196-200

Chapter 196: Alliance

"Lord Raikage? Lord Raikage?"

The voice of Mabui, his secretary, roused Ay from his dazed state. Shaking off the heart-wrenching images that weighed him down, he exhaled slightly. "What's the situation? How great are the losses?"

He had returned to the base in the Land of Hot Water, where the Cloud Ninja army was stationed.

Of course, he hadn’t come back alone; he led the entire army through the harsh wind and snow. But unlike the high morale they had when departing, their return was so dejected it shocked the Cloud Ninjas who had stayed behind. The morale was at rock bottom, a sight that left many stunned.

"Lord Dodai has already counted the forces. The losses... aren’t too significant. Casualties don’t even exceed 200." Mabui answered cautiously. As the newly appointed secretary to Lord Raikage, she still hadn’t mastered understanding his emotions like her predecessor.

"But most of the casualties are Jonin, right?"

Ay's face darkened.

He wasn't fully aware of the army's total casualties under Dodai, but the number of Jonin returning with him was only half of what it had been when they set out. The most painful blow was that his younger brother, Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, had been captured by Konoha while covering the army’s retreat.

In his heart, he would have preferred to lose two or three thousand soldiers than for anything to happen to Killer Bee. The value of a perfect Jinchuriki in battle far outweighed thousands of soldiers, even if those included dozens of Jonin.

Mabui held her breath, remaining silent.

Fortunately, Ay wasn’t the type to vent his frustrations on others. When things didn’t go his way, he would usually take out his anger on walls or boulders with his fists. In the past, Killer Bee would come and cheer him up, although his strange way of talking always made Ay frown, sometimes even earning him a punch.

However, now Ay realized he might never hear that strange, off-beat voice again, and that thought filled his heart with a deep, tearing pain.

"I wonder how he's doing now..."

Hearing Lord Raikage mutter to himself, Mabui made her breathing as quiet as possible.

"Where's Dodai? Why hasn’t he come yet?" Ay changed the topic.

"Lord Dodai went to visit Toroi with the medical ninja. He asked me to come back and report the situation to you, Lord Raikage." Mabui quickly replied, but just as she spoke, there was a knock at the door, and Dodai’s voice came from outside.

It wasn’t just Dodai who entered the room.

Following behind him were a mentally exhausted Cee and the unlucky Toroi.

Cee, who had been ready to die on the battlefield, had not had his wish fulfilled. As a genius Jonin proficient in both sensory and medical ninjutsu, he was highly valued in the village. His comrades believed it was better for him to survive.

So, Cee survived and retreated with the army.

As for Toroi, he had been knocked out and forcibly dragged back by Ay during the retreat.

"Dodai, I heard from Mabui that the army didn’t suffer many losses?"

"Yes, those who died were mostly Jonin. The injuries among the Chunin were from tripping during the hasty retreat. The snow was falling so heavily that they couldn’t see the ground clearly and hurt themselves. But none of the injuries are serious. The worst is a fractured bone, which will heal in about 20 days. Others only have sprained ankles or scratches..." Dodai rambled on about minor details. Ay didn’t interrupt and patiently listened.

Normally, Ay would handle the morale-boosting himself, but this time, the crushing defeat weighed heavily on him. His fierce battle with Uchiha Fugaku had drained him, and maintaining his Lightning Release Chakra Mode for so long had exhausted him. After returning, he truly had no energy left to check on the troops, so he entrusted Dodai to do it in his stead.

Dodai talked on and on, but eventually ran out of things to say. He could only stare at the silent Fourth Raikage.

"We lost this time..."

After a long silence, Ay finally spoke, shocking Mabui. Cee’s face turned pale, and Toroi looked as though his expression couldn’t get any darker.

"It was a bitter defeat. Konoha is far stronger than we anticipated." Under Mabui's shocked gaze, Dodai bluntly echoed the Raikage’s admission of defeat. But such a statement usually came with a "but."

"However, our battle with Konoha isn’t over yet! Lord Raikage, why sigh here? Are you planning to send a letter of surrender to Konoha? If you’ve decided, I can help you draft it right now!"

"…I lost my composure."

Ay straightened his posture, his dejection dissipating slightly. Perhaps it was the brief rest, but there was more vitality in his expression now. "Bee... Since he fully mastered the power of the Eight-Tails, I never thought anything would happen to him."

"The situation isn’t as bad as it seems. In terms of overall strength, we still have the advantage. This defeat was due to our lack of intelligence. If we had known that two Uchiha had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, we would have brought Yugito along..."

"It’s three," Ay interrupted Dodai.

"Uchiha Fugaku. That should be his name, right? The former head of the Uchiha clan. He also possesses the Mangekyo Sharingan."

"…"

Dodai was left speechless. Having witnessed Susanoo’s power firsthand, he knew that facing two was already difficult enough. But three? That changed everything.

"What happened? Lord Raikage, please explain." Dodai, unable to contain his confusion, pressed for details.

"I was entangled with Uchiha Fugaku. I thought I could kill him, even at great cost, but I failed. Toroi, what happened to you? How did you get controlled so easily?"

Ay turned to Toroi.

The Uchiha clan's genjutsu was known to be difficult for even Jonin to break in a short time. But controlling a Jonin entirely was another matter. Toroi’s will shouldn’t be that weak.

"I let my guard down!" Toroi’s voice was low. "But… when I met Uchiha Fugaku's eyes, I suddenly wasn’t afraid of the Sharingan anymore. I knew in my mind how dangerous it was, but I wasn’t scared. Then, I saw a flash and mistook you, Lord Raikage, for Fugaku…"

He had already heard this explanation during the post-battle check-up.

"Not afraid of the Sharingan?" Ay's eyes widened.

This was unexpected. He had assumed Toroi was directly controlled by Fugaku’s genjutsu, but now something felt off.

"Lord Raikage," Cee spoke up.

"What is it?"

"I think Toroi might have been caught in two layers of genjutsu. First, when he saw Fugaku’s eyes, he was hit by a genjutsu that manipulated his fear. Then, a second genjutsu altered his perception, making him see Fugaku as you."

"However, genjutsu is about deception. It can't control a person’s mind outright. As far as I know, no genjutsu can go that far." Cee gave a bitter smile.

His mind was clouded with confusion, and his head throbbed from the swirling thoughts.

"Manipulating someone’s mind… Yugito!" Dodai suddenly exclaimed.

Ay's eyes narrowed sharply.

Cee’s face paled.

They all realized that Yugito’s change in behavior must have been linked to the Uchiha. Despite there being no evidence of genjutsu, the lack of any signs only made it more terrifying.

"Is this… the power of the Sharingan? Or perhaps the Mangekyo Sharingan?" Dodai's expression was grim. "Yugito changed after her fight with Uchiha Shisui."

"But Toroi seems fine now," Ay said, looking at Toroi.

Toroi quickly nodded, repeatedly saying, "I’m fine now!"

"Perhaps it depends on the person?" Dodai speculated.

He sighed, shaking his head. "We have too little intel on the Sharingan. Guessing won’t get us anywhere. The real question is… what do we do next? Konoha now has three Susanoo users, and we’ve lost Killer Bee. The situation, to be honest, looks grim."

Dodai's words even made his teeth ache.

Three Susanoo users, three Mangekyo Sharingan wielders, and genjutsu capable of altering minds… just thinking about it was enough to give anyone a headache.

"Contact the Stone Ninja. Make them put in more effort!" Ay gritted his teeth. "Konoha is throwing everything they have at us. Let’s make the Stone Ninja take advantage of this. As long as they push forward, Konoha will have to split their forces to deal with them."

He hadn’t yet received information about Jiraiya’s troops heading to the Grass Country to confront the Stone Ninja.

Since the war between Konoha and Cloud Village began, both sides had intensified their efforts to root out spies. After Konohagakure mobilized under Jiraiya and Zōsui, the entire village entered a wartime state, making it nearly impossible for Cloud Village’s spies to relay intelligence.

"The Stone Ninja might not act as we expect."

"Regardless of how they move, as long as we can force Konoha to divide their forces, that’s all that matters."

"So... Raikage-sama, what kind of result are you hoping for with this attack on Konoha?"

Tsuchidai asked.

This question shouldn't have been necessary, as from the start their aim was to take as much advantage as possible, without a concrete strategic goal. But after suffering a major loss, including the capture of the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, and with little chance of winning the upcoming battles, it was time for a more focused approach.

"We can't keep fighting aimlessly..."

"... At the very least, we need to capture a few valuable prisoners from Konoha and trade them for Killer Bee," A replied slowly, then lowered his voice and continued, "At worst, we need to retrieve the Eight-Tails itself."

Though Killer Bee and the Eight-Tails were one, they were still distinct. If they could get Bee back, that would be ideal, but if the situation looked bleak, recovering the Eight-Tails was the priority.

To put it bluntly, the Jinchūriki could die, but losing a Tailed Beast was unacceptable. This was the view held by all the ninja villages, be it Kumo or Konoha—no different in that regard.

"In that case, we should send an envoy to contact Iwa," Tsuchidai said with a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Raikage-sama hadn't been blinded by hatred and still understood the bigger picture.

He knew how deep the bond was between A and Killer Bee, his adopted brother, so he had been worried that A might act impulsively.

"And what if Konoha attacks again?"

C asked cautiously.

"Then we'll fight back! We lost this time because we underestimated the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. But now that we understand the Uchiha's abilities, we can prepare a counter. Even if we can't easily defeat Konoha, they won't keep getting the upper hand." Tsuchidai responded firmly.

In ninja battles, the greatest danger was lack of information.

A prime example was Jiraiya's battle with Pain. Even though Jiraiya struggled to defeat the Rinnegan-wielding Pain, if he had known the secret of Pain's Six Paths, he likely could have escaped unscathed.

Susanoo might be formidable, but Kumo ninjas weren’t pushovers either!

They had dealt with Tailed Beasts before, and they would deal with Susanoo in a similar way. Though the two weren’t entirely alike, they could adapt their strategy if necessary. With Kumo's military strength, they could afford some losses. In terms of sheer numbers, Kumo was now the strongest of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

"Let’s do that!"

A made his decision.

And so, Kumo’s envoy set out westward through the wind and snow, heading toward the Land of Earth.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 197: Burning the Candle at Both Ends*

The snow finally stopped in the middle of the night.

The dark clouds in the sky dispersed, and a cold moonlight, like liquid mercury, poured down, reflecting off the snowy ground with an icy glow. This cold brilliance sharply contrasted with the small, warm flickers of firelight. Despite the late hour, not everyone had fallen asleep.

Ninjas on night watch silently patrolled around the camp.

In the center of the camp, the main tent was brightly lit.

Sōgen sat inside the tent, holding the Banana Palm Fan, admiring it under the lamp. The smile on his lips clearly showed his good mood. Shisui, sitting beside him, was full of curiosity. "Sōgen, is this fan one of those legendary Six Paths tools?"

"That's right," Sōgen nodded.

"The Six Paths tools? If I remember correctly, weren’t those the weapons of the Gold and Silver Brothers from the Cloud Village?" Uchiha Fugaku asked, surprised.

"That was the past. Now it belongs to the Uchiha clan," Sōgen replied with a contented smile.

The Banana Palm Fan hadn’t disappointed him at all.

Its ability allowed the user to release any of the five chakra nature transformations—Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind, and Earth—without regard to the user's chakra nature. However, Sōgen wasn't particularly concerned about the fan's offensive power, as he already had plenty of attack methods.

What he valued most was the profound mysteries of the five elemental chakra transformations that it contained.

After cleaning off the slime that had covered the fan from previous damage, Sōgen used the power of his Knights Never Die Barehanded technique to bring the fan under his control. From it, he was able to 'see' the essence of chakra nature transformations. He had already mastered all seven types of chakra natures: Yin, Yang, Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind, and Earth.

However, due to limited time, he hadn’t been able to bring all seven to the same level of mastery. Setting aside the special cases of Yin and Yang chakra, his most proficient element was Fire, thanks to his lesser-known talent, Magic Release: Flame.

Additionally, his Wind-style techniques weren’t bad either, owing to his practice with Uchiha swordsmanship.

But his mastery over Water, Lightning, and Earth was still quite lacking, barely at a beginner's level. They were of little use in combat.

During his research on the Blazing Uchiha Fan, Sōgen had realized that in order to evolve his Sharingan into the Rinnegan, it wasn’t enough to just merge Yin and Yang chakra. Mastery over all five chakra nature transformations—Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind, and Earth—was also required, as this was a necessary condition for awakening the Rinnegan.

Yet most of Sōgen's attention had been focused on his Yang chakra training.

Even with the help of the Shadow Clone technique and Samehada replenishing his chakra, there were still limits. If he created too many clones, the accumulated fatigue would overwhelm even him, and his progress with Water, Lightning, and Earth remained slow.

That’s when he thought of the Banana Palm Fan.

Though he had been slightly disappointed when Shisui had failed to acquire it earlier, fate had brought it to him in the end.

With this fan, his training in the five elemental chakra transformations was bound to become much more efficient. By studying the chakra transformation principles contained within, it would be like having a set of examples to follow. He could directly apply the corresponding formula, follow the steps, and achieve success!

"The Gold and Silver Brothers... their clan had a long history!" Fugaku remarked.

"Is that so?" Shisui blinked in surprise.

Most young people today had never even heard of the long-dead Gold and Silver Brothers, let alone their clan.

"They were as old a clan as ours—Uchiha, Hyuga, Senju, Uzumaki, and even the Kaguya clan. The so-called Six Paths tools were passed down through generations of that clan. What was special about their lineage was that every few generations, a pair of twins would be born—like the Gold and Silver Brothers. The names Kinkaku and Ginkaku, just like the Six Paths tools, were also passed down."

"But I’ve never heard of this clan's name," Shisui said, puzzled.

"Not all clans have surnames like we do. In Cloud Village, how many of the clans have surnames? And the same goes for Iwagakure and Sunagakure; customs are different." Sōgen explained casually. "The Uchiha surname itself only appeared about 800 years ago. Before that, we only had given names—no family name. You can read all about it in our clan’s archives if you’re interested."

"Reading those kinds of history books gives me a headache," Shisui frowned.

He mostly read ninjutsu scrolls, as his interests besides raising crows and sparring with others were focused on developing new jutsu. He rarely explored the other books in the archives.

"It wouldn't hurt to read more when you have the chance," Sōgen advised.

"Maybe later," Shisui responded dismissively.

Sōgen shook his head at Shisui’s nonchalance, choosing not to press the matter. He set the fan down and turned to Fugaku, sitting nearby. "Enough small talk. Elder Fugaku, can you tell me more about your Mangekyō Sharingan?"

Fugaku’s hand trembled, spilling a few drops of tea on the table.

However, he quickly regained his composure, glancing at Sōgen, who sat at the head of the table, and at Shisui across from him. His lips curled into a bitter smile. "I awakened it toward the end of the Third Great Ninja War. My closest friend sacrificed himself to protect me."

"And what about the Nine-Tails incident?" Shisui asked instinctively.

If Fugaku had the Mangekyō Sharingan, why hadn’t he intervened during the Nine-Tails’ rampage? If the Fourth Hokage had survived, the Uchiha might have had a different future. Though things were better now, the years of suffering the clan endured after the Nine-Tails incident were an awful memory.

"...At that time, the Fourth Hokage had been in office for less than a year, and the village's power was still controlled by the Third Hokage and Danzo. I couldn’t take on both of them by myself," Fugaku explained.

Shisui opened his mouth but remained silent.

There was no point in saying anything now—it was all in the past.

Still, he was once again reminded that agreeing to join Sōgen in the clan’s coup had been the right decision. Elder Fugaku’s temperament wasn’t suited for leadership. Even knowing that the Third Hokage and Danzo harbored resentment toward the Uchiha, he hadn’t supported the Fourth Hokage.

Well, that’s not entirely true.

If memory served, Elder Fugaku’s wife had a good relationship with the Fourth Hokage’s wife. But this method of forming alliances had been too subtle. And in the critical moment during the Nine-Tails attack, Fugaku had hesitated. As a result, the Fourth Hokage had died, the Third Hokage regained power, and the Uchiha clan’s suffering only deepened...

Uchiha Fugaku didn't look well.

He had regretted many of his past decisions, including this one. His personality was such that, though he had tried to change multiple times, he never succeeded.

"There's no point in talking about the past."

Sōgen knocked on the table. "No matter what happened before, as long as the future improves, that's all that matters. Now that Elder Fugaku has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and it has been exposed, it's time to talk about some things."

About Uchiha Madara, or rather, Uchiha Obito.

Only a few high-ranking officials in Konoha knew about this matter, and even within the Uchiha clan, only Sōgen, Shisui, and Uchiha Genshi (who replaced Sōgen in high-level meetings during his expeditions) knew a little.

The rest of the elders, including Uchiha Fugaku, hadn't been informed.

"What is it?"

Uchiha Fugaku quickly suppressed his gloomy thoughts and looked at Sōgen in confusion.

He had thought that this late-night meeting was to discuss the Mangekyō Sharingan, especially since all three people present were Uchiha and had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. But there seemed to be something else, which piqued his curiosity.

Meanwhile, elsewhere under the same night sky...

Many were engaged in late-night talks by candlelight.

In the southeastern part of the Land of Earth, just ten or so miles from the border, the Iwa-nin army had set up camp. Unlike the Land of Hot Water, where the snow had stopped, the Iwa-nin were facing a sudden, massive snowstorm. Fortunately, they excelled in earth-style techniques and easily built high walls to shield themselves from the blizzard.

Kitsuchi entered the main tent, shaking off the snow that covered him and warming himself by the charcoal brazier.

"How's the situation outside?"

Ōnoki, leaning against his bed, was reading a scroll.

"Nothing major. The wind can't get in, but we can't stop the snow," Kitsuchi replied. The erected stone walls could block the wind, but they couldn’t prevent the falling snow. If they used stones to cover overhead, they would trap themselves like sitting ducks.

"And what about heating? Do we have enough coal?"

"Don't worry, Father. We’re always short on food, but we never run out of coal."

Ōnoki snorted. Of course, he knew the Land of Earth had plenty of mineral resources. There were several open-pit coal mines, but as Tsuchikage, he had to ask. If something went wrong with logistics and they didn’t transport enough coal to the frontlines, even shinobi wouldn’t withstand the cold.

The two fell silent, with Ōnoki reading and Kitsuchi warming up by the fire.

After a while, Kitsuchi broke the silence. "Father, Konoha's resistance is fierce."

"No kidding."

"Konoha's commander is Jiraiya, one of the Sannin. And on top of that, the Mist-nin have joined forces with Konoha."

"What are you getting at?"

Ōnoki shifted his gaze from the scroll to his son by the brazier.

"I want to ask, Father, how confident are you about our chances of defeating Konoha this time?" Kitsuchi met Ōnoki’s sharp gaze, his simple and honest face displaying a will as resolute as stone.

"Konoha can't stop us. Jiraiya may be strong, but he's just one man. As long as we have Han or Roshi keep him occupied, Konoha will be easily defeated!"

"Don't forget about the Mist-nin."

Kitsuchi raised his voice in warning.

"That young Hozuki clan member is quite powerful. Then there's the Mist-nin who uses lightning-style jutsu, the Uchiha girl, and that White Fang's son... I'm not trying to overestimate them, but in yesterday's battle, we had the upper hand on the main battlefield. Yet in smaller skirmishes, we were at a disadvantage. If you calculate the casualties, we didn't really gain much."

The war along the borders of the Land of Grass and the Land of Earth had begun.

Thousands of Iwa-nin, Mist-nin, and Konoha shinobi were fighting in the mountains, hills, and plains. As Kitsuchi mentioned, Konoha, despite being outnumbered, was struggling on the main front. Ōnoki's Dust Release and the actions of the Four-Tails and Five-Tails jinchūriki were putting Konoha in a difficult position.

But aside from the main battles, both sides had nearly a hundred small units infiltrating enemy lines to disrupt supply routes and morale.

In these types of operations, Konoha shinobi excelled. Statistically, Konoha had the highest overall combat ability in the ninja world. In one-on-one or small-team skirmishes, Konoha was at a significant advantage.

The Mist-nin, skilled in assassination techniques and small-unit tactics, made things even worse for Iwa-nin. Within a few days, several Iwa-nin supply units had been wiped out, leading to significant losses of food and other supplies.

"Father, Konoha may have lost the Third Hokage, but they still have plenty of strength left!"

Kitsuchi urged.

He looked at Ōnoki, hoping the Tsuchikage would reconsider his previous decisions.

But—

"Let’s wait and see."

Ōnoki lowered his gaze. "This war has just started. Konoha is burning the candle at both ends; they won’t hold out much longer. However, we don’t need to push too hard either. This blizzard came unexpectedly, so for the next few days, we’ll ease up on our attacks."

Kitsuchi's words weren’t without reason.

Truthfully, Ōnoki hadn’t expected the Mist-nin to support Konoha so fervently, sending not just elite squads but over a thousand troops. This made Ōnoki deeply suspicious. What had happened in the Mist? Had the Fourth Mizukage gone mad?

Or was there something he didn’t know? Ōnoki furrowed his brow, his eyes seemingly fixed on the book, though his mind had wandered, speculating about what was going on between the Mist and Konoha. How had the two villages allied themselves?

Kitsuchi's face twitched slightly.

This outcome wasn’t ideal, but his words hadn’t been in vain.

He sighed. For now, this would do. His father may be stubborn, but he wasn’t unreasonable. Hopefully, when the Cloud-nin suffered a major defeat, Ōnoki would change his mind.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 198: Preparations Before Persuasion*

“Is it still snowing?”

Hozuki Mangetsu poked his head out of the tent. The cold wind howled, and snowflakes swirled in front of him. He glanced up at the sky, but the heavy, oppressive clouds showed no sign of clearing. Even though it was early morning, the world outside looked as dim as if it were dusk.

Looks like the fighting with the Iwa-nin is going to pause for a couple of days, he thought to himself.

Although ninjas are highly resistant to harsh environments and extreme weather, it still takes a toll. A few elite units might be able to ignore the blizzard and continue fighting, but most mid- to low-level ninjas wouldn’t be able to perform at full strength in such conditions—especially since this snowstorm had already lasted two days and nights. Today marked the third day.

Besides, based on the recent skirmishes with the Iwa-nin, it seemed like they didn’t really intend to engage Konoha head-on. It felt like they were just waiting for an opportunity to swoop in for an easy win.

It made sense, though. Konoha was fighting on two fronts—against the Kumogakure in the Land of Hot Water and against the Iwa-nin here in the Land of Grass. You had to give Konoha credit; their foundation was solid. Hozuki Mangetsu was confident in Konoha’s victory. As long as they had the Uchiha clan, Konoha wouldn’t lose!

Forget all that talk about burning the candle at both ends. Konoha was like a huge candle, and even if you burned it from both ends, it would take a long time to melt down!

“Whew! This weather’s freezing!”

Hozuki Mangetsu stomped his feet as he stepped out of the tent. But given his usual light attire, it was clear that this prodigy from Kirigakure wasn’t fazed by the cold. Compared to the bone-chilling dampness of the Water Country’s winters, the dry northern cold was nothing to him.

After washing up and eating breakfast, Hozuki Mangetsu, one of the army’s leaders, headed to the central tent for a daily briefing with the commander. When he arrived, he saw that, in addition to Jiraiya, Yakushi Nonō and Hatake Kakashi were also there.

Yakushi Nonō’s presence in these meetings was due to her unrivaled medical ninjutsu. She had earned the respect of all the camp’s medical ninjas, and with her excellent communication skills, she somehow became the leader of the medical corps. Even Jiraiya recognized her authority!

This was an internal Konoha matter, and Hozuki Mangetsu had no objections. In fact, he welcomed the involvement of someone as skilled as Yakushi Nonō. The more medical ninjas they had, and the better their skills, the lower the death rate—definitely a good thing!

Then there was Hatake Kakashi, who had gained Jiraiya’s favor and had quietly earned a place in these high-level meetings.

“Jiraiya-sama, sorry I’m late today,” Hozuki Mangetsu apologized.

“We’re still early! I got up too soon today—Suzaku isn’t even here yet! Sit down and wait a bit,” Jiraiya responded.

Hozuki Mangetsu nodded. He knew he wasn’t actually late, but sometimes you had to say the right thing. As he sat in his place, he glanced around the tent. Everyone seemed calm, which meant there were no major developments on the frontlines.

It wasn’t long before Nara Suzaku arrived right on time.

This strategist from the Nara clan had deep black circles under his eyes, a sign of the exhaustion that came from his work. His role as an advisor was even more demanding than Jiraiya’s as the overall commander. Judging by those dark circles, he probably hadn’t slept well in a long time.

But despite his fatigue, Nara Suzaku couldn’t hide his excitement.

“Jiraiya-sama, we’ve won a major victory in the Land of Hot Water!” he announced, rushing into the tent with the good news.

“Really?” Jiraiya’s eyes widened, filled with anticipation.

“The report just arrived. That’s why I was a little late. The Hokage’s aide led the forces in the Land of Hot Water and crushed the Kumogakure at Mount Kōtsu. Not only did we reclaim the mountain, but the aide also captured the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki alive!”

Nara Suzaku quickly stepped forward and handed the victory report to Jiraiya.

Jiraiya took it and skimmed it in a matter of seconds before bursting into laughter. “Impressive! Truly impressive! The Uchiha managed to capture the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki alive… That’s quite the feat!”

Unlike his sensei, Jiraiya didn’t discriminate against the Uchiha clan. While he wasn’t particularly fond of those who looked down on others, he strongly believed that just because someone was arrogant didn’t mean they deserved to be hated or destroyed. The Uchiha, no matter their faults, were still part of the village. If they shed blood and made sacrifices for Konoha, they deserved respect, not prejudice.

Reading the report filled Jiraiya with genuine joy.

Konoha’s victory in the Land of Hot Water and the setback to the Kumogakure forces meant only one thing. He knew what it meant for Ōnoki, the crafty Tsuchikage. Once Ōnoki realized the Kumogakure had been defeated and that the opportunity to strike had passed, the conflict in the Land of Grass might not last much longer.

The victory report made its rounds among the group. There was nothing confidential in it, just a summary of the battle at Mount Kōtsu, mainly emphasizing the capture of the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. Hozuki Mangetsu praised the achievement, though internally he remained calm.

After all, with the previous defeat and capture of the Fourth Raikage, it wasn’t surprising that the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki had been taken as well.

This news only reminded him of the warning from his teacher. Though Konoha might appear to be stretched thin and in a difficult position, their top-tier shinobi still stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world. And they had no shortage of talented young ninja. As long as the likes of Uchiha Shōgen lived, Konoha would remain untouchable.

But it was a shame. If it were up to him, he wouldn’t want to see a strong and thriving Konoha. Even though he got along well enough with the Konoha ninjas, he couldn’t bring himself to like Konoha. Still, he had no choice but to continue working closely with them.

“Jiraiya-sama, perhaps it’s time to put that plan into action,” Nara Suzaku suggested, his sharp eyes locking onto Jiraiya, who was seated at the head of the table.

“You mean…?”

Jiraiya's smile faded, and his brow furrowed.

"Are you confident?"

"There's some good news; the chances of success are decent."

That plan?

Hozuki Mangetsu looked over, confused. The same confusion was shared by Yakushi Nono and Hatake Kakashi. After exchanging puzzled glances, they all turned their eyes toward Jiraiya and Nara Suzaku, waiting for them to reveal the mystery.

"… Who do you think would be the best choice to go?"

"Myself."

"… Suzaku, you know what you're saying, right?"

"This idea came from my clan's leader in the first place. Besides, no one else in the army can speak as well as I can, and if the person we send is of too low a rank, they might not even get to meet the Third Tsuchikage. As the chief strategist of our army, my status carries some weight."

Nara Suzaku laid out the advantages of him being the emissary.

"Suzaku, are you planning to negotiate with the Third Tsuchikage?" Yakushi Nono had pieced together the nature of the plan from the conversation between Jiraiya and Suzaku, and the shocking realization slipped out of her mouth.

"Exactly!"

Nara Suzaku nodded.

"Do you think the Third Tsuchikage could be convinced to end the war with Konoha?"

"… It's possible," Yakushi Nono replied after a moment of deep thought. "From what I know of the Third Tsuchikage, that old man is a complete pragmatist. Everything he does is for Iwagakure. As long as he realizes continuing the war won’t bring any benefits and might even bring disaster upon him, there's a strong chance he'd end the war."

Hozuki Mangetsu and Hatake Kakashi understood as well now.

While Kakashi's face was hidden behind a mask, only his twitching eyebrows betraying his unease, Mangetsu’s shock was clear for anyone to see, unless they were blind.

"Jiraiya-sama?"

Now that Suzaku's plan had support from Yakushi Nono, he turned again to the silent Jiraiya, who was sitting at the head of the room.

"Suzaku, you understand the risks of this mission, right? Ōnoki, that old man, is notorious for being shameless. If anything goes wrong, even I might not be able to save you. Even if we end up defeating the Iwa-nin, we might not be able to get you back."

"I understand."

Nara Suzaku nodded solemnly.

"But as I said before, this was my clan leader's proposal, so I'd rather take the risk myself than let someone else do it. And to be honest, as long as the Third Tsuchikage is thinking clearly, there’s no reason this mission should fail."

Jiraiya and Nara Suzaku locked eyes for a few seconds, and Jiraiya saw that Suzaku was resolute.

"Alright, then. Go ahead! Ending this war as soon as possible is in everyone’s best interest." Jiraiya sighed softly. "Suzaku, I'm counting on you."

"Don't worry, leave it to me."

With Jiraiya's permission, Nara Suzaku didn’t rush off immediately. Instead, he sat down, took out a pen, and began sketching out his thoughts, organizing the complex ideas in his mind. The Nara clan rarely acted without thorough preparation unless they had no choice.

Seeing Suzaku immerse himself in his planning, Jiraiya's brow twitched slightly, and he turned his gaze toward Kakashi. "By the way, Kakashi, pick an elite squad to escort Suzaku when he goes to meet the Third Tsuchikage."

"Yes."

Kakashi acknowledged the order.

Just as he stood up to leave, Hozuki Mangetsu suddenly stood and said, "I’d like to go as well, Jiraiya-sama."

"I think it’d be a good idea to have one or two Kirigakure ninjas among the escort."

Jiraiya stared at Mangetsu for two seconds before nodding slightly. "You have a point. Alright, Kakashi, Mangetsu, you’ll go together."

And so, Kakashi and Hozuki Mangetsu left the command tent, discussing the selection of their team as they walked.

Inside the tent, only Jiraiya, Nara Suzaku, and the anxious Yakushi Nono remained.

Yakushi Nono clenched her fists, her gaze shifting between Suzaku and Jiraiya, emotions swirling within her. Unable to hold back any longer, she finally spoke. "Jiraiya-sama!"

This opportunity was too important to miss.

Most of the spies embedded in Iwagakure had lost contact. Many were likely captured by the Iwa-nin, but it was possible that a few had slipped through. Among those missing was Yakushi Kabuto, whom Nono was desperate to rescue. This mission presented the perfect opportunity.

"Do you think we could exchange spies as part of the negotiation?"

"If we can convince the Third Tsuchikage to end the war, there’s a chance we could negotiate a spy exchange," Nara Suzaku said, looking up from his notes. "The victory that the Hokage’s advisor achieved is truly impressive. If we use that to apply pressure, it should be possible to arrange an exchange. Don’t worry, Nono-senpai. You’ve done great service for the village, and the Hokage has already approved trading the Iwa spies we’ve captured for our own."

"Suzaku is right," Jiraiya added confidently. "You don’t have to worry, Nono. With Danzo gone, the village will no longer mistreat anyone who’s done so much for us."

Having been made aware of the situation with Yakushi Kabuto, Jiraiya had personally taken steps to push for a spy exchange. He had written to the Fifth Hokage and some old friends to help secure approval for the exchange.

However, this plan still hinged on the Third Tsuchikage agreeing to it. If he refused, things could get complicated. It all depended on Suzaku’s success.

"… Suzaku, I’m counting on you!" Yakushi Nono bowed deeply to Suzaku.

"I’ve told you, don't worry, Nono-senpai. I’ll see this mission through, even if it costs me my life," Nara Suzaku reassured her once more.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 199: Konoha Threat Theory*

"Crunch—crunch—" The sound of footsteps on snow echoed as the Iwa ninja patrolled the camp's perimeter, following their usual route. They kept their eyes wide open, warily watching every movement in the wind. However, Kurotsuchi didn’t think such tension was necessary.

The Konoha ninja wouldn’t provoke a fight right now!

After all, they had sent an envoy, and not just anyone—it was someone from the Nara clan.

"Thud, thud, thud!!"

Shuriken pierced the bullseye drawn on a wooden post with precision, causing the snow piled on top to shake and fall off.

"Too much force," said a raspy, low voice from behind.

Kurotsuchi turned around to see a tall man. He wore a conical hat, a red mask covering his mouth, and red armor draped over his body. On his back was something that resembled a gourd, seamlessly integrated with his armor. But this wasn’t just for show—it was the steam armor, crafted by the village's finest artisans.

The man wearing this steam armor was none other than the famous *"Steam Ninja"*—Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails.

"Uncle Han," Kurotsuchi greeted politely.

"When you throw shuriken, don’t use all your strength. Leave some in reserve so you can deal with any sudden situations. Remember, when you're attacking, that's when your defense is weakest. If you can’t ensure a one-hit victory, whether it’s throwing shuriken or in close combat, always keep some strength in reserve."

"…Oh! Got it," Kurotsuchi obediently responded.

She didn’t explain that she had been throwing the shuriken out of frustration. She had wanted to stay and listen in on her grandfather’s conversation with Konoha’s envoy, but her grandfather had sent her away, leaving her annoyed and seeking an outlet for her frustration on the training grounds.

"Uncle Han, the Konoha envoy is here. Aren’t you going to—"

"I’m not interested," Han interrupted, shaking his head firmly.

"That’s the Tsuchikage’s job. My duty is to fight. Kurotsuchi, you don’t need to worry about those things yet. No matter what you want to do in the future, your focus right now should be on building a solid foundation. Train seriously."

After being lectured, Kurotsuchi pouted but had no choice but to nod in agreement.

If it were her father, Kitsuchi, she would’ve definitely argued back. But since it was Uncle Han, she couldn’t muster the courage. She had never seen him smile. While Han had never been harsh with her, his emotionless eyes always made it hard to protest.

However, despite saying "yes," her mind wandered. Last night, an envoy from Kumogakure had arrived after a long journey, and today, Konoha’s envoy had followed right behind. The sharp-witted girl sensed that something was brewing.

Perhaps…

Something big was about to happen.

Just then, an Iwa ninja rushed over, urgency in his steps. "Lord Han, the Tsuchikage orders you to meet him immediately." The sudden command made Kurotsuchi's eyes widen with excitement—something big was indeed happening!

"What’s going on?" Han asked.

"I don’t know. I was only told to relay the Tsuchikage’s orders," the Iwa ninja replied, shaking his head.

"I see," Han said, not asking further. If the messenger didn’t know, it had to be something serious. Considering the arrival of both Kumogakure and Konoha envoys, it must be related to them. He started moving, and Kurotsuchi followed closely behind him like a little shadow.

Han frowned but didn’t chase her away.

Because of his status as a Jinchūriki, even though he had earned great merit for the village and was celebrated as the "Steam Ninja," he couldn’t change the villagers’ fear and discrimination toward Jinchūriki. Han didn’t have many friends, and Kurotsuchi was one of the few who wasn’t afraid of him.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t bother giving advice.

He only gave Kurotsuchi tips because it was her. If it were anyone else, he wouldn’t even acknowledge them.

They arrived at the central tent of the camp. As they pulled back the flap and entered, warm air hit their faces. The charcoal brazier inside was burning brightly, and eleven people were gathered inside. Among them were Ōnoki, Kitsuchi, and Akatsuchi, along with the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Rōshi.

Rōshi was a red-haired, red-bearded middle-aged man with a stern expression, clearly in a bad mood.

Aside from them, there were seven middle-aged and older men, all over forty. They were key leaders within the army, and in the village, most of them were prominent figures. Three of them were even heads of major clans in Iwagakure.

"Han, take a seat," Ōnoki said, looking up at Han and gesturing to an empty spot. However, when he saw Kurotsuchi trailing behind, he frowned. But seeing her pitiful expression, he couldn’t bring himself to scold her.

He hadn’t let her stay earlier because the discussion had involved Konoha’s envoy, and keeping her there would’ve seemed disrespectful, giving the impression they weren’t taking the matter seriously. Even as the Tsuchikage, he couldn’t be reckless in such formal situations.

But now, since it was just their own people, he could afford to be more lenient.

Kitsuchi noticed Ōnoki didn’t say anything, so he waved Kurotsuchi over. She quickly ran to stand by his side.

"Ahem!" Ōnoki cleared his throat and looked around the room before speaking. "Now that everyone is here, let’s get to business. Earlier, Kitsuchi and I met with Konoha’s envoy and learned some important information... Not long ago, Konoha and Kumogakure clashed again in the Land of Hot Water. But this time, Konoha didn’t retreat as before. In fact, it was Kumogakure who suffered a loss—Konoha captured the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki alive!"

His words sparked a storm.

"The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki was captured alive?"

"How is that possible? Doesn’t Kumogakure boast that their Jinchūriki is a perfect one?"

"Is the information reliable, Lord Tsuchikage?"

The tent erupted in noisy discussions.

Aside from Ōnoki and Kitsuchi, everyone was shocked by the news. Ever since the Five Great Ninja Villages were established, there hadn’t been a case where a Jinchūriki from one village was captured alive by another village’s ninjas... Wait, maybe there was. It was said that not long ago, during the war between Konoha and Kirigakure, the Fourth Mizukage of the Mist, who was also the Three-Tails Jinchūriki, had been captured alive by Konoha.

Even though Konoha and Kirigakure worked together to control the spread of the news after they formed an alliance, it was too late. The news had already leaked, and even the Stone Village, which was farthest from the Mist, had heard about it.

However, most people still had deep doubts about the event.

Such an outrageous claim, without concrete proof, was really hard to believe.

"The news has been confirmed to be true," Ōnoki said slowly after the murmuring in the tent subsided and everyone had recovered from the initial shock. "Not only are Konoha’s ninjas saying this, but even the messenger from the Hidden Cloud mentioned it yesterday."

Hearing this, many people were confused.

It made sense for Konoha’s messengers to boast about their victory in the Land of Hot Water to pressure the others, but what was the Hidden Cloud aiming for by honestly admitting their defeat?

"Given this situation, we now face two choices," Ōnoki continued. "The first is the request from the Hidden Cloud's messenger to continue attacking Konoha. According to the Cloud's envoy, a stronger Konoha would not be in our best interest."

"The second choice is to end the war with Konoha. As a gesture of goodwill, we could even join forces with Konoha’s ninjas to attack the Hidden Cloud. This is the proposition brought by Konoha’s messenger."

Two options:

One was to team up with the Hidden Cloud, the other was to join forces with Konoha... To be honest, neither was an appealing choice. The Stone Village had bad blood with both. Ideally, they wouldn’t want to collaborate with either side.

"Of course we continue attacking Konoha!" Roshi slammed his hand on the table. "Lord Tsuchikage, do we even need to discuss this? The Cloud’s messenger is right. If we don't take this chance to crush Konoha’s spirit, when they regain their strength, we Stone Ninjas don’t know how many more years we’ll have to stay in the shadows!"

"Roshi, Konoha is already strong again," Kitsuchi interjected. "Even the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki was captured alive. The Cloud is clearly admitting they can’t take on Konoha alone and want to drag us down with them. There’s no reason for us to go fight for them. Ending the war with Konoha now would be the smarter move."

"What nonsense are you spouting, Kitsuchi? Do you even know what you’re saying? Are you suggesting we can’t beat Konoha?"

"Interpret it how you want, but I strongly oppose continuing the war with Konoha! Fighting them any longer will only harm us. This whole ‘Konoha threat’ argument from the Cloud is a load of crap!"

Kitsuchi firmly stated his position.

Roshi’s eyebrows shot up in fury. If Kitsuchi wasn’t Ōnoki’s son, Roshi might have blasted him with lava right then and there. How could he be so cowardly, scared of Konoha to the point of not even wanting to fight back? It was utterly shameful.

"Roshi, Kitsuchi, both of you, shut up," Ōnoki ordered, putting a stop to the argument. "I’ve heard your opinions. Now, it’s time for the others to speak."

Ōnoki’s gaze swept across the tent, waiting for the others to weigh in. Roshi and Kitsuchi fell silent, though no one else immediately spoke up either. The situation was indeed a difficult one to decide. Most of them had supported the war against Konoha in the first place. Otherwise, the war wouldn’t have started at all.

However, every person sitting there had to think not just of their personal feelings but of the lives of their clansmen and comrades.

Originally, they believed Konoha was weakened, having lost the Third Hokage along with Shimura Danzo, one of the most influential figures in the village. They thought it was the perfect time to seize some benefits from the Fire Nation and Konoha. But now, Konoha had shown, through its victory over the Cloud, that it wasn’t as fragile as they had imagined.

This made them hesitate.

Instinctively, they recalled the previous three Great Ninja Wars. It seemed that each time, they had tried to take advantage of Konoha’s weakness, only for Konoha to prove it wasn’t weak at all. Instead, it had left the Stone, Cloud, Sand, and Mist villages battered and bruised.

"Munaga, what do you think?" Ōnoki finally asked, breaking the silence.

"... I agree with Roshi-senpai," Munaga said, clenching his fists. "Whatever’s happening with the Cloud, we currently have the upper hand in our fight with Konoha. They’re only holding out through tricks. If we concentrate our forces and strike now, we can definitely defeat them."

Munaga avoided Kitsuchi’s disappointed gaze as he spoke.

No matter what, he couldn’t believe Konoha was truly unbeatable. During the Third Great Ninja War, victory had been within reach when the Yellow Flash had turned the tide. The bitter memory still burned in the hearts of the Stone Ninjas, making it hard to swallow. That resentment still hadn’t faded.

"At least someone’s got some guts," Roshi muttered under his breath.

Ōnoki, however, remained expressionless, as steady as a rock, making it hard to guess his thoughts.

After Munaga finished speaking, Ōnoki called out another name, "Han, what’s your opinion? Should we ally with Konoha or collaborate with the Cloud?"

Han’s wide-brimmed hat and mask concealed his expression, giving no hint of his feelings. His hoarse, deep voice finally came out, "I have no opinion, Lord Tsuchikage. Just give me the orders, and I will carry them out to the best of my ability. Whether it's fighting Konoha or attacking the Cloud, it doesn’t matter to me."

The others rolled their eyes. It sounded like flattery. But no one was surprised. Han had always been this way, even before becoming the Five-Tails Jinchūriki. Perhaps it was this loyalty to Ōnoki and the village that led to him being chosen as a Jinchūriki.

"Mindless fool!" Roshi cursed under his breath, glaring at Han with disdain.

Roshi and Han, both Jinchūriki, had never gotten along. Unlike the camaraderie between the Hidden Cloud's Jinchūriki, Roshi’s aggressive nature clashed with Han’s quiet obedience. Roshi respected strength and will, while Han’s passive attitude made Roshi view him with contempt.

Even though Han’s subservience didn’t sway Ōnoki’s expression, he moved on, calling out the next person. He methodically went through the room, asking for everyone’s opinions, until finally, only Kurotsuchi was left to speak.

Chapter 200: Ōnoki's Decision

"Senior Suzaku, there are so many Iwa-nin outside."

"This is the Iwa-nin camp, it would be strange if you didn’t see any Iwa-nin around here."

Nara Suzaku sat inside the tent, slowly sipping hot tea. The tea was provided by the Iwa-nin, but the tea leaves were a product of the Land of Fire, specifically a type called "Bilu." It was considered quite average in quality but had a high yield, and besides being sold domestically, it was also exported abroad.

The Land of Earth does not grow tea plants; its barren land can barely grow grass. All the good land is used to grow grain, leaving no resources for planting non-essential crops like tea.

So, tea is entirely an imported commodity. Even the most common tea from the Land of Fire, Bilu, is hard to come by in the Land of Earth. Therefore, using Bilu to treat guests isn’t considered poor hospitality; it’s actually quite proper.

"Senior Suzaku, should we prepare for something?"

"Ebisu, what are you planning?"

Nara Suzaku glanced helplessly at one of the bodyguards who had come with him to the Iwa-nin camp.

There were five people in the tent, including Nara Suzaku, the official envoy, and four guards. Two were Konoha ninja, and two were Mist ninja. All were special Jōnin, stronger than Chūnin but not as noticeable or prominent as Jōnin. Kakashi and Hōzuki Mangetsu had gone to great lengths to pick out these individuals.

Originally, they considered selecting full-fledged Jōnin, like Uchiha Chisao and Ringo Ameyuri, both feared warriors. If something went wrong, having these two would greatly increase their chances of escape.

However, Nara Suzaku sternly refused this idea.

He was here to persuade the Iwa-nin to cease fighting, not to launch a surprise attack.

In the end, four special Jōnin from Konoha and Mist were selected to accompany him. Ebisu, one of them, had recently been promoted to special Jōnin. His skills were solid, with no real weaknesses in ninjutsu, taijutsu, or genjutsu. His only obstacle to becoming a full Jōnin was his lack of mastery over advanced ninjutsu.

There was one minor issue—he was a bit too lively. Watching Ebisu fiddle with a stack of explosive tags, contemplating how to set traps around the tent, Nara Suzaku felt a vein throbbing on his forehead.

"Set a few traps, so if the Iwa-nin make a move on us, they’ll get a nasty surprise..."

"Sit down and be quiet. I’ve already said the Iwa-nin won’t attack us."

Nara Suzaku spoke firmly.

His tone was so strict that Ebisu froze in place, then obediently put away the explosive tags. He sat down, imitating Genma Shiranui's composed manner, and sipped his tea slowly.

The Iwa-nin will definitely not attack us—Nara Suzaku was confident in this. Thinking back on his recent meeting with Ōnoki and Kitsuchi, before he had even spoken, Kitsuchi had shown an unmistakable goodwill. Most importantly, Ōnoki had not thrown him out immediately. His long silence indicated that he was considering it.

Given Ōnoki’s past actions, Suzaku was certain that his plan would not fail.

Of course, this was largely thanks to the Uchiha clan’s victory in the Land of Hot Water. Without that triumph, where even the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki was captured, persuading Ōnoki would have been a 50-50 chance. But now, Suzaku felt sure he was in a strong position.

"We’ll return safely. Just relax," Nara Suzaku said calmly.

Meanwhile...

In the Iwa-nin’s main tent, after gathering the opinions of everyone except Kurotsuchi, all eyes turned to Ōnoki, waiting for the Tsuchikage's decision. The vote had ended with Han abstaining. Four, including Kitsuchi, favored cooperation with Konoha, while six, including Rōshi and Bun'ya, believed they should continue attacking Konoha.

The ratio wasn’t overwhelming.

Six to four. If just one person from Rōshi’s side wavered, the vote would be tied. Rōshi was clearly unhappy, glaring furiously at Kitsuchi and his supporters.

"Tsuchikage-sama?" Rōshi stared intently at Ōnoki.

Since they hadn’t won by a large enough margin to force Ōnoki’s hand, the Tsuchikage’s opinion would now decide the strategy—whether they would ally with Konoha against the Cloud-nin or continue their southern campaign against Konoha.

"A strong Konoha is never a good thing. Back in the day, when the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara dominated the ninja world, we didn’t dare breathe. We knelt and begged to form an alliance with Konoha, only to be rudely turned away by Madara. Ohnoki and Mu-sama almost died in the Land of Fire."

Ōnoki rambled on about the past.

The undertone of his words made Kitsuchi’s face darken, while Rōshi’s fiery expression softened a bit.

"You’re all young and haven’t seen Konoha at its peak. Frankly, when Madara and the First Hokage both died, I was so happy I almost jumped for joy. I wonder if you’ve ever considered why we always invade Konoha in every ninja war and not the Sand-nin?"

Without waiting for an answer, Ōnoki continued, "It’s not just because the Sand-nin are poor and Konoha is rich, though that’s part of it. The Sand are still one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and no matter how poor the Land of Wind is, they can still squeeze out something valuable. But we always go after Konoha because we never want to return to a time when we grovelled in the dust, looking up at Konoha’s radiance. The Sand-nin, Cloud-nin, and Mist-nin feel the same—nobody enjoys being trampled underfoot."

Rōshi impatiently furrowed his brow.

This is too long-winded. Can you just get to the point already? All this dragging on was making him feel a bit uneasy.

"If possible, I would be the first to crush Konoha's resurgence in its cradle. But... it’s too late." Ōnoki sighed deeply. The Uchiha clan had captured the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, and three pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan were wreaking havoc. This information had come from the Cloud-nin emissaries.

The Fourth Raikage and Dodai had decided to reveal the Uchiha’s three pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan to Iwa-nin to convince Ōnoki of the danger Konoha posed and push him to stand against them.

However...

It seemed to have backfired!

The Fourth Raikage and Dodai weren’t old enough to have personally witnessed Uchiha Madara or the First Hokage’s overwhelming power, so they couldn’t understand the fear Ōnoki still harbored. To this day, he hadn’t forgotten the sheer helplessness he felt when facing Madara—so intense it almost made him wet himself!

So...

"Konoha has already risen again. The deaths of Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo didn’t bring it down. Fortunately, Cloud-nin have already borne the brunt of their resurgence. My decision is to end this war with Konoha."

After circling the point several times, Ōnoki finally revealed his decision!

"Father!"

Kitsuchi was so surprised that he even forgot to address the Tsuchikage properly in front of so many people.

His shock was understandable. Before the arrival of the Cloud and Konoha emissaries, Ōnoki had been firm in his intent to attack Konoha. Only after Kitsuchi had tirelessly persuaded him, citing the unfavorable weather, did the attack slow down temporarily.

He never imagined Ōnoki would suddenly make a complete 180-degree turn, leaving everyone both surprised and relieved.

"Boom!!!"

"Crack!"

Two different sounds echoed simultaneously. An enraged Roshi slammed his palm down, shattering the table as he abruptly stood up. The red-bearded Jinchuriki of the Four-Tails glared at Ōnoki, shouting, "Tsuchikage-sama, are you really planning to cooperate with Konoha?"

"Roshi!"

Kitsuchi also stood up, glaring angrily at Roshi. "What are you thinking? Are you questioning the Tsuchikage's decision?"

The atmosphere in the tent became chaotic.

Everyone was in disbelief. What was happening? Were they about to break out into a full-on fight?

"That's right. The Cloud Village isn't Konoha's match. Even if we defeat Jiraiya's army, we’ll still have to face another Konoha army. In that case, we might end up falling into Cloud Village's trap. If Konoha, in desperation, joins forces with them and turns on us… that's not impossible!"

Ōnoki remained calm, as if oblivious to the intense standoff between Roshi and Kitsuchi, and explained his reasoning for the decision.

"Hah!"

Roshi let out a sarcastic laugh. "In the end, Tsuchikage-sama, you're just scared, aren't you?"

Scared?

As the leader of the village and the spiritual pillar for tens of thousands of Iwa-nin, accusing him of fear was the ultimate insult. As Roshi’s words echoed, Kitsuchi, Bun'ya, and the others' faces changed drastically. Arguing with the Tsuchikage was one thing, but this level of disrespect was completely out of line!

"Scared, you say?"

Ōnoki’s face twitched slightly as he slowly responded, almost enunciating each word. "Perhaps you're right. I am scared. But not of death. Death doesn't scare me. In fact, dying gloriously for the village would be the highest honor."

"What I fear most is making a wrong decision that drags the village into an abyss of endless suffering."

He lifted his head and locked eyes with Roshi.

"Fear is fear! Why try to hide it? Tsuchikage-sama, under your leadership, we’ll never be able to surpass Konoha and become the top in the shinobi world," Roshi retorted before storming out of the tent without even glancing at the others, whom he considered cowards, frightened into submission.

Roshi knew very well that once Ōnoki made a decision, Bun'ya and the others would most likely switch sides and support the Tsuchikage. The decades of authority and influence Ōnoki had built couldn't be easily overturned by Roshi’s words. Teaming up with Konoha to fight Cloud Village was now the inevitable outcome unless Ōnoki changed his mind.

Roshi, consumed by rage, didn't want to stay any longer. He felt like a fire was burning in his chest, scorching his heart.

With Roshi gone, the tent fell into silence. Just as Roshi had predicted, though Bun'ya and the others might not fully agree, they weren’t about to oppose Ōnoki’s decision. They trusted that the Third Tsuchikage would lead Iwa-nin through these turbulent times toward a brighter future.

"Han," Ōnoki called.

"Tsuchikage-sama?"

"Go after Roshi. Make sure he doesn't do anything rash."

"Do you think he might—?"

"While it’s unlikely, Roshi can be reckless when his temper flares... Keep an eye on Konoha’s emissaries. Protect them."

"Understood, I'll go immediately."

Han stood up and dashed out like the wind.

"Father... Tsuchikage-sama, do you think Roshi-senpai would really do something like that? He's hot-tempered, yes, but he usually knows his limits," Kitsuchi tried to defend Roshi. Despite their earlier conflict, Kitsuchi believed both of them were acting in the village’s best interests.

That's why, now that the dust had settled, Kitsuchi still wanted to protect every comrade in the village.

"Better safe than sorry."

Ōnoki sighed.

He didn't truly believe Roshi would do anything drastic, but as the Tsuchikage, he couldn’t afford to take any chances. He had to be prepared, not regretful after the fact.

"That settles it. Does anyone else have any objections? If you do, speak now before I meet with Konoha’s emissaries."

Ōnoki scanned the room, his gaze lingering on Bun'ya and the others.

"Tsuchikage-sama, are you saying that even if we teamed up with Cloud, we still wouldn’t be able to defeat Konoha?" Bun'ya asked cautiously.

"Not necessarily. If we truly joined forces with Cloud, Konoha would likely have to back off. But as I’ve already said, a full alliance with Cloud is impossible. I don’t trust those mountain savages who are always causing trouble. If given the chance, I’m sure they wouldn’t hesitate to stab us in the back for revenge."

After all, the Third Raikage had fallen in battle against Iwa-nin.

That was the unbreakable knot of hatred between Cloud and Iwa. They could cooperate in name, coordinating their attacks on Konoha, but true, deep collaboration was impossible!

Hatred like that wasn’t easily resolved.

Bun'ya and the others fell into silence.

Ōnoki was about to speak again when suddenly, there was a loud "Boom!" from outside.

(End of chapter)