"Why refuse? Is there something unsatisfactory?" Kitsuchi couldn't help asking.
Before coming here, Onoki had emphasized to him the importance of deep cooperation with the Ninja Sect, indicating that it was a crucial step for Hidden Rock's plan against Konoha.
"Hidden Rock's conditions are good, but they are not suitable for the Ninja Sect," Mokgetsu answered with a faint smile.
"Expanding the scale of ninja training could increase the Ninja Sect's revenue, but the main requirement for the Ninja Sect is currently the quality of training, and such expansion would conflict with the Ninja Sect's development strategy.
The Ninja Sect has already negotiated with the Rain Village to jointly establish a Ninja Academy, so they have no capacity to cooperate with Hidden Rock to create a school; Hidden Rock's offer is similar, and currently the Ninja Sect doesn't have enough manpower to accept Hidden Rock's goodwill."
"As for protection, the Ninja Sect is confident in safeguarding the Land of Rain, so Hidden Rock need not worry."
Mokgetsu explained point by point, quashing Kitsuchi's intention to discuss cooperation further.
They had completely rejected everything, so negotiations seemed impossible.
Kitsuchi looked at the Hidden Rock Jonin beside him to see if the strategist had any solution.
Onoki was clear about Kitsuchi's abilities, so besides preparing the negotiation tactics, he had specifically sent a Hidden Rock Jonin skilled in negotiations to assist him.
The Hidden Rock Jonin shook his head slightly, indicating that he too was powerless.
If dissatisfaction was expressed with just one condition, Onoki had contingency plans to moderately relax the terms and offer more benefits.
However, Sosuke was clearly dissatisfied with the core requirements of deep cooperation, and they couldn't make those decisions on their own, so there was no room for negotiation.
"Apologies for making this trip in vain," Mokgetsu said apologetically.
The Ninja Sect had already profited from Hidden Rock and gained support, and might even lure away Hidden Rock's Jinchuriki; on closer inspection, they'd reaped quite a bit from Hidden Rock.
"Cooperation aims to achieve shared objectives between parties. Since we can't reach a consensus now, your refusal is reasonable," Kitsuchi said with a smile.
Upon reflection, Sosuke's refusal wasn't surprising; Sosuke wasn't one to follow conventional logic, otherwise, he wouldn't have achieved so many unconventional feats.
The Hidden Rock Jonin gave Kitsuchi a strange look; normally, such situations are met with courteous remarks, but it seemed Kitsuchi was genuinely relieved and began to consider things from Sosuke's perspective.
Hey, you're the son of the Third Tsuchikage, is this really appropriate?
After a few friendly exchanges, Mokgetsu politely escorted the two out of the reception room.
Given that Kitsuchi came to discuss cooperation and Mokgetsu wasn't prepared to cooperate, there was no content left to discuss.
Back at the resting quarters prepared for them by the Ninja Sect, the Hidden Rock Jonin first carefully examined the surroundings, then couldn't help but say to Kitsuchi:
"Lord Kitsuchi, this move by the Ninja Sect is very important to the Village's subsequent plans; we can't just give up."
The Ninja Sect is an excellent strategic asset for the Hidden Rock Village, maintaining a good relationship and having a common enemy in Konoha.
The gradually repairing relationship with Rain Village allows Hidden Rock Village to leverage the Ninja Sect to mobilize the entire ninja force of the Land of Rain.
With strong figures like Sosuke, plus the ordinary ninjas of the Land of Rain, the collective ninja force of the Land of Rain stands out among ordinary ninja villages.
"But Sosuke completely rejected our conditions and has no intention to cooperate," Kitsuchi said helplessly.
Though admiring Sosuke internally, Kitsuchi definitely prioritized the Village.
"Let's first contact the Third Tsuchikage to report the situation," the Hidden Rock Jonin continued.
Since the current conditions don't work, they would need a major revision; however, how and what to revise isn't within their authority—it must be decided by Onoki.
...
Land of Fire, Konoha Village.
Training base.
"Breath of Darkness can increase physical abilities through concentrated breathing combined with Chakra explosion; the more concentrated the breath, the greater the enhancement, providing comprehensive improvement and accelerating recovery when injured."
Mokgetsu corrected the training team members' postures while explaining the various effects of the Breath of Darkness.
The curriculum was arranged like this: for the first two months, ordinary team members could attend Breath of Darkness classes three afternoons a week, while spending the remaining time learning skills like intelligence gathering.
Meanwhile, squad leaders and above had to attend Breath of Darkness classes five days a week, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM, in addition to participating fully in the sessions the ordinary members attended.
Sarutobi Hiruzen demanded both speed and quality this time, so Mokgetsu could only intensify the training.
After all, Mokgetsu wasn't truly a deity and couldn't magically produce two teams of elite ninjas for Sarutobi Hiruzen out of thin air.
To grow stronger, one must invest time in training and learning.
Fortunately, Sarutobi Hiruzen's support matched his demands, providing ample funds and cultivation elixirs.
"What an amazing Secret Technique, actually related to breathing—it seems to pair well with my Beast Mimicry Ninpo!" Inuzuka Midori was learning enthusiastically.
Beast Mimicry Ninpo allowed her body to resemble a Ninja Beast, and Ninja Beasts have stronger breathing capabilities compared to humans, so combining the two would yield more than expected results.
Thinking about this made Inuzuka Midori extremely excited, causing her to enter the Beast Mimicry Ninpo state using Chakra, enhancing her physical body while taking deep breaths of air.
"You're making a mistake; concentration doesn't mean breathing wildly; it requires technique," Shisui pointed out with a shake of the head.
Though the Breath of Darkness was developed absorbing characteristics from Breath of Thunder rather than Breath of Flame, there are many commonalities among breathing techniques.