The Leaf's betrayal.
The Third Mizukage's death.
And now the total collapse of the Mist army.
Yagura couldn't see any way to turn this around.
They couldn't even run.
Surrender was the only option left.
A small Mist squad stepped forward, each carrying a pole with a white cloth tied to the top.
"The Hidden Mist surrenders!"
"We, the Hidden Mist, surrender!"
"We yield to Sunagakure!"
"Stop the attack!"
At Yagura's command, every Mist ninja froze in place.
The sound of weapons clattering to the ground echoed across the battlefield.
Some Mist shinobi looked furious.
"Damn it… why did we lose?"
"Is surrendering really the right move?"
"Shouldn't we keep fighting?"
Others just looked relieved.
"It's finally over…"
"No more war…"
"To be honest, I'm exhausted. This war has gone on way too long and it's been pure hell."
The Sand shinobi, on the other hand, couldn't hide their joy.
They had dreamed of this moment for years—back when they were the ones getting crushed.
Later they had hoped for it.
Now it was finally real.
"We won!"
"Sunagakure won!"
"The Hidden Mist is finished!"
"Under Lord Kazekage's leadership, we have achieved total victory!"
Even Rasa allowed himself a small smile.
He had always known victory was coming, but seeing it happen still hit different.
We won. Now I can finally start building the Sun Disk in peace.
Between the village's own resources and what we squeezed out of the Leaf, we already have more than enough. I wonder how much more we'll get from the Mist…
Rasa wanted as much as possible, of course.
But he also knew the Mist had limits. Push them too hard and they might choose mutual destruction. That wouldn't do the Sand any favors—the other villages would just swoop in and steal the spoils.
"I, Rasa, Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure, accept the Hidden Mist's surrender," he announced. "However, your village launched an unprovoked war against us and caused massive losses and casualties. You will compensate Sunagakure."
"Send someone who can actually negotiate!"
Yagura stepped forward.
"Fourth Mizukage of the Hidden Mist, Yagura Karatachi, greets the Kazekage."
Rasa raised an eyebrow. "What happened to the Third?"
"The Third Mizukage passed away not long ago."
"Truly unfortunate," Rasa said with zero sincerity, shaking his head. "Very well. Let's talk. What can the Hidden Mist offer as compensation? Without genuine sincerity, Sunagakure will not accept. Here are my minimum conditions."
"First: the Hozuki clan's sword summoning scroll."
"Second: hand over Jinpachi Munashi and Elder Genshi."
Rasa had originally planned to demand Yagura himself as payback for the Mist's earlier demand to hand over Pakura. But since Yagura was now the Mizukage, he changed it to Jinpachi and Genshi instead.
Jinpachi had spilled too much Sand blood.
Genshi was extremely important to the Mist—he had trained both Ao and Mei Terumi and was a master of administration. Losing him would cripple the Mist's chances of ever recovering.
After a moment's thought, Rasa added one more name.
"And Kisame Hoshigaki."
Yagura's face grew darker with every demand.
"Third," Rasa continued, sliding a long list across, "these materials for the Sun Disk. Everything except what we already have in abundance."
"Kazekage, this is too much!" Yagura protested.
"Too much?" Rasa smiled. "Not at all."
During the previous negotiation with Danzo the amounts had been smaller, so Rasa hadn't used his One-Day Mind Reading Card. This time the stakes were enormous, so he had saved it.
He activated the card right before the talks began.
Now he could hear every single thought running through Yagura's head.
Yagura's mind was in chaos.
First the resources… then he wants Jinpachi and Elder Genshi? That's way too far. Those are living people—important people to the Mist!
Rasa answered calmly, "I'm only mirroring the conditions you once gave us. Back then the Mist demanded we hand over Pakura."
Yagura looked embarrassed. "But we never actually enforced that demand…"
"That's only because I refused," Rasa said flatly. "Now I'm making my demands. If you can't accept them, then we'll simply continue the war—just like the Mist wanted to do before."
Yagura's face went rigid.
The back-and-forth dragged on.
Yagura tried every trick he knew to reduce the reparations, but Rasa kept striking exactly at his bottom line, as if he could read Yagura's mind.
Yagura was getting more and more frustrated.
How does Rasa know my exact limits every single time?
No… that's impossible. The only explanation is…
Yagura's eyes narrowed.
There's a traitor inside the Hidden Mist!