The First Mizukage was still hesitating.
Uchiha Makoto felt it was about time, so he slowly added, "This world is survival of the fittest... Mizukage... worrying about others... I think you should be more concerned about yourself..."
"The power of our two great nations is enough to divide the surrounding sea areas. And in the Land of Fire, whether it's the Daimyo or the nobles, Konoha and I are already prepared. Now, only the Land of Water is left. As long as we withstand the initial pressure, the benefits that follow will be obvious."
His words first threatened, then tempted, precisely manipulating the First Mizukage.
After all, the current negotiation situation was not optimistic.
If Kirigakure wanted to settle this grudge with Iwagakure now, they had to get the support of Konoha and Akatsuki Village.
And the request Uchiha made—pushing this matter now would certainly cause a lot of controversy.
The Land of Water did not have the same abundant capital and power as the Land of Fire, which occupied the most fertile land in the ninja world. Instead, it was isolated overseas... The combined power of small nations was not to be underestimated!
Once the Land of Water soured its relations with its neighboring countries and was subsequently boycotted, the consequences could be very serious. If things went wrong... his own position as Mizukage would be unstable.
But in the long run...
The Land of Water would certainly gain considerable benefits from it. It was a high-risk, high-profit cooperation.
However... if Konoha and Akatsuki Village shared this pressure, it should be much easier.
The First Mizukage thought to himself.
So he finally nodded and agreed.
And at the end, Uchiha Makoto casually added a "not-too-excessive" small request, which was about those bird dropping islands scattered across the ocean.
He hoped these islands could be assigned to Akatsuki Village as civilian transit and supply stations.
The First Mizukage quickly remembered the bird dropping islands near the Land of Water's sea area that Uchiha Makoto had mentioned.
When the fishermen of the Land of Water encountered storms at sea, they would sometimes choose to rest on these bird dropping islands.
But most of the time, these islands were uninhabited. It could be said that if Uchiha Makoto hadn't mentioned them, the First Mizukage might not even have remembered them... Naturally, the First Mizukage did not refuse this request.
"But, Lord Light Shadow, I'll agree to all these conditions... but on what grounds can you handle Iwagakure?"
"Hmph... Mizukage, let me ask you a question. If Akatsuki Village can deal with one Kumogakure, why can't it deal with one Iwagakure?"
"But the banner you're flying is for the peace of the ninja world, for fairness and justice!"
"An Akatsuki Chunin could go missing at Iwagakure's doorstep at any time!"
"Lord Light Shadow, you are truly extraordinary."
The First Mizukage brought up the main topic of this time.
He hoped that Akatsuki Village and Konoha would quickly help him handle Iwagakure. He didn't want to drag this matter on any longer... but the solution Uchiha Makoto offered was really a bit scary.
Although the words he spoke sounded like bragging, considering Uchiha Makoto's past series of actions, the First Mizukage did not rule out this possibility.
But soon, Uchiha Makoto changed his tune.
He was really just making a threat just now. How could he be stupid enough to do that... to fight Iwagakure for a mere Kirigakure?
Unless he was crazy!
"Hahaha, I was just kidding... Of course, I will use reason to persuade Iwagakure to properly resolve this negotiation. Don't you think so, Tobirama?"
"Hmph..."
Senju Tobirama didn't speak.
He just snorted coldly.
This reason... from the bottom of his heart, Senju Tobirama felt that this evil Uchiha brat, Makoto, might really use such an excuse to start a war in the future.
And after getting Uchiha Makoto's assurance.
The First Mizukage continued to discuss Kirigakure's bottom line in the negotiations with Uchiha Makoto in detail. Uchiha Makoto also took this opportunity to talk about the Six Kage Summit.
The two had a very pleasant conversation.
After chatting for half an hour, the First Mizukage left, satisfied.
At this time, only Uchiha Makoto and Senju Tobirama were left in the room.
Senju Tobirama couldn't help but speak up at this moment:
"Uchiha Makoto, you're not really going to use the excuse of a missing ninja to start a war in the future, are you?"
"Tobirama, I think your biggest problem is that you don't know how to play dumb."
"I can't help it, it's in my nature. And I'm telling you, I won't let you act so recklessly on this kind of matter!"
"I was just saying. That excuse is too clumsy." (Tch~ compared to a missing ninja, it's still washing powder... oh, no, weapons of mass destruction. That kind of reason is easier to mobilize a large ninja army to find trouble.)
......................
The next day.
In the Six Kage Building of Akatsuki Village.
Today's negotiations were about to begin.
The First Tsuchikage seemed a bit absent-minded at the moment.
Because just before this negotiation...
Uchiha Makoto had brought Senju Tobirama to find him in private.
"Tsuchikage, for the sake of peace in the ninja world, I think it's time to make a concession, just like how you stopped my Akatsuki Village's war against Kumogakure back then..."
"I've already talked with the Mizukage. He's willing to slightly increase the compensation, but the latter two clauses are impossible to agree to, unless Iwagakure can defeat Kirigakure through war. I'm afraid you also know in your heart that this is the best result. It's just that you can't swallow your anger right now."
"But Tsuchikage, do you see this building... I've named it the Six Kage Building. I'm going to organize a Six Kage Summit... All major affairs of the ninja world will be decided jointly by the Six Kage... In the next conflict between Iwagakure and Kirigakure, Konoha and I will still support you..."
Uchiha Makoto said a lot of things.
He both brought up old matters to threaten and used the Six Kage Summit to paint a grand picture, while also writing a blank check to the First Tsuchikage as an enticement.
The more the First Tsuchikage listened, the more uncomfortable he felt, but reality was what it was.
What you can't get on the battlefield, don't expect to get at the negotiating table. To be able to characterize the outcome of this matter as Kirigakure's fault through negotiation and still get a sum of compensation was already the best result... If Iwagakure wanted more, the two sides could only go to war.
After Uchiha Makoto finished speaking, he left the decision to the First Tsuchikage—he believed the First Tsuchikage was a smart man. The attitudes of Konoha and Akatsuki Village were already very clear. They just wanted to play both sides, and ending this dispute at this time was definitely the best opportunity to still get some benefits from Kirigakure.
If he continued to fight out of anger and completely infuriated Kirigakure, it would only lead to the breakdown of negotiations, and at that time, there would be nothing left.
The negotiations soon began.
Today's negotiation atmosphere was not as tense as yesterday's.
After a morning of bargaining.
The First Tsuchikage finally took a step back, no longer pursuing unrealistic fantasies, and agreed to Kirigakure's final mediation plan... to settle the matter with money.
"Tsuchikage, this is the final plan that Kirigakure can accept. Please review it."
"We have no objection."
"Very good."
"Kirigakure?"
"We have no objection either."
Just one night had passed, and the attitudes of Kirigakure and Iwagakure today were completely different.
Even the dullest representatives of the ninja forces present could more or less sense a fact—Akatsuki Village and Konoha must have played a crucial role in this.
The influence of Akatsuki Village and Konoha was terrifyingly so!
And Uchiha Makoto had also cleverly used this matter to publicly express his intention to establish the Six Kage Summit after the negotiations ended!
"Everyone, the ninja world needs a platform that can handle disputes fairly, justly, and openly..."
"If ninjas can abandon vendettas and choose peaceful mediation more often, then perhaps one day, our children will not have to be born in war, grow up in hatred, and die in battle... I sincerely hope that this negotiation can change something."
"To this end, Akatsuki Village and Konoha will join forces to try and establish the Six Kage Summit..."
For a time.
The ninja forces present were in a heated discussion.
It was foreseeable that this so-called Six Kage Summit would change the landscape of the ninja world.
And how should they, the ninja forces from all over the ninja world, respond?
Some had found the answer—Akatsuki Village (Konoha), my dear merciful father!
Some were still hesitating, not knowing how to respond.
But in any case.
This negotiation had ultimately provided a good start for the Six Kage Summit. With everyone's efforts, a dispute was really resolved peacefully, and a possible war was avoided.
So the many ninja forces present were not opposed to the so-called Six Kage Summit.
Having order was much better than having no order—the political legacy left by the First Hokage, although constantly criticized, was ultimately a step forward.
Once the Six Kage Summit really became the mainstream platform in the ninja world, the ninja world would have a place to preside over matters—although fights and killings would still be unavoidable, at least the big ninja villages would be more restrained when bullying the small ones.
Similarly.
Kirigakure and Iwagakure were not opposed to the Six Kage Summit either.
After all, they were the beneficiaries, the players on the chessboard who set the rules of the ninja world.
..........
After a few more days of fuss.
During this period.
Akatsuki Village had taken in a lot of good dogs... ahem... underlings.
For these ninja forces who wanted to pledge allegiance to Akatsuki Village, Uchiha Makoto, as in the past, only intended to sign a large number of trade contracts with them. Doing business with you is fine, but establishing a so-called alliance... do you really think your surname is Uzumaki?
And although those ninja forces showed some disappointment, the representatives of Takigakure were loudly promoting Akatsuki Village, so they all tactfully signed.
After all, this was just the beginning.
And after this, these ninja forces began to leave Akatsuki Village one after another.
The same was true for Kirigakure and Iwagakure.
However, before the First Tsuchikage and the First Mizukage left Akatsuki Village with their men, Uchiha Makoto brought Senju Tobirama along to specially invite the two of them for a private, secret meeting.
—About the Six Kage Summit.
The name of the Six Kage Summit would soon spread throughout the ninja world along with these negotiations.
It seemed that such an organization would become the optimal solution for achieving peace in the ninja world, but once this matter was fully implemented, it would mean that the ninjas had once again achieved a certain degree of unity.
Uchiha Makoto believed that the great nations of the ninja world could not possibly remain indifferent.
Although the great nations would not obstruct this matter on the surface, in the dark... creating conflicts, creating divisions, the vermin were too skilled at this kind of thing, not to mention the many conflicts that already existed between the ninja villages.
In this secret meeting, the four of them came up with a rough framework for the Six Kage Summit and, while ensuring a balance of interests for all parties, drafted a charter for the Six Kage Summit.
"Lord Light Shadow, rest assured, I will pass on the contents of today's meeting to the Raikage verbatim."
"This matter is, after all, beneficial to the ninja world."
The First Tsuchikage said.
The years of the Warring States period were not far behind, and the dark life of the past was still vivid in his memory.
As a Kage, he did possess great power and authority.
But in essence, he was no different from an ordinary person.
Today he kills others, tomorrow he can be killed by others.
Didn't the First Raikage die just like that...
Hmm... maybe this example is not appropriate. The person who killed the First Raikage was...
In short, unless absolutely necessary, no one present wanted to start a war.
"Mm, we will work hard to make the Six Kage Summit a reality."
The First Mizukage also nodded.
...........All that's left is Sunagakure
After the secret meeting ended.
The First Tsuchikage left Akatsuki Village with his men. For the next period of time, he would be lobbying the Raikage.
The same was true for the First Mizukage. He didn't stay in Akatsuki Village for long either. He had to hurry back to mobilize Kirigakure's political resources to persuade the Daimyo of the Land of Water to divide the sea area with the Land of Fire.
The two of them each had their own things to do.
After Uchiha Makoto saw all these people off one by one, only Senju Tobirama was left.
And even though Konoha and Akatsuki Village were allies, Senju Tobirama had no reason to stay in Akatsuki Village permanently—he would be leaving soon as well.
However, in this joint operation between Konoha and Akatsuki Village, the two of them had a rare tacit cooperation. Uchiha Makoto was responsible for supporting the overall situation, while Senju Tobirama acted as an assistant, adapting to the situation. Their cooperation was perfect, and even the relationship between the two had improved greatly—Senju Tobirama had pulled out his kunai much less often.
So Uchiha Makoto specially invited Senju Tobirama to his home for a family dinner—in the future, with the next generation's marriage, they would all be one family!
"Lord Tobirama, you've arrived."
"Ah... Uzumaki Tsubaki Shizuku, my apologies for the intrusion."
Facing a pregnant woman, Senju Tobirama appeared very polite, a smile even appearing on his deadpan face.
The meal was quite pleasant~~ probably.
During the meal, with Uzumaki Tsubaki Shizuku present.
Both Senju Tobirama and Uchiha Makoto tacitly avoided talking about work, listening to Uzumaki Tsubaki Shizuku talk about household matters.
"Ah... when the two children are born... for the arranged marriage, they should live together from a young age."
"....."
"I'm really looking forward to it."
"I'm looking forward to it too. In the future, my son might become the Lord Light Shadow, and Lord Hashirama's granddaughter might become the Hokage. Oh, that would be great!"
"Just thinking about it... I... Tobirama, what do you think?"
In his happiness, Uchiha Makoto didn't forget to "tease" Senju Tobirama.
"..."
The scene became a bit awkward.
But Senju Tobirama was no ordinary person. You couldn't really tell anything from his deadpan face.
He just kept drinking his wine, tasting the bitterness. (How does it seem like my becoming the Second Hokage is also just setting the stage for the Uchiha clan!!)
<><><><><><
Read Advanced Chapters on : patreon.com/Kaizo247
~ Every 150 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~ Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]