306. You Don’t Want Your Life to Be in Danger, Do You?

Under the murderous gazes of the Fourth Raikage, Killer B, and the others, Danzō finally relented.

The reason for his retreat was simple: he had already obtained what he wanted.

"Well then, until we meet again," Danzō said, waving dismissively at the Kumogakure ninjas before him.

With a flap of his paper wings, he swiftly ascended into the sky, disappearing into the clouds with an air of ease and confidence.

Throughout the entire process, not a single Kumogakure ninja, including the Fourth Raikage, dared to stop him.

Only after he had left did the hot-tempered Killer B finally vent his frustration. "Shimura Danzō, Bakayaro! Konoyaro!"

Faced with Danzō's disrespectful behavior, even the usually arrogant Yugito, the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, was visibly angered. "Konoha has really gone too far this time!"

Not just them, but the other Kumogakure ninjas also voiced their grievances.

Only the Fourth Raikage remained silent, his face dark with suppressed rage.

After all, Danzō was the man who had killed his father. Yet, despite the seething anger within his muscular frame, he said nothing.

Finally, the Raikage spoke. "If you have so many complaints about Konoha, then train harder. Dignity isn't earned through words. You should all understand that."

His words instantly silenced everyone. He was right. The humiliation Kumogakure suffered today stemmed from their lack of strength.

If they had the power to crush Danzō, why would they have to humbly beg for peace? How could they tolerate the murderer of their Raikage flaunting his power in front of them?

Realizing this, the Kumogakure ninjas clenched their fists in silence, engraving today's humiliation and hatred deep into their hearts.

As for the Raikage? He simply left without a word.

It wasn’t until Dodai, the Raikage’s advisor and the chief negotiator of this peace treaty, arrived that the silence was broken.

"Lord Raikage, I have failed you!" Dodai immediately performed a deep bow, his forehead nearly touching the ground.

Fortunately, the Raikage reacted quickly and pulled him up. "How did the negotiations go?"

Though he already anticipated the outcome, the Raikage still held a sliver of hope.

Dodai shook his head bitterly and handed over the treaty signed with Konoha. After reading the terms, the Raikage clenched his fists, his eyes burning with rage.

Seeing this, Dodai quickly grabbed his hand and urged, "A, it’s all for the sake of Kumogakure!"

Hearing this, the Raikage suppressed the surge of emotions within him. "I know, Elder Dodai."

Taking a deep breath, he regained his usual stern demeanor. "Since things have come to this, let’s issue the orders immediately. The Kumogakure forces are to withdraw completely from the Land of Earth. After leaving sufficient troops in the Land of Hot Water, the main forces will return to the village in batches."

——————

With Kumogakure’s withdrawal, Konoha’s forces officially entered the Land of Earth, marking the end of the war.


Although the outcome was diplomatically referred to as a "peace agreement," anyone with eyes could see that Kumogakure had suffered a crushing defeat.

Not only had the Third Raikage been killed, but they had also lost a large number of elite ninjas and ceded the Land of Earth.

On top of that, they had to pay Konoha twenty billion ryō in reparations, leaving them severely weakened.

Fortunately, the Land of Lightning was still the second strongest nation in the shinobi world, and its sheer size meant it wasn’t completely crippled.

There was still a chance for them to recover and make a comeback in the future. However, for now, they would have to lay low for a few years...

In contrast to Kumogakure’s gloom, Konoha was now in a state of jubilation. When the Shinobi World United News published the headline "Peace Agreement Between Fire and Lightning, Kumogakure Withdraws from the Land of Earth," it ignited the enthusiasm of Konoha’s villagers.

In fact, it wasn’t just Konoha’s villagers—even the citizens of the Fire Country’s capital were ecstatic. The entire nation was celebrating.

After all, war wasn’t something that affected just one or two people. Even if the civilians didn’t have to fight on the front lines, the logistical supplies still came from their hard work. Therefore, everyone was thrilled by the victory.

Including...

The Daimyō of the Land of Earth.

"It’s truly an honor to meet you, General!" the Daimyō exclaimed the moment he laid eyes on Danzō. "I always knew you would drive those damned mountain barbarians out of the Land of Earth. You have no idea how much I’ve longed for Konoha’s forces to arrive. Now that you’re here, I can finally rest easy under your protection! Did you know, General, that my ancestors were actually related to the Fire Country’s Daimyō..."

In the capital of the Land of Earth, this esteemed Daimyō rambled on and on the moment he met Danzō, complaining about how miserable he had been under Kumogakure’s rule and how much he wanted to return to the embrace of the Fire Country.

However, judging by the oily sheen on his plump face, Danzō found it hard to believe that this man had suffered any real hardship.

The fact that he addressed Danzō as "General of the Fire Country" rather than "Elder Danzō" also revealed the typical arrogance of nobility.

To him, a general who could establish his own authority and ranked just below the Daimyō was undoubtedly part of the noble class.

As for titles like "Konoha Elder" or "ninja," those were just servants working for the nobility.

Danzō didn’t bother to correct this mindset. Instead, he said calmly, "Now that I’m here, Konoha’s ninjas will ensure the safety of the Land of Earth. However, I hope you, Lord Daimyō, will cooperate fully with our efforts."

The Daimyō immediately nodded eagerly, rubbing his hands together. "Of course! I’ll make sure the people cooperate with your work, General!"

Seeing this, Danzō finally smiled in satisfaction. "Good."

As soon as he finished speaking, several masked Root ninjas emerged from behind him and quickly surrounded the Daimyō.

The Daimyō’s smile froze, and he asked awkwardly, "General, what is the meaning of this?"

In response, Danzō declared with righteous authority, "With Kumogakure’s recent defeat, they might resort to desperate measures, such as targeting you, Lord Daimyō, to disrupt the hard-won peace in the Land of Earth. Therefore, I believe it’s necessary to assign a few ninjas to protect you personally. You don’t want your life to be in danger, do you, Lord Daimyō?"