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"Fruits of victory?"
The three daimyo all muttered to themselves.
The atmosphere in the reception room instantly became subtle.
Onoki's aged eyes flashed with a sharp glint, then it vanished.
Rasa, on the other hand, lowered his eyelids slightly, concealing the thoughts within.
The kage thought about the balance of the shinobi world and the grievances between villages.
But the daimyo thought of even more.
"Heh heh..." The daimyo of the Land of Water chuckled, toying with the teacup in his hand as he tentatively spoke. "Lord Shin, you jest."
"Kumogakure's crushing defeat, the Raikage's capture—this is indeed a monumental victory."
"But this is the victory of your Land of Fire, the victory of you, Shin, the daimyo."
He looked at Shin's young face, then changed his tone. "We three nations are merely invited guests."
"These fruits of victory, no matter how you calculate it, it's not our turn to share, is it?"
The daimyo of the Land of Water's words were airtight.
He both praised the Land of Fire and distanced himself, placing himself in a position of being uninvolved.
Although he very much wanted to gain some benefit while the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning were at odds, he had extreme caution toward benefits that were offered to him.
The other two daimyo were also of the same mind.
"Indeed." The daimyo of the Land of Wind, who had been mostly silent, echoed, fanning himself. "We didn't contribute an ounce of effort. We understand the principle of not accepting rewards for no merit."
The daimyo of the Land of Earth did not respond, merely holding his teacup and smiling amiably at Shin, waiting for him to make his move.
These daimyo were all old foxes who had been soaked in the political arena for a lifetime.
There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
They naturally understood this principle.
The Land of Fire's initiative offer to share the fruits of victory must come with a corresponding price.
Before the price was clear, no one would easily state their position.
Facing the three's evasiveness, Shin had already expected their reaction. The smile on his face remained unchanged.
"The three daimyo worry too much," Shin said with a sincere expression. "The reason I invite the three of you to share this fruit is not out of generosity."
"It is because Kumogakure's actions this time are no longer merely a provocation against my Land of Fire."
He paused, giving everyone time to think, and then put forth his pre-prepared statement.
"Kumogakure has developed a space-time ninjutsu that can bypass border defenses and directly deploy thousands of troops into the heartland of another country."
As soon as these words were spoken, Onoki's and Rasa's expressions instantly changed!
They were particularly concerned about this matter.
No matter how strong the Land of Fire daimyo was, since he was willing to sit at the negotiating table, it showed that he was a person who followed rules.
So even if the Land of Fire daimyo could hold down a tailed beast with his bare hands, in their view, it was merely because Kumogakure had invaded his home, angering him into action.
In comparison, Kumogakure's space-time ninjutsu posed a greater threat.
The daimyo might not fully understand the details of ninjutsu, but these kage knew exactly what it meant!
It meant that the strategic buffer and defense system, upon which the Five Great Nations relied to maintain peace, had become a mere shell!
"This action has broken the long-standing tacit understanding established between our great nations!"
Shin's voice suddenly rose. "It poses a huge threat to the peace of the entire world!"
He sat up straight, staring at the three daimyo, his eyes burning as he said, "Today, their thousands of elites can suddenly appear in the heartland of my Land of Fire."
"Then tomorrow, will they not be able to appear in the heartland of any of your countries?"
As this question was asked, Rasa's and Onoki's expressions grew even uglier.
The daimyo also put away their smiles, their expressions becoming serious.
They knew what the Land of Fire daimyo was going to say.
This was not a crisis for the Land of Fire alone.
This was a sharp sword hanging over the heads of all nations!
The daimyo of the Land of Earth glanced at the ashen-faced Onoki beside him.
"Lord Shin speaks wisely." The daimyo of the Land of Earth finally deigned to put down his teacup, his plump face showing no emotion. "Kumogakure's actions indeed broke the tacit understanding, making everyone feel unsafe."
"So then..."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming. "What exactly are the 'fruits' Lord Shin spoke of?"
"And how shall we share them?"
Here it comes!
The moment of truth!
Everyone held their breath, their eyes burning with anticipation for the reveal.
Shin leaned back in his chair, a smile returning to his face. "My proposal is very simple."
"I want to station troops in the Land of Lightning."
Everyone froze as if struck by lightning, their pupils widening.
"Absurd!" The next moment, the daimyo of the Land of Water slammed his hand on the table, rising suddenly, all traces of a smile gone from his face. "Lord Shin, are you mad?"
He stared hard at Shin, his voice becoming sharp with agitation.
"Station troops in the Land of Lightning? Do you know what you're saying?" The daimyo of the Land of Wind snapped his fan shut, his gaze as sharp as a blade. "Lord Shin, this joke isn't funny at all."
"The Land of Fire's national strength already surpasses the Five Great Nations, and now, after a great victory, its prestige is unmatched."
"If you were to further swallow the Land of Lightning's military sovereignty, turning the Land of Lightning into the Land of Fire's backyard..."
The daimyo of the Land of Wind paused, then said, "would there still be any balance left in this shinobi world?"
Even the most composed daimyo of the Land of Earth could no longer smile.
He slowly shook his head, looking at Shin with an expression as if he were looking at an arrogant madman who didn't know his place. "Heh heh. Young man, ambition is good, but being too greedy will burst your belly."
"If you alone station troops, the Land of Lightning will become a mere shell, completely reduced to a vassal of your Land of Fire."
"At that time, with your Land of Fire dominating, possessing the strategic advantages and resources of two great nations, will the remaining three nations not have to live day and night under your shadow, acting according to your whims?"
At this point, he let out a cold laugh. "Lord Shin, with all due respect, we cannot possibly agree to your proposal!"
In an instant!
The atmosphere in the reception room dropped from its previous false friendliness to freezing point.
Onoki and Rasa exchanged glances, both seeing seriousness in the other's eyes.
These daimyo, when faced with a threat capable of turning over the existing order, reacted even faster than these kage!
Almost the moment the daimyo of the Land of Earth's words fell, a beginning, invisible anti-Land of Fire alliance had quietly formed.
The air was thick with tension.
The three daimyo, three pairs of eyes, locked firmly onto the Land of Fire daimyo, filled with scrutiny, watchfulness, and hostility.
It was as if if he dared to speak one more word, they would immediately leave and then begin discussing how to jointly deal with the Land of Fire!
Facing this pressure, Shin not only showed no trace of nervousness, but instead, he smiled.
Looking at the three old men before him, who were as if facing a formidable enemy, he leaned back leisurely in his chair.
He patiently waited for them to vent all their anger and watchfulness.
When the atmosphere in the reception room became completely oppressive, he finally spoke softly, with a hint of innocence and surprise in his tone. "Three of you, why so agitated?"
He tilted his head slightly, a playful smirk on his cheek. "When did I ever say that my Land of Fire would be the only one to station troops?"