At this moment, Uchiha Ryosuke's expression was equally serious. The idea that the village could share in his earnings? Absolutely impossible.
He spoke coldly, his tone icy.
"How could the Hyuga clan leader say something like that? This war was won by the combined efforts of the Hyuga and Uchiha clans. The village didn't contribute a single coin. I won't give them a cent."
Fugaku firmly agreed.
"Yes, that's right. I support that decision."
"If they want a share, that's a dead end."
Hiashi, the head of the Hyuga clan, understood the firm resolve in their words and began to carefully consider the situation.
This was a massive sum of money. If a portion of it were given to the village, the Hyuga clan's share would be significantly reduced. And more importantly, the recent actions of the higher-ups in the Leaf had left the Hyuga disheartened and disappointed.
Although the higher-ups had always been at odds with the Uchiha, this mission was clearly a matter of life and death for the entire village—especially for the Hyuga. Yet the leadership had completely ignored their well-being, insisting on sending both clans into battle.
This wasn't just targeting the Uchiha—it was targeting the Hyuga too.
If things had gone poorly, the Hyuga could've been seriously weakened.
Since the village hadn't supported them, the Hyuga felt no obligation to repay the village in any way.
Yes, opposing the village leadership would likely put the Hyuga in a confrontational position, but at this point, it didn't matter anymore.
The Uchiha were strong. With them standing in direct opposition to the Leaf's leadership, the pressure on the Hyuga was considerably less.
With that in mind, Hiashi finally spoke:
"Ryosuke, I agree with your opinion. As for the division of spoils, we—the Hyuga clan—will take just 20%."
As the head of the Hyuga, pride was still something Hiashi carried.
To outsiders, it might seem like the Hyuga deserved 40% or even 50% of the reward, considering the alliance between the two clans. But only those who knew the full story understood the truth.
Based on merit, the Hyuga were entitled to at most 20%.
Even 20% was a substantial figure. Given that the compensation from the Hidden Cloud would reach two hundred million ryo, the Hyuga would still be making a huge profit.
With such financial backing, the clan's strength could grow immensely. More skilled shinobi could be trained, and their position among the great clans of the shinobi world would be greatly elevated.
In the years to come, the Hyuga would be equipped with the resources and capital to stand out as a truly powerful clan.
Fugaku, hearing Hiashi's agreement, was visibly pleased.
It seemed the Hyuga clan leader had good judgment—he wouldn't bow to the corrupt Leaf leadership. Thinking back, Fugaku couldn't help but feel stifled by the memory of how he himself once bowed to those same leaders.
But he didn't blame himself. Back then, before Ryosuke emerged, the Uchiha didn't have the strength to resist. Fugaku had been alone in shouldering the weight of opposition, which wasn't easy.
But now, everything was different. With Ryosuke here, even if they wanted to storm the Leaf's leadership tomorrow, Fugaku would charge at the front without hesitation.
Seeing that Hiashi only accepted 20%, Ryosuke felt this didn't sufficiently reflect the Uchiha's goodwill. That amount was what the Hyuga deserved based on their effort, but it didn't show any favor or alliance from the Uchiha's side.
So he immediately refused.
"If the Hyuga clan leader thinks that 40% is too high, then let's go with 30%. The Hyuga clan played a vital role. Thanks to your Byakugan scouts, we avoided sneak attacks."
"Besides, the Hyuga also suffered losses on the battlefield. I hope the clan leader will use the compensation to properly tend to the wounded and provide for the families of those who died."
He insisted on giving them more money—not because he had to, but because he wanted to ensure that the Hyuga wouldn't remain neutral.
Sure, he had the power now to wipe out the Leaf leadership by force. But such a violent approach wouldn't build a village that truly belonged to the Uchiha.
He needed support from other clans.
Even if Fugaku didn't understand why Ryosuke wanted to give away that extra 10%—after all, that was a terrifying six billion ryo—he supported Ryosuke unconditionally.
Fugaku added firmly,
"Ryosuke is right. This money is something the Hyuga deserve."
Hiashi saw that both men were so resolute and could only nod.
"Alright, then we'll accept 30%."
Indeed, many of their clan members had been injured or had died in the war. With this money, they could be more generous in providing support to their people.
In fact, he was starting to feel grateful to Ryosuke and Fugaku.
Compared to the cold-hearted behavior of the Leaf's leadership, the Uchiha were showing real compassion.
How had he never realized before that the Uchiha could be so considerate?
Ryosuke was happy to see Hiashi accept the offer.
With this money in hand, the Hyuga were unlikely to side with the village leadership anymore.
And as for getting the Fourth Raikage to obediently hand over the compensation, Ryosuke had a plan. He looked at Hiashi and said:
"To get the Fourth Raikage to agree to these—admittedly harsh—terms, I'll need the Hyuga clan leader to play the bad guy."
Hiashi was momentarily stunned, but quickly understood.
He would play the "black face" while Ryosuke played the "red face"—the classic good cop, bad cop routine.
Hiashi didn't have much love for the Hidden Cloud anyway, so he was more than willing to make things unpleasant for them. He accepted Ryosuke's plan with a nod.
After a thorough discussion, they ordered the guards to bring in the Fourth Raikage.
At this moment, the Raikage was tightly bound, his face full of shame.
Surrounded by his own village's shinobi, his humiliation was obvious.
Because of his incompetence, his people had been utterly crushed. Even the two-tailed and eight-tailed beasts had been captured.
He had no idea how they would be handled.
If they all died here, it wouldn't just be a setback—it would be the beginning of the end for the Hidden Cloud. The village would be on the brink of collapse.
The Stone village, their long-standing enemy, would surely seize the opportunity to launch a massive invasion.
At that point, the Cloud would fall like a house of cards, fragile and broken.
While he stewed in guilt and worry, a few Uchiha shinobi walked in and dragged him to the main tent.
There, the Raikage was confronted by Ryosuke, Fugaku, and Hiashi.
With a grim face, he broke the silence.
"Well? What does the Leaf plan to do with us?"
Right now, this was the only thing he truly cared about.
If possible, he was willing to pay a huge ransom to ensure the safety of his people.
Only by doing so could the Hidden Cloud have a future.
It might be the only chance they had left.
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