Chapter 398: Strategic Deterrence Weapon: Dong Ping!
Chapter 398: Strategic Deterrence Weapon: Dong Ping!
"These are the conditions for a ceasefire. If you agree, we, the Cloud Shadow Village, will withdraw!"
The robust ninja leader, who seemed like a small giant, rolled a scroll across the long wooden table.
Sarutobi Kazumi took the scroll and unfurled it.
Everyone could see his face contort in a way he couldn't control, but it quickly subsided.
After reading it, Sarutobi Kazumi passed the scroll to the others.
And so, Dong Ping witnessed an interesting display of 'face-changing' drama.
After reading the scroll, everyone struggled to control their expressions but quickly regained their composure.
Slap! The scroll finally reached Dong Ping's hands.
As a qualified participant in the meeting, it was only natural that he be allowed to see it.
After reading the conditions, he finally understood why everyone had reacted that way.
If it weren't for the fact that Dong Ping was aware of Konoha's disadvantage and that they hadn't completely collapsed, he might have thought that the Cloud Ninjas had already reached the village gates.
These conditions were not just humiliating; they were outright insults.
Dong Ping passed the scroll to Inuzuka Tsume, the female clan leader of the Inuzuka Clan (Kiba's mother), and then continued to watch the show while leaning on the table.
For him now, even in such a situation, he remained unbothered.
In the past, without strength, he naturally had to abide by the rules of the ninja world.
Now, he was the rule, and others had to adapt to his rules, not the other way around.
The F3 acted as if they hadn't seen anything, and the Cloud Ninjas, needless to say, followed suit.
After all, they had witnessed Dong Ping's strength before, and naturally, they had no complaints about such a powerful individual.
Soon, everyone on Konoha's side had read the scroll.
"The Cloud Ninjas have no sincerity in negotiating a truce!"
Choshin Kokoro spoke up in accusation.
Among the group, she always played the role of the stern one, with Doraku Mizutogashi supporting her, Sarutobi Kazumi acting as the conciliator, and Danzo working behind the scenes.
It could be said that the Konoha F4's ability to maintain their high-ranking positions for decades, with their status unshakable, was truly impressive.
"That's right. Although your Cloud Ninjas have the upper hand in the front-line conflicts, if we deploy more forces, who knows which side will gain the advantage!"
Doraku Mizutogashi added.
His words were not baseless, as the Cloud Ninjas did have the advantage on the front lines, but that was only because Konoha hadn't fully exerted its strength. If they were to deploy more forces and powerful individuals, the Cloud Ninjas wouldn't have it so easy.
Speaking of which, when he spoke, he glanced at Dong Ping, who was leaning on the table.
It was almost as if he was implying that if the Cloud Ninjas dared to propose such conditions, Konoha also had its options.
Deploy Dong Ping to fight! Although they didn't want to see the other side gaining too much credit, if there was no other choice, it wasn't impossible to do so.
The Cloud Ninja leader naturally understood the meaning behind Doraku Mizutogashi's gaze.
Although he was confident that Konoha's higher-ups wouldn't allow this 'rebellious' Purification Flame to fight, if pushed too far, they might just do it. So, he softened his tone and said,
"These are just the conditions we propose. If you disagree, we can negotiate further!"
His words lacked the firmness of his previous statement.
If Dong Ping hadn't fought the Cloud Ninjas before, he might have had the audacity to say, 'Let the Purification Flame blow you away,' but he was no match for their Raikage in a single battle.
After all, before they had fought, it was easy to boast.
But the last time Dong Ping and Yamayama Houji went to support the Fourth Hokage, they had fought the Fourth Raikage.
If it weren't for Kirabi's timely intervention to save them, the Raikage might have been replaced.
Therefore, no matter how thick-skinned he was, he wouldn't dare boast about his Raikage overpowering Dong Ping.
The atmosphere in the conference room began to normalize as the Cloud Ninja leader's tone softened.
Everyone knew that in negotiations, it was common to ask for the moon and settle for less.
The problem was that the Cloud Ninjas were asking for more than the moon, which was why they couldn't control their emotions.
Now that they had entered the normal negotiation phase, the atmosphere naturally returned to normal.
However, Dong Ping had no interest in such normal negotiations and simply closed his eyes and fell asleep.
The negotiation had nothing to do with him, and as long as he was present, he had fulfilled his duty as a Konoha ninja.
The Cloud Ninjas, of course, wished for nothing more than for this formidable opponent to stay out of it. How could they possibly object? They even lowered their voices, fearing they might disturb his slumber.
(End of Chapter)In the Shinobi World, power is the only rule.
Dong Ping was well aware of this, which is why he relentlessly pursued strength after realizing he couldn't just lie low.
In this world, arrogance isn't a sin; weakness is.
His audacity to sleep during negotiations between the two great Hidden Villages wasn't due to his status; it was his strength.
He had earned this privilege by challenging and defeating the top ninjas from various villages.
Time passed, and a loud slam echoed, waking Dong Ping from his slumber.
He opened his eyes to see the Cloud Village Embassy members leaving.
Today's negotiations had ended, and judging by their actions, they didn't go well.
In fact, the talks were tense, almost escalating into a physical confrontation.
The Cloud Village representatives presented facts and logic, aiming for more benefits.
The Leaf Village delegates were unyielding, unwilling to concede much. When pushed to the brink, they glanced at the sleeping Dong Ping, their intention clear.
They wanted him out, but the Cloud Village knew they couldn't force him to fight. This power dynamic led to repeated setbacks.
This was why Sarutobi Kazumi and his team had been compromising with Dong Ping lately.
They needed his presence to deter the Cloud Village.
As Dong Ping regained consciousness and glanced at the darkening sky outside, he realized the negotiations had lasted all day, from morning to dusk.
He immediately got up and left.
"Nara Shikaku, my daughter's birthday is today. Please join us for a chat!"
The voice, heard by Dong Ping as he exited the conference room, sparked anticipation in his eyes.
It seemed the Crown Princess Consort's abduction was set for tonight, and he intended to secure the best VIP seat to witness this grand drama.
This play was indeed captivating, involving ninja village struggles, conspiracies, infighting, and coercion, all incredibly realistic and not just an act.
Upon returning to the Nara Clan's territory, Dong Ping discovered Hyuga Cangyue's presence.
"What's up?"
Cangyue had been in the clan for the past few days, and her absence piqued his curiosity.
"It's those old folks from the Noble Family. They want me to teach them Sage Mode!"
Cangyue's words carried a hint of disdain and a faint murderous aura.
Indeed, the uncertainty of the 'Caged Bird' causing her death was a concern. After all, she couldn't test it by dying once.
Unlike others, Cangyue wouldn't feel any pain or regret. Instead, she'd find pleasure in it, like savoring a sweet dessert after a meal.
This made her truly dangerous.
"Never mind. Just tell them about Sage Mode!"
Dong Ping casually suggested.
The key to Sage Mode wasn't the training method but choosing the right natural energy and gaining recognition from its source.
This was why Sage Mode was so challenging to learn.
Without this understanding, even with exceptional talent and learning abilities, one couldn't master it.
Take Dong Ping's Sage Mode, for instance. He could only learn it by controlling Ton'go and using the hot springs as a catalyst. Without the hot springs, knowing the training method would be futile.
Now, unless one gained his approval, entering Ton'go's exclusive Sage Mode was impossible.
"No, they don't deserve it!"
Cangyue shook her head, refusing to share the Sage Mode training method, even if they couldn't learn it.
"Forget it. Let's go watch the show!"
Seeing this, Dong Ping didn't insist further and invited her to join him for some entertainment.
Cangyue readily accepted.
As for Honglian, she should stay home and rest.
End of Chapter.
Chapter end
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