-Chapter 3-

-Chapter 3-

-POV MC-

"I don't understand."

"There's nothing to understand. Konoha doesn't need to get involved in a war that isn't ours. We already have to defend against Kumo, Suna, and Kiri. We can't afford to make even more enemies."

I expected tough negotiations, but I wasn't prepared for this.

I didn't think it would be like this.

I naively imagined that we would discuss the cost of supplies to lower it, or perhaps reduce the number of troops expected to be deployed on our front to help us fend off Iwa.

But this was completely different; they were outright rejecting an equal alliance, simply waiting for Iwa to bring us to our knees so they could chain us to them for generations.

I was nervous, furious, and my mind was racing because I was losing control.

With just one sentence, he had me by the nose, and when I saw the small smile forming on his face, I realized I was falling into his trap.

I was forgetting everything I had learned from my master. I was no longer a child, nor a Naruto fan watching all this on a screen. I was the next Kusakage, damn it, and I needed to wake up quickly and start acting like it.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before saying:

"I understand. Sorry to have wasted your time, Nidaime."

I stood up, and, as one, all my guards stood up simultaneously. I could sense the fury boiling within them, but none of them spoke, and they all followed me as I prepared to leave the room.

I was about to leave when I heard a soft yet firm voice ask:

"What do you intend to do to stop Iwa?"

"What other choice do we have? We'll surrender peacefully and accept that the Land of Grass be incorporated into the Land of Earth," I said, turning to face my interlocutor.

"I think we can find common ground... for Hashirama's dream," said Uzumaki Mito.

Tobirama pretended to be annoyed, then nodded, prompting me to sit back down, as did my brothers and sisters.

I wondered why they had invited us, and now I had my answer: they didn't want to see me leave because, to them, the Kusa ninjas were cannon fodder with a relatively important place in their strategies to lead Konoha to victory.

"We will help you, but on three conditions. First, you will assist us in all our missions in the Land of Grass and will follow the orders of the commander on the ground," said Tobirama, listing the non-negotiable demands.

'According to him,' I thought as I continued to listen.

"Second, you will provide supplies to all Konoha troops for the duration of the war."

'Of course,' I thought, suppressing a sarcastic remark, unaware that the worst was yet to come.

"And finally, your Daimyo will give us a bonus once the war is over for defending your lands."

Having the Daimyo give a bonus to Konoha, in addition to being blatant extortion to replenish Konoha's coffers, was a way to deprive Kusagakure of the Daimyo's funding for years, while making the Daimyo believe that Kusa was incapable of protecting the Land of Grass and, by extension, fulfilling its mission.

From that moment on, difficult missions with a high failure rate would be entrusted to Konoha, and Kusagakure would be sidelined, unable to expand or develop, simply surviving by relying on its big brother Konohagakure to avoid becoming a victim of intimidation.

These conditions were so ridiculous that, unconsciously, I gave a small smile, then said, disregarding the place or the event:

"This is nonsense."

Somewhat annoyed, the Uchiha clan patriarch, eager to prove his allegiance, said in a threatening tone, activating his sharingan to intimidate me:

"You dare refuse? You realize that once you surrender to Iwa, not only will you become our enemies, but you will either be imprisoned or killed directly to avoid any future trouble by the Tsuchikage."

"That's still better than the conditions you're proposing. Anyway, the Land of Grass won't have to sacrifice as many people; only the Land of Fire will have to bear the bloodshed this war will cause," I said, half-seriously, as I wasn't ready to die for advantages. My survival mattered more than anything, but I didn't show it and pretended to be determined.

"Do you realize the position you're in, and that of your village? It's you who are here to beg us, not the other way around," Danzo concluded coldly.

"No... it's quite the opposite..." I said with newfound confidence.