Chapter 172: You Got Yugito Pregnant?
And so, the matter was settled.
Uchiha Taiga took the sealing scroll from Yugito Nii and handed the money to Akagi.
Thirty million ryo, ten neatly stacked bundles, were placed on the ground in front of the Takigakure leader.
Akagi looked at the money, his lips trembling a few times as if wanting to say something, but ultimately remaining silent.
The middle-aged man beside him, however, reacted quickly. He bent down, gathered the money into his arms, and stepped back.
Watching this, Onoki turned his face away and let out a cold snort.
He didn't look at Uchiha Taiga, nor did he look at the money, but he still caught sight of it from the corner of his eye.
Thirty million ryo for Tailed Beast chakra—the price wasn't exactly high, but it wasn't low either. The important point was that Uchiha Taiga was willing to pay, proving he wasn't the type to just rely on his overwhelming strength to rob people blind.
No one knew what Onoki was thinking.
Han stood there, his expression still showing traces of reluctance and frustration.
Rasa stood off to the side, breathing a sigh of relief as the dust settled. He glanced at Onoki, then at Uchiha Taiga, the corners of his mouth twitching up slightly before he withdrew his gaze and turned back to the Sunagakure group.
The group dispersed.
The Takigakure shinobi arranged accommodations for them in a row of houses on the east side of the village, not far from the waterfall where the sound of rushing water could be heard.
The houses weren't large, but they were clean, and the beds were neatly made.
Uchiha Taiga took one room, Yugito Nii took another, and Uzumaki Yumiko and Karin shared a third.
The Sunagakure and Iwagakure shinobi stayed in separate areas, divided by a small alleyway.
For the next few days, everything remained peaceful.
Uchiha Taiga spent his days strolling around the village, eating, sleeping, and occasionally sitting by the waterfall, lost in thought. He didn't cause any more trouble for the Iwagakure shinobi, nor did he speak another word to Han.
Instead, the Iwagakure shinobi took the initiative to seek him out. An Iwagakure Jonin arrived at Uchiha Taiga's residence, looking stiff and nervous, holding a sealing scroll in his hands.
"This is the chakra of the Five-Tails, Kokuo."
He handed the sealing scroll over, his tone stiff, as if reciting a memorized script.
"Lord Tsuchikage ordered me to deliver this."
Uchiha Taiga took the sealing scroll and opened it to take a look.
Sealed inside was a mass of chakra. The amount wasn't particularly large—only about less than half of what he had previously extracted from Yugito Nii.
He looked at the Iwagakure Jonin and chuckled.
"Lord Tsuchikage sure is a bit stingy."
The Iwagakure Jonin's face stiffened. He opened his mouth but said nothing.
After handing over the scroll, he turned and left, his footsteps hurried as if something were chasing him.
Uchiha Taiga watched the man's retreating back and shook his head.
However, he didn't say much else. After all, Iwagakure hadn't asked for his money.
They had taken the initiative to deliver it for free. If he complained about the amount, it would be a bit unreasonable.
He put the sealing scroll away, tied it to his waist, and continued to sit by the waterfall, spacing out.
On the third day, the Takigakure shinobi arrived.
It was the middle-aged man who had supported Akagi on the street. His name was Masaki, a Takigakure Jonin and Akagi's disciple. He was also holding a sealing scroll, though his expression was much more natural than the Iwagakure Jonin's.
"This is the chakra of the Seven-Tails, Chomei."
He handed the sealing scroll to Uchiha Taiga, his tone very polite.
Uchiha Taiga took the scroll and opened it. The amount of chakra inside was significantly more than what the Five-Tails had provided.
He nodded and put the scroll away.
"Thanks."
Masaki smiled, didn't say anything else, and turned to leave.
Thirty million ryo was no small sum for Takigakure, so Uchiha Taiga felt perfectly justified taking it. Paying for it meant he wasn't freeloading—that was his principle.
A few days later, the group set off once again.
The Sunagakure and Iwagakure forces merged. Together, the two groups totaled nearly a hundred people, forming a massive procession.
Onoki walked at the very front of the Iwagakure group with Kitsuchi by his side. Han walked at the back of the formation, keeping a wide distance from Uchiha Taiga.
Rasa led the Sunagakure group with Maki following behind him, while Chiyo and Ebizo brought up the rear.
Yugito Nii walked beside Uchiha Taiga, and Uzumaki Yumiko followed behind Yugito, carrying Karin in her arms.
Karin was very energetic today, her little head turning this way and that as she looked at the surrounding mountains and trees, babbling happily.
The Land of Waterfalls and the Land of Iron were very close. Departing from Takigakure, it took them less than three days to reach the border.
The geography of the Land of Iron was entirely different from the Land of Waterfalls.
The Land of Waterfalls was filled with mountains and water, with waterfalls and rivers everywhere.
The Land of Iron, on the other hand, was flat, consisting of vast plains covered in gravel and sand. The wind was fierce, blowing so hard it made it difficult to keep one's eyes open.
The Land of Iron had no ninja villages, only samurai. It was a neutral country independent of the Five Great Nations, refusing to participate in the ninja world's conflicts, form alliances, or take sides.
The Five Kage Summit was chosen to be held here precisely because of its neutral status.
After entering the Land of Iron, the journey became much easier. The roads were wide and smooth, lined with neat rows of trees, clearly maintained by dedicated personnel.
After another two or three days of travel, the group arrived at the center of the Land of Iron.
There was a city here—not large, but heavily fortified.
The city walls were built from massive blocks of bluestone, tall and thick. Armored samurai stood atop the walls, holding long spears and wearing swords at their waists.
The city gates were wide enough for four carriages to pass side by side. Samurai also stood on either side of the gates, each wearing a stern expression and keeping a vigilant watch.
Mifune, the leader of the samurai of the Land of Iron, personally welcomed them at the city gates.
Mifune was a man in his forties or fifties. His hair was tied in a topknot, and though he had wrinkles on his face, his gaze was incredibly sharp.
He wore a dark samurai outfit with a long sword strapped to his waist. The black scabbard lacked any ornamentation, giving it a very plain appearance.
He stood as straight as a pine tree, his back perfectly upright and his chin slightly raised, exuding an imposing aura without showing any anger.
"Lord Tsuchikage, Lord Kazekage. You have traveled far; thank you for your hard work."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear. As he spoke, his gaze swept from Onoki to Rasa, and then back again.
Onoki nodded but said nothing.
Rasa smiled and nodded.
"You are too polite, Lord Mifune."
Mifune straightened his posture, shifting his gaze away from Onoki and Rasa to the procession behind them. His eyes swept over the crowd and quickly locked onto Uchiha Taiga.
The young man was walking in the middle of the Sunagakure group, his hands stuffed in his pockets and a lazy expression on his face. He looked just like an ordinary child tagging along with the adults for a trip.
Yet, Mifune's eyes lingered on him.
His gaze rested on Uchiha Taiga's face for several seconds, his pupils contracting slightly before he looked away.
He had hosted many important figures and seen many powerful individuals, but he could always sense the fluctuations of their chakra.
However, he couldn't sense anything from this boy.
The boy stood there like a rock, a tree, or thin air—not a single trace of chakra leaked from his body.
He was either an ordinary person, or someone so powerful that they could completely conceal their presence.
Mifune knew it was the latter.
His expression remained unchanged, but his fingers lightly tapped the hilt of his sword before relaxing again.
Uchiha Taiga noticed Mifune's gaze and grinned.
"Don't mind me."
He spoke casually, his voice not loud, but Mifune heard him clearly.
"I'm just here to see the sights, and I don't have any ill intentions toward you."
He said this lightly, as if chatting with someone he had just met. Then he paused, as if thinking of something interesting, and spoke again.
"Speaking of which, the samurai of the Land of Iron are unique in the ninja world, and your swordsmanship is renowned far and wide."
He looked at the sword at Mifune's waist, a gleam of genuine interest in his eyes.
"Could I experience it for myself?"
Uchiha Taiga didn't have many goals in coming here. Getting Tailed Beast chakra was one.
The other was to witness the swordsmanship of the Land of Iron.
He had heard that the samurai of the Land of Iron were incredibly skilled, possessing a unique style of swordsmanship entirely different from the combat methods of ninja. He wanted to see it.
Mifune took a deep breath, his expression turning solemn. He remained silent for a few seconds before shaking his head.
"I apologize."
His voice was sincere, but also firm.
"During the Five Kage Summit, there cannot be any mishaps."
He paused, as if to explain further.
"It is my duty. Please forgive me."
Uchiha Taiga looked at him, his expression unchanging, and nodded.
"I see. That's a real shame, then."
He spoke casually, not forcing the issue or showing any displeasure. After all, there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.
Seeing Uchiha Taiga's reaction, Mifune breathed a slight sigh of relief.
He stepped aside and made a gesture, clearing the way to the city gates behind him.
"Please."
Onoki and Rasa led the way, with the others filing in behind them.
The procession entered the city and was guided to their respective accommodations by the samurai of the Land of Iron.
The Sunagakure and Iwagakure lodgings were not together, separated by an open clearing.
The lodging was a standalone house. It wasn't large, but it was spacious enough. It had beds, tables, and chairs. The windows were covered with white paper, allowing the sunlight to filter through and brightly illuminate the rooms.
Time passed.
The next day, the Kumogakure delegation arrived.
Leading them was the Fourth Raikage A. He stood there like an iron tower. Aside from his severed arm, he looked no different than before; in fact, his spirit and vitality seemed even stronger.
Behind him followed twenty to thirty Kumogakure Jonin. Each of them was robust, wearing stern expressions and marching in perfect unison.
After entering the city, A didn't go to find his lodgings first. Instead, he headed straight for the Sunagakure residence.
His pace was so fast that the samurai of the Land of Iron couldn't keep up with him. He marched right up to the door of the Sunagakure residence, shoved it open, and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Uchiha Taiga, where are you hiding Yugito?!"
His voice was so loud that the entire house shook.
Uchiha Taiga was in his room drinking tea. Hearing the shout, he paused with his teacup halfway to his mouth, then slowly set it down.
He stood up, walked to the doorway, and slid the door open.
A stood in the middle of the courtyard, one hand on his hip, glaring at him.
"Don't tell me you got her pregnant?!"
A's voice grew even louder—so loud that the Sunagakure Jonin in the adjacent rooms all poked their heads out to see what was going on.