I, Uchiha, will not be whitewashed!

Jiraiya's hair pierced through the sand shield, and the Third Kazekage's puppet was knocked back, several holes punched in its chest. The chakra core was exposed, its faint red light flickering in the night.

Hatake Sakumo rushed forward. His sword didn't cut Sasori, but rather the chakra threads on Sasori's fingers.

The last wire broke.

The puppet of the Third Kazekage let its hand hang down, scattering iron needles all over the ground. The puppet's body remained frozen in place, like a sculpture.

The scorpion's finger was still raised in mid-air, but the string was gone.

His hands were trembling, his lips were trembling, and finally, shock and anger appeared in his amber eyes.

Jiraiya stood to his left, and Sakumo Hatake to his right. Their shadows, stretched long by the moonlight, sandwiched Sasori between them. He had nowhere to retreat.

"Should we continue?" Jiraiya's voice was calm.

The scorpion remained silent.

His fingers were still moving, but there were no chakra threads he could control anymore.

Hiruko shattered, the Third Kazekage puppet broke its strings, the surrounding fragments were burned, and the needles were flicked away.

He had nothing left but himself.

Sakumo Hatake's sword was pressed against his neck. The blade was cold, clinging to his skin like a winter wind.

"Don't move."

The scorpion did not move.

He looked at the sword, then at Jiraiya, and finally at Sakugo standing in the distance.

The brat stood outside the circle of fire, his sword already sheathed, his three-tomoe Sharingan staring at him, his face expressionless.

Scorpion's lips twitched, not in a smile, but with something fainter. He had lost. He had lost completely. Not because of puppetry, but because of sheer numbers.

He couldn't defeat two Kage-level opponents and a little monster who had awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan.

Jiraiya pulled out a specially made rope from his waist. It was woven from chakra metal and had special sealing talismans on it, specifically used to bind ninjas.

He tied Scorpion's hands behind his back, tightened the rope, and Scorpion's fingers could no longer move.

A puppeteer whose fingers cannot move is a cripple.

Sakumo Hatake sheathed his sword and turned to look at Jiraiya.

"Mission accomplished."

Jiraiya nodded.

He looked at Sasori's pale face, his reddish-brown hair dull in the moonlight. This young man had killed the Third Kazekage, nearly destroyed two villages, and now he was tied up here, like an ordinary teenager.

"Take him away," Jiraiya said.

Two Chunin emerged from the bamboo forest and flanked Sasori.

He didn't struggle, he didn't speak, he just lowered his head and looked at his hands that he could no longer move.

The Third Kazekage's puppet was collected by another Chunin using a sealing scroll, and the scattered fragments were also picked up and taken back to Konoha.

-

Shuoge stood there, watching Scorpion being led away. In the moonlight, the boy with reddish-brown hair walked past him, glancing at him with his amber eyes.

There was no hatred, no resentment, only curiosity.

Then he left.

"Thankfully, Scorpion hasn't turned himself into a puppet yet."

The current puppet technology is probably not mature enough—after all, you have to think carefully before you start operating on yourself.

……

……

……

When Sasori was escorted back to Konoha, the delegation from Sunagakure also arrived.

The two teams arrived at the village entrance almost simultaneously.

On the east side, Jiraiya walked at the front, followed by Sakumo Hatake, Sakugo, and Sasori, whose hands were bound with ropes.

Scorpion's reddish-brown hair was blown about by the wind, and she kept her head down, making it impossible to see her expression.

From the west, Rasa, accompanied by four Jonin, approached from another direction.

He wore the white divine robes of the Sand Village and the hat of the Kazekage on his forehead, but he had not yet been formally crowned. His gaze swept across the crowd, landing on Sasori, and lingered for a moment.

The Third Hokage personally greeted them at the village entrance. He stood beneath the gate, a pipe dangling from his lips, the smoke dissipating in the wind. Behind him stood Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, and several Anbu members.

"Jiraiya, thank you for your hard work." The Third Hokage nodded, then turned to Rasa. "Rasa-kun, welcome."

Rasa stopped, glanced at Sasori, then at the Third Hokage. "Hokage-sama, enough of the small talk. Sasori is a rogue ninja from Sunagakure; according to the agreement, he should be handed over to us."

The Third Hokage took a drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled. "Of course. However, regarding the alliance agreement—"

"Sign it." Rasa interrupted him. "Lady Chiyo has already said it. Once Sasori returns, the agreement will be signed."

The third generation laughed.

That smile wasn't one of happiness, but rather one of relief.

He raised his hand, and the secret agents behind him stepped forward carrying a scroll.

Rasa also raised his hand, and the Jonin behind him held up an identical scroll. The two scrolls were exchanged in mid-air, opened simultaneously, and signed and stamped at the same time.

Jiraiya stood to the side, watching this scene, a slight smile playing on his lips. "The old man's heart can finally rest easy."

Sakumo Hatake remained silent. His sword was at his waist, and his eyes were fixed on Sasori, on the child whose parents he had killed.

Scorpion kept his head down, looking at nothing and saying nothing.

Shuoge stood at the very back of the group, his knife behind his back and his hands at his sides.

He watched Rasa sign his name, watched the Third Hokage put away the scroll, and watched the Sand Village Jonin take Sasori away. Sasori walked past him, his amber eyes glancing at him once more.

This time, there was no curiosity, only calm.

Then he left.

"The alliance is formed." Jiraiya walked over to Sakugo and patted him on the shoulder. "Kid, you deserve a lot of credit."

Shuoge did not speak.

He turned and walked towards the Uchiha camp. The wind blew from behind, scattering the lively sounds of the village entrance. He walked alone in the street, his sword behind him, his hands at his sides.

……

……

……

That night, two guests arrived at the Uchiha camp.

Silver hair, one big and one small.

Sakumo Hatake stood at the gate of the courtyard, not going in, but just looking at the old tree in the yard.

Kakashi followed behind him, his eyes scanning the streets of the Uchiha clan compound before finally settling on the window of Sakugo's room, where the light was still on.

The wind emerged from the courtyard, paused upon seeing Hatake Sakumo, and stammered. "Sakumo?"

"Excuse me." Hatake Sakumo's voice was flat. "I'm here to see Sakugo."

Feng glanced at him, then at Kakashi, and stepped aside.

"Come in."

Shuoge sat in the room wiping his knife.

Hearing footsteps, I looked up.

Sakumo Hatake lifted the curtain and walked in, with Kakashi following behind.

Three people, two knives, and a small room.

Sakumo Hatake sat down at the table, his sword resting against the table leg. Kakashi stood behind him, not sitting down, looking at Sakumo, his gaze lingering on the sword for a moment.

—Even at times like this, one should not forget to cultivate oneself?

"It's being talked about all over the village."

Sakumo Hatake spoke. "Sunagakure withdrew its troops, and the alliance agreement was signed. The Third Hokage drank three cups of wine at the Hokage Building, saying that this was Konoha's greatest victory in recent years."

Shuoge sheathed his sword and placed it beside him.

He took out tea and poured it for the two of them.

"I've come to express my gratitude."

Sakumo Hatake's voice was very flat, as flat as if he were saying that the weather was nice today.

But when he looked into Shuoge's eyes, there was something in them that wasn't gratitude, but recognition.

"Without you, Kato couldn't have been killed. Chiyo wouldn't have retreated. Sunagakure wouldn't have signed. I'm still suffering from rumors in the camp."

Kakashi's finger twitched.

He looked at Shuoge, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't.

Shuoge looked at him. "You don't need to thank me."

"You don't need it, but—" Hatake Sakumo stood up and hung his sword at his waist. "I have to."

"If you really want to express your gratitude, I do have something to tell you."

Upon hearing this, Sakumo Hatake's expression turned serious.

"Teach me swordsmanship." Sakugo's voice was calm. "The swordsmanship of Konoha's White Fang."

Sakumo Hatake looked at him, silent for a moment. Moonlight streamed in through the window, falling between the two. A glimmer of light flashed in those weary eyes—not surprise, but something more complex.

"it is good."

……

……

……

At the same time, in the conference room of the Hokage Building.

Representatives from Konoha and Sunagakure sat facing each other on either side of the long table.

The Third Hokage sat in the main seat, his pipe resting on the edge of the table, the smoke slowly dissipating under the lamplight.

Luo Sha sat opposite him, his white divine robe still dusty from the desert. His young face was expressionless, but his eyes were bright.

Two draft agreements were spread out on the table.

The ceasefire agreement has already been signed; the remaining one is even more difficult to negotiate than the ceasefire itself.

"Both sides have no objection to the framework of the alliance treaty." The Third Hokage's voice was calm, as if he were discussing something quite ordinary. "Now let's discuss the details. The first point is trade."

Koharu, who was behind him, opened a list and read aloud: "Konoha exports to Sunagakure: food, clothing, salt, medicine, and timber. Sunagakure exports to Konoha: iron ore, copper ore, quartz, and saltpeter."

The Jonin behind Rasa also opened a list and added, "There are also Sunagakure's specialties—spices and medicinal herbs."

The Third Hokage nodded. "Regarding prices, Konoha's proposal is: 80% of the pre-war market price for grain, 70% for salt, and 10% for medicine—"

"Too high."

Luo Sha interrupted him.

"The pre-war market price was based on the prices Sunagakure imported from the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers, which resulted in high transportation costs. Now, importing directly from Konoha is closer, reducing transportation costs, and the price should be even lower than before the war. But the 80% or 70% prices you're proposing are even higher than before the war."

The third generation took a drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled.

"Transportation costs have decreased, but Konoha's food production has also been affected by the war. There is a shortage of labor, farmland has been abandoned, and this year's harvest is 30% less than before the war. 80% is already the lowest price Konoha can offer."

"Iron ore production in Sunagakure has also been affected."

Luo Sha and his opponent were at loggerheads.

"During the war, the mining area's workforce was drawn to the front lines, causing a 40% drop in production. If Konoha wants Sunagakure's iron ore, the price must increase by 20%."

Koharu Utatane frowned. "Twenty percent? The iron ore grade in Sunagakure is already low, making smelting costs high. If we raise it by twenty percent, Konoha might as well import it from the Land of Rivers."

"The iron ore production of the Land of Rivers is insufficient for your needs." Rasa's lips twitched slightly. "Furthermore, the Land of Rivers is not an ally, and the transport routes are unsafe. Sunagakure is."

The third generation remained silent. He smoked, looking at Rasa, and there was something in his cloudy old eyes—not anger, but scrutiny.

He is reassessing the young man.

"Food will be 75% of pre-war prices," the Third Hokage announced. "Salt will be 60%. Medicine will be 70%. This is Konoha's bottom line."

Luo Sha remained silent for a moment. "The iron ore has risen by 15 percent."

"One-tenth."

"One to two."

The third generation looked at him and suddenly smiled. It was brief, like light reflecting off a blade.

"make a deal."

Koharu Utatane and the Sand Village Jonin simultaneously lowered their heads, recording on the list. The pen nib scratched on the paper, like autumn leaves falling.

Rasa leaned back in his chair, looking at the Third Hokage. "There's one more thing."

"explain."

"The Sand Village's supply shortage cannot be solved by the trade alone. We need Konoha to provide an interest-free loan for post-war reconstruction."

The third-generation pipe paused for a moment. "How much?"

"Fifty million taels. Ten-year term."

A moment of silence fell over the meeting room. Fifty million taels was no small sum. Koharu Tsurugi stopped writing, looked at the Third Generation, her lips moved, but she remained silent.

The third generation took a drag of his cigarette, exhaled, and the smoke blurred his expression.

"Thirty million. Five-year term." The Third Hokage's voice was calm. "Konoha is also rebuilding after the war and can't afford more."

Luo Sha looked at him, and there was something in those young eyes—not disappointment, but calculation.

He thought about it.

"Forty million. Seven-year term."

"Thirty-five million. Six years." The third generation placed his pipe on the table. "This is the final price."

Luo Sha was silent for a moment, then reached out his hand.

"make a deal."

The two hands are clasped together.

It wasn't a handshake between friends, but a handshake between businessmen after signing a contract—clean, efficient, and devoid of any extra emotion.

The third generation released his grip, picked up the pipe, and lit it again.

Luo Sha stood up and straightened the collar of his divine robe.

"Now that the agreement is signed, I should head back." Rasa paused. "Sasori, I'll bring him back to Sunagakure. Granny Chiyo will be very happy."

The Third Hokage nodded. "The alliance treaty is officially in effect. From today onward, Konoha and Sunagakure are allies."

Luo Sha didn't speak again. He turned and walked towards the door. After a few steps, he stopped and didn't look back.

"Third Hokage, I've heard of your Will of Fire. I didn't believe it before. Now—" He didn't finish his sentence, pushed open the door, and left.

The third generation sat in the chair, staring at the closed door. Smoke still rose from the pipe, wisps dissipating in the lamplight. Koharu, the maid, closed the list and looked at him.

"Isn't thirty-five million too much?"

"Not much." The Third Hokage's voice was soft. "The iron ore from Sunagakure is worth this price. And—"

He paused.

"Luo Sha is worth the price."

Xiaochun didn't say anything more. She put away the list and walked out of the meeting room.

The third generation sat alone at the head of the long table, the newly signed alliance treaty spread out before him. The ink was still wet, glistening under the lamplight.

He reached out and touched the Sand Village seal; it was red, like a drop of blood.

He recalled three years ago when the Third Kazekage disappeared and Sunagakure declared war.

At that time, everyone thought the war would last a long time, so long that their generation wouldn't see the end.

It's over now.

They didn't win by fighting; they achieved their goal through strategy.

The Uchiha clan's genius, with a single game of chess and a treaty, ended the war on the western front. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. The smoke from his pipe continued to rise, wisps like the wind in the desert.

……