"Tobirama Senju, you born-evil Senju old fox—were you dying for Iwagakure to jump in? Konoha dragged its feet forever, then crawled along the road. Don't think I can't see through you."
"You must really want Akatsuki to stop unconditionally and slink home empty-handed, huh?"
Makoto Uchiha ground out the words low enough for only the two of them to hear.
"Nonsense. I'm acting for Konoha's peace, that's all."
The smile on Tobirama's face grew brighter, the corners of his mouth lifting; he even hummed under his breath. He still remembered the humiliation in the capital of the Land of Fire—he, the shadow Hokage, the "Nine-Thousand-Year" of Konoha, the man who had single-handedly slain Izuna Uchiha, forced to bow and scrape to this born-evil Uchiha brat. What was he, the daimyo?
Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west.
That day's disgrace—Tobirama had finally washed it clean.
The more miserable Makoto looked, the happier Tobirama felt. He held grudges.
"What's wrong, Lord Light Shadow? Do you really mean to be the sinner who destroys shinobi peace?"
"My brother won't let you run wild."
"And you don't want Akatsuki facing both Stone and Cloud alone, do you?"
He ignored Makoto's jabs, piling on high-sounding rhetoric, even pulling out his brother Hashirama for pressure, hoping to force Makoto to accept the unconditional end to the war.
"Nice move… you win."
Makoto said it with a blank face.
The look refreshed Tobirama like ice water in midsummer.
Three days later…
"For the peace of the shinobi world…"
"Akatsuki Village agrees to accept Konoha and Iwagakure's mediation and grants the Hidden Cloud's request for an unconditional ceasefire."
Makoto convened Akatsuki's leadership and the Uzumaki elders and, in front of Konoha's high-ups and Tobirama Senju, announced his decision—Akatsuki would accept an unconditional ceasefire for the sake of peace.
"No!"
"Lord Light Shadow, after fighting this long, how can we pull back now?"
"So what if Konoha won't fight!"
"We can keep going!"
Every face among Akatsuki's senior ranks showed disbelief. The only explanation had to be pressure from Konoha.
Konoha's elites felt the hostile stares and couldn't meet Akatsuki's eyes. Akatsuki and the Uzumaki had bled for four months, carving out a huge advantage. Konoha had fiddled forever to mobilize, finally arrived—only for the brass to try to skim the spoils. The rank and file had come to aid an ally and earn merit, but this result… it was shameful.
If they could choose, Konoha's top men would also have preferred to prove themselves on the field. Recent opinion across the shinobi world had not been kind to them.
"Good!"
"Lord Light Shadow proves himself a defender of peace, making the right choice at a turning point in history."
Tobirama seized the moment, stepping up to praise Makoto, crowning him with laurels. Pretty words cost nothing. Makoto was surely bleeding inside—delicious.
Three days—Makoto had finally bowed to reality.
He didn't want Akatsuki's officers to shake Makoto's resolve, so the decision had to be nailed down quickly.
"Then it's settled."
"Announce it to the whole shinobi world."
"Tobirama, Konoha can amplify the message, yes?"
Makoto brought the gavel down. He gave no room for more objections, moving to broadcast the news.
Tobirama smiled. He saw the intent: with the Stone's intervention Akatsuki had lost the strategic initiative, and under his pressure they could only accept the ceasefire; now Makoto wanted to salvage a reputation advantage. You can't lose everything for nothing.
"Of course."
He agreed readily to mobilize Konoha's media and declare that Akatsuki had unconditionally ended the war for peace.
Not out of kindness.
He feared second thoughts. If Makoto flipped now, Akatsuki's elders would back him in an instant—and likely the Uzumaki too; they never listened. But once the news spread worldwide, there'd be no easy way to go back; the price would be immense, and even Konoha could scold Akatsuki in the court of opinion.
Let him keep the face if he loses the substance.
So it was…
News that Akatsuki would unconditionally end the war swept the shinobi world. Praise poured in for Makoto and Akatsuki's "great contribution to peace." Even far away in Konoha, Hashirama felt Makoto was an Uchiha who understood him.
"Tobirama, you misjudged Makoto!"
Within Akatsuki and the Uzumaki, though, resentment boiled. They had bled for months, wrested a huge edge, watched their Light Shadow cut down the First Raikage—only to stop shy of finishing. It felt like humiliation.
Their anger didn't turn on their supreme Light Shadow. They knew his character. He'd gambled his life in a duel with the First Raikage; he wasn't the type to wave a white flag mid-battle.
It was Konoha.
Word that Konoha's elders wanted an unconditional ceasefire had already leaked, and even Konoha's shinobi got caught in the blowback.
Over those three days…
Konoha's troops loved dropping by Akatsuki's mess at mealtimes. Akatsuki's food was truly excellent—choice ingredients, expert hands, dessert and ice cream to finish. Konoha's rations didn't compare.
Akatsuki's quartermasters welcomed them, "We're allies. We'll be fighting Cloud and Stone together. What's a few meals? Eat your fill."
Tobirama wanted to stop it, but Akatsuki's meals were indeed delicious. He couldn't always swim against the current, so he let it pass.
Akatsuki used the chance to cozy up, swapping stories after eating, cursing the Cloud and the Stone together.
The mood was warm.
Then Makoto's acceptance of an unconditional ceasefire shattered it.
"Back-stabbers!"
"Cowards!"
"Konoha isn't fit to be our ally. No guts…"
"Shameless!"
Insults drifted through the joint camp. Konoha's shinobi couldn't lift their heads—and had no rebuttal. The facts spoke.
Makoto ignored the noise; he had more important arrangements. Akatsuki's and Uzumaki's leadership let the venting run; they felt the same.
Konoha's high-ups were cursed too—unfairly. Many of them had also wanted to fight. But they'd chosen silence; they could only take it.
As for Tobirama… he wouldn't mind a rift between Akatsuki and Konoha, but not in such an unseemly fashion. And he was wary of angering Makoto at such a moment—if the Uchiha clan "went mad"… So he, too, let it slide.
…
Two more days passed.
The Cloud and Akatsuki sat to sign the unconditional peace.
Akatsuki, the Uzumaki, Konoha, the Hidden Cloud, and the Hidden Stone—all five parties were present.
Anyone could imagine the chaos.
The Cloud's eyes were red. They'd lost comrades—and their First Raikage. Their wounds ran deep. They wanted to tear Akatsuki apart, but circumstance forced restraint.
Akatsuki and the Uzumaki also simmered. Their losses were heavy; their advantage, hard-won; yet they were denied the finish. Seeing the defeated baring their teeth made them itch to brawl.
The First Raikage had only just died.
A Second had not yet been fully chosen; a deputy Raikage stood in for now. Makoto recognized him—the man who would appear at the first Five Kage Summit. Unless something changed, he would be the next Raikage.
The two met.
They were the day's leading actors.
The deputy's fists clenched, chakra gathering in his hands, but the First Tsuchikage pressed a calming hand to his shoulder, and he let it go.
Securing an unconditional ceasefire was victory enough.
Even he hadn't expected Akatsuki to accept those terms.
Unbelievable.
"Tsuchikage—nice timing, inserting yourself now."
Makoto ignored the deputy Raikage's death glare—a beaten dog—and looked to the First Tsuchikage, eyes narrowing. The killing intent wasn't fierce, but it was pure.
The Tsuchikage felt it. He knew he'd earned Akatsuki's hatred.
But to maintain the balance of power and secure Iwagakure's future, he had to do it.
"All for peace…"
"Lord Light Shadow truly knows the bigger picture—for peace…"
"Yes, yes."
The Tsuchikage played it off. Tobirama chimed in beside him, expression blank, heart gloating.
Makoto didn't bother with either of them.
He walked straight into the open-air venue.
After a few rounds of maneuvering, the ceasefire conference formally began.
Tobirama took the podium first to open.
"Why must shinobi slaughter one another…"
"If we can resolve disputes by negotiation and consultation…"
"Perhaps one day…"
As he spoke pretty words, he watched Makoto's stony face and felt even better. This feeling—Makoto unable to touch him—was addictive.
"Next, the Light Shadow of Akatsuki Village."
By the program—
It was Makoto's turn.
"Everyone, Akatsuki stands firmly on the side of peace and is a key force in preserving it."
"So, for peace… I accept an unconditional ceasefire."
…
From below, Tobirama studied Makoto's expression. He knew the pretty line hid rage about to explode.
He smiled again.
Suddenly—
Chaos.
"Die!"
"Damn you, Light Shadow—this is for the Raikage!"
A sharp shout split the air. From three hundred meters away a kunai whistled in. Makoto tilted his head and the blade pinned his earlobe dead-on.
"Guards! Protect Lord Light Shadow!"
"Protect him!"
The venue dissolved into confusion. Several of the Light Shadow's bodyguards moved to shield him, but Makoto brushed them aside without fear.
"Fight, fight!"
He raised his arm and roared.
In an instant—
Akatsuki, the Uzumaki, and Konoha surged as one, weapons out, eyes on the Cloud.
The deputy Raikage was struck dumb.
The First Tsuchikage stared at him, incredulous.
And Tobirama stopped smiling.
Because the smile had moved to Makoto Uchiha's face.
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