To Unlock Bonus Chapters:
Reach 50/100/200/400 Power Stones! 1Extra Chapters!
Reach 800 Power Stones to activate NP!
Resets Weekly! [Monday]
——————————————————————————————————
"It seems that the ones who truly lack sincerity for peace are not us from Iwagakure, but you from Sunagakure. If we were to agree to all these terms, Iwagakure wouldn't just be weakened—it might as well be destroyed!"
Zǐ's voice wasn't as booming as Ōnoki's, but every word carried immense weight and authority.
Jinghang didn't respond immediately. Instead, he spread his hands casually, signaling Zǐ to continue. He hadn't expected Iwagakure to agree to everything anyway. Negotiations were always about asking for the sky and settling for the ground. The goal was to secure the bottom line while maximizing gains.
*"First, Lord Jinghang, you mentioned punishing war criminals. In essence, this means executing Ōnoki. True, Ōnoki is indeed the one who initiated this war. But let's not forget, he was once the Tsuchikage of our village. Historically, no Kage has ever been executed, regardless of their crimes.
Ōnoki holds immense prestige in Iwagakure. His execution would undoubtedly provoke widespread outrage across the village, reigniting conflict and negating the very peace we all desire."*
Hearing this, Koharu Utatane nodded in agreement.
"Then how do you propose we handle him?" Jinghang asked indifferently.
"Imprisonment! Sealing! Lifetime confinement!" Zǐ declared firmly.
"Heh, and who in your village has the ability to seal him?" Jinghang sneered.
"Then let the sealing be done by experts from Konoha or Sunagakure."
That was indeed feasible. Experts like Master Bunpuku or Konoha's Mito Uzumaki were renowned for their sealing techniques. This was essentially a life sentence instead of an execution, which Jinghang found acceptable.
"Fine, we can compromise on this point. However..." Jinghang paused deliberately.
"Before Ōnoki is sealed, he must atone for his sins by offering a blood sacrifice to honor the fallen of Sunagakure."
"Blood sacrifice? What do you mean?" Zǐ asked, puzzled.
Jinghang pointed to his tea cup, which held less than 100 milliliters.
"Relax, I'm not asking for his life. Just half a cup of blood. I'll take it back to pour over the graves of our fallen as a gesture of respect. It's a tradition in Sunagakure, isn't it, Rasa?"
Jinghang turned to Rasa, giving him a subtle nudge with his foot.
"Huh? Oh… yes, that's right. It's a tradition in Sunagakure," Rasa quickly agreed, though he had no idea why.
"Very well. I'll agree to this on Ōnoki's behalf. If it's a tradition in your village, then as the Tsuchikage, I must respect it."
To Jinghang's surprise, Zǐ immediately pulled out a short blade and sliced his palm, letting his blood drip into the tea cup.
"Well, that was unexpected," Jinghang thought. He had planned to propose a blood oath later in the negotiations, but Zǐ's decisiveness saved him the trouble.
In no time, the cup was filled.
"Is this enough?"
"More than enough. Such a heartfelt gesture truly demonstrates your sincerity. Very well, the first term is settled. Hidan, come here and take this to the refrigerated storage. Make sure it's properly labeled and doesn't get mixed up."
Jinghang called over Hidan, who was serving as a bodyguard, to handle the blood.
After Zǐ bandaged his hand, he continued, "Second, a public apology and an announcement to all nations. We have no issue with this. After the negotiations conclude, I'll personally draft the statement."
"Good, straightforward. Next."
"The third term: reparations. This… we acknowledge the need for compensation, but thirty billion ryō is far too much. Iwagakure simply cannot afford it."
Zǐ's tone was earnest.
"Come now, Iwagakure is rich in mineral resources. Surely you can manage this amount," Jinghang replied. He wasn't exaggerating. Iwagakure was known for its abundant mines, especially silver and rare chakra metals. It was practically a village sitting on a gold mine. How else could they afford their extensive fortifications and frequent wars?
"Sigh, the years of war have devastated our mining industry. The village's finances are nearly depleted. Asking for thirty billion would force us to sell everything, potentially inciting civil unrest."
"That's true, Lord Kazekage," Koharu Utatane chimed in. "Even Konoha would struggle to raise that amount in a short time."
Of course, Jinghang had never expected Iwagakure to pay the full thirty billion.
"Alright, seeing how sincere Lord Tsuchikage is, I'll make a concession. Half in cash—fifteen billion, to be paid over five years. As for the rest, you can compensate with mineral resources. Either provide processed ores or lease the mines to us. The lease payments can offset the remaining reparations."
Zǐ hesitated and turned to consult with Iwagakure's elders.
"This is my bottom line. I've already shown considerable leniency. Wouldn't you agree, Lord Koharu?"
Koharu nodded after some thought. It seemed Sunagakure was determined to extract a significant price from Iwagakure.
After a while, Zǐ returned with a response. Iwagakure agreed to Jinghang's terms in principle. The two sides spent the next two days hammering out the details.
In the end, they settled on ten billion ryō in cash, payable over two years, with the remaining twenty billion compensated through the five-year lease of six silver mines and seven chakra metal mines. A formal contract was signed on the spot, finalizing the reparations.
"Hmph, cash is overrated. Inflation is inevitable in the shinobi world. Real wealth lies in precious metals and resources."
"Now, the final term: the Five-Tails. I've made it clear that taking Han isn't about aggression—it's to prevent Iwagakure from waging further wars. With only one Tailed Beast, wouldn't Iwagakure think twice before mobilizing its forces?"
Jinghang's tone was calm but firm.
"The Tailed Beasts are legacies from our ancestors. How can they be treated as mere commodities?"
It was clear this struck a nerve with Zǐ, himself a Jinchūriki. He must have endured significant hardship growing up.
"But even our ancestors made mistakes," Koharu interjected. Her words carried the weight of Konoha's stance. After all, the Tailed Beasts were originally distributed by the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
Jinghang was surprised by Koharu's support. It seemed Konoha's leadership favored Sunagakure gaining a second Tailed Beast.
Sensing Zǐ's hesitation, Jinghang softened his tone.
"Lord Tsuchikage, rest assured that the child will be treated with respect in Sunagakure. Our village holds no prejudice against Tailed Beasts. In fact, Shukaku is beloved by our children—they even play with Shukaku plush toys. Master Bunpuku, a Jinchūriki, is highly revered in our village. This war itself is proof of that."
Zǐ's eyes lit up with hope.
"I'll personally entrust the child to Master Bunpuku's care. He will be well-protected and nurtured."
"Very well, then."
With that, the final term was agreed upon, officially ending the war and bringing the Second Shinobi World War to a close. The shinobi world entered another brief period of peace.
After signing the peace treaty, Jinghang proposed a bold idea:
"For years, the five great nations have waged war, leaving the world in ruins. I believe the root cause lies in the lack of effective communication among our leaders. I suggest convening a Five Kage Summit to openly discuss our differences and prevent future conflicts."
Zǐ immediately expressed his support, and Koharu confirmed that the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, shared this vision. Konoha even offered to notify Kumogakure and Kirigakure.
Jinghang laughed heartily. "If that's the case, peace is within reach. Let us meet one year from now on the Yuesi Peninsula in the Land of Wind. Its scenic beauty and rich culture make it the perfect venue for such a historic gathering."
Both Zǐ and Koharu agreed enthusiastically.
And so, the Second Shinobi World War concluded, setting the stage for the next chapter: the Five Kage Summit.
(End of Volume 1: The Second Shinobi World War Arc. Volume 2: The Five Kage Summit Arc begins next.)
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
"8 amazing fanfics available on my Patreon.
Support for 200+ advance chapters:
patreon.com/DarkGolds"