"Sp... spent money to buy it?!"
The Fourth Kazekage froze for a moment, his face filled with confusion.
Not just the Fourth Kazekage—after hearing Hyuga Kagami's words, the higher-ups from the other shinobi villages present also looked astonished, an involuntary thought flashing through their minds: The Ryumyaku could be bought?
On Konoha's side, Kakashi and the others were equally dumbfounded.
Since Hyuga Kagami had become the village's Fifth Hokage, no matter what means he had used to obtain the Ryumyaku, they could only grit their teeth and support him.
They had considered all sorts of possibilities, but it had never occurred to them that Hyuga Kagami had bought the Ryumyaku with money.
Sweeping his gaze across everyone in the conference room, Hyuga Kagami smiled. "What? Is there some rule saying the Ryumyaku can't be traded?"
Elder Chiyo of Sunagakure darkened her face and said coldly, "Bought? Hmph, isn't that explanation far too perfunctory? Who did you buy it from? Who had the right to sell the Ryumyaku?"
Hyuga Kagami immediately spoke with righteous conviction. "The ownership of the Ryumyaku has always been clear. It belongs neither to us in Konoha nor to you in Sunagakure, but to Rōran. Is there any doubt about that?"
The Fourth Kazekage furrowed his brow. "So you're saying you bought it from the people of Rōran?"
"That's right. The one who traded with me was the Queen of Roran!"
Hyuga Kagami spoke with complete confidence.
If he had still been that powerless Special Jonin from back then, perhaps the charge of "stealing the Ryumyaku" could have been pinned on him. But now, he was the Hokage!
Could a Hokage's business be called stealing?
Besides, although his methods when plotting for the Ryumyaku had been somewhat furtive, he had ultimately paid properly. He had even escorted