Chapter 223: A Bounty of Thirty-Five Million Ryō
"A bunch of trash together is still just trash."
Pinky sneered at Obito, crouched in the corner.
The remark instantly darkened the mood in the room, every gaze turning hostile toward her — except for Itachi, who kept his eyes carefully averted, wanting nothing to do with any of it.
He'd already been on the receiving end of this Fifth Hokage's venomous tongue before.
To avoid becoming collateral damage now, he simply chose to zone out entirely.
If I didn't hear you insult me, then you didn't insult me.
"What do you mean by that, Hokage?"
Obito rose slowly, regarding the pink-haired girl who'd once overpowered him.
"Nothing in particular. Just taking it literally."
"Oh, and speaking of you specifically — I've got a surprise prepared, actually."
Sakura hadn't originally planned to engage him further, but something wickedly amusing occurred to her, and a mischievous glint became visible in the projection's emerald eyes.
"A surprise?"
Obito knew perfectly well this pinky was not the type to prepare "surprises" out of goodwill, but something about her tone set off warning bells regardless.
"You'll find out eventually."
The corner of Sakura's mouth curved into a smile that left Obito distinctly unsettled. Her gaze shifted back to Pain, standing at the head of the group — though her peripheral vision seemed to sweep, almost casually, across Black Zetsu.
"The Hokage graces us with her presence — surely not merely to waste words on us?"
Konan spoke up from beside Pain, her voice cool and detached, eyes flat.
"Fair enough."
The Hokage gave a light laugh, sweeping her gaze across the assembled group.
Some regarded her with wariness. Some with hatred. Some with composure. Some with unease...
"I heard from the Second about your goals."
"Gathering the Tailed Beasts. Building some ultimate weapon to subjugate the shinobi world and usher in permanent peace."
Pain nodded slightly at this.
"Correct. If the Hokage genuinely cares about peace..."
The words had barely left his mouth when Pain sensed he might be overreaching.
This was the very person who, at merely twelve years old, had ignited an entire shinobi war over resource disputes three years ago.
Someone like that — genuinely devoted to peace? Unlikely.
But having already begun the sentence, Pain continued at his usual measured pace:
"If the Hokage genuinely cares about peace, then set aside your prejudice and join forces with us. Together, Akatsuki and Konoha—"
"Every nation on this earth would be nothing but scattered chickens and tiles, crushed with a flick of the finger."
Listening to Pain's attempt at recruitment, Sakura instead posed an entirely different question.
"Suppose, in a private dispute, one person kills another. Then, to keep the crime from surfacing, he murders every innocent witness who knew the truth. What should happen to this person?"
Pain blinked at the question, unsure why the Fifth Hokage would raise something seemingly unrelated at this moment. Still, he answered.
"That person should die."
The Hokage clapped her hands together approvingly, regarding the Akatsuki's leader with evident satisfaction.
"Well said. So — my village, Konoha, has lost this many comrades because of your organization."
"What do you think I should do about that?"
Pain fell silent for a moment, about to respond — but Konan spoke first.
"On the battlefield, you and I stand as enemies. Strength decides the outcome there. Applying that logic to a question like this is a false equivalence."
Konan's words made Kakuzu, silently observing this exchange between two leaders, feel a flicker of unease.
This Haruno Sakura... could it be...
"Correct. That's exactly how it should be."
"But I happen to have one particular flaw."
"I'm protective of my own people. If I ever discovered someone under my command had done what you just described, I wouldn't hesitate to have them killed."
"But if it's someone else's people..."
The implication needed no further elaboration. Undisguised killing intent blazed openly in those emerald eyes.
"In other words — there's nothing left to discuss."
Pain understood the Hokage's position clearly now.
You killed this many of my people, and yet expect me to cooperate with you?
Then it's a life for a life. Whatever Konoha lost, Akatsuki will pay in kind.
And how many had Konoha lost?
Setting aside the four thousand Konoha shinobi Kakuzu alone had claimed at the Land of Rivers front — the guerrilla tactics Kumo had employed during the Land of Frost campaign, orchestrated through White Zetsu's intelligence network, had also been Akatsuki's doing, and the resulting Konoha casualties were far from negligible.
But where would the Akatsuki find enough lives to pay that debt in kind?
"Hmph."
The Hokage let out a cold laugh and turned her back on Pain, addressing the assembled Akatsuki instead.
Her words were arrogant, dripping with absolute confidence.
"Let me tell you something."
"It's not just the Two-Tails and Nine-Tails."
"The Seven-Tails is also in my Konoha."
"You want to collect all the Tailed Beasts?"
"Heh..."
A contemptuous smile crossed the Hokage's face.
The projection turned, gaze locking directly onto Pain, one hand extending as though to physically seize those proud, rippled Rinnegan eyes he wore so proudly.
"If you've got the nerve, come and take them."
The pink projection began to fade, but her words weren't finished.
"I'll be waiting for you. In Konoha."
"Come die there."
In her final instant, the pink figure vanished completely, but her words seemed to linger in the空间 like a mountain pressing down on every heart present.
Pain... was he just backed into a corner?
At this moment, Itachi — silent all this while — finally opened his eyes, his gaze drifting, almost casually, toward the man bearing the Rinnegan.
"How amusing. To think someone would dare challenge the dignity of a god."
Pain's voice shattered the silence, drawing every eye toward him.
"Everyone, no need for concern. Though a small complication has arisen, it changes nothing about our forward progress."
"The plan remains unchanged."
"Obito, Itachi, Kisame, Sasori — head to Sunagakure immediately and capture the One-Tail."
Pain's expression remained calm. No one could tell what he was truly thinking.
"Kakuzu. Hidan."
Pain turned to the immortal duo.
"Destroy the Fire Temple. Give this Hokage a proper reminder of our capabilities."
Kakuzu's expression shifted slightly at this, and he spoke with gravity:
"The Fire Temple isn't like usual targets. This time, quite a few high-ranking nobles from the Land of Fire have gathered there. I was planning to wait until Jiroubou was alone before dealing with him..."
But Pain waved a dismissive hand, his words carrying open contempt.
"Heh. A pack of pigs. Handle them all together."
"Apply some pressure on this Hokage."
"Make sure it's thorough."
The implication was unmistakable — not merely distancing themselves from the aftermath, but leaving nothing alive.
"Understood."
Kakuzu nodded firmly.
The next morning
Haruno Residence
Sakura sat at the breakfast table in her pajamas, eating the loving breakfast her mother had prepared.
"Sakura, I need you to watch Mirai today. Your father and I have something to attend to."
Halfway through her bowl of rice porridge, Sakura paused, looking curiously toward Mebuki, who was frying eggs in the kitchen.
"What's going on today?"
"It's my twentieth wedding anniversary with your father. Not that you'd understand, anyway."
Mebuki shot Sakura an irritated glance.
Sakura, ignoring the look, replied with deliberate flippancy:
"Sure, sure. Remember to use protection."
"You brat, what are you even SAYING?!"
Mebuki's face flushed red with embarrassment, then flared with indignation.
"..."
Faced with her mother's fury, Sakura wisely chose silence.
"Sis, here."
Mirai, seated beside her, held out a freshly peeled egg with both hands, offering it to Sakura with an expectant look.
Sakura accepted without a shred of hesitation, popping it straight into her mouth and washing it down with the rest of her porridge.
"Mirai, finish eating. I'm going to change."
By the time Sakura had dressed and thrown on her Hokage robes, the little pink-head was already sitting by the entryway, waiting, eyes bright with anticipation.
Yay! A whole day with Sis!
Sakura looked at her little sister with a resigned smile.
How did that saying go?
A little sister is just an older sister's obedient little servant.
This kid stuck to her like glue most days, and whenever Sakura asked her to do something, she'd toddle off immediately on her stubby little legs to do it.
Not the slightest hint of attitude.
Guess that's what happens when they're still too young to develop one.
Hokage Building
The staff at the Hokage Building were, as usual, buried in work today.
Ever since the Fifth Hokage had taken office, workloads had doubled across the board — but so had the efficiency with which Konoha's problems got resolved, far outpacing anything achieved under the Third's administration.
The leisurely days for Konoha's civil servants were long gone.
And having experienced the Fifth's level of efficiency, it was easy to imagine the Sixth and Seventh Hokage inheriting the same standard.
Higher efficiency meant more genuine free time — no more being trapped in a cramped office all day. Who wouldn't take that trade?
"Senpai Yamanaka, I made some osmanthus tea — would you like some?"
A staff member named Anzu had been working here for a while now. Aside from the occasional busy stretch, she'd more or less settled into the rhythm of a job with predictable hours.
Sure, the daily rush of tasks sometimes left her a bit drained lately, but—
The pay was incredible!
And, most importantly—
She got to see Lady Sakura every single day!
Lady Sakura was SO gorgeous!
Just thinking about seeing Sakura daily filled Anzu with fresh energy!
That cool, composed presence, that absolute confidence — as though no problem in the world could faze her!
"Oh, thanks, Anzu. Just set it down here."
Yamanaka Gen — a green-haired, not particularly tall woman — smiled and waved.
"Huh?"
"Is that the village relocation plan?"
Anzu leaned in curiously, eyeing the document in her senior's hands.
"Yeah. Drafted by that engineer Lady Hokage recruited a while back — An Lushan."
"Since the Daimyo's residing in Konoha now, and with the treasury flush with funds, the village needs to expand. Relocation's going to be unavoidable."
Gen took a sip of the osmanthus tea Anzu had brought, explaining while she reviewed the documents.
"So what happens to the original residents?"
Anzu scratched her head.
"There's already a plan in place for that. Plus, the village is offering a substantial relocation compensation."
"Actually, speaking of which — Anzu's family lives in that area too, doesn't it? Guess you're about to become rich."
Gen's remark made Anzu's eyes light up instantly.
"Lady Sakura really is amazing!"
Gen blinked at the comment, then understood.
Right. All of this exists because of the Fifth's governance. Credit really does belong to her.
At that moment, a steady, familiar set of footsteps echoed down the corridor outside the office, and every face in the room instantly tensed, heads lowering in unison.
Though the Fifth's reputation among the villagers was practically saintly, she was far less forgiving in front of her staff.
Especially during those three years before her official inauguration, when she'd systematically torn through Konoha's entire administrative apparatus — reprimanding what needed reprimanding, reforming what needed reforming, tolerating not a single misstep.
Countless slackers had been fired outright — including plenty of "senior" staff who'd coasted along for ten, even twenty years.
Though the general public had never enjoyed such a golden era, in the eyes of these staff members, she was practically a demon queen.
And yet — not a single one of them had ever voluntarily resigned.
The reason was simple: yes, the work was more demanding now, but every benefit was ironclad. Excellent salary. Triple pay on holidays. Comprehensive perks. Zero mandatory unpaid overtime, even when urgently called in. A fully-paid seven-day vacation every year — and even if you didn't want to take it, or couldn't, it converted directly into cash added straight to your paycheck.
You'd have to be out of your mind to quit.
Unlike the usual measured footsteps, this time there was also a light, erratic pattering sound mixed in.
And judging by the sound... a child?
Everyone present was a shinobi, so even footsteps carried unmistakable information.
Before long, their curiosity was satisfied.
A pink-haired girl in red-and-white Hokage robes appeared, holding the hand of a three-year-old girl with the exact same pink hair and emerald eyes.
This is...
The Hokage's little sister!
They'd all heard the Fifth had a younger sister, but this was the first time anyone had actually seen her in person.
It was also the first time the Hokage had brought family into the building.
"Whoa!"
"Sis, there's so many big brothers and sisters here!"
Mirai stared with open curiosity at the bustling office workers.
"Mm. Behave. Don't run off."
Sakura ruffled her little sister's hair, then swept her up and carried her toward the stairs.
Watching the two disappear up the staircase, Anzu spoke with delighted surprise:
"Lady Sakura's little sister is just as cute as Lady Sakura!"
Beside her, Gen's mouth twitched.
Fine, I'll admit the Fifth is gorgeous.
But "cute"? You SURE about that?
Wait until you're on the receiving end of one of her forehead flicks. You'll know exactly how "cute" she is then.
Strong enough to make grown men cry.
Sakura carried Mirai into her office and set her down on the sofa, then rummaged through the coffee table drawer, pulling out a game of Sorry! and setting it up in front of her.
"Play with this for a bit. I'll join you later."
Don't ask why a game of Sorry! happened to be sitting in the Hokage's office. The answer is: confiscated from a slacking employee.
Sakura then settled into her own chair, working through yesterday's stack of documents one by one, stamping the Hokage's seal on each once confirmed.
Little Mirai stared at the board game in front of her, then glanced at Sakura working nearby.
What even IS this thing my sister gave me?
No idea.
Sakura, entirely absorbed, remained oblivious to the fact that Mirai had absolutely no clue what she was looking at.
Hopping off the sofa, Mirai wandered over to the newly-installed fish tank housing the Three-Tails.
The tank was enormous — even standing on tiptoe with her arms raised, Mirai could barely reach its rim.
Isobu sat quietly inside, watching this small girl — practically identical to the pink-haired woman working across the room — with curiosity.
"What do you want?"
Unable to withstand Mirai's persistent, curious staring, Isobu finally spoke up.
"Huh?!"
"The TURTLE can TALK!"
Mirai crouched down, staring at the three-tailed "turtle" in astonishment.
"...I'm a tortoise."
Isobu opened his mouth, then found himself questioning existence itself.
Do these Konoha people all have terrible eyesight or something?
I'm such a handsome tortoise, and they STILL insist on calling me a turtle?!
As if a common turtle could possibly compare to the great Isobu?!
The Fire Temple
The Fire Temple looked distinctly different from usual today. Aside from a handful of monks, the temple grounds were packed with lavish carriages, and numerous armed samurai stood watch nearby.
In a courtyard behind the temple, over a dozen richly dressed nobles had gathered — their crest-emblazoned robes making it immediately clear these were members of the Land of Fire's most prominent noble families.
But unlike their usual affected air of refined leisure, this gathering was heavy with anxiety and lament.
The reason was simple: ever since the Daimyo had chosen to reside in Konoha, the Land of Fire's wealth no longer flowed through the capital — it flowed toward Konoha instead. In just a few short months, they'd already lost tens of millions of ryō.
To them, such a sum was pocket change in isolation — but if this trend continued unchecked, they stood to lose not just wealth, but their entire political standing as well.
"What should we do now?"
"That Fifth Hokage has not only pulled the Daimyo away from us, but flat-out refused when we requested to relocate to Konoha ourselves."
A noble in crimson robes sighed heavily.
"Perhaps we should submit a joint petition, urging the Daimyo to break free of the Hokage's influence and return to the capital?"
Someone suggested hesitantly.
"A petition?"
"And who exactly do you think that petition would end up with — the Daimyo, or the Hokage?"
Another scoffed dismissively.
"Then what do YOU propose?"
"In my view, we should install a new Daimyo entirely."
!!
"Are you TIRED of living?! Because I'd like to keep breathing, thanks!"
"That proposal is essentially walking up to the Hokage and accusing her of illegitimate rule!"
"When the Hokage comes calling personally, don't you DARE claim you know me!"
The crimson-robed noble from earlier recoiled in horror, hurling curses at whoever had floated the idea.
The current Fifth Hokage was, after all, history's first individual to have felled three Kage in succession on the battlefield — and had personally installed the young Daimyo during her power struggle against Shimura Danzō.
Now claiming that same Daimyo was illegitimate and proposing a replacement?
There was simply no way the Hokage would accept that.
She'd probably show up at their doorstep the very next day after such an announcement.
And given shinobi's overwhelming physical advantage, whoever proposed the new Daimyo wouldn't stand a chance of resistance.
A charge of treason, a full clan purge, every asset seized — all conveniently feeding right back into Konoha's continued expansion.
"Then what do YOU suggest?!"
"Against a Hokage who single-handedly triggered the last Great War — which of us here can possibly match her?!"
"Who among us could even hope to contain her?"
The noble who'd been challenged flared up first, rising to his feet in fury.
"Well... that's..."
The room fell into anxious silence, brows furrowed all around.
"Amitabha. If I may offer a word, gentlemen."
Just as the nobles sank into troubled thought, a monk in white robes, a sash embroidered with the character "Fire" tied at his waist, stepped forward.
Jiroubō, of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve, keeper of the Fire Temple.
"Master Jiroubō?"
The nobles frowned at his sudden appearance.
"We might reach out to Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, through Asuma."
"Given Hiruzen's stature, he'd certainly carry more weight than the current Hokage, who's held the position less than half a year."
"Have the Third counsel her privately on the stakes involved. Meanwhile, gentlemen, you could jointly contact the Daimyo of Wind, Earth, Lightning, and Water Country to apply combined pressure on the Fifth."
"Even if she's as unyielding as they say, she'd have no choice but to back down under that kind of coordinated pressure."
"This is merely my humble suggestion. Take it for what it's worth."
Jiroubō pressed his palms together and bowed slightly to the assembled nobility, his manner perfectly humble.
"This... this could work."
"Certainly more reasonable than the earlier idea about installing a new Daimyo."
"Speaking of which — where's Asuma? Shouldn't he be here by now?"
One of the nobles, having considered Jiroubō's proposal, nodded thoughtfully.
"Probably delayed en route. Knowing Asuma, once he commits to an appointment, he wouldn't simply skip it."
Jiroubō vouched for his old friend.
"Well then, we'll proceed as planned. Once Asuma arrives, we'll send him back to counsel the Third Hokage."
"As for reaching out to the other four Daimyo — I'll leave that in the capable hands of you gentlemen, the true pillars of the Land of Fire."
The crimson-robed noble from earlier nodded in agreement.
But just as several other nobles moved to nod along in assent, Jiroubō's expression suddenly shifted — turning grave in an instant.
Several nobles, noticing this, spoke up with concern:
"Master Jiroubō, what's wrong?"
"Someone's here. And they mean us harm."
Jiroubō didn't look toward the noble who'd spoken — his gaze remained locked on the distant entrance.
The smell of blood...
A thick, overwhelming smell of blood...
Blood this heavy, from whoever was outside — could it be...
Could the Fifth Hokage actually be staging a coup?
Shinobi, using their base strength to seize noble authority through outright rebellion?
At the thought, Jiroubō's expression darkened further, and he spoke:
"Gentlemen, please leave through the back entrance. A dangerous enemy is outside."
The moment the words left his mouth, the nobles erupted into panic.
"WHAT?!"
"Who would DARE cause a scene HERE?!"
"Could it be... the Hokage?!"
"I've served through three generations of Daimyo, decades navigating the political currents — I've seen it all! Let them come!"
"The moment I so much as FROWN at them, they'll—"
!
An invisible blade of wind sliced through the air, and the bluster of the elderly noble who'd been ranting cut off abruptly.
His aged head tumbled to the ground with a soft, wet thud...
"LORD MATSUDA!"
The old man's death sent the remaining nobles into instant, chaotic panic, scrambling toward the back entrance.
The samurai who should have been standing guard were nowhere to be seen.
Clearly, they'd already been wiped out entirely.
"Sorry — this way's closed."
A man with a silver slicked-back hairstyle swung a massive triple-bladed scythe, glaring at the fleeing nobles with obvious impatience.
Sacrificing this herd of swine to Lord Jashin... he probably won't even be pleased about it.
Meanwhile, Jiroubō no longer had time to spare for the nobles.
A figure had already materialized directly before him.
Tall. A masked face. A pair of vivid green eyes, terrifying in their intensity.
"The Immortal Ninja — Kakuzu."
Jiroubō spoke gravely.
He'd heard of this man's reputation three years ago — a single battle that had wiped out four thousand Konoha shinobi, netting the Hidden Sand four hundred million ryō in bounty payments. If the Daimyo of the Land of Wind hadn't personally backed Sunagakure at the time, the village would have gone bankrupt outright.
"Jiroubō. Guardian Shinobi Twelve. Bounty: thirty-five million ryō."
"That's correct, isn't it..."
☆☆☆
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