bookbashuk Chapter 497 Camp with Enemy Female Ninja
Chapter 497 Camp with Enemy Female Ninja
Uchiha Mitsunori slowly walked to the center of the cave, stopped beside a flat rock with his back to Onoki.
He broke the silence first, his hands behind his back: "Konoha has reached a secret agreement with Kumogakure."
"Your Iwagakure killed the Third Raikage in the Land of Waterfall. The Hidden Cloud Village will never let this blood feud go unpunished. In less than three days, the Hidden Cloud Village's army will cross the border and head towards the Land of Earth. At that time, Iwagakure will be attacked from both sides."
Onoki's face instantly darkened, and he clenched his fists slightly.
"What are you trying to say?"
He had anticipated the aftermath of the Third Raikage's death, but he hadn't expected Konoha to sign a ceasefire agreement with Kumogakure, which undoubtedly pushed Iwagakure to the brink of destruction.
He forced down his panic, trying to catch a clue in Uchiha Mitsunori's tone and determine whether the boy was exaggerating.
"The battlefield has been deadlocked for so long, and we Uchiha don't want to suffer any more casualties, nor do we want to see the destruction of Iwagakure disrupt the balance of the ninja world."
Uchiha Mitsunori slowly turned around, his fingertips lightly tapping the rock beside him, making a "tap-tap" sound.
"But if you want us Uchiha to mediate and persuade Konoha to postpone the attack, you need to pay 300 billion ryo in war reparations."
He stared sharply at Onoki, his tone leaving no room for argument: "This money is both a reward for our Uchiha clan and an apology from Iwagakure to Konoha. It can temporarily quell Konoha's anger and buy you some breathing room."
He believed that Iwagakure had no choice but to accept his conditions at this moment, and that the 300 billion ryo was just the first step in his plan.
"300 billion taels? You're dreaming!"
Onoki roared, his aged face flushed red with anger, his breathing became rapid, and his face was filled with suppressed rage.
"The entire Land of Earth's annual fiscal revenue is only a few hundred billion. You're asking for an exorbitant amount!"
He stared intently at Uchiha Sanfeng, his eyes filled with reproach and resentment. He knew that the Uchiha were taking advantage of his misfortune, so he could only refuse firmly and test their bottom line.
"Excessive demands?"
Uchiha Mitsuhide chuckled, and strange Mangekyou Sharingan patterns instantly appeared in his eyes. His powerful eye power subtly spread out, causing the air in the cave to stagnate and the water droplets on the rock walls to stop dripping.
In the dim light, it seemed even more oppressive, deliberately putting pressure on Onoki.
"Minato Namikaze will soon lead his army to the battlefield of Iwagakure. He wants to seize the credit for pacifying Iwagakure and pave the way for his future succession as Hokage."
"If we can't reach an agreement, the Uchiha will send two to four Mangekyou Sharingan users to join forces with Kumogakure to forcefully invade the heart of the Land of Earth. At that time, Kumogakure and Konoha will attack from both sides, and Iwagakure will be attacked from both sides. The war will inevitably get out of control, and what you will pay will not only be 30 billion ryo, but the survival of the entire Land of Earth, or even its destruction."
He deliberately created an atmosphere of despair in order to completely break down Onoki's psychological defenses.
Onoki's breath suddenly stopped, as if he had been choked, and he stared at Uchiha Mitsunori in disbelief, his feet subconsciously taking a half step back.
"You have two to four kaleidoscopes? That's impossible!"
He cried out, his voice filled with shock and disbelief: "If you have so many top-tier experts, why did you remain inactive during the previous war, allowing both sides to remain locked in a stalemate?"
In his mind, although the Uchiha clan was strong, it was impossible for them to have so many Mangekyou Sharingan users. This boy must be bluffing and trying to scare him away.
"Our Uchiha clan has a history spanning a thousand years; how could we not understand the true nature of this war?"
Uchiha Mitsunori smiled, a smile of successful scheming playing on his lips, as if he could see right through Onoki's mind.
"The major ninja villages have an oversupply of ninjas. Many genin, chunin, and even jonin have no missions to take on and are struggling to make a living. Ninjas have become a destabilizing factor in various countries and have even bred the potential for rebellion."
He paced slowly, his voice low and clear: "This Ninja World War was originally a 'Ninja Consumption Plan' tacitly approved by the high-ranking officials of the five great nations. The plan was to use war to purge the surplus ninjas, while simultaneously redividing spheres of influence and consolidating the rule of each nation."
"We Uchiha are merely going with the flow, using the war to train our clan members, conceal our core fighting strength, and wait for the most opportune moment to strike."
These words were half true and half false, revealing the secrets of the Fourth Shinobi World War while deliberately exaggerating the strength of the Uchiha clan, leaving Onoki unable to discern the truth.
The cave was deathly silent, save for the soft patter of dripping water; the atmosphere was oppressively suffocating. Onoki lowered his eyes in deep thought, his aged gaze filled with struggle and gravity, his fingers unconsciously tracing the lines on his cane.
He had to admit that what Uchiha Sanfeng said was true. Behind the war between the five great nations, there was never just territorial disputes, but more of a power struggle and resource competition, and the sacrifices and calculations of the higher-ups towards the lower-level ninjas.
However, accepting 300 billion taels in compensation is a difficult choice, as it would undoubtedly undermine the foundation of Iwagakure.
He looked up at Uchiha Mitsunori, trying to find a sliver of room for compromise in the other's eyes.
"If you don't believe me, you can try it on our clan chief, Fugaku."
Uchiha Mitsunori pressed his advantage, his tone laced with provocation: "He also possesses the Mangekyou Sharingan, his strength is unfathomable, and our clan has several hidden talents whose strength far surpasses that of ordinary ninjas. Gathering a few Mangekyou Sharingan experts is not difficult."
He deliberately mentioned Fugaku to use the clan leader's authority to completely dispel Onoki's doubts and make him understand that the Uchiha clan was not just bluffing.
Ōnoki remained silent for a long time, his aged face filled with weariness and helplessness. Finally, he slowly nodded and compromised, saying, "300 billion ryo is too much, far exceeding Iwagakure's capacity. I need to go back and discuss it with the Daimyo of the Land of Earth, and also convene a meeting of Iwagakure's high-ranking officials before I can give you an answer."
He knew he had no leverage to refuse, so he could only buy time to see if there were any other opportunities, and perhaps even use the chance to spar with Fugaku to probe the true strength of the Uchiha clan.
Uchiha Mitsumine nodded in agreement, his tone remaining calm: "Alright, I'll give you three days. During these three days, you can also go and spar with Clan Chief Fugaku. I'm also very curious about just how powerful his Mangekyou Sharingan really is."
He deliberately allowed Onoki to test the waters because he was absolutely certain that Fugaku's strength was enough to intimidate the other party and finalize the negotiations.
At the same time, three days is enough time for him to search for Kikyo's whereabouts and explore the secrets of the Shikon Jewel.
Onoki said no more, but gave Uchiha Mitsumine a deep look. His gaze was complex, containing resentment and a hint of fear.
He then turned around, removed the chakra barrier at the cave entrance, and quickly disappeared into the forest. His hunched back, under the dim light, conveyed a sense of age and heaviness.
Once Onoki's figure had completely disappeared into the distance, Uchiha Mitsumine immediately turned around and rushed out of the cave. He channeled all his chakra into his legs and sped off like a ghost toward the direction where Kikyo had appeared. His Mangekyou Sharingan was operating at full power, and he carefully captured every trace of special aura and clue in his red vision.
But the bellflowers and the undead insects had long since disappeared from the forest, leaving only a few faint, cold marks on the ground. These marks were quickly covered by the dust blown away by the wind. Only a faint, holy yet cold aura lingered among the branches and leaves, gradually dissipating with the mountain wind.
Uchiha Sanfeng stopped in his tracks, gazing at the empty forest. His brows furrowed slightly, his heart filled with regret, yet he was helpless—Kikyo's strength and alertness far exceeded his expectations.
"Never mind, the Shikon Jewel and Kikyo can't escape either. There will be opportunities to find them in the future."
Uchiha Mitsunori sighed softly, suppressing the regret in his heart, and turned back to the open space where he had been before.
Yui Aoyama was curled up behind a relatively flat rock, her hands tightly gripping her ninja tool pouch.
Her face was full of worry and fear, her eyes fixed on the direction of the battlefield, afraid that something might happen to the Uchiha Sanfeng.
Seeing Uchiha Mitsunori return unharmed, the fear in her eyes vanished instantly, replaced by relief and joy. She quickly stepped forward, ignoring the mess and dust around her, and tightly took his arm, her voice trembling with a sob: "Uchiha Mitsunori, I'm so glad you're alright. That strange barrier just now scared me to death."
Uchiha Mitsumine didn't say much, but gently patted the back of her hand to comfort her. The warmth from her fingertips instantly calmed Aoyama Yui down.
Then, he took Aoyama Yui with him and leaped into the forest, speeding towards the Konoha camp. Their figures quickly disappeared at the edge of the forest.
When they arrived at the Konoha camp, it was already dusk. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the tents and flags of the camp a warm red. Smoke rose from the camp, carrying the aroma of food, but it could not hide the solemn and tense atmosphere that permeated the camp.
The two guards at the camp entrance tensed up immediately upon seeing Uchiha Sanfeng return with a woman dressed in Iwagakure attire. They gripped their ninja swords slightly, their eyes warily fixed on Aoyama Yui, their chakra subtly surging, ready for battle at any moment.
"Mitsubin, why did you bring this Iwagakure Jonin back with you?"
The guards looked warily at Uchiha Mitsurugi, but their eyes remained fixed on Aoyama Yui, filled with intense vigilance.
The news spread like wildfire, and the Uchiha clan members in the camp gathered around, their voices rising and falling in discussion.
Their gazes swept back and forth between the two men, filled with curiosity, doubt, and a hint of wariness. Many of them even instinctively gripped the ninja tools at their waists.
"Isn't that the ninja uniform of Iwagakure? Why did Mitsumine bring her back?"
A young Uchiha ninja asked in a low voice, his tone full of doubt and his eyes filled with vigilance: "Now is the time when the two armies are facing off. Could she be a spy hidden by Iwagakure?"