Chapter 171: It's Not Like I'm Some Kind of Villain
Uchiha Taiga spoke casually, but the meaning behind his words was anything but. He had laid the matter completely out in the open.
The atmosphere at the scene grew heavy once more.
When Onoki offered his granddaughter in marriage earlier, the mood had been somewhat comical, with some people even holding back laughter. But the moment Taiga spoke, everyone knew the jokes were over. It was time to get down to business.
Han stood opposite Taiga, snorting heavily. Two streams of white steam shot from his nostrils and dissipated into the air. His bloodshot eyes were fixed on Taiga in an unblinking glare.
The hole in his right calf was still there, but he could no longer feel the pain—or rather, his sheer fury had completely masked it.
Yet no one paid attention to his display. Everyone's focus was entirely on Taiga and Onoki.
Taiga, for his part, did not even spare him a single glance.
His gaze remained on Onoki. With his hands stuffed in his pockets, he wore a faint smile.
Han stood there like a volcano on the verge of erupting, but Taiga's eyes did not waver in the slightest.
Seeing this, Han's lips trembled with rage.
There was nothing more infuriating than being so blatantly ignored. It was especially unbearable for him, a Jinchuriki who possessed a formidable reputation across the entire ninja world.
Onoki's expression was grave. He looked at Taiga, fell silent for a moment, and then nodded.
"That is correct."
Just a few words, spoken softly, but carrying immense weight.
The moment those words left his mouth, the Iwagakure shinobi immediately sprang into action.
Kitsuchi took a step to the left, positioning himself just ahead of Onoki. He lowered his stance, planting his feet firmly on the ground like a deeply rooted old tree.
He raised his hands in front of him, palms facing outward, fully prepared to defend.
Han's body tensed even further. His breathing grew heavier as white steam billowed from the gaps in his armor, the hissing sound exceptionally clear in the quiet street.
The other Iwagakure Jonin also shifted their positions. They all knew very well that the slightest misstep now would likely result in a genuine battle, not just a minor skirmish like before.
Everyone wore a solemn expression!
Their eyes were all locked onto Taiga, guarding against him making another move.
Then, Onoki spoke again. "However, I can offer you a portion of Tailed Beast chakra as a personal gift."
Hearing this, the Iwagakure shinobi struggled to maintain their composure.
Kitsuchi's expression froze, and he turned his head in astonishment.
*'Seriously, old man, can't you just say everything at once?'*
*'You make things so difficult for us when you do this every time!'*
The other Jonin were equally stunned. Some stood with their mouths agape, while others furrowed their brows.
No one had expected Onoki to pull a stunt like this.
Han could no longer hold back.
"Onoki!"
His voice boomed so loudly that dust was shaken loose from the eaves of the buildings lining the street.
He did not even address him as Tsuchikage, directly shouting Onoki's name instead.
Onoki's face turned stern as he turned to face Han.
"Han, follow your orders!"
His voice was not loud, but every word struck Han's chest like a heavy stone.
Han's lips trembled, and his teeth ground together audibly.
But he said nothing. He just stood there, his chest heaving violently, breathing as heavily as a caged bull.
After several seconds, his fingers slowly uncurled.
Standing to the side and observing the bizarre atmosphere, Rasa let out a soft breath.
He looked at Onoki, then at Han, and finally took a step forward, speaking to the giant man. "As the Kazekage, let me offer you a piece of advice."
Rasa's expression was entirely serious.
"Do not act recklessly in front of Taiga-kun. His abilities are something you absolutely do not want to witness."
Rasa spoke with genuine sincerity, which everyone present could feel.
He was truly trying to warn him.
After all, the Five Kage Summit was fast approaching, and it was best not to cause too much chaos right now.
He could not stop whatever Taiga wanted to do, nor did he have any interest in trying. In fact, he was quite happy to sit back and watch. So, having a Jinchuriki give up a little Tailed Beast chakra was nothing in the grand scheme of things.
He knew exactly how powerful Taiga was. If Han were to attack again, the outcome would be no better than the last time.
Hearing Rasa's words, Onoki glared at him with a mix of dissatisfaction and disdain.
*'This is our village's business. Since when is it your place to hand out favors?'*
Rasa noticed the glare, but he did not look at Onoki. He merely offered a faint smile and stepped back.
Seeing Rasa retreat, Han panted a few more times before finally letting out a cold snort and turning his head away.
Whether he was still defiant or had finally understood the situation, he ultimately said nothing more.
With that, the steam stopped billowing from Han's body, and his breathing gradually steadied.
Taiga paid Han no further mind. He shifted his gaze away from Onoki and turned toward another direction.
Standing in that direction was an old man with completely white hair and a face full of wrinkles. His body trembled slightly as a younger man beside him supported his arm.
It was the leader of Takigakure, Akagi.
"Excuse me," Taiga said. "I'll take a portion of the Seven-Tails' chakra as well. I'll pay for it."
His tone was incredibly casual, as if he were ordering a dish at a restaurant.
"Thank you."
He even tacked on those two words at the end. His manners were impeccable.
In this regard, Taiga's attitude toward the Great Ninja Villages and the smaller ones was entirely different.
Of course, that was provided they didn't provoke him. What happened to Kusagakure was entirely their own fault.
Takigakure, on the other hand, had always remained aloof from worldly affairs. Since Taiga wanted some of the Seven-Tails' chakra, it wouldn't be right to force them. Being polite was only proper.
Akagi was speechless.
His entire body was shaking.
It was hard to tell if he was trembling from old age or out of sheer terror of Taiga. Regardless, his lips quivered, making the wrinkles on his face appear even deeper.
His cloudy eyes darted toward Onoki, then toward Rasa, as if pleading for help.
Unfortunately, both Onoki and Rasa averted their gazes.
Seeing this, Akagi knew exactly what he had to do. His Adam's apple bobbed. "V-Very well."
He quickly added, "Young man, as long as you do not harm the Tailed Beast's life, we can give you the chakra."
As he said this, the middle-aged man beside him shot him a look, his expression complicated.
But the middle-aged man said nothing, merely steadying his grip on Akagi's arm.
Akagi was the leader of Takigakure; his word was final.
After saying this, Akagi let out a long sigh.
It was a deep sigh, as if decades of weariness had been compressed into a single breath. His shoulders slumped, making him look even older than before.
Takigakure was currently suffering from a lack of capable successors. Akagi truly had no other choice.
Taiga looked at Akagi's heavily wrinkled face and fell silent for a moment.
Then, he nodded. "It's not like I'm some kind of villain."
His tone was still casual, but there was something different in that casualness. It wasn't an explanation or a comfort; it was simply a straightforward statement of fact.
"I just want a little Tailed Beast chakra. Naturally, I won't take its life."
Hearing this, Akagi paused. His shoulders dropped again, but this time, it wasn't from a sigh—it was from relief.
Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Taiga's words.
The Sunagakure shinobi were relatively fine. Having spent time with Taiga, they understood his style and knew he wasn't the type to slaughter innocents indiscriminately.
But the Iwagakure shinobi were different. Today was their first time meeting him, their first time dealing with him. They had no idea what kind of person he truly was.
If he said he wouldn't take a life, then he probably wouldn't.
Standing to the side, Onoki's expression was still ugly, but the sharp glint in his eyes had softened somewhat.
His lips twitched as if he wanted to say something, but he ultimately held his tongue.
Han stood there, his face still etched with reluctance, but his fists had unclenched.
No one spoke another word.
The street fell silent. Standing in the center of the area, Taiga waved Yugito Nii over.
She seemed to know exactly what he wanted. Stepping forward, she removed a sealing scroll from her waist, unrolled it on the ground, and formed a hand sign with one hand.
Poof!
A puff of white smoke erupted, and stacks of cash appeared on the ground.
Taiga picked up ten stacks. "This is thirty million ryo. It's not much, but it should be enough to buy a bit of your village's Tailed Beast chakra."
As he spoke, he glanced over at Onoki. "Do you guys want some too?"
Onoki turned his face away and let out a cold snort.
And with that, the matter was settled.