Chapter 233: Hokage, Do Your part, and I'll Do Mine

"No way! I will never agree to such an unreasonable demand!" the Third Hokage exclaimed, his voice heavy with anger.

The Five Kage Summit had clearly been orchestrated to target Konoha. The demands were outrageous and non-negotiable. Even if it meant facing unified opposition, Konoha wouldn't bow.

Onoki and the Third Raikage remained silent, their expressions impassive. The Third Mizukage simply shook his head, unwilling to intervene. As for the Third Kazekage, he sat smugly, his stance clear—Konoha was to blame, and Konoha had to yield.

In the adjacent lounge, the tension was thick. Yagura, Kitsuchi, Rasa, and Ai were all staring at Shinki, curious to see how he would react.

Shinki, however, was unfazed. Putting his book aside, he looked up and met their gazes. "What are you staring at?"

Yagura spoke first, unable to contain his curiosity. "Aren't you angry?"

If Yagura were the one being singled out like this, he'd be furious. The demands from the Third Kazekage were, in his opinion, nothing short of ludicrous.

Shinki simply shrugged. "Why should I be angry?"

With a nonchalant stretch, Shinki stood up and added, "They can talk all they want. Until I personally agree or sign a contract, it's all meaningless. Just words on a piece of toilet paper."

Yagura blinked, speechless. Brother, can you be any more arrogant?

Meanwhile, in the conference room, the Third Hokage stood abruptly. "This is Konoha's answer!" he declared before storming out.

The other Kage exchanged glances as the Third Hokage and Shinki left.

The Third Mizukage sighed, spreading his hands. "It seems neither the Hokage nor the puppet user is willing to compromise."

Onoki, however, wasn't discouraged. "So what if they don't agree? The four major villages united can put enough pressure on Konoha to force their hand."

The Third Mizukage stood and stretched. "Perhaps, but it won't be easy. Kazekage, you'll need to keep up the pressure."

The Third Kazekage frowned, realizing that much of the burden would fall on him. But what choice did he have? He had initiated the summit, and now he had to lead the charge.

On the way back to their residence, the Third Hokage spoke gravely. "Shinki, I'll stand by you. For your sake and for Konoha's, we cannot yield. But you must be prepared—if the four major villages truly unite, the pressure on us will be immense."

Shinki grinned. "Why wait for them to unite?"

"…What?" The Third Hokage stopped, confused by Shinki's calm response. The grin on Shinki's face made it clear he had something in mind.

"Here's what we'll do," Shinki said, his voice light but purposeful. "Tomorrow, attend the summit as usual. Tell them that if they want Konoha to stop using puppets, each village will need to pay Konoha one billion ryo in compensation."

The Third Hokage nearly tripped over his own feet. "One billion? Are you serious?"

Shinki nodded, his grin widening. "It's simple. You want Konoha to stop using puppets? Pay up. Of course, we'll negotiate, but the point is to stall for time."

The Third Hokage rubbed his temples. "Even if they agree to pay—which they won't—that's an absurd amount. What then?"

"If they actually pay," Shinki replied with a chuckle, "then I'll promise to stop using puppets. In fact, I'll put away all the puppets, permanently. But if they don't pay… well, we proceed as planned."

The Third Hokage sighed deeply, realizing Shinki's mind was already made up. "What's the plan, then?"

Shinki's smile turned sharp. "Let's give the Sand Village a surprise. They want to talk about puppets? Fine. Let's see how they feel after another airstrike."

Back at his residence, the Third Kazekage was busy strategizing on how to strengthen the alliance between the four villages and force Konoha into concessions. He had no idea that his actions had already pushed Shinki into preparing another devastating assault.

Meanwhile, in a private meeting between the Mizukage, Raikage, and Tsuchikage, the Third Mizukage voiced his concerns. "Even with our combined efforts, it won't be easy to bring Konoha to heel. They've been remarkably steadfast so far."

Onoki grunted. "It's true. Pressuring Konoha is one thing, but launching a full-scale attack? That's unlikely to happen."

The Third Raikage remained calm, sipping tea. "We'll continue to support the Sand Village for now, but don't expect miracles. If Konoha doesn't back down, we'll need to reassess our approach."

The Third Kazekage had no idea that his allies were already questioning the feasibility of their plans.

As the Five Kage Summit continued, Shinki's mind was already on the counterattack. "They're afraid of puppets?" he thought, his grin widening. "Let's give them a reason to fear."

While the other Kage plotted and negotiated, Shinki prepared to turn the tables. The Third Kazekage's worst nightmare was about to become reality.

>>>>>

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