Ōnoki: The Art of Stalling, Undefeated Through a Hundred Battles

Konoha not wanting Kumogakure to gain another Tailed Beast and Konoha stepping forward to oppose an ally were two entirely different matters.

"As for Konoha... this old man will find a way."

After pondering for a moment, Ōnoki gave a far from certain answer.

Because he could not be sure whether Konoha would firmly step forward in opposition.

This was too unpredictable.

Damn Third Hokage!!

It was all your fucking fault.

Whenever he thought about how Ōnoki had chosen Kumogakure as an ally instead of Iwagakure, Ōnoki hated him so much his teeth itched.

Didn't Jingyi Hyuga explain the stakes to you?

Yet you still chose Kumogakure. You must have something wrong with your brain.

Only because the Third Hokage had already retired did Ōnoki feel a little better.

What Iwagakure did next left everyone in the Shinobi World following the war utterly dumbfounded.

After the decision was made at the high-level meeting, Ōnoki decisively ordered a withdrawal.

Once Iwagakure's ninja had all withdrawn from the Land of Lightning battlefield, everyone assumed Iwagakure had conceded defeat.

Next should have been the negotiations with Kumogakure. It would depend on how many chunks Kumogakure could carve from Iwagakure and how much blood it could bleed from them.

Even Kumogakure itself thought so.

You Iwagakure had withdrawn your troops, so you had obviously admitted defeat. We just needed to wait for the negotiations.

There was nothing else to worry about.

Thus, the Third Raikage waited and waited. By the time he was growing impatient, Iwagakure still showed no intention of sending a delegation to Kumogakure.

"What do you think Ōnoki is trying to do?"

Tsunade's face was full of suspicion. Something was very wrong here. "He ordered a withdrawal and pulled the village's ninja from the Land of Lightning battlefield, yet he isn't