"Dodai, I trust you don't need me to remind you of this."
Koharu Utatane spoke slowly, her voice measured.
"But we haven't suffered a complete defeat. We still have the strength to fight to the death."
"If you push too hard, it's bound to cause trouble."
Zetsu's expression remained unchanged, a resolute glint flickering in his eyes.
Even taming a wolf into a dog requires caution—let alone dealing with people.
Koharu Utatane understood this well.
"Four billion, and the Sora mission share can be halved."
Koharu offered a concession.
"One point five billion, and we'll take the mission share."
Dodai raised his offer slightly once more.
But he refused to yield on Sora.
The scene seemed to have reached a stalemate.
Sakura Haruno watched the exchange with a hint of boredom.
She'd rather be home roasting sweet potatoes.
If it weren't for her role in keeping things under control and the stakes involving Turtle Island and the Waterfall of Truth, Sakura wouldn't have bothered showing up.
Ever since Yakumo Kurama and Sawa Yamanaka stopped talking, things had gotten dull.
"How about this," Koharu said after a long pause. "I've heard Kumogakure has a turtle-like beast, massive as an island, with waterfalls on its back."
"Hand over that beast to Konoha, pay two billion in reparations, and we'll drop Sora. The mission share can be halved."
Her words caused Killer Bee to snap his eyes open, a chilling wave of killing intent erupting from him, surging toward Koharu like a tidal wave!
Koharu, enveloped in this murderous aura, calmly sipped her tea.
Back when she fought alongside the Second Hokage in countless battles, she'd faced life-and-death crises too many times to count. What storms hadn't she weathered?
Killer Bee's killing intent, compared to the sheer madness of the Gold and Silver Brothers, was still lacking.
"Hm?"
Jiraiya immediately turned to Killer Bee, his own overwhelming presence flaring. The small earth-release hut they were in trembled slightly under the clash of their chakra.
Killer Bee's heart ached with unbearable pain.
They knew about Turtle Island and the Waterfall of Truth.
What did that mean?
It meant Konoha's people had made a move against his big brother!
He wanted to kill, to slaughter every last one of these Konoha bastards in front of him!
But he couldn't act. If he did, the war would drag on.
Kumogakure no longer had the strength to keep fighting.
Konoha's Hatake Kakashi and Terumi Mei, plus either Sakura Haruno or Jiraiya, could keep him pinned down. Any extra fighters could then join Konoha's forces to mercilessly slaughter his troops.
Endure…
Zetsu glanced at Killer Bee, signaling him to hold back.
Having only recently taken on Dodai's identity, Zetsu wasn't fully aware of what this "turtle-like beast" was.
But judging by Killer Bee's reaction, it was something critically important.
"Sorry, got a bit sleepy there."
Killer Bee reined in his aura, gritting his teeth as he spat out the words and fell silent.
Death forces growth. His big brother, who'd grown up with him, was gone. Now, he was Kumogakure's last line of defense.
He had to endure, to suppress the violent killing intent raging in his heart.
Sakura looked at Killer Bee, a trace of disappointment in her eyes.
Why didn't he make a move?
"Lady Koharu, that beast is not something we can hand over."
"Give up on that idea."
Dodai shook his head with a sigh.
Crack!
An aged hand slammed down hard on the table!
All eyes turned to its owner.
"You won't yield Sora, and you won't give up Turtle Island!"
"If Kumogakure wants to keep fighting—"
"Konoha will see it through to the end!"
"As the ancients said—"
"'Those who understand the times are the wise ones.' Is Kumogakure too blind to see reason?!"
"Do you think Konoha is weak?!"
Koharu's sudden outburst caught everyone off guard. Even Sakura glanced at the old woman in slight surprise.
But Koharu's words didn't stop.
"War is a gamble. Everything the loser has belongs to the victor!"
"Wives, children, wealth—the moment you lose, they're no longer yours!"
"It seems you haven't lost thoroughly enough!"
"Jiraiya, Sakura!"
Koharu's gaze snapped to the white-haired man and the pink-haired woman.
"Take down the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki!"
Sakura's eyes lit up at the command!
In a flash, she pulled out her knuckle-dusters and slipped them onto her hands!
"Stop!"
Seeing the pink-haired girl actually preparing to act, Zetsu shot to his feet.
This reckless girl was too young, too impulsive—she clearly didn't grasp that Koharu's words were a threat.
But this hothead was actually about to attack.
Zetsu felt a headache coming on.
A loose cannon like her was the most dangerous thing in a situation like this.
Sakura ignored Dodai's words. Blue-pink flames erupted around her fist as she swung at Killer Bee!
The moment she moved, Darui and Jiraiya acted as well.
Darui drew his blade, stepping in front of Killer Bee, while Jiraiya grabbed Sakura's wrist!
Killer Bee remained seated, motionless as a statue.
Sakura's fist was now inches from Killer Bee's face, separated only by Darui's broadsword. The faint cat-shaped dent from Sakura's last punch on that blade was clearly visible!
The situation was a taut thread, ready to snap at any moment!
Jiraiya looked at the pink-haired girl with a grimace.
He didn't believe for a second that she'd misunderstood Koharu's threat.
But this girl had jumped in anyway—deliberately.
"Why are you holding me back?"
"Let's take him down!"
Sakura turned to Jiraiya, giving him a quick wink.
The meaning was clear.
Kumogakure's people only responded to pain. Beat them hard enough, make them submit, and they'd fall in line.
Why waste time with all this back-and-forth?
They lost the war but refused to give up land or Turtle Island.
Then why did we even fight?
Koharu watched the impulsive pink-haired girl, her heart nearly leaping into her throat.
If a fight broke out, her old bones wouldn't survive!
Even so, she had to say something to save face.
"Hmph, Konoha's genius is getting restless."
"We'll drop Sora and Turtle Island."
"But it seems you have no sincerity in these negotiations."
"Farewell—we'll meet on the battlefield!"
With that, Koharu turned to leave.
"Wait."
Killer Bee suddenly spoke.
"Sora is non-negotiable, but Turtle Island can be yours for one year."
Jinchuriki needed the Waterfall of Truth to train and overcome their inner darkness. Even with its aid, achieving Perfect Jinchuriki status was no easy feat.
Especially without guidance.
Killer Bee himself, with the benefit of his predecessors' experience, had taken over a decade to master it.
Without any guidance, no one could achieve Perfect Jinchuriki status alone.
Take the previous Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Fukai.
Even with the Waterfall of Truth, he'd failed to master it, and the Eight-Tails had rampaged through the village.
"One year?"
"Fifty years!"
Koharu glared at Killer Bee, her voice harsh.
"Three years. That's the limit."
Killer Bee's eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, were heavy with resolve.
That was truly the limit.
Any longer, and he couldn't predict what might happen.
Konoha might even manage to produce a Perfect Jinchuriki.
Killer Bee didn't believe Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki could master it in just a few years without guidance.
Koharu stared at Killer Bee, trying to read something through those sunglasses.
But she saw nothing.
His sunglasses were specially made, completely concealing his gaze.
"Five years, a public apology from Kumogakure, twenty-five billion in reparations, and the entire mission share goes to Konoha."
"Deal."
--
Support me & read more advance & fast update chapter on my patreon:
pat reon .com/yuuwand