Naruto: Konoha Spring of the Uchiha Prodigies

“However, if you encounter a truly formidable enemy, you may not have the time to be distracted by the summoning jutsu,” Uchiha Touko reminded him.

Chapter 182 You should say thank you

“That’s right, Sasuke is now so good that I can’t concentrate on channeling his summoning jutsu,” Neji said helplessly, not to mention enemies a level higher.

“Don’t underestimate yourselves. Sasuke and Naruto are so strong that even the Jonin from the great ninja villages can’t do much against them,” Uchiha Touko said. “However, this is a problem that we really need to help you solve.”

As he spoke, Uchiha Touko stood up, took a scroll from the top shelf of the bookshelf in his office, and then removed the seal from the top shelf.

"What is this?" Neji was also taken aback when he saw the large scroll.

"The Book of Sealing Techniques." Uchiha Touko said, after entering the secret command for the sealing technique above, he flipped through it, found the page for the Flying Thunder God Technique, copied it with a blank scroll, and then threw it directly to Neji.

“The Flying Thunder God Technique, developed by the Second Hokage and refined by the Fourth Hokage, should be of some help to your research,” said Uchiha Touko.

"This... isn't that a bit inappropriate?" Neji said. He and Tenten had considered the Flying Thunder God Technique before, but this ninjutsu was from the Scroll of Seals. For him to obtain such a precious ninjutsu right after graduation without having accomplished anything, even if he was the Hokage's disciple, would still cause controversy.

"Take it, consider it a graduation gift for you and Tenten," Uchiha Touko said. "The contribution of the vision-sharing ninja tool that you two developed together is actually enough to exchange for a ninjutsu in the Scroll of Seals. The Flying Thunder God Technique might be a little less, but it's fine to give it to you in advance."

"Besides, it's not free for you guys," Uchiha Touko said. "I plan to have you team up with Naruto and Sasuke, but they still have a year before they graduate. So, for this year, I plan to have you train alone in the Anbu. Consider the merits you're short as a loan to the two of you. You'll have to do missions to pay them back slowly."

Neji's lips twitched slightly upon hearing this. Couldn't you have used a different word? Loan... In the last two years, who in the ninja world would dare to take out a loan from you? The last person to take out a loan from you, all the mines in the country have already been taken over by Konoha.

As they grew older, Uchiha Touko began to gradually teach Sasuke and Neji about strategy. So, despite Konoha's consistent stance of standing on the moral high ground, the two brothers knew perfectly well what role their teacher had played in the three-year-long war between the Land of Waterfall and the Land of Earth.

Just as Neji was about to leave with the copy of the Flying Thunder God Technique, there was a knock on the Hokage's office door.

"Lord Hokage, Young Master Neji." After entering the Hokage's office, Uchiha Inahime greeted the two men before saying to Uchiha Touko, "Lord Hokage, Iwata Sawaki is outside requesting an audience."

Well, I was just thinking about this guy, and here he is, Neji thought to himself, his lips twitching.

"Then, teacher, I won't disturb your work any longer." Neji put the scroll away and took his leave of Uchiha Touko.

"When you go to the Ninja Tool Research Institute, also go to the Security Forces and call Kakashi over for me. There's nothing left to squeeze out of Takigakure, and this war should be over," Uchiha Touko instructed.

"Yes!" Neji nodded and accepted the order.

Not long after, Kakashi, who had been summoned by Uchiha Touko, put down Icha Icha Paradise and rushed over to the captain's office of the security team.

However, as soon as he arrived at the door, he was stopped by Iwata Sawaki, who was already waiting there.

"Mr. Iwata?" Kakashi guessed why Uchiha Touko had summoned him upon seeing the visitor. In the past six months, with the progress of the war, Takigakure, even with the support of Konoha, had reached the point of exhaustion. Iwata Zeki's loans to Konoha and its allies were due to be repaid in 30 years. It could be said that almost all the mineral resources within Takigakure were now under the name of Konoha.

After the collateral was removed, Uchiha Tokō gradually reduced his aid to the Land of Waterfall, and now nearly a quarter of the Land of Waterfall's territory has fallen into the hands of the Land of Earth.

After Iwata Sawaki arrived, Uchiha Touko didn't see him for a long time, but instead called him over first, simply because he wanted him to play the bad cop in the negotiations.

"Lord Kakashi!" Iwata Zeki, dressed in a dusty battle suit, with a stubble beard and bloodshot eyes, grabbed onto Kakashi's clothes as if he were a drowning man seeing a lifeline.

"Mr. Iwata, Assistant Kakashi, the Hokage's documents have been processed. Please come in." At this moment, Uchiha Inahisa also walked out of the Hokage Building and said to the two of them.

Upon hearing this, Iwata Zeki breathed a sigh of relief and followed Kakashi into the Hokage's office.

When the two entered the office, Uchiha Tokō was making tea. After seeing them enter, he poured a cup of tea for each of them, and then said apologetically to Iwata Sawaki, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I was dealing with important confidential documents from our village, so I apologize for neglecting you."

"It's alright, I just arrived recently," Iwata Sawaki said. Although he had been waiting outside for most of the day, he needed someone's help, so he could only manage a forced smile.

After drinking the tea that Uchiha Touko handed him, Iwata Sawaki waited a long time. Seeing that Uchiha Touko had not mentioned continuing to provide assistance, Iwata Sawaki finally couldn't help but ask first: "Um... Hokage, do you think Konoha can continue to provide assistance to Takigakure for a while? I believe that with Konoha's assistance, we will definitely be able to drive the invaders from the Land of Earth out of our homeland."

However, faced with Iwata Sawaki's impassioned words, Uchiha Touko and Kakashi both fell silent.

Kakashi shook his head inwardly.

Where is the former Iwata Sawaki now, even remotely resembling a leader of the ninja village? He has completely become a gambler who has lost everything and can only keep increasing his bets at the table in an attempt to turn things around.

“Mr. Iwata, why don’t we, Konoha, step in and help you mediate the war with the Land of Earth?” Uchiha Touko said with a long sigh.

Upon hearing Uchiha Touko's words, Iwata Sawaki was struck dumb, staring at the two in disbelief.

"Why...why? Our Takigakure is only one step away from victory," Iwata Sawaki said.

“Mr. Iwata, if I may be so bold, your Takigakure has run out of cards.” Kakashi spoke up at this moment.

During the two and a half years of war, anyone in Takigakure, from 12 to 50 years old, with even a slight talent for refining chakra, was captured and forced to serve as cannon fodder. The age of 12, the graduation age of the Ninja Academy, was only maintained by Uchiha Toko using aid as leverage. Otherwise, it is estimated that the children of Takigakure would have been sent to the battlefield as cannon fodder in the past few years.

It can be said that the current Takigakure has lost two generations in this war.

Uchiha Tokō then spoke up, saying, "After all this time in this war, your Land of Waterfall isn't exactly a loser. For a small country like yours to be able to hold off the Land of Earth for so long is already a great honor."

“But…” Iwata Zeki wanted to argue, but Kakashi spoke up at that moment.

“Mr. Iwata, you cannot place your hopes for a war against a country twenty times stronger than yours on another country,” Kakashi said at this moment. “Besides, Konoha’s resources and patience are not unlimited.”

"Hokage-sama," the office door opened again, and Nagai Seiichi, the captain of the Jonin squad, walked in, placed a stack of documents on Uchiha Touko's desk, and said, "Hokage-sama, this is the Jonin squad's mission report for the past month. Please take a look."

"Okay, leave it there for now, I'll look at it in a bit," said Uchiha Touko.

"Lord Hokage, are you planning to abandon our Land of Waterfall?" At this moment, Iwata Sawaki suddenly spoke up.

When Nagai Seiichi saw that someone dared to question his most respected Hokage, he couldn't hold back any longer. He glanced at Iwata Sawaki and said coldly, "Are you the leader of the Land of Waterfall? Why don't you even wear your formal attire to see the Hokage? Doesn't your Land of Waterfall know the most basic etiquette?"

Upon hearing Seiichi Nagai's question, Iwata Sawaki looked down at his combat uniform somewhat awkwardly before explaining, "My country is currently at war. Once the war is over, I will naturally come to visit you in formal attire."

"Let's end this war like this." Uchiha Touko sighed and said, "Mr. Iwata, if we end the war now, no one in the ninja world will consider you the losers."

"Hokage, if we can't severely damage the Land of Earth, their next target will be Konoha. Once their ambitions grow, it will be the Fourth Shinobi World War." Iwata Zeki was still trying to drag Konoha into the conflict.

However, upon hearing his words, Kakashi's expression changed: "Mr. Iwata, can I take your words as a threat to Konoha?"

"No..." Upon hearing Kakashi's words, Iwata Sawaki panicked at first, then hurriedly explained, "I didn't mean that."

"Are you gambling with the lives of millions of people and the Fourth Shinobi World War?" Kakashi said. "If that's what you're thinking, then Konoha needs to reassess this war. Your current attitude is completely contrary to Konoha's long-standing goal of pursuing peace in the ninja world."

"Furthermore, Mr. Iwata, I feel that you have not shown enough respect to Konoha. Without our assistance, your war with the Land of Earth would have ended within two weeks. You should thank Konoha for the current outcome!"

"Enough!" Uchiha Touko shouted in a deep voice.

After Uchiha Touko finished speaking, Kakashi and Nagai Seiichi fell silent. At this moment, Uchiha Touko looked up at Iwata Sawaki and said, "I still suggest that your Land of Waterfall and Land of Earth cease hostilities. There is one thing you can rest assured about, Mr. Iwata: Konoha will do its best to protect the interests of your Land of Waterfall during the negotiations."

"You should think about this carefully for a while," Uchiha Touko said. "Inahisa, see the guest out."

"Mr. Iwata, please." After hearing Uchiha Touko's summons, Uchiha Inahime walked in from outside and came to Iwata Sawaki, speaking to him.

At this moment, Iwata Sawaki seemed to have all his strength drained away, slumping onto the guest sofa in the Hokage's office. Uchiha Inahime did not urge him, patiently waiting for him to get up.

After a while, Iwata Zeki stood up and, along with Uchiha Inahime, prepared to leave the Hokage's office in a daze. However, before he went out, he suddenly stopped, turned back to look at the three people in the office, and said, "Between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth are small countries like ours. You can't feel the pain now, but you will in the future."

Upon hearing this, Nagai Seiichi's expression changed, and he intended to teach the insolent Iwata Sawaki a lesson on the spot. However, at this moment, Uchiha Touko and Kakashi simultaneously reached out to signal him to calm down.

"Perhaps, but in any case, Konoha's goal of pursuing peace will not change," Uchiha Touko said.

……

After Iwata Sawaki left, Uchiha Touko also signed the documents that Nagai Seiichi had brought and then let him leave first.

After Nagai Seiichi left, Kakashi, who had been drinking tea for a while, finally spoke up: "In this war, although the Land of Waterfall suffered heavy losses, the Land of Earth has not had an easy time either. Will they agree to a ceasefire like this?"

“You said it yourself, the Land of Earth isn’t having an easy time in this war,” Uchiha Touko said with a shrug. “If we step in and put pressure on him, there’s a good chance that old man Onoki will agree to a ceasefire.”

"When will this war in the ninja world ever end?" Kakashi suddenly leaned back on the sofa and sighed.

"It'll be soon." Uchiha Touko poured boiling water into the transparent teapot again, watching the tea leaves swirling inside, and slowly said, "It will be in the next few years. Once we are ready, let's end all the conflicts in the ninja world in our generation."

After having two rounds of tea with Kakashi, Uchiha Tokō sent a communication invitation to Ōnoki.

After a while, Onoki's figure appeared on the screen.

"What brings you here to see this old man at this hour, Hokage?" Onoki asked with a cold snort as he looked at Uchiha Touko.

"Hehe, I wonder how your village's special military operation is progressing?" Uchiha Touko asked with a light laugh.

Upon hearing Uchiha Touko's words, Onoki's lips twitched. He suppressed the urge to curse and said, "Thanks to the Hokage, things went relatively smoothly. What, does the Hokage have so much free time that he's concerned about the situation in Iwagakure?"

Chapter 183 Deidara: Everyone in Konoha is talented, and they all speak so well.

"Iwata-san from Takigakure is currently in our Konoha." - Uchiha Touko.

"Is that so? How much support does Konoha plan to provide them this time?" Onoki sneered.

"Heh, Lord Tsuchikage is joking. Since your special military operation began, Konoha has not provided any support to the Land of Waterfall. What we have given is only humanitarian aid to the people of the Land of Waterfall, providing them with daily necessities," Uchiha Touko said without changing his expression.

"So, according to you, all those explosive tags in Takigakure's military camp that bear the logo of your Land of Fire's ninja tool factory just appeared out of thin air?" Onoki said through gritted teeth.

"Hasn't Konoha already explained this? It's all normal business practice," Uchiha Touko said.

"Enough! Is the Hokage making this video call with us just to make excuses?" Onoki said.

“Of course not,” Uchiha Touko said. “This war has displaced countless innocent civilians, and it’s time for it to end.”

"Konoha is willing to act as a mediator between your village and Takigakure. What does the Tsuchikage think?"

"Is the Hokage joking?" Onoki scoffed. "This war has been going on for two years. How can it be stopped so easily?"

"In that case, how about Konoha becomes your opponent?" Uchiha Touko said without changing his expression. "You can fight for as long as you want."

Upon hearing Uchiha Touko's words, Onoki's expression turned serious. If it had been two years ago, and Uchiha Touko had adopted this attitude, Onoki wouldn't have tolerated it; he would have simply started a war.

But now, after two years of war, although Iwagakure has maintained the advantage in the overall battle situation, they have not gained any substantial benefits. The territory they have acquired through war? Those barren lands in the northwest of the Land of Waterfall would be given to the Land of Earth for free and they might not even want them. And the lands in the Land of Waterfall that are rich in minerals are all in the southeast, which they cannot even touch.

Furthermore, after two years of war, not only has the Land of Earth suffered heavy financial losses, but anti-war sentiment has also emerged within the country. Even the ninjas of Iwagakure have begun to secretly murmur that perhaps this war should never have started in the first place.

Under such circumstances, if Konoha were to intervene, it would be questionable whether the Land of Earth could emerge unscathed from this war.

After taking a deep breath, Onoki said, "What does this mean, Hokage? Have you forgotten that our two villages signed a non-aggression pact? Does the Hokage intend to tear up this pact?"

“Of course not. Everyone in the ninja world knows that I, Uchiha Tokō, am the most trustworthy person,” Uchiha Tokō said. “However, I suggest that Your Majesty the Tsuchikage carefully consider my suggestion. The mainstream voice in the ninja world is still peace. Some things can be resolved at the negotiating table.”

After a moment of silence, Onoki finally spoke, "When will we negotiate?"

"I will be in Konoha a week from now, awaiting your arrival," said Uchiha Touko. "However, could the Tsuchikage first demonstrate some sincerity?"

"I will give the order in a moment to have the border troops temporarily halt their attack," Onoki said, staring intently at Uchiha Touko.

"Thank you for your concessions for peace," Uchiha Touko said. "Our Konoha will also step in to ensure that the Takigakure army exercises restraint."

"I hope so," Onoki said, then hung up the call.

……

Two weeks later, Onoki arrived in Konoha as promised and, witnessed by Uchiha Touko, had his first meeting with Iwata Sawaki since the start of the war.

With Konoha's mediation, both sides exchanged views fully, enhancing mutual understanding. The talks were beneficial, but both sides remained reserved about the current outcome.

Currently, the core of the dispute between the two sides lies in the greatest loss suffered by Iwagakure in this war: the Five-Tails Kokuo and its jinchūriki, who were captured by Akatsuki.