Upon hearing Uchiha Itachi's piercing question, Dazuna, he gritted his teeth, knelt on the ground, and hurriedly kowtowed. "Lord Itachi, I really have no other choice. I need to use my money to buy building materials. This is all I can offer."
"If I choose to issue an A-rank mission, even if I manage to reach my hometown, I won't be able to continue construction. Please, for the sake of the innocent people of the Land of Waves, help me!" Dazuna's eyes were filled with tears.
Uchiha Itachi's face was grim, his eyes cold. It was because of people like this, who underreported mission levels, that countless teams in Konoha suffered casualties every year! To be honest, he really didn't want to continue with missions.
Although his abilities could safely send him back to the Land of Waves, Dazuna's credibility was now in question, and Uchiha Itachi did not want to cooperate with such a person.
Just as he was about to refuse, a voice reached his ears. It was Hatake Sakumo's voice. "Itachi! The Lord Hokage has ordered the mission to continue. If any danger arises during the mission, I will intervene to ensure the safety of the Konoha kids!"
After saying that, Hatake Sakumo continued to hide in the tree, observing Uchiha Itachi and the others from a distance Uchiha Itachi raised an eyebrow when he heard this.
That was Sakumo- sama! He's here too, does that mean the Lord Hokage in this mission...?
He looked up at the sky. He was right. To ensure the safety of their team, Uchiha Kō had learned the Telescope Technique Sarutobi Hiruzen. At the same time, the crystal ball, after being improved by Orochimaru, could now include the Land of Waves and the Land of Fire within its detection range.
Uchiha Kō and Tsunade sat at home, watching their performance. Uchiha Kō sat with his legs crossed on the leather sofa, while Tsunade placed her fair thighs on the other side of the sofa and sat in Uchiha Kō's lap.
The two watched intimately as the crystal ball, powered by the Telescope Technique, projected an image that resembled a television.
When Tsunade saw her daughter kick the Heavenly Foot of Pain to blast apart the Mist Ninja from the Mist Village, she cheered, "Honey, honey, did you see that? Our daughter kicked that rogue ninja's arm to smithereens with her Heavenly Foot of Pain!"
Her body was becoming restless, which made Uchiha Kō blush. He suppressed his desire and said hoarsely, "I saw it, wife, calm down first."
Tsunade was a little confused, but then she remembered that she was currently sitting in her husband Uchiha Kō's lap with her arms around his neck, and her face flushed. She stopped and said, "Ahem, oh!"
Uchiha Kō breathed a sigh of relief, then said, "This move has eight parts of your style. When did you teach Rou Rou Taijutsu?"
Tsunade looked up and said, "While you're usually so busy, patrolling everywhere, I'm bored at home. I've handed over all the hospital activities to the next generation, and I'm also bored watching Rou Rou at home, so I taught her a few moves."
Uchiha Kō blushed slightly. He had indeed been very busy these past few years because the area they governed had changed from Konoha to the Ninja World. To consolidate their rule, Uchiha Kō naturally had to travel around.
During this time, he inevitably neglected his family a bit. He reached out with his left hand to touch his wife Tsunade's snow-white thigh, and with his right hand he wrapped his Tsunade around Tsunade's slender waist. A look of guilt appeared on his face. "You've worked hard these past few years. Once everything has settled down, I promise you, I'll let that little Minato succeed me."
"Then, our family will travel around the world, see all the mountains and rivers, and witness the landscapes of every country," Uchiha Kō coaxed his wife.
Tsunade wasn't actually angry, but as a woman, how could she remain unmoved and unhappy when the man she loved most sympathized with her?
She buried her chin in Uchiha Kō's neck and hummed in response. Uchiha Kō's lips curled up, and the two continued to look at Uchiha Rou.
After hearing Hatake Sakumo's words, Uchiha Itachi realized that his group was being watched by the Lord Hokage, and he no longer hesitated, his expression relaxing.
"Mr. Dazuna, we can continue the mission, but after the bridge is repaired, we want 30% of your commercial taxes, and the timeframe will be ten years," Uchiha Itachi with a gentle smile.
Dazuna's lips twitched. Thirty percent of the revenue from trade, for ten years—that's even higher than the reward for an S-rank mission! He really shouldn't have been so greedy for such a small gain.
He looked at Uchiha Itachi but didn't immediately agree. Uchiha Itachi wasn't in a hurry either; even if they didn't complete the mission, they wouldn't be punished.
The one who issued the mission concealed information; according to the rules set by Uchiha Kō, Dazuna was in the wrong.
Dazuna was pondering the strength of these individuals; his intuition told him that they might be among the strongest in Konoha.
With them there, he was certain he would reach the Land of Waves safely. Finally, his eyes darted around, and he stood up, saying, "Alright! I agree!"
Uchiha Itachi's lips curled up. "Excellent, Mr. Dazuna, you've made the wisest decision. After the mission is completed, Konoha will send people to 'protect' the bridge."
Dazuna a wry smile. "Well, Mr. Itachi, can we go now?"
Uchiha Itachi shook his head. "Please have the bridge construction expert sign this document." Uchiha Itachi took out a document and wrote "Land of Waves Bridge Tax" in the blank space. The following words were already there from the beginning.
"Thirty percent will be handed over to Konoha to seek Konoha's protection."
Dazuna's lips twitched. What kind of good person would bring a photocopy of a document, complete with blank spaces, and with the signature of Hokage Uchiha Kō and the seal of Konoha at the end?
Dazuna had no choice but to sign, so a total of three copies were signed: two by Uchiha Itachi and one by Dazuna.
Upon returning to the village, one copy was handed over to the Hokage, one to the finance department, and the other to Dazuna. Uchiha Itachi wasn't worried at all that Dazuna would go back on his word, because he was facing the Konoha Ninja Village headquarters!
Seeing this, Uchiha Kō darkened. "This brat, who did he learn this from? Damn it, he's ruining my reputation!"
Tsunade glanced speechlessly at Uchiha Kō: "My Lord Hokage, don't you know your reputation?"
"What reputation do I have? I don't know anything about it." Uchiha Kō looked at his wife Tsunade with a puzzled expression.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow and said, "Uchiha Kō, known as Owl Skinner, only eats and never spits out. Wherever he passes through a country or village, except for Konoha and the Land of Fire, he will pluck feathers from a passing goose and leave the skin of a departing beast."
Uchiha Kō remained silent, cursing inwardly. "Damn it, some traitor must be slandering me! How could I be that kind of person? Everything I've done is for Konoha!"
Getting back to the main point, after putting away the documents, Uchiha Itachi glanced at Dazuna with a broad smile and extended his hand, "Pleasure doing business with you!"
Dazuna's lips twitched, but in order for Uchiha Itachi to continue protecting him, he could only extend his hand. "Nice to do business with you!"
Uchiha Rou watched Uchiha Itachi's actions with a strange look in her eyes. She felt that Uchiha Itachi looked so much like her father Uchiha Kō, at that moment.
Uchiha Itachi felt Uchiha Rou's gaze and smiled, "Isn't this Lord Hokage taught us: to choose the good and follow it!"
Uchiha Kō couldn't hold back any longer upon hearing this: "@￥&$**"
Tsunade covered her face as she looked at Uchiha Itachi's words, trying her best to suppress her laughter.
Uchiha Rou had a strange expression, but didn't say anything. As for the other two children, they naturally had no objections, because Uchiha Itachi's decision was helpful to Konoha, and they were well aware of Uchiha Itachi's strength.
And so, the group set off, chatting and laughing this time, since Dazuna now practically one of their own.
Suddenly, the birds were startled and flew away. Uchiha Itachi's expression changed, and he raised the Chixiao Sword. Then, the thick fog began to rise again.
Uchiha Itachi snorted coldly, formed hand Hand Seals, and unleashed the Great Dragon Fire, instantly evaporating the mist.
Zabuza. "Holy crap," he thought, "Wasn't it said that Daz only got enough money for low-level missions? If that's the case, then at most one Jonin and three Genin. Why does this guy leading the team seem more than just a Jonin?"
"Get out here!" Uchiha Itachi said calmly. He had already located Zabuza hiding behind the tree, but Zabuza still held onto a sliver of hope. He vowed that once this job was done, he would retire from crime.
This is terrifying! The intelligence was misleading! But there's nothing we can do; Gato gave us way too much—a whole billion!
That's enough for him and Bai to live comfortably for the rest of their lives!
Just as he was lost in thought, Uchiha Itachi suddenly unleashed the Chixiao Sword, its sword energy shooting out Zabuza the large tree where Zabuza was hiding!
Zabuza felt like he was being pricked by a thorn in his back, and immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to dodge the attack. The next moment, the tree where he had been standing was cut in half, and flames continued to burn the trunk.
Zabuza's face Zabuza. If he hadn't dodged, that last slash would have killed him!
With no other option and realizing he had been exposed, he stepped forward. "I am Momochi Zabuza Kirigakure. Greetings, Konoha Ninja!"
"Oh? All the hidden villages under heaven belong to Konoha, yet you're calling them by their old names. Does that mean you don't respect Konoha at all?" Uchiha Itachi immediately accused him.
Momochi Zabuza's face paled. "No, I'm just used to the way I used to be addressed. Besides, I only came out this time to earn some money."
He drew his standard Ninja Blade, which resembled the Kubikiribōchō, but unfortunately the real Kubikiribōchō is now on display at the Konoha Museum.
Uchiha Itachi laughed, "Momochi Zabuza, I've heard of you. You're known as the successor of the Kubikiribōchō, but the Executioner's Kubikiribōchō is no longer with Mist Division. You, Zabuza the Ghost God, rebelled against the village and declared independence in a fit of anger."
Zabuza. Indeed, he had finally passed the selection for the next generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, but damn it, he hadn't inherited the Executioner 'Ninja Blade Kubikiribōchō. The others looked at Momochi Zabuza with strange expressions.
Momochi Zabuza gritted his teeth, unable to bear the strange looks and feeling that he had been tricked in the selection of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and left Kirigakure in a fit of anger.