"Why did you call the two of us here in such a hurry today, Tsunade...? Is something the matter?"
Faced with Tsunade, whose authority grew more imposing by the day and who had Ye Ning's support, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura were clearly much more deferential.
After all, Sarutobi was dead and Danzo had "defected." All they wanted now was to retire in peace. They had no desire to stir up any more trouble.
They couldn't beat Ye Ning or Tsunade, so why cause a fuss?
Tsunade assumed the air of the Hokage and tapped lightly on the desk.
"I called you two elders here because I want to discuss negotiations with Iwagakure."
"Oh, so it's about that... Wait, negotiations?"
Mitokado Homura answered at first, but then realized what she had said. Looking bewilderedly at Tsunade, he asked, "Negotiations with Iwagakure? If I remember correctly, the war between Iwagakure and Konoha has already reached its most intense stage. Could Iwagakure be planning to surrender?"
Mitokado Homura frowned. That didn't seem like Ōnoki's style.
During the Second Shinobi World War, Iwagakure had only surrendered so readily because its supplies had finally run out.
Now, Iwagakure was fighting on two fronts, against both Sunagakure and Konoha. But Konoha still had some of its forces deployed on the battlefield in the Land of Whirlpools. With the Land of Earth at its back, surely Iwagakure wouldn't surrender so easily.
Could Ōnoki be hoping for a temporary ceasefire with Konoha, so Iwagakure could focus its forces on defeating Sunagakure before resuming the war against Konoha?
Mitokado Homura had plenty of thoughts running through his mind, but Utatane Koharu clearly wasn't thinking that far ahead. At the mention of negotiations with Iwagakure, her eyes immediately lit up.
"We can negotiate again?"
Tsunade and Ye Ning exchanged