Fortunately, the Third Hokage quickly eased the tension between the two elders, bringing up the topic of choosing a negotiator.
Takuya had accomplished so much, it would be fitting to send him for the talks. He had managed to push Sunagakure to the brink on the battlefield, making him an ideal representative. However, seeing that the Third Hokage didn't seem inclined to make that decision, Tsunade decided not to mention it.
"Do whatever you want, old man. The war on the eastern front is still raging, and I have no time to deal with this trivial nonsense." The negotiations would just be a game of bargaining, trying to secure advantages and benefits, and Tsunade knew Takuya wasn't fond of such tedious tasks. Besides, since the Third Hokage seemed interested, she decided to let him handle it.
"Perhaps I could..." Koharu Utatane began, glancing at Homura Mitokado, intending to volunteer herself to redeem her recent mistakes. Before she could even finish, the Third Hokage spoke up: "In that case, I shall personally go."
"Wait, what?" Tsunade looked stunned. "You're going in person?"
The idea of the Third Hokage going himself caught everyone off guard, and Koharu nearly sprained her back from shock.
"And what about the village?" Homura tried to ask. Normally, Koharu and Homura would be the obvious choices for such a task, but considering their current precarious situation, they were too embarrassed to bring it up directly. They knew Tsunade wouldn't let them off the hook that easily.
"The village is in Tsunade's capable hands; I have no concerns about that. Therefore, I shall head to the frontlines myself to meet with Chiyo." The Third Hokage genuinely felt that Tsunade had performed exceptionally well, beyond his expectations. Though reluctant to admit it, it was true. If Tsunade could manage everything, it made sense for him to handle negotiations on the frontline, leaving the village in her care.
This was also a gesture of trust and authority transfer. In a way, it was a sign of endorsement. The Feudal Lord also desired this arrangement. When the Third Hokage personally traveled to the Feudal Lord's court, leaving Tsunade in charge, it was tantamount to officially recognizing her as his successor.
Supporting Tsunade was also a decision the Feudal Lord found favorable, especially since Tsunade was family to him—making her more trustworthy than Orochimaru. Concerns about hurting Orochimaru's feelings were no longer a priority. The Third Hokage was focused solely on what was best for Konoha, for its future.
"Are you serious, old man?" Tsunade sighed in exasperation. "There's already a pile of nonsense to deal with here, and now you're trying to cause more trouble? Are you kidding me?"
"I assure you, I'm quite serious." The Third Hokage gave a faint smile. He understood Koharu and Homura's unspoken desire to offer their services, seeking to atone and restore their standing. Under different circumstances, he would have agreed, but not now. He needed to be the one to personally oversee this matter. Besides, leaving Tsunade in charge was a silent yet powerful deterrent to those in the village.
Ironically, whenever he was away, Danzō and the Elders seemed to behave themselves. But as soon as he returned, they couldn't seem to stay still.
"Fine, do as you please," Tsunade said, waving him off dismissively, wanting nothing more than for him to leave her alone. She wished he'd just leave the village, at least for a while, so some people would finally settle down and stop their scheming.
Tsunade had come to realize that, for some reason, whenever the Third Hokage was present in the village, Danzō and the Elders acted as if they were untouchable, believing that no matter what mistakes they made, the Third Hokage would always protect them.
The Third Hokage, sensing Tsunade's annoyance, chuckled. "I'll leave the village to you, then. As soon as negotiations conclude, I'll return. I know Orochimaru may still need your assistance."
"Assistance, my foot!" Tsunade bit back the urge to curse. "The war with the Mist isn't ending anytime soon, and we don't see any hope for resolution on the horizon. Luckily, with Jiraiya and Orochimaru there, and Minato aiding them, Mist Village has suffered significant losses. It's just a matter of time until they collapse."
"Minato, eh? That boy has a lot of promise." The Third Hokage had always believed that Minato was someone worth investing in. Minato had never let him down, gaining tremendous momentum through the war. His Flying Thunder God Technique was enough to strike fear in the hearts of the Mist ninja. No one could be sure when Minato would suddenly appear beside them, ready to take off someone's head or pierce someone's heart.
Dealing with an enemy like that, who appeared out of nowhere, put immense strain on one's psyche. Minato's rise to power wasn't as flashy as Takuya's, but he had steadily climbed the ranks. Now known as "The Yellow Flash," Minato's reputation had already spread across the ninja world, and information about him was laid out on the desks of every village leader.
Not only Minato but Nawaki's growth had also been commendable. While not as brilliant as Minato's, it had been steady and satisfactory.
With the ongoing pressure from the villagers, Sarutobi Hiruzen, I'm afraid your seat won't remain yours for much longer! Tsunade, tired of the Hokage's musings, interrupted him with her assessment. "Based on my investigation and evaluation, Mist Village is on the verge of collapse. What's strange is that, despite repeated sabotage of their supply lines and constant disruptions, they continue to launch fierce attacks."
"It's as if their leadership is deliberately sacrificing the Mist ninja, sending them to die on the battlefield."
There were whispers within the higher ranks of Mist Village about the Third Mizukage being controlled. However, such things were tightly sealed, and Tsunade was merely deducing from her observations—leading to this puzzling conclusion.
Were the leaders of Mist Village simply insane?
Fighting across the ocean already put Mist at a logistical disadvantage, and they constantly faced sabotage from Konoha. Despite suffering significant losses, thanks to Orochimaru and Jiraiya, Konoha still had the backing of reinforcements and supplies. Despite setbacks, Konoha's confidence had only grown with each battle.
So, what was Mist's strategy for a prolonged war? They lacked the resources for a consistent supply chain, they didn't have the manpower to match Konoha, and the village itself had recently been in disarray—disturbed by Takuya, internal strife within the bloodline families, and general unrest. Yet they fought relentlessly, as if their ninja's lives were worth nothing, attacking Konoha's lines as if driven by madness.
"Indeed, it's suspicious. If possible, we should investigate. There might be a weakness we can exploit to win the war," the Third Hokage said.
"I understand," Tsunade nodded, glancing at the Third Hokage as he puffed on his pipe, seemingly unperturbed by the mess that was the ANBU. Gritting her teeth, she thought, "Once he leaves, I'll have to sort all this out quickly. Otherwise, when he returns, there'll be nothing but chaos."
"When are you leaving?" she asked.
"Immediately," replied the Third Hokage, taking a drag from his pipe. "Once I finish this pipe, I'll take a few guards and leave."
No time could be wasted. The sooner this war ended, the sooner Konoha could withdraw its troops, allowing them to rest or redeploy to support the eastern front. Most importantly, ending the war with Sunagakure would free up Konoha to focus entirely on dealing with Mist Village.
"Fine, pick your guards yourself. I won't help you with that. And if you're going, hurry up—there's still a ton of things I need to deal with."
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Next Bonus: 300
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