Is This Your Attitude Toward Peace Talks?

The familiar lottery wheel appeared in Gentō's mind once again.

[D-Rank reward: 40%, C-Rank reward: 50%, B-Rank reward: 10%]

The wheel spun several times before slowly coming to a stop.

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received a C-Rank reward: C-Rank ninjutsu, Fire Release: Dust Hiding.]

Everything about the technique-its hand seals, chakra flow, and practical combat experience-flooded into Gentō's memory, as though he had mastered it years ago.

Immediately afterward, the system's voice rang out again:

[Ding! Main quest issued: Blood for Blood.]

[Quest description: Sunagakure ninja have inflicted a devastating calamity upon the Land of Fire. It is time to teach them a lesson. Plunder five towns in the Land of Wind.]

[Quest reward: Lottery draws ×1.]

Gentō stared at the quest description, lost in thought.

By all rights, Sunagakure's invasion had suffered a crushing blow, leaving it unable to attack again anytime soon.

If he led his troops back now, the villagers would greet them with cheers, and the Hokage would commend them. The clans would also receive handsome rewards for their military achievements. Everyone would be happy.

But would those achievements be enough to secure him the position of Uchiha Clan Head?

Probably... not quite.

"Plunder towns in the Land of Wind?"

He murmured to himself.

"That's certainly an option."

He stood and walked toward the troops, who were resting and regrouping.

Seeing their commander approach, the ninja stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him.

"Sunagakure's ninja have suffered heavy casualties. The Land of Wind's border has practically no defenses left."

"Since the Land of Wind wanted to bring suffering upon our Land of Fire, we'll repay them with even greater cruelty!"

"Everyone, follow me into the Land of Wind!"

"Kill!!!"

Amid furious roars, the troops assembled and set out, crossing the border into the Land of Rivers, which lay between the two countries.

With no ninja village of its own, this small nation could only lower its head and let the Konoha ninja pass, just as it had always done for Sunagakure.

Three days later, the Land of Wind's border was within sight.

Looking at the defenseless little town ahead, Gentō raised a hand, his face expressionless.

"Do it. Whatever Sunagakure did to our people, we'll do to theirs!"

The Konoha ninja descended upon the town like ravenous beasts.

Cries and the sounds of things shattering soon rang out.

Gentō was not surprised by how practiced his ninja looked.

In this era, hatred and plunder had long been commonplace, especially when the other side had started the war.

And so Gentō's aim was to make the enemy suffer twice as much!

Suddenly, Gentō's gaze shifted.

Shisui was walking toward him.

"Commander, sir!"

Gentō waved a hand.

"No need to be so formal. Just call me Gentō."

"Yes, Commander, sir!"

Somewhat speechless, Gentō simply asked:

"Aren't you joining the plundering? It makes money much faster than taking commissioned missions."

Shisui did not answer. Instead, he looked at his comrades looting throughout the town. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"Is it really right... to let them plunder like this?"

"Oh, what's wrong with it?"

Gentō turned his head.

"Sunagakure attacked first. We're only giving them back what they did to us."

Shisui did not seem satisfied with Gentō's answer and continued:

"But will the war ever end if we keep taking revenge on each other like this?"

"No."

Gentō answered without hesitation.

"But as long as Konoha keeps showing weakness, our enemies will think invading the Land of Fire comes at no cost. Then the wars will be even less likely to end."

Shisui looked thoughtful and said nothing more.

About an hour later, the town had been picked clean.

A rough count put the spoils at around one hundred million ryō.

"The Land of Wind really is poor."

Gentō scoffed softly and waved a hand.

"On to the next town. Keep going!"

"Yeah-!"

Having tasted the rewards, the ninja responded eagerly.

This risk-free plundering brought in money far faster than missions.

After all, the enemy country had failed to mount any effective resistance.

As for ordinary soldiers and samurai, the powerful ninja did not even need ninjutsu to deal with them!

And so came the second town, the third, the fourth...

Four towns in succession were stripped bare.

The troops carried more and more valuables, and smiles filled their faces.

Then their fifth target came into view.

What lay ahead was not a town, but a sizable city.

"Sand Scorpion City..."

Looking at the city before him, Gentō knew it would certainly have some forces capable of resisting.

Of course, they would pose no great threat to his army of ninja.

Still, to be safe, Gentō ordered everyone to rest for a while.

After all, even with constitutions stronger than ordinary people, ninja could still tire from constant marching and plundering.

He ordered special Soldier Pills distributed to everyone and had them rest where they were for two hours.

In two hours, they would attack Sand Scorpion City!

Meanwhile, inside Sand Scorpion City.

"Sir! Bad news! A large force of Konoha ninja has appeared outside the city!"

A Sunagakure ninja rushed into the hall in a panic and shouted to the man seated at its head.

It was Satetsu, who had fled back from the Land of Fire.

Over the past few days, he had barely managed to gather a little over two hundred surviving troops, yet he still did not dare return to the village.

Nearly eighty percent of his thousand-strong army had been lost. He had no idea how to explain that to the village.

And now, to his disbelief, he was hearing that Konoha ninja had invaded the Land of Wind!

"Those damned Konoha ninja. How dare they!"

Satetsu spat viciously.

As far as he was concerned, Sunagakure was the one that invaded other countries, never the other way around.

Through three Ninja World Wars, when had another country ever invaded the Land of Wind?

"This is outrageous!"

Satetsu gritted his teeth.

But remembering that he now had only two hundred or so ninja at his disposal gave him a headache.

"Send five envoys to negotiate with them."

Satetsu finally gave the order.

"Take a firm stance and test their strength. Konoha is fighting on multiple fronts right now. They may not dare openly break with us."

"Lord Gentō, five Sunagakure ninja have arrived outside!"

Gentō was somewhat surprised by the report.

"Oh? Instead of hiding from us, they've actually dared to come straight to our doorstep?"

"Did they say what they were here for?"

"No. Those Sunagakure ninja are extremely arrogant. They insist they'll only speak to the commander."

Gentō considered it briefly, then nodded.

"Bring them to me, then."

Before long, the five Sunagakure ninja approached under the escort of Konoha ninja.

Their leader was tall and thin, with an arrogant expression. His gaze even held a hint of contempt as it swept over Gentō.

"You're the leader of the Konoha ninja?"

Gentō looked at him impassively and did not reply.

The man did not seem to care. He continued in a lecturing tone:

"You of Konoha have invaded the Land of Wind without cause and plundered its towns. By order of Lord Satetsu, Sunagakure's commander, I demand that you immediately withdraw from our borders and formally apologize to the Land of Wind. If you do, Sunagakure may consider letting the matter rest."

The expressions of several nearby Konoha ninja had already darkened.

Gentō laughed outright in anger.

"Demand? Apologize? If I remember correctly, Sunagakure invaded the Land of Fire first and slaughtered civilians first, didn't it?"

"That's completely different!"

The tall, thin ninja raised his voice.

"Sunagakure's actions were a strategic advance against Konoha's military targets. What you're doing now is an act of barbarity against the Land of Wind!"

"Konoha is already fighting on the Kumogakure and Kirigakure fronts. If Sunagakure launches an all-out counterattack as well, can you handle it? Withdrawing now gives you a way out!"

"I see..."

Gentō nodded, seemingly considering it.

"So you've come to beg us of Konoha to withdraw?"

The man opposite him frowned at those words.

"What do you mean, beg? These are peace talks!"

Gentō smiled and continued:

"Fine, fine. If you say they're peace talks, they're peace talks. So what are your terms?"

The ninja's eyes darted as he heard that, and he promptly replied:

"Well, as for the terms, hand over all the wealth you've plundered in the Land of Wind, and Sunagakure will let the matter rest!"

Gentō nodded, his gaze icy, and said:

"So this is your attitude toward peace talks?"