With the negotiation agenda settled,
early that morning, Mikami Yuu, Nohara Rin, Obito, and Kakashi got up early. After washing up and getting ready, they put on their armor and arrived at the camp exit.
Their latest mission was to serve as a guard squad and accompany the main representatives for this round of negotiations to the agreed meeting location.
As for the identities of the main representatives…
they were Orochimaru and Nara Shikaku.
In theory, even if Sunagakure sent out all its elites, it would be nearly impossible to kill Orochimaru, whose survival abilities were maxed out. But procedure was procedure. Yuu and the others could only take on the role of guards, spreading out along the way to scout ahead while keeping Orochimaru and Shikaku protected in the middle.
The meeting location was a watchtower not far from Wildfire City. The tower sat in the buffer zone between two stretches of mountain forest. Its field of vision was open, and it was not easy to set up an ambush there.
When Konoha's group arrived, Sunagakure's group appeared almost at the same time in front of the forest opposite them. The one leading them was Chiyo, and the person following behind the old woman as a guard was an old acquaintance of Yuu's group.
"Huh, isn't that Pakura?"
Obito widened his Sharingan and recognized her.
It was indeed Pakura.
Compared with her state some time ago as a prisoner, Pakura now looked much brighter and more striking. She wore a capable Sunagakure outfit, and her short orange-red hair lifted slightly in the morning wind. Her sharp gaze crossed several hundred meters and locked accurately onto Mikami Yuu in the Konoha group, as if sparks were flickering in her eyes.
Soon,
both sides entered the watchtower and began negotiations.
"…In summary, Konoha demands that Sunagakure immediately withdraw from all strongholds within the Land of Fire, promise not to provoke Konoha again for the next twenty years, and compensate for the personnel and material losses caused by this war. The initial estimate is approximately 450 million ryō…"
The one speaking was Nara Shikaku.
"Dream on!"
Chiyo immediately retorted, her voice dry but sharp. "I demand that Konoha immediately release Lord Rasa and all prisoners. Wildfire City is a rightful trophy of war for our side, and there is absolutely no reason to return it! Konoha must also take responsibility for the heavy casualties our side suffered in the Mount Kikyo ambush…"
"A rightful trophy? Heh, Elder Chiyo, Wildfire City was stolen by your side through despicable means. As for your heavy casualties… if your skills are inferior, what more is there to say?"
Sky-high demands met bargaining from the ground.
This sort of negotiation definitely would not produce results in just a few sentences. It required repeated back-and-forth wrangling. Yuu found it a bit boring, so he made an excuse, handed the guard duty over to vice-captain Kakashi, and slipped out.
Obito also wanted to follow him, but Kakashi elbowed him and forced him to swallow the words in his mouth.
The air outside the door was very fresh, carrying the scent of grass, trees, and soil.
Yuu walked to a protruding rock beside the watchtower and sat down, gazing at the distant outline of the mountain forest. Just as he was relaxing, he heard the door behind him open again. A somewhat familiar set of footsteps approached, accompanied by a burning gaze landing on his back.
"…Long time no see, little white-hair."
"Indeed. It's been about two months, hasn't it? I heard you haven't been having the best time in Sunagakure lately, Jōnin Pakura?"
Yuu spoke without turning his head, his tone calm.
"Hmph. Of course I can't compare with you. After all, you've been making quite the name for yourself around here recently. Even our Lord Kazekage fell into your hands. 'White Reaper'—what a grand title."
Pakura's tone was somewhat subtle.
Only then did Yuu turn his head and glance at her, the corner of his mouth curving slightly.
"If I remember correctly, your relationship with Rasa should be pretty bad, right? During this time, he probably used your capture to make trouble for you quite a bit. Now that I severely wounded him with one slash, shouldn't you be thanking me?"
"…No."
Pakura fell silent for a moment, and her voice deepened.
"I am a Suna ninja. No matter what personal grudges I have with him, the Kazekage being captured is an unbearable humiliation for the whole village. So I cannot feel happy about it. I only feel shame and anger."
"Oh?"
That was an expected answer.
It seemed there really was a reason Pakura could threaten Rasa's position as Kazekage.
Although this woman was several years younger than Rasa and slightly weaker in strength, her broader perspective was far above his. If her position and Rasa's were swapped, she absolutely would not have done something like selling out her own village's war hero to be killed by an enemy nation in exchange for a ceasefire.
"By the way, let me ask you something."
Yuu changed the topic. "Do you know about the Weasel clan? The summoning beasts from your Land of Wind."
Pakura's eyes shifted slightly. "Why are you asking about that?"
"Obviously because I'm interested in them. If you're willing to tell me clues about their habitat or contract, I can share with you my latest research on optimizing the chakra nature transformation of Scorch Release. It may help your strength advance further."
Yuu threw out the bait.
Hearing this, Pakura's pupils suddenly contracted.
Scorch Release was the foundation of her strength. Any method that could improve its power had a deadly attraction to her. But…
"Aren't you afraid that if my strength improves, it will be bad for your Konoha?"
"…Heh."
Yuu smiled. "First, since I dare to take out this material, I naturally don't fear you using it to improve your strength. No matter how much you improve, you won't be my opponent. Get past Rasa first.
"Second, no matter how strong you become, you're only one person. What you can do is limited—unless you replace Rasa and become Sunagakure's new Kazekage. But if that happens… it might actually be a good thing. At least it would make Sunagakure a little more normal and stop it from doing so many stupid things that hurt others without benefiting itself."
"…"
Pakura was starting to heat up.
She did indeed feel that some people in Sunagakure had brains like idiots. Leaving aside everything else, declaring war on Konoha because the Third Kazekage had gone missing was a move so stupid it defied belief, forcing themselves into a position where they could neither advance nor retreat.
But cursing her own village herself was one thing. Hearing someone else curse Sunagakure that way was a different feeling.
Just as Pakura was about to argue with Yuu over these two points,
the watchtower door creaked open. Nohara Rin poked her head out, and her gaze was quickly drawn to Yuu and Pakura. A flicker of suspicion crossed her face.
Pakura also saw Rin.
For some reason, a teasing look suddenly flashed through the Suna woman's eyes. Then she took a step closer to Yuu, a bright and charming smile blooming on her face.
"Oh my, little white-hair, honestly. You're always so impatient. But this is broad daylight, so it's not very convenient…"
Mikami Yuu, Nohara Rin: "…?"