"If unreasonable demands—punitive measures that override the will of every Mist ninja—are forced into this ceasefire, then I see no sincerity from Konoha at all.
Forgive my bluntness, but we will never compromise—we'd rather shatter like jade than survive as broken pottery.
Right now, there's no denying Konoha's strength—it far surpasses what the current Mist can match. However, considering the broader state of the ninja world, even if Konoha is powerful, there's absolutely no way for them to fully resolve the issue of Mist… Under multiple constraints, you won't be able to deploy large forces into the Land of Water."
The Fourth Mizukage clearly understood how the other three villages constrained Konoha. He believed this general trend was something he could rely upon.
"Fourth Mizukage," Haseo responded, "such emotional rhetoric doesn't suit you. I remind you to remain rational.
Some matters might feel hard to accept at first glance, but certain facts are undeniable—the current level of Mist's decline means it no longer qualifies to stand alongside the other four great villages.
You do still have some depth in your foundation, definitely not a minor village, so your feeling that stripping away your title is unfair isn't without merit. But... the current Mist isn't big nor small—it's merely a '4+1' compared to the four major villages.
How could anyone possibly hold status without strength?
As the aggressor who invaded the Land of Fire and triggered the Great Ninja War, the Mist must face punishment.
Konoha's situation indeed isn't good either, but the Mist is in an even worse state right now. If you truly wish to end negotiations and continue the war, I can only say… by all means, give it a shot.
Let me remind you one last time—you don't only have Konoha to worry about. Do you really believe naively that Iwagakure and Kumogakure are allies? When you're too weak, everyone'll be lining up to take a bite when they get the chance."
On this matter, Haseo's attitude was unusually firm.
Had Mist issued a threat to halt negotiations? He didn't buy it at all—he still held the Six-Tails' Jinchuriki in his grip.
Strategic deterrence remains effective only before it's exercised. Once used, its power diminishes. Therefore, not killing the Six-Tails Jinchuriki immediately and instead keeping him alive had proven to be wise indeed.
"Besides, I think our side has been generous enough already. We're not insisting on permanently stripping Mist of its status or the Mizukage of his title. This shows respect for the traditions, foundations, and honors of a major ninja village. All these restrictions are temporary—only ten years long. By then, once your power recovers, naturally you'll reclaim what was originally yours.
In fact, this ceasefire can even end earlier under certain conditions—for instance, if Konoha suffers a defeat worse than Mist in any upcoming wars, then you may instantly tear up this agreement. Without actual enforcement capability, any treaty is nothing more than a worthless scrap of paper."
Sitting beside Haseo during negotiations, the Hyuga brothers couldn't help but exchange uneasy glances. Lord Haseo sure doesn't talk like any normal human being. Is this actually how high-ranking officials negotiate in such serious talks?
Of course, the Fourth Mizukage wouldn't flip the table directly—he was simply haggling over terms.
Interestingly, when it came to actual economic and military sanctions, Mist accepted them rather quickly. The tone had already been set, so all that remained was haggling over the right numbers.
But when it came to "reputation," Mist showed an unusual level of resistance... because the status of the Five Great Ninja Villages and the title of Mizukage were more than just symbolic names.
Only the "Five Rogues" could "do as they pleased," while smaller villages remained under the shadow of the larger ones.
"The name of the Five Kages was collectively recognized by the Five Great Ninja Villages long ago. If Konoha now demands the disappearance of the Mizukage just because of a single defeat... I don't think this is something Konoha can decide unilaterally."
Indeed, the title of Five Kages was essentially an "international title"—an elite group formed by the most powerful ninjas. Those who held the title of Kage must possess both personal strength and the power of their village behind them.
If a leader from a sixth village wanted to receive the title of Kage, theoretically speaking, it wasn't impossible. However, he would need unanimous recognition from the existing Five Great Ninja Villages.
By the same logic, if the Five Kages wanted to remove one among them, shouldn't they also follow the principle of "unanimous approval"?
Did the Mizukage really want a "veto right"?
"Mizukage-sama can certainly try seeking support from the other three villages. Naturally, there's a possibility they might support you. But ultimately, one thing remains clear—a village's overall capability is the foundation of all status.
Besides, we aren't asking for the Mizukage to vanish entirely, only that you go into temporary hiding. This punishment is reasonable."
During the Second Great Ninja War, Mist had been severely hit once; now at the beginning of the Third Great Ninja War, it had suffered another blow. The village first lost many personnel, and just after a slight recovery came yet another loss. As a result, Mist had practically fallen to second-rate status.
In years to come, Mist might gradually regain its strength, but there was one question: without the status of one of the Five Great Villages and the title of Mizukage, would the other four great villages welcome and recognize Mist upon its return?
This question could be answered by looking at what happened to the Senju clan within Konoha.
"For the history of a ninja village, ten years might not seem like a long time, but it's definitely not short either… We can take a step back—we can temporarily lose either the title of 'Mist' or 'Mizukage', keeping just one of them. That way, I can quell all dissent among our Mist ninja."
Hearing such a compromise, Haseo simply smiled before replying,
"A middle ground, huh? Sounds nice...
I refuse.
Mizukage-sama, do you think we proposed such a demand just to haggle with you?"
Who were they kidding? Mist *is* the Mizukage, and the Mizukage *is* Mist—keeping either one meant maintaining the village's political status. The political image of Mist and the Mizukage were two sides of the same coin—they were unified entities.
Haseo held the upper hand in his negotiations with the Mizukage. Even though the talks were difficult, eventually one side had to give—and the weaker party would always be the one forced to yield.
The death of the Third Mizukage and the rise of the Fourth marked a turning point, as Mist poured every ounce of ambition, hope, and determination into this war. Thus, with their defeat, all of it shattered into pieces.
Deep down, the Fourth Mizukage had never failed to imagine the worst possible outcome—after all, war always carries the risk of failure. Yet he hadn't expected defeat to come so swiftly, nor for Mist to suffer such severe consequences… Everything turned out far worse than even his darkest expectations.
Mist's biggest mistake going into the war? Underestimating Haseo's strength. A ninja capable of single-handedly changing the tide of battle hadn't appeared in over thirty years.
If Haseo at full power thirty years ago had faced today's situation, he wouldn't have been able to accomplish what he just did now; but comparisons are inevitable… During Hashirama's time, someone who could stand as Hashirama's equal would surely possess unimaginable might.
When the war began, Mist quickly crushed Konoha's frontline and defeated Danzo Shimura. At that moment, the Fourth Mizukage briefly thought they were on the verge of achieving victory. But shortly after, Mist collapsed… The shift from triumph to ruin was too sudden—so much so that Yagura felt like everything had been a fleeting illusion.
But that's what makes reality real—it can be so damn brutal that you just want to run away from it.
While Haseo was negotiating with the Mizukage, some Mist and Konoha ninja were granted limited freedom to carry out post-battle duties. Mist shinobi entered Hidden Mist to clear debris and ruins, while Konoha started collecting the bodies of their fallen comrades.
Of the seven hundred Konoha ninja who followed Haseo into the Land of Water, only five hundred remained after the battle ended… Considering the enemy-to-ally ratio, such losses weren't considered excessive.
Due to initial defeats that wiped out half of Konoha's Eastern Front, Haseo had no choice but to lead the remaining forces into the Land of Water. Later, due to further casualties suffered by Konoha's main force in the Land of Water, Haseo became determined to punish Mist—put simply, this wasn't just one man's war; the fruits of victory belonged equally to everyone involved.
After collecting the bodies of the fallen, tensions began to ease slightly. Then, Haseo led his Konoha forces away from Mist territory… To maintain surface-level fairness, the Mizukage personally led an equal number of Mist ninja and followed Konoha's group.
Next, the negotiations moved to the Daimyo's Castle in the Land of Water.
Compared to holding talks within Mist, conducting them in the Daimyo's castle carried deeper political significance.
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