Just a few insignificant achievements

"Sigh!"

"Kirigakure really is going through troubled times."

"Not only has Kisame, an S-Rank Rogue Ninja, appeared..."

"But an unimaginably powerful ninja with unknown motives has also shown up in Kirigakure."

Gonbei felt waves of helplessness wash over him. Against an enemy as powerful as Uzumaki Shixia, even fighting to the death would accomplish little.

Beside Gonbei, Chojuro tightened his grip on Hiramekarei, his eyes behind his glasses more solemn than ever.

This young prodigy of Kirigakure had never imagined that this mission would take such a turn!

Of the two enemies who had appeared here today, each was more terrifying than the last!

Chojuro could more or less comprehend Kisame's strength.

But Uzumaki Shixia's strength defied all reason.

He could not even imagine how they were supposed to defeat an enemy like this.

"Everyone, stay calm. Don't do anything rash!"

"This ninja is incredibly dangerous. If we fight him, we could easily suffer casualties-or even be wiped out!"

Mei Terumi's voice rang out, warning Gonbei, Ao, and Chojuro against taking any hasty action.

After stopping the three for the moment, she quickly shared the intelligence on Uzumaki Shixia with them.

She had been working at Genji's side, helping him handle his duties.

She had reviewed intelligence from all sorts of sources.

That intelligence included reports on Sixia and Kakuzu, the mission-crazy duo who had recently taken the black market by storm.

Though it might not make much difference, Mei Terumi still gave them a concise account of everything she knew.

"He's a wandering ninja named Uzumaki Shixia who recently made a name for himself at the Amegakure Black Market."

"For a while now, he's been clearing out commission missions at the Amegakure Black Market."

"He accepts practically every mission offered, and he has never failed."

"His extraordinary efficiency and perfect success rate have attracted the attention of clients everywhere."

"While carrying out missions, he's fought Kakuzu, Orochimaru, and powerful ninja from other villages several times without suffering a single defeat."

Uzumaki Shixia raised his eyebrows as he listened. "Oh? My reputation has reached the Land of Water?"

"Just a few insignificant achievements. Nothing worth praising."

Sixia winked at Mei Terumi, looking as though she had just landed a great bargain. "Beautiful, for those sweet words alone, come to me! I'll give you ten percent off your mission!"

Who the hell was praising you?!

Chojuro's already anxious heart sank straight to rock bottom!

Against a ninja this powerful, even digging the First Mizukage out of his grave would not be enough to defeat him!

They had witnessed Uzumaki Shixia's fight with Kisame just moments earlier.

Kisame had been utterly outmatched, and judging by how effortlessly Uzumaki Shixia had handled him, he clearly had not gone all out!

After learning how powerful Sixia was, Ao wore a grim expression, his voice trembling slightly.

"Mei Terumi, you should retreat first!"

"Gonbei, Chojuro, and I will hold him off."

"You're the village's future. You can't die here."

Though Ao said they would hold Uzumaki Shixia off, he knew the three of them were incapable of doing so.

This was an enemy they could not defeat. He only hoped to buy a little time.

Just as despair gripped them, Mei Terumi suddenly thought of something and stepped forward, speaking urgently.

"Uzumaki Shixia!"

"I actually have a very well-paying mission!"

"Would you be interested?"

Uzumaki Shixia held the mission request and watched them as he calculated their worth.

When he heard that Mei Terumi had a commission mission for him, he immediately perked up!

He had only made an offhand remark.

She really had one?

His attitude took a complete about-face!

Earlier, he had looked at Mei Terumi purely as a mission item. Now his eyes brimmed with a sincere smile.

Missions were his specialty!

"Ahem!"

Sixia cleared his throat and adopted a thoroughly professional manner, speaking with a serious expression. "Please explain the mission."

Mei Terumi was stunned when she heard that. This actually worked?

The Uzumaki Shixia standing before her really was exactly as the intelligence described!

As long as it was a mission, he accepted practically anything, no matter the time or place.

Mei Terumi even suspected that if a war broke out across the Shinobi World and Uzumaki Shixia received a mission, he would finish it first before returning to join the war.

Of course, this was absolutely not the time to let her thoughts wander.

Though her quick thinking had placated Uzumaki Shixia, he was still a dangerous threat to them.

Mei Terumi glanced at Kisame nearby, who was using Samehada to transfer chakra into himself and heal his injuries.

She spoke hesitantly. "I'd like to hire you for eight million ryo to capture Kisame, an S-Rank Rogue Ninja, for Kirigakure!"

After speaking, she watched Uzumaki Shixia nervously.

To her, this mission was rather absurd.

But she wanted to try. Kirigakure needed the power of the Ninja Blades now.

Judging by their clothing, the two men seemed to be on the same side.

But Uzumaki Shixia and Kisame had just fought each other.

And the intelligence had been perfectly clear: no mission was impossible, only insufficiently paid.

Still, what happened next took Mei Terumi by surprise!

[New commission mission detected!]

[Client: Mei Terumi]

[Mission objective: Capture Kisame, an S-Rank Rogue Ninja, for Kirigakure!]

[Mission payment: 8,000,000]

[Mission rank: S-Rank]

[Mission reward: 8,000 commission points]

Only eight million?

Mei Terumi's offer left Sixia deeply dissatisfied!

What a joke. These people couldn't beat Kisame even if they all teamed up, and they were only offering eight million?

Not even as much as Chojuro?

Uzumaki Shixia, who had been all smiles and enthusiasm a moment earlier, immediately pulled a stern face!

"Can't you see?"

"We're wearing the same clothes!"

Sixia slung an arm around Kisame's neck and patted his chest.

"This man! Kisame Hoshigaki! An S-Rank Rogue Ninja! He's even known as the Tailless Tailed Beast. His Water Release is so masterful he can create a huge lake in a desert. He's incredibly powerful."

"He's my trusted partner, and we work perfectly together!"

"And you want to hire me to capture him?"

"For just eight million?"

"How dare you!"

"Who do you think you're insulting?!"

Mei Terumi pointed at Kisame, then at Uzumaki Shixia, looking as though she had seen a ghost.

"Him! And you! Partners? Trusted partners who work perfectly together?"

You didn't look like you were holding back when you were beating him up just now!

Of course, Mei Terumi only dared think those words.

Kisame broke out in goosebumps as he listened and shifted uncomfortably.

But when he felt the steel-like arm around his neck...

He stayed silent.

"Ahem!"

Apparently realizing that he had laid it on a little thick...

Uzumaki Shixia coughed lightly a few times.

"But I've always taken missions very seriously. If you insist, it's not out of the question."

"It's just..."

With practiced ease, Sixia extended his thumb and index finger and rubbed them together.

When Uzumaki Shixia refused, Mei Terumi's heart had skipped a beat.

Fortunately, Uzumaki Shixia was not actually refusing the mission this time.

Rather, because he and Kisame were close, capturing Kisame would require a higher payment.

That reasoning sounded a little strange, but it did not matter as long as they could get through this crisis.

Increasing the payment was certainly no problem for Mei Terumi!

"No problem!"

Mei Terumi nodded without the slightest hesitation!

If this worked, Kirigakure could practically keep him on as a paid companion...

No, not that. Hire Uzumaki Shixia long-term to carry out missions!

They could easily set aside half of Kirigakure's Anbu budget to retain Uzumaki Shixia.

After all, even the entire Kirigakure Anbu probably could not handle the S-Rank Rogue Ninja Kisame, yet Uzumaki Shixia had dealt with him in just a few blows.

After Mei Terumi agreed to increase the payment, Sixia turned his gaze toward Kisame beside him.

Kisame: "???"

When Uzumaki Shixia had been bargaining with Mei Terumi, Kisame had thought he was merely toying with these foolish Kirigakure ninja.

Now, however, he realized there was nothing remotely playful about the look in this bastard's eyes.

Uzumaki Shixia did not seem to be joking. He was serious!

He asked in utter disbelief, "You're not actually thinking of trading me for money, are you?"

After Kisame asked, Sixia responded with complete seriousness. "Why not?"

His expression made it seem as though selling an Akatsuki comrade for money was the most natural thing in the world.

Kisame was on the verge of a breakdown!

With Samehada healing him, most of his injuries had already recovered.

But even so, if Uzumaki Shixia wanted to take him down, he still would not be able to escape.

Kisame could only keep talking.

"The organization doesn't allow things like this."

"If you trade me for money, how will you explain it to the organization when you get back?"

Uzumaki Shixia waved a hand dismissively, as though it were a trivial matter.

"Oh, why make it so complicated? Kakuzu killed all those teammates, and nothing happened to him, did it?"

Uzumaki Shixia's blunt, cold words sent a chill down Kisame's back and left his mouth dry.

"They died on missions because they weren't strong enough. Kakuzu didn't outright sell them!"

Hearing this, Sixia stroked his chin and looked Kisame up and down, beginning to weigh the pros and cons.

Didn't Orochimaru get hunted down after ambushing Itachi in the original story?

Then there really was a risk of falling out with them!

Sixia's gaze felt as though he were appraising merchandise, leaving Kisame deeply uncomfortable.

But he did not dare make any unnecessary movements. Whether he lived or died now depended entirely on Sixia's whim.

Sixia was torn.

There were still tailed beast missions to milk from the Akatsuki!

Even at just ten million per beast, all nine would add up to ninety million.

Would Mei Terumi pay ninety million for Kisame?

Besides, a jinchūriki and a tailed beast together would definitely fetch more than a tailed beast alone.

How could it be only ninety million?