Chapter 162: Every Village Should Manage Its Own Rogue Ninja
Dodai's expression remained unchanged, but his heart lifted slightly. His entire negotiation strategy had been prepared with Jiraiya—one of the Sannin—as the negotiation partner. Now Konoha suddenly changed commanders, disrupting all his preparations.
Of course, as Kumogakure's strategist, he wasn't without contingency plans. The problem was that Hiruko had been too inconspicuous previously, suddenly appointed Hokage Advisor only recently. Such short time meant their spies planted in Konoha simply couldn't gather much intelligence on him.
As the saying goes, even a clever wife cannot cook without rice. Without sufficient intelligence support, Dodai couldn't formulate contingency plans in advance. He could only activate backup backup plans—stabilize first. Negotiation wasn't something requiring immediate resolution—it could be a prolonged, arduous process.
Dodai mentally prepared for protracted warfare.
At this moment, they followed Nara Suzaku deep into Konoha's encampment. Dodai temporarily suppressed distracting thoughts, quite openly looking around, scrutinizing Konoha's situation.
The Konoha ninja seen along the way all appeared spirited. Many looked at Dodai's group with hostility-filled eyes. Some even drew kunai, making throat-slitting threatening gestures—though the next second, they were scolded by nearby jonin.
Xi and the other two following Dodai frowned.
Dodai narrowed his eyes, speaking softly. "Suzaku-dono, it seems your side doesn't particularly welcome our arrival!"
Nara Suzaku glanced at him, smiling. "No one welcomes robbers visiting."
These words instantly changed Xi and the others' expressions, anger appearing on their faces.
Dodai narrowed his eyes. That plain, ordinary face showed no expression changes. He gestured behind him—Xi and the others immediately quieted, though fury still burned in their eyes. Their faces maintained composure.
Dodai spoke. "Suzaku-dono, you've got it backwards. We Cloud ninja are the ones whose home was invaded by robbers, whose family members were killed."
Nara Suzaku maintained a courteous, guaranteed-zero-sincerity false smile. "Dodai-dono, you'd better discuss such matters with Hokage Advisor-sama! I could happily debate you for hours, but it's completely meaningless. I'm merely a small pawn running errands on orders."
Hearing this, Dodai fell silent, saying no more.
The probing results proved somewhat pessimistic. Konoha didn't conceal their hostility toward Cloud ninja at all. Though the possibility of bluffing couldn't be excluded, one couldn't consider matters too optimistically. Preparing according to worst-case scenarios—this was experience Dodai had accumulated over decades of work.
Afterward, Dodai made no further conversation attempts, merely observing Konoha camp conditions as much as possible. Even if everything he saw was specially prepared by Konoha for his viewing, he could still glean some things.
Their group entered the mountain fortress, ascending directly to the highest keep.
Nara Suzaku stepped forward, speaking in a deep voice. "Hokage Advisor-sama, Cloud ninja's envoy has been brought."
Hiruko nodded. "Thank you for your trouble, Suzaku. Take your seat!"
Nara Suzaku returned to his designated position, sitting formally. Together with Kiboku Katana and others, he stared unblinkingly toward Dodai, this envoy from Kumogakure.
Dodai rapidly scrutinized the keep's interior situation. Visible Konoha ninja totaled eight people. Of course, certainly more Konoha ninja guarded secretly—this non-sensory ninja could feel sharp gazes from above.
And he "recognized" most of these eight Konoha ninja seated on the floor. His brain remembered rough information on many famous Konoha ninja, including long-established experts and rising talents. These eight all possessed some reputation.
Jonin Kiboku Katana—one of the veteran jonin from civilian origins, once Tsunade's teammate among the Sannin. Unno Ikkaku—also a veteran jonin from civilian origins, a representative figure among civilian ninja. Akimichi Tōtō—elite jonin from the Akimichi clan who'd opposed Raikage-sama and the Eight-Tails jinchuriki alongside Yellow Flash Namikaze Minato. Aburame Shigure—venomous insect user from the Aburame clan, an extremely dangerous fellow. Inuzuka Tsume—young clan head from the Inuzuka clan. The only one he didn't understand well was Nara Suzaku, this elite among the Nara clan's younger generation.
Plus Hokage Advisor Hiruko seated in the main position, and White Yaksha Hyuga Ritsu sitting to Hiruko's right, smiling while scrutinizing him—detailed intelligence proved unobtainable, but rough information naturally existed. After all, this master-student pair were major figures in Konoha Village.
Inadvertently, his gaze collided with Ritsu's eyes. Ritsu very amiably curved his mouth corners. But Dodai's heart remained tense, completely not daring to judge whether this White Yaksha would prove easy to deal with based on displayed friendliness.
He drew a breath, slowly advancing forward, stopping approximately two meters from Inuzuka Tsume and Nara Suzaku seated in the lowest positions. Looking at Hiruko, he spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly. "Kumogakure envoy Dodai, dispatched by Raikage-sama's orders to demand an explanation from Konoha's esteemed officials!"
"Demand an explanation?"
Hiruko laughed. Looking at Dodai: "How interesting! You Cloud ninja station armies at the Frost Country border threatening and intimidating us Konoha. Yet now you want us to give you an explanation. I'd like to ask—what kind of explanation do you hope we'll provide?"
Dodai's expression remained unchanged. He didn't debate with Hiruko, instead directly asking, "Hokage Advisor-dono, is Konoha's custom to make envoys speak while standing?"
Hiruko raised an eyebrow, his face's smile persisting, carrying threads of coldness. "Though from my true feelings, I believe you Cloud ninja being able to stand here and speak with me is already preferential treatment. However, I as Hokage Advisor truly possess shallow qualifications. If incidents of failing to show courtesy to Cloud ninja envoys occur, returning to the village, perhaps people will seize this weakness for attacks. Therefore... someone bring a cushion for this esteemed Cloud ninja envoy."
Kiboku Katana and others on both sides widened their eyes.
Not to mention Nara Suzaku and others first contacting Hiruko—even Kiboku Katana, this old classmate, was extremely surprised. This Hokage Advisor's temperament completely differed from the talented but taciturn Hiruko in memory.
However, reconsidering—so many years had passed. Jiraiya, that dead-last student, had become one of the Sannin. Then Hiruko changing wasn't strange.
Hearing Hiruko's order, two seconds later someone rapidly ascended, placing a cushion before Dodai. Dodai thanked them, then knelt on the soft cushion. Though not tall and unremarkable-looking, his seated posture truly was impeccably standard—like an upright pine standing resolutely in wind and snow.
Xi and the other two stood behind Dodai, their postures straight and erect. At a glance, they gave the impression of elite among elite.
Watching the kneeling Dodai, Hiruko's smile turned cold. "Dodai, I've heard your great name—the Third Raikage's most relied-upon courtier. Now after the Fourth Raikage's succession, does he find you obstructive, dispatching you to perform dangerous envoy work?"
Hearing Hiruko's provocative words, Dodai slightly lowered his eyelids, speaking in a deep voice. "Hokage Advisor-dono, we Kumogakure's internal affairs require no concern from you. Raikage-sama dispatched me not to joke with you. Five days ago, your Konoha ninja infiltrated our camp, killing twenty-six comrades including Deputy Commander Troy-jonin. This is the explanation we demand. Are you Konoha planning to provoke war with our Kumogakure?"
Speaking to the end, his voice rang like metal and stone, forceful and resonant.
Hiruko narrowed his eyes, unaffected by Dodai's suddenly raised angry voice. He merely sighed inwardly—this black pot truly was being thrown at their Konoha. However, Cloud ninja actually lost that genius Magnetic Release ninja Troy? No wonder Cloud ninja appeared so aggressive.
Genius Magnetic Release ninja Troy ranked among Kumogakure's renowned experts. Losing such a formidable powerhouse—if Cloud ninja's reaction proved mild, that would be strange.
Most people on both sides showed shocked expressions. They'd only learned Cloud ninja camp leadership suffered attacks with fatalities, but truly hadn't anticipated it being Troy, the deputy commander—undoubtedly the camp's number-two figure.
At this moment, Ritsu seated beside Hiruko spoke. "Dodai, you claim our Konoha ninja infiltrated your camp killing Troy and numerous others, correct? What evidence can you provide?"
Dodai glanced at the unfazed Hiruko, shifting his gaze to Ritsu's exceptionally young face. In a deep voice: "Troy's death scene contained Wood Release bloodline limit remnants. Troy's corpse showed traces of Sharingan genjutsu domination during examination. All this proves only Konoha ninja could be responsible."
"Not necessarily!"
Ritsu immediately showed complete dismissiveness, repeatedly shaking his head. "Dodai, don't speak too absolutely. Wood Release bloodline limit and Sharingan aren't necessarily exclusive to our Konoha. Don't tell me your Kumogakure hasn't collected several pairs of Uchiha clan Sharingan. Perhaps this was Kumogakure internal conflict—someone transplanted Sharingan then killed Troy, deliberately framing us Konoha."
Dodai's expression immediately darkened, speaking sternly. "Hyuga Clan Head, please don't baselessly slander our Kumogakure. Moreover, don't attempt diverting topics. Troy and others indisputably died at your Konoha ninja's hands. You Konoha must provide our Kumogakure a reasonable explanation. Otherwise..."
Ritsu looked at Dodai's face full of unspoken implications, sneering coldly. "Otherwise what? Otherwise you'll plan warring with us Konoha? Such words won't even scare children. Dodai, you can't possibly believe threatening war will make us Konoha collapse without fighting? If you want war, come ahead! I'll await you Cloud ninja's attack right here!"
Watching Ritsu's unyielding attitude showing no retreat space, Dodai's heart sank. He maintained a stern face, redirecting his gaze toward Hiruko, demanding. "Hokage Advisor-dono, is this the explanation your Konoha gives us?"
His momentum still carried interrogatory aggressiveness—as if should Hiruko nod affirmatively, the next second thousands of Cloud ninja would assault this keep, chopping Hiruko and everyone into pieces.
Hiruko spoke. "Ritsu, don't talk nonsense. War is a grave military matter—how can it be easily waged due to momentary emotions? Moreover, this matter truly wrongs us Konoha. If we fight Cloud ninja like this, the ultimate beneficiary will definitely be whoever secretly framed us!"
He first lightly reprimanded Ritsu—making all Ritsu's previous words become "nonsense." Immediately after, he told Dodai that those who killed Troy and other Cloud ninja weren't Konoha ninja.
"Wronged?"
Dodai furrowed his brow. He naturally could see Hiruko and Ritsu, this master-student pair, were playing good cop/bad cop games with him. But he could also see Hiruko's emotions when claiming injustice appeared so natural—without any pretended concealment's stiffness.
His brow locked tight, staring at Hiruko. "How is your Konoha wronged?"
Hiruko spoke methodically. "You said the attacker used both Wood Release bloodline limit and Sharingan bloodline limits, correct? Perfect—recently, we Konoha likewise suffered attacks. The attacker possessed Sharingan, wielded Wood Release bloodline limit, killed my predecessor Shimura Danzo. Our village remains under martial law even now."
Dodai looked at Hiruko, discovering no obvious lying signs. But his inability to detect lying didn't mean Hiruko wasn't lying. He pondered slightly, shaking his head. "Hokage Advisor-dono, please don't conflate two separate matters. We cannot manage your Konoha's internal affairs. Our Kumogakure requires you to account for Troy and twenty-six comrades' deaths."
He paused, continuing. "Even conceding the attacker also attacked your Konoha—this attacker is indisputably your Konoha's rogue ninja. You failed to manage your own rogue ninja, implicating us with twenty-six comrades lost. This responsibility definitely must be charged to your Konoha."
"Therefore, your Konoha has nothing to claim injustice about."
Dodai spoke with conviction.
Hearing this, Konoha's side frowned, looking at Dodai with unkind eyes.
Ritsu sneered even more coldly, immediately demanding loudly. "Dodai, villages should bear responsibility for actions committed by their own rogue ninja—this is your Kumogakure's principle, correct?"
Dodai answered in a deep voice. "Hyuga Clan Head, this isn't our Kumogakure's principle—this is a universally applicable principle!"
Ritsu's smile suddenly became radiant. He nodded repeatedly, agreeing. "A universally applicable principle? Well said! Indeed, this principle is correct. Every village should properly manage its own rogue ninja, not tolerate them endangering other villages. These words are so damn reasonable."
Dodai watched Ritsu's brilliant smile, hearing his agreeable words. His heart sank—a bad premonition surfaced. He... seemed to have misspoken!
****
50+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces