Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Hanzo: Are You Underestimating Me?

Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Hanzo: Are You Underestimating Me?



Seeing Shikaku Nara walk in with a black eye and a forced smile, Takuya couldn't help but laugh again.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"You're unbelievable! You've still got the nerve to laugh. We were playing cards together, so why was I the only one who got beaten up while you're perfectly fine?" Shikaku groaned, rubbing his black eye in frustration.

Internally, Shikaku made a vow: If I ever play cards with Tsunade again, I'm a fool!

After resting for a bit and holding an ice pack to his bruised eye, Shikaku asked curiously, "Takuya, why was I brought into the negotiation team with the Rain Village?"

"There is no team. The village didn't have anyone else to send, so they had Tsunade take the lead," Takuya replied casually, not even looking up from playing with Snowy.

"And since I saw you at the camp, I figured we'd bring you along. We needed someone with a high IQ to handle the details," Takuya added.

Ah, so it's your doing, Takuya Yagami, Shikaku thought, shaking his head internally.

Damn, this hurts... Shikaku winced at his sore eye. Tsunade really didn't hold back. It's going to take days for this to heal. Such a hassle.

Women... they're the worst.

Of course, this kind of complaint stayed inside Shikaku's head. He wasn't foolish enough to say it out loud and risk getting Tsunade mad again. No matter his status as the heir to the Nara clan, it wouldn't mean anything to her.

"So, what's the bottom line here? If we're negotiating with the Rain Village, we need to know the village's stance, right?" Shikaku asked, his mind shifting back to the task at hand. Without knowing Konoha's bottom line, they couldn't begin negotiations. It wouldn't make sense to just go in blindly.

Besides, there was no way Shikaku could lead the talks himself. Hanzo would definitely take issue with that.

What would Hanzo, the so-called 'Demigod of the Shinobi World,' think if Konoha sent a kid to negotiate with him?

He'd see it as an insult for sure.

Without a solid bottom line, it would only lead to trouble.

"The bottom line?" Takuya said, still stroking Snowy's tail. "Konoha's main goal is just to sign a peace treaty with the Rain Village. As for any spoils of war, don't expect much. It's not like the Rain Village has anything to offer us anyway."

What could they even give us? Takuya thought. The Rain Village was dirt poor. Asking for reparations would be a joke.

Yup, this is gonna be a pain, Shikaku thought, feeling his headache grow. "We might even end up having to help the Rain Village instead of getting anything from them. That part's going to be tricky."

In the original timeline, Konoha did end up providing aid to the Rain Village, but Hanzo didn't use it for recovery. Instead, after a short rest, he launched an attack on the neutral Land of Iron.

Takuya still couldn't figure out why Hanzo made such a bizarre move.

After crossing the Land of Fire to attack a neutral nation like the Land of Iron, he left Iwagakure's Onoki on edge. In the end, the Rain Village and Iwagakure ended up clashing.

Hanzo certainly had a talent for stirring up trouble.

chance.

The group made their way swiftly toward the Rain Village, while the ANBU scouts monitored for any potential ambushes by the Sand Village.

Though Konoha hadn't fully withdrawn yet, Sand Village ninjas were still lingering in the Rain Country. Recently, they'd been quiet, but Tsunade couldn't shake the feeling that Chiyo, the crafty elder from the Sand Village, was planning something.

Fortunately, no Sand ninja appeared.

Soon, the group arrived safely at the Rain Village.

"Lord Hanzo, the Konoha team has arrived. Leading them is Tsunade of the Sannin," one of

Hanzo's subordinates reported.

"Oh? They've come at last?" Hanzo rose, grabbing his scythe and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Let's go. I'll personally greet our Konoha guests. Let's see who they've sent for these

negotiations," Hanzo said, making his way out.

"Um... about that..." The subordinate hesitated.

Hanzo frowned, sensing something amiss.

"Is it just Tsunade?" he asked.

The subordinate lowered his head. "Tsunade brought two kids and a group of ANBU, but no

one else."

"Three people?"

That's it?

This is the negotiation team Konoha sent?

This is the respect Konoha shows me?

Hanzo paused, then let out a laugh-one filled with bitterness.

They weren't even taking him seriously.

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