After Ryuji left the conference room, he used his mental link to instruct the Third Kazekage to begin preparations for military deployment.
Logistics were readied, personnel were mobilized...
The previously quiet village swiftly became a hub of bustling activity.
Witnessing this mobilization, Shikaku grew increasingly anxious.
At first, he had believed Ryuji's display of force was a bluff. Even now, after observing Sunagakure's pre-war preparations, part of him still held that view.
But he could not be certain his assessment was correct.
During the more than ten days of negotiations, Shikaku had carefully probed and deduced Sunagakure's overall stance… they, too, preferred not to go to war with Konoha at this time.
It was precisely because he understood this general inclination that Shikaku had felt confident in driving a hard bargain, not overly concerned that the other side would lose patience and initiate hostilities.
However, he dared not gamble on it.
While he knew Sunagakure's leadership leaned towards avoiding war with Konoha now, he did not understand the precise reasons or the internal balance of power.
He did not know that Sunagakure's reluctance stemmed from their new Infinite Water Cycle System, which removed their most urgent need for conflict. He was even less aware of how many within Sunagakure's councils truly desired peace versus those who advocated for war.
From his own strategic viewpoint, Sunagakure, plagued by environmental hardships, had a compelling, long-term need to wage war for resources.
If he were in their position, he would not let such a rare opportunity pass.
He suspected that the voices in Sunagakure arguing for peace were influenced by short-sightedness among some new leaders, combined with the information he had strategically revealed during talks.
Sunagakure had recently undergone a sweeping change in leadership, with nearly all key positions filled by much younger individuals.
These young leaders lacked deep-rooted authority and had held their posts only briefly, making it difficult for them to fully control their departments. The coordination between various branches of the village's administration could not possibly run as smoothly as before.
Furthermore, there was the recent battle against the four-village alliance... a battle Sunagakure won decisively, but not without cost, suffering around a thousand casualties.
Sunagakure's military strength was currently diminished.
Secondly, during the negotiations, Shikaku had informed his counterparts that Konoha was using diplomacy, offering concessions to prompt Amegakure and Iwagakure to withdraw from the alliance.
Therefore, from Sunagakure's perspective, Konoha's situation was not as desperate as it might appear.
Even if Sunagakure joined the war, Konoha would merely be fighting on two fronts, facing the combined forces of Kumo, Kusa, and Suna simultaneously.
While this still represented a force Konoha could not easily withstand, given Sunagakure's own reduced strength, achieving a decisive victory would likely require them to pay a severe price.
The choice was this: pay a terrible price for a chance at total victory, or do nothing and accept a lesser, but guaranteed, benefit from Konoha?
Even Shikaku found this a difficult choice. He imagined the debates within Sunagakure's war council were bitterly divided between hawks and doves.
Based on this reasoning, while Shikaku leaned towards the idea that Sunagakure was bluffing, he could not be sure.
'This is a masterful move,' Shikaku thought with a touch of frustration.
He knew the reality of Konoha's position... Although Amegakure had withdrawn from the alliance, and Danzo's message assured him Iwagakure would soon follow...
Konoha had not actually promised either village any substantial benefits. It was all bluster, empty promises, and strategic deception.
If Sunagakure moved first and attacked Konoha, not only might Iwagakure reconsider its withdrawal, but even Amegakure might be tempted to rejoin the coalition against Konoha.
After all, five villages against one... including three of the Five Great Villages. It would seem like an effortless, certain victory.
A prize falling into their laps.
'Sunagakure doesn't know the precise details behind Amegakure's withdrawal. To them, it looks like a diplomatic success for Konoha. So they are trying to pressure me into a quick decision, before Iwagakure potentially withdraws as well.'
Shikaku quickly settled on this as the most likely truth.
But the pressure was immense. Even suspecting a bluff, the potential consequence of being wrong, with the complete destruction of Konoha. paralyzed his decision-making.
'If I accept Sunagakure's terms, the village suffers a major strategic loss and nurtures a future rival. If I refuse and this triggers a war that ruins our current position, I become the one who doomed the village, and Konoha falls.' After a long period of intense anxiety, Shikaku settled on a middle path. 'I will offer some concessions on their terms. That should draw them back to the table for detailed discussion. If I can just delay until Iwagakure's withdrawal is confirmed, our bargaining position will be much stronger.'
However, his plan met a stone wall.
Sunagakure refused to negotiate.
The choice presented was binary: accept the terms for peace, or reject them for war. There was no room for discussion.
After Shikaku approached the Sunagakure's liaison several times, proposing moderated terms and a return to detailed talks, only to be flatly refused each time, his anxiety spiked. Doubt about his own analysis crept in.
'Was Sunagakure's stance so unyielding because they had somehow learned the truth about Amegakure's withdrawal?'
'Or had Sunagakure simply lost patience, with the war faction seizing control?'
The crushing pressure eroded the calm judgment of this young genius strategist, who had not yet developed the unshakeable composure of his future self. He found himself unable to make a clear choice.
In the end, he sent a detailed report via messenger hawk back to Konoha, leaving the final decision to the village's leadership.
…
On the other side of the village, Ryuji was perfectly at ease.
After setting the war preparations in motion with the Third Kazekage, he returned home to continue his research. No matter the outcome of the negotiations, strengthening his own capabilities was always the correct path.
He had a long list of projects: studying Yamato's arm, analyzing Naruto's blood sample, deciphering the Dragon Vein seal, examining the body of the Swift Release Shinobi, and implementing upgrades to Armor.
The upgrade to Armor was straightforward… replacing a Chakra Absorption Module.
This module, based on Mukade's research, could absorb Chakra that had already undergone nature transformation. Its main flaw was its size. Ryuji needed to miniaturize it before it could be integrated into Armor's palms.
With the Observation Device, this was a simple task of optimization, completed in under thirty minutes.
He then fabricated the new components with his 3D Printer and installed them.
The Dragon Vein seal's principles had been decoded before he even left Roran.
It operated by forging a mystical link between the earth's ley lines and a specific bloodline via a contract, making the seal operable only by that lineage… the royal line of Roran, currently represented by Sara.
Ryuji could not leave control of such a critical asset in the hands of Sara, a recent and reluctant addition to Sunagakure with no personal power.
While the Dragon Vein chamber would later be protected by the three Gates of Life and Death, the strongest fortress can be betrayed from within. The risk of Sara's betrayal, however small, could not be ignored.
The problem was that Sara herself did not know how to sever the link between her bloodline and the earth veins.
Therefore, Ryuji needed to devise a method to break that connection himself.