The broken oak door panel crashed to the floor, sawdust still floating in the air.
The two dilapidated doors slammed shut behind Shu Shiraishi with a muffled "bang".
The sound of wind and snow outside the door was completely shut out.
The meeting room was so quiet it felt almost oppressive.
Shu Shiraishi didn't look at the three people at the table.
He strode to the head seat at the top of the conference table.
The hem of the black trench coat stirred up a strong gust of wind, causing sparks to fly from the nearby charcoal brazier.
A few embers fell onto the wool carpet, burning and emitting a pungent, acrid smell.
I pulled out the high-backed leather chair and sat down.
He lifted both legs forward. Clang!
The military boots, still covered in half-melted sludge, slammed directly onto the expensive mahogany table.
Muddy water trickled down the edges of the shoes, staining the dark red tablecloth.
He leaned back, completely ignoring the three frozen figures beside him.
Under the table.
Ōnoki's hands, which Hand Seals, suddenly stopped.
Ten short, thick fingers were tightly intertwined. Their fingernails dug into the flesh of their hands, leaving several bloody marks.
Kazekage Ying gritted his teeth, his chest heaving violently, and his breathing became labored.
Ripples spread across the surface of the teacup in front of Mizukage. A few drops of water splashed out, scalding the back of his hand. He didn't wipe them away.
The three powerful figures of the Shinobi World swallowed back the anger that was about to erupt.
Ōnoki released his handprint and pulled his hand back onto the table.
His old face forced a bunch of wrinkles together, and he smiled like a crumpled piece of waste paper.
" Hokage, you've come a long way; you must be tired."
His voice was dry and strained, revealing an undeniable weakness.
Shu Shiraishi didn't respond.
He pulled a brass lighter from his trench coat pocket and tossed it idly in his hand.
The metal casing struck the palm, producing a dull "snap" sound.
Ōnoki swallowed hard and could only force a laugh as he continued.
He pulled a parchment scroll from his sleeve and pushed it to the center of the table.
"I invited you here today for the sake of peace."
"Nuclear weapons are too powerful. If we're not careful, the entire continent could be doomed." Ōnoki rubbed his hands together.
"We've discussed it. Iwagakure is willing to cede twelve high-grade hematite mines on the border and pay an additional 50 million taels in military expenses."
Kazekage chimed in from the side, her voice strained.
" Sunagakure is willing to open its entire borders. Konoha can have priority access to exploit the six Chakra wells of the Land of Wind indefinitely."
Mizukage looked down at her teacup and coughed.
"The near-shore fishing rights of Kirigakure, and all its deep-water ports, will be given to Konoha."
The three shadows took turns increasing the stakes.
The terms are so good it's like they're selling their ancestral graves for a pittance.
The lighter in Shu Shiraishi's hand stopped.
He slightly raised his chin, looking at the brass chandelier on the ceiling.
That's all?
His voice was neither warm nor cold, but carried a blunt disdain.
Ōnoki placed his hands on the edge of the table.
"If Your Excellency agrees to sign the Nuclear Weapons Limitation Treaty, you can completely decommission that weapon."
Ōnoki lowered his posture and bent down.
"From now on, Konoha will undoubtedly hold the top position in the Shinobi World. We, the four nations, will revere you and never disobey you."
These words are so humble; they trample even dignity into the mud.
But it's under the table.
The Chakra encryption frequency has long been at full speed.
Beneath the surface of feigned politeness, the Chakra transmission network was as cold as an icebox.
" Tsuchikage, this little bastard isn't taking the bait." Mizukage's voice rang in the other two's minds, emphasizing each word.
"Keep him calm." Ōnoki's voice transmission was as firm as a rock. "He's too arrogant. Does he really think he can overpower us all by himself?"
A fine layer of sweat appeared on Kazekage's forehead.
"Were the Explosive Tag damp? The snow in the Land of Iron is too heavy."
"Twelve thousand sheets. The Iwagakure assassins dug the tunnel for three days." Ōnoki sneered.
"It's covered in plaster from every single load-bearing column in the building's foundation. Even the foundation itself is filled with it."
Within the telepathic network, the three men's killing intents were inextricably intertwined.
"There's a funnel-shaped mine pit beneath this building," Ōnoki commanded in his mind. "My Dust Release barrier is on the outermost layer. Your Magnet Release is on the outer wall. The Mizukage Water Prison Formation seals off the ventilation openings."
"As soon as the Explosive Tag explodes, the barrier immediately closes. It's like a sealed pressure cooker."
Mizukage gasped.
"What about us? With the force of the explosion plus the Dust Release, won't we die inside too?"
"He won't die. My Reverse Hiding Like a Mole Technique left a one-way passage." Ōnoki's tone was chilling. "A second before the explosion, we burrowed Earth Flow. This building will be his grave!"
Shu Shiraishi on the table shifted his sitting posture.
The military boots scraped against the table, making a harsh, screeching sound.
He looked at Ōnoki.
"The top spot?"
Shu Shiraishi chuckled. "I came all this way just to hear you tell such pointless jokes?"
He pointed to the parchment scroll.
"The combined assets of your three families aren't even worth as much as a single workshop in Konoha. You're trying to sell your lives for scrap?"
Ōnoki's face stiffened, and he quickly forced a smile.
"Please don't be hasty, sir. The terms can still be discussed."
In the telepathic communication network, Ōnoki's voice suddenly rose, carrying a desperate madness.
"Get ready! Look at that cup of tea on his right!"
Mizukage glanced at the cup of tea to Shu Shiraishi's right.
"A mixture of the venom of Gelsemium elegans and Globe Amaranth. Colorless and odorless."
Mizukage thought to herself quickly.
"Just one sip will forcibly paralyze your Chakra pathways for three seconds. Even a god couldn't undo it."
"Three seconds is enough." Ōnoki stared intently at Shu Shiraishi's hand.
"Keep him calm! Wait until he picks up that cup of poisoned tea. The moment it touches his lips, it explodes!"
"Vaporize this little beast and this building together!"
The fire in the charcoal brazier burned even brighter.
The room was stiflingly hot.
Kazekage felt her back sticking to her clothes, with sticky sweat dripping down.
He quietly pulled his hand back into his sleeve, his thumb tightly gripping his index finger, which was Hand Seals.
My palms were covered in slippery sweat.
Be ready to activate Magnet Release at any time.
Ōnoki picked up the teacup in front of him.
"Your Mightiness."
He held the rough porcelain teacup with both hands and raised it slightly.
The old man's hands trembled but remained steady as he forced a submissive demeanor.
"It's snowing heavily outside. Let's have some hot tea to warm ourselves up."
He forced a dry laugh.
"If you're not satisfied with the conditions, we have plenty of time today. We can work things out slowly and eventually come up with a solution that will satisfy you."
Shu Shiraishi's gaze fell on the cup of tea.
The tea steamed, white vapor rising gently in the dim light.
He retrieved the military boots that were draped over the table.
He stomped his foot on the floor with a "bang," making the table shake.
He leaned forward.
He lifted his right hand off the table.
Ōnoki's heart clenched suddenly.
One beat, two beats, pounding like a drumbeat against my parched chest.
He stared intently at the hand wearing a black glove.
It's getting closer.
It was only ten centimeters away from the teacup.
Kazekage's back was taut like a fully drawn bow.
Mizukage stopped breathing completely. Her chest ached from the tightness.
The three of them frantically counted down in their minds.
three.
Shu Shiraishi spread his fingers.
I was about to grab the handle of that teacup.
two.
Ōnoki finally couldn't suppress the urge to smile.
His skin and flesh were pulled upwards with a sharp tug, revealing a suppressed, wildly joyful smile.
The wrinkles on his old face were all squeezed together.
It's done.
Even if this monster has nuclear weapons, he's still just an inexperienced young upstart.
He drank it. Then he died a gruesome death.
one.
Shu Shiraishi's hand brushed past the steaming cup of poisoned tea.
The breeze stirred up by the gloves deflected the rising steam.
Her hands didn't stop.
He reached straight into the inside pocket of the black trench coat.
Ōnoki's smile froze.
The skin and flesh on his face were stuck in mid-air, making him look extremely comical.
His eyes were fixed on the teacup, completely still.
Shu Shiraishi withdrew his hand.
There was no teacup in his hand.
There was an extra black iron brick.
The rough manganese steel casing tops a half-meter-long soft rubber antenna, with brass buttons embedded in the side.
The number one mobile phone in the Shinobi World.
He threw the iron brick into the middle of the table.
"When."
A black brick smashed onto the mahogany table.
It slid half a foot along the smooth tabletop and came to a steady stop in front of Ōnoki.
Shu Shiraishi extended his thumb.
I pressed the play button on the side.