Stealing the Initiative

Hozuki Shingetsu's calm voice echoed through the entire room, and those three consecutive questions made every Uzumaki elder present's heart skip a beat.

Damn it, this guy had caught them red-handed!

Everyone present knew that Hozuki Shingetsu was just making a fuss over nothing. After all, it had only been two or three days since Uzushio Village received word that Kirigakure was sending someone. In such a short time, contacting Konoha, having Konoha dispatch personnel to scout a location and set up an ambush—unless there wasn't a single delay in the entire chain of events, it would be utterly impossible.

What's more, Uzushio Village had absolutely no reason to fall out with Kirigakure. Although Uzushio and Konoha were traditional allies, that didn't mean they were joined at the hip. Even if Kirigakure was Konoha's enemy, Uzushio would only help Konoha repel foreign invaders, not assist Konoha in expanding its territory.

Given the current chaotic state of the shinobi world, the Uzumaki Clan, with its dwindling numbers, had to tread even more carefully. At the very least, they couldn't become the spark that ignited the Second Shinobi World War.

But logic was one thing; words were another.

After all, as a Kirigakure envoy, he had genuinely been ambushed by outsiders on their turf—that was an objective fact. The key issue was that no one knew how the information had leaked. Unless it was an internal conflict within Kirigakure itself, from an objective standpoint, Uzushio Village was indeed the most likely culprit.

At this moment, many of the Uzumaki elders present couldn't help but feel a growing dissatisfaction with Konoha. Sure, they were allies, but sending people to cause trouble on their turf without giving them a heads-up—wasn't that a bit too disrespectful?

And if you're going to send people, at least make sure they can handle themselves. Four against one and they still lost? If you're that weak, why bother trying to ambush someone?

To make matters worse, they got captured alive, leaving no room for explanation.

The whole thing was just too sloppy!

Uzumaki Takumi sighed inwardly at this thought. Unless Uzushio Village truly intended to fall out with Kirigakure, as Hozuki Shingetsu had suggested, they would have to appease him somehow.

As for how to appease him, it was simple enough.

"Ahem. How about we first discuss the specifics of the exchange?" With a glance from Uzumaki Takumi, one of the Uzumaki elders stepped forward, lightly glossing over the topic.

Hozuki Shingetsu knew when to back off and didn't press further. This kind of thing was only good for an initial show of force; if you really dug into it, Kirigakure didn't have a leg to stand on either.

"Here is the list of goods we can offer for exchange. Please take a look, Lord Daimyo."

As Hozuki Shingetsu finished speaking, Karatachi Yagura handed over the list written personally by Ren.

Uzumaki Takumi took it and glanced over it. Generally speaking, what Kirigakure could offer in exchange was limited to money, food, and some secret jutsu options.

But clearly, the total value listed here still fell short compared to the tailed beast Jinchuriki sealing techniques that Uzushio Village possessed. Uzumaki Takumi understood that this was far from Kirigakure's bottom line—they were waiting for him to haggle.

He had to admit, Ren's surface-level presentation was quite thorough. At least, an outsider wouldn't spot any tricks in this list.

"Envoys, you've traveled a long way and just been through a battle—you must be exhausted. Shoshi, take them to rest for now. We can discuss the specifics in a couple of days."

Uzumaki Takumi thought it over and decided to stall for time. Whether or not to trade with Kirigakure required consulting Konoha first. He also needed to inform Konoha of what had happened here and warn Sarutobi Hiruzen not to overreach.

Otherwise... now that the Hokage was no longer a Senju, Uzushio Village would have to seriously reconsider whether to continue its alliance with Konoha!

Beyond that, if a trade was to happen, what to trade and how to trade it were not decisions to be made on the spot.

Hozuki Shingetsu, Karatachi Yagura, and Yukinagi had just stepped out the door with Uzumaki Shoshi when they turned back.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot to hand this guy over to you."

As he spoke, Hozuki Shingetsu made as if to pass the Aburame Tatsuma he was holding to a nearby Uzumaki clansman. But just as the man reached out to take him, Hozuki Shingetsu pulled a senbon from his ninja tool pouch and, in full view of everyone present, drove it deep into Aburame Tatsuma's head!

"After thinking it over, if I just handed him over like this, people might think Kirigakure is afraid of Konoha—letting off someone who tried to assassinate me. From now on, any Tom, Dick, or Harry would think they could come after me."

Hozuki Shingetsu slowly withdrew the bloodstained senbon, ignoring Aburame Tatsuma's twitching body at his feet, and smiled.

"I think a corpse should be enough to prove this was Konoha's man, shouldn't it?"

Uzumaki Takumi opened his eyes and stood up, an imposing aura radiating from him as a majestic force surged forth.

Killing someone right in front of him—did they take him for a dead man?

With Uzumaki Takumi's movement, every Uzumaki clansman present rose to their feet, all eyes fixed on Hozuki Shingetsu.

Seeing this, Karatachi Yagura and Yukinagi immediately raised their weapons in readiness.

The atmosphere turned tense, on the verge of breaking into open conflict.

"I only killed an assassin. Lord Daimyo, this reaction of yours—doesn't it just prove my earlier point? Could it be that Uzushio Village really intends to make a move on Kirigakure?"

Outwardly calm and composed, Hozuki Shingetsu was inwardly uneasy. From this aura alone, he could tell that Uzumaki Takumi was not only the Daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools but also the leader of Uzushio Village, the head of the Uzumaki Clan—a seasoned, battle-hardened shinobi.

Perhaps Hozuki Shingetsu's words had hit their mark. After a tense standoff, Uzumaki Takumi finally uttered two words, his face expressionless.

"Show them out."

Having achieved his goal, Hozuki Shingetsu didn't push his luck. This time, he obediently followed the Uzumaki shinobi out of the Tenshukaku.

Although he had come with the intention of drawing the Uzumaki Clan into Kirigakure, he couldn't afford to lower his stance from the start. A groveling attitude would only invite contempt. Instead, he had to show his toughness at the right moment—only a firm stance could give the Uzumaki Clan a sense of security amid the coming crisis in Uzushio Village.

As for whether he worried that pushing too far might get him killed on the spot... as long as Uzushio Village had no plans to merge with Konoha, and as long as Kirigakure didn't touch Uzushio's core interests, Uzushio would never take the initiative to strike at Kirigakure.