Chapter 182 You Should Say Thank You
"That's right, Sasuke is now strong enough to keep me from focusing on summoning techniques," Neji said helplessly, let alone enemies a level stronger.
"Don't underestimate yourselves. Sasuke and Naruto's current strength is such that even the Jonin of the Great Shinobi Villages wouldn't stand a chance against them," Uchiha Touko said. "However, this is a problem I really need to help you solve."
Uchiha Touko said, standing up and taking a scroll from the top shelf of the bookshelf in his office after breaking the seal on the top shelf.
"What's this?" Neji was also taken aback when he saw the large scroll.
"The Book of Sealing Techniques," Uchiha Touko said, entering the secret commands for the sealing techniques at the top. He then flipped through the scroll, found the page on the Flying Thunder God Technique, copied it using a blank scroll, and tossed it to Neji.
"The Flying Thunder God Technique, developed by the Second Hokage and refined by the Fourth Hokage, should be helpful to your research," Uchiha Touko said.
"This... isn't that a bit inappropriate?" Neji said. He and Tenten had considered the Flying Thunder God Technique, but it was from the Scroll of Seals. For him, a recent graduate with no achievements to his name, to receive such a precious technique would raise eyebrows, even if he was the Hokage's disciple.
"Take it. Consider it a graduation gift for you and Tenten," Uchiha Touko said. "The contribution you two made to developing that vision-sharing ninja tool is almost enough to exchange for a ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals. The Flying Thunder God Technique might be a little less, but giving it to you early is fine."
"Besides, it's not free," Uchiha Touko said. "I plan to have you team up with Naruto and Sasuke, but they still have a year before graduation. So, for this year, I plan to have you train alone in the Anbu. Consider the merit points you're short as a loan to you two; you'll have to pay them back slowly by completing missions."
Neji's lips twitched slightly at this. Couldn't they have used a different word? Loans… In the last two years, who in the ninja world would dare to borrow money from you? The last person to borrow from you has already taken over all the mines in the country.
As they grew older, Uchiha Touko began to gradually teach Sasuke and Neji about strategy. So, despite Konoha's usual moral high ground, the two brothers knew perfectly well what role their teacher had played in the three-year war between the Land of Waterfall and the Land of Earth.
Just as Neji was about to leave with the copy of the Flying Thunder God Technique, there was a knock on the Hokage's office door.
"Hokage-sama, Neji-sama." Uchiha Inahisa entered the Hokage's office, greeted the two, and then said to Uchiha Touko, "Hokage-sama, Iwata Sawaki is outside requesting an audience."
Well, I was just thinking about this guy, and here he is, Neji thought, his lips twitching.
"Then, teacher, I won't disturb your work any longer." Neji put away the scroll and took his leave.
"When you go to the Ninja Tool Research Institute, also stop by the Security Forces and call Kakashi over. There's nothing left to squeeze out of Takigawa; this war should end now," Uchiha Touko instructed.
"Yes, sir!" Neji nodded in acceptance.
A short while later, Kakashi, having received Uchiha Touko's summons, put down Icha Icha Paradise and hurried to the Security Forces captain's office.
However, just as he reached the door, he was stopped by Iwata Zeki, who was already waiting there.
"Mr. Iwata?" Kakashi, upon seeing the newcomer, guessed why Uchiha Touko had summoned him. In the past six months, with the war's progress, Takigakure, even with Konoha's support, had reached its limit. Iwata Zeki's loans to Konoha and its allies were due in 30 years; it could be said that almost all the mineral resources within Takigakure were now under Konoha's name.
Without collateral, Uchiha Touko had gradually reduced his aid to Takigakure, and now nearly a quarter of Takigakure's territory had fallen into the hands of the Land of Earth.
The fact that Uchiha Touko had summoned him first after Iwata Zeki's arrival, instead of seeing him directly, was simply because he wanted Kakashi to play the bad cop in the negotiations.
"Lord Kakashi!" Iwata Sawaki, his battle suit covered in dust, his beard unkempt, and his eyes bloodshot, clung to Kakashi's sleeve like a drowning man grasping at a straw upon seeing him.
"Mr. Iwata, Assistant Kakashi, the Hokage's documents have been processed. Please come in," Uchiha Inahime said, emerging from the Hokage building at the opportune moment.
Iwata Sawaki breathed a sigh of relief and followed Kakashi into the Hokage's office.
When the two entered the office, Uchiha Touko was making tea. Upon seeing them, he poured a cup for each of them before apologetically saying to Iwata Sawaki, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I was dealing with important confidential documents from our village, so I apologize for neglecting you."
"It's alright, I just arrived," Iwata Sawaki replied. Although he had been waiting outside for most of the day, he needed their help, so he could only manage a forced smile.
After finishing the tea Uchiha Touko offered, Iwata Sawaki waited a long time, and seeing that Uchiha Touko hadn't mentioned continuing their assistance, he finally couldn't help but ask, "Um… Hokage, do you think Konoha could continue to assist Takigakure for a while longer? I believe that with Konoha's help, we can definitely drive the invaders from the Land of Earth out of our homeland."
However, faced with Iwata Sawaki's impassioned words, Uchiha Touko and Kakashi both fell silent.
Kakashi shook his head inwardly.
Where was the slightest trace of a ninja village leader in Iwata Sawaki's current state? He was now a gambler blinded by losses, constantly raising the stakes in an attempt to turn things around.
"Mr. Iwata, why don't we, Konoha, step in and mediate the war between you and the Land of Earth?" Uchiha Touko said with a sigh.
Hearing Uchiha Touko's words, Iwata Sawaki was struck dumb, staring at the two in disbelief.
"Why...why? Our Land of Waterfall is only one step away from victory!" Iwata Sawaki said.
"Mr. Iwata, forgive my bluntness, but your Takigakure has run out of cards," Kakashi said at this moment.
In the past two and a half years of war, anyone in the Land of Taki, from 12 to 50 years old, with even a slight talent for refining chakra, was conscripted to fill the gaps in the ninja academy. The age of 12, the graduation age from the ninja academy, was only maintained by Uchiha Touko threatening to provide aid; otherwise, it's estimated that the children of the Land of Taki would have been sent to the battlefield as cannon fodder in the past few years.
It can be said that the Land of Taki has already lost two generations in this war.
Uchiha Touko then spoke up, "After all this time in this war, your Land of Waterfall isn't exactly a loser. For a small country like yours to withstand the Land of Earth for so long is already extremely honorable."
"But..." Iwata Sawaki wanted to argue, but Kakashi spoke up at this moment.
"Mr. Iwata, you can't pin your hopes for a war against a country twenty times stronger than yours on another country," Kakashi said. "Besides, Konoha's resources and patience aren't unlimited."
"Hokage-sama," the office door opened again, and Jonin Squad Captain Nagai Seiichi walked in, placing a stack of documents on Uchiha Touko's desk, and said, "Hokage-sama, this is the Jonin Squad's mission report for the past month. Please take a look."
"Alright, leave it there for now, I'll look at it later," Uchiha Touko said.
"Hokage-sama, are you planning to abandon our Land of Waterfall?" Iwata Sawaki suddenly asked.
When Nagai Seiichi saw someone dare to question his most respected Hokage, he couldn't hold back any longer. He glanced at Iwata Sawaki and said coldly, "Are you the leader of the Land of Waterfall? Why don't you even wear your formal attire to see the Hokage? Doesn't your Land of Waterfall understand even the most basic etiquette?"
Hearing Nagai Seiichi's question, Iwata Sawaki looked down at his battle uniform somewhat awkwardly before explaining, "My country is currently at war. After the war ends, I will naturally come to visit in formal attire."
"Let's end this war like this," Uchiha Touko said with a long sigh. "Mr. Iwata, if we end the war now, no one in the ninja world will consider you losers."
"Hokage, if we can't severely damage the Land of Earth, their next target will be Konoha. Once their ambitions grow, it will be the Fourth Shinobi World War," Iwata Sawaki continued, still trying to drag Konoha into the conflict.
However, upon hearing his words, Kakashi's expression changed: "Mr. Iwata, can I take your words as a threat to Konoha?"
"No..." Hearing Kakashi's words, Iwata Zeki panicked at first, then hurriedly explained, "I didn't mean that."
"Then are you gambling with the lives of millions and the Fourth Shinobi World War?" Kakashi said, "If that's your thinking, then Konoha needs to reassess this war. Your current attitude completely contradicts Konoha's long-held goal of pursuing peace in the ninja world."
"Furthermore, Mr. Iwata, I feel you lack respect for Konoha. Without Konoha's assistance, your war with the Land of Earth would have ended within two weeks. You should thank Konoha for the current outcome!"
"Enough!" Uchiha Touko shouted in a deep voice.
After Uchiha Touko finished speaking, Kakashi and Nagai Seiichi fell silent. Then, Uchiha Touko looked up at Iwata Sawaki and said, "I still suggest that your Land of Waterfall and Land of Earth cease hostilities. Mr. Iwata, you can rest assured of one thing: Konoha will do its utmost to protect the interests of your Land of Waterfall during the negotiations."
"Regarding this, you should think about it carefully for a while," Uchiha Touko said. "Inahime, see him out."
"Mr. Iwata, please," Uchiha Inahime said, having heard Uchiha Touko's summons, as she entered from outside and approached Iwata Sawaki.
At this moment, Iwata Sawaki seemed to have all his strength drained away, slumping onto the guest sofa in the Hokage's office. Uchiha Inahime didn't urge him, patiently waiting for him to get up.
After a while, Iwata Zeki finally stood up and, along with Uchiha Inahime, prepared to leave the Hokage's office, looking
dejected. However, before he could leave, he suddenly stopped, turned back to look at the three people in the office, and said, "Between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth lie our small countries. You don't feel the pain now, but you will in the future." Nagai Seiichi's expression changed upon hearing this, and he intended to teach the insolent Iwata Zeki a lesson on the spot. But at this moment, Uchiha Touko and Kakashi simultaneously gestured for him to calm down.
"Perhaps, but in any case, Konoha's goal of pursuing peace will not change," Uchiha Touko said.
...
After Iwata Zeki left, Uchiha Touko also signed the documents that Nagai Seiichi had brought and let him leave first.
After Nagai Seiichi left, Kakashi, who had been drinking tea for a while, finally spoke up: "Although the Land of Waterfall suffered heavy losses in this war, the Land of Earth wasn't having an easy time either, was it? Will they agree to a ceasefire?"
"You said it yourself, the Land of Earth wasn't having an easy time in this war," Uchiha Touko shrugged and said, "If we put pressure on them, there's a good chance that old man Onoki will agree to a ceasefire."
"When will this war in the ninja world ever end?" Kakashi suddenly leaned back on the sofa, sighing.
"Soon." Uchiha Touko poured boiling water into the transparent teapot again, watching the tea leaves swirling inside, and slowly said, "In the next few years. Once we're ready, let's end all the conflicts in the ninja world in our generation."
After drinking two rounds of tea with Kakashi, Uchiha Touko sent Onoki a communication request.
After a while, Onoki's image appeared on the screen.
"What brings you to this old man, Hokage, at this hour?" Onoki asked with a cold snort, looking at Uchiha Touko.
"Heh, how is your village's special military operation progressing?" Uchiha Touko asked with a light laugh.
Hearing Uchiha Touko's words, Onoki's lips twitched. Suppressing the urge to curse, he replied, "Thanks to the Hokage, it's going fairly smoothly. What, the Hokage has so much free time that he's concerned about the situation in Iwagakure?"
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