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It's simple: either leave your disciple and granddaughter in Konoha, letting them grow disillusioned with you, or turn on the Grass Ninja Village. Pick one.
Kazuki didn't bother arguing with Ōnoki or haggling over terms.
The condition was set, non-negotiable.
Konoha could deal with the Grass Ninja Village directly, sure. It would still carry weight. But having the Rock Village do it? That would be far more effective.
With the Grass Ninja Village as a cautionary tale, which small village would dare pull something like this again? They'd fear that the moment they caused trouble, their own village would be next in line for a reckoning.
The Grass Ninja Village was the perfect example.
"You…" Ōnoki's nose practically twisted in anger.
Choose the Grass Ninja Village and abandon my disciple and granddaughter? If Deidara and Kurotsuchi heard that, what would they think?
Deidara might shrug it off, but Kurotsuchi…
Damn it!
Uchiha Kazuki, as always, refusing to act human.
Ōnoki's eyes blazed red, his breathing heavy as he slammed the desk. "The Rock Village can publicly denounce the Grass Ninja Village, but I can't openly attack and purge their leadership. It has to be done covertly. This is my biggest concession. If Konoha still won't budge, I'll have to find another way to get them back."
Publicly denouncing the Grass Ninja Village was already a blow to the Rock Village's reputation. Openly attacking and purging their leadership? That would make it impossible for the Rock Village to maintain any standing in the ninja world.
As for leaving Deidara and Kurotsuchi in Konoha? That was even less acceptable.
They had to be brought back, but the terms needed adjustment.
The Rock Village could handle the purge, but it had to be done in secret.
Ōnoki's stance was firm, leaving no room for Kazuki to push further.
If Kazuki refused, Ōnoki was ready to walk away.
As expected, no matter how much he cared for his disciple and family, he was still the Tsuchikage. He couldn't act recklessly.
Kazuki felt a twinge of regret, but Ōnoki's compromise still met his standards.
"Fine. Within half a month, I want to see the Grass Ninja Village transformed," Kazuki said.
He gave Ōnoki only two weeks.
The public denouncement had to come first, of course. As for the purge, it needed to be completed within the half-month timeframe. Kazuki didn't care how the Rock Village did it—he just wanted results.
"You don't need to replace everyone. Half will do."
Wiping out the entire leadership would disrupt the Grass Ninja Village too much. Taking out half and leaving the rest was the most reasonable approach.
The remaining leaders would never dare provoke Konoha again and would likely resent the Rock Village for betraying them.
We were supposed to be allies, and you stabbed us in the back? That's unforgivable.
"Fine!" Ōnoki practically spat the word through gritted teeth.
"Since the Tsuchikage is so busy, I won't keep you in Konoha any longer. Your disciple and granddaughter will be brought to you shortly," Kazuki said.
With the deal settled, Kazuki had no interest in staring Ōnoki down. The sooner he sent this grumpy old man on his way, the better.
Grass Ninja Village, didn't see this coming, did you? Your ally is about to turn on you. Hope you can handle it!
Thinking you can play both sides?
Dream on. Why not just stay quiet and keep a low profile?
Instead, they had to stir up trouble.
If the Grass Ninja Village wasn't dealt with, other bold or manipulated small villages might follow their lead.
Kazuki needed to nip this in the bud.
The Rock Village had become Konoha's blade.
The outcome? Konoha might face some criticism, but it would be insignificant. Neither Kazuki nor Tsunade cared about that.
The Rock Village, though… their reputation would take a hit.
Whether they acted openly or covertly, the truth couldn't be hidden.
The difference was that an open attack left no room for denial.
A covert one? As long as they didn't admit it, no one could pin it on them definitively.
Even if the entire ninja world knew the Rock Village was behind the Grass Ninja Village's purge, as long as it wasn't done openly, they could deny it.
That gave them significant wiggle room.
An open attack, though? No way to wash that clean.
"Hehe," Kurotsuchi giggled upon seeing her grandfather, putting on an innocent I-didn't-do-anything, I-don't-know-anything expression, which made Ōnoki roll his eyes in exasperation.
Deidara kept his head down, silent.
"Let's go," Ōnoki said.
In front of outsiders, especially on Konoha's turf, he couldn't scold his disciple and granddaughter. With a sour face, he led them away.
Deidara and Kurotsuchi weren't fools. From Ōnoki's expression, they could tell that because of them, the village was about to suffer a major loss—or at the very least, a huge loss of face.
With his disciple, granddaughter, and the Tsuchikage escorts in tow, Ōnoki hurriedly left Konoha.
Only after putting some distance between them and the village did he slow down. He chose not to fly.
"Were you interrogated?" he asked.
"Nope," Kurotsuchi shook her head.
Deidara hesitated. "I might've said some things when Uchiha Shisui used genjutsu on me."
"…"
You idiot!
Ōnoki wanted to kick his disciple.
"But Uchiha Kazuki is so boring. Just because I talk too much, he threatened to marry me off to their village's Third Hokage—an old geezer. As if I'd want that!" Kurotsuchi complained.
"Shut up," Ōnoki snapped, glaring at his granddaughter, his face covered in dark lines.
They were just scaring you, not serious. Why do you have to blurt out nonsense like that?
Though his mood was sour and his expression grim, Ōnoki's worries eased. He'd been concerned that Konoha might have tortured them, but thankfully, that hadn't happened.
Deidara leaking some information under genjutsu was unavoidable, as long as they hadn't been subjected to harsh interrogation afterward.
What was with the sling on his disciple's arm?
Deidara's young face flushed with embarrassment. He gritted his teeth but stayed silent.
Kurotsuchi smirked and chimed in, "He got cocky and challenged Uchiha Kazuki again. To save himself the trouble, Kazuki hit him once. Deidara didn't even react before his clavicle snapped."
"…"
I want to strangle you.
Talk about embarrassing yourself to the ends of the earth.
"Uchiha Kazuki is strong—really strong. Calling him the strongest of the new generation in the ninja world isn't an exaggeration. You're far from being able to challenge him. There are plenty of others you'd need to surpass first, including many within the Uchiha clan," Ōnoki said.
Though furious inside, as a teacher, Ōnoki couldn't be too harsh at this moment. He could only try to guide his disciple to prevent Deidara from going down an extreme path.
"Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi?" Deidara asked.
*****
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