Takuya rolled his eyes and said flatly, "Let's just get on with the negotiations. What, does our dear 'demigod' think he can make some ridiculous demands?"
He didn't care if Hanzō was listening. As the defeated side, what right did he have to ask for anything crazy? Even if he did, Takuya wouldn't even bother entertaining it. The whole idea was laughable.
Just follow the normal process, Takuya thought.
Tsunade sighed internally, feeling a little helpless. Seriously? You couldn't leave him a bit of dignity? Saying stuff like this right in front of Hanzō was just brutal.
Even Shikaku's face twitched a little. This was definitely the first time he'd seen someone negotiate like this—straight-up throwing threats out in the open.
Across the table, Hanzō's expression darkened as he let out a quiet grunt but stayed silent. The ninja pouring tea nearby fumbled and almost dropped the teapot.
"That's enough. You can go," Hanzō said, waving his servant away irritably.
At least Hanzō wasn't the type to start yelling or punishing his subordinates for small mistakes. If this had been Danzo, there would have been insults and probably some harsh punishment by now.
What's the point of drinking tea right now anyway? Hanzō thought. His pride had already been bruised; no sense in pretending to care about proper hospitality. Better to just get the negotiations over with quickly and send this disaster of a guest on his way.
"I assume you three don't want to waste any time either," Hanzō said, moving straight to the point. "Let's begin the talks."
"That works for me," Takuya said, satisfied with the straightforward approach. He wasn't a fan of the kind of people who liked to circle around with their words, playing mind games.
"This is the post-war peace agreement from Konoha. Have a look, and if you don't have any issues, just sign it. That'll make things easier for all of us." Takuya grabbed the document Tsunade had been holding and practically shoved it into Hanzō's hands.
Tsunade was stunned, staring at Takuya with wide eyes. Wait, you're just going to hand him the contract without any discussion? Seriously?
Hanzō, equally surprised, looked at the papers in his hands. He hadn't expected things to move this quickly, but after a moment, he opened the document and started reading through it.
To be fair, the terms weren't all that harsh. The Third Hokage had written them himself, and given his personality, it was clear he didn't want to squeeze anything out of the Rain Village. There were a few reasons for this:
First, the Rain Village was broke. Even if Konoha demanded reparations, they wouldn't be able to pay.
Second, the Hokage didn't want to push Hanzō too far. Cornering him could lead to retaliation, and if Hanzō allied with the Sand Village, it would make Konoha's situation much worse. A combination of Hanzō and the strongest Kazekage would be a nightmare for Konoha.
Third, the Hokage genuinely wanted peace at the borders. He hoped the Rain Village could stabilize and develop without causing more conflict. If the Rain Village collapsed, it wouldn't benefit Konoha in the long run either.
Well, is there a problem? Tsunade shot Takuya a questioning look.
Takuya casually glanced back at her, giving her a reassuring nod. Relax. I've got this.
Since Tsunade didn't know how to start the negotiations, and Shikaku wasn't confident enough to speak up, Takuya figured he might as well handle it.
Negotiations? Easy.
If Hanzō didn't like it, Takuya could always go back to blowing up the village until he submitted. No problem.
Tsunade gave a weak smile. This feels like a disaster waiting to happen, but I guess I have no choice but to trust him at this point.
While Takuya might think the Hokage's terms were fair, there was no telling how Hanzō would react. As Hanzō read through the agreement, his brow furrowed, and he finally looked up, directing his gaze straight at Takuya. He didn't even glance at Tsunade—clearly, he saw Takuya as the only one worthy of negotiating with him.
As for Shikaku? Hanzō didn't even acknowledge his presence. Who's this kid, anyway?
"Is there something you don't agree with?" Takuya asked, noticing Hanzō's hesitation.
"This part needs to be revised," Hanzō said, pointing to the section of the contract labeling the Rain Village as the 'defeated party.' He ignored Takuya's earlier jabs, focusing instead on the document.
"While it's true the Rain Village acknowledges the war is over, we are not defeated in the strictest sense," Hanzō explained. He glanced at Tsunade briefly before continuing, "The daimyo invested a lot of money into the village to strengthen it. If we accept the label of being 'defeated,' it will cause problems with the daimyo, who won't be pleased with the outcome. If that happens, the Rain Village's recovery will be even more difficult."
If the daimyo felt insulted, there was no way he'd keep funding the Rain Village. They weren't like Konoha, which could survive even if the daimyo tightened the purse strings. For the Rain Village, losing the daimyo's support would be disastrous.
"So, what are you suggesting?" Takuya asked, shifting into a more serious tone.
Even though negotiating wasn't his strong suit, basic communication wasn't beyond him.
Hanzō clasped his hands together and leaned forward slightly. "I suggest we frame this as a mutual agreement to end the war, with both villages agreeing that further losses were unacceptable. And the Sand Village would be blamed for instigating the conflict."
He paused before continuing, "The Sand Village was the one who sparked the fighting. They provoked both sides. That way, both our reputations are preserved, and the daimyo will be satisfied. What do you think?"
Technically, the Rain Village hadn't been the one to start the war. The Sand Village had stirred the pot. Hanzō had already shared this intelligence with Konoha. Blaming the Sand Village would solve a lot of problems.
It would be a win-win situation for both the Rain Village and Konoha. Otherwise, the Rain Village would suffer under the label of a defeated nation, and Konoha's reputation as a peacekeeper would take a hit for being seen as the aggressor.
Takuya glanced over at Tsunade, who frowned in thought for a moment before giving a small nod. It wasn't a bad deal. Shifting the blame to the Sand Village was perfect timing, especially since they were already at war with Konoha. And since the Sand Village had been the one to declare war, it made sense for them to take the fall.
With Tsunade's approval, Takuya shrugged. "Fine, we can tweak that. Anything else?"
The fact that Konoha wasn't demanding reparations was already a pretty big concession. The Hokage's attitude was clear—he wasn't trying to crush the Rain Village, just avoid pushing them into desperation and rebellion.
"I also want to request some aid from Konoha. The Rain Village is in desperate need of supplies—both food and other essentials. Additionally, I would like permission to pass through the Fire Country's borders to purchase grain from the daimyo's lands."
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