Young People Still Can't Let Go of Their Pride

[To the Third Tsuchikage of Hidden Rock Village:]

[Recently, turmoil has swept through the Ninja World, and the armies of four nations have massed at the borders of our Land of Fire.]

[Konoha has always upheld peace and would never commit such a despicable act as stealing another nation's Tailed Beast. There must be a mastermind behind this, deliberately framing us in an attempt to stir up chaos across the Ninja World.]

[However, with the allied armies of the four nations pressing upon our borders, war could break out at any moment. For the sake of all living beings in the Ninja World, Konoha does not wish to see lives devastated.]

[The matters of border disputes and compensation are not beyond discussion.]

[It is merely that Konoha is currently filled with many conflicting voices, and opinions have yet to be fully unified.]

[I ask Your Excellency the Tsuchikage to temporarily halt the army's advance.]

[Three days shall be the limit.]

[After three days, once Konoha has reached an internal consensus, the doors to peace talks may be opened once more.]

[The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.]

Ōnoki finished reading the final line.

His hand loosened.

The document fell heavily onto the tactical map before him.

Kitsuchi lowered his head and glanced at the contents of the scroll.

His expression changed sharply, and he laughed in fury.

"How outrageous!"

Kitsuchi's cauldron-sized fists clenched with loud cracks.

"Father!"

"What kind of attitude toward peace talks is this from Minato Namikaze?"

Kitsuchi's chest heaved violently with rage.

"Every word drips with condescension. He did not even offer a single word of concession!"

"Not only does he refuse to admit that they took the Tailed Beast, he actually wants our army to stay put and wait three days for them?"

"Who does Konoha think it