Before long, the group arrived at the Light Shadow Tower.
By rights, the attendants on both sides should have waited in the reception hall, since what followed would be a private meeting. Yet Uzumaki Shinji kept a girl by his side. She was admittedly cute, with big bright eyes and a high ponytail of red hair that made her look even more lively, and she kept sneaking glances and winking at him.
Given how confidential the talks would be, the arrangement was a little improper.
But seeing Shinji unmoved, Uchiha Makoto let it slide. A guest is a guest.
After some brief courtesies, the mood was good enough that Shinji came straight to the point. He was representing the Uzumaki of the Whirlpool Ninja Village to make an alliance with Akatsuki Village.
Hearing that, Makoto felt a twinge of disappointment. He had hoped the Uzumaki would join Akatsuki outright, though he knew that was wishful thinking.
Even so,
the Uzumaki were still a prime potential ally for Akatsuki.
Konoha was the sort of ally that stayed as immovable as a mountain when friends were in trouble, while the Uzumaki were ones who actually showed up. They had helped Konoha through the First and Second Wars until they brought ruin upon themselves. An ally like that gave Makoto peace of mind.
He did not accept immediately. What is won too easily is seldom cherished.
Besides,
even if the Uzumaki clan head had come in person, it was still just words. To expect an alliance with Akatsuki for nothing was to look down on the village.
In the Land of Fire, Akatsuki stood shoulder to shoulder with Konoha. Unlike Konoha, though, Akatsuki had no Senju and Uzumaki ties and no personal bonds to lean on.
So,
if the Uzumaki wanted an alliance, they had to put real interests on the table. Akatsuki would reciprocate with real benefits, funding the Whirlpool Ninja Village. That was one of Shinji's aims in coming.
And Uzu truly needed financial aid. A small and sparsely populated Land of Whirlpools could barely support its village, especially at a time when the Warring States had just ended. Every country and clan was in rough shape and needed to recuperate.
"Lord Light Shadow, I will not pretend otherwise. Uzu is struggling. If you could lend a hand…"
Shinji wanted funding from Akatsuki to develop his village.
As for why not ask Konoha, the reason was simple. He wanted to hold his head high. They had rejected Konoha's invitations several times not long ago. Turning around to ask Konoha for money would be shameful.
Konoha would also see pushback internally. All the clans played every trick for funding and were rejected, yet a clan that had not even joined Konoha could just ask and receive aid. It was absurd.
If the Uzumaki truly tried, they could probably still get a grant, but it would be humiliating and would incur a debt of personal favor to the Senju and to Konoha.
And everyone knows
a debt of favor is the hardest to repay.
Paying it back carelessly could cost you your life.
Asking Akatsuki for money was different. It was business between allies, an exchange of interests, not a personal favor.
"I understand Uzu's difficulties. Akatsuki's finances are indeed healthier than yours, but even so, our funds do not blow in on the wind."
"I understand, Lord Light Shadow. What would you want from Uzu in return?"
"I want the Uzumaki clan's sealing arts legacy."
Makoto stated his demand outright. The Uzumaki's treasures were their people and their peerless sealing arts.
"Absolutely not."
"Sealing arts are the Uzumaki's most precious heritage."
"We will never hand them over."
The voice was not Shinji's but the girl's, Uzumaki Tsubaki Shizuku. She clearly understood what sealing meant to their clan.
"Tsubaki Shizuku."
Shinji gave an awkward smile. Cutting in while two leaders spoke was rude, but he did not refute her. He even suspected Makoto had no intention of negotiating sincerely.
"Lord Light Shadow, though her outburst was discourteous, you know I truly cannot accept that condition."
Makoto took no offense at her overstepping. He knew how excessive his opening bid was. No one starts a negotiation by revealing their bottom line.
It was basic bargaining.
"My apologies, I was inconsiderate."
"Then another condition. When Akatsuki needs sealing support, I want the Uzumaki to dispatch people at any time, and preferably station several sealing experts in Akatsuki long term."
Makoto immediately shifted to a more reasonable request, one he believed Shinji could accept.
Akatsuki badly needed Uzumaki sealing expertise. The clans that had joined only knew a little, so there were still few proper sealing barriers around the village.
There was also another important matter.
It concerned the Hyuga clan.
Makoto had long since sent envoys in secret to contact Hyuga branch family members and invite them to leave the clan and join Akatsuki, but every attempt failed.
The Hyuga main house appeared to control a way to trigger the Caged Bird self-destruction seal at long range, precisely to prevent branch members from defecting. Obsessed with bloodline control, the main house carried out regular population checks. Anyone who left for long without reporting would be executed. Without such measures, the branch family would likely have fled in droves.
That left Makoto no openings.
The Caged Bird was difficult to break, but designing a remote method to temporarily suppress its self-destruction might be possible. He only needed enough time for those people to sow their seeds.
"That would be fine."
"But I want one more condition on top of it."
"A marriage alliance."
Shinji laid it out.
A small, weak Uzu needed strong allies.
Do not put all your eggs in one basket.
The Uzumaki had Konoha, and they also needed Akatsuki. The young Uchiha talent Uchiha Makoto standing before him was an excellent match.
And besides,
if the Senju and Uchiha could be entangled,
why couldn't the Uzumaki do the same?
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