Uchiha Ling's will was the absolute guiding principle behind the Konoha army's actions.
When the concise, icy order—"Halt the advance. Shift to deterrence."—reached the front lines through encrypted communications, Hatake Sakumo calmly rolled up the command scroll.
"Attention, all troops!" His low voice echoed through the temporary command post. "Stop advancing. Build defensive fortifications on the spot. Raise the alert level to maximum."
At a single command, the Konoha army, which had been pointed at the capital like an unsheathed blade, came to an abrupt halt with only one step remaining before its final objective.
The torrent of steel instantly became an immovable stone barricade. This sudden shift from motion to stillness created psychological pressure far deadlier than a relentless assault on the city.
The capital's walls were already in sight. That deathly pause was like the final, most suffocating calm before a storm, every second tormenting the already taut nerves of the city's defenders and nobles.
At the same time, an official document bearing the seal of Konoha's acting Hokage was delivered to the Land of Fire Feudal Lord's residence, where panic reigned day and night.
The document was exceedingly brief, devoid of courtesies or pleasantries. It contained only one line: "Negotiations permitted. Lady Tsunade is hereby appointed plenipotentiary representative, responsible for accepting the surrender—Uchiha Ling."
The words "accepting the surrender" were like red-hot brands, making the eyelids of the nobles left behind twitch as humiliation and fear intertwined in their hearts.
Yet more than anything, they felt the limp relief of having survived a disaster—at least the door to negotiations had opened, and for now, they would not have to face Konoha's army or the White Fang of the Leaf's butcher's blade.
The Feudal Lord practically wept as he ordered preparations to receive Princess Tsunade with the highest