Minato Namikaze asked what he wanted. Honestly, Shiba Seika wanted a great many things.
The Land of Rain was poor and unstable; it lacked just about everything.
Shiba Seika couldn't find anyone to teach him even a single B-rank jutsu.
But reason reminded him that he couldn't push the other man too far.
If negotiations really fell apart, things might turn into, I'm fighting Minato? For real?!
If he could do whatever he wanted, Shiba Seika would have killed Obito the moment he'd made his move.
Unfortunately, he couldn't.
Finding the right balance—getting as much as he could without burning bridges—was just as daunting a challenge.
A flood of information raced through his mind. After weighing his options, Shiba Seika finally spoke.
"Lord Minato Namikaze, since you said you came to confirm the Land of Rain's position, I need a commitment from you as well. I need you to draft an official written statement recognizing the Land of Rain's neutral status in this Great Ninja War, and promising that Konoha will notify Amegakure in advance before sending anyone across the border on a mission.
"As long as you honor that commitment, we Rain shinobi won't make an enemy of Konoha.
"But if you break your promise and send shinobi into the Land of Rain without notifying us, we'll have the right to kill them outright.
"And if they're killed for that reason, the blame won't lie with us Rain shinobi."
After thinking it over carefully, Shiba Seika ultimately held back his greed and didn't ask for a dangerous high-level jutsu like the Flying Thunder God.
Instead, he asked Minato Namikaze for a statement.
He was making use of Konoha's difficult position: the village didn't want an all-out war with the Land of Rain. He was also taking advantage of Minato Namikaze's easily exploited status!
Shiba Seika hadn't forgotten that, in the fated ending, the two people most responsible for his and the Akatsuki Organization's downfall were the Land of Rain's current leader, Hanzo the Salamander, and Shimura Danzō of Konoha!
That was why so many of the deaths the system had foretold for him were connected to Konoha!
What he was doing now was laying the groundwork against Danzō!
He didn't expect this statement to stop Root from causing trouble. But with it in hand, he could strike first and kill any Root shinobi who entered the Land of Rain without permission!
And he wouldn't have to worry that secretly fighting Root would make an enemy of all Konoha.
And if Konoha refused to recognize the statement? That brought him back to the status Minato Namikaze had just mentioned—
Minato Namikaze was the next Hokage candidate favored by every member of Konoha's leadership except Danzō, and the one Sarutobi Hiruzen favored most!
When Shiba Seika spread the statement around, he would make sure to emphasize Minato's status!
Maybe he could even use the opportunity to drive a wedge between Danzō and the other members of Konoha's leadership.
Two birds with one stone!
This was the real key to breaking free of fate's chains!
For this, Shiba Seika was willing to give up the chance to extort a jutsu.
More importantly, this condition wouldn't offend Minato Namikaze at all. It would do the most to safeguard his and Konan's immediate safety.
Without any ability to see the future, Minato Namikaze clearly couldn't foresee the impact this statement would have. If anything, he seemed relieved.
Konoha was surrounded by enemies and had no intention of attacking the Land of Rain. Recognizing its neutrality wouldn't harm Konoha's interests—at least, that was how Minato saw it.
He couldn't possibly guess that a certain elder in his own village, who loved stirring up trouble everywhere, would one day be so enraged by this statement that he'd spit blood.
Minato even thought Shiba Seika was being "pretty reasonable."
He explained apologetically, "My promise might not represent the village's final position. Would a statement issued in my personal capacity really be enough?"
"I have high hopes for you, sir. I believe you'll become the next Hokage! Just issue it in your own name. Think of it as me placing my bet on you."
When you were away from home, you could always decide for yourself who you were.
If he declared Minato the next Hokage, would that old Sarutobi really dare to stand up and contradict him?
Besides, judging by Shiba Seika's read on Sarutobi Hiruzen's character, the Third Hokage would most likely let it slide once the statement's influence had spread.
After all, that Hokage had put up with Kumogakure openly kidnapping a princess of the Hyuga Clan's Main House right in Konoha, all for the sake of peace. Once the deed was done, Shiba Seika thought there was a very good chance the Third would swallow his pride and accept it!
Minato Namikaze clearly couldn't guess at these sinister plans. At this point, he was even starting to think Shiba Seika seemed like a pretty nice guy.
"Do you have any paper? If not, I can ask one of my companions to give you a blank sheet."
As he spoke, Shiba Seika turned to look at Konan.
Konan quietly removed a sheet of paper from her person and handed it to him.
Minato Namikaze shook his head and politely replied, "No need. I have a blank scroll with me."
Once he was sure Shiba Seika wasn't trying to extort them, his attitude softened considerably.
But Shiba Seika wasn't about to let his guard down or neglect his fallback plan.
When he saw Minato take out a scroll, Shiba Seika calmly handed the paper back to Konan.
But the instant she took it back, Konan's fingers paused slightly.
The paper she'd given Shiba Seika had been completely blank.
Now there was a line of tiny writing on it—
Use the Paper Butterfly to tell Nagato to come to the forest near the border immediately!
Shiba Seika knew Minato Namikaze was a good man, of course, but he couldn't stake everything on the other man's kindness and goodwill.
Things were peaceful between them for now only because Konan still had Rin in her control.
But once they released their hostage, they'd have no way to protect themselves from Minato Namikaze!
Fourteen-year-old Konan was no match for an adult Minato. Neither was he.
So they needed reinforcements.
Minato Namikaze finished writing on the scroll and tossed it over.
Shiba Seika caught it, checked its contents, then said, "Now, please come with us to the border. Once we've confirmed you've left the Land of Rain, we'll release your companion immediately."
This was naturally a stalling tactic, meant to buy time for Nagato to arrive.
Could fourteen-year-old Nagato stop Minato Namikaze? Shiba Seika didn't know, but at the very least, the Rinnegan ought to let Nagato hold him at bay through mutual intimidation.
"Hey, you! Our teacher wrote what you asked for. Why haven't you released Rin yet?!"
It was obvious Obito had said that. Shiba Seika couldn't be bothered to answer.
He gave Obito a look that said, I don't want to argue with an idiot. The Uchiha ground his teeth in fury, but there was nothing he could do.
Minato Namikaze glanced at Konan. He gave nothing away, but seemed to have already guessed something.
"I see you have your concerns too. All right, then. We'll head back to the border together, as you suggested."
Just then, after a long silence, Kakashi suddenly spoke up.
What he said almost sparked a fight among his own side, and nearly made Obito jump up and challenge him on the spot.
Kakashi asked, "Teacher, in that case, what about our mission?"
"Damn you, Kakashi! At a time like this, you're still thinking about the mission?! Rin is still in that paper woman's hands! You—you're a cold-blooded monster!"
Seeing Kakashi's icy expression, Obito was so furious he was practically hopping. Shiba Seika couldn't help laughing again.
He hadn't expected another show.
By now, he wasn't worried about Kakashi's fixation anymore.
He knew Minato was the one really in charge here, and Minato had already agreed to their demands.
But watching Kakashi act so stubborn, awkward, and unreasonable, Shiba Seika couldn't keep the smile off his face. He couldn't help wearing the same smile as Kirei Kotomine.
This really was—so much fun.
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