Seeing Shikaku Nara walk in with a black eye and a forced smile, Takuya couldn't help but laugh again.
"You're unbelievable! You've still got the nerve to laugh. We were playing cards together, so why was I the only one who got beaten up while you're perfectly fine?" Shikaku groaned, rubbing his black eye in frustration.
Internally, Shikaku made a vow: If I ever play cards with Tsunade again, I'm a fool!
After resting for a bit and holding an ice pack to his bruised eye, Shikaku asked curiously, "Takuya, why was I brought into the negotiation team with the Rain Village?"
"There is no team. The village didn't have anyone else to send, so they had Tsunade take the lead," Takuya replied casually, not even looking up from playing with Snowy.
"And since I saw you at the camp, I figured we'd bring you along. We needed someone with a high IQ to handle the details," Takuya added.
Ah, so it's your doing, Takuya Yagami, Shikaku thought, shaking his head internally.
Damn, this hurts... Shikaku winced at his sore eye. Tsunade really didn't hold back. It's going to take days for this to heal. Such a hassle.
Women... they're the worst.
Of course, this kind of complaint stayed inside Shikaku's head. He wasn't foolish enough to say it out loud and risk getting Tsunade mad again. No matter his status as the heir to the Nara clan, it wouldn't mean anything to her.
"So, what's the bottom line here? If we're negotiating with the Rain Village, we need to know the village's stance, right?" Shikaku asked, his mind shifting back to the task at hand. Without knowing Konoha's bottom line, they couldn't begin negotiations. It wouldn't make sense to just go in blindly.
Besides, there was no way Shikaku could lead the talks himself. Hanzo would definitely take issue with that.
What would Hanzo, the so-called 'Demigod of the Shinobi World,' think if Konoha sent a kid to negotiate with him?
He'd see it as an insult for sure.
Without a solid bottom line, it would only lead to trouble.
"The bottom line?" Takuya said, still stroking Snowy's tail. "Konoha's main goal is just to sign a peace treaty with the Rain Village. As for any spoils of war, don't expect much. It's not like the Rain Village has anything to offer us anyway."
What could they even give us? Takuya thought. The Rain Village was dirt poor. Asking for reparations would be a joke.
Yup, this is gonna be a pain, Shikaku thought, feeling his headache grow. "We might even end up having to help the Rain Village instead of getting anything from them. That part's going to be tricky."
In the original timeline, Konoha did end up providing aid to the Rain Village, but Hanzo didn't use it for recovery. Instead, after a short rest, he launched an attack on the neutral Land of Iron.
Takuya still couldn't figure out why Hanzo made such a bizarre move.
After crossing the Land of Fire to attack a neutral nation like the Land of Iron, he left Iwagakure's Onoki on edge. In the end, the Rain Village and Iwagakure ended up clashing.
Hanzo certainly had a talent for stirring up trouble.
"Well then..." Shikaku mumbled, deep in thought as he began considering how to approach the negotiations.
Takuya didn't disturb him.
Two days passed in a blur.
The medical team Konoha sent arrived at the camp, and Tsunade, along with Takuya, Shikaku, and a group of ANBU, set off for the Rain Village to begin the talks.
As for how many of those ANBU members were secretly Root agents? Only Danzo knew for sure.
Along the way, Tsunade's face remained tense.
"I have a feeling Hanzo won't be very welcoming," she muttered, voicing the concern that had been weighing on her mind.
Hanzo wasn't just the leader of the Rain Village; he was known as a 'Demigod' in the shinobi world. While there was some self-promotion involved in that title, no one could deny Hanzo's immense strength.
Konoha should at least have sent someone of equal standing to negotiate with him.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, couldn't leave the village. The Elders weren't interested in getting involved unless there was something in it for them, and Danzo—who might've taken the role—was still recovering from his own recklessness. He was lying in bed, nursing injuries that had left him one-eyed and nearly one-armed.
Waiting for Danzo to recover would take months, maybe even years.
Sending all three of the Sannin to negotiate would've shown proper respect. But with Orochimaru and Jiraiya both dropping out, Tsunade was left to handle everything on her own.
Frustrating! she thought, grinding her teeth. Just you two wait... The next time you need a favor from me, I'll make sure to pay you back for this.
Tsunade was still fuming over Orochimaru and Jiraiya bailing on her.
"Just hit him back if he tries to get cocky," Takuya said casually.
Really? You're still acting arrogant as a defeated village? I'll slap you so hard your face swells.
"Cough! Cough!" Shikaku choked, startled by Takuya's words.
Tsunade shot Takuya a glare. Can you get any more reckless?
If fighting were an option, she wouldn't be so stressed about this in the first place. She'd already be showing Hanzo what's what.
The reason Takuya had been brought along was precisely to handle things if Hanzo tried to pull something.
Before Tsunade could say anything, Takuya spoke up. "I get it, I get it. If Hanzo tries anything, I'll hit him with a genjutsu and make him dance a poison-filled jig. If that doesn't work, I'll think of something else. I won't let him push us around."
"As long as you have a plan," Tsunade said with a sigh. "But don't be reckless."
Tsunade would rather the negotiations fail than see Takuya get hurt by Hanzo. Hanzo's poison was no joke. Even she wouldn't dare take it lightly, and anyone else wouldn't stand a chance.
The group made their way swiftly toward the Rain Village, while the ANBU scouts monitored for any potential ambushes by the Sand Village.
Though Konoha hadn't fully withdrawn yet, Sand Village ninjas were still lingering in the Rain Country. Recently, they'd been quiet, but Tsunade couldn't shake the feeling that Chiyo, the crafty elder from the Sand Village, was planning something.
Fortunately, no Sand ninja appeared.
Soon, the group arrived safely at the Rain Village.
"Lord Hanzo, the Konoha team has arrived. Leading them is Tsunade of the Sannin," one of Hanzo's subordinates reported.
"Oh? They've come at last?" Hanzo rose, grabbing his scythe and slinging it over his shoulder.
"Let's go. I'll personally greet our Konoha guests. Let's see who they've sent for these negotiations," Hanzo said, making his way out.
"Um... about that..." The subordinate hesitated.
Hanzo frowned, sensing something amiss.
"Is it just Tsunade?" he asked.
The subordinate lowered his head. "Tsunade brought two kids and a group of ANBU, but no one else."
"Three people?"
That's it?
This is the negotiation team Konoha sent?
This is the respect Konoha shows me?
Hanzo paused, then let out a laugh—one filled with bitterness.
They weren't even taking him seriously.
***********
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