"Hyuga Wuye, I am the Hokage."
The Third Hokage removed his pipe and slowly set it on the desk.
That clack rang clearly through the office, as if it were meant to strike Hyuga Wuye's heart.
"Not for much longer."
Unfortunately, Wuye was not intimidated in the slightest.
The Third Hokage took a deep breath before he could maintain his composure.
This young man, who never played by the rules and was always ready to flip the table, had exhausted him.
"The agreements need to pass the jonin council as well. As the overall commander of the battlefield, I need to review them in advance. There is nothing procedurally wrong with that." Hyuga Wuye held out his hand.
The Third Hokage opened a drawer and placed four dossiers on the desk.
"Let me remind you, negotiations and war are two different things." He stared at Wuye and spoke slowly. "Many times, making certain concessions for the village's interests is perfectly normal..."
"Fine. Let me see exactly how you sold out the frontline shinobi."
Wuye smiled without a trace of warmth and picked up the dossiers.
The Third Hokage: "..."
"Iwagakure Village: postwar aid? Rebuilding Kannabi Bridge?"
"Kumogakure Village: providing tailed beast sealing experience free of charge?"
Hyuga Wuye could not help flipping through the two dossiers several times. In the end, he slammed them back onto the desk. "Is this a ceasefire agreement or a surrender agreement?!"
"It is all for the village." The Third Hokage rose to his feet and pointed outside the floor-to-ceiling window. "Look at the smiles on everyone's faces. You will know these losses were worth it."
Wuye was so enraged by that shameless expression that he actually laughed.
He could dress up weakness and internal strife as something so glorious and noble. Wuye suspected the