"Kazekage-Sama, Konoha wishes to end this meaningless war. However, when it comes to who instigated it, it is clear that the responsibility lies with Sand Shinobi Village and Kazekage-Sama."
Not long after Mitokado Homura arrived at Sand Shinobi Village, he was escorted to the Kazekage Building to negotiate with the Third Kazekage.
Upon entering the village, he heard grim reports of the war's toll, particularly how Namikaze Minato's squad had conducted a devastating raid on Sand Shinobi Village, resulting in heavy casualties.
A significant portion of the village had been destroyed, and Sand Shinobi's limited medical resources were overwhelmed by the number of injured.
Many civilians were forced to wait in makeshift tents for treatment. The village was in no condition to sustain a prolonged conflict, let alone mount a new offensive.
Knowing this, Mitokado Homura felt confident in his position as negotiations began.
After hearing Konoha's stance, the Third Kazekage slammed the table in anger and retorted, "If it weren't for Konoha's White Fang attempting to assassinate the Wind Daimyō's minister and Konoha's refusal to take responsibility, Sand Shinobi would never have gone to war!"
Homura, adjusting his glasses, countered calmly, "And prior to that, all of Konoha's stationed ninjas at the Kawano Country border were assassinated. Surely, Kazekage-sama, you are aware of who was responsible for that."
Homura's composed demeanor only fueled the Kazekage's frustration. He knew Sand Shinobi lacked the resources to continue the war, while Konoha still had the strength to defend itself.
If the conflict persisted, Sand Shinobi would only suffer greater losses.
"It's useless to argue about who started this now, Kazekage-sama," Homura continued. "The priority should be to end this war and begin the process of recovery. Does Sand Shinobi Village still hope to gain benefits from Konoha through war? With all due respect, that is entirely impossible."
Homura's confidence stemmed from Konoha's overall military strength. Despite fighting on three fronts, the Hokage had yet to fully mobilize the clans, meaning Konoha still retained considerable power.
Even a militaristic village like Cloud Shinobi couldn't rival Konoha at full strength.
The Third Kazekage was well aware of this reality. Still, he wasn't ready to surrender outright. Besides signing a peace treaty, he had another option: dragging out the conflict.
Konoha's resources were already stretched thin, and prolonged resistance from Sand Shinobi could force Konoha into a stalemate.
"We both know Konoha is facing three enemies," the Kazekage pointed out. "Your village has spread itself too thin, and Rock Shinobi and Cloud Shinobi still have the capacity to push harder. If Sand Shinobi holds out, Konoha's other battlefields will suffer."
The room fell into a tense silence, each party assessing the other. After a long pause, the Third Kazekage finally spoke. "We can sign a peace agreement, but understand this: Sand Shinobi Village has not lost. Konoha must provide compensation."
Homura immediately rejected the demand. "That is out of the question. If that's your stance, then it seems the battlefield will have to decide the outcome."
The discussion quickly devolved into a heated argument. Both sides debated the terms of the peace agreement and the looming threat of continued warfare.
The Third Kazekage was adamant about securing some form of compensation to save face with his village, while Homura refused to concede anything that might undermine Konoha's position.
Mitokado Homura was equally unwilling to back down. If Konoha emerged victorious, why should they pay compensation? In his view, it was better to continue the war until one side was utterly defeated and the outcome was undeniable.
However, this was an extreme option, and Homura couldn't make such a decision alone—nor did he want to.
With negotiations reaching a stalemate, he decided to consult Sarutobi Hiruzen before proceeding further.
On the other side, the Third Kazekage also had no intention of wasting all his time on prolonged talks with Konoha.
If Homura refused to meet his demands, the Kazekage was prepared to restart the war against Konoha.
The Third Kazekage's confidence came from the Kain Chamber of Commerce in the Land of Tea. By trading the mineral and oil resources of the Wind Country, he had secured a steady flow of supplies essential to Sand Shinobi Village.
Whether or not Konoha agreed to the terms, the Kazekage had already made his preparations.
If Konoha accepted Sand Shinobi Village's conditions, the village could benefit greatly—using both the resources from the trade and Konoha's compensation to rebuild and develop for several years.
But if Konoha refused, Sand Shinobi Village would have no choice but to declare war again. After suffering such heavy losses, they couldn't afford to bear the consequences alone.
Meanwhile, Kain had just returned from the worlds of Marvel and Resident Evil when two envoys from the ninja villages arrived seeking his help.
These envoys represented Sand Shinobi Village and the Terumi Clan from Kirigakure—two groups with lingering hostilities toward each other.
Kain decided to prioritize resolving matters with the Terumi Clan first before turning his attention to Sand Shinobi's emissaries.
Representing Sand Shinobi Village were Ebizō, Pakura (a Scorch Release user renowned for her exploits against Mist Shinobi), and two other ninjas.
While Pakura was a powerful and respected figure, her status still fell short of Rasa's.
Ebizō had come to purchase supplies and medicine for Sand Shinobi Village, which had been devastated in the war.
The chances of the Daimyō providing financial aid were slim, so the village pinned its hopes on trading the mineral resources of the Wind Country for vital materials through Kain.
"Of course, the trade is no problem, Elder Ebizō," Kain said diplomatically. "We'll proceed as we've done in the past. Additionally, the Land of Tea has medical personnel available. If your village requires their assistance, I can send some to help. And as for entrusted tasks, I wonder if Sand Shinobi Village is still in a position to take them on?"
Kain and Ebizō discussed many matters, including the delegation of mining operations.
Given the high cost of using civilian labor, Kain suggested entrusting the mining tasks to Sand Shinobi Village. The Kain Chamber of Commerce would then purchase the extracted materials directly.
After careful consideration, Ebizō agreed to all the terms. These decisions didn't require the Third Kazekage's direct approval, and both medical assistance and task delegations were urgently needed in Sand Shinobi Village.
If Kikyo Castle is not captured, Sand Shinobi Village will undoubtedly face doubts and criticism from other merchant nobles.
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