The domineering Uchiha drove the Third Hokage mad!

Chapter 18 This is not internal strife, but rather purging out parasites.

In the village of Iwagakure before dawn, in the Tsuchikage's office, Onoki stood by the window, his gray eyebrows furrowed.

His rough fingers unconsciously traced the window frame as he muttered to himself, "A green Susanoo over 70 meters tall... Fugaku Uchiha, that kid, now has eyes like Madara Uchiha... Is Konoha... about to rise again?"

Outside the window, the first rays of morning light pierced through the clouds.

Onoki turned to look in the mirror and found that he seemed to have aged ten years overnight, with a few more strands of white hair on his forehead.

Thinking of his captured son Huang Tu, the five thousand elite Iwagakure soldiers trapped in enemy hands, and the 300 billion ryo war reparations demanded by Konoha, he felt as if a huge boulder was pressing on his chest.

Suddenly, Onoki took a deep breath and shouted, "Kari! Come with me to the front lines to negotiate!"

Kari bowed respectfully and said, "Yes! Lord Tsuchikage."

He is a member of the Iwagakure (Hidden Stone Village) Explosion Team and possesses the Bloodline Limit Explosion Release, making him a force to be reckoned with. This is perhaps why the Tsuchikage chose him to follow.

The two climbed to the rooftop of the Tsuchikage Building. The morning wind was biting, and Onoki's robes fluttered in the wind.

He formed hand seals, and chakra flowed within his body: "Earth Release: Light and Heavy Rock Technique!"

A strange feeling of weightlessness came over them, and their bodies slowly floated into the air.

Onoki controlled the flow of chakra, carrying Kari as they flew towards the border of the Land of Grass. The Hidden Stone Village below gradually shrank, the morning light gilding the rock buildings with a golden hue.

......

Konoha Front Camp, Central Tent.

The guards' hurried footsteps broke the morning's tranquility.

"Reporting to Commander-in-Chief Fugaku! The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, and his guards have arrived and request to see you!"

Inside the tent, Fugaku Uchiha opened his eyes and glanced at his pocket watch—5:58.

Fugaku Uchiha's voice was calm as still water: "Please have them wait in the main tent first. Inform the Eighth Hokage, the Kurama clan head, and the Kazami clan head to assemble. Also, bring that kid Mitsumine along!"

"yes!"

When Fugaku entered the tent, all the high-ranking officials of Konoha had already arrived.

Onoki sat opposite him; his short stature exuded an undeniable air of authority.

The Eighth Hokage, the Three Peaks of the Uchiha clan, the Kurama clan head, the Kazami clan head, and others looked at each other warily, the atmosphere inside the tent heavy as iron.

Fugaku Uchiha took his seat at the head of the table, his voice calm and unhurried: "Third Tsuchikage Onoki, I've kept you waiting."

Onoki scoffed, "Uchiha brat, enough nonsense. You want a surrender document? Fine, but only 30 billion ryo in war reparations! No way, that's against the rules of ninja warfare!"

Fugaku Uchiha gently raised his hand, and a servant immediately served him hot tea.

He took a slow sip before speaking, "War is always about results. Besides, in the Third Shinobi World War, it was your side that broke the peace agreement first. It was also you who joined forces with the other three great shinobi villages to besiege our Konoha."

Unexpectedly, Fugaku Uchiha brought this up directly, and the temperature inside the tent seemed to drop sharply.

Onoki's face turned ashen: "The four great ninja villages are attacking Konoha together. You should look for the reasons within yourselves! Besides, in war between two countries, each side should rely on its own abilities."

Fugaku Uchiha put down his teacup, the crisp sound of the teacup clinking against the saucer interrupting the Tsuchikage's roar.

A faint smile played at the corners of his lips: "Onoki, perhaps... our Konoha should join forces with Kumogakure to attack the Land of Earth and annihilate it. Then, starting next year, the Land of Earth will become history in the ninja world."

These words were like a kunai, piercing precisely into Onoki's heart.

The old ninja's pupils contracted sharply. He knew all too well the Cloud Village's wolfish ambitions and that Fugaku Uchiha was not bluffing.

Hunti couldn't help but step forward: "You Konoha people are going too far!"

Fugaku Uchiha didn't even glance at him, his gaze fixed on Onoki: "30 billion ryo is indeed no small sum... so we don't intend to have Iwagakure pay it."

Onoki frowned: "What do you mean?"

Fugaku Uchiha tapped his fingers lightly on the table: "Faced with the destruction of a country and a village, the nobles of the Land of Earth should be more than happy to pay this money for you."

The tent was deathly silent. Onoki's hands trembled slightly as he understood the deeper meaning behind Uchiha Fugaku's words.

They were offered either money from the daimyo and nobles, or the village of Iwagakure would be wiped out. It was blatant political blackmail, yet no one could refute it.

Uchiha Mitsunori couldn't help but chuckle softly, but was stopped by a glance from the Eighth Hokage. The Kurama clan head stroked his beard, a look of admiration flashing in his eyes.

Onoki's back hunched over slightly, as if bearing an invisible weight, and he said hoarsely, "Give me a pen. I agree."

The servant respectfully presented the pre-prepared agreement and writing brush.

Onoki took the pen, his fingers turning white from the force.

Just then, Uchiha Mitsunori suddenly spoke up: "I heard that members of Shimura Danzo's Root organization leaked information about our base to your village? These traitors caused our operations to fail many times. I hope that the surrender agreement will specifically stipulate that Iwagakure hand over all relevant evidence and personnel information."

Upon hearing this, the Konoha clan leaders exchanged shocked glances, and even Uchiha Fugaku raised an eyebrow slightly.

Onoki's eyes flashed as he weighed the pros and cons: the war would end soon, so handing over these things would be fine. Letting the people of Konoha fight amongst themselves and inflict more losses would also be good!

Thinking of this, Onoki smiled insincerely and said, "We do indeed have some... interesting information."

Uchiha Mitsumine suppressed his inner elation and feigned seriousness: "Please include this evidence as an appendix to the surrender document. Konoha must purge the traitors from within!"

Onoki stroked his beard, a calculating glint in his eyes: "I'd be happy to. After all... we in Iwagakure despise traitors who break the rules, even those from other countries."

Negotiations are still ongoing, but the atmosphere has changed.

When Onoki finally signed the agreement, a special annex clearly listed the records of seven secret contacts between Root and Iwagakure, as well as detailed information on three key contacts.

Shou immediately understood, summoned a large scroll, broke the seal, took out several scrolls, and placed them on the negotiating table.

As Onoki stood up, he cast a meaningful glance at Uchiha Mitsunaga: "I hope this information will be useful to you... I'll send over 300 billion ryo at noon. I hope you'll release them immediately after receiving the money!"

Fugaku Uchiha's gaze swept over the scroll, and he finally nodded slightly: "Don't worry, we'll release them immediately once we receive the money!"

After the curtains were drawn, the Eighth Hokage of Uchiha immediately set up a soundproof barrier.

The clan head, Kazami, couldn't help but question, "Mitsumine-kun, you're instigating internal strife!"

Uchiha Mitsunori calmly unfurled the scroll: "Please look at the date of the third intelligence exchange. It was the day the Kazami clan was transporting supplies when they were ambushed by the Iwagakure elites."

The Kazami clan chief's expression changed drastically. That ambush had resulted in the loss of his eldest son.

Uchiha Mitsumine's voice was as cold as ice: "Danzo, in order to weaken the various clans of Konoha, did not hesitate to collude with the enemy and betray the country. This is not internal strife, but the elimination of parasites."

Fugaku Uchiha finally stood up, his Mangekyou Sharingan gleaming coldly in the shadows: "The war is not over yet. Let's leave it at that for now."

Everyone fell silent, understanding that once this evidence was returned to Konoha, a decisive battle between Shimura Danzo and the Uchiha would be inevitable.