Naturally, the talks broke down.
The mindset of bloodline supremacy had taken deep root in people's hearts.
Nearly all the ninjas from the three great shinobi villages present believed that Mingren was most likely not the culprit.
Orochimaru, who had known Shennong for a long time,
felt even more strongly that an ordinary child without a bloodline was not worth paying attention to at all.
This was something
he had confirmed long ago.
The boy who had followed Shennong five years ago had merely grown a little older.
Even if he had trained himself into a muscular build, it changed nothing.
"Everyone, I don't think we should rashly start a war."
Minato Namikaze stepped forward and addressed the crowd.
"I understand that everyone wants to resolve this trouble immediately. Konoha came here with the same goal... but if we cannot determine the full chain of events, the same thing could easily happen again in the future..."
Minato Namikaze believed
that if they arrested the wrong person and killed the wrong person,
high-ranking officials and nobles would still be murdered afterward.
They had to uproot the problem completely and clarify the entire cause and effect.
Yet those words carried different meanings for everyone who heard them.
Pakura blinked, thinking, So he means... wipe them out completely? Exterminate the entire Akatsuki Organization?
If they only killed one or two people, it would easily become a case of wildfire that could not be burned away, only to grow again with the spring breeze.
Killing too few really would be troublesome.
Kitsuchi remained silent, no one knowing what he was thinking.
"Then let's do this."
Pakura nodded.
"Leave the Akatsuki Organization members to Konoha and Iwagakure..."
Pakura turned to look at Asuka. Hanzo's Granddaughter was still here.
"And we..."
would naturally deal with Hanzo's Granddaughter!
The Third Shinobi World War had bogged down the Five Great Shinobi Villages for far too long!
Including Sunagakure, they now needed a breakthrough to resolve the conflict among the three great shinobi villages in the Land of Rain.
As long as they killed Hanzo's Granddaughter and shattered Hanzo's resolve,
Sunagakure's pressure in the Land of Rain would be drastically reduced.
Chiyo had fought the Demigod many times.
Little by little, she had already figured out the Demigod's weakness.
His weakness was Amegakure's shortage of manpower.
Childbearing, material resources... and other aspects of sustainable development.
Amegakure's weakness was that every one they killed meant one fewer enemy!
"No."
Minato Namikaze immediately shook his head.
Konoha and Amegakure were at a critical stage in their negotiations.
They were only waiting for Hanzo to agree to an alliance with Konoha.
If they touched his granddaughter now, something unexpected might happen...
Konoha could no longer afford another defeat.
At this late stage of the Ninja World War, where existing resources were all that remained to be fought over, one mistake could ruin everything.
"Why not?"
Pakura asked instinctively.
The next second, she immediately understood something.
"Oh... so that's how it is..."
Pakura possessed the Scorching Release Bloodline Limit, was known as the Hero of the Sand, and had rendered countless great services to Sunagakure.
Naturally, she was sharp-minded as well.
She immediately realized
that Konoha and Amegakure might have made some under-the-table deal in private.
Perhaps
they had even joined forces already!
Pakura was not the only one to realize that possibility.
Kitsuchi and the others exchanged looks, quickly recognizing the likelihood of it.
Minato Namikaze gave a faintly bitter smile.
Pakura and Kitsuchi's expressions could not exactly be called a misunderstanding.
Because that was indeed the truth.
"The Ninja World War has lasted far too long. Everyone, don't you think... it is time for the war to end?"
Minato Namikaze composed himself and spoke with a solemn expression.
"You can follow Konoha's example and abandon the war against the Land of Rain, coexisting peacefully, just as you do with Kusagakure..."
Kusagakure.
Amegakure's neighbor.
It belonged to the Land of Grass.
Under the orders of the Five Great Nations, Kusagakure had established a fortress called Hozuki Castle to imprison criminals.
From another perspective, Kusagakure had also become an ally of the Five Great Nations and would no longer suffer invasion.
Minato Namikaze proposed
that they could form a peaceful alliance with Amegakure, just as they had with Kusagakure.
They could turn Amegakure into neutral territory,
and a buffer zone as well.
That would ease the relations among Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Konoha.
Tonight's meeting between the three sides might determine the Ninja World's future.
"..."
Kitsuchi hesitated.
He had clearly been somewhat persuaded.
Among the shinobi villages, Iwagakure had suffered the greatest losses in the Third Shinobi World War.
Ten thousand Stone Ninja had almost all perished in their clash with the Third Raikage.
That was why, in the end, they could only dispatch one thousand Stone Ninja to attack Kannabi Bridge.
"Sorry, but Sunagakure cannot agree to this proposal."
Suddenly, Pakura's sharp cry interrupted Kitsuchi's thoughts.
"You Konoha people keep talking about peace and alliances, but it is nothing more than cutting flesh with a dull knife. During peacetime, Konoha snatches Sunagakure's mission commissions and undercuts us with lower prices. These so-called alliances slowly devour our means of survival. Do you think Sunagakure will still fall for that?"
Heh!
Pakura sneered coldly.
They were all ninjas, so why was he putting on an act?
How had the first two Ninja World Wars started?
Why had Sunagakure stabbed Konoha in the back twice?
If you were unjust, then I would be unrighteous!
"..."
Minato Namikaze's expression froze for a second.
Everything Pakura said was true.
But...
"When I become the Fourth Hokage, I will change these things."
"Fine. When I become the Sage of Six Paths, I'll bring peace to the Ninja World."
Pakura mocked.
A heavy smell of gunpowder instantly spread through the gathered groups.
After Pakura's reminder,
Kitsuchi also understood
that so-called alliances were merely wars without smoke.
There is no peace in the Ninja World. The strong devour the weak. Perhaps Father was right... Kitsuchi thought.
"Make your move! The victor rules!"
Pakura shouted, gathering a fireball of Scorch Release in her hand.
Its bewitching orange-red glow illuminated her face, making her resemble a goddess of flame from myth.
When negotiations broke down, the result was a full-scale fight.
"..."
Yahiko silently gestured to Nagato, Konan, and the others.
The Akatsuki Organization was best at guerrilla warfare, so once the fighting started, they would...
"..."
Konan and the others nodded silently.
Nagato also steadied himself and waited calmly for the battle to begin.
"Young Lady... we..."
Ryu and the others still did not know that Hanzo was nearby, observing Mingren.
Asuka, who knew this, steadied herself and prepared to persuade Amakawa Mingren to leave at the first opportunity.
This kind of high-level battle was not something they should be drawn into.
Whoosh!
The next moment, Minato Namikaze threw a kunai.
Though he moved after the others, he struck first, showing no hesitation once he acted.
The thrown kunai marked the beginning of the battle.
In an instant,
the six factions made different reactions and choices!
Before you continue