"Regarding the ninja clan bloodlines, even as Hokage, I truly have no way to accommodate that."
The second day of the meeting proceeded as usual, but Hiruzen Sarutobi still wore a troubled expression. "However, we can compensate the Hidden Mist through the reparation amount. We can raise the compensation from the original fifty million ryō to eighty million ryō."
"Not only that, but in future trade between the Hidden Mist and Hidden Leaf, we can allow all merchants from the Land of Water three years of tax exemption, and provide various protections and preferential access to resources. Lord Mizunashi, Mizukage-sama, do you find this agreeable...?"
"Stop, stop."
Before the Third Hokage could finish speaking, Yoru sighed and waved his hand, cutting him off. Then, under everyone's gaze, Yoru stood up, stretched his back, and pulling the Third Mizukage along, turned and began to walk out of the meeting.
Such an abrupt scene left everyone present somewhat bewildered, momentarily unable to react.
"Wait, Lord Yuro, Mizukage-sama, we can still negotiate!"
Mifune's expression was odd, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was anxious as he stood up and said, "We can raise the compensation to ninety million ryō... No, one hundred million ryō!"
"Even two hundred million ryō is useless."
Yoru turned to look at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his indifferent voice echoing through the room. "Considering that the Hidden Leaf was also a victim, and the Third's control by the Sharingan, I can choose not to hold the Konoha accountable for that. However—our minimum condition is for Kirigakure to gain the means to counter the Sharingan. If you can't provide that... then we have nothing more to discuss."
"But, but..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on the retreating figures of Yuki Yoru and the Third Mizukage, letting out a low growl.
"Wait!"
"Empty Cicada Shell Technique," Yoru murmured.
His mouth opened slightly, his voice seemingly compressed and obscured, making it inaudible to everyone present. Even Minato Namikaze frowned, showing a puzzled expression. But Yoru and the Third Mizukage, who had been feigning departure, immediately showed smiles upon hearing that voice, and chuckled as they returned to their negotiation seats.
"Alright, alright. Although this condition is far from what we expected, at least it shows us the Hokage-sama's sincerity... General Mifune, apologies for the farce just now. Please continue to preside over this meeting."
"Ah… yes. Very well," Mifune blinked in surprise, then nodded. "In that case, the summit resumes."
"Hmm, where were we? Oh right, Hokage-sama said he'd compensate our Kirigakure one hundred million ryō, didn't he?"
"The Konoha doesn't currently have that much cash..."
"No problem. Give us fifty million ryō first. The remaining compensation can be paid in installments, with interest. Let's say a four percent annual interest rate."
"…"
The peace talks, which had been at an impasse and on the verge of breaking down, took a sudden turn. Both sides re-engaged in haggling. Facing the Kirigakure's outrageous demands, the Konoha tried to bargain, and this time, the Kirigakure seemed genuinely less rigid than before. The Konoha tried to reduce some of the compensation amounts, and the Kirigakure actually made concessions on some clauses.
This sudden shift, the stark contrast between before and after, left the samurai of the Land of Iron, who were merely onlookers, immensely curious. They constantly speculated about what conditions Hiruzen Sarutobi could have possibly promised to pacify the Kirigakure. Could it be that the Third Hokage really agreed to send the bloodlines of the village's kekkei genkai clans to the Kirigakure?!
All sorts of guesses surfaced in everyone's minds, and even Minato Namikaze frowned deeply. Although he believed that the Third Hokage, as the leader, would never act to harm the village, and that everything he did must be for the village's future and development—otherwise, he and Hiruzen wouldn't have traveled thousands of miles from the Konoha to be here.
But everything that was happening before his eyes...
"Third Hokage, what exactly have you...?"
Minato Namikaze also used 'Empty Cicada Shell Technique,' compressing his voice with chakra and transmitting it to Hiruzen Sarutobi's ear.
"Minato," Sarutobi replied quietly. "As a leader and strategist, it is crucial to remain rational in the face of overwhelming pressure. We are not in a position to continue fighting Kirigakure head-on. If we persist, it will be mutual destruction."
"So you agreed to their demands and chose to hand over the Uchiha, Hyūga, and other village bloodlines?!" Minato Namikaze clenched his fists, his sky-blue eyes even tinged with bloodshot at this moment. Even the usually gentle "Yellow Flash" found his heart trembling upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words.
"No, I merely divulged intelligence."
Hiruzen Sarutobi whispered, "Once this meeting formally concludes, I will provide them with intelligence on the shinobi squad led by Fugaku."
"Leaking intelligence to an outside enemy... Third Hokage, this is an act of betrayal to the village!"
"As long as the contract is signed, the Kirigakure will no longer be an enemy. So this is not a betrayal of the village; it's merely another way to save the village!"
This obvious sophistry, however, made Minato understand Hiruzen Sarutobi's true intentions. If sacrificing the interests of a small number of shinobi clans could bring peace to the entire Konoha, it was undoubtedly a gain. After all, if they truly continued to fight the Kirigakure like this, the losses the Konoha would face could not be encompassed by just one or two bloodlines or kekkei genkai; it would be a true war of annihilation!
Still, this bloody trade-off was difficult for Minato to swallow.
"Third Hokage, your actions will allow the Kirigakure to grow into a monster..."
"But at least Konoha will still exist, won't it?"
"Sacrificing the pawn to save the king. Minato, Konoha is a great tree. As long as the roots remain intact, even if the branches are damaged by storm, it will flourish again."
"You must shift your mindset—from that of a ninja, to that of a Kage. Only then can you guide Konoha through the chaos of the shinobi world."
"The village is the foundation. Without it, there's nothing—no clans, no future."
Hiruzen's voice lingered in Minato's ears, echoing the burden of the title of Hokage.
He gazed at Hiruzen—this old man still negotiating with Yoru and the Mizukage, trying to save every coin for Konoha.
His heart trembled. His throat burned.
Lord Third...
The negotiations dragged on for several more days. Under the witness of the Land of Iron's general, Konoha and Kirigakure finally signed a full peace treaty, ending their state of war.
Though Kirigakure had suffered heavy losses—its strength dropped to historic lows—thanks to Yoru's overwhelming personal power, they secured highly favorable trade deals and reparations. Konoha even lifted all bounties on Mist ninja.
Secret clauses were also signed—concessions to satisfy Kirigakure's greed.
And even though Konoha had technically "won" on the battlefield, it was Konoha who signed unequal treaties and publicly acknowledged its faults, effectively declaring itself the loser.
But at least, the signing of this contract greatly alleviated the pressure on the Konoha's battlefield. They could finally wholeheartedly focus their attention on the Iwagakure front, to properly deal with Ōnoki.
As the meeting ended, Yoru turned to Hiruzen with a cheerful smile: "Hokage-sama, please execute the terms of the contract on the sixth day of this month. Don't get the timing wrong, alright?"
"You want the Hidden Leaf's defeat to be your first achievement as the Fourth Mizukage, don't you...?"
Hiruzen gave Yoru a deep look. Then, with Minato, he vanished in a teleportation jutsu.
He couldn't stand to stay there a moment longer.
"Let's go, Third Mizukage. Time to pack up and head back to the village." Yoru stretched, "Besides the Konoha's compensation contract, I've had some unexpected gains this time too."
That kunoichi in your room?"
"You know?"
"Did you forget our inn rooms are right next to each other? Everything's good in the Land of Iron, except the building construction quality isn't great. The soundproofing in these rooms is terrible..."
"What nonsense are you spouting? I was researching the Scorch Release kekkei genkai!"
"Sure, sure. Still, as your elder, I must advise moderation—you don't want problems when you're older…"
"You son of a—!"
A few days later, Kirigakure.
Preparations had been underway for days. From banners at the village gates, to lanterns lining the streets, to the newly constructed Mizukage Tower—it was clear how much the Mist Village looked forward to its new era.
The blood-soaked mist that had long blanketed Kirigakure was about to be lifted.
The village, long steeped in sorrow, was about to be reborn.
"…I hope my tragedy won't be repeated in you."
The aged Third Mizukage draped the blue-and-white ceremonial robe, embroidered with the title of the Fourth Mizukage, over Yoru's shoulders.
"There's no need to dwell on the past, Lord Third. We must believe in the next generation."
"I suppose that's true. But still…"
"And that's already enough." The Daimyō of the Land of Water handed Yoru the Mizukage's ceremonial hat. "The future of Kirigakure and the Land of Water is now in your hands, Fourth Mizukage."
"Understood."
Yoru accepted the hat and placed it on his head.
"I won't let you down. Under my leadership, this village will rise to unimaginable heights."
Then, he leapt lightly onto the ceremonial platform where Mizukage successors were traditionally inaugurated. Below him, countless Mist ninja and civilians had gathered.
"Fourth Mizukage! Fourth Mizukage!"
"I love you, Lord Yoru!"
"So damn cool!!"
…
Cheers erupted like a tidal wave.
Yoru raised his hand slightly, motioning for silence.
The people quieted, their burning eyes fixed on the young man destined to lead them into a new age.
"In the past, we've stood at the peak—and fallen into the depths. Our glory and hardship forged the Kirigakure we know today. They made us stronger."
"I won't pass judgment on Lord Third's reign, but when the illusion of the Sharingan faded from his mind, I saw his helplessness and sorrow—his regret for what the village had become."
"In that moment, I vowed that if I ever became Mizukage, I would never let such a thing happen again."
"Thanks to your trust and support, I've been given this once-in-a-lifetime chance."
"So tell me, Kirigakure—are you ready to embrace a new era?!"
"OOOOOHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
January 6, Year 49 of the Hidden Leaf Calendar.
Two explosive announcements shook the shinobi world.
The Third Mizukage of Kirigakure voluntarily stepped down due to old age, naming his successor as Yoru of the Yuki Clan—a hero who had risen to fame during the Third Shinobi World War.
At the same time, the newly appointed Fourth Mizukage issued a formal statement condemning Konoha for its brutal actions during the war—particularly its use of the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki to slaughter Mist ninja—calling it a disgrace to history and life itself.
That afternoon, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi publicly accepted Yoru's criticism. He apologized for the trauma caused by Konoha, issued a formal edict of contrition, and pledged compensation.
He also took the opportunity to criticize Ōnoki's arbitrary use of Jinchūriki, explicitly stating that the First Hokage's distribution of the Tailed Beasts was intended for them to be symbols of peace, not tools of war, and that such erroneous forms of warfare were unacceptable...
With both the Land of Fire and the Land of Water issuing coordinated statements, the ninja world was thrown into chaos.
No one expected the two warring nations—locked in deadly conflict just days ago—to reconcile so abruptly. Even more shocking, it was Konoha who had backed down.
Sunagakure and Kumogakure, whose assassination plots had failed and cost them several elite ninja, had no choice but to swallow their losses in silence.
However—
The mercenary organization responsible for protecting the Kage Summit, known only as Akatsuki, had now caught the attention of both villages.
And from that day forward, they would not be ignored…
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin