"Is it still snowing?"
Hozuki Mangetsu poked his head out of the tent. The cold wind howled, and snowflakes swirled in front of him. He glanced up at the sky, but the heavy, oppressive clouds showed no sign of clearing. Even though it was early morning, the world outside looked as dim as if it were dusk.
Looks like the fighting with the Iwa-nin is going to pause for a couple of days, he thought to himself.
Although ninjas are highly resistant to harsh environments and extreme weather, it still takes a toll. A few elite units might be able to ignore the blizzard and continue fighting, but most mid- to low-level ninjas wouldn't be able to perform at full strength in such conditions—especially since this snowstorm had already lasted two days and nights. Today marked the third day.
Besides, based on the recent skirmishes with the Iwa-nin, it seemed like they didn't really intend to engage Konoha head-on. It felt like they were just waiting for an opportunity to swoop in for an easy win.
It made sense, though. Konoha was fighting on two fronts—against the Kumogakure in the Land of Hot Water and against the Iwa-nin here in the Land of Grass. You had to give Konoha credit; their foundation was solid. Hozuki Mangetsu was confident in Konoha's victory. As long as they had the Uchiha clan, Konoha wouldn't lose!
Forget all that talk about burning the candle at both ends. Konoha was like a huge candle, and even if you burned it from both ends, it would take a long time to melt down!
"Whew! This weather's freezing!"
Hozuki Mangetsu stomped his feet as he stepped out of the tent. But given his usual light attire, it was clear that this prodigy from Kirigakure wasn't fazed by the cold. Compared to the bone-chilling dampness of the Water Country's winters, the dry northern cold was nothing to him.
After washing up and eating breakfast, Hozuki Mangetsu, one of the army's leaders, headed to the central tent for a daily briefing with the commander. When he arrived, he saw that, in addition to Jiraiya, Yakushi Nonō and Hatake Kakashi were also there.
Yakushi Nonō's presence in these meetings was due to her unrivaled medical ninjutsu. She had earned the respect of all the camp's medical ninjas, and with her excellent communication skills, she somehow became the leader of the medical corps. Even Jiraiya recognized her authority!
This was an internal Konoha matter, and Hozuki Mangetsu had no objections. In fact, he welcomed the involvement of someone as skilled as Yakushi Nonō. The more medical ninjas they had, and the better their skills, the lower the death rate—definitely a good thing!
Then there was Hatake Kakashi, who had gained Jiraiya's favor and had quietly earned a place in these high-level meetings.
"Jiraiya-sama, sorry I'm late today," Hozuki Mangetsu apologized.
"We're still early! I got up too soon today—Suzaku isn't even here yet! Sit down and wait a bit," Jiraiya responded.
Hozuki Mangetsu nodded. He knew he wasn't actually late, but sometimes you had to say the right thing. As he sat in his place, he glanced around the tent. Everyone seemed calm, which meant there were no major developments on the frontlines.
It wasn't long before Nara Suzaku arrived right on time.
This strategist from the Nara clan had deep black circles under his eyes, a sign of the exhaustion that came from his work. His role as an advisor was even more demanding than Jiraiya's as the overall commander. Judging by those dark circles, he probably hadn't slept well in a long time.
But despite his fatigue, Nara Suzaku couldn't hide his excitement.
"Jiraiya-sama, we've won a major victory in the Land of Hot Water!" he announced, rushing into the tent with the good news.
"Really?" Jiraiya's eyes widened, filled with anticipation.
"The report just arrived. That's why I was a little late. The Hokage's aide led the forces in the Land of Hot Water and crushed the Kumogakure at Mount Kōtsu. Not only did we reclaim the mountain, but the aide also captured the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki alive!"
Nara Suzaku quickly stepped forward and handed the victory report to Jiraiya.
Jiraiya took it and skimmed it in a matter of seconds before bursting into laughter. "Impressive! Truly impressive! The Uchiha managed to capture the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki alive… That's quite the feat!"
Unlike his sensei, Jiraiya didn't discriminate against the Uchiha clan. While he wasn't particularly fond of those who looked down on others, he strongly believed that just because someone was arrogant didn't mean they deserved to be hated or destroyed. The Uchiha, no matter their faults, were still part of the village. If they shed blood and made sacrifices for Konoha, they deserved respect, not prejudice.
Reading the report filled Jiraiya with genuine joy.
Konoha's victory in the Land of Hot Water and the setback to the Kumogakure forces meant only one thing. He knew what it meant for Ōnoki, the crafty Tsuchikage. Once Ōnoki realized the Kumogakure had been defeated and that the opportunity to strike had passed, the conflict in the Land of Grass might not last much longer.
The victory report made its rounds among the group. There was nothing confidential in it, just a summary of the battle at Mount Kōtsu, mainly emphasizing the capture of the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. Hozuki Mangetsu praised the achievement, though internally he remained calm.
After all, with the previous defeat and capture of the Fourth Raikage, it wasn't surprising that the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki had been taken as well.
This news only reminded him of the warning from his teacher. Though Konoha might appear to be stretched thin and in a difficult position, their top-tier shinobi still stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world. And they had no shortage of talented young ninja. As long as the likes of Uchiha Shōgen lived, Konoha would remain untouchable.
But it was a shame. If it were up to him, he wouldn't want to see a strong and thriving Konoha. Even though he got along well enough with the Konoha ninjas, he couldn't bring himself to like Konoha. Still, he had no choice but to continue working closely with them.
"Jiraiya-sama, perhaps it's time to put that plan into action," Nara Suzaku suggested, his sharp eyes locking onto Jiraiya, who was seated at the head of the table.
"You mean…?"
Jiraiya's smile faded, and his brow furrowed.
"Are you confident?"
"There's some good news; the chances of success are decent."
That plan?
Hozuki Mangetsu looked over, confused. The same confusion was shared by Yakushi Nono and Hatake Kakashi. After exchanging puzzled glances, they all turned their eyes toward Jiraiya and Nara Suzaku, waiting for them to reveal the mystery.
"… Who do you think would be the best choice to go?"
"Myself."
"… Suzaku, you know what you're saying, right?"
"This idea came from my clan's leader in the first place. Besides, no one else in the army can speak as well as I can, and if the person we send is of too low a rank, they might not even get to meet the Third Tsuchikage. As the chief strategist of our army, my status carries some weight."
Nara Suzaku laid out the advantages of him being the emissary.
"Suzaku, are you planning to negotiate with the Third Tsuchikage?" Yakushi Nono had pieced together the nature of the plan from the conversation between Jiraiya and Suzaku, and the shocking realization slipped out of her mouth.
"Exactly!"
Nara Suzaku nodded.
"Do you think the Third Tsuchikage could be convinced to end the war with Konoha?"
"… It's possible," Yakushi Nono replied after a moment of deep thought. "From what I know of the Third Tsuchikage, that old man is a complete pragmatist. Everything he does is for Iwagakure. As long as he realizes continuing the war won't bring any benefits and might even bring disaster upon him, there's a strong chance he'd end the war."
Hozuki Mangetsu and Hatake Kakashi understood as well now.
While Kakashi's face was hidden behind a mask, only his twitching eyebrows betraying his unease, Mangetsu's shock was clear for anyone to see, unless they were blind.
"Jiraiya-sama?"
Now that Suzaku's plan had support from Yakushi Nono, he turned again to the silent Jiraiya, who was sitting at the head of the room.
"Suzaku, you understand the risks of this mission, right? Ōnoki, that old man, is notorious for being shameless. If anything goes wrong, even I might not be able to save you. Even if we end up defeating the Iwa-nin, we might not be able to get you back."
"I understand."
Nara Suzaku nodded solemnly.
"But as I said before, this was my clan leader's proposal, so I'd rather take the risk myself than let someone else do it. And to be honest, as long as the Third Tsuchikage is thinking clearly, there's no reason this mission should fail."
Jiraiya and Nara Suzaku locked eyes for a few seconds, and Jiraiya saw that Suzaku was resolute.
"Alright, then. Go ahead! Ending this war as soon as possible is in everyone's best interest." Jiraiya sighed softly. "Suzaku, I'm counting on you."
"Don't worry, leave it to me."
With Jiraiya's permission, Nara Suzaku didn't rush off immediately. Instead, he sat down, took out a pen, and began sketching out his thoughts, organizing the complex ideas in his mind. The Nara clan rarely acted without thorough preparation unless they had no choice.
Seeing Suzaku immerse himself in his planning, Jiraiya's brow twitched slightly, and he turned his gaze toward Kakashi. "By the way, Kakashi, pick an elite squad to escort Suzaku when he goes to meet the Third Tsuchikage."
"Yes."
Kakashi acknowledged the order.
Just as he stood up to leave, Hozuki Mangetsu suddenly stood and said, "I'd like to go as well, Jiraiya-sama."
"I think it'd be a good idea to have one or two Kirigakure ninjas among the escort."
Jiraiya stared at Mangetsu for two seconds before nodding slightly. "You have a point. Alright, Kakashi, Mangetsu, you'll go together."
And so, Kakashi and Hozuki Mangetsu left the command tent, discussing the selection of their team as they walked.
Inside the tent, only Jiraiya, Nara Suzaku, and the anxious Yakushi Nono remained.
Yakushi Nono clenched her fists, her gaze shifting between Suzaku and Jiraiya, emotions swirling within her. Unable to hold back any longer, she finally spoke. "Jiraiya-sama!"
This opportunity was too important to miss.
Most of the spies embedded in Iwagakure had lost contact. Many were likely captured by the Iwa-nin, but it was possible that a few had slipped through. Among those missing was Yakushi Kabuto, whom Nono was desperate to rescue. This mission presented the perfect opportunity.
"Do you think we could exchange spies as part of the negotiation?"
"If we can convince the Third Tsuchikage to end the war, there's a chance we could negotiate a spy exchange," Nara Suzaku said, looking up from his notes. "The victory that the Hokage's advisor achieved is truly impressive. If we use that to apply pressure, it should be possible to arrange an exchange. Don't worry, Nono-senpai. You've done great service for the village, and the Hokage has already approved trading the Iwa spies we've captured for our own."
"Suzaku is right," Jiraiya added confidently. "You don't have to worry, Nono. With Danzo gone, the village will no longer mistreat anyone who's done so much for us."
Having been made aware of the situation with Yakushi Kabuto, Jiraiya had personally taken steps to push for a spy exchange. He had written to the Fifth Hokage and some old friends to help secure approval for the exchange.
However, this plan still hinged on the Third Tsuchikage agreeing to it. If he refused, things could get complicated. It all depended on Suzaku's success.
"… Suzaku, I'm counting on you!" Yakushi Nono bowed deeply to Suzaku.
"I've told you, don't worry, Nono-senpai. I'll see this mission through, even if it costs me my life," Nara Suzaku reassured her once more.
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