Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

After Uchiha Taiga spoke those words, the air in the street grew heavy.

The Iwagakure shinobi's expressions turned ugly. Onoki's expression was the first to change; his initial scrutinizing gaze darkened into a grim scowl, as if someone had just thrown a bucket of cold water in his face.

Kitsuchi furrowed his brows deeply. He had already raised his hands, and although he hadn't formed any hand signs, his posture indicated he was ready to strike at a moment's notice.

The Jonin behind him reacted even faster. Some reached for the ninja pouches at their waists, some took a half-step forward, and others slightly bent their knees—like a pack of startled hounds ready to pounce.

The few Takigakure shinobi had already retreated beneath the eaves on both sides of the street, choosing to watch coldly from the sidelines.

Their expressions were complicated—a mix of tension, worry, and the helpless resignation of wondering how they got so unlucky to be caught up in this mess.

Judging from everyone's reactions, it was obvious that everyone present had heard the name Uchiha Taiga.

Rasa stood at the very front of the Sunagakure group. He subconsciously cast a glance at Uchiha Taiga, his expression somewhat peculiar.

His worst fear had come true.

Ever since they departed from Sunagakure, he had been worrying about one thing: whether Uchiha Taiga would cause trouble when encountering the Kage of other villages.

He had imagined many scenarios in his mind. He wondered if Uchiha Taiga would clash with Onoki, if he would start a fight with someone else, and what he himself should do if a battle actually broke out.

Rasa had considered many possibilities, but he never expected that Uchiha Taiga's very first sentence would be demanding the chakra of their Jinchuriki.

Because of this, Rasa was struggling to maintain his composure.

Having traveled together up to this point, he had come to understand Uchiha Taiga's personality to some extent. He knew this man was extremely egocentric, doing whatever he pleased without caring much about what others thought.

But the man couldn't be called evil, either. At the very least, interacting with him wasn't too stressful—provided you didn't provoke him.

The only uncontrollable factor was the somewhat twisted sense of amusement ingrained in Uchiha Taiga's personality.

Just like now. He clearly could have taken things slow. He could have exchanged pleasantries with Onoki, chatted about the Five Kage Summit, and then looked for an opportunity to bring up the Jinchuriki.

But no, he had to ask directly in front of everyone, completely putting them on the spot.

With just that one sentence, the situation was beyond salvation.

Rasa figured that Onoki's proposal to hold the Five Kage Summit was inherently to deal with Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Taiga. Now that Uchiha Taiga had directly revealed his identity and demanded their Jinchuriki's chakra, wasn't this just blatantly slapping them in the face?

Rasa sighed inwardly. *'Couldn't you have been at least a little tactful?'*

Onoki's reaction was even faster than Rasa had anticipated.

He stared at Uchiha Taiga, the wrinkles on his face deepening as his expression shifted. The light in his small eyes changed from sharp scrutiny to grave solemnity.

"You are Uchiha Taiga?"

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere on the street completely changed.

Without needing Onoki to give an order, the Iwagakure shinobi rapidly dispersed.

Kitsuchi took two steps to the left, standing diagonally in front of Onoki. He leaned forward slightly, acting like a solid wall between Onoki and Uchiha Taiga.

The remaining Jonin moved to various positions. Some leaped onto the rooftops, some pressed against the walls on both sides of the street, and others blocked the far end of the road. Their positioning wasn't random; every spot held tactical significance. In just a few seconds, the twenty-odd shinobi had formed a tight encirclement.

But the man covered in red armor had the most direct reaction.

He bent slightly at the waist, spreading his legs and lowering his center of gravity like a fierce beast about to pounce on its prey. He extended his arms, fingers slightly curled with his palms facing forward, as if preparing to grapple something.

His eyes were ice-cold, locking onto Uchiha Taiga like a hawk eyeing its prey.

Steam began to rise from his body. The wave of heat seeped out from beneath his red armor, baking the surrounding air until it visibly distorted.

The atmosphere at the scene grew increasingly oppressive.

Standing to the side, Rasa watched all of this unfold and gave a helpless, subtle shake of his head.

He didn't speak, nor did he make any unnecessary movements. He simply took a few steps back, moving away from where he had been standing to leave the center area clear.

With him taking the lead, the rest of the Sunagakure shinobi did the same.

Maki retreated behind Rasa, his expression complicated, as if watching a play he didn't want to see but was forced to endure. His lips twitched slightly as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, no words came out.

Chiyo and Ebizo also stepped back.

Chiyo's expression was calm, as if all of this was within her expectations. Ebizo was still yawning, but his eyes never closed; he kept his gaze fixed on the Iwagakure group.

The other Sunagakure Jonin followed suit. Not a single person hesitated, and not a single person spoke out of turn.

Yugito Nii pulled Uzumaki Yumiko and retreated to the side as well.

She knew Uchiha Taiga's personality all too well.

Since he had already spoken, there was no stopping him. All she could do was step aside, clear the battlefield, and look after Uzumaki Yumiko and her daughter in the meantime.

Uzumaki Yumiko's face was pale. Her lips were trembling, and her legs were shaking.

She didn't know what to do or where to run. She simply let Yugito Nii pull her along, jogging over to hide behind a pillar on the side of the street.

Uchiha Taiga stood in place, unmoving.

He watched the Iwagakure shinobi surround him from all directions, the red-armored man assume a combat stance, and the Jonin secure their vantage points. In the end, he merely flashed a grin.

Looking at Onoki, Uchiha Taiga nodded.

"That's right, little old man. How about we make a deal?"

His smile didn't falter, and his tone remained unchanged, still maintaining that same flippant demeanor.

Onoki's face grew even uglier.

He stared into Uchiha Taiga's white eyes and saw the dismissive expression on his face. A surge of anger welled up in his chest.

But Onoki didn't lash out. Having been the Tsuchikage for so many years, he had seen more of the world than most people present. He knew when to lose his temper and when to hold it back.

"I don't think so."

His voice was much more forceful than before, every word seemingly squeezed through gritted teeth.

"You, just like Uchiha Madara, are already a threat to the entire ninja world."

He glared at Uchiha Taiga. "I could never make a deal with someone like you, especially one concerning a Tailed Beast."

Those words carried immense weight.

Listening from the sidelines, Rasa secretly felt a wave of anxiety for Onoki.

He understood the kind of person Onoki was. This old man had been stubborn and unyielding his entire life. Even in his youth, he had dared to stand against Uchiha Madara. Now that he was older, his temper hadn't changed one bit.

But this was Uchiha Taiga—the man who had defeated Uchiha Madara.

Rasa looked at Onoki's wrinkle-covered face and thought to himself, *'This old man sure has the nerve to say that.'*

Uchiha Taiga, however, didn't get angry. His smile remained unchanged. When his white eyes looked at Onoki, there was no emotional fluctuation within them whatsoever; it was as if he were merely looking at an old man who had said something entirely inconsequential.

Shaking his head, he didn't continue arguing with Onoki. Instead, he started walking toward him.

No, to be precise, he was walking toward the man clad in red armor.

His pace was unhurried, his hands stuffed in his pockets, and his expression completely relaxed.

Seeing him move, the Iwagakure Jonin reacted. Some took a step forward, some gripped their kunai tighter, and others adjusted their positions, intending to block his path.

But no one actually attacked, because Onoki hadn't given the order.

Uchiha Taiga took a few steps and stopped.

He stood in front of the red-armored man, the distance between them less than five paces. Looking at the eyes visible through the man's faceplate, the corners of Taiga's mouth curled up, a gleam of deep interest in his gaze.

"That old man is a bit stubborn," he said.

Uchiha Taiga's tone was casual, as if he were chatting with someone he had just met.

"So, how about it? Want to make a deal with me?"

The eyes of the red-armored man narrowed slightly.

The next moment, he suddenly moved.

His right fist swung out fiercely, carrying a surging wave of intense heat as it aimed straight for Uchiha Taiga's face.

The punch was incredibly fast—so fast that it tore through the air, producing a sharp, whistling shriek.

Wrapped around his fist wasn't just ordinary wind pressure, but a thick layer of white steam that baked and distorted the surrounding air.

"Arrogant brat!"

The man's voice echoed from behind the faceplate. It was gruff and abrasive, like two stones grinding against each other.

"I refuse!"

As his words fell, his fist was already inches from Uchiha Taiga's face.

Facing this strike, Uchiha Taiga's eyes widened slightly.