"Only by quickly ending the wars on both fronts can we gain the time needed to recover and develop. Only then can we better deter the Stone Village and the Cloud Village," said the Third Hokage.
A Konoha embroiled in multiple conflicts was a juicy target in the eyes of their enemies. Once other conflicts were settled, Konoha, even in a weakened state, would still be a tough piece of meat that wouldn't be easy to devour.
A bite of this meat would be filled with thorns. Try it, and you'd end up with a mouthful of stabs instead.
"Shikashige."
"Hokage-sama."
With his hands behind his back, the Third Hokage gave a slight smile and asked, "The Nara clan members are known for their wisdom, and you are one of the finest among them. Let me ask you this: if the Sand Village continues to pay war reparations to Konoha, how many years will it take for us to receive the full amount?"
The Sand Village was very poor. No money, no resources—even if Konoha pressured them, the final outcome would only result in yearly partial payments. It would take years to fulfill their obligations.
If it were a time of peace, Konoha could afford to take its time collecting the debt, resting, and recovering. But Konoha was still fighting the Mist Village, while the Stone Village was restless and the Cloud Village was keeping watch. War could break out at any moment.
Under these circumstances, the war reparations were obviously less valuable compared to having an ally and receiving support from a thousand elite troops.
Another issue to consider was whether the Sand Village might become enraged, refuse to negotiate, and continue the war instead. They needed Rasa back, and if Konoha's terms were too harsh, Chiyo would definitely not agree.
It was better to be left with a limited future than to have all potential drained. Chiyo and Ebizo might be old, but they weren't near death; they still had time to groom new successors.
If the war were to drag on, and the Sand Village decided to go all out against Konoha, it would be Konoha in the most danger. The Stone Village and Cloud Village's fangs could be bared at any moment.
"It would probably take a very long time," Nara Shikashige replied, not even bothering to calculate. He knew the timeline would be unbearably long.
"If the war continues, what kind of cost would Konoha have to pay to completely defeat the Sand Village?" asked the Third Hokage.
"..."
Nara Shikashige had nothing more to say.
That old hag Chiyo was not simple! She had placed the knife at Konoha's soft underbelly. Either they all agreed to put down their blades, or they continued fighting. The choice was Konoha's. They had to choose.
The Sand Village could afford to play the "don't care" game. If Konoha didn't have the power to crush them, then they would just let things be. After all, no other ninja villages would allow Konoha to crush the Sand Village entirely—that would break the balance of the ninja world.
The Sand Village had nothing to lose. If they really decided to take this stance, Konoha would be the one left in disarray.
Back at the camp, the Third Hokage rested in the command center.
Nara Shikashige, who never broke the rules, surprisingly brought along two bottles of liquor that he had somehow obtained, and went to find Sakumo Hatake.
"Shikashige-senpai, are you alright?" Sakumo asked cautiously, sensing that something was off.
This particular elder had always been very strict, never breaking protocol in all these years, nor would he allow others to do so. Simply put, he could not tolerate any wrongdoings—unless the wrongdoer was too tough for him to handle.
Yet here he was, bringing a few bottles of alcohol to drink with Sakumo. Something was definitely not right!
Nara Shikashige huffed and said, "What could be wrong? I just wanted to find someone to have a drink with. Too bad that brat Takuya is off somewhere, so I can only find you."
Sakumo sighed. "So I'm just a substitute? Should I leave then?"
Without saying another word, Shikashige uncapped a bottle, took a swig, and passed it to Sakumo.
Sakumo opened his mouth, intending to refuse, but the look in Shikashige's angry and resigned eyes stopped him. He could only silently join in the drinking.
"Is it because of the negotiations?" Sakumo asked.
Nara Shikashige let out a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, Konoha's situation is not good. The Sand Village's demands are harsh, and without a doubt, the Hokage will agree."
This wasn't confidential information, and Sakumo wasn't just anybody—once the negotiations were concluded, everyone would know. There was no need for secrecy.
"My goodness..." Sakumo's eyes widened. "Good thing I wasn't there, otherwise I might not have been able to keep myself from drawing my blade."
You dare say that!
You were supposed to be there, and it ended up being my burden instead!
Shikashige glared at Sakumo fiercely.
Sakumo laughed awkwardly, quickly changing the topic. "Shikashige-senpai, let's not overdo it. Don't get drunk now. Some things are beyond our control. If only Takuya hadn't left; maybe there'd be more hope for a change."
"He wouldn't help either," Shikashige replied, shaking his head. "That brat can't wait to draw his blade. If it weren't for Tsunade, things would have been even worse. Don't expect him to handle these messy issues."
"Seems like you know Takuya quite well, senpai," Sakumo said, smiling.
"Of course! My son and Takuya were classmates. How could I not know?" Shikashige grumbled. "But you're right. We should stop drinking. Being drunk would be troublesome."
"..."
You wanted to drink, and I'm here risking my peace for you, and now you're the one who's afraid of the trouble it might bring? Senpai, that's not very fair!
Negotiations were on hold for the moment, and Takuya, back in Konoha, knew nothing of this. He was busy training his young disciple.
"Too slow. The enemy won't give you any opportunity," Takuya said.
"Lack of strength. Drawing and slashing needs explosive power and speed," he continued, effortlessly parrying Kakashi's attacks and then lightly rapping him with the flat of his blade as a small punishment. Each time Kakashi struck, Takuya corrected his mistakes.
Kakashi was giving it his all—even though he was covered in bruises and his hands were shaking to the point of almost dropping his sword, he refused to give up.
Takuya admired this determination.
Regardless of talent, persistence was crucial. Even the most talented individuals wouldn't achieve greatness without the will to endure the hardships of training.
Though Takuya had his own advantages, he had never slackened in his training. He loved being laid-back, loved watching pretty girls to pass the time, and enjoyed making delicious food to satisfy his cravings, but he was disciplined when it came to training.
Effortlessly deflecting Kakashi's blade, sending it flying from his grasp, Takuya sheathed his Kusanagi sword.
"That's enough training for today. Go to the hospital and get treated."
Although Kakashi had the strength of an ordinary genin, Takuya didn't teach him anything too complicated; they were still focusing on the fundamentals of kenjutsu. As for ninjutsu, Takuya wasn't pushing Kakashi to learn everything—specializing in one area could be far more valuable than being average at everything.
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