After a round of emergency treatment, the wounded Konoha Ninja Forces quickly regained basic mobility. Stimulated by military rations and other secret medicinal potions, they restored their combat effectiveness—though such stimulation inevitably came with varying degrees of side effects. For ninjas, survival was always the top priority.
Following the Rain ninjas' withdrawal, Iwagakure began reorganizing under Onoki's command, forming its defensive "Turtle Formation." Across from them, Konoha had just assumed the Crane Wing Formation and stood ready to engage.
It was only then that Hyuga Soushu and Hatake Sakumo—preoccupied with political negotiations—finally noticed something unusual within the allied forces: the Rain ninjas, alongside Hanzo Sanshouo, had completely vanished!
After questioning the Hyuga Branch House ninja stationed on the frontlines for reconnaissance, the two learned about the sudden developments.
However, everything seemed far too coincidental, as though a hidden scheme was already in motion. No one could be sure whether the Rain ninjas were planning to shift direction and find another route into the Land of Fire.
Thus, after a brief discussion among Soushu, Sakumo, and Orochimaru, they decided immediately to dispatch a scouting unit from the ninja force to prevent any surprise infiltration by the Rain forces.
From across the battlefield, however, this move by Konoha stirred unrest within Iwa's Ninja Force. Even Kitsuchi suspected it might be an attempt by Konoha to pull out elite units for flanking maneuvers, blocking Iwagakure's retreat path.
Thankfully, since the legendary Third Tsuchikage Onoki himself was present within Iwa's Ninja Force, the commotion quieted quickly under control from commanding Jonin.
In truth, Iwa couldn't afford to overlook such concerns. Opposite them stood renowned Konoha commanders—not merely Sakumo, the famous White Fang—but also Soushu, who once defeated four thousand Kumo ninjas with only half that number. Facing such formidable tacticians, Iwagakure dared not relax even slightly.
Immediately thereafter, Kitsuchi ordered a hundred-man unit to withdraw toward the rear, aiming to seize critical crossroads along their escape route.
Yet for Konoha, Iwa's response further confirmed suspicions about an impending second front.
Under leadership from Soushu and Sakumo, both wings of the Crane Wing Formation slowly advanced against Iwa's Turtle Formation.
Iwa responded in kind, shifting formations under Kitsuchi's orders to counter Konoha's pressure.
"Enough nonsense!"
As Kitsuchi prepared to launch a barrage of ninjutsu for intimidation purposes, Onoki suddenly intervened, halting his actions.
"Huh?"
Kitsuchi felt bewildered—for what must have been the umpteenth time since beginning this campaign together with his father, Onoki.
Since joining his father on the battlefield, Kitsuchi had long since stopped keeping track of how many times his father publicly overruled him. For someone determined to become the next Tsuchikage, every rejection struck hard against personal dignity and authority.
It felt like no matter what he did, it was never quite good enough. This constant frustration weighed heavily upon him.
Yet Onoki had no patience for comforting his disappointing eldest son. Instead, he summoned an Iwa Jonin directly and instructed sternly, "You!"
"Send someone to call them over for negotiations!"
"Me?"
The Iwa jonin felt the responsibility falling from the sky, astonishment flooding his expression.
It felt exactly like you were ordered to send a catfish spirit to eliminate Tang Sanzang and his disciples—completely absurd and impossible to comment on properly.
This jonin immediately felt darkness before his eyes, as though the sky itself was collapsing.
"You go tell them, I myself want to chat with White Fang and that Byakugan kid!"
Onoki soon realized problems with his wording, quickly correcting himself: "But only on condition they stop advancing their ninja force and disband the Crane Wing Formation!"
"This one understands."
With this explanation, the Iwa jonin finally grasped his mission.
Though still nervous inside, he finally gathered his nerve and left the main camp heading toward enemy territory.
Hyuga Soushu, commanding the left-wing ninja force, seeing someone raising both hands high while Body Flickering out from Iwa's Turtle Formation, immediately issued orders halting the ninja force's advance.
On the right wing, Sakumo Hatake also waved his hand, his subordinates instantly stopping in their tracks.
Within Iwa's military formation, Onoki's eyelids twitched violently. He couldn't hide his amazement at Konoha ninja's high level of discipline and absolute obedience to commands.
Especially in battlefield formations, such immediate execution of orders was exactly what every ninja commander dreamed of possessing.
However, even Iwagakure itself, famous across the Ninja World for its discipline, had few units reaching this level of professionalism—which was precisely why Onoki felt so shocked.
According to existing intelligence estimates, Sakumo Hatake's ninja force should have been merely remnants from the former Rain Country military camp; the ninja Hyuga Soushu could mobilize were mostly wartime conscripts of uneven quality. Yet their demonstrated discipline, whether during previous rapid reinforcements or now in formation, surpassed standard Iwa units.
It was like planning to exploit your opponent's weaknesses, only discovering their supposed weaknesses matched your own strengths—an extremely frustrating feeling indeed.
At the same time, Onoki felt intense anger rising toward those spies sent by his village who'd infiltrated Leaf Village and claimed to have stolen "core intelligence." It was precisely due to these grossly inaccurate reports that he, normally such a careful leader, recklessly rushed all the way from Bird Country's battlefield to Land of Rain, triggering this "border conflict" with Konoha. If possible, Onoki sincerely hoped this large-scale clash could be characterized merely as a small border skirmish.
"Honorable Lord Soushu, greetings! I'm Shijiro, an Iwa jonin specially sent to convey our highest respect!"
When this Iwa ninja was brought before Hyuga Soushu by Leaf shinobi, his demeanor showed great contrast against his rough, stern appearance through extreme courtesy.
"Heralds are not harmed during war. Speak directly about your purpose."
Hyuga Soushu coldly responded.
"Our Tsuchikage extends a sincere invitation for you and Mr. Sakumo to attend a meeting, aiming to resolve current misunderstandings between our forces."
Shijiro politely stated his purpose.
"Misunderstandings?"
"
Soushu Hyuga hadn't even spoken yet, but Jiraiya couldn't help bursting out: "Thousands of ninja crossed the border—led personally by that short old man Onoki. You dare call this a mere misunderstanding?"
"Thousands have died over this, and we've raced across hundreds of miles to offer support—yet all we get is a lazy excuse like 'misunderstanding'?"
"Maybe that short old man's gone completely senile!"
Faced with this storm of accusations and insults, Shijiro showed immense patience.
After all, when you're under someone else's roof, you have no choice but to bow your head.
Plus, even he himself felt his leader's sudden policy shift was too abrupt—making him, an Iwa Jonin who had fought through the entire battle, feel extremely uncomfortable.
So after enduring Jiraiya's verbal beating with his head lowered, Shijiro finally looked up toward Soushu Hyuga for guidance.
Soushu Hyuga didn't take the opportunity to humiliate the messenger, nor did he scold Jiraiya for playing to the audience. Only once the yelling had quieted down did he wave for a messenger ninja, ordering him to summon Sakumo Hatake.
Sakumo Hatake had already noticed unusual movements among the left-wing forces, so as soon as the messenger explained his purpose, he immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to appear before Soushu Hyuga.
"We can meet halfway between both armies, but no entourage may be brought."
After briefly speaking with Soushu Hyuga, Sakumo Hatake agreed to the request without hesitation.
"I understand completely!"
Shijiro firmly nodded without hesitation, then dashed away in a flash using the Body Flicker Technique back toward Iwa's formation.
"Why should we go meet that short old bastard?"
True to form, Jiraiya was the first and loudest to voice his personal opinion.
Soushu Hyuga merely glanced at him, then turned away, refusing to acknowledge him further.
Instead, Sakumo Hatake patiently explained: "Neither side seems determined to fight for total victory, so discussing peace isn't unreasonable."
"But they're from Iwagakure! Enemies who just slaughtered over a thousand of our Konoha comrades!"
Ignoring all decorum, Jiraiya continued shouting loudly.
The Konoha ninja who heard his words wore clear expressions of displeasure, harboring resentment toward Sakumo Hatake's and Soushu Hyuga's seemingly hasty decision.
After all, given the emergency situation, over half of those 3,000 hastily mobilized reinforcements came directly from the Hokage's elite core forces. They had indeed paid a heavy price marching all this way into battle. Now, with the ashes of war still hot and wounds raw, to reach "peace" so quickly with former life-and-death enemies was undeniably difficult to accept emotionally or logically.
Understanding these feelings, Sakumo Hatake calmly continued: "What more can we afford to lose in another fight? Can we really defeat the Iwa Ninja Force led personally by Onoki? If not, what's the point of dragging this on?"
"But you can't…"
Jiraiya was momentarily speechless.
"Whether to fight or make peace lies entirely in Lord Hokage's hands."
Sakumo Hatake let out a soft sigh. "Besides, as ninja, we all know there are things we must do, and things we must not do."
The words seemed vaguely pointed. Jiraiya, still completely in the dark, remained clueless, while Orochimaru lowered his head slightly, hiding the subtle shift in his expression beneath his hair.
How much does he really know? Why did Taka and Onoki decide so recklessly to start this war?
Orochimaru had never been able to make sense of it.
He wanted answers. Enough to actually plan a personal investigation. Yet at the same time, he feared that digging too deep might drag him into Konoha's darkest abyss—one from which he could never return.
Just as various Leaf ninja harbored their own hidden thoughts and anxieties, Shijiro—the Iwagakure emissary—raised both hands and swiftly appeared before the Konoha Ninja Forces using Body Flicker Technique, announcing that Onoki had accepted Sakumo Hatake's and Hyuga Soushu's request regarding the meeting location.
Then, after launching a signal flare, the revered Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, slowly floated forth from the Iwa army by means of a secret technique, arriving precisely between the two forces.
This position lay directly within the bombardment range of both sides' ninjutsu.
Hyuga Soushu exchanged glances with Sakumo Hatake. Together, they activated the Body Flicker Technique, instantly appearing side by side before Onoki. The three formed a delicate triangular standoff.
As one of the Five Kage—an extraordinary powerhouse—he remained utterly unmoved despite facing Sakumo's cold gaze and Hyuga's scrutinizing stare, as though observing some strange phenomenon. His composure came not from appearance or looks, but from an absolute belief in his own strength.
"Lord Onoki, it's an honor to finally meet you in person."
It was once again Sakumo—who always preferred reason—that broke the silence first.
Hyuga, on the other hand, merely narrowed his eyes slightly, keeping his rising killing intent hidden. He really wanted to know what kind of reward his System would offer if he eliminated one of the Five Kage.
"Konoha's White Fang lives up to his reputation!"
Onoki was clearly pleased with Sakumo's polite address and continued, "And this young Byakugan user from the Hyuga clan who singlehandedly crushed Kumogakure is truly a prodigy among heroes!"
"Seems Lord Onoki still refuses to admit old age,"
Hyuga answered ambiguously, yet with clear implications.
"All third-generation leaders across the villages have grown old. Time treats everyone equally—even the great Sage of Six Paths wasn't immune to its passage."
Onoki responded in kind, matching the tone. "But even in old age, one cannot simply allow a lifetime's work to vanish. You've got to fight for it a little longer."
Although he had no proof suggesting the top-secret Konoha intelligence he obtained had been intentionally leaked by Konoha's F3, he hadn't even considered such a ridiculous possibility—but that didn't stop Onoki from instinctively attempting to sow discord. After all, stirring up trouble here and there was nothing more than a simple side effort.
"The clash between two great Hidden Villages goes against the tide of peace sweeping across the Ninja World."
"Sakumo Hatake cut in immediately, "Lord Onoki, resorting to violence so hastily--"
"It's all the Rain Ninja's fault!"
Before Sakumo could finish, Onoki instantly shifted the blame. "Hanzo's ambition is beyond imagination. Iwagakure's leaders were merely deceived as well."
As for how exactly a great ninja village could be deceived like that, Onoki didn't elaborate, and neither Sakumo nor Hyuga Soushu questioned him further. But at the same time, neither of them refuted Onoki's claim, silently accepting this act of shifting responsibility.
"If that's the case, it seems Rain Ninja Village truly is the root of chaos in the ninja world!"
Hyuga Soushu nodded gravely. "You know this yourself. The Second Great Ninja World War was caused precisely by the Rain Ninja's sudden invasion."
"Indeed!"
Onoki agreed. "The root of this chaos must be completely eradicated if we are to bring lasting peace to the ninja world!"
"There remains the matter of dissolving the Rain Ninja forces, but Hokage will have to handle that."
Sakumo Hatake couldn't help but interject. "However, let's temporarily call this conflict between our two villages to a halt!"
"This works perfectly!"
Onoki had wanted exactly this outcome.
Then, he reached into his robes and pulled out a scroll, directly tossing it toward Hyuga Soushu.
During their previous brief conversation, he had sensed a hint of defiance from Soushu.
Without a word, Hyuga Soushu caught the scroll and studied it closely.
It was a Sealing Scroll marked with encoded seals. Judging from the design of these seals, it should contain crucial intelligence information.
As for Onoki giving this item directly to Soushu, his intention was...
Expressionless, Hyuga Soushu put the scroll into his Scroll Pouch right in front of Sakumo Hatake and Onoki.
Sakumo opened his mouth as if to say something, then stopped himself.
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