"How about you stay for a cup of tea first?"
"Lead the way!" Toshijin agreed instantly.
Saving face didn't matter right now. The most pressing issue was getting inside Konoha to find a flaw and make a scene.
Just like that, the bewildered Uchiha clansmen accidentally became the receptionists for the Iwagakure delegation, leading them straight into the village.
By the time Jie Uchiha got the news, the Iwa shinobi had already settled into Konoha's guesthouse.
'They actually swallowed that kind of insult?' Jie mused, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. 'Looks like Iwagakure is determined to get what they want this time.'
A diplomatic envoy visiting a foreign nation hadn't been greeted by the Hokage. They hadn't even seen their assigned reception ninja. If that wasn't a slap in the face, what was?
If Jie were in their shoes, he would have stormed off immediately. Or at the very least, thrown a massive tantrum before leaving. He definitely wouldn't have quietly followed a few random guards to a guesthouse.
Their restraint proved one thing... Iwa was after something big.
As for Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya completely ditching their duties, Jie couldn't care less.
This reception was just for show anyway. It didn't matter how the Sannin handled it. As long as Konoha came out on top, Jie was satisfied. Whether those benefits came from peaceful diplomacy or outright war made zero difference to him.
'Still, after pulling a stunt like this, Iwa won't just sit quietly. They'll start making a fuss soon', Jie reasoned. 'It'll be the perfect chance to see what terms they're offering and if we can accept them. Though, with Orochimaru handling things, we shouldn't have a problem.'
He remembered how Orochimaru had built the Hidden Sound Village from scratch and recruited hordes of rogue ninja in the original timeline.
The snake Sannin was an absolute genius at extortion.
Pushing the Iwa delegation out of his mind, Jie shifted his focus back to the village's administrative reforms... 'So, should we go with the Three Departments and Six Ministries system? Or maybe a Parliamentary Cabinet?'
.....
Meanwhile, thanks to Tsunade's unparalleled medical ninjutsu, Jiraiya's broken ribs were healed in record time. He was admitted and discharged from the hospital on the exact same day.
"Tsunade, you're way too ruthless. I almost went to see the old man in the afterlife," Jiraiya grumbled. He still looked a bit pale as he rubbed his newly mended chest.
"For a pervert like you, dying would just be a public service to the ninja world," Tsunade shot back without an ounce of mercy.
Knowing her temper, Jiraiya knew she was just joking. He shook his head and let it go.
However, as they walked down the street, he noticed the villagers huddled together in small groups, whispering amongst themselves.
Suddenly, Jiraiya felt that something was very wrong.
Jiraiya frowned. "Did something major happen in the village again?"
"What could possibly happen right now?" Tsunade replied casually. "It's not like we're about to start a war."
Suddenly, they both froze. They stared at each other, eyes wide, as a suffocating silence fell between them.
"It couldn't be the Iwa delegation... could it?"
"What day did that brat say they were arriving?"
"I think it was today!"
Panic set in... They were doomed.
If they botched the very first task Jie Uchiha gave them, the legendary Sannin would lose all their face.
Without wasting another second, Tsunade and Jiraiya hurried to find Orochimaru for an emergency backup plan.
But Orochimaru didn't have a plan. In fact, he couldn't even be bothered to think of one.
To him, the worst-case scenario was just war. The Hidden Leaf currently boasted Kage-level powerhouses like the Sannin, the formidable Uchiha clan, and an absolute monster like Jie Uchiha.
Forget about a mere Iwagakure—even if another Great Ninja War broke out and it was Konoha against the other four villages, they wouldn't even blink.
As long as the three Sannin could stall the other villages for a bit, Jie could wipe them all out single-handedly once his hands were free.
So why waste so much effort welcoming a simple delegation?
Orochimaru bluntly told Tsunade and Jiraiya to relax, then dove right back into his experiments.
Since Jiraiya and Tsunade had never fully witnessed Jie's terrifying strength, they were still pretty anxious about Orochimaru's careless attitude. Still, with his reassurance, they decided to hold off and not rush over to check on the Iwa ninja just yet.
And so, between Iwa's hidden motives, Orochimaru's utter indifference, and Tsunade and Jiraiya's lingering anxiety, the day quietly passed.
At the official diplomatic talks the next day, things played out exactly as Tsunade and Jiraiya had feared. The Iwa delegation immediately opened fire about their poor reception.
"We of Iwagakure came seeking peace, yet this is how Konoha treats us!" Toshijin slammed his hand onto the table, his voice cold and furious. "If Konoha doesn't offer adequate compensation, then these peace talks are over!"
Toshijin had nearly jumped out of his skin when he recognized the three legendary Sannin sitting across from him. He had almost wanted to turn tail and run right then and there.
But he steadied himself. 'Konoha is in the wrong here, he thought.'
This was a formal negotiation between nations. The Sannin had left the village ages ago, they couldn't possibly override the Hokage's decisions. Maybe Konoha's young Hokage was simply terrified of Iwa's reputation and had called them back just to prop up the village's image.
With that thought, Toshijin doubled down on his original plan... extort Konoha. He would play the arrogant victim to the bitter end and force them to pay massive reparations.
Unfortunately for him, Orochimaru was already deeply annoyed that his precious experiments had been interrupted. Seeing Toshijin's self-righteous posturing, a cold, reptilian sneer crept onto his pale face.
"Alright then. Take care. We won't see you out," Orochimaru said casually.
Toshijin choked. The rest of his prepared, fiery speech died right in his throat.
He and Kitsuchi had spent the entire night rehearsing for this. They had prepared for dozens of different reactions from the Konoha diplomats.
Orochimaru simply telling them to pack up and leave was absolutely not in the playbook.
"What's wrong? Forgot the way back?" Orochimaru licked his lips, his golden eyes narrowing in amusement.
"Should I ask the Military Police to send a patrol squad? They can personally escort the Iwa delegation all the way back to the Land of Earth."
Kitsuchi and Toshijin were left completely dumbfounded. How were they even supposed to answer that?
"Well... since we are all sitting here for the sake of peace, let's not be so hot-headed," Kitsuchi finally stepped in, forced into the awkward role of peacemaker just to keep Orochimaru happy.
Tsunade and Jiraiya watched this unfold with a bizarre, surreal feeling.
They were in Konoha. They were the hosts here. So why did it feel like the roles were completely reversed? It felt like they were the aggressive thugs kicking down the door, while Kitsuchi was the desperate host begging to smooth things over.
Given an easy out by Kitsuchi, Toshijin let out a cold snort, acting like he was reluctantly letting his anger go.
"We came bearing Lord Tsuchikage's utmost sincerity," Kitsuchi continued carefully. "During the last Great Ninja War, Lord Tsuchikage truly understood the importance of peace. That is why he decisively ordered a ceasefire. He sent us here today to sign a new peace treaty with Konoha."
Kitsuchi paused, cursing silently.
When they originally drafted this treaty, their plan was to open their jaws like a greedy lion and demand an absolute fortune. They never expected to find all three legendary Sannin sitting across the table.
Now that Konoha clearly wasn't as weak as they thought, the heavy demands written on that scroll felt horribly out of place.
'Should I even take it out?'
"What's wrong?" Orochimaru urged, his tone light but pressing. "Is there a problem with the peace treaty? Why not let us take a look?"
After a long moment of hesitation, Kitsuchi reluctantly pulled the scroll from his vest.
'Negotiations are just like doing business', he reasoned with himself. 'Bargaining is a normal part of the process. At worst, Iwa will just have to settle for squeezing a little less out of Konoha.'
Orochimaru took the treaty and scanned the lengthy list of demands.
Slowly, a deeply satisfied smile spread across his pale face.
"Very well. Konoha accepts these terms."
"If you aren't satisfied, we can always renego—" Kitsuchi choked on his words. He froze on the spot, his eyes widening in pure shock.
'Konoha accepted it just like that?!'
"So," Orochimaru continued, his smile growing wider, "when will all the items on this list be delivered to Konoha?"
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