Chapter 92: Alliance, Ceasefire, Return to Konoha
In the following days, facing Konoha's advance, the Sand ninja consistently avoided direct battle and gradually retreated.
The front line between the two countries extended steadily forward from the border of the Land of Fire, passed through the Land of Rain, and finally reached the border of the Land of Wind—where the Sand ninja at last came to a halt.
After that, the Sand forces stopped avoiding combat. They dispatched envoys to the Konoha camp, seeking to negotiate.
For this negotiation, the Third Kazekage personally appeared alongside Chiyo and Ebizō. Konoha sent Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya, several high-ranking officials, and—mainly to stabilize morale—Ling Yu.
Ling Yu had no interest in drawn-out political squabbles and backroom schemes, so he sat alone under the shade of a tree, guarding the heavily bound One-Tail jinchūriki Bunpuku.
"Speak plainly—what conditions will make you hand over the One-Tail?"
Inside the tent, the Third Kazekage went straight to the point and asked Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others.
"Very simple. We want the Hidden Sand Village to surrender, pay reparations for Konoha's losses, and only then will we return the One-Tail."
Jiraiya took out the surrender agreement they had drafted overnight and passed it over.
"Impossible! You think you can force the Hidden Sand Village to surrender just for one tailed beast? You Konoha people are dreaming too big. If it comes to a head-on fight, we won't be afraid."
The two large characters "surrender" on the document instantly enraged the Third Kazekage. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up furiously.
As a newly appointed Kazekage, he desperately needed a major victory in this war to win the recognition of both the villagers and the ninja of the Land of Wind and solidify his position.
Originally, without Ling Yu's appearance, the Sand ninja would have won the previous battle at the Fire Country border, and his goal would have been achieved.
But the change came too suddenly. The moment Ling Yu unleashed Wood Release, the entire battle situation flipped upside down.
The One-Tail was captured, and in the fighting that followed, Chiyo and Ebizō kept advising him not to clash head-on with Konoha. If he didn't know these two had been advisors of the Hidden Sand for generations, he would have suspected they were colluding with the enemy.
"Hm? Then what exactly do you plan to offer in exchange for the One-Tail?"
Seeing the Third Kazekage's agitated state, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up.
"Reparations equal to three years of the Hidden Sand Village's income. After that, the Sand ninja will completely withdraw from the Land of Rain battlefield."
Chiyo stood up, took out a financial statement of the Land of Wind, and placed it in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi. She spoke calmly.
"What? Just that amount of compensation for the One-Tail? You Sand ninja really are underestimating Konoha."
Hearing such a beggar-like compensation offer, Jiraiya stood up angrily, his face pitch black.
The Hidden Sand Village was located in the desert—one of the poorest among the five great nations. The money it earned in a year could be matched by Konoha in just a few months. This offer was basically trying to get the One-Tail for free.
Moreover, in this war, Konoha had lost at least one thousand seven or eight hundred ninja—if not two thousand. That kind of compensation wouldn't even be enough to cover the bereavement pensions for the families of those who died for Konoha.
"Then add five more years."
Already anticipating this reaction, Chiyo calmly raised the offer.
"No! Add twenty years and a formal letter of defeat and surrender."
Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed the table, his gaze resolute.
"We will never write a letter of surrender. Even if you send Ling Yu to the battlefield, we will never surrender. At worst, we'll drag Konoha down with us."
The Third Kazekage was especially resistant to the word "surrender" and rejected it without a second thought.
Then Ebizō, the Hidden Sand advisor, stepped forward and analyzed the situation for Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others:
"Surely you understand what it means for Wood Release to reappear in the ninja world. If we throw the full strength of our village at you and hold you down, the other three great nations will definitely form an alliance to attack Konoha."
"Even if you ultimately defeat us, Konoha will be destroyed by the combined forces of three nations. Let's see how you'll be laughing then."
"…"
After hearing Ebizō's analysis, everyone from Konoha fell silent.
They had already considered this possibility, but having it stated openly carried far greater deterrent power.
"How about this: ten years of income plus an alliance between our two villages."
Seeing that he had successfully intimidated the Konoha side, Ebizō secretly smiled inwardly and proposed a compromise:
"After we recover the One-Tail, whenever Konoha wants to deal with any other nation in the future, the Land of Wind will provide one-third of the troops and supplies. How about it?"
"Add five more years! Then we agree."
After long discussion, the Konoha side finally accepted the alliance between the two villages.
"Very well!"
Next, both sides exchanged alliance documents. After Ling Yu released the One-Tail back to the Hidden Sand, Konoha began withdrawing its forces from the Land of Wind border.
Just as they prepared to send reinforcements to the other two battlefronts, the Land of Earth and the Land of Rain also inexplicably began to retreat.
The reason for the Land of Rain's withdrawal was simple: Hanzō had discovered that the Hidden Rain Village had been robbed. Connecting the dots to Ling Yu and the others' movements, he confirmed they were responsible.
Furious, Hanzō wanted to launch a full-scale offensive while Ling Yu was no longer on the main battlefield, defeat Konoha, and force them to pay reparations.
But unfortunately, the moment he attacked, Mikoto activated Susanoo and instantly killed the only other two Kage-level ninja in the Hidden Rain Village, shattering Hanzō's plan once again and forcing another crushing defeat.
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi gathered all his forces and prepared to launch a total assault on the Land of Rain, he received an urgent message from Konoha.
Uzumaki Mito was nearing her limit. The Nine-Tails seal was about to break.
Upon hearing this news, Hiruzen Sarutobi no longer cared about anything else. He immediately abandoned further fighting, ordered Hatake Sakumo to stay behind and hold the line, and led several high-ranking officials—along with Ling Yu and the girls—back to Konoha.
…
A few days later, Hiruzen Sarutobi brought Ling Yu and the others back to Konoha.
From far away, they could already see a huge crowd of villagers gathered outside the main gate.
Every face was filled with joy and bright smiles. Even though the war wasn't over yet, the people of Konoha had spontaneously come out to welcome these heroes who returned victorious.
"Lord Hokage, thank you for your hard work!"
"Lady Tsunade!"
"Senju Ling Yu!"
"Senju Ling Yu, hero of Konoha!"
The moment they entered Konoha, the villagers' cheers flooded their ears.
Among all the names being shouted, Ling Yu's was by far the loudest. His performance on the battlefield had been nothing short of spectacular—time and again turning the tide of crisis for Konoha. On top of that, he had awakened the same Wood Release as the First Hokage.
With all these factors combined, his reputation in Konoha had already surpassed even the Third Hokage. If a vote were held right now for the next Hokage candidate, Ling Yu's support rate would undoubtedly exceed 90%.
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