The atmosphere in the reception room was tense.
The Daimyo of the Land of Earth, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind, and the Daimyo of the Land of Water, who had just been united against Arashi, now eyed each other with wariness and open greed.
Kumogakure.
The heart of the Land of Lightning. Its military center.
This juicy piece of territory, thrown out in anger by Arashi, carried a deadly allure.
Whoever claimed it would hold the greatest advantage in this banquet of carving up the Land of Lightning.
"Our Land of Earth is connected to the Land of Lightning by mountain ranges. We understand its terrain, geography, and troop distribution better than anyone."
The Daimyo of the Land of Earth slammed his heavy palm on the table, speaking with self-righteousness. "Letting Iwagakure take charge of Kumogakure's supervision would ensure the most efficient stabilization."
"Nonsense!" The Daimyo of the Land of Water also slammed the table and stood up, glaring furiously. "Do you think we're fools?"
"If your Land of Earth gets Kumogakure, with your geographic advantage, in less than three years the entire Land of Lightning will become your personal backyard!"
"As for supervision," he leaned on the table, voice sharp, "our Land of Water is more suitable."
"Deploying troops by sea, with an independent supply line, allows for monitoring without excessive interference in internal affairs. That is the fairest approach."
"Enough, both of you." The Daimyo of the Land of Wind smiled faintly, fanning himself. "Kumogakure is too important. If any one party takes it alone, the other two will never feel at ease."
"In my opinion, it would be safest for the Land of Wind to take over."
He glanced at them both and continued calmly. "We are neither adjacent to the Land of Lightning nor close to the sea. With no geographic advantage, we are the most neutral choice."
"Keep dreaming. Your Land of Wind is always scheming. Monitoring? You mean exploiting."
"Ha. No advantage? You're just trying to devour Kumogakure's wealth and technology for yourself!"
The reception room, which had briefly quieted after the Land of Fire's withdrawal, erupted again in chaos.
The three Daimyo, absolute rulers in their nations, now argued like petty merchants. Their previous dignity was long gone, sacrificed for profit.
Rasa and Ōnoki remained silent, their expressions tense. Even as Kage, their presence seemed insignificant compared to the weight of national greed.
Their chests tightened. They could barely breathe.
This wasn't diplomacy. This was a pack of wolves tearing into a dying prey.
And the one who had tossed the meat to the floor, watching them fight, was now calmly observing the show.
Arashi, seated at the head of the room, lowered his eyelids. He appeared indifferent to the farce unfolding.
Act.
Keep acting.
They were all foxes with centuries of cunning. What was the point of pretending to be ghost-story spirits?
He knew these old men too well. The argument was real because the profit was real. But their undignified behavior was calculated.
It was all for him, the supposed neutral party.
They understood that the Land of Fire, as the initiator and organizer, would never allow the alliance to break down.
They were deliberately escalating, forcing him to offer a compromise that gave everyone something.
How clever.
As the shouting neared the brink of physical conflict, Arashi knew it was time to step in. He gently placed his teacup on the table.
Clink.
The crisp sound echoed through the room.
It wasn't loud, but it was sharp enough that everyone heard it. The room fell silent instantly.
The three Daimyo paused, breathing heavily, and turned their eyes toward Arashi.
The anger on their faces had not fully faded, but deep in their eyes, there was only calm.
The performance was over.
Arashi's voice was even. "The three of you are rulers of great nations. Must you act so out of control?"
"We are here to discuss how to eliminate Kumogakure's threat and divide the victory, not to turn the alliance into a joke."
"The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning hasn't even arrived, and our alliance is already falling apart."
His words weren't harsh, but they gave the three Daimyo a graceful way to step back.
The Daimyo of the Land of Earth snorted and sat back down.
The Daimyo of the Land of Water straightened his robes that had been wrinkled from slamming the table.
The Daimyo of the Land of Wind folded his fan, returning to a composed look.
Their actions conveyed a message. It's not that I won't cooperate, it's that they were unreasonable. But since Daimyo Arashi has spoken, I'll give him face.
Arashi saw through them, though his expression remained businesslike.
He stood and walked toward the map. His tone was calm, tinged with helplessness. "Since none of you are willing to concede, monopolizing Kumogakure is clearly impossible."
"For the greater good of the alliance, I propose a compromise."
"The three of you will jointly garrison Kumogakure."
"As for what you can gain, that depends on how capable your hands are."
The moment he spoke, a sharp light flickered in the eyes of the three Daimyo.
Joint garrison.
This was what they truly wanted.
All the arguing had been a performance to raise the stakes and justify this outcome.
Now no one appeared to be giving in. Everyone kept their pride.
They also understood one thing.
Even though the Land of Lightning had been defeated, there were still over five thousand Kumo shinobi within the country.
Not to mention the three thousand who would be returned soon.
Their hatred for the Land of Fire ran deep. Even if temporarily suppressed, it would be unleashed on whoever dared occupy Kumogakure alone.
Whoever stationed troops alone would face daily threats of assassination and rebellion.
A single misstep, and they'd be dragged into another war.
But joint garrison meant shared pressure.
It also meant mutual restraint, preventing any one country from dominating. This delicate balance suited everyone.
The three Daimyo fell silent. They began calculating how to maximize gains and restrain each other.
This silence was just the final curtain on their performance.
Arashi waited patiently, saying nothing.
"Hmph. Since Daimyo Arashi said so, our Land of Earth has no objections." The Daimyo of the Land of Earth was the first to speak.
He had calculated that, even with three-party management, Iwa's geographical advantage would still give him the edge.
"Acceptable." The Daimyo of the Land of Wind nodded.
Given the Land of Wind's relative weakness, sole control was never realistic. Joint management was the best option.
In fact, before the Land of Fire withdrew, joint management by four had been his original intention.
The Daimyo of the Land of Water hesitated briefly, then said, "This is workable. But the number of troops, and the division of zones, must be discussed in detail."
Seeing all three in agreement, Arashi finally smiled.
Perfect.
Tie all three of them to Kumogakure, a powder keg ready to explode.
Once word spreads about the three thousand prisoners being executed, not only will they face a Kumo that wants vengeance, they'll also start tearing each other apart over profits.
And the Land of Fire?
It will sit back and watch the chaos unfold.
This was the result he truly wanted.
"Since the direction is set," Arashi clapped lightly, pulling everyone back to focus, "let's begin drafting the final treaty. The specifics can be worked out later."
"Tomorrow, once the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning arrives, we'll present this Four-Nation Joint Statement."
"And once you return, inform your governments. Our four countries will deploy troops to the Land of Lightning's borders simultaneously."
"Let him feel the final pressure."
"Good."
"Let's do it."
And so, a secret meeting that decided the fate of the Land of Lightning, and prepared to shift the balance of the Ninja World, quietly came to an end.
The four Daimyo left with their own schemes in mind.
(To be continued.)
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