Before dawn, in Iwagakure's Tsuchikage Office, Ōnoki stood by the window, his grey eyebrows tightly furrowed.
His rough fingers unconsciously stroked the window frame as he murmured, "A seventy-meter-tall green Susanoo. That Fugaku kid, he also has the same eyes as Madara. Konoha, is it rising again?"
Outside the window, the first ray of morning light pierced through the clouds.
Ōnoki turned to look in the mirror and found that he seemed to have aged ten years overnight, with a few more strands of white hair on his forehead.
Recalling his captured son Kitsuchi, the five thousand elite Iwagakure ninjas in enemy hands, and the thirty billion Ryo in war reparations Konoha had demanded, his chest felt as if a giant rock was pressing down on it.
Suddenly, Ōnoki took a deep breath and shouted, "Gari! You will come with me to the front line for negotiations."
Gari respectfully saluted, "Yes, Tsuchikage-sama."
He was a member of Iwagakure's Explosion Corps, possessing the Explosion Release kekkei genkai, and his strength was not to be underestimated. This was perhaps why Onoki had chosen him to accompany him.
The two ascended to the Tsuchikage Building's rooftop. The morning wind was biting, and Ōnoki's robes flapped noisily.
He formed hand signs, and Chakra flowed within his body.
Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique!
A strange sensation of weightlessness came, and their bodies slowly floated into the air.
Ōnoki controlled the Chakra flow, carrying Gari towards the Land of Grass border. Iwagakure below gradually shrunk, and the morning light gilded the rock structures.
...
Konoha's front-line camp, central tent.
The urgent footsteps of a guard broke the morning's tranquility.
"Report, Commander Fugaku! Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki and his escort Gari have arrived and are asking to see you!"
Fugaku, inside the tent, opened his eyes and checked his pocket watch—5:58.
Fugaku calmly said, "First, invite them to wait in the main tent. Notify Yashiro, Unkai, and Tetsu to assemble. Also, bring that Shun kid along."
"Yes!"
When Fugaku entered the main tent, Konoha's high-ranking ninjas were already all present.
Ōnoki sat opposite him, his short stature exuding an undeniable aura of authority.
Yashiro, Shun, Unkai, and Tetsu, among others, watched their counterparts with vigilance, and the atmosphere in the tent was as heavy as iron.
Fugaku took his seat at the head of the table, his voice neither hurried nor slow. "Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, you've waited long."
Ōnoki snorted coldly, "Uchiha boy, cut the nonsense. A surrender document is fine, but forget about the thirty billion Ryo in war reparations. That doesn't conform to the rules of ninja warfare."
Fugaku gently raised his hand, and an attendant immediately served hot tea.
He slowly sipped it before speaking, "War only looks at results. Moreover, during the Third Great Ninja War, it was your side that first tore up the peace agreement. And it was you who allied with the other three Great Ninja Villages to besiege Konoha."
The temperature in the tent seemed to drop sharply.
Ōnoki's face turned ashen as he said, "With the four Great Ninja Villages attacking Konoha, you should look for the reasons within yourselves. Besides, in a war between nations, each side relies on its own abilities."
Fugaku put down his teacup, the crisp clink of the cup against the saucer interrupting the Tsuchikage's roar.
A faint smile played on his lips as he said, "Ōnoki, perhaps Konoha should ally with Kumogakure to attack the Land of Earth, to annihilate your village and nation. Then, starting next year, the Land of Earth will become a part of Ninja World history."
These words were like a kunai, accurately piercing Ōnoki's heart.
Ōnoki's pupils contracted violently. He knew too well Kumogakure's ambition and understood that Fugaku was not bluffing.
Gari stepped forward and said, "You Konoha shouldn't push things too far!"
Fugaku didn't even glance at him, his gaze remaining fixed on Ōnoki. "Thirty billion Ryo is indeed not a small sum, so we don't intend for Iwagakure to pay it."
Ōnoki's brows furrowed as he asked, "What do you mean?"
Fugaku gently tapped the table and said, "In the face of national and village annihilation, the nobles of the Land of Earth should be very willing to pay this money for you."
A deathly silence fell over the tent. Ōnoki's hands trembled slightly. He understood the deeper meaning in Fugaku's words.
Either persuade the Daimyo and nobles to pay, or Iwagakure would face utter destruction. This was blatant political blackmail, yet there was no way to refute it.
Shun couldn't help but let out a low chuckle, which was stopped by a glance from Yashiro. A look of appreciation flashed in Unkai's eyes.
Ōnoki's back, however, hunched a few degrees, as if bearing an invisible heavy pressure, and he said hoarsely, "Bring the pen, I agree."
An attendant respectfully presented the already prepared agreement and brush.
Ōnoki took the pen, his fingers white from the force.
Just then, Shun suddenly spoke. "I heard that Danzo's Root members once leaked information about our strongholds to your village? These traitors caused us to fail multiple missions. I hope it's specifically noted in the surrender agreement that Iwagakure is required to hand over all relevant evidence and personnel information."
Upon hearing this, several Konoha clan heads exchanged shocked glances, and even Fugaku raised an eyebrow slightly.
A sharp glint flashed in Ōnoki's eyes as he weighed the pros and cons. The war would end soon, it was fine to hand these things over. Let the Konoha people fight among themselves, causing more losses, that's not bad at all.
Thinking this, Ōnoki forced a smile and said, "We do possess some... interesting information."
Shun suppressed the wild joy in his heart, feigning seriousness. "Please include this evidence as an appendix to the surrender document. Konoha must purge its internal traitors."
Ōnoki stroked his beard, a calculating glint in his eyes. "Gladly, after all, Iwagakure detests traitors who don't follow the rules, even if they are traitors from other countries."
The negotiations continued, but the atmosphere was different.
When Ōnoki finally signed the agreement, the special appendix clearly listed seven records of secret contact between Root and Iwagakure, as well as detailed information on three key liaisons.
Gari immediately understood, summoned a large scroll, unsealed it, took out several scrolls, and placed them on the negotiation table.
As Ōnoki stood up, he cast a meaningful look at Shun and said, "I hope this information is useful to you. I will send the thirty billion Ryo by noon. I hope that once you receive the money, you will release the people immediately."
Fugaku's gaze lingered on the scrolls, finally nodding slightly. "Rest assured, once we receive the money, we will naturally release the people immediately."
After the tent flap fell, Yashiro immediately set up a sound-proofing barrier.
Tetsu couldn't help but question, "Shun, you are inciting internal strife."
Shun calmly unrolled a scroll and said, "Please look at the date of the third information exchange. It was the very day the Kazami clan's supply convoy encountered an ambush by Iwagakure elites."
Tetsu's face drastically changed. That ambush had caused him to lose his son.
Shun's voice was like ice. "Danzo, in order to weaken Konoha's clans, did not hesitate to collude with the enemy and betray the country. This is not internal strife, but the purging of parasites."
Fugaku finally stood up, his Mangekyo Sharingan glowing coldly in the shadows. "The war is not yet over. What happened today, let it end in this tent for now."
Everyone was solemn. They understood that when this evidence was sent back to Konoha, the decisive battle between Danzo and the Uchiha would be inevitable.