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Chapter 158: Chapter 158: I’ll Eat the Meat, You Can Have the Pot!

Since Minato Namikaze was in the village, the intelligence transmitted by the messenger toad reached Sarutobi Hiruzen very quickly.

Even though more information had yet to arrive, the mere fact that Iwa had already deployed its forces was enough to catch Hiruzen\'s attention.

He immediately issued orders, dispatching an Anbu squad to the borders of the Land of Grass to alert the border defense forces and to inform Kusagakure to be on guard against a potential Iwa ambush.

Although Kusagakure had always played a balancing act among the great villages, and their recent ties with Iwa had become especially close, Sarutobi Hiruzen believed that Kusagakure would never allow Iwa to invade freely.

If they did, Kusagakure itself would cease to exist, which was a core interest of their village.

This situation was completely different from the Land of Rivers, which no longer had a shinobi village due to the loss of Amegakure.

Therefore, despite earlier warnings from Shūichi and Orochimaru, Hiruzen still believed that even if Iwa deployed its forces, crossing the Land of Grass wouldn\'t be easy for them, meaning there was still time to mobilize reinforcements.

This was why he had dared to divert troops to Kikyo Mountain multiple times before.

It was all a matter of strategic interests!

After issuing several more orders, Sarutobi Hiruzen smoked his pipe, his thoughts drifting toward the Land of Rain.

Aside from the Land of Grass, the Land of Rain was another point of concern for him.

Fortunately, Danzo was there.

With the Root division in place, it wouldn\'t be easy for Iwa to launch a surprise attack on the Fire Country\'s border through the Land of Rain.

Hiruzen\'s thoughts quickly shifted to the Cloud Ninjas.

Once Iwa went to war, Konoha\'s forces would be severely stretched, and the Cloud Ninjas would definitely be unable to resist taking action.

He stood up and walked to the map, his eyes scanning across it until they landed on Kikyo Mountain.

"The Sand Ninjas..."

Hiruzen\'s expression darkened.

He worried that the Cloud Ninjas might attack before the battle at Kikyo Mountain concluded, which would be extremely dangerous.

As for Shūichi Hoshita... After much deliberation, Hiruzen sighed, still unable to decide whether to recall him.

If Shūichi left, the Sand Ninjas would receive reinforcements, and the situation at Kikyo Mountain could change drastically.

"Shinnosuke, Minato hasn\'t left yet, has he?" Hiruzen asked.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke appeared immediately, "No, Minato is still here, worried that Shūichi might send more intelligence."

Hiruzen sighed, "They\'ve worked hard."

"Have Minato send a message to Shūichi, asking him to propose peace talks with the Sand on my behalf. I will dispatch an official delegation to Sunagakure."

Shinnosuke was taken aback, "At this moment... According to Shūichi\'s previous intel, Iwa\'s quick deployment is partly due to the Sand. Sunagakure will likely demand unreasonable terms."

"If we can just hold on a little longer, once the battle at Kikyo Mountain is won, we can immediately reinforce the Land of Grass."

Hiruzen shook his head, "But the losses would be too great."

"And then there\'s the Cloud Ninjas. Their movements will only become more aggressive."

"To face attacks from four ninja villages simultaneously... just go!"

Shinnosuke sighed inwardly. Though he didn\'t fully agree with this strategy, he understood his father\'s difficult position and nodded before leaving.

He found Minato and carefully relayed Hiruzen\'s orders and considerations. Minato nodded seriously, "I\'ll have Mount Myoboku notify Shūichi immediately. With Shūichi\'s keen perception, this shouldn\'t be a difficult task for him."

Shinnosuke, however, smiled bitterly, "I\'m afraid Shūichi won\'t act as the Third Hokage expects."

Minato paused for a moment, then reassured him, "Don\'t worry, Shūichi will handle such an important matter with care."

"Alright, I\'ll take care of it."

Shinnosuke nodded, watching Minato depart.

Minato went to a secluded location and immediately summoned Gamabunta, instructing him to deliver the message to Shūichi Hoshita.

After nodding in agreement, Gamabunta dispelled the summoning and returned to Mount Myoboku, where he immediately used reverse summoning.

Outside Sunagakure, Shūichi suddenly disappeared with a puff of smoke.

When he reappeared, he found himself in the vastly different landscape of Mount Myoboku.

Shūichi stood in Mount Myoboku for the first time, surveying his surroundings before turning to the massive Gamabunta in front of him. "Gamabunta, it seems Minato-sensei has some news."

Gamabunta nodded. "According to Minato, the Third Hokage wants you to propose peace talks with the Fourth Kazekage."

Shūichi chuckled. "I understand. Why not summon Minato-sensei here as well?"

"Uh... sure, I can do that."

With that, Gamabunta pressed his forelimbs together and performed the Reverse Summoning Technique. In an instant, Minato Namikaze appeared next to Shūichi.

"Shūichi!" Minato turned, smiling at his student, then held his hand up to gesture. "You\'ve grown quite a bit taller!"

Shūichi laughed happily. "Minato-sensei, it\'s been almost six months since we last saw each other."

"Yes, it has," Minato nodded in agreement, a hint of emotion in his voice. "You\'ve worked hard."

"So, I assume you already know about the Third Hokage\'s orders?"

Shūichi nodded, his smile fading as he got serious. "Actually, after I received news of Iwa\'s movements, I went to meet with the Fourth Kazekage. I used the Land of Birds as bait to lure him into sending troops north and forming an alliance with Konoha."

Minato was stunned. "But... Iwa and Suna must have made some kind of secret agreement, right?"

Shūichi smirked. "Minato-sensei, don\'t forget. In the eyes of most Sand shinobi, the disappearance—or death—of the Third Kazekage is linked to Iwa\'s Four-Tails Jinchuriki."

"Moreover, Iwa has actively attacked the Land of Wind."

"Additionally, Pakura, hailed as a hero in Sunagakure for her Scorch Release, was killed by Iwa shinobi."

"Of course, these aren\'t the most important factors. What matters most is that securing control over the Land of Birds would be credited to the Fourth Kazekage, whereas the conquest of the Land of Rivers was the legacy of the Third Kazekage."

"Given the current situation, Suna is doomed to lose the battle of Kikyo Mountain, whether or not Iwa and Kumo send additional forces."

"In order to protect his comrades and exact revenge on Iwa, the Fourth Kazekage\'s reputation will rise even further. If he secures the Land of Birds, the majority of the Sand shinobi will forget about the Third Kazekage and hail the Fourth Kazekage as the strongest Kazekage in history."

Minato furrowed his brows, pondering deeply before finally nodding. "Your analysis makes a lot of sense, Shūichi, but..."

Looking gravely at his talented student, Minato said seriously, "If we pursue peace talks, Suna will undoubtedly make demands, and the One-Tails will be part of those negotiations."

"Shūichi, you know what happens if a tailed beast is extracted."

Shūichi nodded with a smile. "Of course, Minato-sensei, I\'m fully aware."

"We can return the One-Tails to Suna, but not immediately."

"We need to keep it for three years. Let\'s say we\'ll safeguard it for them during that time."

Minato looked puzzled. "Shūichi, you..."

Shūichi explained, "Minato-sensei, you know that Kushina-san and I have been researching the Reaper Death Seal, a technique that can seal souls."

"I\'ve also mastered the Spiritualization Technique, which allows me to transform my spirit into a tangible form, carrying chakra to attack enemies from within."

"I\'ve studied the Uzumaki clan\'s Adamantine Sealing Chains, and from that, I created my own sealing technique—the Fire Nether Chain. My original goal, however, was to develop a sealing technique capable of sealing souls."

"A soul-sealing technique..." Minato\'s expression shifted slightly. "Shūichi, are you planning to... split the tailed beasts?"

Gamabunta, who had been quietly listening, was shocked. He looked down at Shūichi with a wary gaze. "Minato\'s disciple is quite terrifying... not only incredibly talented but with such bold ideas—even daring to split the tailed beasts..."

Shūichi nodded confidently. "That\'s right. I plan to split the tailed beasts."

"The power of a tailed beast is too overwhelming."

"Kushina-san wants to control the Nine-Tails, maybe even tame it. To do that, the Nine-Tails must first be weakened."

Though Shūichi kept his true intentions hidden, he had indeed planned to split the Nine-Tails to help Kushina forcibly master the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.

Minato, however, was filled with both gratitude and concern. "Shūichi, I\'ve also mastered the Reaper Death Seal, but sealing a soul is extremely difficult."

"The Reaper Death Seal relies on the power of that fearsome Shinigami... are you sure you can develop a technique like that without side effects within three years?"

Shūichi laughed. "Minato-sensei, you should have more faith in me. After all, I\'m best at developing jutsu."

"I\'ve already created a Spiritual Clone Technique based on the Spirit Transformation Technique, so I\'ve taken the first step."

"I\'m confident I can do it in three years. But I\'ll need you to request some additional soul-related techniques from the Third Hokage when you return to Konoha."

Minato chuckled wryly but then nodded seriously. "I\'ll do everything I can to make that happen."

"As for the alliance with Suna, I\'ll also petition the Third Hokage about it."

"Be careful in Sunagakure, Shūichi."

With that, Minato nodded to both Shūichi and Gamabunta, and then disappeared from sight.

Shūichi, too, left Mount Myoboku shortly after. Though he was intrigued by the place, now was not the time for exploration.

Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen faced a sleepless night. Despite his age, he hadn\'t lost his decisiveness, and after some thought, he approved Shūichi Hoshita\'s proposal.

After Shūichi reached a preliminary agreement with the Fourth Kazekage, a delegation would be sent to finalize the peace talks and alliance.

...

Outside Sunagakure, Shūichi calmly waited after receiving a response from Gamabunta. He knew that the Fourth Kazekage was probably unable to sleep at this moment as well.

In fact, the Fourth Kazekage was currently in a meeting.

The abruptness of the situation had caught many of the higher-ups in Sunagakure off guard.

Chiyo was the first to speak up, "I support the Fourth!"

Since Rasa had convened this meeting, his stance was already quite clear. Chiyo\'s support wasn\'t because of the "ticking time bomb" curse mark within her body or out of concern for her brother, who was fighting at Kikyo Mountain. Her decision was entirely based on the interests of Sunagakure.

However, there were those who disagreed. "Konoha proposed this alliance because Iwa has deployed troops. They\'re in deep trouble. If we hold our ground, Konoha will suffer a major defeat, and we might even reclaim the Land of Rivers."

Chiyo immediately countered, "We can\'t wait that long! The forces at Kikyo Mountain are on the verge of collapse."

"There are over two thousand troops there, and more than half of them are our elite."

"You should know that if we lose them, it will take us at least a decade to recover."

"Besides, since we\'re talking about a peace agreement, we can also aim for some gains—like getting back the One-Tails!"

The dissenting Sunagakure shinobi responded, "That\'s impossible!"

"Getting back the One-Tails would mean Shūichi Hoshita\'s certain death. Konoha would never agree to such a demand."

Chiyo shot back, "Then we should demand part of the Land of Rivers\' benefits in return!"

This was her true objective.

It was also part of Rasa\'s plan.

Once the arguments had mostly subsided, Rasa firmly declared, "I\'ve decided to negotiate peace with Konoha."

"Chiyo, you will negotiate with Shūichi Hoshita."

"Our terms are the return of the One-Tails, part of the Land of Rivers, and our comrades at Kikyo Castle."

Chiyo nodded immediately. "Understood!"

Without wasting any time, she got up and left the room, heading straight outside the village.

...

"You got here pretty quickly..." Shūichi smiled as he stood at his base.

A short while later, Chiyo appeared in his line of sight and entered the base.

"Shūichi Hoshita, you know why I\'m here," Chiyo began bluntly. "So, what are Konoha\'s terms for peace and an alliance?"

Shūichi shook his head. "It\'s not that Konoha wants an alliance. I\'ve simply offered you the chance for one."

"If you don\'t agree, it\'s no concern of mine. Konoha won\'t lose this war—at most, we\'ll suffer more casualties."

"But the other villages will lose even more because I have a strong sense of revenge."

Chiyo frowned. This kid was far more difficult to deal with than she had anticipated.

Shūichi continued, "The choice before Sunagakure is simple. Cooperate with Konoha, and maintain the appearance of a standoff at Kikyo Mountain."

"As soon as we engage Iwa on the Fire Nation\'s border, you\'ll move your forces north."

"The troops at Kikyo Mountain will head north to cut off Iwa\'s retreat, while your main force moves into the Land of Birds."

"Tell me, do you think Kumo will also attack Iwa at that point?"

Chiyo frowned again but reluctantly nodded. "But the effort we put in doesn\'t match the benefits. Our village\'s shinobi won\'t accept such an outcome easily."

Having lost the upper hand, Chiyo had no choice but to make a strong demand. "We can support Konoha\'s military actions and form an alliance, but Konoha must return the benefits of the Land of Rivers that rightfully belong to Sunagakure."

"And secondly, the One-Tails must be returned!"

Shūichi shook his head. "Returning the Land of Rivers is out of the question. That was the price you paid for attacking Konoha!"

"As for the One-Tails... it can be returned to you."

Chiyo was stunned and stared at Shūichi, completely taken aback. She even wondered if he had lost his mind.

But Shūichi continued, "There\'s no problem returning the One-Tails, but not immediately. You\'ll have to wait three years."

Chiyo\'s eyes narrowed. In an instant, she saw through Shūichi\'s intentions.

He planned to stall for time and renege later!

Shūichi smiled. "Rest assured, I won\'t go back on my word. I\'m well aware that extracting a tailed beast would be fatal. But don\'t forget, I\'m also a medical ninja."

His approach was calculated—telling people what they wanted to hear.

Why fight to the death with Sunagakure and Iwa when he could pit them against each other instead?

After splitting the One-Tails, if Madara Uchiha came looking for trouble later, let him deal with Sunagakure\'s Jinchuriki first!

Shūichi would take the power, but leave the consequences to them!

Still in shock at Shūichi\'s unexpected moves, Chiyo finally spoke after a moment of contemplation. "I\'ll report everything you said to the Kazekage as it is."

With that, she turned to leave.

Shūichi added with a smile, "To show my sincerity, I\'ll remove the curse mark."

He raised a single hand, and Chiyo immediately felt the chakra inside her dissipate.

She paused for a moment, then quickly disappeared.

Shūichi quietly watched her leave, thinking: Go fight Iwa with all you\'ve got!

And perhaps... he could use Sunagakure to eliminate Kusagakure as well?

If Kusagakure allowed Iwa to march through, there would be no need for such an unruly subordinate to exist.

Destroy Kusagakure and divide the spoils of the Land of Grass.

Of course, this would leave Konoha with no buffer between it and Iwa\'s forces.

So, why not install a more obedient regime in Kusagakure instead?

One sinister idea after another began to take root in Shūichi Hoshita\'s mind.

(End of Chapter)

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