Ōnoki Feigned Illness

The next day, the screen began playing again.

[In the dining room of the Tsuchikage Residence, Deidara and Kurotsuchi hosted Ōnoki for a family dinner.]

[After several rounds of drinks, Ōnoki set down his chopsticks. His cloudy old eyes swept over Deidara as he broke the superficial peace first. "What exactly happened with the Kumogakure situation afterward?"]

[Deidara picked up some food with his chopsticks and answered casually, "What else could we do? They wanted money and resources, so we gave them some through the arms trade. Paying to keep trouble away, that's all. Hm."]

["Nonsense!" Ōnoki slammed the table, making the dishes clatter, and snapped, "That's like drinking poison to quench your thirst!"]

["This year, they only want money. What about next year? The year after that? When their appetite keeps growing and they want your village, your life, will you hand those over too?!"]

[Seeing this, Kurotsuchi hurried to smooth things over and poured Ōnoki a cup of tea. "Grandpa, don't get upset. Deidara means our priority is to keep them appeased."]

["Besides, don't we have Konoha as an ally? If things really reach a critical point, surely Naruto Uzumaki won't just stand by and do nothing?"]

["Hmph! An ally?" Ōnoki sneered, his voice full of disdain. "No matter how strong someone else is, that strength is theirs! How can we treat it as our own support? Are we supposed to rely on Konoha year after year?"]

["If Iwagakure wants to truly stand on its own, we must become strong ourselves! That's the foundation of the Will of Stone!"]

[Deidara and Kurotsuchi exchanged a glance. They knew the moment had come.]

[Deidara set down his chopsticks and leaned forward slightly, his blue eyes meeting Ōnoki's. His tone lost its casual air and took on a rare seriousness:]

["Old