"Is Konoha really willing to share the power of Hollowfication with the Cloud Shinobi?"
Raikage A once again confirmed with Namikaze Minato and Nara Kagetsu.
"As long as the Cloud is willing to pay the proper price," Kagetsu and Minato exchanged a glance and admitted.
Before coming to the Cloud Village, Konoha's higher-ups had already prepared for situations like this.
After all, Raikage A had fought multiple times against both Nagato of the Rain and Namikaze Minato.
He had also revealed the Hollowfication Mode of the Cloud Village during those battles.
So the fact that the Cloud had mastered the power of Hollow Masks was no secret.
What truly surprised Orochimaru, however, was that the Cloud had managed to draw out and control the power from these masks. He couldn't help but feel both intrigued and restless.
After all, these so-called Hollow Masks were originally just substitutes for the Hōgyoku, created before it had ever surfaced.
They were, at best, incomplete prototypes—failed experiments or defective products.
It was precisely because the power of the Hollow Masks was uncontrollable and highly dangerous that Orochimaru and Kagetsu had once allowed the Cloud to steal them from the Konoha Technology Development Department—to test them on the battlefield.
Logically speaking, Hollow Masks brought nothing but death and destruction.
Compared to the somewhat controllable power of the Hōgyoku, the vessels bearing the Hollow Masks were doomed to go berserk.
Once the mask consumed everything the host had, they would vanish into ashes—body and soul—unable even to reach the Pure Land.
And yet, the Fourth Raikage had forcibly broken through that limit and gained mastery over Hollowfication.
On that point, Kagetsu and Orochimaru had already reached an agreement before arriving—they would find a way to study it.
While Konoha possessed the superior Hōgyoku-based Hollowfication, the Cloud's version wasn't without merit or research value.
In terms of fine control over power, the Cloud's mode might be crude and unrefined.
But in terms of raw, explosive energy output, it was brutally effective—surpassing what came after.
There were hidden dangers, of course.
But this unique, alternative Hollowfication—so different from Konoha's Hōgyoku Mode—held undeniable appeal to all researchers of Hollow powers.
Kagetsu and Orochimaru were not worried about failing to achieve their goals after coming to the Hidden Cloud Village.
After all, the technology Konoha controlled was something the Cloud Ninja could not refuse.
"According to the alliance, Konoha should share the benefits of technology with the Land of Lightning." Although they felt a bit unhappy when signing that alliance, Raikage Ai didn't hesitate to bring up the agreement now.
"Of course, but this should be based on mutual sharing and help. Even the Hidden Sand Village openly shared part of their puppet-making techniques with Konoha and jointly established a new puppet research institute with Konoha's technology department to develop new puppet technology together."
"Moreover, the dangers of Hollowfication — I believe Raikage-sama understands this well. The Cloud Ninja have already developed a path of Hollowfication very different from Konoha's."
"If we really want to make a distinction, comparing the different Sage Modes in the Three Sage Regions makes sense. The Sage Mode of Mt. Myoboku cannot be practiced in the Ryuchi Cave, and vice versa."
Kagetsu nodded, first agreeing with the terms of the alliance but then reminding Raikage Ai about the rules.
"You mean, Konoha's Hogyoku mode cannot adapt to the Cloud Ninja's Hollowfication mode? So, you've been deceiving us?"
Raikage Ai understood what Kagetsu meant, and his expression turned sour.
He wanted to reveal Konoha's Hogyoku mode, but from Kagetsu's tone and words, it was clear Konoha would never share technology unique to itself unless the Cloud Ninja could offer something of equal value in return.
This wasn't really a problem; such issues always had solutions during negotiations.
Raikage Ai just felt a bit annoyed thinking about what the Cloud Ninja would need to give.
After all, the Cloud Ninja had always been the ones to plunder and freeload from others.
Now, it seemed Konoha might benefit instead.
Giving up was impossible.
Because Konoha had already allied with the Hidden Rock and Hidden Sand Villages, the combined strength of the three ninja villages was growing rapidly.
Although the Cloud Ninja recovered their energy faster than the other three villages, in terms of power, they were not dominant.
Unless, like Konoha, they could truly master the Hollowfication power!
They need Konoha's technology! Or rather, their help!
After all, Konoha has already shown further mastery of the Hogyoku Mode.
This means their research didn't stop but moved forward at a pace beyond what the Cloud Ninja could understand, finding a successful path.
"Konoha can help you stabilize the Jinchuriki, and even improve the Cloud Ninja's Hollowfication Mode," Kagetsu emphasized.
"But the condition is that you cooperate sincerely, like the Sand Village, without hiding anything and working together."
He pointed to the Spirit Suppression Stone.
"These stones are our sincerity. The Raikage has already seen their effect, and the Jinchuriki from Konoha has personally experienced it. This proves Konoha's technical strength."
"If it wasn't for the terms of the alliance, I, as the head of the Technology Development Department, wouldn't have been chosen by the Hokage to come to the Cloud Village as part of the envoy, right?"
"If you are sure you can help us improve the Hollowfication Mode, the Cloud Ninja will not break the alliance, and we will follow all its terms. Further cooperation can wait until we build enough trust," Raikage Ai said after a moment of silence, nodding in agreement.
Sending Minato Namikaze, Konoha's advisor and head of Technology Development Department, Kagetsu Nara as envoys to the Cloud Village, truly showed Konoha's sincerity.
No matter what Konoha's real intentions were, they had not broken the agreements made at the negotiation table.
Now, it was the Cloud Ninja who needed to make decisions and consider their options.
But Raikage Ai was already mentally prepared before the envoys arrived.
He was willing to share some intelligence as long as Konoha could reciprocate with equally valuable information, or show hope and results.
Once enough trust was built, Cloud Ninja would fully open their Hollowfication Mode intelligence.
If Konoha really helped improve the Hollowfication Mode, Raikage Ai and the Cloud Ninja would not take any harmful actions.
Minato Namikaze's presence was meant to stop the Cloud Ninja from having harmful thoughts or intentions early on.
At least, the situation like the Second Hokage being betrayed and killed by Cloud Ninja radicals would be hard to happen again under this alert.
Minato could move freely in the Cloud Village with Kagetsu and the envoy, and send intelligence back to Konoha.
Before negotiations, the Cloud Ninja prepared for war, but after losing the competition for the Gelel Stone mine and seeing Konoha's Hogyoku Mode, the fire of war in Raikage Ai's heart had already cooled.
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