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"Greetings, Kazekage-dono."
Zi bowed respectfully to Jinghang, who responded with a slight nod but remained silent. He wanted to see what this young man was scheming.
"Your Excellency's strength is unparalleled, and your mastery of ninjutsu is extraordinary. Truly, you are the strongest opponent I have ever faced," Zi said earnestly.
Jinghang smiled faintly and replied, "Young man, you flatter me. To control a Tailed Beast at your age is quite impressive. You're not far behind our village's Master Bunpuku."
"Thank you for your kind words, Kazekage-dono. Lord Son Gokū holds you in high regard as well."
"Haha, I'm sure he's cursing me under his breath right now."
Yes, just like that. Keep it polite if you can; ramble on if you must. After all, the antidote seemed to be taking effect now.
Suddenly, Zi's expression turned serious. "I saw it earlier—Your Excellency shielded the Sunagakure forces behind you, taking on a Tailed Beast Bomb with your own body. If you cherish your subordinates' lives so much, why then would you recklessly start a war, disregarding the lives of both armies?"
"Hmm? Recklessly start a war?"
Jinghang furrowed his brow. Hmm? There's something fishy here. He quickly pieced it together. This young man, despite his fiery demeanor, likely lacked much guile. He must have been deceived by whatever nonsense Ōnoki had fed him!
This could work in his favor.
Jinghang's expression turned solemn as he declared righteously, "Absurd! Do you think I, Jinghang, am a warmonger? If not for Ōnoki's atrocities against Sunagakure, would I have raised an army to seek justice?"
Zi looked utterly shocked. "Atrocities?!"
"Hmph! Over two months ago, Ōnoki sent a hundred elite jonin, led by Kazama Kyo, to attack our construction team in an attempt to seize Shukaku. They slaughtered twenty-four workers on the spot. If that's not a blood debt, what is? As Kazekage, is it not my duty to seek justice for the fallen?"
"What?! Is this true?" Zi asked in disbelief.
"The evidence is irrefutable! Kazama Kyo and the other culprits are currently imprisoned in our Sunagakure Abyssal Prison. Would you like to see for yourself?"
By now, Jinghang's chakra had mostly recovered, and his presence grew even more imposing.
Zi, who knew Kazama Kyo's high status in Iwagakure, began to believe Jinghang's words as he saw the conviction in his demeanor. His face darkened, and he gritted his teeth silently.
Zi had always been a pacifist, abhorring war. His disdain for conflict had even led to a fallout with Ōnoki, prompting him to leave the village and wander the lands. He hadn't intervened in the two-year-long Earth-Lightning War.
But when he heard that Sunagakure had invaded Iwagakure, leaving the village vulnerable to collapse, he couldn't ignore the plight of his homeland. For the sake of the villagers, he rushed back to Iwagakure.
Upon encountering Ōnoki's returning army, he was swayed by the Tsuchikage's rhetoric about "national honor" and "Kazekage Jinghang's treacherous ambitions to seize our lands." Fired up by such righteous-sounding claims, Zi had eagerly joined the "just resistance" against Sunagakure's aggression.
Yet now, he found himself facing a very different reality.
"Amitābha, how tragic. As a monk, I cannot lie. Every word Jinghang-dono has spoken is the truth. I was there when the twenty-four workers of the construction team were slaughtered, their blood staining the sands. The cruelty of your village's actions is truly an affront to both man and god."
At some point, Master Bunpuku had appeared, holding an unconscious child of about six or seven years old—likely Han, the Five-Tails' jinchūriki.
Seeing the old monk present, Jinghang felt even more assured. Nice, the old man's reliable and efficient. This is in the bag. Look, even he says it's an affront to man and god. Not even Buddha can argue against that!
"Is the child… alive?" Jinghang asked, glancing at the boy in Bunpuku's arms.
Bunpuku shook his head gently. "The boy hasn't mastered his Tailed Beast's power yet. His chakra is severely depleted, and he's exhausted. Nothing serious."
"Ah, that's good to hear."
What a shame.
Zi's expression shifted repeatedly, but he remained silent for a long time.
Meanwhile, Jinghang stood composed and confident. The outcome was clear. No matter how strong Son Gokū was, the tide had turned.
"Where is Ōnoki?" Zi finally spoke, his tone brimming with anger.
Jinghang pointed to a distant hill. "Over there. A few of my friends are keeping him company."
Zi bowed deeply to Jinghang. "Kazekage-dono, could you stay your hand for now and give me some time? I promise Iwagakure will provide an explanation to Sunagakure shortly."
"You? Who are you to represent Iwagakure? What explanation can you give me? Ridiculous! Young man, morale must be maintained, not squandered. Don't think you can stall me with such tricks!"
Jinghang waved his hand dismissively, his tone commanding.
**"Kazekage-dono, you misunderstand. I have no intention of stalling. Though I am young, as a jinchūriki, my voice carries weight in the village.
To be frank, there was no enmity between our villages before this. The tragedy in Sunagakure was likely the result of Ōnoki's reckless actions. There's no need for further bloodshed.
Sunagakure has already gained the upper hand in this battle. The next step would be to lay siege to Iwagakure. But our village, built amidst the mountains, is a fortress by design—easy to defend and hard to attack. Even if you succeed, it would come at a great cost, with mountains of corpses on both sides.
You've come here seeking justice, not conquest. Why needlessly sacrifice the lives of ninjas from both nations?"**
Oh? Not bad! Jinghang's impression of the young man improved significantly. His words were measured, logical, and dignified, exuding the air of a true leader. Clearly, this kid wasn't just wandering aimlessly—he was a talent.
And talents like this… shouldn't remain in Iwagakure. A sly thought crossed Jinghang's mind.
Before he could respond, Master Bunpuku spoke up, visibly moved. "Amitābha, Zi-dono's compassion and reason are admirable. Kazekage-dono, perhaps you should consider ending this calamity?"
Damn bald monk! Can't you pick a side? Whose team are you even on?
At that moment, a figure approached swiftly from the distance, arriving in no time.
"Phew, I made it just in time, didn't I?"
Jinghang recognized the newcomer and sighed inwardly. Great, here comes the peacemaker. Guess this war's over. Damn Konoha, always showing up at the perfect moment.
The newcomer was none other than Mitokado Homura, a senior advisor from Konoha. No doubt, he was here to mediate. Typical. Where was he before the fighting started?
After understanding the situation, Homura turned to Jinghang with a smile. "Kazekage-dono, might I ask you to show some leniency and give Iwagakure a chance?"
Leniency, my ass! Jinghang cursed inwardly. But with Konoha involved, the situation had changed. Sigh, still not strong enough. If Sunagakure had Konoha's strength, I wouldn't even bother entertaining this nonsense!
"How many days?" Jinghang asked coldly.
"Five days should suffice," Zi quickly interjected.
"Hmph. I'll give you three. Three days from now, I want an explanation outside Iwagakure. If not, I'll raze your village to the ground."
Jinghang's final words were delivered with unyielding authority.
"Three days it is," Zi agreed. He then glanced at Bunpuku. "And the child?"
Bunpuku was about to hand over Han when Jinghang raised a hand to stop him.
"The child stays. Master Bunpuku, please reinforce the seal on him. Once I get my explanation, I'll return him. Don't worry, he'll be fed and cared for."
Return him? Yeah, right. Why let him go just to fight me again later?
Seeing Jinghang's cold demeanor, Zi didn't press further. He turned and walked toward Iwagakure's forces, with Homura following closely behind after bowing slightly to Jinghang and Bunpuku.
"Looks like it's over. Since they're negotiating, we might as well retreat too," said Baki, who had been maintaining the barrier. With a puff of smoke, he and his companions disappeared, and the yellow barrier dissipated.
Ōnoki looked at the battlefield, sighed deeply, and flew toward Iwagakure's army, his hand resting on his aching back.
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