Suddenly, a black triangular spike dropped from the sky, spinning like a top as it smashed toward Rengoku.
Rengoku stepped back and raised his sword horizontally, blocking the black spike.
Clang!
A heavy sound rang out, and Rengoku's Susanoo stepped back two full steps.
Killer B was a bit puzzled and suspicious, unsure why members of Akatsuki were coming to save him?
Standing inside Susanoo, Rengoku glared coldly at Sasori, who sat on the back of the Third Kazekage puppet, "Akatsuki, do you intend to interfere?"
Sasori's voice had almost no fluctuation, like he had no emotions at all, "You Konoha people waved our Akatsuki leader's banner. How are we supposed to do business after that?"
Rengoku looked Sasori and Killer B up and down, "Your Akatsuki might be a little too greedy. Be careful not to burst from eating too much."
Sasori pulled out a scroll from his back and held it in his hand, "If this fight keeps going, it might harm our rapport."
Rengoku glanced at that scroll with fear and immediately snorted, canceling Susanoo and withdrawing from the battlefield.
Sasori flapped the iron sand wings and descended from the air to Killer B's side.
Although Killer B stayed a bit wary, he still dispelled his full Tailed Beast form and returned to human shape.
From Sasori and Rengoku's exchange just now, he had heard some meaning behind their words, but he wasn't completely sure yet.
Killer B watched Sasori with caution, "What is your Akatsuki trying to do?"
Sasori spoke with a purely businesslike tone, "Akatsuki is just a mercenary organization. Whoever pays us, we work for."
"But after our leader helped Konoha last time, all of you started thinking we only serve Konoha. How are we supposed to make money like that?"
Killer B's alertness eased a little.
Sasori paused, "And Konoha doesn't exactly have much money right now."
Killer B muttered with understanding, "So you came here to make money?"
Sasori countered, "You Kumogakure aren't short on money, right? The team you brought has already been saved by me."
Killer B looked toward his team. Sure enough, the sounds of battle had completely stopped over there.
"Don't worry. Kumogakure can afford this."
Killer B looked at Yugito's corpse, his tone heavy, "Shame you came one step too late."
Sasori of course saw Yugito's body, "That wasn't something we could control."
"But the fact that the others survived, you should count yourself lucky."
"Uchiha Rengoku might return at any moment. Without my protection, whether you or those Kumo shinobi make it back alive is really hard to say."
Sasori glanced toward the Kumogakure, tossing the ball back into Killer B's court.
Killer B immediately understood. Sasori was asking whether he needed a bodyguard escort.
And right now, spending some money so his brothers could live was something Killer B was absolutely willing to do.
"How much to hire you as a bodyguard?"
"Three billion," Sasori opened with a completely astronomical number.
Don't look at Hiruzen Sarutobi embezzling amounts in the billions, most of that was real estate.
In reality, the Raikage's bounty was only one billion now (cheaper after losing an arm).
Of course, that was more of a theoretical price. There was no market for assassinating a Raikage, and losing an arm didn't change anything.
Killer B's bounty was only a little over one billion.
But a living person's protection price and a dead person's bounty were two entirely different things.
"So expensive?", Killer B's cheek twitched. This price was beyond what he expected.
Sasori didn't bargain at all, "That's the price. Your Kumogakure only has one jinchuriki left now."
"Konoha might be short on money, but we can still do business with them."
"Or… do you think those men you brought can protect you?"
Whether it was a reminder or a threat, it was true.
Even if Kumo was strong, Killer B was their last top-tier battle power. If Killer B died… The Iwagakure shinobi would probably laugh their faces crooked.
Rengoku's attacks these past few times had already killed Yugito and a full third of the Kumo forces.
And Rengoku clearly had a medical-nin with him. A very strong one at that.
Even Yugito as a jinchuriki couldn't match Rengoku's recovery ability.
And Rengoku also brought Hyuga scouts. There was no escaping the Byakugan.
Without Akatsuki's protection, it was genuinely uncertain whether Killer B or the other Kumo shinobi could make it back alive.
Killer B now truly believed Akatsuki wasn't aligned with Konoha.
Because if Akatsuki didn't come, he would get ground to death by Rengoku right here.
Killer B might act sloppy normally, but he understood priorities. He had to pay this protection fee.
He only thought for a moment before agreeing, "Fine. But I can only pay you after I return to the village."
Sasori agreed instantly, "No problem."
Akatsuki had a huge reputation now. They didn't fear Kumogakure skipping payment.
And even if they did skip payment, that was fine.
There were other ways to collect the debt.
———
After Rengoku withdrew from the battlefield, he used an pupil jutsu again to summon another clone.
This clone would follow the Kumo camp and attack when there was an opportunity.
He himself used Kagura's Mind Eye to search for Karin.
Right then, Rengoku stood still and covered his eyes as waves of sharp pain swept through them.
Although he had already been extremely conservative with his Mangekyo usage, constantly entering and leaving the Null Horizon, Amaterasu, making new clones, and using Susanoo in battle… by now, his pupil power had already dropped by half.
The intel that overusing Mangekyo could cause blindness, no one in the outside world knew yet.
Rengoku's chakra and physical wounds could recover, but pupil power was another matter entirely.
His eyes were already showing signs of astigmatism, but still within controllable range.
He had let Killer B go on purpose. Letting Akatsuki appear wasn't just for money. It was also to lower Kumogakure's guard toward Akatsuki.
He wanted Kumogakure to know that Akatsuki acted for money, not for Konoha.
After all, if Kumo didn't attack Konoha because they feared Akatsuki, how could he thoroughly hurt Kumo in one go?
Even though the Rinnegan was gone now, the outside world wouldn't believe it.
So Rengoku changed strategies and let Akatsuki help Kumogakure.
Konoha did lose some money, but now Kumogakure had to bleed too, paying a protection fee.
Rengoku pulled out a bottle of Water of Life and took a swig.
A huge surge of vitality rose through his body.
But the pain in his eyes only eased slightly. It still hurt.
Gritting his teeth, he continued on.
———
He soon found his shadow clone and the still-awake Karin.
"Didn't I tell you to drink Life Water and hide to rest?"
Rengoku saw at a glance that Karin was still somewhat weak.
Karin looked up at him pitifully, "I was worried about you."
Rengoku's eyes hurt, but it didn't affect his mind.
He knew Karin was only caring about him. So he just patted her head gently and said softly, "Alright. I'm fine and back now, aren't I?"
"Drink the Life Water. We'll rest tonight and head back tomorrow."
Hearing this, Karin brightened, "Ah! We can go back tomorrow? What about those Kumo shinobi?"
"Yugito died. They retreated," Rengoku said it casually, but it still shocked Karin a little.
Among so many Kumo shinobi, even with Killer B present, her teacher had actually killed the Two-Tails jinchuriki.
"That's amazing! Shishou is incredible!"
Karin knew how hostile Kumo was. She never expected her Shishou to drive them back alone.
"Heh! Not just 'me'. It's 'we' who are incredible."
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