Discussing Countermeasures

Tobirama...

Tobirama...

What...

Tobirama!

Tobirama suddenly snapped out of his Tobirama.

A cool night breeze brushed against my face, the bright moon hung overhead, and the vermilion lacquer of the Torii in the distance gleamed dark red in the moonlight.

He was standing on the open ground beside the Shrine's approach, Izuna was standing in front of him, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"Tobirama, what's wrong? Why are you suddenly standing there without saying anything?" Izuna stretched out her hand and waved it in front of his eyes.

Tobirama blinked.

"I... am..." His thoughts seemed a little slow, and he frowned.

I... wanted to ask Izuna to come back for dinner. Yes, he came to ask Izuna to come back for dinner.

"It's time to go back for dinner," Tobirama said.

Izuna glanced at him again, then said "Oh," and added, "Let's go then."

He casually put his arm Tobirama's shoulder.

The next second, Tobirama activated the Flying Thunder God with him, and the two disappeared from their original spot, returning to the stone steps in front of the inn.

The light was already on inside the door, and the warm yellow light shone through the paper door, falling at their feet.

Tobirama glanced at Izuna.

Izuna had already let go of his shoulder and was reaching for the paper door, muttering, "I wonder what we'll eat tonight."

Tobirama didn't speak, but stood behind him, suddenly feeling a chill on the back of his neck. He raised his hand to press it, then glanced back.

The alleyway was dark and empty.

Only the wind is still blowing.

Tobirama suddenly asked, "Where Mokushō?"

Izuna opened the paper door, took off his shoes, and went inside. He casually replied, "He said a little fox ran away and got hurt by a human's trap. He has to go check on it."

"Would he explain his whereabouts to you like this before?" Tobirama stepped through the door and gently closed it.

"He won't tell anyone he's going out to have fun, since the places he goes aren't exactly respectable. But he'll tell everyone if it's something important."

"Isn't it something serious?"

"I don't know why, but he really likes going to gambling dens." Izuna sighed and walked down the corridor into the inner room.

"A gambling den?" Tobirama raised an eyebrow.

His Hashirama Big Brother, Hashirama, was just like that. Once he entered the casino, he couldn't move his legs. If he won, he didn't want to leave; if he lost, he didn't want to leave even more. He wouldn't leave until he had given away every last penny in his pocket.

What a coincidence that Mokushō also has this interest!

"Then you win all their money, and then you're kicked out looking dejected with all that money," Izuna added.

The fleeting sense of déjà vu vanished instantly. Tobirama looked at him speechlessly. "What's there to be upset about winning money?"

"He said he likes gambling, but it gets boring if he always wins." Izuna shrugged.

"Does he want to lose money again?" Tobirama couldn't understand.

"It seems so."

Tobirama said calmly, "If he takes my Big Brother with him, he'll definitely lose everything, down to his last penny."

Izuna was overjoyed. "If Hashirama heard that, he'd cry."

"I wasn't lying, I was just stating the facts."

They entered the main hall and saw Madara and Hashirama already sitting at the dining table waiting for them.

After dinner, the four of them sat around a low table.

Madara briefly recounted what had happened in the Rear Grove the Shrine that evening, and also shared the list he had obtained from Takahashi Yū and his own assessment.

"Who's on the list?" Hashirama asked.

Ban named a few names, then said, "And you and me."

Hashirama paused, then asked, "Me?"

Even if he wanted to be humble, Hashirama didn't believe that anyone in the world besides Madara had the ability to kill him.

Izuna couldn't help but chuckle, "Do those nobles really think they can kill you?"

"There are always some people who don't know their place," Ban said lazily.

"You can't say that," Tobirama said. "We are, after all, just mortal beings. If our heads are blown off, our hearts are ripped out, or we are poisoned, we will die. Just because most of them are no match for us doesn't mean we can't kill them."

"That's assuming they can get close." Izuna rested his chin on his hand. "The poison wouldn't work on Hashirama, right? As for Madara... well... he could be saved, but he shouldn't eat or drink anything that day."

Ban smiled and replied, "Okay, whatever you say."

"If you ask me, we should strike first." Ban put his teacup back on the table. "Suppress those who have shown their faces, and the rest will naturally behave themselves."

"I can understand Madara," Hashirama scratched his head, "But we can't do that."

Tobirama interjected, "But to just wait until the Summer Festival and put all our hopes on the list is too passive."

"So I'm not discussing this with you?" Ban said.

Hashirama chuckled, "This isn't a discussion."

"The fact that I haven't gone out and dragged them out and killed them right now is already a concession on my part."

Tobirama wore a subtle expression, wanting to retort, but this time he also found these nobles disgusting, so he could only sit awkwardly.

"Those nobles, in the end, aren't they just afraid of us?" Hashirama sighed softly. "They've only heard of our name, but they've never actually seen us kill on the battlefield. They don't realize it's like an ant trying to shake a tree."

Tobirama scoffed, "A frog in a well can't see how big the sky is. He always thinks that sending a few desperados can make a hole in the sky. He won't give up until he sees it for himself."

Izuna was shocked. Tobirama and Madara were one thing, but did he really have a wild side to Hashirama?

Hashirama continued, "The most urgent task now is to communicate with the Land of Hot Water and ask them to strengthen security. Whether it's hiring more Ninjas or mercenaries, we must take this matter seriously."

Tobirama and Madara nodded in agreement.

Izuna recalled those people in movies, novels, and TV dramas who still died under tight guard, and a strange expression appeared on his face.

Hashirama noticed his expression. "Izuna? Do you have a problem with that?"

"Why don't you try using Ninjutsu?" Izuna said tactfully. "I think if we don't provide comprehensive protection, they'll find a way sooner or later."

Tobirama frowned. "Right now, the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. If we make a big show of it..."

"Heh." Izuna smirked. "I once saw a prince sitting in a pavilion, guarded on three sides by screens, with only a small gap in the middle for observation. He was protected by five thousand men. And what happened? He was killed face-to-face."

Tobirama's expression froze.

Hashirama burst out laughing, "That's so exaggerated?"

Izuna rolled her eyes at him. "It's that exaggerated. There will be even more people on the day of the Summer Festival, and the crowd will be even more diverse. If the guards can't even tell who should be let in and who shouldn't, how can they prevent assassination?"

Tobirama sighed, "Alright, I'll think about it some more."

"Ideally, Barrier Ninjutsu should be cast."

Tobirama raised an eyebrow. "You mean to hire the Uzumaki Clan?"

"Those who truly understand me are Tobirama Gathering."

"What is this 'gathering' thing? It's all nonsense." Tobirama sighed. "Well, this is your job as Diplomat. Since we're going to do it, we'd better hurry."

"The Summer Festival starts in four days. I'll have to go to their country in person to select Barrier Ninjutsu practitioner from the Uzumaki Clan."

"Isn't that simple?" Izuna said. "Why don't we just set off for the Land of Whirlpools tomorrow?"

"You'll have to spend two out of four days on the ship, and we don't even know if we can reach an agreement for the remaining two days. Can you manage?"

Izuna felt a headache coming on. He slumped onto the table like a boneless fish, muttering, "It has to work... what else can I do..."

"Or, you could ask your friend to help you decorate."

Izuna looked up. "Enma? Can he handle it?"

Tobirama raised an eyebrow. "I knew you hadn't checked."

Could he be a genius?

"He's more than just a genius; calling him a prodigy wouldn't be an exaggeration," Tobirama said. "After all, there aren't many people his age who can set up large-scale Formations on their own."

"Oh..." Izuna said thoughtfully, "So you're saying he might be able to do it?"

"That's right, but if you ask him to set up a protective array, it would be tantamount to the Land of Land of Whirlpools making a statement, and things aren't that simple."

Izuna waved his hand, "Oh dear, they can't refuse. I'll just go ask them directly tomorrow. Oh, and by the way, pay up."

Mokushō said, "Alright!"

The next second, he dumped a pile of gold, silver, red, and white items onto the table.

Izuna and the other three looked at the gold and silver treasures scattered on the table and turned to look at Mokushō, who had appeared there at some unknown time.

Izuna: "Where did you get so much money?"

Mokushō: "Bought it through gambling!"

Hashirama: "Gambling can make money?!"

Tobirama: "Isn't the point that this guy suddenly dumped out so much stuff?!"

Mokushō revealed a mysterious smile and took out a large scroll from behind him, "The scroll that Lord Hashirama brought is quite useful~"

Oh, so it was brought by Hashirama.

Etc?!

Tobirama looked at Hashirama: "What are you doing carrying a scroll here! Could it be...!"

With a guilty look on Hashirama's Hashirama Mokushō pointed to the side room, "There."

Tobirama got up and rushed out of the room.

Inside this six-tatami room, dusty scrolls, Lucky Cat figurines, tea sets and pots, polished cloths, straw mats, precious vases, bedding, medicine packets, gemstone jewelry, mahogany mirrors, screens, various kimonos, and all sorts of odds and ends are scattered about.

This room has become like a warehouse, completely cluttered and messy.

"Wow." That was Ban's exclamation.

Hashirama a pillar in the corridor, cautiously peering at the white figure from behind. "That... Tobirama?"

The next second, Tobirama suddenly appeared in front of him, his face hidden in the shadows, only his Red Eyes were illuminated by the light, which startled Hashirama so much that he jumped back two meters.

But Tobirama didn't let him go; he grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away.

"Tobirama! Tobirama! Um! I was wrong! Ah!"

Madara and Izuna stood aside, watching with great interest.

Mokushō had somehow moved to Izuna's side, hands tucked into his Hashirama, watching Hashirama being dragged into the depths of the corridor by Tobirama. He grinned, a hint of schadenfreude in his voice. "How pathetic."

Izuna curled his lip. "But Hashirama really deserved it."

"Hmm..." Mokushō nodded in deep agreement, "That's right, bringing so much useless stuff is really outrageous. It's a testament to our brotherly bond that we weren't beaten to death on the spot."

Ban leaned against the door, arms crossed, his gaze falling on Mokushō from the other end of the corridor.

"Where did you go?" he asked.

Mokushō turned his head. "The little fox sneaked out and got hurt by a human trap. I went to treat it. When I came back, I heard you guys discussing the Summer Festival."

Ban then asked, "Did you really get all this money through gambling? Would they let you take so much with you?"

Mokushō sighed, "You know, Ordinary People usually can't see me. Even if they do, they'll forget about me very quickly."

Ban gave a subtle look but remained silent.

This is blatant robbery! Those casinos probably never imagined that someone like Mokushō would exist and treat them like ATMs.

As if sensing his inner thoughts, Mokushō shrugged. "Anyway, it's all ill-gotten gains. Rather than letting it rot in that place, we might as well give it to Lord Izuna for a duel."

Ban snorted coldly and said indifferently, "That's true."

Izuna stared at them speechlessly; these two were truly hopeless.

"Shall we go find that brat from the Uzumaki Clan tomorrow?" Madara asked.

Izuna nodded. "Yes, I need to finalize the Barrier matter."

Tobirama seemed to have finished disciplining his Big Brother and walked back leisurely, his clothes still in perfect order, looking refreshed.

Hashirama didn't follow. He squatted far away in the corner of the corridor, his back to everyone, his head practically sprouting mushrooms.

Izuna glanced at him and asked softly, "Were you crying?"

Tobirama remained unfazed. "No, I'm just reflecting on my actions."

"Reflect on what?"

"Reflect on why he stuffed the scroll full of tattered clothes instead of bringing a couple more changes of clothes."

Madara chuckled, unusually not objecting to Tobirama's words.

Tobirama walked to the pile of gold and silver, bent down to pick up a gold coin, examined its quality by the lamplight, and his expression softened slightly. "In any case, it's solved our immediate crisis. Konoha can't afford the money for the Barrier right now."

"Is the Amusement Park not open?" Izuna asked.

Tobirama paused slightly, placed the gold coins back on the table, glanced at him, and said, "We're open for business. But without you here, everyone's a bit lost and doesn't know what to do."

Izuna asked in surprise, "Didn't I leave behind the regulations?"

"You may be underestimating your importance," Tobirama said.

Izuna looked at him, puzzled. "Am I important?"

He was completely unaware that people who have experienced war feel fear when they look towards peace, just as infants look up at tall adults as they take their first steps.

"Forget it, let's not talk about this for now." Tobirama sat down at the low table. "How are you going to talk to Enma about this tomorrow?"

"Of course, it's in a private capacity," Izuna said.

"But he's a member of the Uzumaki Clan; that's an unavoidable aspect of his identity," Tobirama reminded him.

"But he's just a businessman," Izuna smiled slyly. "If there's a 10% profit, he'll guarantee it's used everywhere; with a 20% profit, he'll become active; with a 50% profit, he'll dare to take risks; for a 100% profit, he'll dare to trample on all human laws; with a 300% profit, he'll dare to commit any crime, even risking the gallows."

Tobirama was taken aback by these words and frowned as he looked at Izuna.

Madara and Hashirama, who was not far away, also stared at him in a daze.

After Izuna finished speaking, he first looked up. He actually had the chance to say such a classic line! Wow! How pretentious! I love it!

He paused for a moment, then coughed and explained, "If we consider him a member of the Uzumaki Clan, then it's naturally a matter of negotiations between nations, which is very troublesome. But if he's just a businessman, then this amount of money is enough to make him do anything for us."

"Personal relationships and private requests—these ambiguous terms are the best excuses for smart people," Izuna raised an eyebrow. "Whether the Land of Whirlpools is willing to help or not, as long as Enma is willing, that's fine."