Weak Nations Have No Diplomacy

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains into the Hokage's office, the warmth of its rays standing in sharp contrast to the tense atmosphere.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, his expression grave and his brow tightly furrowed, as though he were facing an unavoidable crisis.

Before him stood three Hidden Cloud Village envoys, their expressions stern as the atmosphere grew increasingly taut. The leading envoy leaned forward slightly, his tone firm and cold. "Third Hokage, one of our companions was killed by someone from the Hidden Leaf Village. We need a clear explanation for this. Otherwise, this matter will absolutely not end here!"

Another envoy standing beside him continued, "Judging from the wounds, they were clearly caused by the Gentle Fist of Konoha's Hyuga Clan. This is not only a provocation against our Hidden Cloud Village, but also a grave threat to the peace agreement! If there is no reasonable explanation, then this peace agreement cannot be signed at all!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, the pressure in his heart growing heavier. He knew this concerned not only personal honor and disgrace, but also the future and peace of the entire Hidden Leaf Village.

In this invisible contest, he had to find a balance—one that would soothe the anger of the Hidden Cloud envoys while preserving the Hidden Leaf Village's dignity.

Suddenly, the leading envoy fixed him with a blazing gaze and said coldly, "If you cannot hand over the murderer, our Hidden Cloud Village will stop at nothing to seek justice for our companion. If war breaks out once again, you will bear the consequences yourselves!" His words were like a sharp sword, stabbing straight into the hearts of everyone present. The air was thick with tension.

The Third Hokage's expression instantly grew grave. His brow furrowed tightly as he replied in a deep voice, "I will definitely give you a satisfactory explanation for this matter. Rest assured, I guarantee that there will be a clear result within three days."

Not long afterward, at the Uchiha Clan compound, in Uchiha Feng's home, sunlight filtered through the curtains onto the warm wooden floor, and the faint fragrance of tea filled the air.

In a rare occurrence, Uchiha Itachi entered Uchiha Feng's room, a gentle smile on his face.

"Brother Feng!" he said. "I came to talk to you about something."

Uchiha Feng raised his head, surprise flashing in his eyes. "Haha! Itachi, I never expected you to find time to come see me. That's rare! Go ahead and say whatever it is. You're always welcome here."

Uchiha Itachi's smile remained, but a trace of heaviness showed in his eyes. "You know about the recent matter involving the Hyuga Clan and the death of the Hidden Cloud envoys, right?"

Uchiha Feng nodded, and the smile on his face gradually faded into a serious expression. "Of course I know. But Itachi, you're in ANBU now. Do you have any particular thoughts on this matter?"

Uchiha Itachi let out a soft sigh, his brow tightly furrowed, his tone filled with deep concern. "If this is handled improperly, the consequences will be unimaginable. We may trigger another great ninja war. That kind of situation is truly impossible to imagine."

Yet Uchiha Feng seemed completely unconcerned, a mocking smile curling at the corner of his lips. "Oh? And what does that matter? Have there been too few great wars in the ninja world? Every conflict has already claimed countless lives. I think it doesn't matter if there's another one."

"But if that happens, the Hidden Leaf Village will suffer enormous losses, and many people will die because of it." Uchiha Itachi retorted anxiously, unease rising within him.

"They're just dead people," Uchiha Feng said indifferently, his gaze cold. "In the ninja world, life and death are as commonplace as morning and evening. Death by old age, illness, accidents—countless lives vanish every day. Dying in battle is merely one more way to die. It is simply another choice of fate."

Uchiha Itachi frowned slightly, as though pondering something. "Brother, if you became Hokage, how would you handle a situation like this?"

Uchiha Feng shrugged lightly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips. "First of all, I would never sign such a naive peace agreement. So-called peace agreements are nothing more than the humble flattery of weak nations toward strong ones. Truly strong nations never need to rely on such formalities to maintain peace. Strength is the most dependable guarantee. Only by being strong enough can you make your enemies afraid to act rashly. Weak nations have no diplomacy. That's all there is to it."

Uchiha Itachi sighed softly, his brow creasing slightly, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "Then how can I save this village now?"

Uchiha Feng shook his head, a calm smile on his lips. "Save the village? The village is perfectly fine right now. Life is peaceful enough! Besides, this is not something you need to worry about. Why tire yourself out like that?"

The two brothers sat together in a quiet courtyard. Sunlight filtered through the treetops, scattering mottled shadows across the ground, while a gentle breeze brought a touch of coolness.

They talked for a long time, and time slipped quietly away until the lingering glow of evening gradually dyed the sky red.

Uchiha Feng frowned slightly and looked seriously at his younger brother, concern in his voice. "Do you understand now? Itachi, your ideological awareness still needs improvement!"

Uchiha Itachi lowered his head and considered his brother's words. After a moment, he nodded firmly, a trace of determination in his voice. "Mm! I'll think carefully about this."

A glint of resolve flashed through his eyes, as though he had already made up his mind to work harder on this matter and seek a deeper understanding.

Meanwhile, at the Hyuga Clan compound, in Hiashi Hyuga's home.

"Bang!" With a loud crash, Hiashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga Clan, angrily slammed his palm onto the table, making the teacups tremble slightly.

His face was as dark as iron, his eyes blazing with anger and unwillingness. "Damn it! This is simply going too far! They actually want me to hand over the murderer. What a vicious, insidious, foolish, and incompetent move!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's demand would not only weaken the Hyuga Clan's strength. That was merely one aspect of it.

More seriously, handing over the culprit would inevitably mean sending someone from the branch family to their death. This would greatly tear apart the already fragile relationship between the Hyuga Clan's branch and main families. It was utterly insidious.

As the Hokage of an entire village, he was actually yielding to the threats of several Hidden Cloud envoys and agreeing to such a harsh deal. Not only would this damage Konoha's reputation, it would also deal a heavy blow to the Third Hokage's prestige among the major clans. Such a demand was truly vicious, insidious, and foolish, and it was also a display of utter incompetence. It chilled the heart.

The current Hyuga Clan was indeed powerful. Their Byakugan, as their bloodline limit, possessed formidable might. However, when facing the Third Hokage's immense influence, ANBU's mysterious power, and the three great clans like Ino–Shika–Cho, the Hyuga Clan still found itself unable to cope. This gap lay not only in strength, but also in the depth of resources and connections.

If they wished to contend against the Third Hokage, they would inevitably need more bargaining chips. Yet the reality was that they could not win through force, and if they refused to hand someone over, the situation would only grow more severe.

The Third Hokage would never let the matter rest easily. He would certainly take forceful measures to compel the Hyuga Clan to hand over the person they wanted.

When that time came, the Hyuga Clan would face open and justified suppression. Their room for survival would be further squeezed, and the situation would become even more complex and dangerous.