While Gentō waited for Pakura to enter the carriage, a system notification sounded in his mind:
[Ding! Congratulations on completing the quest: Unequal Treaty! Reward: Draw attempts ×1]
Looking at his newly acquired draw attempt, Gentō did not use it immediately.
The odds of getting a good reward were too low right now. It would be better to wait until he became clan head and increased his family prosperity.
For now, winning Pakura over and opening the S-Rank Luxury Treasure Chest took priority.
As he thought about it, the system sounded again:
[Ding! Main quest triggered.] [Main quest issued: Become the Uchiha Clan Head!] [Quest description: You have now accumulated sufficient achievements and prestige. Compete against Uchiha Fugaku and claim the position of clan head.] [Quest reward: Unlock the family module.]
Gentō wholeheartedly agreed with the newly issued quest.
It was time to claim the position of clan head.
Once he returned to the village, the Third Shinobi World War would finally come to an end.
The Ninja World would enter a brief period of peace.
That would be the perfect opportunity to develop the Uchiha Clan and increase its prosperity.
While his thoughts turned, the curtain over the carriage entrance was lifted.
A ninja escorted Pakura inside, then respectfully withdrew.
Only Pakura and Gentō remained in the carriage.
Gentō leisurely looked the woman before him up and down.
Pakura still wore her backless combat outfit.
The dark fabric hugged her body, outlining her full bust and slender waist.
The expanse of skin exposed on her back was as fair as jade.
Even with her chakra sealed and her expression cold, her mature beauty, tinged with wildness, was impossible to ignore.
His scrutiny made Pakura deeply uncomfortable. Gritting her teeth, she spoke first:
"Uchiha Gentō... why are you so determined to have me?"
Gentō chuckled softly.
"Because I admire you, of course."
"Pakura of the Scorch Release is quite a renowned name in the Ninja World."
He leaned forward, deliberately closing the distance between them.
"I'll be the Uchiha clan head someday, and I happen to need a capable female ninja as my secretary. What do you think?"
"Don't even think about it!"
Pakura glared at him, her eyes practically blazing.
Rather than getting angry, Gentō smiled.
Her reaction was only natural.
Getting her to submit willingly would take some patient "training."
"Being abandoned by your village hurts, doesn't it?"
He spoke abruptly, his voice calm.
Pakura's breath caught, and she shot him a vicious glare.
"That was all your doing!"
"Naive."
Gentō shook his head, his tone growing colder.
"Even without me, Uchiha Gentō, someday an Uzumaki Gentō or a Senju Gentō would force Sunagakure to make a choice. And you'd still be the first one they abandoned."
"What matters isn't whether someone forces their hand. What matters is that your value is too low!"
"In other words, you're too weak. Other people can abandon you without paying any price at all!"
Pakura froze. Her lips trembled, but for a moment, she could find no rebuttal.
After a long silence, she asked quietly:
"Then... how do I increase my value?"
Gentō suddenly rose, walked over to her, and lifted her chin with his hand.
They were so close they could hear each other breathing.
"Follow me. Become my woman!"
"I, Uchiha Gentō, will someday be the most powerful person in the Ninja World. When that happens, no one will dare look down on you. Everyone will regard you with awe."
Forced to tilt her head back, Pakura flushed with anger.
"You... let go!"
Just then, Shisui's voice came from outside the carriage:
"Lord Gentō."
Gentō released her and turned.
"Come in."
Shisui appeared inside the carriage with the Body Flicker Technique. His gaze swept over Pakura, a trace of confusion in his eyes.
"Lord Gentō, there's something I don't understand. Why did you trade five billion ryo for this completely useless woman?"
To him, exchanging an astronomical sum in reparations for an enemy village's jonin whose loyalty was uncertain was hardly a wise decision.
Even if that female ninja possessed a kekkei genkai.
Beside him, Pakura's eye twitched with anger at being called completely useless. She glared fiercely at the boy, who was only twelve.
Gentō merely smiled and casually pinched Pakura's puffed-up cheek.
"See? Even Shisui thinks you're useless."
Only then did he turn to Shisui.
"Shisui, it's good that you think things through. Let me ask you, then: how much do you think Sunagakure could accept in war reparations?"
Shisui immediately looked troubled by the question.
Gentō did not press him and gave the answer directly.
"Five billion."
Gentō spoke with absolute certainty.
"That's about the amount Chiyo and Rasa have the authority to approve. They might go a little higher or lower, but not by much."
That only left Shisui more confused.
"In that case, why did you demand ten billion ryo right from the start?"
A flicker of approval crossed Gentō's eyes.
Shisui was willing to use his head. He was a promising young talent worth nurturing.
Gentō would need capable aides like him when he became clan head.
With that in mind, Gentō patiently explained.
"If I'd asked for five billion straight away, Sunagakure would have bargained and argued with me for ages, and I might not even have gotten the full five billion ryo in the end."
He continued slowly:
"But when I opened with ten billion, they couldn't possibly accept it. When I then conceded and lowered it to five billion, they felt they'd gotten a bargain. They didn't even mind throwing in a female jonin with Scorch Release for free."
"That is the art of negotiation."
Understanding suddenly dawned on Shisui.
"So you traded five billion ryo that never actually existed for a female ninja, while making Sunagakure feel they'd gotten an incredible deal!"
"Exactly!"
Gentō nodded. Seeing Shisui sink into thought, he asked:
"Any other questions?"
Shisui shook his head and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Gentō. I'll take my leave."
With a flicker, he vanished from the carriage.
Gentō turned back, only to find that Pakura had been left utterly stunned by their conversation.
A few days later, news that Gentō had led his forces to crush Sunagakure and forced it to sign an unequal treaty spread rapidly throughout the Ninja World.
Upon hearing the news, the other Three Great Shinobi Villages reassessed Konoha's strength.
With nothing left to gain and the war having dragged on for far too long, the major shinobi villages all began seeking peace talks.
Soon, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure held peace talks with Konoha and withdrew their troops in succession.
With that, the Third Shinobi World War officially came to an end.
When the news reached Konoha, the entire village erupted in celebration.
The long war was finally over, and Gentō's name was praised again and again.
Before long, he had gained a new title: "Hero Who Ended the War."
That day, the ninja force led by Gentō finally arrived outside Konoha.
Crowds thronged the main gate. Villagers and ninja lined the road to welcome them, their cheers rising and falling like waves.
Even the Ninja Academy's teachers had brought their young students to stand beside the road. Pointing at Gentō, they called out to the children:
"Look! That's the Hero Who Ended the War, Uchiha Gentō!"
"You should all grow up to become great ninja like him!"
Pakura, whom Gentō had kept at his side, curled her lip in disdain at the sight.
Gentō caught her expression and chuckled.
"Sunagakure's enemy is Konoha's hero."
Pakura said nothing.
After spending these past few days with him, she had gradually grown accustomed to hearing such philosophical remarks from this infuriating man's mouth.
Once they entered the village, Gentō ordered his force to disperse.
Then he personally escorted Pakura to a specially built, chakra-isolating cell deep within the Uchiha Compound.
Through the iron bars, he told her:
"Until you've thought it through, you'll stay here."
"When you're genuinely willing to submit to me, I'll let you out."
With that, he turned and left without a backward glance.
He reckoned the day they would practice dual cultivation together was not far off.
Next, Gentō planned to report to the Hokage and settle the distribution of the wealth from this campaign.
Just as he was about to leave, a member of the Uchiha Clan hurried over and said:
"Lord Gentō, the clan head has asked to see you!"
Before you continue