After Yahiko's revival, Nagato finally felt as though a huge weight in his heart had been lifted.
Because he needed to calculate the consumption of pupil power, Nagato also quietly went into rest, waiting for his eyes to recover, and to revive the next person.
After coming back, Yahiko also needed quite a long time to digest all the ups and downs Nagato and Konan had gone through.
When he learned how badly Nagato had been deceived by Obito, Yahiko was furious.
At the same time, regarding Rengoku's help, he also kept it firmly in his heart.
Those years, Yahiko's corpse, as the Deva Path Pain, had undergone multiple rounds of strengthening.
Just by physical durability alone, it was at least at the level of a jonin. After revival, the enhanced body did not regress, but was instead retained.
But that was Nagato's Pain, not Yahiko himself.
Right now, Yahiko's core was still stuck at the fifteen-year-old he was when he died.
His mindset needed to gradually shift, and he also had to adapt to this body. Yahiko still had a long way to go.
During this time, the students of the graduating elite class were all being led on missions by their teachers.
In fact, people are forced to grow.
Once these students knew that after three missions, they would have to work on their own, they quickly absorbed the knowledge and experience their teachers imparted, turning it into their own.
After all, these were students from major clans, and their adaptability was very fast.
Now they were maturing rapidly.
On the other hand, the appearance of Monk Senku also stirred the hearts of people from all major powers.
After all, while the Uchiha could also suppress jinchuriki, the Uchiha were, after all, people of Konoha.
But this Akatsuki organization was completely different, they were mercenaries.
However, since Monk Senku had only appeared once, whether he was truly capable or not was still an unknown.
Many were still waiting and watching, waiting for more battle records of Senku to appear.
At this moment, the people of Sunagakure once again came to find the Uchiha.
———
[Uchiha Clan Grounds]
[Conference Room]
"So it's Elder Chiyo again. Looks like your Sunagakure really has no one else left."
Rengoku's tone carried pity as he looked at the opposite Elder Chiyo. After all, she was an elder, yet was constantly running back and forth.
But Chiyo herself didn't show much emotion, "For such important matters, only this old body is suitable to make the trip."
"Oh? What matter requires Elder Chiyo to come in person?", Rengoku asked curiously, he really didn't know.
Chiyo didn't beat around the bush, directly said, "Clan Leader Rengoku, our Sunagakure has already gathered three billion."
"We've come now to ransom back our jinchuriki, Gaara."
Rengoku's face showed a bit of surprise, 'How did the impoverished Sunagakure possibly gather three billion?'
He thought for a moment and quickly realized a possibility.
But he had no intention of selling Gaara back.
"Sorry, the price has gone up."
Rengoku said straight out, "Now, if you want to take Gaara back, it will cost ten billion."
Chiyo was instantly shocked by that number, "Ten billion?"
Her eyes flashed with anger, "Clan Leader Rengoku, are you deliberately making things difficult for Sunagakure?"
Rengoku shrugged, "This really isn't the case, Elder Chiyo. Please wait a moment."
He pressed a button on the table, recently installed microphones.
"Bring Gaara over."
["Yes, Clan Leader."]
Chiyo's expression showed some doubt, not understanding what Rengoku meant, but she waited patiently.
After a while, Gaara was brought over.
"Lord Rengoku," Gaara first bowed to Rengoku, then looked toward Chiyo.
He actually knew Chiyo, but precisely because he knew Chiyo, Gaara's expression became very unpleasant.
He didn't even bother to ask her why she had come, just stood stiffly.
Rengoku didn't mind Gaara's rudeness, because in her memory, this jinchuriki's mind had never been stable.
Rengoku directly said to Gaara, "The people of Sunagakure have brought money to ransom you."
"Do you want to go back?"
Gaara's face changed drastically. He had been worrying about this before, but hadn't thought it would suddenly come like this.
His gloomy face instantly turned a bit helpless.
Gaara first glanced at Rengoku, then carefully looked at Chiyo.
He was tongue-tied.
Rengoku reached out and patted Gaara's hair, speaking gently, "It's okay. Whether you want to go back or not, you decide for yourself."
Hearing Rengoku's voice, Gaara seemed to gain strength. He glared fiercely at Chiyo, "I won't return to Sunagakure! I want to stay in the Uchiha!"
Chiyo was also somewhat surprised, 'What kind of brainwashing has Rengoku given Gaara, that he wouldn't even go home?'
"Gaara, what are you saying? You are Rasa's son, how can you stay in the Uchiha?"
At the mention of Rasa's name, Gaara's face twisted with rage, "Rasa? He's worthy of being my father?"
"A father who tries to assassinate his own son every day?"
"What would I go back for? To be assassinated every day?"
"To go back and die?"
Chiyo was speechless. Of course she knew Gaara's childhood experiences.
Rasa being hated by Gaara, he deserved it.
Here, Chiyo patted Gaara's shoulder, "It's fine. If you don't want to go back, then just stay here."
Gaara at this moment leaned close to Rengoku's ear and whispered something.
Rengoku reached out and rubbed his hair again, "Alright, don't say foolish things, that won't happen."
"You may leave first."
Gaara bowed to Rengoku, his eyes red, and left.
Rengoku then shrugged at Chiyo, a look of helplessness on his face:
"Elder Chiyo, you saw it. Gaara himself doesn't want to go back. I won't force him."
Chiyo's brows carried some worry, "Clan Leader Rengoku, are you planning to keep our Sunagakure's One-Tail for yourself?"
Rengoku wagged his finger side to side, "Tsk, your tailed beasts are useless."
"Before our Uchiha Mangekyo Sharingan, all the tailed beasts are nothing but trash."
"The beast can be returned to you, but Gaara himself wants to stay here, so he'll stay. You have no right to interfere."
Chiyo was choked, then said, "But Gaara is a jinchuriki. If the tailed beast is extracted, Gaara will die."
Rengoku snapped his fingers, "Exactly, so that's your problem, not ours."
"Or, if you put forward ten billion right now, I can hand Gaara over to you."
"Friendly reminder, next time you see Gaara, the price may have risen to twenty billion, or even a hundred."
Chiyo was speechless, 'You could've just said you didn't want to return him.'
The three billion they had now was given by the Third Hokage, let alone ten billion.
For Sunagakure, it was all astronomical numbers.
Rengoku stood up, "I have clan matters to attend to, I won't keep Elder Rengoku."
Chiyo could only tactfully take her leave.
But she actually didn't care much about failing to retrieve the jinchuriki.
After all, even if the jinchuriki returned, he would still just become Rasa's political tool.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.