What? You're Only Giving Me Seventy Percent? Seventy Percent Is Mine!

Xuan Yu's monstrous growth rate and the mysterious abilities he displayed immediately piqued Orochimaru's strong interest.

As Xuan Yu and Kakuzu's figures gradually faded towards the Black Market, a strange glint flashed in Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils, and he made a silent decision.

This Uchiha brat is interesting. I'll find a chance to contact him next. If he's truly an ideal vessel, I won't hesitate to take him.

Although the Akatsuki had strict rules prohibiting harm to comrades, neither Orochimaru nor Kakuzu seemed to take this ironclad rule seriously.

On the other side, Xuan Yu suddenly stopped on the way to the Empty District's Black Market.

Kakuzu, who had been silently forging ahead with a grim expression, immediately narrowed his eyes when Xuan Yu stopped so abruptly and asked coldly, "What is it now?"

Xuan Yu's eyes flickered, and he said with a casual smile, "I just realized there are Black Markets all over the ninja world. Why do we have to travel all the way to the Empty District's Black Market? You know all about the nearby Bounty Exchanges and their situations, don't you, Kakuzi?"

Kakuzu snorted, too lazy to waste words, and simply said, "Follow me," before turning to lead the way.

It was only then that Kakuzu realized, with a delayed reaction, that he had almost been tricked by Xuan Yu.

As they traveled towards the Empty District's Black Market, he had subconsciously assumed that was their destination and had never raised any objections.

Now that he thought about it calmly, Xuan Yu was right.

There were plenty of Black Markets nearby; there was no need to travel thousands of miles to the Empty District to complete missions.

Moreover, he had years of experience in various Black Markets across the ninja world and was intimately familiar with each one.

He could pick a particularly troublesome Black Market and let this brat run into a wall and suffer a bit.

Before long, the two arrived at a Black Market near Amegakure.

In the misty rain, a hidden underground entrance to the Black Market appeared before them.

Entering the Black Market, Xuan Yu looked around. The underground market was dimly lit, bustling with figures, and filled with all sorts of desperate individuals.

As he walked towards the Bounty Exchange with Kakuzu, Kakuzu pretended to casually explain, "The Bounty Exchanges in the Black Markets across the ninja world actually all belong to the same vast and mysterious organization. The rules of different Bounty Exchanges are largely similar, but there are some differences in their operating models."

"This Bounty Exchange near the Land of Fire has strict requirements for mercenary qualifications. Any mercenary who comes here must start with D-rank missions and accumulate enough low-level mission records before they can obtain permission to take higher-rank missions."

"To accommodate you, a newcomer, I plan to rest here for a few days and give you ample time to complete enough low-level missions."

As Kakuzu spoke, the corners of his mouth under his mask curved into a barely perceptible, gloating smile.

He had specifically chosen this Black Market to make Xuan Yu stumble and embarrass himself.

Despite Xuan Yu's strength, which would allow him to take on A-rank or S-rank missions without issue, this particular Black Market had its own rules.

Everyone, regardless of who they were, had to complete low-level missions first to prove their abilities before gaining the qualification to take on higher-rank missions.

In fact, to ensure a high probability of completing client requests, most legitimate Black Market Bounty Exchanges had similar regulations.

However, many Black Markets did not care about their reputation and did not have these requirements.

Kakuzu had expected Xuan Yu to be somewhat troubled after hearing these rules.

To his surprise, as soon as he finished speaking, Xuan Yu suddenly threw an arm around his neck and said with a grin, "Kakuzi, what's there to hide between us? Your permission is my permission! You hurry up and accept all the missions, and we'll split the commission afterward."

Kakuzu crossed his arms and asked coldly, "Why should I share my mission authorization with you?"

Xuan Yu put on a serious face and said earnestly, "Kakuzi, are you stupid? If we join forces, wouldn't our mission efficiency skyrocket?"

Xuan Yu's words made Kakuzu frown slightly.

He thought to himself, This brat is arrogant and rude, with terrible manners, just like that Kisame Hoshigaki. He's a product of a failed education system. However, what he said isn't entirely unreasonable.

Recalling our interactions along the way, this brat's strength is formidable, and his potential for growth is terrifying. Furthermore, his obsession with completing missions for money is no less than mine... I have to admit, he might actually be a good prospect for completing missions.

With that thought, Kakuzu's tone deepened, and he said coldly, "We can share the mission authorization, but it'll be a three-seven split!"

Xuan Yu's eyes widened in fury, and he jumped up, exclaiming, "What? You're only giving me seventy percent?!"

Kakuzu: (O_O)???

Xuan Yu's retort completely threw Kakuzu off guard.

After a two-second pause, Kakuzu roared, "Seventy percent is mine! Whether you get thirty percent depends on my mood!"

Xuan Yu narrowed his eyes and smiled dangerously, "Then I'll be begging for scraps, won't I?"

"Hmph!" Kakuzu snorted dismissively, "Be content! Many people wish they could team up with me to complete missions, and you're lucky to get thirty percent."

Xuan Yu, of course, refused.

Although he didn't plan to exert much effort while Kakuzu was busy with missions, the commission should at least be split fifty-fifty.

So, he smiled and patted Kakuzu's shoulder, saying, "Kakuzi, you know me. If you don't agree to give me fifty percent of the commission, then I'll take all one hundred percent."

Hearing this, Kakuzu was stunned for a moment, then understood what Xuan Yu meant by "taking all one hundred percent."

Xuan Yu's meaning was clear.

After Kakuzu defeated the bounty target, he, Xuan Yu, would immediately snatch the target ninja's corpse and take it to the Bounty Exchange to claim the reward.

It would have been better if Xuan Yu hadn't brought this up, but now that the old matter was mentioned, Kakuzu's rage surged.

"Brat, I'll kill you!" Kakuzu roared, his eyes red with fury.

A violent killing intent washed over him, but Xuan Yu seemed oblivious.

He unhurriedly extended a hand and said lazily, "I must have fifty percent of the commission, or I'll take one hundred percent. When it comes to money, I always keep my word."

Kakuzu was practically radiating killing intent, his entire being on the verge of exploding. However, remembering how this brat had toyed with him several times before, and coupled with the astonishing power he'd personally witnessed Xuan Yu wield not long ago, Kakuzu forcibly suppressed the raging inferno in his heart.

After careful consideration, he realized that if he cooperated with Xuan Yu, their combined efficiency would undoubtedly skyrocket their mission completion rate. Even if he had to split the bounty half and half, he'd still earn far more than before.

Conversely, if they didn't cooperate, this brat was clearly intent on snatching the corpses of his prey, which would only leave him constantly on guard and exasperated.

Therefore, even though he desperately wanted to kill Xuan Yu on the spot, it was simply not feasible to do so easily right now. He could only grit his teeth and endure it for the time being.

Teaming up with Xuan Yu to earn more bounties was Kakuzu's only sensible option at the moment. This made him incredibly frustrated, but he had no other choice.

From then on, Kakuzu stopped arguing with Xuan Yu. With a thunderous expression, he strode towards the Black Market Bounty Exchange, implicitly accepting Xuan Yu's proposed distribution plan.

As soon as he entered the Bounty Exchange hall, Kakuzu strode to the counter and coldly addressed the manager, "Bring me a copy of every mission request form in this Bounty Exchange."

If any other ninja had dared to be so presumptuous, the Bounty Exchange's enforcers would have long since taught them a harsh lesson.

But this was Kakuzu, the renowned top earner of the Black Market. The manager naturally dared not slight him. Upon hearing the request, he immediately plastered a smile on his face and respectfully replied, "Lord Kakuzu, please wait a moment."