บท 240: The Agreement of Defeat

What direction will the future of the ninja world take?

Jiraiya felt anxiety and concern after witnessing the Fourth Great Ninja War and seeing the Uchiha clan defeat the Allied Shinobi Forces.

So, he came to Mount Myoboku to seek guidance from the Great Toad Sage.

The figure before him was a true living fossil. Even the Sage of Six Paths had received guidance from him to quell the chaos in the ninja world.

However, at the moment, Gamamaru appeared somewhat dazed, supporting his massive head with his flippers and looking drowsy.

One reason was his old age, which left him less energetic than before.

More importantly, the bottles and cups of alcohol beside him emitted a strong aroma that could make anyone drunk with just a whiff.

"Old fool, wake up! You have a visitor," Shima, the Toad Sage, shouted with hands on her hips at the toad on the throne.

Gamamaru slowly opened his cloudy eyes and stared at Jiraiya for a while before slowly asking, "Uh, who are you?"

"Great Sage, it's me, Jiraiya. Don't you remember?" Jiraiya responded awkwardly, feeling helpless about the Great Toad Sage's memory.

"Oh, it's little Jiraiya," Gamamaru realized, letting out a drunken hiccup. "What brings you here?"

Fearing Gamamaru might fall asleep again, Jiraiya quickly explained:

"It's like this, Great Sage. For years, I have followed your prophecy, traveling across nations, writing novels, and seeking the Child of Prophecy who can change the world.

I once believed that person was my disciple, Nagato, because he possessed the Rinnegan like the Sage of Six Paths. But Nagato is dead.

Now, the ninja world is dominated by the Uchiha clan. They are evil and warlike, and they can't bring peace to the ninja world.

Perhaps only the Child of Prophecy can stop them, but I can't find any clues. I hope you can guide me..."

Jiraiya spoke with a guilty expression.

"Oh, I see," Gamamaru nodded, seemingly deep in thought. He opened his mouth as if about to speak.

Jiraiya quickly pricked up his ears, not wanting to miss a word.

However, Gamamaru still said nothing after a while and then tilted his head, snoring on his throne.

He had fallen asleep again.

Jiraiya: "..."

At this point, Fukasaku entered the hall, comforting Jiraiya: "Don't worry, Jiraiya. The Great Sage's prophecy requires him to enter a sleep state, where his vision can transcend time and see reflections of the future. Be patient; when he wakes up, your questions will be answered."

"I see," Jiraiya wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling relieved.

Shima, however, snorted and sarcastically commented, "Look at him; he's clearly drunk. Prophecy my foot. If that old fool can stay sober, it'd be a miracle."

"How can you speak so disrespectfully about the Great Sage?" Fukasaku scolded, glaring angrily.

The two Toad Sages began arguing right in front of Jiraiya.

Jiraiya wanted to intervene but couldn't get a word in, only able to smile wryly at their bickering.

"Enough, stop arguing," Gamamaru woke up again and said slowly, "Couples should value harmony and avoid internal strife."

He then sighed deeply and revealed shocking news to Jiraiya: "Jiraiya, my prophecy has been altered because someone is using their power to influence the fate of the ninja world and change the course of history."

Hearing this, Jiraiya and the two Toad Sages were taken aback.

Destiny is something predestined by fate, with all events orchestrated by the heavens.

Thus, Gamamaru's prophecies had never been wrong.

Until now.

Who could challenge the cycle of fate?

"Is that person Uchiha Dan?" Jiraiya muttered, recalling a towering, muscular man.

He snapped out of it and asked Gamamaru, "Great Sage, what should I do to fulfill my original mission?"

Gamamaru responded slowly, "In my dream, I saw the Child of Prophecy—a yellow-haired boy with the Rinnegan. However, he has strayed from his path. Jiraiya, your task is to find the true Child of Prophecy and guide him back to the right path to save the future of the ninja world."

A yellow-haired boy with the Rinnegan? Could it be...

Jiraiya's pupils contracted.

He remembered Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, abducted by Akatsuki during the fall of Konoha.

So, Naruto was the true Child of Prophecy?

Realizing this, Jiraiya's eyes shone with determination. "I understand."

He then strode out of the temple, leaving Mount Myoboku.

...

At the Mountain Graveyard.

"Wood Release: Four Pillar Prison Technique!"

Several Uchiha clan members formed hand seals and created a series of prisons with a rumbling noise, forming a temporary POW camp for the captured enemies.

Dejected, forty thousand Allied Shinobi Forces walked into the prisons and sat down, their morale low.

Despite only a few dozen Uchiha patrolling, the sight of their crimson Sharingan was enough to instill fear. No one dared to escape.

The four Kage walked with heavy steps into the Uchiha village, heading to the conference room to sign the surrender agreement.

The doors of the conference room were open, the dim light inside resembling a path to a dark abyss.

Entering it meant complete submission to the Uchiha clan.

But the four Kage had no other choice.

Danzo took a deep breath and, leaning on his cane, was the first to enter the conference room.

The other three exchanged glances and followed silently.

As Danzo stepped in, he felt a massive pressure almost knocking him down.

Dan and Fugaku sat side by side at the long conference table. Around them, Tekka, Itachi, Kenshiko, and others stood or sat, all with their Mangekyo Sharingan activated, intimidating to look at.

Additionally, Kakashi, Yamato, Tsunade, and the jinchuriki under Uchiha control were all present.

This was the Uchiha village council.

Despite its modest name, it boasted over a dozen Kage-level powerhouses, enough to dominate the ninja world.

At this moment, these powerhouses stared coldly at the four Kage.

Even the battle-hardened four Kage broke into a cold sweat, filled with dread, facing such a powerful Uchiha council.

Knowing the Uchiha's strength, they regretted ever listening to Danzo and provoking them. It would've been better to kill Danzo, return Konoha to the Uchiha, and coexist peacefully.

This was the shared thought of Tsuchikage Onoki, Raikage A, and Kazekage Chiyo.

Especially Raikage, who deeply regretted his actions.

He had once had a decent relationship with the Uchiha, with Samui even carrying Dan's child, potentially making Kumogakure the Uchiha's closest ally.

But Dan's feigned death led Raikage to misjudge, attacking the Uchiha under Danzo's instigation, resulting in utter defeat.

Thinking of this, Onoki, A, and Chiyo's hatred for Danzo intensified.

Caught between the indifferent Uchiha and the hostile Kage, Danzo felt increasingly pale, his hand trembling on his cane.

At this moment, Fugaku gestured for the Kage to sit. "Please, sit down."

He then nodded to Tekka and Kenshiko, who brought the surrender agreements to the Kage.

Under their supervision, the Kage signed their names on the agreements with trembling hands.

Then came the crucial part: war reparations.

Discussing this made the Kage tense.

During Konoha's fall, the Four Great Ninja Villages had supported Danzo as a puppet, signing numerous unfair agreements and reaping benefits.

They never expected to face the same fate one day.

And now, unlike Danzo and Konoha, the four villages had no room for negotiation with the Uchiha.

With the Uchiha's current power, unifying the ninja world was only a matter of time.

Fortunately, the Uchiha clan seemed uninterested in unifying the ninja world.

With no worthy opponents left after defeating the Allied Forces, many Uchiha preferred a peaceful life, focusing on self-improvement.

This self-improvement focus was the philosophy of the Uchiha's body modification division.

The clan's mindset had clearly been influenced by Dan.

However, while uninterested in unification, the Uchiha still demanded hefty war reparations.

First, the issue of the tailed beasts.

Fugaku tapped his fingers on the table, stating, "The First Hokage collected the nine-tailed beasts and distributed them among the Five Great Nations to balance power and achieve peace. But the Four Great Ninja Wars proved Hashirama's idea naive, even the root cause of the ninja world's chaos.

"Now, the Uchiha clan will correct this mistake."

Tsunade frowned, clearly displeased, while Danzo and the others turned pale, realizing Fugaku's implication.

Fugaku continued, "From today, all tailed beasts will be managed by the Uchiha clan, including Iwagakure's Han, the Five-Tails jinchuriki, and Kumogakure's Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails jinchuriki.

"The tailed beasts are only safe in Uchiha hands. Any objections?"

Sighing, Onoki shook his head. "I have no objections."

Raikage clenched his fists under the table, veins bulging on his forehead, but eventually, he relented, accepting Fugaku's demand.

This meant six of the nine-tailed beasts would be under Uchiha control, leaving only the One-Tail, Seven-Tails, and Nine-Tails outside their grasp.

Next was financial compensation: ten billion ryo.

Moreover, each village had to open its jutsu libraries, sharing all techniques unconditionally with the Uchiha.

Everyone knew the Sharingan could copy jutsu. With access to these libraries, the Uchiha's power would grow exponentially.

Reluctantly, the Kage agreed to this as well.

War often involved territorial concessions. But the critical question was: would the Uchiha return to Konoha?

If they intended to return, the villages' occupying forces would have to withdraw, and the lands taken from the Fire Nation would need to be returned.

Onoki, A, and Chiyo were prepared for this.

However, the Uchiha hadn't yet made a decision.

"What do you all think?" Fugaku asked the council members.

After a moment of silence, Tekka spoke first, "I think we shouldn't go back to Konoha since we chose to leave. The villagers and shinobi of Konoha dislike us. Returning would be pointless. Let's leave Konoha as it is."

"Agreed," Itachi added. "The world is vast. Whether we stay in the Mountain Graveyard or find a new place, the Uchiha can establish a new village with our power."

Kenshiko and others echoed this sentiment. Many Uchiha had no attachment to Konoha.

The clan's pride was evident. Konoha had ostracized the Uchiha for decades, achieving their goal at the cost of becoming a colony of the Four Great Nations. The villagers likely accepted this willingly.

So, the Uchiha wouldn't return.

Fugaku smiled, having anticipated this.

But someone was anxious.

"Lord Fugaku, may I speak?" Kakashi stepped forward, urging, "Konoha was founded by the Senju and Uchiha. The Uchiha are its true masters. Now, only the Uchiha can save Konoha. Please, I beg you."

He and Yamato then bowed deeply to the Uchiha.