NOVEL NEXT Chapter 28: ch28
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Compared to Konoha, the Hidden Cloud Village selected their Third Raikage much more swiftly. The Hidden Cloud Village operates much like the Mafia, and after the Third Raikage A suppressed the coup led by Kinkaku and Ginkaku, he naturally inherited the Raikage title from his father, the Second Raikage A.
This hasty succession left the Third Raikage A with many unresolved issues, the most pressing being how to placate Konoha's anger.
The Third Raikage A faced a headache as he looked at Senju Tobirama's body. Mishandling this situation could put Hidden Cloud Village at risk of destruction.
This was no simple matter to resolve!
They had agreed to negotiations without conflict, to take a break for a few years before competing again. However, the Hidden Cloud Village failed to manage Kinkaku and Ginkaku, leading to a coup and the death of the Second Hokage during negotiations.
Although their Second Raikage also perished, Konoha was unlikely to care. What did the Raikage's death have to do with Konoha? They had agreed to negotiate peacefully, yet Hidden Cloud launched a sneak attack.
Did they not care about the reputation of the largest village in the ninja world?
If Raikage A were in Konoha's shoes, he would certainly be furious and fight to the end.
At this point, he could only hope Konoha would restrain itself and not go crazy enough to destroy Hidden Cloud Village.
Otherwise, Raikage A would have no choice but to lead Hidden Cloud Village into a final battle with Konoha.
A few days later, envoys from Hidden Cloud Village arrived in Konoha, seeking to renegotiate a peace agreement and discuss the return of Senju Tobirama's body.
Recognizing their initial fault, they were willing to make concessions on previous agreements.
Konoha convened an emergency meeting. Returning Senju Tobirama's body was necessary. Delaying time, as Uzumaki Mito had done, was futile. They had to face reality.
The meeting was contentious. The Senju clan's senior ninjas demanded a simple response: fight to the end!
Their clan leader and Hokage had been killed by an enemy village, and if Konoha didn't respond, they might as well disband.
Konoha wanted revenge!!!
Blood debt must be paid with blood!!!
These cries echoed throughout, nearly dominating the discussion.
But reality was harsh. War was a grave matter, a life-or-death affair, requiring careful consideration.
Konoha couldn't mount a decent battle; they were out of funds.
No money!
War costs money!
Who would pay?
They couldn't rely on the nobles of the Land of Fire!
But such truths couldn't be spoken openly—political correctness demanded otherwise.
Avenging the Hokage was the correct slogan.
Even Uchiha Nan, sitting below, wanted to applaud but maintained a facade of outrage, eager to fight Kumogakure to the death.
The slogans had to be shouted loudly!
But if they truly intended to battle Kumogakure, clan leaders had to consider how long their businesses would last. They couldn't sell family heirlooms to the Fire Country's unscrupulous bankers.
Those moneylenders were notoriously greedy.
They sat comfortably, waiting to offer low prices if you dared to sell.
If you didn't sell, the prices would drop further.
Uzumaki Mito observed the clamoring ninjas below. The clan leaders' sad faces spoke volumes. Their stance was clear.
Revenge was possible, but not yet.
Konoha was nearly drained. Continuing the war would ruin them all.
After a major war, they would need to deal not only with Hidden Cloud but also Iwagakure and Mist villages. It could become a one-against-three fight.
Finally, Uzumaki Mito gathered the clan leaders for a final discussion in a small room.
After deliberation, they decided against war but needed to display strength, ensuring other villages didn't see Konoha as weak. They couldn't let Hokage's death go unchallenged, or how could Konoha lead smaller allies like Kusagakure?
Uchiha Nan had no objections since it wasn't an Uchiha member who died, but Tobirama Senju.
Uzumaki Mito publicly rallied Konoha's ninjas for war, vowing justice and retribution.
Privately, clan leaders instructed their ninjas near Hidden Cloud to exercise restraint.
They couldn't initiate an attack. However, if Hidden Cloud dared to strike, there would be no negotiation—only mutual destruction.
"If Hidden Cloud Village doesn't offer a satisfactory answer, Konoha will fight to the end!" Konoha officials declared, issuing the harshest diplomatic language, making Hidden Cloud envoys fear they might not return home.
Despite this, the envoys negotiated with Konoha.
On the basis of the original peace agreement, Hidden Cloud offered an additional 4 billion ryo to Konoha, with 1 billion paid in the first year and the remainder over five years.
Hidden Cloud, feeling guilty, made significant concessions. They were broke and couldn't offer more. Villagers were already starving.
Grain merchants had raised prices to exorbitant levels, three times the peacetime rate.
In response, Raikage struck hard, killing several greedy merchants, but it was futile.
Such profit margins drove people to risk their lives.
Moreover, the merchants had powerful backers. War profiteering wasn't just about money; grain prices in every country were affected.
Look at Sand Village next door—the grain price had risen five or six times, yet no one complained. Was Cloud Village special?
Raikage, after killing merchants, received warnings.
When Konoha saw Cloud Village's conciliatory stance, negotiations became easier.
Intimidation, exorbitant demands, and tough talk followed, eventually leading to a return to reality.
Konoha demanded another 500 million ryo, which the Third Raikage reluctantly accepted.
It was just money, an external matter.
Starving ten people was a number, as was starving ten thousand.
He had no choice; reality was cruel.
The villagers of Cloud Village would suffer, and he would bear the blame.
The final topic was when to return Senju Tobirama's body, a significant event for Konoha.
They needed to organize a grand village funeral for Senju Tobirama!
All Konoha clan leaders had to attend in person, ensuring a grand spectacle!
They also needed to notify the nobles of the Land of Fire, who must attend the funeral.
Konoha planned to collect burial fees from the nobles, using the Hokage's funeral to raise funds, although it seemed a bit distasteful.
But making money wasn't distasteful.
The village was nearly bankrupt, and ongoing fiscal deficits had left Konoha struggling.
If Senju Tobirama were alive, he would surely agree, contributing to Konoha in life and death.
This was the Will of Fire—to dedicate oneself to the cause until the end!
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