Chapter 512: Onoki's Regret

And now, another young man had displayed that same potential. As far as Onoki knew, even Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha had been nowhere near his level at that age.

During Kitsuchi's report just now, one particular detail had also caught Onoki's attention.

Kitsuchi had said that during the conference, Shinichi Higashino had voluntarily agreed to numerous clauses that placed restrictions upon himself.

To others, this might have seemed like Konoha making concessions, Shinichi Higashino compromising, or even an act of goodwill worthy of relief.

Yet after hearing it, Onoki became even more uneasy, as a chill quietly rose from the depths of his heart.

One could describe that attitude as composed, but more bluntly, it was indifference, as though the restrictions every major ninja village regarded as critically important were, in his eyes, nothing more than a worthless scrap of paper casually accepted.

That feeling was all too familiar to Onoki, and once again, he thought of Madara Uchiha.

Back then, that man had been exactly the same. He did not care how many people united against him, what defenses they erected, or whether there were traps waiting for him, because from beginning to end he stood upon a height no one else could reach, existing above all rules.

Today's Shinichi Higashino did not yet possess Madara Uchiha's strength, but the way he carried himself was exactly the same as Madara had back then.

Thinking of this, Onoki could not help but regret it inwardly.

If he had known, when the Third Shinobi World War first erupted, he would never have sat back and watched the tigers fight from the sidelines.

If the Village Hidden in the Stones had entered the war during the early stages of Konoha's conflict with the Village Hidden in the Sand and joined forces with the Village Hidden in the Sand to besiege Konoha, then with Village Hidden in the Cloud entering the war shortly afterward, it would have become a three-nation assault.

Perhaps, seeing such a situation, Village Hidden in the Mist would also have chosen to join directly, turning it into a four-nation siege. The situation would never have developed into what it was today.

Even taking a step back, although they had missed that best opportunity, intervening after Konoha's main battlefield with Village Hidden in the Cloud had settled down would not have been too late.

Because at that time, Shinichi Higashino had not yet mastered the ability to fly.

No matter how powerful a Shinichi Higashino who could not fly was, there would still have been a possibility of surrounding and killing him.

But now, it was all too late.

Now that Shinichi Higashino possessed the ability to fly, he came and went like the wind, soaring freely through the skies. To kill him, they would have to lure him into some place where flight was impossible, lay an inescapable trap, and trap him there once and for all. Otherwise, there was not the slightest chance.

He had only himself to blame. At the time, seeing Village Hidden in the Cloud suffer tremendous losses at Konoha's hands and their logistics devastated, he had thought there was an opportunity to profit from the situation, so he marched east.

Who would have thought that a desperate army would fight with unmatched determination!

The frustrations and humiliation Village Hidden in the Cloud had suffered at Konoha's hands seemed to have been vented entirely upon the Village Hidden in the Stones.

The courage and tenacity displayed by those Kumogakure ninjas in battle far exceeded his expectations.

After achieving some early successes, the Village Hidden in the Stones could advance no further, and the war fell into a stalemate.

Not only had they failed to seize any advantage, but they had also lost their final chance to eliminate that young monster of Konoha.

Then again, who in this world could have imagined that Shinichi Higashino's growth would be so astonishingly rapid?

In the span of just one year, he had transformed from a rising star worthy of caution into a dark cloud hanging over every ninja village.

Onoki's thinking back then had been very simple: Leave it to the wisdom of future generations.

How many more years could these old bones of his endure?

The ones who would truly have to face Shinichi Higashino in the future ought to be the fourth Tsuchikage, or perhaps even the fifth Tsuchikage.

But looking at things now, that so-called future generation might very well turn out to be himself.

When that day came, these old bones of his would probably have to take the field personally against a fully matured Shinichi Higashino.

The very thought made Onoki feel a dull ache in his aging back.

"I only hope Shinichi Higashino really is an idealist like the first Hokage, Hashirama Senju."

That thought crossed Onoki's mind, only for him to viciously add another in his heart: "It would be better if he died sooner rather than later!"

With that thought, Onoki regained his focus and picked up another document from his desk.

It was a diplomatic letter from the Village Hidden in the Grass.

Strictly speaking, this was not the first time the Village Hidden in the Grass had sent the Village Hidden in the Stones such a document.

Over the past three months, they had gone from routine greetings to tactful probing, constantly implying that in these turbulent times, a small nation could not protect itself and that survival was only possible by relying upon a great nation.

The wording had become more earnest each time, and their posture increasingly humble.

The language in this latest letter was even more direct, openly stating that they intended to attack Village Hidden by a Waterfall but were concerned about the friendly relationship between Village Hidden by a Waterfall and Konoha. They feared that launching an attack rashly would invite Konoha's intervention and cause all of Village Hidden in the Grass's efforts to end in failure.

Therefore, they earnestly requested that the Village Hidden in the Stones back them, granting protection and support for their planned attack on the Village Hidden by a Waterfall.

In this document, Village Hidden in the Grass lowered itself to an extremely humble position. Not only did it formally express its desire to submit completely to the Village Hidden in the Stones, but it also voluntarily promised that whenever the Village Hidden in the Stones needed military support in the future, Village Hidden in the Grass would gladly provide manpower, fight on the front lines, and follow the Village Hidden in the Stones' lead in all things.

As Onoki read those respectful and humble words, bordering on outright flattery, his eyebrows rose slightly.

This was no longer ordinary dependence.

It was little different from becoming a vassal state.

Village Hidden in the Grass was clearly determined to tie itself to the Village Hidden in the Stones' war chariot, asking only for the confidence to make a move against Village Hidden by a Waterfall.

Reading this far, Onoki already felt somewhat tempted.

People often called him an old fox, but his true nature had never changed.

Whenever there was an opportunity to profit, he simply could not resist taking it.

The moment tangible benefits appeared before his eyes, his thoughts were easily drawn toward them, while more distant concerns were unconsciously pushed to the back of his mind.

In his view, the future was still the future. Since real benefits were lying before him now, it would be foolish not to take them first.

Check my Patreon for 150 more chapters

Pa treon. com/SweetestDeath