Kapitel 266: Chapter 266: How Can You Have the Best of Both Worlds?
"Master Shinki, the Hokage requests your presence."
Hearing this from the Hokage's guard assigned to errands, Shinki sighed and replied, "Are you on duty again today?"
"Yes…," the guard admitted awkwardly, silently urging Shinki to hurry as the matter was urgent.
Shinki quickly left a note for Kushina and Nawaki, instructing them to figure out their meals—whether cooking themselves or eating out. As for the little yellow-haired boy, he was resourceful enough not to go hungry.
Upon reaching the Hokage's office, Shinki noted the same faces from the last meeting. However, this time, he didn't encounter Akimichi Torifu along the way.
Entering the office, Shinki immediately spotted the large figure of Torifu seated, his face mirroring the solemn expressions of everyone present. Shinki nodded briefly in greeting before settling into a seat on the sofa.
After he was seated, the Third Hokage spoke:
"Everyone, there is bad news. An envoy from the Daimyo's Mansion has delivered a letter written by the Daimyo himself. The letter outlines that the Sand Village has successfully persuaded the Daimyo to call for peace negotiations. The Daimyo now hopes that Konoha will end this war and negotiate with the Sand Village."
"Doesn't he understand how much the village stands to lose by doing this?" Utatane Koharu exclaimed in frustration.
Indeed, how had the Sand Village managed to sway the Daimyo? Their persuasiveness was almost miraculous. They'd previously influenced other villages, even orchestrating the Five Kage Summit. Now, in just a few days, they had convinced the Daimyo to support peace talks.
The letter urged the Third Hokage to "consider carefully." But what choice did the Hokage truly have?
"The losses primarily affect the village, not the Daimyo's Mansion," the Third Hokage reminded Koharu.
If the Daimyo's interests were at stake, his reaction would have been far less calm. The peace talks, however, were more about the village's losses—something the Daimyo felt little connection to. The Daimyo's indifference was a stark contrast to what he would do if his mansion's resources were threatened.
"Are we truly going to negotiate with the Sand Village under these circumstances? Are you willing to do so?" Koharu asked pointedly.
The Third Hokage's gaze shifted away, burdened by indecision. Unless Konoha defied the Daimyo's wishes and pressed forward to decisively defeat the Sand Village, it seemed inevitable they would have to negotiate. But did the Third Hokage have the resolve to take that risk?
Shinki observed the Hokage's familiar indecisiveness—a tendency to hesitate during critical moments, caught in a web of conflicting priorities. The Third Hokage wanted victory but also sought to avoid offending the Daimyo. He was striving for the impossible: to have both the fish and the bear's paw. But such perfect outcomes rarely existed in reality.
The Sand Village was poised to lose this war, but no one could predict how long it would take to fully defeat them. Meanwhile, the Daimyo's stance made it clear he wanted an immediate cessation of hostilities. Defying the Daimyo would undoubtedly strain relations with him.
"Hiruzen," Mitokado Hamura interjected, "we all want to win this war. But you must weigh the benefits of defeating the Sand Village against preserving the Daimyo's favor."
His words were grounded in practicality. Even if Konoha crushed the Sand Village, what tangible benefits could they truly extract from their impoverished adversaries?
"Can you genuinely expect to squeeze significant reparations from the Sand Village?" Hamura continued.
The Sand Village was notoriously poor. Even if Konoha risked offending the Daimyo to force a victory, it was unlikely they would gain anything substantial. Hamura feared the worst: that Konoha might end up victorious in battle but financially and politically strained, with little to show for it.
Hamura's comments struck a chord with the Hokage, though he remained silent, his expression grim. Shinki, sensing the tension, chose to interject lightly:
"By the way, the Sand Village still owes me a significant debt. Even if they offered mines as repayment, it would take them at least two to three years to pay it off."
The room fell silent.
The Third Hokage's expression darkened further. Shinki's statement highlighted the Sand Village's dire financial situation. Even if Konoha won the war, how would the Sand Village afford the war reparations?
The Hokage could envision the aftermath: a long, drawn-out repayment plan and a mess of political consequences. The thought was exhausting.
"So, do we take the Daimyo's advice and negotiate with the Sand Village?" the Hokage finally asked, scanning the room. When his gaze landed on Shinki, he quickly skipped over him, knowing Shinki preferred to avoid the kind of bureaucratic headaches that would inevitably follow.
"Why are you looking at me?" Akimichi Torifu muttered as the Hokage's eyes landed on him. Sighing, he said, "Hiruzen, I share Hamura's perspective. You know the Sand Village's current state. Even if we win, the rewards will likely be minimal. Is it worth continuing the fight at the risk of alienating the Daimyo?"
Torifu added, "You've seen the Daimyo's consistent support over the past two years. The financial aid has been significant. That kind of backing is essential for the village's growth."
The room grew heavy with the weight of these arguments. The Daimyo's financial support was indispensable, funding everything from ninja training to reparations for the war's casualties. Losing the Daimyo's favor would be a significant blow.
In the end, the Hokage was left with a decision that no one envied: to either risk alienating the Daimyo and continue the war or accept peace with the Sand Village at the cost of potential gains.
>>>>>
200 Chapters ahead available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
50% discount code (DDBFC)
Gimme power stonesssss
Also, leave a review please and check out my new story
[Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki]
A/N: Hey Guys,
I was going over the discount code and saw that it wasn't toggled on for all the tiers. I fixed it now, sorry about that. ;)
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein