"We can agree to these terms."
Ao didn't really think much about it and simply agreed to the condition.
The Hidden Mist Village is one of the Five Great Countries' Hidden Villages in the Ninja World. Gathering the strength of the Hidden Mist Village, capturing a Konoha Traitorous Ninja is not an impossible task.
"We will hand over that Konoha Traitorous Ninja to Konoha."
Ao raised another question, "After the Mizukage arrives in Konoha, can you guarantee that Konoha will return the Mizukage for the sake of a Konoha Traitorous Ninja?"
"..."
Akihara Kagura looked at Kakashi Hatake.
As a mere worker, he certainly couldn't make such decisions!
Akihara Kagura had never considered that the Hidden Mist Village could capture Uchiha Obito, at most, they could give some trouble to his supervisor. How could they possibly capture him?
"..."
Kakashi Hatake fell silent for a moment.
After all, Kakashi Hatake was merely a Sub-Commander of the Anbu, and couldn't make such decisions. The fate of a Mizukage could only be decided by the Konoha higher-ups.
"..."
Uchiha Itachi could only stand aside like an ornament.
"Alright, we can't make this decision."
Akihara Kagura helplessly spread his hands and continued, "At least we won't stop you from taking the Mizukage back to the Hidden Mist when the time comes. You can think of a way yourselves. The status of a Konoha Traitorous Ninja and a Mizukage doesn't seem comparable, right? This way, our deal is quite reasonable and fair, isn't it?"
"..."
Ao felt tempted to curse.
"Fine, we accept."
Ao could only suppress his urge to curse, loudly asking again, "What about Terumi Mei Jonin? Can you release her? Consider it a bonus for accepting the conditions! Terumi Mei Jonin's strength is formidable and is crucial for the village in capturing Uchiha Obito!"
"Sure."
Kakashi Hatake deemed it inconsequential.
Compared to the Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura, Terumi Mei was just a minor figure, not worth quarreling over with the Hidden Mist Village for this matter.
Moreover...
The Hidden Mist Village was nearly declaring surrender, even offering to send Uchiha Obito to Konoha in the future.
And their team couldn't decide on returning the Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura, Kakashi Hatake felt a bit embarrassed.
"We can't just give them back for free, can we?"
Akihara Kagura pondered for a while and suggested, "At least get some ramen money, right? My pocket doesn't even have a coin, poorer than that little Naruto guy. Are we going to let Captain Kakashi treat us when we return to the village?"
"This..."
Kakashi Hatake felt this might be a bit excessive.
"How much do you want?"
Ao asked through gritted teeth.
"Let us discuss..."
Akihara Kagura looked at Kakashi Hatake, then at Uchiha Itachi. "What do you think is a suitable amount? I've never done something like this before..."
"..."
Kakashi Hatake and Uchiha Itachi exchanged baffled looks.
Because neither of them had done something like this either!
"300,000 ryo, I guess."
Kakashi Hatake wasn't particularly interested in this.
This amount was akin to the lucrative reward of an A-level task or higher.
Akihara Kagura was surprised how low the amount was but didn't intend to ask for a bigger number, he just made a suggestion, "Let's ask for 320,000 ryo! We need a sum that can be divided evenly among the three of us."
"..."
Kakashi Hatake couldn't help raising an eyebrow, puzzled as he calculated, "Wait, isn't there a problem with this amount? 300,000 ryo is just enough to be divided evenly among three people, right?"
Kakashi Hatake seemed to have realized something, his eyebrow twitched as he said, "You're not planning to... Give Itachi and me 10,000 ryo each and keep 300,000 ryo for yourself, are you!"
"Distribution according to labor, I exert the most."
"Distribution according to need, I'm the poorest one."
"Distribution equally, you surely won't feel embarrassed, right?"
Akihara Kagura's three reasons were quite compelling, leaving Kakashi Hatake and Uchiha Itachi speechless.
Ao was also surprised at how modestly this Konoha team demanded, willing to release Terumi Mei for just 320,000 ryo, an amount he could afford himself.
Ao didn't see these people as particularly obnoxious, they seemed truly intent on capturing Uchiha Obito, not causing trouble for the Hidden Mist Village.
This Konoha team reached two agreements with the Hidden Mist Village.
First, the Hidden Mist Village was responsible for capturing Uchiha Obito and sending him back to Konoha, while figuring out a way for the Konoha higher-ups to agree to return the Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura.
Second, the Hidden Mist Village funded 320,000 ryo to ransom Jonin Terumi Mei, with other Mist Village Ninja caught by Akihara Kagura as bonuses.
"You really made a profit."
When Akihara Kagura received the money, he said with a rather envious tone, "Fortunately, you met someone as easy-going as me..."
"Indeed..."
Ao could only nod repeatedly, suppressing his urge to hit someone, and asked about the most pressing matter, "When are you leaving the Land of Water?"
"Once we have the money, we'll leave."
Akihara Kagura shook the money in his hand.
Before leaving.
The Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura wanted to convey some matters.
Kakashi Hatake, considering humanitarianism, allowed the Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura to chat with Terumi Mei for a while, letting him convey orders that sounded more like last words.
"I am a person guilty of heinous crimes."
The Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura, weakly and quietly commanded, "Don't think of rescuing me, even if I die in Konoha, it doesn't matter..."
"Mizukage-sama..."
Terumi Mei felt slightly anxious.
"Did you hear?"
Akihara Kagura stood beside and began translating, "Your Mizukage-sama wants to sacrifice himself to prevent dragging you down. Can you bear to see the Mizukage suffer in Konoha?"
"..."
The Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura was too furious to speak but had to persist because this might be his last conversation with the Hidden Mist Village, "Let the village's Master Yuan govern the village, and have him abolish my Blood Mist policy..."
"Understood."
Terumi Mei nodded and swiftly jumped off the wooden dragon.
For the Hidden Mist Village, today was both a day of disaster and a day of new beginnings, as the oppressive Blood Mist policy was finally about to disperse.
"Let's go."
Akihara Kagura, quite trustworthy, released Terumi Mei and others once he got the ransom, and their team headed back to Konoha with the Land of Water's largest specialty.
The team rushed to the seashore to leave by ship.
The Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura noticed a familiar silhouette amidst being pushed onto the ship, it was a crew member with bandages wrapped around his neck.
The Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura cautiously lowered his head, remembering the crew member whose neck and lower face were wrapped with bandages, seemingly an Anbu Ninja of the Hidden Mist Village.
If he recalled correctly...
It seemed the man's name was Momochi Zabuza?
This person had slain all graduates of the same period by himself to end the Hidden Mist Village's brutal cultivation regimen of nurturing through elimination.
The Mizukage apprehensively shook his head, signaling the person not to risk rescuing him, afraid of putting any Mist Village Ninja in danger because of him.
However...
It was already too late.
Akihara Kagura seemed to notice the person, pointing at the bandaged crew member and curiously asked, "What's up with that man? What's so shameful about being a guy? Why bother hiding his face like Captain Kakashi?"