Hiruzen Sarutobi's Resolve / The Former Land of Hot Water

"Then you two continue your conversation."

Then I walked to the side.

He didn't think he had done anything wrong. When Pain recruited him, it was agreed that he would manage the organization's treasury.

Even though it's public money, if we have the right to manage it, that's acceptable.

He's not very interested in spending money; he just enjoys the feeling of small amounts of money constantly flowing in.

Ai's eyes lit up.

He was about to kill Kakuzu, but now he thinks Kakuzu cute.

He realized that this person wasn't just looking for trouble; they were genuinely comparing the entrusted tasks with the payment.

People with this habit are generally very reliable when it comes to getting paid.

But... are there such rules even among missing-nin?

Good!

He had a bold idea.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Sarutobi Hiruzen's Resolve

The new documents from Kumogakure have finally arrived in Konoha.

The Cloud Ninja who delivered the documents was truly just a ninja leader this time.

People of that caliber certainly couldn't enter the Hokage Building, and the Cloud Ninja delivering the documents didn't mind at all; if he could, he wouldn't even want to enter the Leaf Forest.

Now everyone in Kumogakure knows that Leaf Village is insane. The last delegation was almost wiped out by the White Ghost of Leaf Village in a single encounter in the forest.

Only one Jonin the Yotsuki Clan survived, but he lost a leg.

Nobody wants to run into this nerve again.

So after delivering the documents, the ninja leader quickly made his escape, running away as fast as he could.

It was as if a ghost was chasing him.

"Are you crazy?" Uchiha Tekka muttered at the Konoha Gate, having just received the documents. "Is he being chased by dogs?"

A ninja from the Inuzuka Clan next to him immediately glared at him.

Then, thinking about his companion's character, the Inuzuka Clan ninja felt relieved.

Subtle insults are too difficult for Uchiha Tekka. The main problem is that he might get so angry he'd die if he tried to argue with this idiot, and he probably wouldn't be able to win a fight either.

Currently, Uchiha Tekka has five Tomoe in his Sharingan.

In fact, even if Uchiha Clan awaken the Sharingan, it is rare for their two Tomoe to be perfectly symmetrical and identical.

It's not that even; adding only one at a time is normal.

Because he doesn't have the Six Tomoe, Uchiha Tekka still Chunin himself a Chunin.

Namikaze Minato did consider promoting him to Jonin and putting him in the Jonin Council, but Uchiha Tekka declined.

As one of Uchiha Shingen's closest brothers, he felt he had to be strict with himself and would never enter the ranks of Jonin until he reached the Six Tomoe.

He, Uchiha Tekka, was a man of principle who would not take advantage of the village.

"Dog, I'm going to the Hokage Building. I'll leave this to you," Uchiha Tekka said to his companion.

"Tekka, can't you even greet people properly...?" The Inuzuka Clan ninja sighed, "If you keep acting like this, you'll really get beaten up one day."

"No ordinary person can hurt me," Uchiha Tekka. "Our clan elders have been beating me since I was a kid, but they're too old to fight me now, so the clan leader is doing it."

"You're quite proud of yourself, aren't you?"

"You don't understand. The elder said he was training me, and the clan leader also said that I have great talent and that one day I will become the second most talented man in the clan after Brother Shingen."

The Inuzuka Clan ninja suppressed the urge to retort, because he doubted that the guy could understand it at all.

You actually believe that?!

"I'm scared of you. Get out of here. I don't want to see you today."

"Really? That's great! I'll pick up my brother as soon as I'm done. You've worked hard today."

Uchiha Tekka was overjoyed, feeling that his comrade was a really good person, and left happily.

In order to get off work as soon as possible, he acted quickly, running all the way back to the Hokage Building and handing the documents to the ANBU stationed there.

ANBU could even ask anything, they discovered that the Uchiha Clan had already turned and run quite a distance away.

Fortunately, the document was sealed with sealing wax, letting him know that it was a document from the Kumogakure.

So the ANBU abandoned their plan to chase that fool back and give him a good scolding, and quickly went upstairs with the documents in hand.

Before long, the documents were already on Namikaze Minato's desk.

"Go and invite the Kagesuke, the three advisor elders, and Shingen over," Namikaze Minato instructed the ANBU first. Then, after thinking for a moment, he added, "Also, invite the ANBU chief. I need to know what the Raikage has been up to lately."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

After the ANBU disappeared, Namikaze Minato did not immediately open the document, but instead took out the initial draft of the plan that Uchiha Shingen had given him.

The content is minimal, just one sheet of paper.

It's written in a simple and clear style.

Namikaze Minato summarized the plan as follows.

Phase one meeting.

The second phase releases the Two-Tails.

In the third stage, the Hokage fights the Raikage alone, while the others fight the Cloud Ninja.

In the fourth phase, everyone Raikage together.

In phase five, we'll see if we can continue Raikage depending on the situation.

Is it absolutely necessary to Raikage? Aren't you going to give him a chance to speak?

Your fifth stage has completely exposed you!

So you just want to kill the Raikage, huh!? You're just going to ignore the Two-Tails after releasing it?!

Namikaze Minato sensed it; Uchiha Shingen for Kumogakure went far beyond mere dislike—it was as if his ancestral graves had been desecrated.

Namikaze Minato thought silently.

Then he heard footsteps.

The office doors were opened, and the invited guests walked in.

Leading the way was Sarutobi Hiruzen, the old man who came in full military uniform.

"Fourth generation, are you ready to set off?"

"No, Third, it's a document from Cloud Village that arrived, but I haven't read it yet," Namikaze Minato said with a wry smile.

Because he also saw another bigwig who had already retired.

Torifu Akimichi.

This is a true master.

As a member of Tobirama Squad, this powerful member of the Akimichi Clan once displayed unparalleled strength with the Expansion Jutsu, making him a fierce general on the battlefield. After Sarutobi Hiruzen succeeded him, Torifu Akimichi took charge of the defense of Hidden Leaf Village.

He is slightly Sarutobi Hiruzen. Although he has lost his former vigor at this age, he is still capable of fighting.

Seeing Torifu Akimichi's very serious expression, Namikaze Minato wanted to sigh again.

So, aside from him, the Hokage, nobody really cares whether or not there's a negotiation, right?

But Namikaze Minato can understand, really.

He would not be able to let go of the fact that his teacher, Jiraiya been murdered.

"Lord Hokage, what did Kumogakure say?" Uchiha Shingen asked.

He was notified while he was in the training ground and immediately flew over like Flying Thunder God.

"Hmm, let me see." Namikaze Minato opened the document and glanced at it.

"The Raikage agreed. The two villages will negotiate in the Land of Hot Water. They didn't refuse our requested address, but stipulated that each side cannot have more than five people."

"Five people..." Uchiha Shingen frowned. "That's not enough to go around."

"Fugaku, I'll have to trouble you to guard the base," Namikaze Minato said to Uchiha Fugaku.

"Don't worry," Uchiha Fugaku nodded, "I know what's important."

Namikaze Minato then looked at Uchiha Shingen.

"Of course I won't agree to Kumogakure's demands entirely. Shingen, you come too, just the six of us."

That's more like it!

"Third, given the current situation, it seems we'll need Jiraiya- sensei to return to the village and oversee things."

"Yes, I've already sent Hanzo to contact Jiraiya." Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Of course, it would be best if Tsunade could return, but I'm afraid that child won't be able to resolve her inner conflict."

At this point, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but feel saddened.

It was he, as the teacher, who Tsunade...

Danzo, why did you have to cross this line? Otherwise, you'd be standing here alive today.

But...

Sarutobi Hiruzen clenched his fist.

Let him use the technique that Master Wu Zu taught him this time!

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Former Lands of Tang

Although the path to peace between Hidden Leaf Village and Kumogakure is extremely difficult, the entire Ninja World is focused on this matter.

This includes the four major ninja villages that are now allied with Hidden Leaf Village.

Strictly speaking, Sand Village is the true ally of Leaf Village, as their alliance includes military cooperation. While Iwagakure has signed a new alliance, their cooperation is more economic than military. As for Hidden Mist Village, they don't even have an alliance; it's entirely a set of economic cooperation agreements.

Before the financial system Teuchi Uchiha Shingen truly takes effect, the current favorable situation facing Hidden Leaf Village could still collapse at any time.

Both Leaf Village and Cloud Village need time.

Under these circumstances, Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage, left the village and personally went to the Land of Hot Water to sign a contract with the Raikage face-to-face.

This attracted the attention of all forces.

Since Senju Tobirama's death, the Hokage, as the most prestigious of the Five Kage, has never left the village again.

Moreover, this time it's Cloud Village, and as everyone knows, the Second Hokage died in Cloud Village's internal strife.

But once Leaf Village's peace negotiation lineup was presented, everyone felt something was amiss.

Considering that the Raikage will personally represent the Cloud Village, it's perfectly reasonable for the Fourth Hokage, Leaf Village Namikaze Minato.

But aside from the Fourth Hokage himself, the rest of the group all had problems.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Torifu Akimichi —these four were all high-ranking members of Leaf Village, and one of them was a former Hokage. However, all four were also students of the Second Hokage and were involved in the Second Hokage's death at the hands of Cloud Village.

Finally Uchiha Shingen, a well-known anti -Cloud Village faction member, was also added.

Everyone started to wonder – were these people really there to negotiate?

Undercurrents began to stir.

As for Cloud Village, there was no disturbance.

The spies from all the organizations saw that the Cloud Village's forces had left the village, but they did not see the Fourth Raikage.

This made them all feel that something was wrong.

Both sides in this peace talk are totally off!

Organizations are desperately spreading their intelligence networks, trying to find out the truth.

However, this was too difficult. The Leaf Village team disappeared after leaving the village, and no one could find them.