Chapter 143: Peace Talk~

No one expected Ebizo to be captured by Uzumaki Raiden. At this point, Raiden's shadow clones had been defeated by Sand Ninja's puppet squad, but at a heavy cost. Of the nearly one hundred puppeteers, fewer than twenty remained operational, and the battlefield was littered with the wreckage of shattered puppets.

Despite their efforts, Sand Ninja had paid a steep price just to eliminate Raiden's shadow clones.

"Now, we should have a good talk," Raiden said, his voice carrying a hint of weariness. "Lord Ebizo."

Raiden's tone was light, but his exhaustion was evident. The earlier battle with Mukade had left its mark on him. Breaking through Sand Ninja Village's barrier had consumed a significant amount of his chakra, and the subsequent battles had drained him further.

Thunder-based ninjutsu and shadow clones demanded immense chakra reserves, and Raiden had already spent most of his energy. The Kongō Fūsa was the last technique he could manage before exhausting his resources completely. If Sand Ninja pressed the attack further, Raiden would have to rely on the Yin Seal to continue fighting, which would leave him focused more on retreating with his team than pressing for victory.

He knew the stakes clearly—this was Sand Ninja Village, not Konoha. His mission wasn't just about himself; Uchiha Fugaku and the rest of his team's lives depended on him making the right decisions.

"Talk? There's nothing to talk about," Ebizo said firmly, his eyes narrowing as he studied Raiden. "You're running on fumes. Rasa, Pakura, leave me and kill him!"

The elder's stubbornness was evident, but so was Raiden's exhaustion. Being in such close proximity to Raiden, Ebizo could clearly see the weariness in the young shinobi's face.

"Elder?!" Rasa hesitated, recognizing the risks. He understood Raiden better than Ebizo did and knew that the young ninja still had ways to replenish his chakra. Losing Ebizo in such a moment would plunge Sand Ninja into disarray.

Raiden, however, was oblivious to the internal dynamics within Sand Ninja. He knew Ebizo was important but underestimated just how vital the elder was to their leadership. To Raiden, Sand Ninja losing Ebizo would be little more than a political inconvenience—a new leader would emerge, and the war would continue.

Still, Raiden had no intention of killing Ebizo. His aim was to use the elder as leverage to force Sand Ninja into peace talks.

"Rasa," Raiden began, "you're more reasonable than this old man. I didn't come to your village to fight. I came with the intent to negotiate peace."

"It's your side that escalated this into a battle. But now, perhaps you're willing to hear me out?"

Raiden kept his tone measured, but his actions betrayed his readiness to strike. He pulled the Sakegari no Tachi from the ground and rested its blade against Ebizo's neck. Rasa flinched, suppressing his frustration as he motioned for the puppet squad to hold their ground.

Before Rasa could respond, a kunai flew from the puppet squad, trailing an explosive tag behind it. The weapon was aimed directly at Raiden.

"Who told you to attack?!" Rasa roared, his fury unmistakable.

"It seems some people don't want peace between Konoha and Sand Ninja," Raiden said coldly, swinging his blade to intercept the kunai. The weapon split in midair, the explosive tag rendered useless.

One of Raiden's chakra chains lashed out, capturing the offending ninja from the puppet squad and dragging him forward.

"Here, take him," Raiden said, tossing the captured ninja toward Rasa. "I'll leave it to you to decide whether he's your own or a spy from another village."

Rasa's expression darkened as he encased the captured ninja in gold dust, his focus returning to Raiden. "You said you're here for peace talks. Let's hear it."

Ebizo, now silent, watched the exchange. The elder knew the truth—his position made him invaluable to Sand Ninja, and his earlier defiance had been more about setting an example than a genuine call for sacrifice. But the attack just now had shaken him; had Raiden been anyone else, Ebizo's life might have already ended.

"My demands are simple," Raiden began. "Sand Ninja will unconditionally withdraw from the war. The conflict hasn't yet escalated beyond control, and Konoha won't demand reparations."

Raiden tightened the Kongō Fūsa around Ebizo as he spoke, ensuring no sudden attacks could disrupt him.

"Furthermore, Konoha and Sand Ninja can establish a formal alliance, promising not to invade each other in the future."

"Unconditional withdrawal? A friendly alliance?" Rasa murmured, his expression unreadable as he considered the proposal.

But before he could respond, one of the puppet squad members shouted: "You Konoha killed our Kazekage! How dare you demand our retreat?!"

The outburst ignited a chorus of agreement among the surviving puppet squad members, their anger drowning out rational discourse. Rasa's expression hardened.

"It seems your house is in disorder," Raiden said with a smirk, his thumb brushing the hilt of his blade.

Before Raiden could act, four walls of gold dust rose around the unruly puppet squad, isolating them completely.

"We'll deal with our own issues," Rasa said, his tone cold. "Now release Lord Ebizo so we can have a proper discussion. This standoff doesn't suit peace talks."

"And one more thing," Rasa added. "Do you even have the authority to speak for Konoha?"

Raiden grinned. "I have the authority, but do you have the courage to negotiate peace while your forces are still at war? What about your reputation in the ninja world?"

"That's not your concern," Rasa retorted. "Release Lord Ebizo."

Without further argument, Raiden loosened the Kongō Fūsa. However, before fully releasing the elder, he placed a curse mark on Ebizo's back—a safeguard to ensure no further betrayal.

Rasa's eyes narrowed at the act but said nothing, motioning toward the Kazekage's office.

"Let's discuss this inside," he said.

Raiden's eyes lit up. "Now we're getting somewhere," he said, following Rasa into the building.

(End of this chapter)