Troubles came one after another to Sunagakure.
Chiyo had just been preparing to send people to put on a show of chasing down Yashamaru's group when she received word from her subordinates that Konoha's envoys had arrived in the village.
Poor Chiyo—at her age, she once enjoyed pretending to drop dead just to scare Ebizō.
Now, Sunagakure's worsening affairs were truly going to kill her.
As soon as she stepped inside, Chiyo saw a tall man whose clothing was distinct from that of an ordinary Konoha shinobi.
The hem of the man's black coat was lined with blue stripes, and the stitching on his ninja vest bore the same blue design.
The infamous Internal Affairs Division.
Those black sunglasses that concealed his eyes—was he from the Aburame clan?
Chiyo had never interacted with the Aburame. In her impression, they had always been an inconspicuous presence, never once acting as envoys to other villages.
The Internal Affairs Division, arriving at such a coincidental moment...
Chiyo couldn't help but think deeply.
"This is Konoha's Aburame Tatsuma."
Seeing Chiyo's arrival, the Sunagakure shinobi in charge of reception quickly introduced Tatsuma.
Chiyo's expression didn't change much, but Ebizō at her side went pale.
Aburame Tatsuma? The head of Konoha's Internal Affairs Division?
His reputation rivaled that of the former Danzō, but his methods were said to be even more insidious.
Ebizō immediately became wary.
However, Aburame Tatsuma had no intention of playing games. Instead, he stated his purpose directly.
"By order of the Fifth Hokage-sama, I have come to inform you that due to Rasa's shameless attack on the Daimyō's mansion of the Land of Wind, the position of shinobi has been disgraced. From this day forward, Konoha dissolves its joint defense treaty with Sunagakure."
At these words, all the Sunagakure shinobi present fell silent.
With Chiyo's old temper, she would have immediately sneered and driven this Konoha shinobi out.
We, Sunagakure, have no regard for the so-called Konoha.
Without a treaty, it would even be more convenient for us to invade the Land of Rivers.
But Sunagakure's current state left this staunch hawk, Chiyo, with no fighting spirit at all.
Pakura had yet to assume office, the conflict between the Daimyō's mansion and the village remained unresolved, and if Konoha withdrew from the treaty, Sunagakure might very well be crushed for profit by that old schemer Ōnoki.
Chiyo began to consider countermeasures.
But Aburame Tatsuma gave them no time to react. After delivering his message, he immediately turned to leave Sunagakure.
"Envoy, please wait!"
Ebizō hurriedly called after him.
Another Sunagakure elder stepped forward with a forced smile.
Both of them were buying Chiyo time, hoping to find some chance to persuade Konoha to remain in the treaty.
Aburame Tatsuma couldn't be bothered. His orders were simply to deliver the message and return to the village at once. No matter how Sunagakure tried to hold him back, he would not stay.
There were still many matters in Konoha awaiting his handling.
"Did Konoha send only this one envoy?"
Seeing that Ebizō couldn't stop Tatsuma, Chiyo quietly asked a subordinate at her side.
"There is also a deputy envoy in the next room, being received by Taira."
"Take me to him."
Hearing this, Chiyo stopped wasting time on Tatsuma and immediately asked to be taken to the deputy envoy.
When they hurried next door, they arrived just in time to see a middle-aged man with a high ponytail bidding farewell to Taira.
"Please wait!"
Chiyo quickly called out.
"And this is...?"
Seeing the short, elderly woman hurrying toward him, Nara Hōen was a little surprised and asked her identity.
"This is Advisor Chiyo, who oversees the village's affairs," Taira quickly introduced.
"Advisor Chiyo, I assume you've already met with Aburame-dono. Why have you come to me?"
Hearing that she was Chiyo, Nara Hōen gave her a look up and down. He hadn't expected the strongest puppet master who once shook the shinobi world to appear in such a frail form.
"Aburame Tatsuma has already informed us of the Fifth Hokage-sama's order, but before the joint defense treaty, our villages had already allied during the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen's era. Konoha's move..."
Ebizō, following at Chiyo's side, quickly tried to explain, but Nara Hōen cut him off.
"Advisor Chiyo, the treaty states clearly: once the joint defense treaty was signed, all previous alliance terms were nullified. More importantly, the current Fifth Hokage is none other than the Third Hokage's disciple."
Nara Hōen, like Aburame Tatsuma, had no intention of getting tangled with Sunagakure. His task was only to deliver Konoha's intent before leaving.
"Please, I ask you to convey to the Fifth Hokage-sama that Rasa's actions do not represent Sunagakure. The Daimyō has already appointed a new Kazekage, who will soon send people to visit Konoha."
Sensing his firm stance, Chiyo uncharacteristically softened her tone.
"We ask Konoha not to make this matter public for now. I believe that once the new Kazekage takes office, she will surely give your side a satisfactory answer."
"I can deliver your words, but as for whether it will be made public—that is not something a mere jōnin like me can decide. Farewell."
Nara Hōen left them with only his strong, decisive back.
Watching him walk away, the atmosphere among the Sunagakure shinobi grew heavy.
"Damn it! That fool Rasa, that idiot, that worthless idiot!"
Chiyo slammed her fist against the wall.
The last time she had been so furious was when she learned her grandson had killed the Third Kazekage.
The time before that, it was when her son and daughter-in-law were slain by Hatake Sakumo.
At this moment, Chiyo's heart was consumed with hatred for Rasa.
If not for that fool, how could she have been forced to humble herself and beg Konoha like this?
Fortunately, the current Hokage was Shimura Takeshi. If it had been Hatake Sakumo still in office, Chiyo would sooner hang herself than suffer such humiliation.
"Sister, even with Pakura's succession, nothing changes. We still have to maintain our alliance with Konoha for the time being."
Ebizō understood his sister's humiliation and tried to comfort her gently.
At times like these, all they could do was endure.
...
Kumogakure battlefield.
When news of Sunagakure's blunder spread, the Allied Forces—who had been advancing step by step—suddenly halted.
Ōnoki worried that Sunagakure, driven into a corner, might lash out and harm him, so he quickly sent orders to Gari not to act yet, but to observe the situation before making a move.
Danzō was even more straightforward. Using the excuse that Konoha's supply lines passed through Sunagakure's territory, he pulled his forces back more than ten miles.
Even Kisame, usually so even-tempered, almost cursed aloud.
Sunagakure lay to Konoha's west, while Danzō's forces fought in the north. Just how twisted would Konoha's supply lines have to be to pass through Sunagakure's sphere of control?!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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