"I'm going out to take care of some business. You carry on," Kawakaze said casually.
He had planned to visit Kakuzu in the afternoon for another conversation. However, when he arrived at the Hokage's office, the sight of the desk made him pause. The stack of documents had more than doubled compared to yesterday.
Without hesitation, Kawakaze decided to leave. Part of the blame for this mess belonged to Kakuzu—the damage caused last night had been reported today.
"No, I can't handle this alone," Shōta protested, quickly stepping in to stop him. "This is going to kill me!"
"Really serious business," Kawakaze replied with a dramatic tone. "I just came to say hello."
"You heard about last night, didn't you?"
Kawakaze rolled his eyes, already scheming how to excuse himself.
"I heard," Shōta replied. "But didn't you catch the guy? Shouldn't the Anbu handle the interrogation?"
Shōta was puzzled. It didn't seem like Kawakaze needed to get involved personally.
"Hey, you wouldn't know about that," Kawakaze said, his tone turning serious. "I caught him, but he's a tough nut to crack. I suspect he's a spy sent by another country, so I need to go in person to set my mind at ease."
His expression was so earnest that it left no room for doubt.
If Kakuzu had overheard, he'd be completely baffled. Spy? Since when? I was just after money!
"I see. Then you should go and come back soon," Shōta replied, his doubts dispelled. If it was a matter of foreign espionage, it was indeed more critical than paperwork. Resigned, he accepted his fate of handling the documents alone.
"Okay, see you later," Kawakaze said with a grin. Snapping his fingers, he disappeared instantly.
"What a runner," Shōta muttered, staring at the towering stacks of paperwork. His head spun just looking at them.
Left behind, Shōta could only get to work, silently praying that Kawakaze would return quickly.
"Big Brother, I'm here," Kawakaze announced as he appeared directly in Sakumo's office.
"What are you doing here? You've left Shōta alone in the office again," Sakumo said, clearly displeased. "You can't keep bullying him!"
Sakumo's tone was firm, feeling genuinely aggrieved on Shōta's behalf. Having Kawakaze as his superior had undoubtedly made Shōta's life difficult.
"Look at what you're saying! I haven't," Kawakaze protested, though his expression betrayed some guilt. "I'm here to interrogate the prisoner—it's official business."
His face turned a rare shade of crimson, but he stubbornly refused to admit fault. His focus remained on extracting Kakuzu's fortune as quickly as possible so he could return.
"You can forget it. You might fool others, but don't pretend to be a big shot with me," Sakumo replied flatly, his understanding of Kawakaze leaving no room for excuses.
"Ahem, I won't waste any more of your time. I'm heading to the prison cell," Kawakaze said, deciding it was better to leave than argue.
"The prisoner has just been taken to the interrogation room. You can go directly there," Sakumo sighed, knowing there was no stopping Kawakaze once he had a plan.
"Okay, Big Brother," Kawakaze said. His voice lingered in the room even as he vanished.
In no time, Kawakaze arrived at the interrogation area.
"Lord Kawakaze," several Anbu members greeted him with respectful bows.
"Where's the prisoner we arrested last night?" Kawakaze asked, wasting no time.
"In Interrogation Room 3," one of the Anbu responded, promptly showing him the way.
This was Kawakaze's first time in the interrogation area, and he had little interest in the task. If it weren't for Kakuzu's massive fortune, he wouldn't have bothered coming here at all.
"Hm," Kawakaze muttered as he followed the Anbu through the hallway. Along the way, occasional piercing screams echoed from behind the doors, a grim reminder of the Anbu's harsh methods.
"It's in there," the Anbu said, stopping in front of a heavy iron gate with a sign above it reading "Interrogation Room 3."
"Okay, you can go down," Kawakaze said, walking straight through the gate and into the room.
Kakuzu was still confined in the wooden prison, looking listless and defeated.
"Lord Kawakaze," the two Anbu assigned to interrogate Kakuzu quickly stood and bowed.
"You may go. Leave it to me," Kawakaze said, waving them off.
"Yes," they replied, leaving the room without hesitation.
Bang!
The iron door closed, leaving Kawakaze and Kakuzu alone in the interrogation room.
"Release," Kawakaze muttered, forming a one-handed seal. The wooden prison surrounding Kakuzu began to dissolve slowly.
"How do you feel? You won't die just yet," Kawakaze said, taking a stool and sitting directly in front of Kakuzu. He crossed his legs, his demeanor relaxed.
"Hmph. If you want to kill me, just get it over with," Kakuzu replied, his tone hardened. A night of reflection had restored some of his resolve, as if he'd forgotten the desperate pleas for mercy from the day before.
"Don't be like that," Kawakaze said with a faint smile. "I'm not a bloodthirsty person. I'm here today to talk to you about a deal."
His smile remained, calm and unwavering. Kawakaze didn't expect Kakuzu to reciprocate, but he wasn't fazed by the cold reception.
"What kind of deal?" Kakuzu asked coolly, clearly disinterested but humoring the situation.
"You hand over the money, and I'll let you go," Kawakaze explained casually. "By then, you'll have the bragging rights of having fought both Gods of Shinobi. Not a bad story to help you earn more money, right?"
Kawakaze spoke slowly, his hands gesturing as if he were chatting with an old friend.
"You're thinking pretty big," Kakuzu retorted, his voice tinged with contempt. "If I hand over the money, will you just kill me afterward? Dream on."
Kakuzu almost laughed, the audacity of Kawakaze's proposition stoking his anger. This bastard clearly thought he could manipulate him like a child.
"A man's word is his bond. Hand over the money, and I'll let you go," Kawakaze said, leaning closer to Kakuzu. "I'm not one to break a promise."
His sudden proximity startled Kakuzu. As much as he tried to mask it, he couldn't deny his fear of Kawakaze.
"I-I don't believe you," Kakuzu stammered. His reluctance wasn't about parting with the money; it was the fear of losing both his wealth and his life. Kawakaze's words sounded sincere, but Kakuzu's long experience as a schemer made him cautious.
"Then tell me—what do I have to do to make you believe me?" Kawakaze asked, throwing the ball into Kakuzu's court. His determination to secure the money was unwavering.
"What?" Kakuzu was caught off guard, wondering if he'd misheard. Was he, a captive, being given room to negotiate?
"I said, what do I have to do to make you believe me?" Kawakaze repeated, his tone calm yet firm.
"Let me go first, and I'll pay you when I'm safe," Kakuzu blurted, seizing on what he thought was the safest option for himself. If Kawakaze agreed, he would undoubtedly pay to avoid further trouble.
"Then you can just wait and die," Kawakaze snapped, his expression darkening as he got up to leave.
"No, wait! We can still negotiate," Kakuzu said quickly, panic creeping into his voice. Faced with the possibility of losing his chance at survival, he couldn't let it slip away.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile crossed Kawakaze's lips. He had a keen understanding of human nature and knew exactly how to steer Kakuzu into compliance.
"Is that your attitude toward negotiation? Do you take me for a fool?" Kawakaze said, sitting back down with an air of displeasure. He looked like someone who wouldn't hesitate to walk away if things didn't go his way.
"I was rude," Kakuzu said, forcing himself to remain composed. "Then let's both back down a bit. I believe that someone as mighty as you, the God of Shinobi, wouldn't deceive a wandering ninja like me."
Suppressing his disgust, Kakuzu offered a compromise. "I'll give you half now, and the other half once we leave Konoha."
"However," he added cautiously, "I have an additional request." Kakuzu watched Kawakaze's face for any reaction.
"Speak," Kawakaze said, his tone indifferent, giving nothing away.
"Find someone to heal my injuries. After we leave Konoha, I'll give you the other half," Kakuzu proposed, his mind calculating. If his injuries were healed, he believed he could escape once they left Konoha—as long as Kawakaze didn't intervene.