"Renya, don't be impulsive!"
When Sarutobi Hiruzen saw Renya suddenly stand up, he was startled on the spot.
He couldn't help but recall that scene years ago at the Daimyō's mansion in the Land of Lightning.
At once, his whole body tensed up like he was sitting on needles, and his face turned pale.
"Hiruzen, I'm calm right now—terrifyingly calm."
Renya turned his head, and his black pupils gradually turned crimson.
"Ren—"
Before Hiruzen could finish, he saw Renya stride straight toward the Daimyō.
He felt as though the sky had collapsed.
What kind of joke was this?!
Renya had completely ignored everything he'd just said!
"Danzo…"
Hiruzen looked toward Danzo for help, only to find that the anger on Danzo's face had already been replaced by a look of schadenfreude.
"You—!"
Hiruzen pointed at him in fury, so angry that he could barely speak.
Danzo daring to indulge Renya like this—Konoha was doomed sooner or later!
"Hiruzen, just sit and watch." Danzo leisurely sat back down in his chair.
Since Renya had chosen to act, what came next had nothing to do with him.
Indeed, bringing Renya along had been the wisest decision!
"This ninja from Konoha—do you have some business with me?"
The Daimyō frowned at the ninja who suddenly appeared before him, a flicker of displeasure surfacing in his eyes.
Konoha's ninja were growing increasingly disrespectful toward him.
He felt that his authority as Daimyō had been seriously provoked!
It seemed it was time to find an opportunity to put Konoha back in its place.
He couldn't allow such disrespect to happen again.
"Daimyō, I think ten million isn't quite right." Renya raised a finger, mimicking the Daimyō's earlier gesture. "I think you should make it… ten billion."
"You bastard, are you threatening me?!"
The Daimyō slammed the armrest of his seat, fury blazing openly across his face.
Ever since becoming Daimyō, no one had ever dared threaten him!
Even Senju Tobirama hadn't dared to speak to him like this!
"Renya!" Hiruzen panicked.
He wanted to get up and pull Renya back—offending the Daimyō could have disastrous consequences.
But just as he was about to rise, Shimura Danzo pressed him back down.
"Hiruzen, let Renya handle it."
"But—"
"Enough. I don't want to repeat myself!" Danzo's tone turned hard. "Remember, I am the Hokage!"
Though Hiruzen was deeply dissatisfied, he had no choice but to sit obediently in his chair, watching the Daimyō's side with growing anxiety.
This was madness—utter madness!
Danzo was actually letting Renya extort the Daimyō! Wasn't he afraid the Daimyō would retaliate against the village?
Didn't he realize Konoha couldn't survive without the Daimyō's financial support?!
Looking at the calm expression on Danzo's face, despair flickered through Hiruzen's eyes.
Was there anyone sane left in Konoha?
"Threatening?" Renya smiled. "I'm simply negotiating on behalf of the village. Please don't make it sound so unpleasant, Daimyō."
"Negotiating?" The Daimyō sneered. "Apologies, but my decision is final. There will be no negotiation. You may leave now!"
Ten billion? What a ridiculous demand—what else could it be but extortion?
"As for the ten million in funds, I'll have someone deliver it immediately."
This insolent ninja dared speak to him in such a tone—and the Third Hokage pretended not to notice!
Clearly, the next round of funding needed to be cut even further.
"If the Daimyō refuses to negotiate, then I'll just have to change my approach."
Clack—
As Renya spoke, he slowly drew his blade, the sheath sliding back to reveal an inch of gleaming white steel.
The bright reflection caught in his eyes, sharp and blinding.
The Daimyō instinctively narrowed his eyes, his voice turning colder.
"Are you threatening me?"
He didn't believe for a moment that this wild ninja would dare attack him.
For thousands of years, there had been cases of ninja attacking a Daimyō—but such acts were universally condemned across the shinobi world.
Killing a Daimyō would mean no missions for ninja for a long while, and the family of the one responsible would likely face extermination.
Killing the client meant killing the business.
Over time, this became an unspoken rule.
—Never harm your employer. And never, ever touch a Daimyō.
That complacency had made the Daimyōs increasingly arrogant, completely dismissive of the ninja who served them.
In fact, the only exception in recent memory had been years ago, when the Second Hokage had threatened the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning.
At the time, the Daimyō of the Land of Fire had taken great pleasure in that humiliation—and to this day, the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning hadn't shown his face at their gatherings.
Who would've thought it'd be his turn next?
With that thought, the Daimyō's gaze darkened as he glared at Renya.
Damn brat!
"Threatening? You could say that," Renya said suddenly with a grin.
For some reason, seeing the ninja smile made a chill creep up the Daimyō's spine.
This guy—could he really be planning to attack him?
No, impossible. That thought was absurd.
For a moment, he'd almost been intimidated by this brute.
Just a savage ninja—how could he possibly dare strike a Daimyō?
"Enough. You just want money, don't you? Fine, I'll give you some more..."
The Daimyō waved his hand dismissively, eager to throw some money at the problem and be done with this unpleasant scene.
"Let's say I add another ten million ryō. That should do, right?"
His tone and gesture carried the same dismissive disdain as someone tossing coins at a beggar.
"Take the offer and leave while you can. Don't overstep your bounds."
The Daimyō's gaze shifted past Renya to Danzo.
"You agree, don't you, Hokage?"
He was convinced that Renya had only dared to step forward because the Hokage had ordered him to.
Otherwise, how could an ordinary ninja possibly have the nerve to threaten a Daimyō?
Konoha had really raised itself a fine pack of dogs!
"Heh, the Daimyō is right," Danzo chuckled, not even bothering to use any honorifics.
From the moment Renya stood up, the Daimyō's fate had already been sealed.
The louder he shouted now, the more miserable his death would be.
"Danzo, we should stop while we can," Hiruzen whispered urgently in Danzo's ear. "We can't afford to truly offend the Daimyō!"
In his view, getting an extra ten million was already a good deal.
Konoha still needed the Daimyō's support—if they pushed him too far, the village would be ruined!
Danzo completely ignored Hiruzen's plea.
That man always had his loyalties backward. Anyone watching would think he served the Daimyō instead.
If he couldn't handle this now, he'd be scared out of his mind soon enough.
The Daimyō, meanwhile, noticed Danzo and Hiruzen whispering, which only reinforced his assumption.
The Hokage just wanted to squeeze more money from him—and the fool standing before him was merely a pawn.
Realizing that, the Daimyō's arrogance returned full force.
"Young man, put your sword away. I wasn't raised to be frightened so easily."
Renya stared at the Daimyō with a strange expression.
Was this idiot still not aware of the situation?
"Did you get your head slammed in a door when you were a kid?"
The Daimyō: "???"