This time, the resting quarters provided by Sunagakure were far more spacious.
Anko exhaled heavily, patting her chest as though calming her pounding heart. "That Suna Advisor's presence was terrifying. How did you manage to stay so calm, Roshi? My legs were about to give out."
She frowned, lowering her voice. "Also… are we really fine with agreeing to so many of their terms? And killing the Iwagakure envoy right in front of them?"
Roshi rubbed his temples, his tone casual. "It's fine. My authority was confirmed before departure."
Even if it hadn't been, there was no time to hesitate. In diplomacy, hesitation was weakness. Discuss what needed to be discussed, agree when necessary—waiting for orders meant falling behind.
"As for that Iwa envoy," Roshi added quietly, "if Ebizo hadn't presented him, I'd have found a chance to eliminate him later anyway."
Anko leaned on the table, muttering, "How did our mission even end up like this? We were just supposed to explain the situation to an ally, and now—"
First came Iwagakure's ambush, then Suna turning against them—then not turning against them—then maybe turning against them again—then, somehow, not.
Sunagakure's attitude shifted faster than desert winds.
The young Jōnin finally closed his eyes to rest. He was exhausted.
Such was the nature of alliances during wartime—fragile, shifting, and drenched in uncertainty.
An envoy's fate was always the same: success meant honor; failure meant death.
The Kumogakure envoy. The Iwagakure envoy. And now him.
Had Roshi made one wrong move, he would have ended up just like the others.
The matter with Sunagakure wasn't truly settled yet. The so-called agreement with Ebizo was nothing more than an initial understanding; the final decision would depend on the Kazekage's return from the northern fortress.
Ebizo's decision to let Roshi kill the Iwagakure envoy only revealed where his own sympathies leaned—for now.
If the Kazekage chose to betray Konoha upon his return, he still could. After all, it was a Konoha shinobi who had shed the envoy's blood.
Meanwhile, dark clouds loomed over Konoha.
Genma's team had returned with grim news—Sunagakure shinobi had been involved in ambushing a Konoha squad.
Though only a suspicion, it struck like lightning through the already strained Hokage leadership.
Inside the Hokage Building, Hiruzen sat amid his advisors—Homura, Koharu, Danzo—and the Jōnin Commander, Nara Shikaku.
One report after another piled up like storm clouds.
A harshly worded letter of accountability had arrived from the Raikage.
Kumogakure's border forces had re-engaged Konoha in the Land of Hot Water, sparking multiple skirmishes in a single day. The tension on the eastern front was palpable.
Even worse, Hidden Mist had begun taking advantage of the chaos—landing small teams along the eastern coast of the Land of Fire under the guise of "investigation."
Fugaku had offered the aid of the Police Force, and after an emergency council, Uchiha Shisui was dispatched with a team to repel the incursions.
They succeeded—but the implications were chilling.
If Hidden Mist chose to intervene, even just to supply Kumogakure with food, Konoha's position would deteriorate rapidly.
"Regarding Kumogakure," Homura began, adjusting his glasses, "Kitamura's latest report states that while their forces are active, all conflicts remain below Chūnin level, and troop movements haven't expanded beyond existing defense zones."
Koharu turned toward Danzo. "What about Iwagakure?"
Danzo shook his head. "No new intelligence yet."
It was too soon. Even Root's most efficient agents needed time to dig deeper.
An uneasy silence followed. The weight of Konoha's survival pressed on everyone's shoulders.
Finally, Shikaku broke the stillness, his voice low. "Hidden Mist is testing the waters—probing for weakness. Their interests are coastal. They lack the strength and motive to seize land so deep inland. For now, they're a secondary threat."
He tapped the table, eyes narrowing. "The real issue is Sunagakure. Team 5 hasn't sent back definitive intel, and combined with Genma's report… this silence is telling."
"It's likely Sunagakure hasn't decided which side to take yet."
"For Konoha, the best support we can give Team 5 now is momentum."
He looked around the room, his tone sharpening. "The 'Attack West, Defend East' strategy we discussed can't be executed until Sunagakure's stance is clear. We have two viable options left."
He raised one finger. "First: launch an all-out offensive on the eastern front, aiming for a decisive victory that cripples Kumogakure's forces. Force them to accept reality and abandon their war ambitions. It's bold, direct—and extremely risky."
The room fell silent. Everyone knew the truth: if victory were that easy, peace would already exist.
Then Shikaku raised a second finger. "Second: a two-pronged approach. Maintain high pressure on the eastern front to keep Kumogakure in check, while simultaneously dispatching an envoy to officially reopen peace talks."
His gaze was sharp. "Kumogakure's restraint is a sign—they want negotiations, but they need something bigger to save face after the Akai incident."
"Even if the talks fail," Shikaku continued, "as long as the other villages—especially Sunagakure and Iwagakure—see that Kumogakure prefers negotiation over war, their appetite for conflict will wane."
"When Sunagakure weighs its options, it will side with Konoha, not risk joining Iwagakure in a losing war."
Homura nodded slightly. "Kumogakure's attitude does lean toward peace—but the price they'll demand this time will be far greater. A Jōnin envoy won't suffice."
Hiruzen couldn't leave the village. Danzo had to oversee Root's Iwagakure operations.
That left the two advisors.
"I'll lead the delegation to Kumogakure," Homura declared. "Before departure, I'll make arrangements with the Sealing Corps."
He knew the risks. An advisor carried too much classified knowledge; entering hostile territory meant preparing for death.
Hiruzen silently lit his pipe, the smoke swirling as he gave quiet approval.
Koharu's eyes softened with reluctant acceptance.
They had already made private contingency plans. Between them, Homura's temperament made him the more suitable envoy.
"The mission's scale must be significant," Shikaku added, "to project strength—and to bolster Jōnin Roshi's standing in Sunagakure."
"I'll handle the security," Hiruzen said, setting down his pipe. "I'll personally lead the escort—up to the border of the Land of Hot Water."
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