Daimyo's palace.
Ashina was leisurely seated on a massive tatami with Akashi, Arima, and the others beside him.
In front of them were the Daimyo and his advisors, there were also Danzo and Tsunade beside him.
"It's been a while Senzaimo, how have you been you look old," Ashina asked with a casual smile looking at the Daimyo in the eyes.
His casual demeanor infuriated some who thought he was irrespectuous while others felt relieved by his friendly tone.
"Not everyone is like you Uzumaki, some of us get old fast, but I have been well thank you Ashina. Glad to see you're alright, after what happened to your country," he too replied with a smile.
After that Ashina turned toward Tsunade
"Tsunade Senju nice to see you again, I heard what happened to your brother my sincere condolences,"
"Thank you, it means a lot," Tsunade responded a little surprised that he was aware of the death of her younger brother.
Ignoring the other people present which infuriated them he cast his gaze again at the Daimyo.
"I thought that with the war over things would have calmed down enough for us to send the kids, but it seems that your country is still quite unsafe," Arima said troughing the first jab.
"All that is because of you, you red-haired demons..." Senzo the son of the Daimyo exclaimed in anger as he got up from his seat
"Down," Senzaimon exclaimed looking at his son in anger.
"Ah Senzo still has brash, I thought that having a woman literally run away from home just so that she doesn't have to marry you would've made you grow up, instead you kidnap someone to replace her,"
"You-"
"Enough..." The authoritative voice of Senzaimon made Ashino turn toward him
"I thought that you had come to fix things, find solutions to our differences not create more chaos than the kids did during their stay here," the Daimyo said with a cold expression.
"Old habits, but you are right, let's get to it." with a cold look he said "First, Miko. That's the name of the girl of my clan that your son bought on the black market, I want her back,"
Ashina said those words said the tension in the room seemed to rise, but without missing a bit the Daimyo smiled brightly.
"There is a little misunderstanding here my son rescued her from those slaver at great cost of his personal fund and reputation, of course, she will be returned to you,"
With a snap, the door opened, and from there the woman was walked in by maids wearing fine closed and makeup but the fear in her eyes when she saw Senzo couldn't be hidden.
"Thank you for your kind gesture my friend,"
"You're welcome,"
Seeing that exchange happening some people like Arima and Tsunade had a hard time keeping their emotions in check.
They had trouble stomaching the fakeness of the interaction.
Soon they started to talk about the accord that had already been agreed upon by Akashi and the other before his arrival and they ended up agreeing to not change anything.
"Well, then I count on you for the investigation after all we can't let people usurp the Uzumaki name like that,"
"Of course not, particularly to attack my country,"
The fake smile they showed told everyone that the investigation would be made and in the end, the culprits would be found or fabricated if necessary.
"Now even more important, those white creatures they were after you, what are they, even after our observations we could determine their origin," Senzaimon asked seriously
"Shouldn't you have asked them," Ashina responded seriously looking toward the envoys of Konoha Tsunade and Danzo
"Those creatures according to our research have been created using the cells of Hashirama,"
The word of Ashina confirmed what everyone present already suspected.
The tension rose as suspicious gazes turned toward the people of Konoha.
"I understand that everything points us as the culprits but we are really innocent, we would like to have the authorization to study those trees,"
Danzo then chimed in.
"Lord Ashino I'm Shimura Danzo, one of the advisors of Konoha, you may already know why I'm here to meet you. Your clan has always had a good relationship with our village and was indispensable in its creation until we failed to help you in your time of need, we wouldn't gain anything by having our biggest ally destroyed, and we would really like you to reconsider..."
"Would like us to reconsider renewing our ties with Konoha, and that we become a great family, like in the past, what you gain is out sealing technics," Ashina cut in
"You became quite brazen in Konoha we already know the part you played in the attack on us. You tried to use the four villages to wipe us out and collect the benefit under everyone's nose, you were very clever, and everything worked as you intended fortunately luck was on our side that time,"
The eyes of everyone stopped Danzo awaiting his responses the tension was palpable.
"I assure you Konoha has no involvement in what happened other than our failure to notice and act in time, I implore you not to believe the lie of the other nation they are trying to widen the rift between us," Danzo responded with a perfect poker face.
"You know I thought a lot about what to do to you specifically the moment we would met, you know I am very good at making people suffer,"
The already tense situation became dangerous as some of the ninjas and samurai on the sides put their hands on their weapons ready to act but they were surprised by Arima's next sentence.
"Instead I'm going to accept your offer,"
"What," they asked in surprise
"Do you think that I'm a kid or something, the Sky country sent me as a representative, country, my position is very different from what it was before so yes I agree to your proposition, jet's renew our ties, but things will now be different," He responded with a carefree smile.
And just like that another round of negotiation started.
At the end of the meeting Danzo who was initially pleased left furious.
Ashina had said he was disposed to renew ties with Konoha but they quickly understood that the rapport was different.
It was more like a simple commercial agreement, it was true that they would once again have access to the sealing jutsu of the Uzumaki but the same thing applied to the other ninja village.
The only difference was that Akashi Uzumaki, the prince of the Sky country would be sent to Konoha to serve as the link between the nation.
"So, what do you think Akashi, you are going to be sent to Konoha for a while," Ashina asked looking at Akashi in front of him
"Wasn't it always the goal?" he replied "The attack of the Zetsu indeed surprised me but in the end it doesn't matter!"
"And how is Karin?" At the question, Akashi froze for a second before answering
"Same as always, she doesn't seem to remember a thing, but the information is correct,"
"I don't doubt you, I must admit that I am surprised, the way that this Sharingan was used is something that I had forgotten, or so I thought, it pretty much confirms that Madara Uchiha is indeed the mastermind behind the Zetsu, for that still doubted you"
"We should pray more often to the god that sent us to you,"
Akashi laugh a little at that
"Wait what? Pray!! You pray to god is it true!?" he looked at his uncle with a questioning gaze.
"You know what you need to do. I don't need to repeat myself, again and again, like for my how son, but we really hope that you leverage your identity to create a connection with the Uchiha while keeping the secret from the higher-up of Konoha," Arima lamented as he completely ignored Akashi's previous question.
"It shouldn't be a problem, I doubt they will reject me when they learn that I have already awakened the Sharingan, they swear only by it after all."
Ashina then looked at Akashi for a few seconds without saying anything.
But his expression showed that he had something to say
"Can you try to help Kushina and make things easier for her while you are there being a Jinchiruki is quite taxing,"
"You know I thought that you would take that opportunity to go see her in Konoha later," Akashi said
At that, he offered a dry smile
"After never paying much attention to her and sending them to become the host of the nine tail in Konoha, I think I should stay away," he responded guilt in his eyes.
"Maybe I've given her one of our laptops just in case she wants to reach out, or send news of herself,"
"Just don't forget to send news too, your laptop is not only for playing."