A week later.
Near the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers.
Inside a hastily erected camp.
Sunagakure and Konoha had finally begun negotiations.
Although, upon learning the outcome of the battle at Kikyo Mountain, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had immediately sent word ordering Orochimaru and Hidden Sand Village to begin ceasefire negotiations.
Orochimaru, however, who had become utterly disappointed in his teacher, stalled for time and deflected Hiruzen Sarutobi's repeated pressure, leaving the man far away in Konoha with no recourse. Not only did Orochimaru refrain from contacting Hidden Sand Village, he and Yin Jie instead led the remaining Konoha ninja still in good condition to station themselves at the Land of Rivers border, striking a posture as though they were ready at any moment to invade the Land of Wind and press toward Sunagakure.
Thus, the pressure fell upon Sunagakure.
First, Rasa, the Kazekage, had returned grievously wounded.
Second, Shukaku, the One-Tail that served as their strategic deterrent, was gone in a snap...
Third, the Hidden Sand Village forces that had marched out with Rasa had suffered a crushing defeat. Their ranks were shattered, morale nonexistent, and, most critically, more than half their forces had been lost.
That left Chiyo, the elder advisor temporarily handling Sunagakure's affairs, utterly numb.
She truly had nothing to say after hearing each piece of news!
Earth-shattering disasters!
The sky was falling!!!
Yet what could she do?
Although public outrage ran high, and there were still voices among the upper ranks calling to continue the fight.
They knew their own situation best. Hidden Sand Village had started this war under the pretext of the Third Kazekage's disappearance and avenging him, but their position had never been defensible to begin with.
And now, after being dealt a crushing blow