The situation for Iwagakure had become dire.
Uchiha Kenya was already marching with his reinforcements.
Three thousand shinobi was one thing.
But Uchiha Kenya alone… was another matter entirely.
He had become what Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were sixty years ago—an individual capable of deciding the outcome of a war by himself.
This was why the First Shinobi World War had erupted so soon after Hashirama's death. Without that overwhelming pillar to suppress the world, balance had collapsed.
Cloud Village had already fallen into history.
The bloody truth left Ōnoki with no illusions. He could not delude himself into thinking Kenya's strength was merely equal to the late Third Raikage. No—Kenya was something far beyond that.
Even if his power had not yet reached the exact level of Hashirama or Madara, there could not be much difference.
And once he arrived, Iwagakure would be next to fall.
"…Surrender."
The word left Ōnoki's lips without hesitation, without bitterness.
What else could they do?
Under the Fourth Raikage's command, Cloud had been at the peak of its power since the village's founding—far stronger than Hiruzen's Konoha, which had been at its weakest until Tsunade's return.
And yet even that mighty Cloud Village had been crushed by Kenya in mere days.
Now Rock's only true Kage-level fighter was Ōnoki himself. His granddaughter Kurotsuchi had talent, but she was years away from reaching such heights. Against Uchiha Kenya, they had no hope.
His people weren't fools. The moment Ōnoki declared his decision, his advisors and generals immediately echoed him.
"Lord Tsuchikage is right!"
"The difference in power is too great—we cannot fight this."
"But… would the enemy even accept our surrender?"
"Doesn't matter. What matters is survival!"
Ōnoki pulled out a red scroll, dipped his brush in ink, and with a heavy hand wrote three characters across the first vertical line:
Treaty of Truce.
That evening.
The scroll was laid before the coalition commanders at the Rock front:
Kazekage Gaara, Konoha's battlefield commander Hatake Kakashi, and the Sand's envoy Pakura, along with other senior leaders.
The camp was rough, built in haste, lacking even a proper council hall.
Gaara, now taller and more mature than a year before, read the scroll first, then silently passed it along to Kakashi and the others.
Once all had seen the contents, he spoke evenly:
"From your perspective—do you agree to the Tsuchikage's request?"
The response came at once.
"Agree? Impossible, Kazekage-sama!"
"With Lord Aizen already marching here, the Land of Earth will fall to us soon!"
"This is a war we cannot lose. A truce is meaningless!"
The Sand shinobi erupted in protest. Their anger was natural. Victory was nearly in their grasp, and the enemy's plea for peace only insulted the sacrifices already made.
More than that, none of them wished to return to the barren sands of Wind once they had tasted the fertile lands of Earth.
Kankurō stepped forward. "Gaara, there's no need for truce. Once reinforcements arrive, victory is guaranteed."
Gaara did not answer immediately. He let the voices die down before turning to Kakashi.
"Konoha's opinion?"
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. After a thoughtful pause, he replied:
"…It would be wise to at least reduce casualties. Why not hear them out?"
Some Konoha shinobi nodded quietly. The Will of Fire taught compassion, and Kakashi could not imitate Kenya's ruthless philosophy. To him, conquering a country by slaughtering its shinobi was the fastest path—but also the bloodiest.
Across from him, Jin Na Luo—Kenya's most loyal hound—gritted his teeth, tempted to lash out. But Kenya's authority stayed his tongue. Instead, he turned to Gaara and spoke with cutting clarity:
"Lord Kazekage. There's no reason to grant Rock mercy. Our forces have overwhelming advantage. If you lead us to capture Iwagakure, you will be remembered as the greatest Kazekage in history."
Like his master, he went straight for temptation—power, glory, legacy.
Gaara's eyes narrowed. He was unmoved. After a long silence, he finally said:
"…I have a proposal. Hear me out."
That same night, the Rock shinobi camp was restless.
Though their leaders tried to hide it, news spread quickly. Uchiha Kenya was on his way. Three thousand strong, and with the [Shinigami] at their head.
Everyone knew what that meant.
For many, the countdown to Kenya's arrival was the countdown to their own deaths.
"I don't want to die…"
"Better to flee than be slaughtered here."
"If I could take my wife and children and disappear somewhere far away…"
"I'm terrified. I don't want to die…"
Such whispers grew in every corner of the barracks. Some shinobi already watched the night patrols, looking for a chance to slip away.
Even Ōnoki and his senior officers could not sleep. They waited tensely for the coalition's reply.
At last, a young commander, Wenya, burst into the tent, clutching a fresh scroll. His face was pale, his words tumbling in panic.
"Lord Tsuchikage! The coalition… they've replied!"
"Open it!" Ōnoki demanded, his heart pounding.
Wenya unrolled the parchment with trembling fingers. His voice broke as he read:
"They said… there is only one condition."