CHAPTER 343: KAZEKAGE NINJA-CHAPTER 132: THE MIST HIDDEN STORM (PART 2)

"...Right now, Konoha is in a perilous situation. The twenty-thousand-strong Wind-Cloud Alliance army is already at our gates. I hope that Kirigakure, for the sake of our villages’ long-standing friendship, can lend us aid."

Koharu Utatane bowed earnestly to Yagura Karatachi and Elder Genshi.

Yagura turned to look at Elder Genshi.

Elder Genshi blinked his cloudy old eyes, glancing at Koharu, then at Yagura.

"Ah... um... is it time for dinner yet?"

Koharu nearly choked on her breath. They’d just finished breakfast—what dinner?! So after all my talking, this old man didn’t understand a single word.

"Hehe, sorry, sorry. Elder Genshi is getting on in years—sometimes he gets confused. It’s nothing. Please continue," Yagura said apologetically.

Koharu steadied her emotions and continued.

"Once the Wind-Cloud Alliance crushes Konoha, Iwagakure will inevitably be left defenseless. If things develop this way, Sunagakure and Kumogakure will dominate the ninja continent. At that point, Kirigakure won’t be able to remain safe overseas. The principle of ’when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold’..."

"Don’t fight!"

Elder Genshi suddenly shouted for no apparent reason.

The interrupted Koharu felt like she’d swallowed a live fly. If you have Alzheimer’s, get treatment quickly! Why come to such a serious diplomatic meeting just to cause trouble?

"Alright, alright, no fighting, no fighting!"

Yagura comforted Elder Genshi like coaxing a child, then turned to Koharu.

"Sorry, sorry. Elder Genshi is just like this, but I actually think what he said makes sense."

Yagura straightened up and continued.

"War isn’t a good thing, after all. Once fighting starts, disasters multiply and lives are lost. I think Konoha and Sunagakure should sit down and talk—if both sides could turn swords into plowshares, that would be fortunate for all the world’s people."

Just then, Elder Genshi started shouting again.

"Me—diate! Mediate!"

Yagura comforted him again.

"Yes, yes, mediate, mediate."

"I think Elder Genshi

makes sense. How about I send envoys to both sides to help negotiate?"

Now Koharu finally understood—this old man and young man were performing a double act. Mediation?! Do you think this is two farmers fighting over water rights? That you can just find a middleman to sort it out?

The war has raged for over half a year—both sides have beaten each other’s brains out. How can you mediate now? With so many Konoha dead, how do you mediate that? If mediation were possible, wouldn’t Konoha have suggested it ourselves?

She also understood why they were doing this—to wear down her patience. Time wasn’t on Konoha’s side. The longer things dragged on, the worse for Konoha, and the easier they’d be to manipulate. Eventually, whatever outrageous price Kirigakure demanded, Konoha would be forced to accept without even room to bargain.

The subsequent negotiations continued this way. No matter how Koharu tried to explain the stakes, these two Kirigakure leaders—one playing senile, the other cracking jokes—wouldn’t give a single straight answer.

Koharu finally couldn’t hold back.

"Let me be completely clear—as long as Kirigakure sends troops to help, whatever conditions you have, feel free to state them."

Hearing this, Elder Genshi and Yagura exchanged glances and smiled knowingly.

"How many would be appropriate?"

At this moment, Elder Genshi showed no trace of confusion—his eyes gleamed with fox-like cunning.

"At least ten thousand ninja."

Koharu held up one finger.

"Whoa, that many? That’ll be expensive."

Yagura tilted his mouth sideways.

"No matter. War means deaths. There’s no free lunch in this world. Whatever conditions your village has, feel free to state them all."

Koharu said firmly. Before leaving, Lord Hokage had given her an authorization of two billion ryō. This was a quarter of Konoha’s accumulated reserves from many years—money saved up task by task from countless ninja since First Hokage Hashirama’s era, Konoha’s final emergency fund.

"I see..."

Yagura stroked his chin, thinking for a moment.

"Then ten billion?..."

"Deal!"

"Ah, I haven’t finished yet."

Yagura smiled and interrupted Koharu.

"Plus one tailed beast."

"What! A tailed beast!"

"Yes, a tailed beast."

Koharu thought for a moment.

"We can add more money!"

Elder Genshi spoke up.

"Money is negotiable. The tailed beast is the bottom line—absolutely non-negotiable!"

His words rang with conviction, showing no trace of senility.

Koharu frowned deeply.

"This matter is too significant. I need to send someone back to consult Lord Hokage’s opinion."

"No problem. The day the jinchūriki arrives in Kirigakure is the day we send our troops!"

Yagura declared, pounding his chest.

...

Back at the inn, Koharu immediately pulled Jiraiya and Fugaku Uchiha aside to discuss strategy.

"A tailed beast is the village’s most important strategic weapon. How can we easily give it to others? This is absolutely unacceptable! Kirigakure is taking advantage of our crisis!"

Jiraiya said angrily.

"Pfft!"

Fugaku Uchiha couldn’t help but laugh, drawing angry glares from Jiraiya and Koharu.

"Sorry, I couldn’t hold it in."

Fugaku apologized.

"What’s so funny?"

Jiraiya demanded.

"Nothing, please continue."

Koharu frowned.

"Fugaku, don’t hold back. If you have something to say, speak openly."

Fugaku didn’t hesitate.

"Just now Jiraiya-sama mentioned ’taking advantage of our crisis.’ I want to ask—how did our village acquire the Three-Tails?"

Jiraiya and Koharu were immediately stunned.

"That was when I, Jōnin Sakumo Hatake—oh, and Maki from Sunagakure and Hidan—helped Kirigakure suppress the Yeming Rebellion. Lord Hokage’s condition for Hatake-senpai was one tailed beast. Wouldn’t you call that taking advantage of their crisis?"

"You!"

Koharu looked somewhat angry.

"Elder Koharu

, no need to be upset. I’m just stating facts. You reap what you sow. Put yourself in Yagura’s shoes—I think this condition isn’t excessive at all. It’s just reclaiming what was lost. Since we’re here asking for help, we should act like we’re asking for help. Constantly putting on airs and playing the big shot won’t make them buy it."

After this speech, both Jiraiya and Koharu fell into deep thought.

"I’ll remind you both of one more thing—when we suppressed the Yeming Rebellion, Sunagakure participated too and fought desperately. In the end? They only took away the traitor Yamashita Tetsu and some money. Compared to that, they were much more reasonable. If you had to choose, who would you pick?"

Koharu closed her eyes.

"Bring me pen and ink."

~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~

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