Nara Shikakaku watched the show unfold with quiet amusement.
The daimyō of the Land of Wind had finally lost all patience with Sunagakure — so much that he no longer bothered to hide it behind polite diplomacy. In full view of outsiders, he openly lashed out.
The Land of Wind was already barren, and the sinking of over twenty ships at Sabaku Port had bled its economy dry. After pouring unconditional support into a war that yielded nothing, the daimyō's disappointment had turned to fury.
Shikakaku calmly continued to recite the terms of the ceasefire.
"Third — Sunagakure shall pay Konoha two hundred million ryō in reparations. The Land of Wind shall pay the Land of Rivers one hundred and eighty million ryō.
Many of our Konoha shinobi perished in this war. As the defeated party, Sunagakure must bear compensation for those losses — funds for the families of the fallen.
As for the western regions of the Land of Rivers, laid to ruin by the fighting, they too must receive reparations."
Naturally, Ebizō's expression darkened. The two sides clashed fiercely over the astronomical figure.
Yet Shikakaku remained composed — and utterly immovable.
After over twenty minutes of deadlock, he conceded the slightest inch: one hundred and ninety million to Konoha, one hundred and seventy to the Land of Rivers. Finally, both sides signed off.
Ebizō exhaled sharply. "You've stated your demands. Now, we have one of our own."
He leaned forward. "The bodies of our fallen shinobi — including that of Takuji — must be returned to Sunagakure immediately for proper burial."
"That is only natural," Shikakaku replied evenly. "The body of Takuji the jōnin, and the fragments of his puppets, will all be returned."
Ebizō's breath hitched, half in anger, half in humiliation.
To call them "fragments" and "puppet pieces" so casually... it was a slap to the face. Shikakaku was clearly saying that Sunagakure's puppetry was worthless, that Konoha had no reason to keep such junk.
Ebizō had hoped to negotiate for the remains of Takuji's puppets — even broken, they were of great value.
But Shikakaku had read him perfectly, cutting him off before he could even speak. "Take your trash back," his tone implied.
Afterward, they discussed procedures for cross-border missions, taxation, and other administrative details before adjourning.
By the end of the meeting, the peace agreement was complete. The daimyō of Wind, Konoha, and Sunagakure all signed.
Ebizō looked over Konoha's five representatives, his gaze lingering on each one before saying coldly,
"Konoha truly breeds talent. In this war you've given rise to heroes like the White Fang, Akimichi Yamashiro, and Copper Fox.
Nara Shikakaku, your command remains as cunning as ever.
We, Sunagakure, admit defeat. But Kirigakure has declared war on you, may they strike you hard and fast."
His eyes settled on Copper Fox, the man who had slain his niece's husband.
And yet, even if Ebizō struck now, he couldn't kill him. Copper Fox's defense had been proven on the battlefield; intelligence confirmed that ordinary means could not break through it.
"Kirigakure, strike us?" Shikakaku raised a brow. "The Uzushio campaign is being commanded by Advisor Danzo and Clan Head Uchiha Kagen. I fear your wish may go ungranted."
"Oh?" Ebizō actually smiled, for the first time that day.
"If Danzo and Uchiha Kagen are leading together, then yes, Kirigakure will crush Konoha. The entire shinobi world knows how much Danzo despises the Uchiha."
Shikakaku paused, he had to admit, appointing Danzo as overall commander and Kagen as his deputy was… questionable.
Danzo's resentment toward the Uchiha stemmed from their control over the Konoha Police Force, leaving the village's internal affairs and case management under Uchiha authority.
With that, Shikakaku and his group left the oasis.
The six-month-long war in the Land of Rivers had finally come to an end.
Yako accepted a solo mission, departing from the main unit. He was to deliver a copy of the peace treaty to the capital of the Land of Rivers .
By the Yoshimizu River outside of the Capital, Yako listened to the roaring current and felt a trace of melancholy.
Once he returned to the village, he doubted he'd come back to the Capital often. And that meant he might seldom see Kojii Chisa again.
Inside the Tenshu Castle, he met the daimyō of the Land of Rivers.
In the grand hall, the daimyō sat formally at the head of the chamber, receiving the ANBU from Konoha with grave dignity. He read through the treaty line by line.
At his side sat his chancellor, Kojii Chisa, her gaze fixed on the masked fox standing before her.
"Your Excellency," Yako began, "the war with the Land of Wind has formally ended. Sunagakure is in no condition to resume hostilities any time soon. You may rest assured.
There is, however, one matter Commander Nara Shikakaku asked me to bring to your attention.
The daimyō of the Land of Wind plans to dispatch envoys to both the Fire Capital and River Capital.
They wish to negotiate with your lordship and the Fire Lord regarding water extraction from the underground caverns beneath the Yoshigane Mountains.
Their intention is to divert a small branch of the Yoshimizu River through the Land of Rain, creating a modest oasis in the Wind Country — while minimizing impact on your river's main flow.
Unless both lords commission national-level missions, Konoha will not interfere.
The Lands of Fire, Rivers, and Wind can settle this matter diplomatically."
Yako understood Shikakaku's meaning well, Konoha had no wish to guard such a long stretch of river through foreign lands.
It would be costly, and difficult to defend. Better to let the three daimyō negotiate themselves.
The River Lord nodded. "I understand. I will send an envoy to the Fire Capital to coordinate our stance."
Yako added, "Your Excellency, I recommend constructing a water-level monitoring system along the Yoshimizu River.
If the water level drops, you'll detect it early and act quickly. The hydroelectric station built there cannot afford an accident."
The daimyō turned toward his sister. "Chancellor, you will oversee the establishment of this monitoring system, as advised by Konoha's Copper Fox."
The name Copper Fox had already reached his ears — the mark of a shinobi whose reputation was spreading beyond the battlefield.
Chisa's eyes softened with anticipation.
"I hope Copper Fox-dono can remain in the Capital for a few days, to help us set up the system properly.
I'll file an official mission request to Konoha's Capital Mission Office at once."
Konoha maintained mission offices in all major cities. These branches received commissions locally, relayed them to the village, and dispatched shinobi accordingly.
"Your trust honors me, Chancellor," Yako said.
They entered the Daizōin's administrative hall together.
There, Yako drafted a detailed blueprint for the water-level system and handed it to Chisa.
She passed the scroll to her maid with instructions to deliver it to the proper officials.
"Until the system is complete," she said gently, "you'll stay here: with me."
She took his hand and led him from the hall into the quiet residential wing, to her private chambers.
The full moon hung like a silver plate in the sky.
Yako waited in Chisa's bedroom as moonlight pooled across the sheets.
For seven nights he remained, captivated by her serene, intelligent face, the contrast between her glasses and her warmth, between restraint and desire.
The allure of a woman like that… who could resist?
At last, Chisa reached up to remove the fox mask. He didn't stop her.
For the first time in weeks, she saw his face again — striking, familiar, almost gentle.
"Fox," she whispered, "will it be a long time before I see you again?"
"I'll take as many River Country missions as I can," he said softly.
He stood at the doorway, the moonlight behind him.
On the bed, Chisa pulled the crimson blanket over her bare form, hiding herself just as the fox hid behind his mask.
In the next heartbeat, he was gone in a flicker of the Body Flicker Technique.
Chisa's heart felt suddenly hollow.