"What did you say?"
The Third Raikage A's voice was terrifyingly low.
He stared deadly at Gen, his sharp eyes full of suspicion.
The atmosphere in the office was so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
Hozuki Shio could even hear her own traitorous heartbeat, beating frantically in her chest like a war drum.
She looked nervously at her brother. Hozuki Umitsuki's right hand was already tightly gripping the hilt of his sword, veins bulging on the back of his hand, clearly also raising his vigilance to the highest level.
They had no doubt that if Gen's next words failed to satisfy the tyrant before them even slightly, they might not walk out of this office today.
Gen's face still wore that waveless expression.
As if he didn't feel that terrifying aura, he just smiled and repeated his words.
"Lord Raikage, our Kirigakure wishes to form an alliance with your village to jointly send troops and flatten the Land of Whirlpools."
"Haha... hahahahahaha!"
A burst of wild and mocking laughter suddenly exploded in the office.
The Third Raikage laughed so hard he leaned back and forth, tears almost coming out, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
"Alliance? Ally with you bunch of insidious guys who only know how to hide in the fog and play sneak attacks?"
"Attack the Land of Whirlpools together?"
A stopped laughing and walked towards Gen step by step.
His burly figure brought a huge sense of oppression to the Hozuki siblings with every step closer.
"Old man, are you joking with me?"
A looked down at Gen from above, his eyes full of disdain and contempt. "I don't recall any friendship between our Kumogakure and your Kirigakure."
"Not having it now doesn't mean we won't have it in the future."
Gen raised his head, his cloudy old eyes looking straight into the Raikage's domineering eyes without flinching.
He knew that this proud man before him wouldn't trust him so easily.
He had to give him a reason he couldn't refuse.
A temptation strong enough to make him drop all his guard.
"The reason we chose the Land of Whirlpools..."
Gen's voice was unhurried, carrying the calmness of a wise man.
"Is because the Land of Whirlpools has something we both dream of."
"Something?"
Hearing this, the Third Raikage raised an eyebrow.
"That's right."
Gen nodded, then spat out those few words one by one.
"Sealing jutsu... capable of sealing Tailed Beasts."
Boom!
These words were like a bolt of lightning striking the Third Raikage A's mind.
Sealing jutsu capable of sealing Tailed Beasts!
How could he not desire it!
His own Kumogakure also possessed two Tailed Beasts—the Two-Tails Matatabi and the Eight-Tails Gyūki.
These two Tailed Beasts were like two time bombs that could explode at any time, plaguing the entire Kumogakure all year round.
Especially that irritable Eight-Tails, a problem that had given the Raikage headaches for a long time.
Their power was too violent and could not be perfectly controlled at all.
Although there were some sealing jutsu in the village, they only treated the symptoms, not the root cause.
This matter had always been a thorn in A's heart.
He desired more than anyone to obtain the top-tier sealing jutsu capable of perfectly controlling Tailed Beasts.
And where was the strongest sealing jutsu in the ninja world?
Everyone knew.
Land of Whirlpools, Uzumaki clan!
If... if they could obtain the legendary top-tier sealing jutsu of the Uzumaki clan, capable of sealing even the Nine-Tails...
Then their Kumogakure would completely get rid of the trouble of Tailed Beast rampages.
They would possess two strategic weapons in the true sense, which could be used at will!
This temptation was huge.
A's gaze stared unwaveringly at Gen, as if trying to see through the old man's soul.
"...."
Watching the Raikage's violently changing expression, Gen knew that his first move was correct.
So, he decided to add another fire.
A fire of revenge strong enough to burn away the reason in the Raikage's heart completely.
"Of course,"
Gen's tone shifted, becoming meaningful. "Besides the sealing jutsu, this operation has a small bonus."
His gaze inadvertently fell on the shallow scar on the Raikage's arm.
"The Land of Whirlpools is Konoha's most important and closest ally. The wife of the First Hokage, Uzumaki Mito, hails from there."
"Our move against the Land of Whirlpools is equivalent to slapping Sarutobi Hiruzen hard in the face."
"I think, for you, Lord Raikage, this should also be a good opportunity to wash away... certain unpleasant pasts and wipe out the shame, right?"
Gen's words were very clever.
He didn't directly mention that defeat, didn't directly poke the Raikage's sore spot.
But the phrases "unpleasant pasts" and "wipe out the shame" were more heart-piercing than any direct mockery.
The Third Raikage A's body trembled violently.
"Ally... of the Land of Whirlpools."
A's gaze fell on the shallow scar, and his finger traced over it.
That familiar stinging sensation of being cut by the extremely sharp wind came again.
It also reignited the flame named shame that had been forcibly suppressed in his heart.
Sarutobi Hiruzen!
This name again!
This name that had entangled him like a nightmare for months!
He could never forget how that man on the battlefield played him in the palm of his hand in a way that was almost mockery.
How his unstoppable attacks were lightly dodged by the opponent by a hair's breadth.
The Third Raikage could not forget the opponent's last words filled with ridicule and contempt.
"I just know you better than you know yourself."
Shame!
Unprecedented shame!
A couldn't swallow this breath; he dreamed of getting back at him.
He dreamed of using his iron fist to smash Sarutobi Hiruzen, along with that damn composure, into pieces.
Before having absolute certainty, he couldn't easily act against Konoha again.
But now...
The opportunity had actually delivered itself to his door.
<><><><><
Read Advaned Chapters on : patreon.com/Kaizo247
~ Every 150 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~ Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]