Shota took the seat next to the Kazekage. It was funny for everyone to see a young boy whose legs almost dangled from the chair sitting in the meeting with many people in their old age and other adults.
The chair was made for grown shinobi. Shota's feet did not touch the floor. He had to sit up straight to look over the table.
Jiraiya had to cover his mouth to hide a laugh. Shikaku Nara raised one eyebrow and looked amused. Even Elder Mina gave a tiny smile before she remembered she was supposed to be serious. Shota felt like a kid who had sneaked into the grown-up table at a family dinner.
'Jeez, who says kids don't have a choice in the politics of a village? I am already sitting on the big table. Look at me. Ten years old and already in a room with two kages, a Sannin, and half the Konoha council. If someone told me back in the orphanage that I would be here, I would have laughed and asked for more rice balls. Life is really strange.'
'Not that I think that I would be allowed to speak anything after the glare Elder Mina sent my way after I indirectly insulted Danzo. But come on, you can't blame me.'
'I am pretty sure that Jiraiya smiled and even laughed a little when I said that. Even his own village shinobi don't like him. Danzo's face was made for slapping. That frown. That bandaged eye. That cane he holds like he wants to hit someone with it. I bet if I slapped him, the whole room would cheer. Maybe even Hiruzen who is his best bud.'
Minato started the meeting.
"I welcome you, Kazekage, and Elder Mina to Konoha. I am pleased to see that you have accepted my invitation for a meeting."
Rasa nodded politely.
"I congratulate you for the position of the Fourth Hokage. Your achievements precede you, especially your battle against Iwa."
Minato gave a small, humble smile.
"It's no big deal. Let's not wait and say that the main objective of this meeting is to deepen the ties between the two villages, reduce animosities, and turn the ceasefire agreement into an agreement of peace."
The Suna delegation only knew that they were being called for further talks after the ceasefire agreement with Konoha.
It was a surprise for both the Kazekage and Elder Mina to find out that Konoha wanted a full peace agreement with them. Shota had known it was coming from the anime, but hearing it out loud still felt strange. After years of war between the two great shinobi villages, it sounded almost impossible.
Elder Mina leaned forward slightly.
"Can you elaborate more about what you mean by that?"
Minato elaborated, "Our villages have been at war. We have killed each other's shinobi time and time again. We have deep enmity. It is time to change it. It's time we change our relationship and become friends."
Those words were followed by deep silence.
A peace agreement between two great shinobi villages was unprecedented. Such an agreement would mean that the two great villages would not engage in wars and conflicts. No more border skirmishes. No more surprise attacks.
Both villages would save lives. Both would save money. Both would grow stronger without fighting each other. It would change the balance of power in the entire shinobi world.
Shota listened carefully as he analysed this agreement.
The alliance would benefit Konoha more than Suna. Konoha never started wars because they did not need to.
The Land of Fire was rich with forests, rivers, and fertile soil. They had food, water, and resources in plenty. The Land of Wind was a desert. Suna had always attacked Konoha to take fertile land.
This agreement would stop that. Konoha would no longer have to worry about their western border. They could focus on other enemies like Iwa or Kumo. They would face one less great village in future wars.
Suna would gain benefits too. Cheap imports of food and water from the Land of Fire would help the village survive dry seasons. Merchants would travel safely. Trade would increase.
The economy would grow. Being allied with Konoha would make Iwa and Kumo think twice before attacking. No one wanted to fight two great villages at once.
But Shota saw the risk.
This alliance might lead to the nobles and daimyō of the Land of Wind giving missions to Konoha instead of Suna, like in canon.
That had forced Suna to attack Konoha in the future and break the alliance. Shota knew he would have to find ways to prevent that. The simple way would be showcasing good talent in the chūnin exams.
If Suna's genin and chūnin performed well, clients would see the village's strength. They would keep giving missions to Suna. The daimyō would not shift contracts to Konoha.
Elder Mina broke the silence, "Why do you want a peace agreement? Give me a real reason."
Hiruzen explained in his calm, wise voice.
"An agreement like this was what Lord First would want. Such an agreement would make Lord First proud. It was his dream to stop the wars, to stop the children from being sent to the battlefield, to stop countless deaths. He had taken the first step when he ended the warring clans period and reunited the fighting clans under one banner, stopping the fights. The other great villages did the same in their own countries."
He sighed softly.
"But Lord First could not imagine that this would result in the shinobi villages fighting. While the wars between clans stopped, large-scale wars and battles between shinobi villages started."
Hiruzen looked at everyone at the table.
"Lord First foresaw this and to maintain peace distributed the tailed beasts among the great villages to deter each other from attacking. We all know how it ended up."
Shota thought.
'Oh boy, and we just came from a meeting with Iwa for getting a tailed beast. How ironic.'
Hiruzen continued.
"We just want to make our founder's goal a reality."
Elder Mina asked another important question, "But why our village and not another great village? What is your motive, Hokage?"
Minato met her gaze and answered, "We understand that the circumstances had forced Suna to attack our village. Like lack of fertile land, food, water. You had a genuine reason to attack instead of other countries and villages that attacked us out of greed. That's why we wanted to have a peace agreement with you."
He paused for a moment. The room stayed silent. No one interrupted. Minato continued.
"Other villages have attacked us for power, for territory they did not need, for pride. Suna attacked because survival demanded it. The desert gives nothing freely. Your people fought for water, for crops, for a future where children did not starve. Konoha has rivers. We have forests. We have fields that produce more than we can eat."
"We never understood that desperation until we saw the bodies on both sides. We do not blame Suna for wanting to live. We blame the cycle of war that made living so hard. That cycle ends now, if both sides choose to end it."
Shota whistled in his mind at that speech. 'No wonder Jiraiya considered him the child of prophecy and he is the protagonist's father for a reason. The dude has charisma.'
Minato continued, "I know that this is a big decision. So we will continue our discussions tomorrow. You can take the rest of the day to think about this. But remember that Suna would have everything to gain from this than lose anything."
--------Author Notes---------
Y'all can now read the next 15 chapters of the fanfic on my pat*reon.
https://pat*reon.com/Charizard6
[No star]
Thankyou for your support!