone would turn down a tailed beast.

"Our nation is covered in endless desert. We want fertile land from Konoha and a 30% share of the funds from the tailed beast sales."

"Are you kidding me?"

"You’ve gone too far, Kazekage!"

The other Kage immediately united against Reto, their anger palpable.

"Hmph! If my demands aren’t met, I won’t sign the agreement. Our village will rely on our tailed beast to its fullest extent in any future conflicts," Reto retorted, unyielding.

"So you’re playing the barefoot rogue who has nothing to lose, huh?" Gin said with a smirk, breaking the tension.

"And what’s that supposed to mean?" Reto snapped, glaring at Gin.

"Only that you should be grateful my cousin Madara isn’t here. If he were, you’d already be dead several times over," Gin replied nonchalantly, his words laced with mockery.

"You dare insult Shukaku, the most powerful tailed beast?!" Reto shot back angrily.

Gin chuckled, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Sure, sure. Let’s just pretend your oversized raccoon is the strongest. Whatever helps you sleep at night."