Chapter 102: Renegotiating the Treaty

Outside the capital city of the Land of Grass, Ōnoki led his troops back in triumph.

“Hahaha…” Ōnoki’s hearty laughter echoed from beyond the city walls, reaching all the way into the capital. Five hundred billion ryo in war reparations—nearly five years’ worth of tax revenue for the Land of Earth. With that sum, combined with the fertile lands torn from the Land of Fire, who could say how many shinobi could be trained? What transformations awaited Iwagakure?

He had it all planned out. Once he returned, he would let the other four villages exhaust their resources fighting one another. Meanwhile, he would hire mercenary shinobi to sow discord among them. Iwagakure would quietly develop from behind the scenes, soon surpassing Konoha as the greatest village in the shinobi world.

“Why hasn’t Hōdo opened the gates yet?” Dairenuma frowned, staring at the Iwagakure banners fluttering on the ramparts.

“Hahaha… Old man, it’s a fine day! I could hear your laughter from afar,” Shiraki called out, poking his head over the wall.

“Why are you here? Where’s that drunkard Hōdo?” Ōnoki’s brow furrowed, sensing something amiss.

“Hōdo, your father is calling for you,” Shiraki said, patting the disheveled man’s shoulder.

Hōdo sat up groggily, eyes flickering with neon lights. “Old man… why do you have so many snakes around you?”

“Bastard, what nonsense are you spouting! Where’s Akado? Where is he?” Ōnoki roared.

“Don’t worry, Old man, Akado is here!” Shiraki gestured, and they helped a man wrapped in bandages from a stretcher.

“Lord Tsuchikage, please believe me… Akado only ate a bowl of ramen and paid for it…” Akado looked at Ōnoki weakly, tears welling as he spoke.

“Alright, alright, you lie down first. And what about Oshii? Where’s that bastard?” Ōnoki continued shouting.

“Oshii has renounced the world and become a monk. He left this letter for you,” Shiraki said, folding the letter into a paper airplane and blowing it toward Ōnoki.

Ōnoki’s eyes scanned the note, and in anger, he crumpled it to ashes. “Bastard! If you want to leave, just leave! Why take the Four-Tails with you? I swear I’ll drag you back and lock you in the Iwa Core Prison for life! And Han? Where’s that drunkard?”

Shiraki said nothing.

Crackling metal echoed from the battlements as a tall man clad in armor approached. The once crimson coating had been painted black. He knelt and bowed deeply. “Lord Tsuchikage, thank you for your years of care… but you should not have lost my Yamato’s manuscript…”

Ōnoki’s mouth hung open, his worst fears confirmed. He was stubborn and soft-hearted, unable to communicate gently. Seeing Han’s manuscript and the multi-billion ryo budget, he had never believed in this rusty relic called Yamato. The financial strain had given him a headache, and he had already thrown the manuscript to the ground in rage.

Yet… now that Konoha’s war reparations had arrived, he intended to allocate some funds for Han’s reckless experiments. Even if the result was a useless hunk of metal, it didn’t matter. This boy had been isolated since childhood, and Ōnoki had never spoken kindly to him or comforted him. Now was the time to make amends…

But! How dare he betray the village! Betray it!!!

A mighty aura burst forth from Ōnoki as he soared into the air, his face flushed red with fury.

Swish, swish, swish—

Dozens of shinobi wearing Konoha headbands leapt onto the battlements. Pulling away the tarps, over thirty fully charged chakra crossbow cannons aimed directly at Ōnoki.

The dusty yellow Iwagakure banners instantly flipped to Konoha’s green.

“Sss…” The Iwagakure shinobi below panicked. Their excitement over the war victory plummeted to despair. After fighting Konoha, their ninja tools were nearly spent. They had not expected their headquarters to be seized by Konoha.

“Good! Very good! Shiraki… you’re a master of deception, fooling and scheming against me… I should have seen through you long ago!” Ōnoki trembled with rage, forming the outward lion hand seal. With a roar, he shouted, “I’ll crush you, despicable serpent, to dust and ashes!”

Dust Release: Original World Severing Technique!!!

A slender pillar of light shot forth instantly toward Shiraki.

Shiraki was not worried. With the Hungry Ghost Veil’s protection, the Dust Release was no threat. But he also had a more reliable ally. In an instant, the scene shifted to Kakashi’s side, with Minato Namikaze’s hand resting on his shoulder. Shiraki’s original spot now had a small circular hole in the ground.

“Oh, damn it! Don’t touch my shoulder! I’m scared!” Shiraki yelped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He quickly removed his clothes, checking for any “♂Sword of Love” marks on his back.

This thing was powerful—Obito had spent over a decade bathing and still couldn’t wash it off.

“Haha… sorry, sorry…” Minato scratched his head awkwardly.

“Minato… you’re not dead after all…” Ōnoki staggered, nearly falling from the sky. When he had learned that Minato had bravely held the Kamui Bridge alone for two days and nights before dying, he had happily eaten two extra bowls of rice.

“That’s thanks to Shiraki-kun,” Minato said, locking eyes with Ōnoki.

“You shouldn’t have said that,” Shiraki frowned.

“Hmph, so Konoha intends to nullify the treaty? If so, Konoha will lose all credibility in the shinobi world, and our fires of war will reignite.” Ōnoki held the ceasefire agreement signed with Hiruzen Sarutobi.

“Apologies—there’s been some unsavory infighting among Konoha’s higher-ups. The surrender faction led by Danzo Shimura forcibly signed this humiliating treaty on the Third Hokage’s behalf. None of us villagers or shinobi recognize its legitimacy,” Minato said gravely, echoing Shiraki’s excuse.

“Hmph, do you think I’d believe that? If that old monkey were so easily coerced, he wouldn’t deserve the name Shinobi Hero!” Ōnoki snorted coldly. But since Konoha disowned the treaty and blamed Danzo, the agreement held no binding force.

Years ago, when Kumogakure ambushed the Second Hokage, they also blamed the radical faction within Kumogakure. Who knew the truth? People believed what they wished.

“Lord Ōnoki, Konoha also wishes to avoid further conflict and is willing to renew the treaty, but without any war reparations or territorial concessions. If you agree, we will unconditionally release all prisoners unharmed,” Minato bowed respectfully.

“Wait, one more thing—I’ve gotten used to this woman here, and I’m not letting her go,” Shiraki pointed at Nonoyu.

Nonoyu gave a weary look. “We’re all on the same side—why are you grabbing me?”

Ōnoki gritted his teeth, his gaze sweeping over the kneeling Iwagakure shinobi, the drunken Hōdo, and the bandaged Akado on the stretcher. He took a deep breath and slowly said, “I have only one condition.”

“Please speak, Lord Tsuchikage,” Minato said respectfully.

“I want to know this man’s true identity!” Ōnoki pointed angrily at Shiraki. Traitors and spies were more detestable than outright enemies.

Everyone stared at Shiraki.

“I… hahaha…” Shiraki laughed wildly, clutching his forehead. “What difference does it make if I tell you? Walking the razor’s edge, weaving through hearts—I, Shiraki, am Root’s strongest spy, the Wandering Miko!”

Nonoyu’s eyes widened.

“Wandering Miko? No wonder… the most mysterious figure uncovered by the intelligence divisions of the major villages, a spy completely impossible to track. Who would have guessed the code name ‘Miko’ belonged to a man? But you’re supposed to be Danzo Shimura’s agent. Why stand with Minato Namikaze?”

“Simple. Danzo Shimura is a coward, advocating for territorial concessions and peace. I couldn’t stand it. I revealed myself, defected, and exposed his secret control over the Third Hokage!” Shiraki said loudly, as if afraid no one had heard.

Nonoyu nearly fainted.

“Good, very good. I will remember you,” Ōnoki said firmly.

Just as everyone thought Ōnoki would relent, a light suddenly gathered again in his hand!

Dust Release: Original World Severing Technique.

“Damn it! Still resisting at a time like this? Does he not care about his son or disciple? Impossible!” Shiraki frowned and stepped forward to block.

The glowing pillar targeted Han, kneeling in black armor.

Though Ōnoki intended peace, he refused to let the Five-Tails Jinchuriki fall into Konoha’s hands. Even if the ceasefire held, he would purge the traitors first. The Five-Tails would revive in the Land of Grass in a few years and could be recaptured then. The consequences of Konoha holding the Jinchuriki were unthinkable.

“No, I’m not fully recovered yet—I can’t carry the Jinchuriki!” Minato said urgently. Flying Thunder God Technique’s energy consumption depends on the user’s chakra. A Jinchuriki is the heaviest load of all.

“Send me!” Shiraki shouted.

Minato hesitated, unaware Shiraki had the Hungry Ghost Veil shield and thus would not be sent to die.

Kakashi understood and acted.

“Go! Steel Gate Escape—Open!” Kakashi shouted, forming the tiger seal. He poured all his pent-up resentment into the Thousand Years of Death.

“Ahh!” Shiraki shot forward like a rocket, screaming mournfully, landing before Han.

A vortex of violent disintegration energy engulfed Shiraki, forming a black-hole-like spiral that swallowed the Dust Release beam entirely.

“Amazing… I want to learn that too!” Might Guy’s eyes gleamed.

When the light faded, nothing remained before Han.

Was Shiraki dead?

Everyone agreed—no one in the shinobi world could survive Ōnoki’s Dust Release with mere flesh, not even the Third Raikage.

“Hahaha… I never wanted to kill you, but you insisted on throwing your life away! Haha…” Ōnoki laughed heartily.

“Tsuchikage! Do you still want to fight? Then we’ll see it through to the end!” Minato roared furiously.

Everyone raised their blades to the captive Iwagakure shinobi’s necks, chakra crossbow cannons primed and ready.

“Fine, I’ll re-sign the treaty. But are you sure you can speak for Konoha?” Ōnoki didn’t want to continue fighting. After being humbled by the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and losing his stronghold, any new war would be years away.

“I will report to the Hokage immediately,” Minato said urgently.