Senju Mori had long anticipated Kumogakure's arrival.
In fact, even before his Hokage inauguration ceremony, he had already prepared for this matter, decisively framing the Second Hokage's death as—
"the despicable scheming of Kumogakure."
His goal was to further stigmatize Kumogakure and build political momentum for a future war.
However, in the current climate of peace-driven sentiment in Konoha, he absolutely could not be the one to initiate a conflict or destroy peace unprovoked. Doing so would anger many shinobi who despised war, not to mention a large portion of the villagers.
Thus, letting Kumogakure make the first move—then retaliating calmly—was the wisest course of action.
Senju Mori understood his opponent well.
The Third Raikage was certainly no simple man, but at this younger stage of his life, he faced the same challenges any new village leader would upon taking power.
More importantly, Senju Mori's intervention had dealt a major blow—
He had stripped the Third Raikage of the righteous cause and prestige he would have gained from personally executing the rogue shinobi Kinkaku and avenging the Second Raikage.
And the fact that Mori took away the corpses of both Kinkaku and Ginkaku had thrown the Third Raikage into chaos.
Until spies hidden in Konoha sent back information, the Raikage had no idea of the brothers' exact condition, constantly fearing they might collaborate with internal factions and launch another rebellion.
Unable to claim justice or honor, having failed to capture the traitors, and having allowed the disappearance of Kinkaku, Ginkaku, and the theft of the Six Paths Treasures…
Even though, truthfully, he wasn't directly responsible, there is a saying:
"Whoever holds power, bears the blame."
As the new Raikage, he had failed at all three:
he could not avenge the previous Raikage,
he could not eliminate the traitors,
he could not retrieve the village's sacred treasures—the Six Paths Tools.
It was simply incompetence.
If you cannot accomplish anything—then what right do you have to be Raikage?
Judging from the fact that Kumogakure had just experienced a massive internal upheaval—a level comparable to an armed coup and an assassination attempt on the Raikage—the village was nowhere near as united as it would be twenty years later.
All the great villages were formed by collecting different ninja clans.
If Konoha would be mired in internal strife two decades later, why would Kumogakure be so united in the future?
Only because Kinkaku and Ginkaku—those "kind-hearted troublemakers"—launched a coup that drew out all the dissenters at once, allowing the Raikage's faction to wipe them out in one clean sweep.
And the Third Raikage just so happened to be a monster of overwhelming strength, who would grow step by step into the "strongest Raikage in history."
Clearly, his rise to power had not been smooth or unanimously accepted.
After half a month or so, the Third Raikage had just barely stabilized his newly gained position—but the tensions and dissatisfaction within the village were certainly reaching the breaking point…
At this moment, the Third Raikage was like a man sitting atop a powder keg ready to explode.
To divert internal conflict and solidify his authority, his only option was—
to reignite the war.
If Konoha were cowed by his threats and offered financial compensation or returned one or two of the Six Paths Treasures, the Third Raikage's prestige would instantly skyrocket.
This was nothing more than another classic Kumogakure specialty—
war extortion.
But Senju Mori had no intention of indulging Kumogakure.
If it's war they want? Fine.
Konoha had indeed lost the Second Hokage, but Kumogakure had lost the Second Raikage to assassination AND the entirety of the elite Kinkaku Force, including Kinkaku and Ginkaku themselves.
They were in no position to claim superiority.
Let them try if they think they can defeat Konoha!
Thus, right in front of Yotsuki Rantō, Senju Mori refused every single demand Kumogakure made—without yielding an inch.
Aside from outright rejecting Kumogakure's demands, he hurled three even more extreme counter-demands back at them and left the envoy with these words:
"Konoha certainly longs for peace—but the Second Hokage taught us with his life that peace is never achieved through pleading or compromise. It is won through battle, through blood, through unyielding struggle!"
"If the Raikage does not want peace, then Konoha will grant him war."
"Now, take my terms, and get back to Kumogakure!"
"You—Hokage-sama—!"
Yotsuki Rantō's face turned ashen; he wanted to say more.
But the moment Senju Mori's words fell, several ANBU—led by Hatake Shūichi and Senju Yoru—appeared around the Kumogakure envoy in an instant, hands already gripping their weapons.
Under the ANBU's icy stares and the furious gazes of all the Konoha shinobi and villagers present, Yotsuki Rantō knew that if he uttered even one more word, the consequences would be disastrous.
He could only glare fiercely at Senju Mori, swallow everything he wanted to say, and with a mix of shock and fury, retreat in humiliation under the "escort" of the Hokage's ANBU.
He had never imagined that Konoha's new Hokage would be even more hardline and warmongering than Kumogakure.
Enormous reparations, a public apology to the entire shinobi world, and acknowledgment that the Six Paths Tools now belonged permanently to Konoha—
Yotsuki Rantō knew perfectly well that even one of these was absolutely impossible for the Third Raikage—or for all of Kumogakure—to accept.
At this point, Kumogakure would have no choice but to go to war.
If the Third Raikage dared agree to such terms, Kumogakure would erupt into another armed coup the very next day…
To the shinobi of Kumo, trading away the village's interests for peace is not peace.
It is—surrender.
...
Once Yotsuki Rantō's group had fully disappeared, a faint smile returned to Senju Mori's face.
He stood at the edge of the high platform and addressed the crowd below.
"The annoying flies are gone. Now—the alliance celebration continues!"
Under the gaze of thousands, Senju Mori slapped the scroll beside him, and three chakra-glowing artifacts appeared instantly.
He reached forward, grasping the broad-bladed sword and the softly glowing golden rope, and raised them high.
"These are the ninja tools once used by the Sage of Six Paths—
the Shichiseiken (Seven Star Sword) and the Kōkinjō (Golden Canopy Rope)!"
His chakra-amplified voice boomed like thunder.
"From this day forth, they belong to Konohagakure!"
A tidal wave of cheering erupted, loud enough to shake the entire plaza.
Next, Senju Mori solemnly lifted the red gourd, turned toward Uzumaki Chisawa and the other Uzushiogakure shinobi, then swept his gaze across the entire crowd as he proclaimed:
"Konohagakure and Uzushiogakure have been allied for twenty years—our bond is firm as stone!"
"Today, I, Senju Mori, following in the footsteps of the First Hokage Hashirama-sama, offer this Six Paths Tool—the Benihisago (Crimson Gourd) —as a betrothal gift, to join our Senju and Uzumaki clans in marriage, defend against external threats, and safeguard peace together!"