As Shota heard that Danzo had reached back to Hiruzen to come back to the village, he knew that he had to somehow stop it.
The old Root leader was dangerous, and his return could create many problems for Suna in the future. Danzo would have a very big grudge against Suna, and Shota had no doubt that Danzo would not just rot in jail. He would find a way to influence Konoha from outside it.
"If you get Danzo back to the village, there would be a lot of instability in the village that you would not want, especially with the bloodline clans," Shota said carefully.
"Yes, but what choice do we have? What can I or Konoha do... we need Danzo and his Root shinobi for our survival... well, if Suna can help us, then we might not have to resort to this," Hiruzen said, his voice sounding tired.
'Fucking clever bastard. He knew that Suna cannot afford to let Danzo come back to Konoha, so he is trying to get us to help Konoha instead of Danzo on our own,' Shota thought.
"What do you suggest then, Hokage-sama?" Pakura asked, taking over from Shota after seeing him on the back foot.
"Kiri has been taking big steps during the past year against both Suna and Konoha. And they would only grow bolder after what happened in the Nine-Tails attack. I suggest a joint mission to deal with Kiri," Hiruzen suggested.
"To infiltrate the Land of Water and cause them more harm and cause more chaos among what is happening currently in their village with the bloodline hunt," the old Hokage continued.
"I will be sending my best men for this mission. I request Suna to do the same and to send either you, Pakura-san, or the young Shota Aizawa for this mission," Hiruzen suggested.
Shota was on board with this. The mission only required them to send a small team. But what bothered him was that Hiruzen just said the mission without any rewards.
"Now let us talk about what we would get in return for helping Konoha," Pakura said straightforwardly.
Shota thought, 'Well, I guess something being straightforward is the best in politics.'
Hiruzen had an angry look on his face at that. "You are asking your ally for rewards when they have gone through such a tough phase... I should have known opportunism..." He paused for a moment, letting the words sink in.
His voice carried disappointment and a hint of accusation. The old Hokage was trying to make them feel guilty for asking for something in return during Konoha's difficult time.
He leaned back in his chair and looked at them with tired but sharp eyes. "Konoha has suffered greatly. Many good shinobi and civilians have died. The village is in mourning, and you want to talk about rewards right now? It feels like you are taking advantage of our weakness."
He continued speaking in a heavy tone. "I expected better from our allies. The alliance between Suna and Konoha was built on trust and mutual support. Asking for payment when we are at our lowest makes me question the strength of that bond. We have helped each other in the past without always counting the cost. Is that no longer the case?"
Hiruzen's words were meant to pressure them and make them reconsider. He was a skilled politician who knew how to use emotions and guilt in conversations.
Shota thought, 'The man deserves an Oscar.' He almost laughed inside at how well Hiruzen was acting.
The old Hokage looked genuinely hurt and disappointed, but Shota could see the clever calculation behind his eyes. It was a perfect performance to make them feel bad for asking for anything.
Shota had to admit the old man was very good at this game. He kept his face neutral, but inside he was impressed and amused at the same time.
Pakura said, "It is better to put our intentions forward rather than backstab you later. Would not you say, Lord Hokage?"
Hiruzen gave her a long look before saying, "Very well. Tell us your price. But know that Konoha cannot spare much resources to Suna."
Pakura smiled. "Oh, we would never ask you for something you cannot spare. We want a piece of fertile land on the borders between our countries so we can supply ourselves with our own food."
"No," Hiruzen said immediately.
"If I give you it, other villages would think of us as weak, and I cannot sell land of our country without the permission of Lord Daimyo anyways," Hiruzen said.
"Then how about giving it to us on lease for ten years with the option to renew it every ten years if our alliance still stands," Pakura said.
Hiruzen agreed with that after thinking for a moment.
"And finally we would also like to have some fuinjutsu knowledge from Konoha."
"And why would I do that?"
"To prevent what happened to you from the Nine-Tails attack to happen to us, of course. You cannot be opportunistic to your allies, can you?" Pakura threw that back at Hiruzen with a smile.
'Woah, that is Pakura-sama. You just made me a bigger fan of you than I already was,' Shota thought, mentally cheering and giving Pakura a thumbs up in his mind.
The meeting continued with more careful discussions about the details of the alliance and the joint mission. Shota listened quietly, noting every word and promise.
The trip to Konoha had already brought good results for Suna. With the new agreement and the possibility of getting fuinjutsu knowledge, the village would become stronger. Shota felt satisfied as the conversation moved forward.
--------Author Notes---------
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