Kumogakure Defense
Hokage Building
In the Hokage Lounge, five figures sat on futons. Naraku sat in the center, flanked by the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage's assistant Namikaze Minato, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu.
The Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, had a pipe dangling from his mouth and was puffing away, filling the lounge with smoke.
Naraku, who was in the middle, also had a pipe in his mouth, puffing away to avoid secondhand smoke, adding to the smoky atmosphere of the Hokage Lounge.
The other three held the files, their brows furrowed.
Namikaze Minato is alright; he's new to the world of Naruto and has a high level of patience.
The other two frowned deeply. They were already struggling to Sarutobi Hiruzen alone, his cloud-like smoke attacks were already too much for them, and now there was another one added to the mix.
Naraku held a file in his left hand and a pipe in his right. Naraku, who didn't smoke, was watching the Third Hokage puffing away in the Hokage Office. As the previous Hokage, the handover of duties was still underway, Naraku couldn't very well stop the Third Hokage.
So he also picked up a pipe, determined not to lose in terms of momentum.
"Gentlemen, the ninjas defending the Northeast Stronghold Kumogakure have suffered repeated casualties. Now that the wars with Hidden Mist, Hidden Sand, Iwagakure have subsided, only Kumogakure remains unwilling to negotiate peace. What are your thoughts on this?"
Naraku, holding his pipe, asked softly.
When the Third Hokage Acting Hokage, he had already reached a peace agreement with Iwagakure and signed a treaty. Konoha had largely returned to peace in the Shinobi World, with only Kumogakure remaining, which would invade and provoke him every now and then.
Naraku took charge of Konoha for a month, and the first thing he handed over was the Konoha's defense. Geographically, Konoha is located in the center and occupies the most fertile land.
To the east, west, northeast, and northwest are four major powers. Konoha is located on the border. During peacetime, each of them deploys a thousand ninjas to guard the border, and all is well.
Currently, only the Northeast Stronghold facing Kumogakure remains, with 5,000 ninjas still deployed there.
After the Ninja War, construction work in various countries was in full swing. In the chaotic environment of the Shinobi World, nobles and wealthy merchants often entrusted assassination and protection missions to these kinds of people.
Konoha needs more ninjas to carry out these missions and contribute to the Konoha's financial development.
"This dragging on is bad for Konoha and Kumogakure. Fourth Hokage, why don't you send another envoy to Kumogakure to negotiate? Hopefully, Kumogakure will cherish peace and lower their demands."
Since participating in the council meeting at the Hokage Building, especially while sitting in the Hokage Lounge, Utatane Koharu's brows have been constantly furrowed, clearly suffering from the smoke.
"The Kumogakure Cloud Village asking for 20 billion ryo is absolutely impossible. At most, they'll do what the Iwagakure did and give them 2 billion ryo to get rid of them."
Mitokado Homura was equally eager to restore stability to Konoha. Konoha received the most mission requests of any of the major ninja villages, and wealthy merchants and nobles from various countries would choose Konoha as their first choice when issuing missions.
Konoha Ninja are synonymous with powerful Ninjutsu and unwavering loyalty. Unlike other major ninja villages, each has its own unique characteristics.
Some are even extremely cruel and bloodthirsty. For example, in Kirigakure, sometimes even nobles from the Land of Water would be terrified by the murderous aura of Kirigakure ninjas when they issued missions.
"Third Hokage, Minato, what do you think?"
Naraku neither agreed nor refused, and sought the opinions of two other important people.
"Yan is right. At most, two billion taels. For the peace of the Shinobi World, and so that the Konoha Ninja can lower their guard and rest in peace, we'll pay some silver, but we can't let the Kumogakure demand it."
Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke, considering spending a little money as a way to appease a beggar; he was completely indifferent.
"The Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure possesses exceptional Ninjutsu; Killer B, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki of Kumogakure, is a powerful ninja capable of fully controlling his Tailed Beast; the A-B Duo is unparalleled in their sharpness."
However, I am still confident that I can subdue the two of them, so it would be best if we could negotiate a peace to Kumogakure.
Otherwise, I have a very high chance of successfully carrying out a decapitation strike by mobilizing the ninja forces from the Northeast Stronghold and hiding among them."
Namikaze Minato a different opinion. He agreed to the peace talks, but he seemed to have other opinions about the issue of paying reparations, and he wanted to lead the ninja army to pacify Kumogakure.
"Minato, are you really that confident?"
Naraku turned his head slightly and glanced at Namikaze Minato.
Namikaze Minato's words Naraku. Naraku had no intention of forcing an alliance at a loss.
Having only been Hokage for a month, signing a peace treaty with Kumogakure to quell the conflict certainly boosted his prestige.
However, the pacification was achieved through bribery and reparations. Although Naraku usually liked to bribe and had considerable wealth, Naraku.
"I am extremely confident. I have fought against A-B Duo before. At that time, my Ninjutsu Rasengan had not yet been successfully developed and could not break through the Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra."
Now, if we were to face A-B Duo again, it wouldn't be as stalemate as before.
Namikaze Minato Naraku, then winked at Naraku.
Previously, during the Ninja War, Naraku opened up his Ninjutsu to Namikaze Minato offered him some suggestions on how to develop and train the Rasengan, which contributed slightly to the successful creation of the Rasengan.
The actions of Uchiha Nara and Namikaze Minato caused the other three to exchange glances and communicate with each other.
For all three of them, Uchiha Nara, Namikaze Minato, and others were all new-generation ninjas.
The new generation of ninjas are often quite radical, especially those who have gained power...
"In that case, my suggestion is that Minato Namikaze lead the ninja forces from the Northeast Stronghold Namikaze Minato attack Kumogakure and sign a humiliating treaty. Lord En, Lord Koharu, and the Third Hokage, what do you think?"
After receiving a signal from Namikaze Minato, Naraku nodded slightly.
Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Sarutobi Hiruzen all felt extremely pleased whenever the Fourth Hokage, Naraku, addressed them respectfully as "sir" with great deference.
"Once war breaks out, there will be endless bloodshed. Konoha, which has finally begun to recover and prosper, will see many villagers once again wearing mourning clothes. Sigh."
Sarutobi Hiruzen did not refuse, but he felt helpless in the face of such a direct confrontation.
"Fourth generation, we are just advisors. You can take our opinions as a reference, but the most important thing is to follow your own heart."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura did not refuse, but simply stated their positions and identities.
This is no longer the era of the Third Hokage. These former Hokage classmates are self-aware; if it weren't for their important power in the Konoha Finance Department and Department of Administration...
The Hokage wouldn't care about their opinions; they'd probably just ignore them.
"Well, in that case, let's proceed as Namikaze Minato suggests. Minato, the peace in the northeastern part of the Land of Fire depends on you."
Seeing that none of the people strongly objected, the fourth generation went along with the strategy and implemented it.
"Don't worry, Fourth Hokage! Kumogakure. I've been wanting to have another match with Raikage A for a long time."
Namikaze Minato displayed an air of absolute confidence and control.