Uzumaki Shori looked at the other side. They had clearly backed down.
It seemed the news that the Land of the Moon had been completely defeated had already reached Kumogakure.
He couldn't afford to offend the Land of Lightning too much, but he also couldn't let them think they could bully his side.
"It's fine. Compared with the battle against the Land of the Moon, our forces have only just begun warming up."
"Then should we fight again? I haven't had enough yet." Xiao Ai, the Third Raikage's son, shouted angrily.
Dodai spoke up with some diplomatic pleasantries.
"Xiao Ai, don't talk nonsense. Uzukage, I'm truly sorry. Perhaps that battle was only a warm-up for us as well."
"Lord Uzukage, the King of the Land of the Moon sent a letter to Kumogakure requesting our aid. There may have been a slight misunderstanding. We can clear it up."
It seemed the Land of Lightning still considered the Land of Whirlpools a small country, and they clearly still hoped to take advantage of it.
"The situation here really isn't suitable for discussion. Why don't you come with us to the capital of the Land of the Moon, and we can talk there?" Uzumaki Shori proposed.
Dodai, the team's jōnin captain, gave Xiao Ai a look, signaling him to follow.
The Third Raikage's son, Xiao Ai, walked beside him and spoke in a low voice.
"Dodai, didn't my father send me here? Why did you come along too?"
"The Land of Whirlpools is only a small country and poses no threat to us. But there's a great power beside it. We can only blame the Land of the Moon for being so useless," Dodai replied.
Uzumaki Shori climbed aboard the Weasel Tank and waved to the Kumogakure shinobi, inviting them to get on.
"Uzukage, how generous of you to invite us aboard your country's latest weapon."
Puppet techniques had no market in the Land of Lightning. And with the Sealing Jutsu +1 granted by the system, no one could ever reverse-engineer it without first breaking through that layer of knowledge.
After sitting down, Dodai ran his hand over the steel beneath him.
"Uzukage, your metalworking skills are truly impressive. Our ninjutsu hit it, but we couldn't even pierce the armor."
Uzumaki Shori deliberately let them see how advanced his technology was.
"Dodai, this steel can be used for more than armor. It can also be made into excellent shuriken and kunai."
"When we reach the capital of the Land of the Moon, we can talk more if you're interested."
At that moment, in the palace square of the Land of the Moon,
tents filled the surrounding area, and teams of shinobi patrolled the grounds. There were at least three thousand people stationed there.
Xiao Ai, the Third Raikage's son, saw that so many troops were still stationed there. He had just been shouting about teaching the Land of Whirlpools a lesson, but now his bravado had completely faded.
He had assumed the Land of Whirlpools had suffered heavy losses in its battle against the Land of the Moon and had only sent a few hundred troops. As shinobi of Kumogakure, they would surely be able to defeat them.
"Dodai, it's a good thing you held me back earlier. Otherwise, even if I'd made it out alive, the teammates I brought would've been wiped out."
Xiao Ai, the Third Raikage's son, said with some feeling.
Dodai was also rather surprised. He looked at the capital's walls, which had been completely leveled, then turned to speak.
"Lord Uzukage, it seems you really have conquered the Land of the Moon. I've heard that Shabadaba, the Tsukikage of Tsukigakure, possessed the Ketsuryūgan. Have you met him?"
It seemed Dodai was trying to bring up the Ketsuryūgan to hint at Kumogakure's strength.
"Dodai, just look at the palace before you, destroyed by fire. Shabadaba had plenty of courage. He'd rather take his own life than be captured by us," Uzumaki Shori said with a smile.
When King Yuanyue of the Land of the Moon saw everyone return, he hurried over, wiping the sweat from his face.
"Lord Uzukage, you're finally back. Who are these people?"
"They're Kumogakure's envoys. They just said that the King of the Land of the Moon sent a letter to Kumogakure requesting assistance. Is that true?"
When King Yuanyue heard this, sweat nearly poured down his face like a waterfall. He answered in a trembling voice.
"It's true, but Shabadaba made a mistake. Kumogakure's envoys, I'm truly sorry for making you come all this way for nothing."
Xiao Ai, the Third Raikage's son, gave a cold snort. His eyes swept over Yuanyue, glinting with menace.
"King Yuanyue, think carefully before you answer. If you don't, you may not understand the consequences."
Yuanyue could only lower his head, his body trembling.
Uzumaki Shori stepped between them and spoke.
"The Land of Whirlpools and the Land of the Moon are about to sign a treaty. King Yuanyue, go and bring the documents."
King Yuanyue immediately felt relieved and hurried off to fetch the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
"Lord Uzukage, you certainly have courage," Dodai said, staring at him.
"If I hadn't conquered the Land of the Moon before you arrived, this would be a different matter. Kumogakure's envoys, come with me. Kumogakure can serve as a witness."
After speaking, Uzumaki Shori smiled and turned toward the meeting room.
Xiao Ai, the Third Raikage's son, looked at Dodai.
"Dodai, are we really going to do what he says? Isn't there any other way?"
"Just as he said, things would have been different if we'd arrived before he conquered the Land of the Moon. Come on. Let's see what a defeated country looks like, and remind ourselves not to fail," Dodai said, then walked inside.
Several captains from the Land of Whirlpools were already in the meeting room.
Uzumaki Shori went over and sat down, then began in earnest.
"King Yuanyue, the first clause: as we agreed earlier, the southern forest will be ceded to the Land of Whirlpools."
"Second: people from the Land of Whirlpools may do business in the Land of the Moon without paying taxes."
"Third: if anyone from the Land of Whirlpools breaks the law in the Land of the Moon, they will be punished by the Land of Whirlpools."
"Fourth: King Yuanyue will step down, and his son Manyue will succeed him."
"King Yuanyue, take a look. Do you have any objections?"
Xiao Ai, the Third Raikage's son, slammed his hand on the table and shouted.
"King Yuanyue, these terms are far too harsh. If you refuse, Kirigakure will definitely help you."
Uzumaki Shori merely glanced at King Yuanyue and spoke expressionlessly.
"In just one day, the people of the Land of Whirlpools have set up camp in the capital of the Land of the Moon. King Yuanyue, you should listen to the Kumogakure shinobi and think carefully."
Under the pressure, King Yuanyue burst into tears. With tears streaming down his face, he took the terms, found the place to sign, and wrote his name.
The people of the Land of Whirlpools smiled, while the Kumogakure shinobi looked livid.
King Yuanyue spoke with a trembling voice.
"Lord Uzukage, the troops of the Land of the Moon have all been wiped out."
"Without soldiers to protect it, the Land of the Moon will soon be attacked by all sorts of rogue ninja. Please send people from the Land of Whirlpools to protect us."
Xiao Ai, the Third Raikage's son, immediately stepped forward.
"Kumogakure can take care of the Land of the Moon's defenses."
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