Chapter 320: A Marriage Proposal to Konoha for Peace

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Puppets materialized, instantly surrounding the two women, a clear threat of annihilation if they didn't comply.

To be called a village hero, such individuals were never weak. Pakura's strength was considerable, arguably second only to the Kazekage in Sunagakure's Shinobi hierarchy.

But ultimately, she was alone. Facing the village's most powerful special puppet master unit, its most formidable military force, how could she resist??

A village was a village because when the Kazekage's will was imposed from above, an individual Shinobi was powerless to resist.

———

"Elder Chiyo, is the Kazekage's order so important?"

Chiyo fell silent for a moment. "Just as you, under the Fourth Kazekage's orders, were willing to sacrifice everything, your honor, even your life, for the village's future, and go to your death in Konoha—"

"—For me, it is the same. For the village's future, even if Baki became the Fifth Kazekage through dirty, underhanded means—for the greater good, for the village's future, I can only obey his orders."

"Living in this cruel Shinobi World, no one can remain uninvolved, act solely on their own will. Whether you or I, we are all bound by circumstance..."

Chiyo took a deep breath, seeing that Pakura wouldn't yield.

In that case, though she was loath to do it, for the sake of Sunagakure's future, she had no choice but to eliminate her. Chiyo closed her eyes, about to give the order to attack.

But a voice, a voice that haunted Chiyo's dreams, echoed from the distance:

"Grandma Chiyo, we are free!"

Hearing this voice, Chiyo's heart trembled.

Temari, like a young warrior, carrying a fan almost as tall as herself, wearing a Konoha Shinobi headband, emerged from the light, walking towards them.

"Princess Temari, why are you wearing a Konoha Shinobi headband?!"

"No, you can't! You can't!" The ten elite puppet masters erupted in chaos, their Shinobi way shaken.

Temari, the pride of Sunagakure, the Pearl of the Land of Wind, a Genius Kunoichi—wearing a Konoha headband?

What was this?

Think of the Fourth Kazekage, so loyal to the village, to the Land of Wind. And his daughter, persecuted by the Fifth Kazekage, now wearing a Konoha headband?

This Shinobi World was truly insane.

"I can't? Why not?" Temari tilted her head, retorting. "The Fifth Kazekage's intentions are clear to all! He killed my father to seize power! I will avenge him! I will restore order, uphold the legitimacy of the Kazekage succession!"

Temari's words were powerful, resolute, far beyond what a five-year-old should be capable of.

Chiyo was momentarily stunned. In that instant, she seemed to see her husband.

The legitimacy of the Kazekage...

It should be this way!

"But he is the Kazekage, Princess Temari! I beg you, take off the Konoha headband!" a puppeteer pleaded. Seeing the previous Kazekage's daughter wearing another village's headband—was difficult to accept.

Just then, one of the puppet masters, who had remained silent, produced a contract from his robes, holding it in his palm. He stepped forward, knelt before Temari, and raised the contract above his head.

"Princess Temari, this is the 'Reconciliation Pact' we, the Light District, obtained from the Fifth Pseudo-Kage Tower in exchange for our participation in the war."

The puppeteer declared loudly, "Fellow comrades, Elder Chiyo! We are not rebelling! We are fighting for the welfare of Sunagakure's villagers, to return Sunagakure to the correct path!"

"The Fifth Kazekage has imposed exorbitant taxes, enriching his own faction at the expense of the common people, placing an unimaginable burden upon them. Is this right?"

"If we, with our great power, don't stand up, the succession from the Fourth to the Fifth Kazekage will be the last truly legitimate succession in Sunagakure's history. From now on, the Kazekage election will be a mere formality, the position firmly controlled by Baki's faction."

"We, the Shinobi born in the Light District, will fully support Princess Temari in becoming the Sixth Kazekage! Even if, in the process, we are pushed to the front lines by Baki and shed our last drop of blood!"

Temari numbly accepted the Reconciliation Pact.

It detailed the promises Baki had made in exchange for the Light District's participation in the war. Of course, such promises were only valid as long as the Light District had people.

If they all died in the war—who would honor a piece of paper?

Restore the Fourth, overthrow the Fifth, NOW!

Temari stepped forward, puffing out her chest, her voice firm once more. "We are free!"

"I will steadfastly pursue the overthrow of the Fifth Pseudo-Kage Tower as my goal, and avenging my father as the Shinobi way I will follow for the rest of my life! If it were me, I would absolutely not let Suna Shinobi shed blood in a meaningless war with Konoha..."

"If you do not agree with me, then kill me now!"

The crowd looked at each other. Finally...

Chiyo sighed, releasing her puppet strings. Her aged body knelt before Temari.

"To make Suna Great again!"

"Princess Temari, please, on behalf of our Sunagakure, convey the concept of peace to Konoha, and stop this war!"

"I am willing to be married off to Konoha, as a seal of reconciliation!"

———

Kirigakure Port.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen, in their customary running posture, navigated the dense forest canopy.

Zabuza Momochi, leading the charge, halted, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. In the moonlight, he could see the endless ocean and the Konoha-flagged merchant ships docked at the shore.

Under the harsh lights, shirtless dockworkers bustled about, loading and unloading cargo. A few Konoha Military Police Shinobi patrolled the area.

It seemed as if the war in Kusagakure, due to the vast distance, hadn't yet reached these shores.

"Remember the mission…" Zabuza reiterated, his voice a low growl. "Leave no one alive. Seize control of Kirigakure Port, and cut off Konoha's access to the sea."

"Yes, Lord Zabuza!"

Zabuza, with his commanding presence and unwavering determination to dismantle Kirigakure's caste system, had become the heart of the new Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

This generation of swordsmen, once a disparate group with conflicting ambitions, had become a unified force, following Zabuza's command, driven by the ideal of overthrowing the corrupt caste system.

The current Seven Swordsmen, having overcome their internal divisions, worked in perfect harmony, a cold, rational killing machine. Their combined strength was a force to be reckoned with. Even a Kage would struggle to stand against them.

After this battle, the new generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen would carve their name into the annals of Shinobi history.

They would rally the oppressed Shinobi of Kirigakure, inspiring them to rise up and overthrow the corrupt elders!

"Let the blood of Konoha's Shinobi confirm our standing, fueling our revolution against Kirigakure's elders!" Zabuza waved his hand, signaling the final attack.

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