Chapter 346   - Ch346. Agreement And Fuu

Shibuki warily eyed the calm and collected Tsunade who curiously awaited his reaction. "You..." He shifted his complicated gaze back to the card, "This..." And a tiresome sigh left his lips. "Are you here to steal our jinchuuriki?" He asked resignedly.

Frankly, Shibuki liked to think he was a realist. Even without the card that basically said there is an SS-rank individual that could level his village with the surrounding ground supporting Nadetsu Juusen, there was nothing Shibuki could do to the woman. If she was killed in Takigakure, all surrounding nations would come crashing at his village like a wave of hungry dogs. The best outcome would be to dissuade her with his words but somehow, Shibuki doubted he would be capable of doing that.

"Steal is such a bad word." Tsunade mirthfully quipped, "I came to check up on the girl. I am sure you know the deal my dear friend," She pointed at the card in Shibuki's hands, "had with Takigakure."

Hearing that, Shibuki inwardly grimaced so much it almost spilled onto his expression. 'The deal, huh? More like conditions your dear friend forced us to accept.' He bitterly thought, smart enough not to voice these thoughts out loud.

Takigakure's previous leader, Shibuki's father, indeed did promise the person supporting Nadetsu Juusen that Fuu would be given to her if the girl was mistreated. But there was no debate about what exactly 'mistreated' meant. That's why Shibuki was anxious and resigned, knowing in which direction this meeting would most likely go.

After all, people like Nadetsu Juusen didn't travel through several countries just to check on a girl she never even met. People like her sought benefits for their troubles. Shibuki was certain Nadetsu didn't come to Takigakure just to leave empty-handed.

"I see..." Shibuki's mind worked overtime to come up with a suitable excuse or a way to delay the inevitable but when after two minutes of silence Nadetsu Juusen lifted her eyebrow at him in a silent question, he could just sigh, "In that case, I will send for Fuu." With a hand gesture, one of the Taki ANBU hiding in the corner of the office quickly left.

This was his defeat.

"In the meanwhile, would you be open to discussing a business cooperation between Takigakure and the Biri-Biri Company?"

But that didn't mean he couldn't try to make this bad situation at least somewhat prosperous.

"Hmm~, good question." Tsunade chuckled and turned to Rei before cutely tilting her head, "Would I?"

'She is playing with me.' Shibuki realized, feeling indignant at how his serious question was turned into playful flirting.

"Stop messing with the kid." Rei chided as he poked the stomach of the whimsical woman on his lap, causing her to slightly yelp before pouting at him. "Just look at the poor young sod who just wants to better his village. He is so anxious it is heartbreaking. The least you could do after all this emotional bullying is to throw him a small bone for his sad effort."

Shibuki's polite smile faltered at that but he decided to keep silent. After all, the man did insult him but his words were in Takigakure's favor.

'As if it wasn't enough that the woman is insulting me in a way I can't refute. Now even her unknown partner does it.' Shibuki's left eye twitched. It would have been so much better if he suspected them of having an ulterior motive but Shibuki was mostly sure these two were mean to him simply for the sake of messing with him. It wasn't even about his young age anymore. If he was an old man, they would probably start throwing retirement jokes at him.

Tsunade exasperatedly sighed, "Rei, we are just exchanging some professional banter. This is how it is supposed to be in talks between businessmen. Just look at the boy. His indifferent facade didn't break even once! He clearly knows his shit." She playfully scolded Rei, her lips twitching, wanting to form a shit-eating grin at the hidden indignation present in Shibuki's eyes.

'Professional banter, my ass! Fuck you too, bitch!' Shibuki got the sudden urge to break his facade just to prove her wrong and scowl at her as a pulsing vein showed on his forehead. It took a long deep breath to calm down.

"But... cooperation, huh?" Seeing that her fun was over, Tsunade put her pointing finger on her chin in a pondering manner, "I am sure we could agree on something."

'Finally!' Shibuki mentally cheered as if Christmass came sooner this year. "Then, let's." Outwardly, he just calmly nodded and the discussion between the two started while Rei focused on enjoying the softness of Tsunade's body on his lap. He wasn't really interested in this minor business deal.

Fortunately for Shibuki, the second a business deal was started to be negotiated, Tsunade switched into her business mode and became fully serious.

A half-hour passed and Shibuki was delightfully pleased with the terms Tsunade offered him and his village. "Thank you for your consideration, Miss Juusen! You are very kind." He was pleased enough to forget his former irritation...

"This much is only natural." Tsunade humbly stated, "We both will benefit from the agreement."

Inwardly, however, she rolled her eyes. 'Well, the least I can do is to give the kid some leeway. I did use him as a verbal punching bag, after all. It's not like my company will lose profit from it either. Young leaders these days... Give them some crumbs from the table and they are ready to worship you.' She amusedly thought.

Tsunade knew best that villages like Takigakure did not have a lot of resources so the deal she brokered will be very beneficial for the village so she understood why Shibuki was so grateful. It's not like the major Five actually offered help to minor villages like Takigakure. In fact, they mostly hindered them in gaining the necessary resources. This deal with the Biri-Biri company was like a Sage-given gift to Shibuki. After all, not even the major five hidden villages would dare to intervene in the matters of the Biri-Biri company in fear of enraging their Daimyos.

Just as the agreement between Takigakure and the Biri-Biri company was signed, the door opened and a dark-skinned young girl with green hair walked inside the room, gathering the attention of the occupants on herself.

Rei noted that Fuu appeared quite cheerful but his trained eye revealed a different story. Her eyes showed loneliness and the way she moved screamed caution and readiness to flee at the moment's notice.

Thankfully, it was not the body language of someone who is heavily physically abused. Both he and Tsunade expected some rough handling of the girl despite the warning Tsunade delivered a decade ago. And their expectations were apparently true if the way the girl behaved was any indication... but as a jinchuuriki, she clearly didn't have it bad.

"Hello!" Fuu cheerfully waved her hand at Tsunade and Rei in a greeting before turning towards Shibuki, "You called, Shibuki-chi?"

Shibuki sighed under his nose at the antics of his resident jinchuuriki and her lack of manners. Shaking his head, he answered, "Yes. These two people came here to check up on your well-being. Fuu, Nadetsu Juusen and Rei. Rei, Fuu. Nadetsu Juusen, Fuu." He introduced them to the wide-eyed girl who looked at them with an open mouth, unable to comprehend that yes, there were people other than Shibuki concerned about her well-being.

Normal ninja would get instantly suspicious but Fuu... she only beamed at them.

Seeing that, Tsunade kindly smiled at the tense jinchuuriki who was looking at her with eyes full of excitement. "Hello, Fuu. I heard various rumors about you during my shopping spree today."

'So this meeting between us was just a formality for her.' Shibuki's cheek twitched as his eyes darkened. 'The date she had with Rei was just a way for her to scout the rumors in the village. Damn this crafty fox.'

"Is that so?" Fuu tilted her head, the excitement in her eyes dimming a bit after hearing what Tsunade said. She knew the rumors about her and none was good. It made her dejected that her next offer will probably be rejected but Fuu decided to try anyway. She cheerfully smiled, something that came naturally to her and she could by now make it actually seem real instead of fake, and spoke. "Would you be my friend?"

"I will do you one better, Fuu-chan." Tsunade smirked.

She knew the next part would utterly annoy Shibuki, if not drive him to a heart attack, and probably put Fuu into a coma of happiness. She also made sure to insert a dramatic pause and only started to speak again when Fuu curiously leaned forward with an expectant gaze and Shibuki finally broke his indifferent facade and showed a small frown. Inwardly satisfied with the reactions, Tsunade eye-smiled.

"I will adopt you!"