Both sides had reached a preliminary consensus on the new armistice agreement.
After discussing with the other Sand Hidden ninjas, Bunpuku also felt that it was temporarily acceptable, but he still needed to discuss it with the Kazekage upon his return to see if the Kazekage would agree.
Although the Kazekage siblings were to step down in the agreement, they were still the leaders of the Sand Hidden Village.
Unless Ebizo was replaced, the armistice agreement would still have to be signed by Ebizo.
Although the Sand Hidden ninjas were currently very dissatisfied with the high-ranking officials, the conflict had not yet escalated to the point of overthrowing Ebizo by force.
Moreover, Ebizo had hinted that he would definitely abdicate after the armistice, so the Sand Hidden ninjas could still accept Ebizo temporarily sitting in the position of Kazekage.
Of course, the premise was that Ebizo could secure an agreement that satisfied everyone for the Sand Hidden Village.
After the negotiations concluded, Bunpuku and the others intended to return immediately.
An earlier armistice would mean an earlier cessation of losses for both sides.
Karura, due to special reasons, was able to meet with Bunpuku, and now seeing Bunpuku about to return, she felt a sense of reluctance.
"Don't worry, child, you'll be back to your homeland soon," Bunpuku comforted Karura.
Once the armistice agreement was signed, the Sand Hidden ninja prisoners would be redeemed one after another, and Karura would definitely be among the first batch to be redeemed.
Bunpuku also had a bit of personal self-interest.
"Please, master," Karura said to Bunpuku.
Thus, Bunpuku and the others quickly returned in the direction of the Sand Hidden camp.
Although their speed was already considered fast, to Ebizo, he was still burning with anxiety.
Ebizo, in the Sand Hidden camp, was enduring the wait almost every moment.
He didn't know what kind of agreement the envoy would bring, or if it would be satisfactory.
He looked a whole lot thinner, and his physical condition seemed to have worsened.
Chiyo's medical ninjutsu, no matter how brilliant, struggled to treat heart ailments, which belonged to the realm of psychological medical ninjas only found in the Hidden Leaf Village.
Other ninja villages did not yet have medical ninjas proficient in this discipline.
Therefore, Chiyo became increasingly anxious as she watched Ebizo's health deteriorate.
Finally, Bunpuku and the others returned.
As soon as Ebizo heard the news, he summoned the envoys.
Upon meeting Bunpuku, he immediately asked, "What's the outcome?"
Bunpuku bowed slightly, while the deputy envoy quickly recounted the newly agreed-upon terms.
As Ebizo listened, his brows furrowed and relaxed intermittently.
To be fair, the Hidden Leaf Village's terms had indeed become more lenient.
Arms restrictions were loosened, there was even room for other maneuvers, and the accountability for high-ranking officials was not as strict.
Even reparations could be paid in installments or substituted with other items.
It had to be said that compared to before, it was practically a bargain.
However, the definition of the relationship between the two sides left Ebizo somewhat astonished.
He exclaimed in surprise, "A Shinobi Alliance? Masahiko Kazemori actually wants to create such a thing? That's too fanciful, isn't it?
It seems good on the surface, but who will be the leader? Who will dominate this alliance?
Neither the Land of Earth nor the Land of Lightning would possibly agree, right?"
"Kazekage-sama, you also said that the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning would not possibly agree, but what reason do we have not to agree?" Bunpuku said.
"Leaving aside whether other great nations will join, at least the smaller nations will definitely agree.
And neither the Land of Earth nor the Land of Fire, which has formed an alliance, are ones we can defeat alone.
The chances of victory are not very high, so why not support this alliance?"
Ebizo fell silent for a moment.
He had to admit that Bunpuku's words were very reasonable.
He also had to admit that if the future pattern was like this, then the Land of Wind indeed had no chance of becoming the hegemon of the ninja world.
Neither the Land of Earth nor the Land of Fire would allow the Land of Wind to expand, and the Land of Wind itself, unlike the Land of Fire, was resource-poor, making it impossible to become strong through self-development.
Now the Land of Fire's strength was already so formidable, capable of stabilizing the situation while fighting on three fronts.
In the future, the strength gap between the Hidden Leaf and Sand Hidden Villages would surely widen.
Looking at it this way, being hostile to the Land of Fire seemed meaningless.
If it couldn't become a regional hegemon, then being a major power in the west seemed perfectly fine.
Even if this Shinobi Alliance only included Fire, Wind, and other small nations, it would still be very beneficial to the Land of Wind.
To maintain such a situation, the Land of Fire could not overly harm the Land of Wind, and the integration after the alliance would actually bring more benefits to the impoverished Land of Wind, and it would be legitimate, without the need to resort to aggressive means.
"Perhaps this is the only way," Ebizo sighed softly, saying, "The Hidden Leaf Village will certainly not back down anymore.
It has already reached this point; any further concession would contradict their just war.
These are the best possible terms we could get.
Our territory itself hasn't been lost.
Although those small nations will all lean towards the Hidden Leaf Village, within the framework of the Shinobi Alliance, there's nothing unacceptable."
"Is this really okay, Ebizo?" Chiyo asked.
"Sister, this is already the best outcome, it's just a pity that I have to drag you down with me," Ebizo forced a smile at Chiyo.
"I'm a useless person, let alone making amends, even if you took my life, it would be nothing.
But you, sister, still possess immense wealth for the Sand Hidden Village, yet you have to bear responsibility with me."
"What are you saying?
All decisions were made by you and me together, and the responsibility should also be borne by me," Chiyo replied after a moment of silence.
"If you think this is the best outcome, then I will gladly accept it.
It's good for the Land of Wind and the Sand Hidden Village in the short term, and as for the future, no one can say for sure.
When the Sand Hidden Village's strength slowly recovers, there might be other turning points."
"Yes, this is the last compensation we, as leaders, can give to the village," Ebizo turned to Bunpuku and said, "Bunpuku, you've truly suffered in the past, but I hope, for the sake of the Land of Wind and the other unaware people of the Sand Hidden Village, you will help the Sand Hidden Village through this period.
The Hidden Leaf Village will certainly want you to serve as a high-ranking official within the village, and I can accept this now.
I just hope you don't forget your identity."
"I will do my utmost to help the Sand Hidden Village, you need not doubt this, Kazekage-sama," Bunpuku bowed slightly.
"That's good," Ebizo nodded slightly, saying, "Whether the Sand Hidden Village can live well within the so-called Shinobi Alliance will depend on the efforts of the future high-ranking officials."
Afterward, the Sand Hidden Village and the Hidden Leaf Village officially signed the armistice agreement, and the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind officially ceased hostilities, with the Land of Wind being the first to withdraw from the Shinobi World War.