Sunagakure Village.
To demonstrate sincerity in forming an alliance, Konoha dispatched Mitokado Homura as its envoy.
After days of arduous travel, the Konoha delegation finally arrived.
Dressed in a dark kimono, Mitokado Homura stepped slowly into the Kazekage Building.
Rasa, Chiyo, and Ebizo stood at the entrance of the conference chamber, welcoming the envoy from Konoha.
After exchanging greetings and handshakes, the group entered the meeting room.
Once seated, Homura produced a scroll from his robes and gently unfurled it on the table.
"Esteemed guests," Homura said calmly, "Konoha comes this time seeking cooperation. These are the materials we are offering."
He slid the scroll toward Rasa.
Rasa nodded slightly and picked it up to review.
At this time, Rasa had only just succeeded as the Fourth Kazekage, his foundation still extremely unstable.
On top of that, after the Third Kazekage's disappearance, Kumogakure had taken the opportunity to invade, inflicting heavy losses on Sunagakure—more than half of their jōnin had died.
What Rasa needed now was a war—one that could establish his authority and redirect the dissatisfaction within the village.
But it couldn't be a high-intensity conflict; Sunagakure simply couldn't withstand that anymore.
Thus, Konoha's proposal was like rain in the middle of a drought.
Seeing the quantity and quality of the supplies, a flicker of surprise passed through Rasa's eyes—these resources clearly reflected Konoha's sincerity. Still, his expression quickly returned to calm.
"Konoha's offer is indeed sincere," Rasa said slowly. "However, I believe Envoy Homura understands Sunagakure's current situation."
He paused, eyes settling on Homura. "If we cooperate… this will only be the beginning, correct?"
Homura smiled faintly, as if he had anticipated the question.
"Correct. This is merely the starting point. Further support will increase according to the trust and actions demonstrated by both sides."
The tension in the room eased slightly—but everyone knew the real negotiation had only just begun.
Rasa nodded lightly, his gaze returning to the scroll. After a moment of deliberation, his eyes instinctively shifted toward Chiyo.
Though Rasa held the title of Kazekage, the true authority still rested with her.
Chiyo gave a slight nod, signaling for him to continue.
Despite her son and daughter-in-law having died at the hands of Konoha's White Fang, she understood that Sunagakure's survival had to come first.
Homura's gaze lingered briefly on Chiyo before he continued.
"Please rest assured. We are only asking Sunagakure to help Konoha hold back Iwagakure. Defense alone will suffice."
"Konoha is willing to sign a Peace Treaty with Sunagakure—one that explicitly states we will advance and retreat together."
At the words Peace Treaty, Rasa's expression visibly relaxed. Chiyo's eyes, however, flashed with doubt.
She knew too well that the blood feud between Konoha and Sunagakure couldn't be erased by a single document.
Homura seemed to see through her thoughts and continued calmly:
"This treaty is not merely symbolic—it represents Konoha's commitment to Sunagakure's future security."
He paused, his gaze sharp yet measured.
"As long as Sunagakure shows sufficient sincerity in this battle, Konoha will stand with Sunagakure going forward. Any enemy that attacks Sunagakure will be treated as an enemy of Konoha."
Those words hit like a heavy hammer.
Hope flickered in Rasa's eyes, while Chiyo fell into deep contemplation.
"Envoy Homura," Chiyo said at last, "this matter requires further discussion on our end. You've traveled far—please rest for a few days."
"In that case, we shall await your reply," Homura said, standing and inclining his head politely before turning to leave the chamber.
Once Homura was gone, Rasa couldn't help speaking up.
"I think we should cooperate!"
"Sunagakure is already unstable—only you, Granny Chiyo, have been holding things together. We urgently need a battle to rally the village."
"And the supplies Konoha is offering are extremely generous."
Chiyo raised a hand, stopping him.
"My concern isn't Konoha," she said slowly. "It's Kirigakure."
"Kirigakure?" Rasa frowned, puzzled.
"The disappearance of our Third Kazekage was the trigger for this Third Shinobi World War—have you forgotten?"
"Kumogakure attacked us, Iwagakure followed, and at that time Kirigakure had also infiltrated our territory."
"I ordered Pakura to lead a squad and wipe out Kirigakure's infiltrators. After that, they went quiet."
"Now Kirigakure is at war with Konoha. If we cooperate with Konoha, we effectively become enemies of Kirigakure."
"Sunagakure borders Iwagakure to the north and Konoha to the east. Kirigakure can land from the sea to the south—straight into the Land of Wind, or even the village itself."
"If we sign a peace treaty with Konoha, Kirigakure will definitely see us as a threat. They may even launch a surprise attack when the war intensifies."
"On the surface, Kirigakure claims this war is about a Byakugan—but in reality, they're here to grab a share of the spoils."
"And it doesn't matter whose bowl they take it from."
Rasa fell silent. Every word struck home.
"But sister," Ebizo spoke up, "if we don't cooperate with Konoha, Sunagakure won't survive what's coming on our own."
"I know," Chiyo replied calmly. "That's exactly why we must be cautious."
"If we ally with Konoha, Sunagakure will be dragged fully into the vortex of this war. If things spiral out of control, the consequences will be disastrous."
She turned her gaze to Rasa.
"As Kazekage, you must weigh every benefit and risk carefully."
Rasa lowered his head in thought, then nodded.
"I understand, Granny Chiyo. But Sunagakure's situation is dire. Without Konoha's support, we may not last."
He raised his head, resolve in his eyes.
"I'm willing to cooperate with Konoha—but we must also prepare for Kirigakure."
A trace of approval appeared in Chiyo's eyes.
"Actually," she said, "we could also secretly negotiate with Kirigakure."
"If we can obtain guarantees that they won't invade Sunagakure, we can offer them appropriate compensation."
"Ultimately, Kirigakure's true enemy is Konoha."
"And don't forget that Uchiha brat—Wen Lan—killed five members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
"That humiliation is something Kirigakure's higher-ups will never swallow."
"I don't believe the Mizukage can let that go."
The three exchanged looks and reached a tentative consensus.
Just then, a Sunagakure ninja rushed into the chamber, face grim.
"Bad news! A Kirigakure squad has been spotted southeast of the village—suspected reconnaissance unit. They've already advanced ten kilometers into the Land of Wind!"
The room instantly tensed.
Rasa and Ebizo exchanged glances, shock and unease evident in their eyes.
Chiyo, however, remained calm.
She slowly stood and walked to the window, gazing toward the distant horizon.
"It seems Kirigakure is moving faster than we expected," she murmured. "They're likely planning to pass through Sunagakure—changing routes to strike Konoha directly."
Silence filled the room once more.
After a long moment, Chiyo turned to Rasa.
"Dispatch a squad and come with me to intercept them."
"Perfect timing—we'll use this opportunity to convey our intentions to the Mizukage."
—------------------------------
Pat reon Advance Chapters: patreon.com/YonkoSlayer