"I didn't mean anything drastic, just that we want an explanation," A said, suppressing his anger. "If the explanation satisfies Kumo, then of course things can remain peaceful. But if it doesn't satisfy us..."
"What then?"
"To give justice to our fallen comrades and their families, we will have no choice but to declare war on Konoha. Perhaps you don't know this yet, many within Kumo have been holding back for too long. They've been eager for a war with Konoha for quite some time. So I advise you to treasure the opportunity before you now."
"Do you really think Konoha is afraid?" Hiruzen asked.
"Hahaha!" A laughed wildly. "So you are prepared to go to war with Kumo, no matter the cost? But don't forget, it's not just Kumo. Iwa, Suna, and Kiri all suffered heavy losses during the Uzushio campaign. They're all seething with anger. Back then, when we attacked the Land of Whirlpools, we were disorganized, which gave Tsunade the opportunity to defeat us one by one. Four of the Five Great Ninja Villages suffered massive losses, only Konoha came out completely unscathed. So if there's a chance to weaken you now, what do you think the other villages will choose? Besides, this time it's a war for revenge. You think we'll still get in each other's way and let you pick us off one by one again? When the time comes, all the great villages will go all in, and let Konoha know the cost of going back on its word."
"You better think this through!" Hiruzen said, while maintaining a neutral facial expression. "War is no child's play. Are you really trying to start the Second Great Ninja War?"
He actually felt a sense of relief. The man in front of him, despite his rough appearance, was actually very shrewd. But in the end, he was just a young man in his early twenties, far from being as seasoned as the Third Raikage. Without realizing it, he had revealed quite a bit.
First, he could tell that Kumo hadn't truly prepared for war. If they had, A wouldn't be speaking this way.
Second, with that in mind, he could now officially launch his plan against Tsunade. And this time, he was determined to fully restore the reputation he had lost.
Ever since Tsunade's meteoric rise in fame, his standing had taken a hit, and it had deeply affected his mindset.
In the past, he could remain calm in any situation, but recently, he found himself constantly seething with rage. Just hearing her name made him angry.
Unless she was eliminated early, he would always feel uneasy, and would never sleep soundly.
Because he knew clearly: Tsunade was coming for him.
He had never felt he had done anything wrong. On the contrary, he believed he had always worked tirelessly for the sake of Konoha. So he simply couldn't tolerate her actions.
It could only be said that the taste of power had completely changed Hiruzen.
"So what if it leads to the Second Great Ninja War?" A replied indifferently.
Hiruzen pretended to ponder for a moment, then forcibly suppressed his anger and said, "If all the great villages come demanding answers like you, I'm afraid Konoha won't be able to give them all."
"No, no, no. I can assure you, if Konoha gives Kumo a proper explanation, none of the other villages will come knocking."
"Are you saying Kumo will hold the other villages back for us?"
"No, we'll form an alliance with you. A truly unbreakable alliance," A said in a coaxing tone.
"An unbreakable alliance in the shinobi world? And you, so young, dare to speak such nonsense?" Koharu sneered from the side.
This time, A wasn't angered at all. In fact, he was delighted that she had unwittingly given him the perfect setup. He responded, "Not everyone abandons their allies or tries to profit from their misfortune. Kumo would never commit such a treacherous act."
Koharu's face flushed red with anger. Because of past rumors, the entire shinobi world now knew that it was her who had once proposed abandoning allies and letting them die without aid.
People from Konoha didn't want to get on her bad side, and since the one making final decisions was Hiruzen, no one had ever brought it up to her face.
But A had no such reservations. His words were like grinding her face into the dirt.
Hiruzen and Homura could only shake their heads from the side.
They had already warned Koharu not to speak carelessly, but she just couldn't control her mouth. Not everyone would tolerate her like the people of Konoha did. Some people, once used to wielding power, find it very hard to change.
"A," Hiruzen said, trying to bring the conversation back on track, "since you've mentioned an alliance, why not be direct about it? There's no need to speak with such hostility."
"Same to you," A grumbled, but still continued. "What Kumo wants is simple. We don't want money. We don't want land. All we want, for the peace of the shinobi world and between our two villages, is to marry Tsunade, and thereby establish a stable alliance."
Finally, they reached the real issue.
Hiruzen sneered inwardly but showed a troubled expression on his face. "The Raikage already mentioned this to me, but who is it exactly that wishes to marry Tsunade?"
"Me!" A declared proudly.
"Don't you know that she is already engaged?" Hiruzen asked again.
"It's only an engagement, not a marriage," A said dismissively. "As long as Tsunade is willing to marry into Kumo, not only will it prevent war between our two villages, but it can also create an unbreakable alliance, just like the one between the Uzumaki and Senju clans in the past. It would benefit both of us. Isn't that the best outcome?"
Mito was the daughter of the Uzumaki clan leader at the time. It was her marriage to Hashirama that cemented the friendship between the Uzumaki and Senju clans for generations. That relationship later extended to Uzushio and Konoha, making them the closest of allies.
If not for the betrayal by Hiruzen and the others, leaving the Uzumaki to die and even trying to take advantage of their downfall, that relationship could've continued to this day.
"You really have it all figured out," Hiruzen said and sighed. "Tsunade is not only Konoha's top medical-nin, she's the most skilled in the entire shinobi world. Her importance is obvious. How could we just give her away so casually?"
"Of course," A said with a smile, seeing that Hiruzen's tone had softened. "Which is why we will provide Konoha with an ample betrothal gift, you will not be shortchanged."
With that, he took out a scroll and handed it to Hiruzen.