Negotiation (Part Two)

He swept his gaze over Lei Dou's strange, demonic Mangekyo Sharingan, then over the terrifying Uchiha lineup waiting in full battle formation.

Especially those unfathomable figures in woven hats.

He knew a direct assault to rescue them was already a road to death, one that would only get his son killed.

A crushing sense of humiliation and the desperate anxiety to save his son tore madly at his heart.

"Good! What a fine Uchiha Clan! This old man admits defeat!

But keeping this stalemate going benefits no one!

Lei Dou, you old ghost, do you... dare hold a wagered duel with my Senju Clan?"

Senju Butsuma said through gritted teeth.

"Five matches! One on one! Each side sends out five people!

As long as my Senju can win three matches, you must immediately and unconditionally release Tobirama and all my captured clansmen!

How about it? Do you dare accept?

Let strength decide it. The victor is king!

That is the spirit we ninja clans ought to have!"

The moment he said this, the Senju side's flagging morale seemed to grasp a lifeline.

This seemed to be their only hope to regain their dignity and save Tobirama!

However, what answered Senju Butsuma's desperate, all-or-nothing proposal was Izuna's wild laughter, filled with endless mockery and pity!

"Hahaha! A wagered duel? Win three matches and we release them?" Izuna laughed so hard he doubled over, as if he had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world.

He reached out and pointed at Senju Tobirama, whose body was bound all over with death talismans, then pointed at the five ashen-faced captives.

Finally, he looked at Senju Butsuma as if looking at an idiot. "Old Butsuma, have you gone mad with rage?

Or have you gotten senile? Open your dog eyes and look carefully!

The people are in our hands! Their lives and deaths!

All decided by a single thought from us!

What are you Senju now?

Meat on the chopping block!

Defeated dogs kneeling and begging for mercy!

What right do you have to negotiate terms with us?

And you ask if we dare accept?

And the victor is king?

Hahaha! What a colossal joke! Utterly absurd!"

Senju Butsuma's body trembled violently. He had ranged across the ninja world for decades; when had he ever suffered such extraordinary shame and humiliation?

To be pointed at and cursed by a wet-behind-the-ears brat as a "defeated dog," as having "no right"!

Just as Senju Butsuma was about to be completely devoured by the utmost rage and humiliation, his reason on the verge of snapping, ready to give the order for mutual destruction at any cost—

Qin Mo slowly said, "Clan Leader Butsuma, it seems you... still haven't recognized reality.

The terms. I will say them one last time.

A one-year ceasefire. Three fortresses.

Agree, sign the ceasefire agreement, and we release them.

Refuse..."

Qin Mo's gaze abruptly became incomparably sharp, and a terrifying killing intent swept out like something solid!

"Then take the people of your Senju Clan... and get lost!

Prepare to welcome war!"

"As for them..." Qin Mo slowly swept his gaze over Senju Tobirama, shrouded in fear, and the five trembling captives. "They can stay here and be buried with your stupid choice."

"Wait—" Senju Butsuma shouted with a darkened face. "I agree to your terms! But you must guarantee it!

Within one year, the Uchiha Clan must not take the initiative to provoke any act of war against my Senju Clan in any form! Otherwise, this agreement is void!"

Qin Mo gave a slight nod. "As long as the Senju Clan abides by the agreement, does not provoke us first, and does not take a single step over the line, my Uchiha Clan will naturally abide by the ceasefire agreement."

"Fine!" Senju Butsuma said through gritted teeth.

Qin Mo said nothing more and took out two scrolls that had long since been prepared.

The scrolls unfurled, clearly listing every clause of the ceasefire agreement. At the end, the five flamboyant characters of "Uchiha Tajima" had already been signed, and the clan emblem representing the authority of the Uchiha clan leader had been stamped there.

He tossed the scrolls toward Senju Butsuma.

Senju Butsuma reached out and caught them. Without hesitation, he bit open his thumb and pressed a bloody fingerprint hard onto the space below the scroll that represented the Senju Clan!

The crimson blood quickly solidified on the scroll, forming a clear fingerprint.

Then he stamped it with the Senju Clan's unique seal.

Then he threw one of the scrolls back to Qin Mo.

"Release them," Qin Mo ordered indifferently.

The Uchiha jonin escorting the prisoners moved swiftly and cleanly, undoing the special chains on Senju Tobirama and the five captives.

The instant the chakra seals were released, the five Senju jonin's faces filled with the relief and lingering fear of surviving disaster.

Only Senju Tobirama!

The instant the chains fell away, he tore off the inner lining and hurled it viciously to the ground!

Then, without even looking at that pile of deadly talisman papers, the chakra that had been suppressed in his body for so long erupted with a boom!

"Uchiha Mo—! Come die!" Senju Tobirama's hands formed seals at lightning speed, the flames of vengeance already having completely devoured his reason!

"Tobirama! Stop!!" Senju Butsuma's expression changed drastically, and with a Body Flicker Technique, he appeared instantly beside Tobirama.

His palm, containing powerful chakra, clamped down on Tobirama's shoulder like an iron pincer, forcibly interrupting his hand seals.

"Let go of me! Father! I'm going to kill them!!" Tobirama struggled madly, eyes splitting with rage as he glared at Qin Mo and the other two, who were so close yet seemed separated from him by an impassable chasm. "If I do not avenge this hatred! I, Senju Tobirama, swear I am not human!!"

"Enough!" Senju Butsuma's voice was low as thunder. "Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?! Go back! Face the wall and reflect!

Without my order, you are not allowed to take a single step out of the clan grounds!"

Senju Butsuma flung him backward, and two Senju jonin immediately stepped forward to hold him up.

"Clan Leader!" Senju Kai stepped forward and lowered his voice. "They've just released the hostages. This is exactly when their guard is at its weakest!

If we four brothers join hands, plus the siege-breaking crossbows in ambush... we might not be unable to keep them here! Especially those three brats!"

Senju Wu, Sen, and Hao also looked at Butsuma with burning gazes, clearly having the same idea.

Senju Butsuma looked at the Uchiha across from him, standing ready in formation with momentum like a rainbow, especially those unfathomable figures in woven hats.

Then he glanced at his son, who was being forcibly held down yet was still roaring and struggling. In the end, he closed his eyes in pain and shook his head.

"No." Senju Butsuma's voice was filled with powerlessness. "The agreement has just been signed; the ink is not even dry! If we break faith at this moment and strike recklessly...

In the future, what face will my Senju Clan have left to stand in the ninja world?

If the children of my clan are unfortunately captured, will the Uchiha still leave them a path to live? This precedent... must never be set!"

When the Four Senju Poles heard this, though unwilling, they also understood that the clan leader's words were reasonable.

Senju Butsuma took a deep breath and looked at Qin Mo with a complicated gaze. "In three days, I will withdraw the garrisons from the three fortresses.

When the time comes, send your people to take them over."

"Then many thanks, Clan Leader Butsuma!" Qin Mo sneered.

"Hmph!" Senju Butsuma gave a heavy cold snort. "We're leaving!"

The Senju Clan's ninja quickly withdrew like the tide.

The Uchiha watched them leave, and their taut nerves finally relaxed slightly.

Izuna curled his lip. "Tch, he ran pretty fast. I really wanted to see that white-haired bastard get blown into the sky."