The atmosphere inside the Mizukage's office was the dead silence following a storm, suffocatingly oppressive. The violent killing intent surrounding the Third Mizukage had not completely dissipated, like a volcano about to erupt, but deep within his scarlet eyes, there was an undeniable trace of coldness and struggle forcibly poured in by reality.
Yuanshi Elder's aged and steady voice echoed in the ears of the Third Mizukage and all the high-ranking officials like an alarm bell, repeatedly drowning out the pure rage of vengeance.
"Lord Mizukage, everyone," Yuanshi Elder's gaze swept over the high-ranking officials whose expressions were grim, finally settling on the Third Mizukage, "Please calm down and take a careful look at the situation Kirigakure is currently facing."
He extended his withered fingers, counting point by point. Every point was like a cold needle, piercing the already tattered pride of Kirigakure:
"First, the sneak attack on Konoha. We attempted it twice. Once, we were repelled by 'Shisui the Body Flicker' Uchiha Shisui and his unit, and the second time, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were almost completely wiped out by 'Konoha's Azure Beast' Might Duy. We returned without success and lost all face."
"Second, the surprise attack on Sunagakure. We thought we could take advantage of their recent defeat, but what was the result? Ao's unit was blocked in the desert by Pakura's Scorch Release, unable to advance an inch. Furthermore, the main force led by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist (newly formed) was ambushed at East Sea Bay by an obscure young Puppeteer from Sunagakure, who controlled strange puppets, killing three members on the spot, forcing a complete rout!"
"Third, and the latest, most devastating blow!" Yuanshi Elder's voice suddenly rose, filled with anguish, "Our own major stronghold, the southern key location Bijiao Island, was breached by someone crossing the sea, acting as if they owned the place! The port, the fleet, and the defensive forces were utterly destroyed! The Kaguya Clan suffered heavy casualties! And the enemy? Only two people! One puppet! They even had the leisure to plunder large amounts of supplies before calmly leaving! We couldn't even stop them!"
Every word was like ripping open a bloody wound, causing the faces of all the high-ranking officials in the office to grow paler and their breathing heavier. Humiliation and anger were present, but even more so, a chilling sense of powerlessness.
"Sending out our entire force to launch a distant campaign against Sunagakure?" Yuanshi Elder looked at the Third Mizukage, his tone heavy, "Lord Mizukage, tell me, what do we have left to wage war? Our naval strength has just been severely damaged! Our elite forces have suffered continuous losses! The various clans inside the Village are complaining bitterly, and morale is unstable! If the main force leaves the Village, can you guarantee that Konoha, which is eyeing us covetously, won't seize the opportunity? Can you guarantee that Kumogakure and Iwagakure won't kick us while we're down? Will Hidden Mist Village even exist then?"
The Third Mizukage clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms, blood oozing between his fingers, yet he felt no pain. Yuanshi Elder's words were like buckets of ice water, extinguishing his frantic flames of vengeance, leaving behind only cold ashes and biting chill.
He looked around and saw that even the few radical military high-ranking officials who had previously supported going to war were now avoiding eye contact and lowering their heads. Reality was this cruel.
Yes, Kirigakure was no longer the fearsome "Bloody Mist Village" capable of attacking everywhere. Continuous failures and internal strife had long since hollowed out its foundation. The tragedy at Bijiao Island this time was merely the removal of the last piece of covering cloth.
Continuing to be obstinate would only drag the entire Village into an abyss of eternal damnation.
A long, suffocating silence enveloped the entire office.
Finally, the Third Mizukage seemed drained of all strength. Slowly and with extreme difficulty, he unclenched his fists and slumped back into his chair. He closed his eyes, his voice hoarse and dry, filled with endless exhaustion and reluctance:
"...Then... in your opinion, what should we do?"
Yuanshi Elder secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the most dangerous moment had passed. He pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke the choice that everyone was reluctant to accept but had no option but to face:
"Reopen negotiations."
These few words were light, yet weighed more than a thousand pounds.
"However," Yuanshi Elder changed his tone, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes, "the basis of the negotiation must change. We absolutely cannot admit to starting the war; that would put us completely in the wrong and give Sunagakure, and even the entire Ninja World, more leverage. This incident can only be defined as... an unfortunate 'local conflict' resulting from escalated border friction and misunderstanding."
"Based on this," he continued, "we can 'consider' offering Sunagakure a certain level of 'compensation' to quell the incident and restore peace in the southern seas. But this must absolutely not be 'reparations'; rather, it will be 'humanitarian aid' or 'resource compensation' based on 'overall strategic considerations'."
This was typical political rhetoric, preserving the last shred of face while essentially making concessions. Although everyone knew this was just self-deception, in the face of brutal reality, this was the most dignified way out Kirigakure could secure.
The Third Mizukage remained silent for a long time. Finally, he nodded extremely slightly, as if the motion had exhausted all his strength.
"Then... do as you say." He waved his hand, his voice utterly exhausted, "Immediately contact the negotiating representatives still at sea and grant them new authority... go and talk."
With the order given, the high-ranking officials in the office left in silence, their footsteps unusually heavy. A sense of humiliation still lingered, but it was overshadowed by the powerlessness of survival and the dejection of facing reality.
Soon, the new instructions were transmitted via encrypted channels to the Kirigakure negotiating representative, who was still engaged in a tedious tug-of-war with Sunagakure's representative, Baki, at sea.
When the Kirigakure representative saw the contents of the directive, his expression instantly became incredibly complex, shifting between green and white, finally dissolving into a long, helpless sigh. He composed himself, struggled to maintain a calm exterior, and once again sent a request for a meeting to Baki's vessel.
This time, Kirigakure's attitude was about to undergo a complete 180-degree turn. A negotiation based on an entirely new "foundation" was about to begin. And the initiative had already completely fallen into the hands of Sunagakure.