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Chapter 397: The Cloud Village Embassy!
Chapter 397: The Cloud Village Embassy!
The following day!
Today was another significant day.
Negotiations with the Cloud Village.
Compared to yesterday's Daimyo delegation, the Cloud Village Embassy made a much bigger commotion.
Their numbers alone reached triple digits.
Leading them was a 'Ninja Leader'.
Equivalent to an advisory elder, but with more actual authority.
The Lightning Shadow!
Selected from among the Ninja Leaders.
Strictly speaking, the Lightning Shadow is the most prominent Ninja Leader.
In terms of identity and status, this Ninja Leader held a position of 'second only to the leader, above ten thousand others' in the Cloud Shadow Village.
The other party's choice of negotiator demonstrated their sincerity.
Early in the morning, Dong Ping was pestered by a member of the Shadow Division.
Naturally, the visitor didn't enter the room, clearly aware of Dong Ping's notorious morning temper, but instead stood outside, silently staring at his location.
If Dong Ping were an ordinary person, he wouldn't have felt anything, and everything would have proceeded as usual.
However, his perception was keen, and being watched made him feel like he had thorns on his back. How could he possibly sleep? So, he had no choice but to get up and follow the visitor to the Fire Shadow Tower.
"Couldn't you have pretended you didn't find me?"
Dong Ping complained to the Shadow Division member in front of him, a slender and graceful figure whose silhouette alone was enticing.
This member of the Shadow Division was a 'familiar face', easily recognizable by their white hair.
Kakashi... or should I say, Kakashi! It was natural for her to be sent to fetch him.
"I can't!"
Kakashi (Akane) responded coldly, as if they were complete strangers.
This was Konoha, after all, where every move could be watched, so she had to act as if she and Dong Ping had 'severed all ties and were parting ways tonight'.
"Pfft, how boring!"
Dong Ping understood her difficulty and didn't blame her.
After all, the grudge had been settled.
He just hoped that a certain Byakugan Princess wouldn't experience a change in their friendship when she saw Kakashi.
After all, their bond was too deep; the relationship with Rin was just a coincidence, but brotherhood was the real deal.
Dong Ping genuinely looked forward to witnessing that scene.
If he did, it would be enough to make him happy for a year.
Soon, Dong Ping arrived at the newly constructed Fire Shadow Tower and met with the leaders of the Noble Clans.
They all greeted him with respectful nods.
There was no other way; Dong Ping's Skyguard had already grown, and they naturally didn't want to offend him. Moreover, 'saving' the Oilada Clan was a reason for them to show goodwill.
However, these leaders of the Noble Clans could only go this far.
Because they still had to operate within Konoha.
So, they couldn't openly associate with Dong Ping, and they maintained an even greater distance than before.
After all, he had not only accepted the Uchiha Nagato Lineage but also taken in the Oilada Clan, becoming a thorn in the side of the Hokage lineage and an eyesore.
If not for his immense strength and the village's self-sufficiency, the upper echelons would have found a way to deal with him long ago.
It had to be said that the sacrifices of Sarutobi Namikaze and the Nine-Tails Rebellion had dealt a significant blow to Konoha; otherwise, how could the Skyguard have grown so much?
The Third Floor Conference Room!
On such an occasion, it was natural to hold a larger meeting. Although important matters were decided in smaller gatherings, negotiations between two major ninja villages required a more formal setting.
The layout of the conference room was no different from the old Fire Shadow Tower.
At the center was a massive long table, and there were also seats along the walls.
Dong Ping had arrived a bit late, so by the time he took his seat, almost everyone eligible to participate from Konoha had arrived.
The Konoha F3 and over a dozen clan leaders occupied half of the seats.
Dong Ping looked around at everyone holding their breath, as if they were stone statues, and felt bored. He couldn't help but envy Honglian, who had gone shopping with Red Bean.
It was impossible for Honglian to participate in such a formal meeting, so she had gone shopping with Red Bean.
Perhaps they also shared a 'bond'.
Although they often bickered, their relationship progressed rapidly.
Meeting Dong Ping would make them cautious, as his reputation for 'rebelliousness' was no secret.
In the presence of Honglian, things would be fine, so their relationship progressed quickly. Otherwise, seeing her would make him turn and leave, and there was no way their relationship could improve.
In the conference room, all eyes fell on Dong Ping, who was lying on the table. Everyone's mouths twitched.
Obviously, they never expected that Konoha's renowned 'Purification Flame' would be so rude in public.
Dong Ping was well aware of what these people were thinking.
But so what? Did a lion need to care about an ant's opinion? At this moment, he somewhat understood what Uchiha Madara was about.
It wasn't arrogance, merely a difference in status.
Thump, thump!
Intense footsteps echoed from outside the conference room.
Here they come!
Everyone looked outside.
Cloud ninjas with dark skin appeared in their field of view, one by one.
They were all extremely tall and robust, with a wild and brutal aura that involuntarily instilled fear.
One could say that the Cloud ninjas' style matched their physique and temperament—brutish!
This nickname was truly fitting.
Dong Ping genuinely had little favor for the Cloud ninjas.
Despite their impressive performance in the anime, upon arriving in the Shinobi World, he realized how brutal they truly were.
They would seize and plunder whatever they desired. This was the nature of the Cloud ninjas, hence the nickname 'Brutes'.
The best example was their recent attempt to acquire the secret techniques of the Cedar Hidden Village, only to be foiled by the Xuan Yuan bugs.
That was just a typical day for the Cloud ninjas.
Brutality and bloodshed!
These were their true colors, so it was no wonder Dong Ping didn't like them.
The Cloud ninja leader was a middle-aged man, but for some reason, he willingly sought death.
Dong Ping didn't want to waste his thoughts on these conspiracies. He was here for the entertainment.
What was about to unfold was a tragedy for the Hyuga Clan.
For Dong Ping, this was entertainment.
He wasn't a saint, and even though he had some fondness for the future Crown Princess Consort, it didn't mean he liked the Hyuga Clan.
They were rigid, decrepit, and incredibly dark!
This was his most straightforward impression, and he had caused them trouble before.
Now that they were about to face misfortune, he not only didn't worry but also wished for the situation to escalate.
He loved a good show, which was why he hadn't informed Hyuga Cangyue about this matter. Otherwise, she might have tried to resolve it somehow.
The most direct approach would be to not only let the ninja leader die at Hyuga Natsuki's hands but also to slaughter the entire Cloud Village Embassy, if possible.
Don't doubt it; she was capable of doing that.
But Dong Ping feared overstepping, so he didn't explicitly state why he was here for this spectacle.
Bang, bang!
One by one, the messengers sat down, and their numbers were no less than those on Dong Ping's side.
As for the Cloud ninjas?
They stood behind the messengers with their arms crossed, clearly there to support them.
In terms of momentum, the Cloud ninjas had the upper hand.
After all, they were taller, stronger, and their skin was either black or white, making them very conspicuous.
The key was their greater numbers and more impressive display.
Don't underestimate this! In negotiations, seizing the initiative was crucial. If one could dominate in terms of momentum, they would also have a significant advantage during the talks.
Dong Ping turned to look at Sarutobi Kazumi, who remained as steady as a mountain, his smile unwavering, without a hint of disturbance.
'If even the Cloud ninjas are this shameless, why are you holding back? You might as well be called a turtle instead of a monkey.'
Dong Ping muttered to himself, still lying on the table, silently observing this negotiation.
His presence here was to provide support.
Therefore, the negotiation didn't concern him; he only needed to watch the show. If they wanted him to speak up and help, it wouldn't be impossible...for a price.
Just like yesterday, when he negotiated with the Daimyo's messenger, the diplomat, neither Choshin Kokoro nor Doraku Mizutogashi had spoken up to assist.
If they wanted their help, they'd also have to pay.
Soon, the negotiation between the Cloud ninjas and Konoha began.
(End of Chapter)
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