There Are No Winners in the Leaf Village's Strife, Yet None of the Factions Are Willing to Stop

Yoshino took out a check and wrote Xuan Yu a check for 41.2 million ryo as he spoke.

Based on the intelligence he had gathered, Xuan Yu was not among the top ninjas in the current ninja world.

However, judging from Xuan Yu's recent mission performance, he was undoubtedly a mercenary with astonishing potential.

What Yoshino valued was precisely the strength Xuan Yu currently displayed and his boundless potential.

Therefore, before other bounty exchanges could establish a relationship with Xuan Yu, he decided to directly show his utmost sincerity.

Xuan Yu took the check from Yoshino, coughed twice, and said, "Could you please change this into a 20 million and a 21.2 million check? It would be more convenient for me to use."

Yoshino didn't understand why, but he nodded and complied, issuing him two new checks.

After handing the checks to Xuan Yu, Yoshino began to paint a rosy picture for him.

He lowered his voice and said, "With the current development trend, the rating of the Empty District Bounty Exchange will be upgraded soon. At that time, I can give you an additional 5% commission within my authority."

"The more missions you and other mercenaries in the Empty District Black Market complete during this period, the faster the Empty District Bounty Exchange's rating will increase, and the sooner you will benefit."

After listening, Xuan Yu patted Yoshino on the shoulder and said with a chuckle, "Don't worry, don't worry, I won't be doing few missions from now on."

Xuan Yu wasn't bragging this time.

With him partnering with Kakuzu, it was hard for Kakuzu's mission efficiency not to improve.

Moreover, while Kakuzu was on missions, Xuan Yu could also take time to do a few jobs himself and simultaneously send out Chakra Clones to grind low-level missions.

This way, both the quantity and quality of missions were guaranteed, and he just had to wait for Yoshino to prepare the extra bounty for him.

After completing his mission at the bounty exchange, Xuan Yu didn't go to meet Kakuzu immediately. Instead, he headed straight to Granny Cat's place for a meal.

He estimated that Kakuzu, not being as fast as him, would still need some time to deliver the remaining corpses to a nearby bounty exchange.

It would be better to go to Granny Cat's for a meal and a rest first. By the time he finished, Kakuzu should be done as well.

Inside Granny Cat's Weapon Shop, only Granny Cat was present.

Seeing Xuan Yu arrive, Granny Cat's face twitched involuntarily.

The reason was simple: this brat had arrived right at mealtime again!

At that moment, Granny Cat had just served a bowl of rice and hadn't had time to place it on the table.

Xuan Yu, acting very familiar, leaned forward, took the bowl from Granny Cat's hand, and said with a smile, "Thank you, Grandma. Your cooking is as great as always!"

Granny Cat sighed helplessly and said, "Xuan Yu, didn't you join a mercenary organization in Amegakure? Why do you still come to the Empty District every few days?"

Granny Cat had learned some of Xuan Yu's recent activities through the Ninja Cats.

However, information about the Akatsuki organization was not easily obtained, so even Granny Cat only knew that Xuan Yu had joined a mercenary organization.

Hearing her question, Xuan Yu spread his hands and said helplessly, "Grandma, the mercenary organization I joined doesn't provide meals. Otherwise, I wouldn't have to travel so far just to freeload a meal from you."

He was telling the truth.

As one of the top mercenary organizations in the ninja world, the Akatsuki organization did provide accommodation but not food. His meals either came from freeloading at Granny Cat's or eating with Kakuzu, and in the end, Kakuzu would always be the one paying.

He never intended to spend money on unnecessary things.

After all, no matter how much money it was, it would accumulate and, when recharged into the Pay-to-Win System, would be converted into tangible combat power!

Granny Cat was unaware of Xuan Yu's little schemes.

She was too lazy to comment on this brat anymore.

After serving herself a portion of rice, Granny Cat sat down opposite Xuan Yu.

She didn't continue talking about food with Xuan Yu but casually asked, "Have you been paying attention to the recent situation in the Leaf Village?"

Xuan Yu, who was burying his head in his rice, shook his head and replied, "I haven't paid much special attention, but I basically know everything about Leaf Village matters."

Granny Cat glanced at him, picked up some food for her bowl, and chided, "You brat, talking nonsense again! If you haven't been paying attention to Leaf Village's recent situation, how could you possibly know what's happening there?"

Xuan Yu said with a cheeky grin this time, "Grandma, haven't the infighting among the various factions in Leaf Village been going on for a long time? As long as those major clans and other forces haven't settled their disputes, the situation in Leaf Village won't change much."

Granny Cat didn't retort this time and even looked at Xuan Yu with surprise.

If Xuan Yu were an old, cunning schemer, saying such things would be normal.

But for Xuan Yu, a mere child, to have such insight, Granny Cat was somewhat surprised.

After a moment of silence, Granny Cat casually asked again, "Then, in the struggle between the various forces in Leaf Village, who will be eliminated first, and who will be the ultimate winner?"

She didn't expect Xuan Yu to answer these two questions.

Because not to mention Xuan Yu, even the old folks in Leaf Village, and even she herself, couldn't answer these questions before the results were out.

Unlike before, Xuan Yu didn't answer immediately this time.

It wasn't that he couldn't answer, but he was considering how to tell Granny Cat.

Seeing Xuan Yu remain silent, Granny Cat assumed he couldn't answer and waved her hand, "Alright, alright, just eat your meal. These things are not for us to worry about anyway. Besides, you're still young, it's best to stay away from such trivial matters."

Xuan Yu shook his head and said, "Grandma, the situation in Leaf Village is very complicated and has reached a point of no return. However, the struggle among the various forces in Leaf Village will soon be decided."

"There will be no true winner in the conflict between the factions. After Leaf Village's overall strength weakens, all parties involved in the struggle will actually be losers."

"As for who will be the first to be eliminated, it should be our Uchiha Clan."

Upon hearing these words from Xuan Yu, Granny Cat's chopsticks clattered onto the table.

She remained silent for a long time afterward, absentmindedly wiping her chopsticks while eating her meal in a daze.

She had envisioned the worst-case scenario before—the total annihilation of the Uchiha Clan.

She had not expected that she wasn't the only one who lacked confidence in the Uchiha Clan; even Xuan Yu, who had fled the Leaf Village, believed the clan was already standing on the edge of a cliff.

When Xuan Yu finished his meal and was about to rise and leave, Granny Cat finally asked him one more question: "Do you really not intend to do anything for the Uchiha Clan?"

Xuan Yu shrugged and said casually, "The affairs over at the Leaf Village are not something I can influence in my current state. As for whether I will do something for the Uchiha Clan, that will depend on the situation."

"I can only say that I will keep an eye on the Uchiha Clan's movements. Where I can intervene, I will attempt to get involved."