Within Sunagakure's Kazekage's Hall, the Sunagakure and Konoha negotiation teams had gathered.
Sunagakure had chosen this location for its historical significance. Just as Konoha's Hokage Rock bears the faces of past Hokage, Sunagakure's Kazekage's Hall houses massive statues of its past Kazekage.
On one side of the hall stood four colossal human-shaped statues, approximately forty to fifty meters tall, each meticulously sculpted to represent the First through Fourth Kazekage.
Sunagakure's selection of the Kazekage's Hall for these negotiations underscored the gravity they attached to this meeting.
The Sunagakure and Konoha delegations settled into their respective positions along the two sides of the large, circular conference table situated at the heart of the hall.
The Land of Wind's Daimyō, as per Yusuke's arrangement, was seated directly beside him.
Compared to the preceding night's banquet, the atmosphere in the hall was markedly more solemn.
The Sunagakure representatives were now acutely aware of the immense pressure emanating from Yusuke's presence.
During the banquet, Yusuke had maintained a relaxed demeanor, subtly concealing the full extent of his imposing aura.
However, as the formal negotiations commenced, Yusuke's serious expression instilled a profound sense of awe and respect within the Sunagakure delegation, their breathing subtly constricted by the palpable weight of his presence.
Seated within the expansive confines of the conference hall, Yusuke commanded the room as the undisputed focal point, drawing the attention of every individual present.
Many of the Sunagakure ninjas found themselves experiencing a significant degree of pressure merely from maintaining eye contact with Yusuke, compelling them to lower their gazes and minimize their visual engagement with him.
"Is this his true aura?"
Chiyo, seated at the head of the Sunagakure delegation, narrowed her eyes, a rare flicker of apprehension crossing her features.
A seasoned veteran of three Great Ninja Wars, she had witnessed countless tumultuous events, yet she found herself experiencing a long-dormant sense of unease.
However, with Sunagakure currently leaderless, the burden of confronting this formidable presence fell upon her and her brother.
Instinctively glancing towards Ebizo, seated beside her, she noted that her younger sibling exhibited a considerably greater degree of composure, his expression betraying no discernible signs of apprehension.
After taking a deep breath to steady herself, Chiyo, in her capacity as the head of the Sunagakure delegation and the host of this negotiation, formally declared the commencement of the proceedings.
With the negotiations underway, Sunagakure took the initiative by presenting their proposed compensation to Konoha.
Chiyo's initial strategy had been to offer relatively lenient concessions, subsequently engaging in a process of negotiation to minimize Sunagakure's losses.
However, upon encountering Yusuke's penetrating gaze, Chiyo experienced a palpable sense of trepidation, a feeling that even the slightest hint of inadequacy in the proposed compensation would trigger severe repercussions.
A bead of perspiration trickled down Chiyo's forehead as she commenced the articulation of Sunagakure's compensation offer.
The moment Chiyo's words left her lips, a wave of astonishment rippled through both the Sunagakure and Konoha delegations, even eliciting a fleeting expression of surprise from Yusuke himself.
The compensation offered by Chiyo was remarkably substantial, nearing Sunagakure's absolute limit.
The Sunagakure council members found themselves grappling with the question of why Chiyo had opted to present such a generous offer from the outset.
This approach significantly curtailed their negotiating leverage and deviated considerably from the plan they had meticulously formulated the previous evening.
Conversely, the Konoha delegation was taken aback by the unexpected generosity displayed by Sunagakure, their initial offer exceeding all expectations.
Several Konoha ninjas even entertained the notion of foregoing further negotiations, accepting the generous compensation and returning to Konoha without delay.
Taking a deep breath, Chiyo proceeded, "Clan Head Uchiha, Sunagakure's compensation offer is made in utmost sincerity, as I trust you will readily recognize.
However, we have one further request: the return of all Sunagakure ninjas, including the Fourth Kazekage, and the immediate return of the Daimyō to the Land of Wind."
Observing Chiyo, whose breathing had become slightly erratic, Yusuke maintained his impassive expression, betraying no outward signs of emotion.
Despite the sincerity evident in Sunagakure's offer, Yusuke, driven by his broader objectives, felt compelled to adopt a more assertive approach.
"Elder Chiyo, Sunagakure's offer is indeed generous.
However, Sunagakure's role in orchestrating the joint attack with Akatsuki on Konoha was substantial, resulting in far-reaching consequences that, in the most severe terms, have jeopardized the very stability of the entire ninja world.
This cannot be resolved through mere compensation."
Yusuke's words sent a jolt through Chiyo, triggering an ominous premonition.
She had anticipated that her generous compensation offer would suffice to appease Konoha, but Yusuke's unwavering stance suggested otherwise.
"Sunagakure was merely manipulated by Akatsuki; they were the true masterminds behind the attack on Konoha.
Your assertion that the entire ninja world's safety was at stake is, I believe, a considerable exaggeration,"
Chiyo countered, determined to deflect the blame from Sunagakure, as they had not been the primary instigators of the Konoha attack.
A protracted debate ensued between the two sides regarding Sunagakure's level of involvement, whether they were the primary instigators or merely pawns in Akatsuki's scheme.
While Yusuke was aware that Sunagakure's role had been far from central, he felt it necessary to maintain this line of argument to exert pressure during the negotiations.
Sunagakure vehemently defended their position, but Yusuke held a decisive advantage, possessing both the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, and the Land of Wind's Daimyō.
Glancing across the assembled Sunagakure council members, Yusuke stated dispassionately, "The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, has personally confessed to being the mastermind behind this operation.
Furthermore, the Land of Wind's Daimyō was subjected to an assassination attempt by Rasa during the very same event. Clearly, this was a premeditated act orchestrated by Sunagakure, a fact that none of you present can reasonably deny!"
As Yusuke's tone grew increasingly frigid, the air in the hall seemed to thicken, the pressure on the Sunagakure delegation intensifying with each passing moment.
Following Yusuke's declaration, the Land of Wind's Daimyō, at Yusuke's subtle prompting, embellished the account of Rasa's attack during the joint Chunin Exams, further escalating the tension within the negotiation chamber.
The Fourth Kazekage's confession of being the mastermind was, of course, a fabrication on Yusuke's part. However, with Rasa securely under his control, Yusuke had no intention of releasing him back to Sunagakure, thus allowing him to freely embellish the narrative.
The Land of Wind's Daimyō had indeed been subjected to Rasa's attack, even suffering an involuntary release of his bladder in the face of the imminent threat, thereby fueling his profound resentment towards Sunagakure.
With a few deftly chosen words, Yusuke skillfully manipulated the easily swayed Daimyō into aligning himself with Konoha's position, inadvertently solidifying the perception of the Kazekage as the mastermind behind the attack and placing Sunagakure in an exceedingly precarious position.
"The Daimyō shows no signs of being under genjutsu!"
At this juncture, Elite Ninja in Sunagakure ninja with exceptional sensory abilities, leaned forward to softly report her findings to Chiyo and Ebizo.
Sunagakure had initially harbored concerns that the Land of Wind's Daimyō might have been subjected to a genjutsu, prompting them to deploy a sensor-type ninja to discreetly monitor the Daimyō's condition.
However, it transpired that Yusuke had not employed any form of genjutsu to manipulate the Daimyō; rather, the Daimyō, in a moment of reckless abandon, had allowed his personal animosity towards Sunagakure to unduly influence his account of the events.
Observing the ensuing turmoil within the Sunagakure delegation, a subtle smirk played upon Yusuke's lips.
"With a Daimyō like that, Sunagakure's future prospects appear rather bleak."
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