Naruto: After Seclusion Becoming Naruto Grandfather

Jiraiya cast a long, contemplative look at Danzo. Despite the questionable methods he had employed in the past, there was no denying that Danzo had always prioritized Konoha's survival above all else. In that moment, Jiraiya couldn't help but wonder if Danzo as Hokage might not be the worst idea after all.

"Hehehe," Danzo chuckled, his eyes scanning the auction hall below. "Let's see who dares to provoke Cloud Village today. I imagine there will be a few surprises."

Tsunade's confident voice rang out across the auction hall. "The first item: the Fourth Raikage, A. Starting bid: one million ryo. Minimum increments of 100,000 ryo. Let the bidding begin."

"1,100,000 ryo!" came the first bid, quickly followed by another.

"1,200,000 ryo!"

The bids rose steadily, but in modest increments. Watching from the stage, the Fourth Raikage's face darkened with humiliation. Why is no one fighting for me? Where's Yugito? Where's Darui? Have they abandoned me?

The Raikage's heart felt heavy. He had endured physical battles, but this emotional wound—being auctioned like a commodity—cut deeper than anything he had ever experienced.

The price crawled to 4.5 million ryo. Most bidders had fallen silent, and those remaining were clearly not from the major villages.

Uzumaki Chito, observing from afar, sneered. He knew exactly what was happening. The other ninja villages were colluding to suppress both Shin-Konoha and Cloud Village. By allowing the price to remain low, they hoped to humiliate Cloud while denying Shin-Konoha the financial benefits of the auction.

Tsunade, standing on stage, noticed the same thing. Thankfully, Uzumaki Chito had anticipated this scenario.

In the Private Room

"Kakashi, why isn't anyone bidding higher? Is the Raikage really that unpopular?" Naruto asked, frowning.

Kakashi adjusted his mask thoughtfully. "It's not about popularity. They're trying to keep the price low so Cloud Village looks weak and Shin-Konoha doesn't gain much money."

Naruto's brow furrowed. "So what do we do? More than four million isn't enough to help the village."

The door to their private room creaked open, revealing a figure in a black robe adorned with red clouds. Nagato sat in a wheelchair, with Konan gently pushing him forward.

"Uncle Nagato?" Naruto's face lit up. Despite their complicated history, Naruto felt a kinship with Nagato, another member of the Uzumaki clan.

"Lord Chito invited us," Konan explained with a faint smile. "It seems we've arrived at the perfect time."

Down in the auction hall, a figure in the same red-cloud robe stood and raised his voice. "Fifteen million ryo!" shouted Hidan, his tone both reverent and enthusiastic.

The room erupted into whispers as the Akatsuki member boldly entered the fray.

Kakuzu, seated beside Hidan, sighed. "You're bidding too high. Do you even understand how auctions work?"

Hidan scoffed. "It's for Lord Chito. Money doesn't matter."

Kakuzu rolled his eyes but couldn't argue. Ever since Hidan's newfound devotion to Uzumaki Chito, he had grown both more zealous and, strangely, more powerful.

In the Cloud Village Private Room

Darui leapt to his feet, glaring at the Akatsuki member below. "What's going on? Who are these people?"

Yugito placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression grim. "That's Akatsuki. They operate out of the Land of Rain. Their members are rumored to be as strong as entire villages."

Darui's fists clenched. "What could they possibly want with the Raikage?"

Yugito's gaze hardened. "I don't know, but we can't let them take him. The Raikage is more than a leader—he's a symbol of Cloud's strength. Without him, our village's reputation will crumble."

"Fifteen million ryo. Going once... going twice—" Tsunade's voice dragged out the tension.

"Twenty million ryo!" Darui's voice cut through the hall. His heart sank at the amount, but there was no choice. Cloud Village couldn't afford to lose.

Tsunade smiled slyly. "Cloud Village bids twenty million ryo! Are there any other offers?"

The room buzzed with renewed energy. Other villages, unwilling to let the Raikage return to Cloud unscathed, began bidding.

"Twenty-one million ryo!"

"Twenty-four million ryo!"

The bids climbed rapidly, reaching 34 million ryo. At that point, hesitation began to set in. For most participants, the cost of humiliating Cloud no longer seemed worth it.

"Thirty-four million ryo," Tsunade called out. "Going once... going twice... sold!"

Aftermath

Darui and Yugito sighed in relief as the gavel fell. The Raikage was finally theirs again, though at an astronomical cost. The two shared a look of quiet determination. Cloud Village would never forget this humiliation—or the price they paid.

Onstage, the Raikage collapsed onto his knees, overwhelmed by a mixture of relief and shame. Thirty-four million ryo was a staggering amount, enough to strain Cloud's resources for years. Meanwhile, Shin-Konoha would reap the benefits of the ransom.

As the hall began to empty, he resolve solidified. "One day," he muttered, "we'll make Shin-Konoha pay for this."

The Raikage, though physically free, bore the weight of his village's debt and disgrace. For now, Cloud had no choice but to retreat, regroup, and prepare for what lay ahead.

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