Kapitel 309: Chapter 309: Puppet Secret Art? Of Course, It’s Good!
"What Sand Ninja Village is doing is no different from admitting defeat. They just want to protect their reputation," Shinki remarked with a yawn, clearly bored. This meeting, he thought, should end as soon as possible.
"So, if they come here under the guise of peace talks, they must be prepared to pay a price," Shinki added nonchalantly. "I think Sand Ninja Village is already mentally prepared for this."
"But..." Shinki paused for effect, his gaze scanning the room.
The others remained silent until Koharu Utatane, growing impatient, urged, "But what?"
Shinki turned to her briefly before looking away and continuing, "But what exactly can Sand Ninja Village offer?"
He smirked slightly as he began listing examples. "They don't have money—they're poorer than us. Their material resources are scarce, especially in the Land of Wind. Sure, they have plenty of ores, but does Konoha really need them? And let's not forget, Sand Ninja Village already owes me a significant debt that will take them years to pay off."
Shinki leaned back, his voice tinged with mockery. "Can they offer their secret techniques? Perhaps their puppet techniques? Although, honestly, those puppets might not be of much value."
The expressions in the room turned grim. Shinki's analysis struck a nerve. What could Sand Ninja Village possibly offer to impress Konoha? They lacked money, materials, and leverage. All they had were ores and a debt already owed to Shinki.
Koharu scowled in frustration. "Is that Third Kazekage bastard trying to take advantage of us?" she snapped. "If they can't offer anything worthwhile, what's the point of these negotiations?"
Nara Shikashin, always the pragmatist, intervened. "Perhaps they're relying on the fact that even small concessions might be more beneficial than nothing. After all, if Konoha pushes too hard, Sand Ninja Village might decide to ruin itself. They have nothing to lose. In that case, Konoha would end up with nothing."
The Third Hokage's face darkened. This was a grim but realistic possibility. If Sand Ninja Village decided to gamble everything, there would be no resources left to extract from them.
"Maybe they're looking to align with Konoha politically and militarily," Shikashin suggested. "It might be the only viable move they can make."
Shinki chuckled at the thought, recalling how Sand Ninja Village had become a reluctant ally to Konoha in another timeline. His laughter, however, earned him a glare from Koharu.
"Shinki, this is no time for jokes," she scolded.
Even Shikaku had to admit that Shinki's humor, while ill-timed, was oddly infectious. He quickly lowered his head to hide his amusement. "So, the best condition they can offer is to essentially become Konoha's economic and military subordinate?"
The Third Hokage frowned, clearly dissatisfied. Accepting such terms would make Konoha look like it had gained little from the war while also indebting itself to future complications. Rejecting the terms, however, could push Sand Ninja Village to ruin, which might invite interference from other hidden villages.
At that moment, someone proposed an alternative: "What about the puppet techniques and crafting knowledge from Sand Ninja Village? Could that be a worthwhile exchange?"
All eyes turned to Shinki, one of Konoha's rare puppeteers and a master of his craft. The Third Hokage asked, "Shinki, is their puppetry worth learning?"
Shinki responded without hesitation. "Of course, it's worth it. While their puppetry and mine are fundamentally different, their techniques still have merit. Sand Ninja puppetry relies on specialized ninja controlling them, which has its unique advantages. Otherwise, they wouldn't hold onto it so dearly."
He leaned forward, his tone becoming more serious. "For civilian ninjas—those who lack wealth, family secret techniques, or advanced ninjutsu training—learning to use puppets could significantly boost their combat effectiveness. Many of these ninjas aren't limited by talent but by the lack of access to resources and techniques. Puppetry could be a solution for them."
The room grew thoughtful. Shinki's argument made sense. Civilian ninjas often struggled to improve due to a lack of opportunities. If puppetry became more accessible, it could level the playing field and strengthen Konoha overall.
"So, my suggestion is this," Shinki continued. "When the Sand Ninja Village envoy arrives, we focus the negotiation on securing their puppet techniques. Other conditions can take a backseat. The puppetry alone could remind the ninja community of Konoha's strength and innovation."
With that, Shinki fell silent, leaving the room to contemplate his words.
In Shinki's eyes, the puppet techniques were the only truly valuable bargaining chip Sand Ninja Village had to offer. As for forcing them into submission politically or militarily? That was a futile endeavor. Treaties signed under duress rarely held, and with the Third Kazekage still in power, any agreements would be subject to change once the leadership shifted.
The Third Hokage furrowed his brow, deep in thought. The weight of the decision now rested on him. How could he navigate these treacherous negotiations without compromising Konoha's interests?
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