Only one day had just passed.
The people from Sunagakure had just left, and now the people from Iwagakure arrived.
And this time, not a few came. Over a hundred people came, led by Kurotsuchi's father, Kitsuchi.
These hundred people had first gone through the Third Hokage, and only then arrived inside the Uchiha clan grounds.
Kitsuchi came through official channels for negotiations.
Because no one knew if the Uchiha would act without honor and simply capture him.
———
[Uchiha Clan Meeting Room]
Rengoku happened to be in the clan, and also arrived quickly.
"Clan Leader Rengoku," Kitsuchi was tall and strong, a full two meters and seventeen centimeters, his build as sturdy as a wall.
Really no one knew how Onoki had raised such a son.
Even though Rengoku was also 180 cm, he was still two heads shorter, the body size difference was very obvious.
Only, strength and size weren't necessarily linked.
Even if Kitsuchi was tall, his expression was still full of awe.
"Sit," Rengoku gestured with his hand for Kitsuchi to sit down.
After sitting down, Kitsuchi spoke, "I don't know why the Uchiha clan secretly infiltrated Iwagakure and kidnapped Kurotsuchi and Deidara."
Rengoku couldn't help but laugh, "You've already come all the way here and still want to play dumb with me."
"You Iwagakure, Sunagakure, Kumogakure, all of you went to the neighboring countries bordering the Land of Fire. Do you really need me to say what your goal was?"
"It's just that this time, our Uchiha acted faster."
Kitsuchi fell silent. Although they did indeed want to probe, later they had received news that Yugito Nii had been defeated.
So they had already retreated.
But they hadn't expected the Uchiha had already made a move.
Only, saying all this now was already too late.
"Kurotsuchi is just a kid, far less valuable than the Jinchuriki from Sunagakure."
"I wonder what conditions Clan Leader Rengoku needs to release Kurotsuchi and the others."
Kitsuchi asked carefully. When he had first arrived in Konoha, he had already learned, Rengoku had demanded 3 billion from Sunagakure. When they refused, they had returned empty-handed, and the Jinchuriki was still in Uchiha custody.
Rengoku pulled out the medical equipment list he got from Orochimaru.
"I don't want much, just help me gather these things."
Kitsuchi picked up the list, which contained the names of more than ten medical devices.
Even if he hadn't used them before, he had at least seen them before.
Kitsuchi immediately knew these were extremely high-end medical devices.
He looked troubled, "I don't understand these things, I don't know if I can gather them all."
Unexpectedly, Rengoku was surprisingly easygoing.
He tapped the paper listing the equipment names, "These few, just get me any three, that's enough."
Kitsuchi looked at them, did a mental calculation, and realized that compared to the 3 billion demanded for Sunagakure's Jinchuriki, this was far less.
So he didn't haggle, "Alright, Iwagakure agrees."
Rengoku smiled, "Rinjin, go bring Kurotsuchi and Deidara over."
"Yes!"
———
In just a few minutes, Kurotsuchi and Deidara were brought over by Rinjin.
When Kurotsuchi saw Kitsuchi, she ran over immediately, "Papa!"
Seeing his daughter alive and energetic, Kitsuchi was finally relieved.
But when he saw Deidara, he glared at him fiercely.
But the blond, middle-parted, ghostfire-tempered, explosive-artist Deidara's face didn't change at all.
After all, he never cared about Kitsuchi to begin with.
"You can take them with you now," Rengoku said casually.
Kitsuchi was a little surprised. After all, he hadn't brought anything yet.
He had only come to confirm the condition of the two and to hear Rengoku's terms.
He hadn't expected Rengoku would release them directly.
Kitsuchi looked at Rengoku, "It seems Clan Leader Rengoku is very confident."
"Heh…", Rengoku chuckled lightly, "No one dares to default on a debt to the Uchiha."
This kind of Uchiha arrogance gave Kitsuchi a chill.
After all, even the Raikage had his arm broken.
Kitsuchi suppressed his unease, "Once I return, I'll immediately speed up the delivery of these items to Clan Leader Rengoku."
"Then we'll take our leave."
Rengoku crossed his arms, showing no intention of seeing them off, "I will not see you off."
Deidara took one last look at Rengoku before following Kitsuchi away.
———
When Rengoku returned home, he found that both Kaori and Ryuri were in the courtyard.
And from the moment he stepped through the door, they had been staring at him.
Rengoku looked himself up and down, finding nothing wrong.
"What's the matter? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Brother, the thing you said you were busy with last time… was it going out to beat up the people from Kumogakure?", Ryuri looked at Rengoku with eyes that were both angry and unfamiliar.
Even though she didn't go out much, she still knew about Kumogakure's strength.
Ryuri didn't know how many benefits Rengoku had gained. She only knew her brother was doing something life-threatening again.
And for so long, he hadn't said anything to them.
Rengoku smiled helplessly, "If I dared to go, that means I was confident."
"Now that everything is done, of course I didn't want you two to worry."
Kaori couldn't help but speak up, "Then what about your appointment as clan leader? Why didn't you tell us?"
"I didn't tell you?", Rengoku thought for a moment, then realized he really hadn't mentioned it to his family.
After all, for him, becoming clan leader was just something that naturally happened. He wasn't excited about it, so he hadn't brought it up.
Kaori fumed, "What did you say!? You're becoming clan leader and we had to hear it from other clansmen? Do you even see us as your family?"
Ryuri also looked at Rengoku and said softly, "Brother, you've become so unfamiliar lately."
Rengoku sighed, walked up to Ryuri, and stroked her hair, "Of course you're my family, but lately I've had some very important things to take care of."
"It's precisely because those things are tied to your safety that I've been running around outside."
"As for becoming Uchiha clan leader, that's really not such a big deal to me."
Ryuri grabbed Rengoku's hand and rubbed her cheek against it, "Brother, don't work too hard."
Rengoku gently patted the back of her hand, then said to both of them, "Only if I stand high enough can I bring you a better life."
"Since Kaori, you've already awakened the three tomoe, you should train your Sharingan well. You might need it in the future."
Kaori looked worried, "We Uchiha are already this strong, what danger could there still be?"
Rengoku gave a wry smile, "I'm just preparing for the worst."
"You must've heard about what happened with Itachi before."
"Even though the crisis has passed, a little vigilance is always a good thing."
Kaori nodded thoughtfully.
Only Ryuri had a trace of gloom in her eyes, 'If only my body was still healthy, then maybe I wouldn't be causing brother so much trouble.'
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