Everything that needed to be said had already been laid out, and the attitude that had to be expressed was made clear. What remained now depended entirely on Ōnoki himself. It was never Menma's place to make decisions for the Third Tsuchikage.
"Just like you, Menma-kun, before I give my answer, I also have a question."
Ōnoki's sharp gaze locked onto Menma, probing, calculating.
"Why did you choose to leave Konohagakure so decisively? Even if your past there wasn't ideal… with your identity, and your brother Uzumaki Naruto, correct? If the two of you stood together, the future of Konoha would almost certainly fall into your hands. At that point, you could shape everything as you wished. So tell me was it all merely because of resentment?"
The question caught Menma off guard.
For a brief moment, he froze. He hadn't expected the Tsuchikage to concern himself with something so… personal.
Even Orochimaru, standing nearby, subtly shifted his posture, his interest piqued. He had heard Menma's reasoning before, but this time, he wanted to see whether the answer would remain the same or evolve.
Menma inhaled slowly, steadying himself.
"Even if it sounds hypocritical," he began, his tone calm but resolute, "I still have to say it if I stayed, if I followed that path… then I would no longer be myself."
He met Ōnoki's eyes directly.
"There is nothing in Konoha that I seek anymore. My brother and I walk completely different paths. Yes, resentment played a role at the beginning it was the trigger. But in the end, it comes down to something simpler."
Menma raised a hand and pressed it lightly against his chest.
"This place… what I choose to become… it doesn't belong there, Tsuchikage-dono."
Ōnoki stared at him for a moment then suddenly laughed.
"'I would no longer be myself,' huh? That's quite the slippery answer, Menma-kun… but I like it."
His expression sharpened slightly, a glint of approval flashing in his aged eyes.
"Very well. I accept your proposal."
A brief pause followed before he continued, voice carrying weight.
"Uzumaki Menma, I will agree to this alliance. Show me your ideals prove that they are worth something. Don't disappoint me."
For the first time since the negotiation began, genuine surprise flickered across Menma's face. It lasted only a moment, but it was unmistakable.
He hadn't expected success to come this quickly.
Suppressing that reaction, Menma straightened and nodded firmly.
"That is only natural, Tsuchikage-dono. I will not disappoint my ally… because our interests are aligned."
Ōnoki chuckled.
"Good. Then we will discuss the finer details another time. The ninja world is about to grow far less peaceful."
With that, he formed hand seals.
A faint hum filled the air as the Light-Weight Rock Technique activated, lifting his body effortlessly.
Beside him, his son Kitsuchi rose as well.
"Let's end things here for today, Uzumaki Menma. I look forward to our next meeting."
Without waiting for a reply, Ōnoki ascended into the sky, carrying his son with him as the two figures quickly disappeared into the distance.
Menma watched them go in silence.
The smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by something colder sharper. The earlier excitement vanished as if it had never existed.
It was all an act.
A quiet chuckle sounded from behind him.
"So, Menma-kun… you don't seem particularly pleased," Orochimaru said, his voice as smooth and eerie as ever. "Didn't the Tsuchikage accept your proposal? Didn't you achieve your goal?"
Menma turned his head slightly, his expression indifferent.
"Accepted?" he echoed with a faint scoff. "Orochimaru-san… are you truly unable to see it, or are you simply pretending not to?"
His eyes narrowed.
"Has that Tsuchikage really been persuaded by me? The answer is obvious. I'd like to believe you don't take me for a fool."
An alliance?
What did he truly have to offer in a relationship of equals?
Even his current arrangement with Orochimaru was far from balanced so how could he possibly stand on equal footing with the leader of one of the Five Great Ninja Villages?
He understood this reality perfectly.
Ōnoki had not been convinced he had simply chosen to use the situation.
Konoha. The Akatsuki. Even the Nine-Tails within Menma himself.
Any of these could become leverage.
And if the opportunity arose… Menma had no doubt that the Tsuchikage would seize the Nine-Tails without hesitation.
This was not deception it was pragmatism.
A flexible bottom line.
If Menma proved useful, Iwagakure would benefit. If he became a liability… he would be discarded without a second thought.
Menma understood all of it.
But so what?
Even a superficial alliance… was still an alliance.
Orochimaru's lips curved into a faint smile.
"How sharp, Menma-kun. Still, you did gain something, didn't you? At the very least, your initial objective has been achieved."
There was a subtle glint in his snake-like eyes calculating, observant.
Menma raised an eyebrow, then gave a casual shrug.
"You could say that. Without this, my next plans would have been significantly hindered. And if that had happened…" he added with a faint smirk, "I imagine Orochimaru-san wouldn't have minded."
A test light, but deliberate.
Orochimaru responded just as smoothly.
"We are allies, are we not? Why would you think that?"
"An ally, hm?" Menma repeated, the meaning in his tone ambiguous. "Well, if you say so."
He turned away.
"In any case, this matter is settled. Let's head back. There's still much to be done."
With that, chakra gathered beneath his feet, and his figure blurred as he shot forward.
Orochimaru watched him for a moment, then chuckled softly before following.
Meanwhile, far from the meeting point, Ōnoki and Kitsuchi had already crossed the border, returning toward Iwagakure.
After a period of silence, Kitsuchi finally spoke, his tone measured but questioning.
"Father… wasn't that decision too hasty?"
He glanced sideways at Ōnoki.
"That Uzumaki Menma does he truly warrant this level of attention? Considering the reactions of the other villages especially Konoha wouldn't it be more efficient to act immediately and secure the Nine-Tails for ourselves?"
Ōnoki did not answer immediately.
His eyes narrowed slightly, gaze fixed ahead as the wind rushed past them.
The old man's expression was unreadable.
But behind that calm exterior, calculations were already in motion.
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