The Premise of Cooperation Is...

Facing Orochimaru, who was obviously trying to extort him, Houka couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this whole scene.

By rights, shouldn't the two of them have fought viciously first before discussing all those messy conditions?

Was it really okay to skip the fight in the middle like this?

While Houka was distracted, Orochimaru paced back and forth across the ice, speaking at length. "Uchiha Houka, from the time you graduated from the Ninja Academy to when you took part in the Third Shinobi World War, Minato Namikaze has always taken great care of you. Heh heh, you created the Rasengan, but it was Minato Namikaze who truly perfected it! The Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu that you mastered was also taught to you by Minato Namikaze! You are the Jinchuriki of the Yang-Style Three-Tails, but it was still Minato Namikaze who separated the Three-Tails and sealed it inside you—and who even bore the pressure from both Kirigakure and Konoha after the war! He isn't merely your friend. He is your teacher, your big brother! Uchiha Houka, I know your character. You could never betray Minato Namikaze!"

Houka's face darkened slightly. He felt as though he had been stripped naked and paraded through the streets, with rows of seven-foot-tall, heavily muscled Black men lining both sides.

"Orochimaru, you're being way too dramatic. Get to the point already!" Houka said irritably.

"You mentioned cooperation just now. Heh heh, then let us first discuss the prerequisite for our cooperation." A cold smile appeared at the corner of Orochimaru's lips.

"A prerequisite?" Houka snorted. "Just call it extortion. I'd feel better about it that way."

Ignoring Houka's "witty" remark, Orochimaru slowly smiled. "Uchiha Houka, you should know that cooperation is a joint course of action in which two people coordinate with