Chapter 499: Sincerity
"Sincerity?"
Haruno Sakura's mouth curled into a sneer. She stepped forward, staring intently at the Raikage, and said disdainfully: "Sincerity does not mean not fighting back when hit and not swearing back when cursed!"
Glancing at the Fourth Raikage whose face looked ugly, she said seriously: "Raikage-sama, please understand one thing. In this alliance, it is not Konoha begging Cloud Ninja Village to join the Ninja Village Alliance!"
"On the contrary, it is necessary for your village to join this alliance!" She said slowly, "Of course, you can also choose not to join... but in that case, do you really think that Cloud Ninja Village, independent outside the four-village alliance, can stay out of it, instead of being treated as a soft persimmon and crushed first?"
The Raikage's face became increasingly gloomy.
"Not threatening you with anything." The girl softened her tone and said lightly, "Our major ninja villages are now huddling together for warmth to get through the crisis together. You need us, and we also need you."
"Therefore, the so-called sincerity cannot just be Konoha's unilateral contribution!"
The Fourth Raikage A took a deep breath.
In this world that reveres the fist, the strength Haruno Sakura displayed made him have to take her words seriously.
"In other words, we Cloud Ninja also need to make the same promise as you, put aside our hatred for Konoha, and jointly face the enemy?"
He asked with a gruff voice.
"That's right!"
Haruno Sakura nodded. "This is an alliance, not letting one party become a vassal of another... so, both parties in the alliance should show equal sincerity! In fact, not only must the hatred between Konoha and Cloud Ninja be put aside, to achieve the five-village alliance, other ninja villages must also abandon past grievances, including you Cloud Ninja and Stone Ninja!"
"Impossible!" The Raikage glared, waving his hand without hesitation, shouting loudly.
"The blood feud between us and Stone Ninja is far beyond comparison with that little friction with Konoha!"
Since forging enmity in the First Great Ninja War, these two ninja villages have loved and killed each other for more than forty years.
Both being mountainous ninja villages, Cloud Ninja are either elegant and agile, or fierce and tyrannical; while Stone Ninja are steady and grounded, resolute and unyielding, exactly the opposite.
Similar situations, neighboring geographical locations, and completely different personalities caused Stone Ninja and Cloud Ninja to constantly have friction, eventually becoming the only sworn enemies who couldn't stand each other!
If the new grudge between Cloud Ninja and Konoha could still be put aside or forgiven, then the old grievances and blood feud between Cloud Ninja and Stone Ninja were already too thick to resolve!
"Cooperating with Konoha against the enemy we can accept... but joining hands with Stone Ninja? Even if I agree, my subordinates absolutely cannot do this!" A's beard blew up, speaking with saliva flying, "Similarly, those rock-headed Stone Ninja also cannot put aside their blood feud with us!"
"Times have changed, Raikage-sama."
Haruno Sakura kept a straight face and said seriously.
"Perhaps for people of your generation, what you say is indeed right." The girl shook her head and said, "However, the ninja world has been peaceful for a dozen years. For the new generation of ninja who grew up in peace, although hatred can be passed down, it is after all not as unforgettable as personal experience..."
Haruno Sakura looked around.
Of course, there were young and impulsive people like Karui, but... more people remained restrained after being provoked by her.
"Moreover, in the face of absolute disaster, when the choice between life and death arrives... even the most stubborn ninja will not dwell on the past, but choose to fight hard and cooperate against the enemy!"
"I believe the capacity of Cloud Ninja and Stone Ninja will not be so narrow."
Raikage A swept Haruno Sakura with a glance, slowly lowered his eyelids, half-squinting his bell-sized eyes, pondering silently.
Suddenly.
"Hmph, since Konoha says so, I will tentatively believe you for now." He fiercely waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "But!"
The Raikage's eyebrows twitched, his voice and expression full of prestige, shouting sternly: "But, if that old geezer Onoki of the Tsuchikage dares to play any tricks taking advantage of the opportunity... then in the Ninja Village Alliance, it's either him or me!"
Haruno Sakura looked steadily at A, her expression solemn.
A's voice was gruff and heroic. Even when speaking calmly, it had a bit of fierceness; when putting down harsh words, the momentum was even more surging, like an erupting volcano, making people tremble.
But the girl's expression remained unchanged, still calm.
After a long time, she revealed a smile.
"Presumably, the Third Tsuchikage Onoki also made the same promise..." Seeming not to hear the Raikage's momentum, Haruno Sakura smiled faintly and said, "As long as everyone doesn't join the alliance with a mindset of picking fights, then there won't be any major problems with the five-village alliance."
"We can definitely cooperate sincerely and overcome the difficulties together."
"Hmph, don't be in a hurry to say this." The Raikage snorted heavily from his nose, waved his hand and said, "This question counts as you passing, but there is another more important question!"
"Who will be the leading figure of the Ninja Village Allied Forces?"
He stood in front of Haruno Sakura.
The height difference made A have to lower his head and look down to see the girl's cold face.
This somewhat gave a feeling of looking down from above.
Using some small tricks to increase one's own oppressive force and the other party's pressure, thereby forcing the other party to make concessions to some extent. Although this trick is cliché, it often achieves miraculous effects on many people.
But Haruno Sakura was obviously not among them.
The girl herself was quite a proud character... Raikage A's looking down could not make her flinch!
"Since Your Excellency Raikage asks this question, presumably you already have an answer in your heart, right?" The girl kept a straight face and said, "Might as well say it, I'm all ears!"
Raikage A was not modest either, agreeing大大咧咧, saying: "One of the primary conditions for the leader of the Allied Forces is that they cannot be too weak. Otherwise, falling to the ground in two or three moves on the battlefield will only cause command chaos and a sharp drop in morale."
"Second, they must have a clean background. The village they come from must have nothing to do with Akatsuki. Not only must there be no special members who defected to Akatsuki, but they also must never have dealt with or cooperated with Akatsuki, or hired these wanted criminals!"
"Third..." The Raikage thought for a moment and said, "As for the third, let's leave it for now... let's stop here first!"
Haruno Sakura sneered.
"Fourth Raikage, you might as well just say directly, the position of the Allied Forces leader belongs to no one but you!"
"Why not?"
The Raikage waved his hand, responding as a matter of course, showing no sense of modesty on his face.
Tsuchikage Onoki was old and senile, Kazekage Gaara was wet behind the ears, Hokage and Mizukage were two women—in the heart of the Raikage, a man with some machismo, women were unreliable—so he genuinely believed he was the most suitable candidate.
"You really look down on women too much..."
Haruno Sakura could not agree with such a view.
"Besides, the leader of the Allied Forces doesn't necessarily have to be chosen from the Five Kage. Apart from the Five Kage, there are many excellent ninja in each village. There is no lack of people with strength and prestige. Why always focus on the Kage?"
"It's been many years since a war was fought. Each village must have cultivated many excellent young people, right?"
"You mean..." The Raikage frowned slightly, "Choose from the new generation of ninja?"
If so, Konoha's Jiraiya would be excluded first, which was also good news.
A quickly flipped through the list of excellent young people in each village in his mind. Stone Ninja's Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi; Konoha's Kakashi; all were people with excellent strategy and superb strength. As for Sand Ninja, talent was somewhat withered, and Mist Ninja was about the same. And his own village? Killer B's strength was enough, but his personality was somewhat...
But letting this generation become the leader of the Allied Forces and bear such a heavy responsibility seemed not steady enough.
The Raikage's mind turned quickly, a large amount of images and data flashing through his mind, constantly weighing the pros and cons in his heart.
"Just a reminder." Haruno Sakura smiled faintly, nodded and said, "Regarding the leader of the Allied Forces, I cannot give you any promise here."
"This is a matter concerning the five ninja villages. Even my master, Hokage-sama, cannot give you any promise alone! All decisions will be made jointly by the five ninja villages and passed through discussion at the Five Kage Summit, not dictated and decided by one or two ninja villages!"
The Raikage's face was calm, seemingly not angry because of Haruno Sakura's flat refusal.
Haruno Sakura finally said seriously: "The only thing I can promise you is that no matter who becomes the leader of the Allied Forces, the fundamental starting point of the five-village alliance is still to help each other in the same boat and tide over the difficulties together, not to use neighbors as a drain and sacrifice allies as cannon fodder! If that happens, no matter who the leader is, Konoha will be the first to raise objections!"
Silence.
The Raikage's eyes flickered, thinking about something.
Then, he burst into wild laughter!
"Hahaha—!" A's beard trembled, laughing a few times, and said, "Well said! Haruno Sakura, if you really gave me some promise just now, I would have suspected Konoha's intention in forming the ninja alliance!"
"Alright. In that case, as the Raikage, I will tentatively decide on the matter of Cloud Ninja joining the five-village alliance first!" He looked down at Haruno Sakura and said loudly, "As for the leader of the Allied Forces... we will decide that at the subsequent Five Kage Summit!"
The Raikage reached out his large hand with thick knuckles and bulging veins.
Haruno Sakura, with a bright smile on the corner of her mouth, also reached out her hand.
Two hands, one big and one small, one thick, tough and rough, the other slender, white and soft.
Clasped together.
"Happy cooperation."
"Happy cooperation."
The two nodded and said simultaneously.
The Cloud Ninja on both sides also bowed in unison, saluting Konoha represented by Haruno Sakura.
Karui only then realized she almost became the culprit destroying the alliance, instantly turned pale with fright, tears in the corners of her eyes, and hurriedly knelt down in a prostrate manner, begging for forgiveness.
"Karui, go back and reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors for a month! Not allowed to go out!" The Raikage glared at her and said sternly, "If there is a next time, it won't just be your sword that breaks!"
Regarding this interlude, Haruno Sakura also had no intention of pursuing it. Seeing the Raikage lift it high and put it down gently, she said nothing, just smiled without speaking.
After all, speaking of which, she also provoked intentionally... to test Cloud Ninja's attitude.
"That's enough, you can get up." He first said to the Cloud Ninja on both sides who had been maintaining a deep bowing posture, then turned his head and looked at Haruno Sakura.
"A part of Cloud Ninja's sincerity has already been expressed first." He pointed at the Konoha delegation not far behind Haruno Sakura, "So, what about Konoha's sincerity?"
"You saw through it."
Haruno Sakura smiled slightly.
Saying that, behind the girl, the lifelike members of the delegation suddenly turned into ice sculptures.
An eagle cry came from the air, and a huge ink eagle descended from the sky.
"Secret Technique: Super Beast Imitating Drawing!"
The real delegation members jumped down from Sai's ink beast.
"Pardon our rudeness, Raikage-sama."
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