When Uchiha Hikaru said this, Ōnoki, Ay, Rasa, and even i Terumi—who originally believed she was just a beta test participant—were visibly surprised.
Because with Agakure joining the Ninja World Association, it ant a new competitor was stepping in to claim a piece of the pie.
At the sa ti, Uchiha Hikaru's reasoning for allowing Agakure to join was quite clear. In their eyes, the first village Konoha might target for deeper alliance and control could very well be Agakure.
Though it rained year-round in the Land of Rain, that didn't an the land lacked value. Its rich mineral resources and abundant water supply made it extrely desirable.
Whether it was Sunagakure, Iwagakure, or even Konoha—all three had tried at different tis to conquer that territory and bring it under their control.
But Hanzo, the ninja once hailed as a demigod, had defended the village on his own. With his overwhelming strength and devastating wide-range poison techniques, he had even dared to stand against the Five Great Nations. Though he was eventually defeated, he still managed to preserve the independence of Agakure.
Even Uchiha Hikaru held respect for that man—soone who, despite being born a commoner, once stood at the peak of the shinobi world.
Unfortunately, the Hanzo of today had long since fallen. He had been captured and turned into a puppet under Nagato's control. Through Hanzo's lingering reputation, Nagato maintained authority over Agakure.
Nagato wasn't yet aware of the current developnts, but Konan had told Uchiha Hikaru she could handle him. He didn't need to worry.
After all, this change would ultimately benefit Agakure. The only ones who might suffer were the Akatsuki mbers—who would now have massive bounties placed on their heads and be forced to live as fugitives, hunted and hated.
Ōnoki, who had been silently observing, suddenly spoke up. He seed to recall sothing resembling the Ninja World Association and stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Lord Hikaru, then the founding mbers of this Ninja Association... should only include the six of us, correct?"
Uchiha Hikaru nodded.
"Exactly. The six founding mbers will be the only ones with voting rights. If any other village wishes to join in the future, it must be approved unanimously by us six."
Hearing this, Ōnoki relaxed slightly, then shared what had just co to mind.
"In that case, I have a suggestion—though I'm not sure whether it's appropriate."
After Uchiha Hikaru gave him a slight nod, Ōnoki continued with a serious expression.
"I believe the Five Great Nations should work together to dismantle the bounty exchange centers in each country."
"I'm sure everyone here understands the truth: the daimyo of each country are the ones actually controlling the gold exchanges. Even though we possess the Five Great Villages, the daimyo continue to secretly train ninja forces."
"These exchanges allow them to offer exorbitant bounties and buy the bodies of elite shinobi. Their existence threatens the stability and authority of our new Ninja Association. We must eliminate them completely!"
After Ōnoki finished, Tsunade glanced up at the old man, clearly impressed. She hadn't expected him to raise this point—it was actually sothing she had planned to bring up only after the Association was formally established.
Uchiha Hikaru considered the proposal. Was dismantling the gold exchange centers in line with their current objectives?
After a brief mont of thought, he nodded in agreent. Although acting so soon might arouse suspicion among the daimyo, it wasn't a major concern.
This was simply shifting from boiling the frog slowly to slitting its throat directly. The thod was more aggressive, but the result remained the sa.
The rest of the eting was spent refining the Ninja Association's structure—discussing topics like rank classification, logistics managent, personnel assignnts, limits on team sizes, welfare benefits, and reward systems.
The discussions lasted for three straight days and nights. Apart from scheduled als and short rest periods, negotiations continued without pause.
By the end, even Ay had to delegate all decision-making authority to Mabui—his brain was completely fried. Tsunade handed over the task to Shikaku Nara, who handled the finer details. Kurenai Yuhi also ca by to assist, while i Terumi and Ao both had dark circles under their eyes, clearly exhausted.
Ōnoki, poor old man, looked noticeably aged after the ordeal—his face more haggard than before, as if he had lost three years of his life over the discussions.
As for Rasa, he and Maki gave up trying to keep up early on. By the second night, they decided to simply agree to anything proposed by Konoha and reject anything from the others.
On the evening of the third day, Uchiha Hikaru returned to the Senju Clan compound with Tsunade and Shizune.
Only two candles remained lit in the bedroom. The orange-yellow glow from their flickering flas illuminated Tsunade and Shizune, bathing them in warmth and shadow.
Tsunade wore a black lace one-piece, the kind that clung tightly and left little to the imagination. Shizune, on the other hand, was dressed in a white sh camisole—barely enough to be called clothing.
Tsunade lounged casually in her seat, swirling a glass of red wine in one hand and sipping it slowly. She looked over at Shizune, who was curled beneath the quilt, blushing furiously.
"Shizune, why are you acting so shy?" she teased. "You've heard talk about this stuff so many tis—why are you still so flustered?"
"Co on, have a drink."
"Alcohol gives courage. A little wine and you won't be afraid anymore."
Shizune slowly poked her head out from under the covers, looking like a nervous little rabbit peeking out of its burrow.
Her gaze flicked between Tsunade's eyes and the wine glass she held, her expression unfocused and hesitant.
"Really…? Lady Tsunade, you're not tricking , right?" she asked nervously. "I've never drunk anything like this before…"
Tsunade didn't respond. A victorious smile curled on her lips as she pressed the glass gently to Shizune's lips and tipped it forward.
The wine slipped past Shizune's lips—a touch bitter, with a faint burn—and then ca a rush of sweet grape flavor.
Gulp, gulp…
Shizune swallowed instinctively, half the glass gone in seconds. A little trail of wine slipped from the corner of her mouth, down her chin, past her neck, and onto her collarbone.
"…Why do I feel… hot?"
Shizune pressed a hand to her lower belly, feeling warmth—no, heat—spreading through her stomach. Her throat felt dry. Her skin flushed.
At that mont, the sound of slippers brushing against wooden floors echoed from outside the room.
But this ti, it wasn't just one pair. There were two sets of footsteps.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed when she saw Uchiha Hikaru step into the room… and another figure behind him.
Her confusion turned into shock as the figure transford—lting into black mist and condensing into the shape of a sleek black ninja blade.
Her eyes widened.
A ninja sword? What…?!
"Sword…"
The blade shimred and then reshaped itself into a graceful, feminine figure.
She smiled sweetly and clung to Uchiha Hikaru's arm like a possessive lover.
"Tsunade-chan, I got here before you~"
At first, Tsunade was clearly not convinced. She frowned, trying to process what she had just seen.
But after that night, she ca to accept it. She didn't really have a choice.
Her stamina just didn't compare to Qianyue's.
And honestly, with so many already involved, what difference did one more make?
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