Kazekage Ninja: The Rise of the Hidden Sand-Chapter 243: Kazekage Ninja- - 32: The Underground Godfather

"You know, in this line of work, face is everything. After what happened, the entire organization has lost its dignity. In Dragonfly City, the Yamada Group has become a laughingstock. No one takes us seriously anymore.

Many neighborhoods have outright refused to pay protection fees. Other gangs are eyeing us like vultures, and many of the big bosses have already defected to rival groups. To be honest, our territory has shrunk significantly—at least ten streets gone. If we don’t take measures to restore our reputation, the Yamada Group will collapse within a year."

In a quiet, dimly lit room, a middle-aged man dressed in a black trench coat with slicked-back hair sat on a chair, speaking with a hint of grievance. His tone was like that of an underling reporting to a superior.

"Ryousuke, when did you become like this? Rambling on and on. What exactly do you want me to do?"

A raspy, impatient voice interrupted him.

"Mr. Tezuka, I hope to borrow your strength to rescue my brother and make this incident disappear without a trace," the man, addressed as Ryousuke, said, looking up.

"You’ve got some nerve, asking me to go rescue someone from the Abyss on my daughter’s wedding day! How exactly do you propose I do that? By paving the way or cutting the net?"

Tezuka’s words carried a sharp edge.

The terms were coded slang: "paving the way" referred to bribing officials with money to smooth things over, while "cutting the net" meant a full-scale armed prison break.

"I’ve already tried paving the way. Sunagakure just went through an anti-corruption purge. All the old connections are gone. I finally managed to get in touch with the new Minister of Justice, but they flat-out refused—no amount of money could sway them," Ryousuke said, shaking his head.

"So, it’s cutting the net, then?"

"Yes. Name your price."

Ryousuke’s tone was resolute.

Tezuka chuckled. "This isn’t just about money. You know I have an agreement with Jing Hang, the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure. The underground money exchange business has already been completely withdrawn from the Land of Wind. And now you want to stage a prison break at the Abyss, a facility guarded by nearly a thousand men? That’s practically the same as declaring war on Sunagakure. Breaking the agreement aside, it would bring a mountain of trouble. Honestly, if your brother had any sense of honor left, he’d take care of this himself."

Tezuka waved dismissively, clearly indicating that going to war with a ninja village over a gang matter was not worth it.

"The rules of the underground exchange are clear: no request is off the table as long as the client pays," Ryousuke said, his face darkening.

"Hah, you’re quite something, aren’t you, little thug? Trying to teach me how to do business now?"

Tezuka sneered, clearly unimpressed.

And rightly so. A mere regional gang leader trying to strongarm the underground emperor of the ninja world—it was laughable.

"In that case, I have no choice but to commit seppuku," Ryousuke said, his face ashen. From somewhere, he produced a short blade.

Tezuka made no move to stop him. He simply watched, calm and indifferent.

"Cough, cough."

Suddenly, a faint cough echoed through the quiet room.

The sound immediately changed Tezuka’s demeanor.

"Ryousuke, hold on. Put that thing away. Here’s what we’ll do: step outside and wait in the side hall. I’ll think about your request," Tezuka said, his tone now much more measured.

"Thank you!"

Ryousuke’s face lit up with relief. He quickly put the blade down, bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle, and hurried out of the room.

Once Ryousuke was gone, Tezuka adjusted the angle of his swivel chair and addressed the dark corner of the room.

"You saw that. I didn’t agree to anything," he said nonchalantly.

"With the right price, I think this deal could be worth taking," a voice replied as a figure emerged from the shadows. It was none other than Yamashita Tetsu, the head of Sunagakure’s Intelligence Division.

"Oh? So, Sunagakure has set its sights on Dragonfly City, huh?"

Tezuka smirked knowingly.

"Well, what can we do? The Daimyo of the Land of Wind has been so diligent. The outskirts of Dragonfly City already fall under Sunagakure’s jurisdiction, and the inner city won’t be far behind. Since we’re moving in, we might as well sweep the place clean," Yamashita said, his tone casual.

"It’s not just that simple, is it? I’m guessing Sunagakure plans to wipe out all the shady elements in Dragonfly City," Tezuka said.

"Of course. And while we’re at it, we’ll test the security of the Abyss Prison," Yamashita said bluntly, making no effort to hide his intentions.

"So, let me get this straight: I take the risks, do the dirty work, and it’s all for Sunagakure’s benefit? That doesn’t seem fair," Tezuka said.

"Oh, come on. There’s nothing unfair about it. It’s not like no one’s footing the bill. Why not take the opportunity to send some of your organization’s troublemakers on the mission? It’s a great chance to clean house," Yamashita said with a sly grin.

"Tch. We don’t have that many troublemakers," Tezuka replied, clearly annoyed.

"Alright, old man, what’s your angle? What do you want this time?" Yamashita asked.

Tezuka’s expression shifted instantly.

"I heard Sunagakure has started trading chakra-weakening agents with Kumogakure and Konoha..."

"Oh? Don’t tell me you want a piece of that pie too."

"That’s a lucrative business," Tezuka said.

"Heh. Let me warn you, though—it’s expensive."

"No problem. I’ll take it, no matter the cost."

"Of course. You could flip it on the black market for a fortune."

"Exactly. There’s no business without profit," Tezuka said with a chuckle.

Yamashita pondered for a moment. "Alright. Five hundred units per year. How you sell them is up to you. Fifteen million ryo per unit."

"Deal. But I want a thousand units, and don’t try to shortchange me. They must come with the antidote," Tezuka countered immediately.

"Hmm? How do you know about the antidote?" Yamashita asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Hah, don’t worry about that. In this day and age, who doesn’t have their own sources? You think everyone’s as clueless as Danzo Shimura?" Tezuka said with a sly grin.

"Fine. Consider it a deal," Yamashita said.

"One more thing—I want to make it clear that this prison break cannot be counted as a violation of my direct agreement with Jing Hang. If Sunagakure tries to hold the exchange accountable afterward, I won’t stand for it."

"Don’t worry. I know the rules," Yamashita replied. "Here, this is for you."

He tossed a brocade box to Tezuka.

"What’s this?"

Tezuka opened the box to reveal a necklace of aquamarine gems, each one pristine and as blue as the sea.

"Isn’t your daughter getting married? This is a gift from Lord Kazekage himself. Each gem was harvested from the Black Prince Desert, and their purity and craftsmanship are top-notch. The largest gem even has a chakra array carved into it by Lord Kazekage himself. It offers protection against most genjutsu."

"Really? What a rare treasure. Be sure to thank Lord Kazekage for me. Alright, I’ll make sure this job is done flawlessly," Tezuka said, carefully examining the necklace.

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