Chapter 280: The Deal
"Shikaku, what do you think?" Tonari asked.
At his words, Shikaku's expression grew even more serious.
He knew this was a test.
Everyone in Konoha knew that the Nara clan produced brilliant strategists.
But even among them, there were differences in intelligence.
Not every Nara could rise to be the commander of Konoha's forces or become a crucial aide to the Hokage.
Tonari was assessing whether Shikaku was ready to step up.
Nara Shikaku's father, Nara Shikajin, was getting old and would eventually step down. If Shikaku proved himself capable, Tonari wouldn't hesitate to let him take over his father's responsibilities.
Right now, the key issue was maximizing Konoha's benefits from this situation, and that was what Shikaku needed to determine.
Undoubtedly, Suna's strategist, Ebizō, was also analyzing the best course of action, which explained why he hadn't stepped forward yet.
"Tonari, how long can you keep fighting?"
That was Shikaku's first question—the most critical factor influencing his next move.
Tonari raised an eyebrow slightly, impressed by Shikaku's keen observation.
Despite his efforts to conceal it, Shikaku had picked up on subtle signs of fatigue.
It was especially remarkable given that Shikaku had been splitting his attention between analyzing the battlefield and fighting alongside his teammates.
Noticing Tonari's surprise, Shikaku chuckled. "I know your personality too well. If you could still fight at full power, you wouldn't have just captured the One-Tail's Jinchūriki. You would have gone after Rasa as well.
But the moment you subdued the One-Tail, you chose to halt the battle. That means you're not as fresh as you're trying to appear."
Shikaku's reasoning made complete sense.
If Tonari had been at peak condition, not only would he have defeated the One-Tail, but Rasa would have never escaped.
That alone spoke volumes.
Even so, his performance had been astonishing.
No one on the battlefield doubted the terrifying power he had just displayed.
Tonari's feats included:
Defeating the legendary "Demi-God" Hanzō in a head-to-head battle.
Crushing the Rain ninja's ambush, preventing them from advancing.
Overpowering both Rasa and the One-Tail Shukaku, ultimately capturing the Jinchūriki.
Such achievements were beyond what any normal shinobi could hope to accomplish.
Tonari straightened his neck proudly. "Who said that? I can keep fighting for three more days and nights!"
His playful boast prompted laughter from the familiar faces around him.
Everyone could tell he was exaggerating, but they appreciated the effort.
Shikaku, however, remained thoughtful, rubbing his chin. "So you're running low on chakra, but you've been hiding it well. The battlefield is chaotic, so most people wouldn't notice.
Calling for a ceasefire at this exact moment was the perfect choice. We can use that to our advantage."
Tonari twitched in irritation.
Not only had Shikaku completely ignored his bravado, but he had also accurately deduced the truth.
Tonari could continue fighting.
His chakra replenishment was fast, thanks to his immense reserves, the Two-Tails' chakra, and Hashirama's cells.
However, prolonging the battle meant revealing more of his abilities—and that wasn't ideal.
In this world, the more your enemies understood about your abilities, the easier you were to counter.
"Then we should declare a ceasefire," Shikaku finally said.
No one was surprised by this conclusion.
Instead, they waited for his explanation.
As expected, Shikaku continued, "We can return the One-Tail's Jinchūriki to them, but in exchange, this war must end.
Since Suna started this conflict, they must bear the full cost of their own losses. Konoha, on the other hand, deserves reparations."
He paused before adding, "After some rough calculations, our minimum demand should be…"
Shikaku proceeded to list Konoha's demands—and as he spoke, everyone's expressions changed.
Not because the demands were too low—but because they were too high.
Even with Konoha's disadvantage in numbers, Shikaku was proposing a one-sided agreement.
"Shikaku, isn't this too risky?" Minato hesitated. "Would Suna ever agree to such strict terms?"
From his perspective, ending the war itself was already a victory for Konoha.
Their forces had been fighting for years, and many were already at their breaking point.
Plus, Konoha had been fighting on multiple fronts.
If this war ended, they could redirect their focus elsewhere.
"They will," Shikaku said confidently.
He explained, "We just received information that Iwa launched a surprise attack on Kumo. That means Iwa and Konoha must have struck a secret agreement.
If that's true, then the pressure on our side will decrease significantly.
With the Third Raikage dead, Kumo will be in turmoil—even if the Fourth Raikage takes over smoothly, their forces won't be able to launch a large-scale offensive anytime soon.
We can use this situation to spread false intelligence—if Suna believes that Konoha has additional reinforcements coming, we gain a stronger position in negotiations."
Shikaku's explanation connected all the dots.
Even Tonari was impressed.
Shikaku was using psychological warfare to push for a better deal.
"Since Suna is currently without a Kazekage, the strongest candidate is Rasa," Shikaku continued. "He's the most likely to step up as their next leader.
Tonari, you should offer him support in securing the position of Fourth Kazekage—that will tempt him."
Then, Shikaku delivered the final piece of his plan.
"Additionally, you should use your victory as leverage. Threaten him—if he refuses, you will personally make sure he never leaves this battlefield alive."
The combination of carrot and stick would force Rasa into compliance.
"One more thing," Tonari added. "Iwa has already signed an alliance with us. That means our only remaining enemies are Suna and Kumo."
Everyone's eyes lit up.
"If that's the case, then our chances are even better. If we can secure peace with Suna, the Third Shinobi War will officially enter its final stages," Shikaku said.
Tonari grinned.
"Alright then. Let's do it."
Without further discussion, he grabbed Bunpuku, the captured One-Tail Jinchūriki, and walked to the center of the battlefield.
As expected, the representative from Suna was Rasa.
The two met in the middle.
Tonari wasted no time. He directly presented Konoha's terms.
"Impossible!"
Rasa's expression twisted in anger.
He almost cursed aloud.
Tonari narrowed his eyes and spoke coldly.
"Do you want to become the Fourth Kazekage?"
Rasa froze.
He understood the implications of Tonari's words.
Tonari smirked.
"Think about it. Right now, your biggest obstacles aren't me or Konoha."
"They're Chiyo and Pakura.
Are you really willing to let Chiyo keep controlling Suna from the shadows?"
Rasa clenched his fists.
"If you agree, I'll help you.
I'll even teach you how to completely control Shukaku. Do you really want to pass up that opportunity?"
That was the final push—and the most tempting offer.
Rasa wanted absolute power, and controlling Shukaku was the key.
Finally, after three minutes of tense silence, Rasa made his decision.
"...Fine. I accept."
Tonari grinned victoriously.
Handing Bunpuku over, he said, "When the time comes, I will find you. Don't doubt me."
That day, the Third Shinobi War's biggest battle came to an end—with Konoha emerging victorious.
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