Konoha Drunkard

"That's not how it works. You do the math. If you have Tsunade, then you can't escape Nawaki, right? And then you can't refuse to give it to Linlin, can you?" Shanks said, almost in tears.

"Anyway, it was all obtained through your trickery, so there's no point in keeping this ill-gotten wealth," Kushina said.

“That’s right! Remember to let me know when my two cars arrive!” Just as Kushina finished speaking, a domineering voice came from behind her.

Tsunade was originally planning to go to the casino to have some fun, but when she saw the Sky Cannon leading a convoy below, she thought it was a dowry for Lingling and planned to rob Shanks. However, she didn't expect it was a gift for Kushina. Just as she was about to leave, she overheard Shanks and Kushina's conversation. She really didn't expect that Shanks had actually swindled Aoki Nozomi out of the gift of ten carriages. If Kushina hadn't been pestering him, probably no one would have known.

"...I'll keep those two cars for you, otherwise you'll just give them to the casino again. Don't you know it's getting harder and harder to scam people these days?" Shanks complained to the domineering Tsunade.

"Kushina is right, it's all your fault. I'll just consider it doing you a good deed. I also have the key to the warehouse." After saying that, Tsunade walked away gracefully, without leaving a trace.

"...Sigh! Now you know how tough it is for your uncle, right?" Shanks sighed as he watched Tsunade's dashing figure disappear into the distance.

"Uncle, you're amazing! Don't think I don't know that the Kazekage brought a whole bunch of stuff with him when he came." Kushina looked at Shanks with disdain.

"I'm planning to retire in a couple of years, and so is your Aunt Haruko. We'll be living off that meager food from now on, so at least leave us some," Shanks said helplessly.

"......I'm not going to argue with you anymore, I'm going to find Minato." Kushina gave him a Tenseigan; only a fool would believe him! The things he'd swindled over the years were enough for him to live a carefree life for centuries.

........

At this moment, Minato was staring blankly at the enormous warehouse that Hiashi had built for him. Midoriya's Earth Release technique was truly impressive; the warehouse was twice the size of his small house, and it had thick earthen walls that were impossible to pry open.

"Shinnosuke, thank you for your help." Hiashi said to Midori with satisfaction as he looked at the warehouse.

"It's no trouble at all, I have nothing better to do anyway," Little Green Sprout said with a smile.

"Minato! Huh? Why is there such a big house next to us!" Kushina rushed over from a distance and saw a mud house that was several times larger than their love nest.

"This is a warehouse that Hiashi asked Shinnosuke to set up for me! Isn't it a bit too big..." Minato said, sweating profusely.

"Not big! Shika just gave me some wedding gifts, so this should fit perfectly," Kushina said after estimating the size of the warehouse.

"...Alright, I doubt this warehouse will be able to hold everything later," Minato said helplessly.

He finally understood that this was clearly a bribe offered to him under the guise of giving him wedding gifts. However, he really couldn't refuse, since they were all friends he had grown up with, and he couldn't refuse them all. In the future, when he was in charge, he would still need their help.

"By the way, Minato, how are the preparations for the peace talks going?" Little Green Seedling asked.

"Ah, I was just about to look at some old files to see how the Hokage talked to us before. But I reckon it'll be easier with the Cloud Ninja. I'm quite familiar with Lord Ninety-something, but the Iwa Ninja and Sand Ninja are more troublesome." When it came to business, Minato's expression turned serious again.

"I heard from Kakashi that the Iwa ninja were being chased when they arrived, and all their subordinates were killed. Otherwise, if they had run into Shanks, Aoki and Kyoto would probably have been killed too. I was wondering whether I should send them back after we finish talking," Minato said, still looking troubled.

After that kick he gave Onoki's kidney, the guy probably hates him to death. You can tell from the way Hijikata treated him when he greeted him. After all, who would be nice to the person who kicked them when their father's kidney was injured?

"The Hokage will probably send someone to escort them to the border of the Land of Earth, but who could possibly chase them to this extent? Aoki Nozomi and Kyoto are quite strong, and they also have a group of Anbu members!" Little Green Sprout said curiously.

"It was the very famous Kakuzu who supposedly ran into them by chance, and because Aoki Nozomi's head was so valuable..." The two of them knew what was coming next without him saying it.

"If we know it wasn't premeditated, they should still be safe. But I heard that Kazuya won't let go until he achieves his goal. Could he still be guarding the border with Aoki and the others?" Hiashi said solemnly. If Aoki died on the way back, Konoha would have to take the blame again. Last time, Konoha had to take the blame because the Kazekage died. If another bigwig from Iwa ninja died this time, who knows if another great war would break out.

At least in the Land of Water, the Hyuga clan suffered considerable losses. The main family alone lost over a dozen members, not to mention the branch family. The branch family members died protecting the main family, resulting in devastating casualties. Otherwise, if Shanks hadn't led the battlefield astray, he probably would have been sacrificing himself for Konoha.

If it happened again, let alone the Hyuga clan, even the Uchiha clan wouldn't be able to afford the damage. The Fugaku Uchiha faction also suffered heavy casualties, and it would probably be even more difficult for them to return to their clan.

"I'll report back to the Hokage after the negotiations are completed. I hope this time the talks will go smoothly," Minato said helplessly. This was a test for him before becoming Hokage, and he didn't want to disappoint the Hokage who trusted him.

After Riji's underlings put their things away, Riji and his men left with Little Green Sprout.

Not long after Hiashi left, many clans from Konoha began arriving with gifts, each claiming they were covering the wedding expenses. Minato was dumbfounded. He truly had no idea that Konoha was so cunning. He used to think becoming Hokage was simply a matter of being recommended by the previous Hokage and then voted by the villagers; if successful, he became Hokage. He never imagined there was such a system. Looking at the contents of the warehouse, he suddenly realized that his years of relentless missions seemed utterly useless. The gifts from the Hyuga clan alone far exceeded all his efforts over the years. A mere fraction of that would be enough to fulfill Shanks's list...

335. Still young at heart.

"Lord Sakumo, you don't need to do that!" Minato looked at the long line behind Sakumo Hatake and Kakashi and was speechless. He didn't expect that even the Hatake family, known for their integrity, would like this kind of approach.

“Yes, it’s a tradition. Consider it a way of thanking you for teaching Kakashi over the years,” Sakumo Hatake said with a smile.

"This is all I should do, there's no need for such a grand gift." Minato waved his hands repeatedly. Everyone else would send their peers to give gifts, but this guy came himself. He had grown up listening to stories about this guy since he was a child.

He was already a famous human-headed dog at the age of nine, more than ten years earlier than him!

"I heard about Aoki Nozomi from Kakashi. I'll personally escort him back to Iwagakure, so you don't need to worry. Just focus on completing this peace negotiation. I have other matters to attend to in the Anbu, so I'll head back now." Hatake Sakumo was as decisive as ever, leaving Kakashi behind before disappearing.

"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Sakumo!" Minato said respectfully. Since Hiruzen Sarutobi had entrusted him with the peace talks, it was naturally his duty to protect Nozomi Aoki and Kyoto on their safe return. Sakumo Hatake had taken the initiative to protect Nozomi Aoki and Kyoto, which was a way of mentoring him, a junior. Now was the most crucial time for him, and if he didn't do a good job, others would have an excuse to attack him.

.......

"Minato, relax! It's my first time too, and I'm not nervous at all, so why are you so nervous?" The next day, as the peace talks began, Shanks and Kakashi accompanied Minato to the Konoha meeting room to wait for the peace negotiators. Shanks couldn't help but complain as he watched Minato clench his fists every now and then, looking more nervous than if he were giving birth.

"Haha, I'm a little nervous for the first time," Minato chuckled. Of course you're not nervous, since I'll be the Hokage, not you.

"Honestly, you're someone of importance, yet your mental fortitude is lacking. They may have high status, but the ninja world values ​​strength. None of them can beat you, so what are you panicking for?" Shanks said, pouting.

"..."

As the disciple of the future Hokage and the future head of the Anbu, Kakashi gave Shanks a deadpan look from behind Minato, saying, "It's easy for you to talk when you're not in the situation. You're just here to chat, why are you so nervous?"

"Oh right, I almost forgot, I lost a drinking contest with Ninety-something the day before yesterday, so I promised him to compensate me less, just three-tenths of the battle damage. You don't need to talk to Cloud Village anymore, just chat with Aoki Nozomi and Rasa later." Shanks said casually, shrugging.

"...Yes, I understand."

What could Minato say? He lost so much in compensation after just one drinking session. What can he do when the other party is an elder, and soon they'll become his parents? He can't ignore them. But... this drinking session was damn expensive.

"Minato-sensei, they've arrived."

Kadian whispered a reminder to the two people chatting behind him.

First to enter was Rasa of Sunagakure, leading his followers in neat steps, heads held high, into the meeting room. Of the three villages' representatives, Rasa had the most prestige, with over a hundred followers behind him alone. Even though they were from an enemy village, they weren't intimidated at all. Judging from the spirited appearance of these hundred-plus followers, they clearly hadn't experienced the prosperity of Konoha. It was evident that Rasa had a considerable skill in managing his men...

"Haha, look at these fine young men, all so energetic. Rasa is really something. Stay in Konoha for a few more days this time. You haven't been to Konoha's most famous place, have you? Tomorrow, I'll treat you to a meal, all expenses are on me."

Shanks said to Rosa and his group of henchmen that although he hadn't been very close to those girls over the years, he figured that with his influence, they might get a discount or something...

Luo Sha pretended not to hear, having followed Sha Lie for so many years and listening to Sha Lie's ramblings every day. He knew Sha Lie's character very well.

However, the underlings behind Rasa had their eyes shining. They had long heard of the Ten Temptations of Konoha, but the Kazekage kept a close watch on them and didn't allow them to move around freely. Otherwise, they would have gone to enjoy themselves long ago. This time, since Konoha's Shanks had spoken up, their Kazekage had to give them some face.

"We appreciate Shanks's kindness, but our mission is to protect Lord Kazekage," said a young man with his face partially veiled behind Rasa, showing no respect for Shanks whatsoever.

"Oh? What's this young man's name? I admire you!" Shanks raised an eyebrow at the serious young man. These days, there aren't many people who don't give him face.

"Red-haired sir, you flatter me. I am Maki, a Sand Ninja," the young man with his face half-covered said with a deadpan expression.

"Not bad! When we get back, you should give Rasa a Best Duty Performer of the Year award! There aren't many people this outstanding." Shanks looked at the half-covered young man, who seemed somewhat familiar, but he couldn't quite place him. However, usually the people he recognized were either those who died early or those who survived until the end of the first part, and those he recognized were mostly dead. This one should be one who survived until the end.

"Lord Shanks is right, Maki has always been the pillar of our village," Rasa said proudly.

"Kage, please come in. The meeting is about to begin." Minato said to Rasa. The people behind them were waiting to enter, and Shanks couldn't be left chatting with them here.

After Luo Sha entered the conference room, Ma Bujiu and Ma Buyi led dozens of Jameses in next. Ma Buyi's relatively petite figure looked even more beautiful among the group of big men. Indeed, a flower must be stuck in cow dung to appear more vibrant and attractive.

This time, Shanks didn't argue with Azaburo. After exchanging glances for a while, Azaburo left a group of burly men and Rasa's henchmen to face each other and led Azaburo into the conference room. It was exactly like the scene of negotiating with a gangster boss in the movie.

If Shanks hadn't known the last two to arrive very well, he would have almost thought he'd mistaken them for someone else. They were pale, unsteady on their feet, and looked like ghosts. How much did they spend in the Red Bronze Zone to become like this in just two days?! These two are near-Kage! These ladies are really something else.

Especially Huang Tu, I never expected that beneath his honest and kind appearance lay a restless heart. No matter how he disguises himself, he is still a young man after all!

"Aoki, Kouto, it's only been two days. You need to be more restrained. There's a long road ahead!" Shanks patted Aoki Nozomi's shoulder speechlessly. It seemed they'd also bumped into each other in the Red Bronze Ward when Aoki came to negotiate last time. This time, he'd even brought Onoki's son along! Wasn't he afraid Onoki would find out and get Kakuzu involved?

336. Nowadays, even a movie star needs a unique skill.

"Ha! It's been so long since I've been to Konoha. I wanted to see if the place had changed after all these years, so I took Huang Tu for an extra round." Aoki Nozomi didn't feel embarrassed at all.

This is more than just circling around once; they've practically run the whole street over and over again. Even Shanks wouldn't believe two near-Kage could have gotten them into this state. In their current wretched state, even without Kakuzu's intervention, a simple Chunin could easily KO them.

"Next time, mention my name and you'll get at least a 20% discount," Shanks whispered as he moved closer to him.

Aoki nodded to indicate that he had received the message, and walked into the conference room with the same floating yellow dust on his feet.

"I never expected the leader of Iwagakure to be this kind of person." Kakashi muttered to Minato after the two left.

"We're all men, right? If I hadn't helped you snag a wife, you might still be using your hands!" Shanks looked at the white-haired guy with disdain. His white hair was too conspicuous to go to that kind of place, otherwise his father would have broken all three of his legs.

Minato stared speechlessly at the two, one big and one small. Kakashi was only 13 years old; was it really appropriate to talk to him about such things...?

..........

After everyone arrived, the meeting officially began. As the person in charge, Minato spoke first. He welcomed everyone on behalf of Konoha and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for everyone's efforts for peace in the ninja world. He hoped that the peace talks would proceed smoothly and the meeting would be a complete success.

Shanks never expected that Minato could actually spout a bunch of official jargon like a politician. It's true that you learn something new every day. Just as Shanks was getting ready to fight, Minato's long and tedious jargon finally came to an end.

Next up is the second item: negotiation, also known as bargaining. However, these ninjas are much more imposing than those hooligans. The younger generation is the main force here, vying to negotiate back and forth. Aoki Nozomi and Azabu Kujou are just quietly drinking tea on the side. Azabui has not joined the fray either. They had already reached an agreement beforehand and were just here as spectators.

Beneath Huang Tu's honest and kind exterior lies a cunning heart just like his father's. Every time Luo Sha's negotiations with Minato reach a stalemate, Huang Tu seems to unintentionally light a small match. Although Luo Sha is usually very polite, he will not budge an inch when it comes to issues related to the village's interests.

Minato demanded that Sunagakure, as a defeated nation, compensate Konoha for the financial losses incurred in this war, as well as a large sum of compensation to the families of the ninjas who died on the battlefield.

Rasa refused without hesitation, and his reasoning was equally sound: "I can pay you the compensation, but the Sand Village has lost far more Chunin and Genin than your Konoha. Shouldn't you compensate us for that too? My request isn't high, just one-third will do."

Upon hearing Rasa's request, Minato was about to agree, but then he quickly changed his mind. Rasa was the Kazekage; how could he make such a request so casually? After a moment's delay, he asked Kakashi to show him the Sand Village's casualty data. What he saw nearly made him bite his tongue. The Sand Village's Chunin and Genin casualties were more than five times that of Konoha! But that wasn't the key point. The most crucial point was that the majority of those casualties were due to Nawaki's manipulation! The Sand Village was facing a severe shortage of talent. For the next few years, Chunin and Genin would be national treasures in the Sand Village. No other village had ever had more Jonin than Chunin and Genin. Now it had, and it was all due to Nawaki alone! This was incredibly ruthless! No wonder they refused to compensate. If he were the Kazekage, he would never pay compensation; his own village hadn't even paid compensation yet!

"How about this, let's each compromise. Sunagakure can compensate Konoha for our losses. As the defeated party, that's not unreasonable, is it? Anyway, your Land of Wind has so much gold dust, you can't possibly use it all up," Shanks suggested, seeing that the two were at an impasse.

Huang Tu wanted to light more matches, but just as he was about to speak, Aoki pulled him under the table, signaling that that was enough. Shanks and Kakuzu were also very familiar with each other, and lighting any more would cause trouble.

"I agree!"

Rasa was quite respectful of Shanks' words. After all, Shanks was a senior who frequently went to the Land of Wind to pan for gold and had a good relationship with their senior advisor, Chiyo. They had to give him some face, since their Sunagakure was so poor that all they had left was gold.

"I'm fine with it too."

Minato nodded in agreement. Originally, Hiruzen Sarutobi's bottom line for him was that each village should pay half of the compensation, as peace was the most important thing. Therefore, the compensation would go to the families, and the common people in the villages would have to pay out of their own pockets.

With the matters concerning the Land of Wind settled, it was time to discuss the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth. Since the negotiations with the Land of Lightning had already been completed, the real focus was on the Land of Earth. This time, Aoki Nozomi was just there as a bystander with Kyoto, while Kyoto was the one actually negotiating. Kyoto, like his father, was a shrewd individual, but Minato was no fool either. These two clever men showed Shanks the art of negotiation. They were always speaking in roundabout ways and in a very roundabout manner, and Shanks couldn't help but fall asleep while listening to them.

When Kamen Rider woke him up, he found that only Minato and Kamen Rider were left in the conference room.

"Well? Is the talk over?" Shanks asked Minato.

"No, this Huangtu looks big and rough, but he's very meticulous and speaks very clearly." Minato shook his head regretfully.

"Nonsense, Onoki only has one son, and after you kicked him in the back, who knows if he can still have children? How can we not focus on raising him?" Shanks pouted.

"Teacher, do you mean this yellow earth will become the future Tsuchikage?" Minato looked at Shanks seriously. This was the first time he had faced such a cunning man, and he found him too difficult to deal with.

"It all depends on how much energy Onoki has left, but I reckon it'll be difficult. While Onoki is certainly cunning, his strength is always a bit lacking. He only has ordinary Earth Release techniques and can't even learn Dust Release. These days, every Kage has some unique skills that others don't. Rasa's Gold Release, your Flying Thunder God Technique, the Raikage's Lightning Release Mode—if the Kage of the Land of Earth only has ordinary Earth Release, wouldn't they be a step below? Onoki is already short, so that old schemer won't pass the position to him unless absolutely necessary." After a strong analysis, Shanks realized it seemed to make sense. This wasn't decades later, when long-legged giants and fat cats like his father could become Kage.

At this point, if you're a Kage and you don't have some unique skills that others don't have, then you should be prepared to be beaten to a pulp. If it weren't for Rasa's gold-plated Magnet Release, Chiyo probably wouldn't have been comfortable supporting him as Kazekage and would have preferred to take charge and wait for her super genius and beloved grandson to return.

337. Even our hobbies are the same.

"It seems that's really true!"