This was something they would never accept.
Besides, the Third Mizukage Tsukishiro had not interacted much with them to begin with, and now he had sent up some unknown greenhorn.
Naturally, they would not buy into it.
"Look, if there's a suitable project, it wouldn't hurt to give them a hand. After all, our five countries are all benefiting each other now."
"But if it affects the existing economic structure, then I won't be happy about it. My village still needs to develop."
Ōnoki laid his position out plainly. Liusha had not said it so directly, but he meant the same thing.
Every country lacked money. The more they developed, the more money they needed.
In the entire Shinobi World, Konoha was the only village that did not have to worry about its economy.
The more they tried to catch up, the more they realized that Konoha was simply beyond their reach.
Ōnoki had even started to give up. As long as his village did not decline, that was enough. There was no need to compete anymore.
As a result, life in the village had actually improved.
Torikaze and Liusha were helpless about this as well, but there was nothing they could do. Ōnoki was speaking from the heart.
In truth, this was what Liusha thought too. He simply had not said it aloud.
"If there is a suitable opportunity, we may be able to lend them a hand. But as for our current partnerships, we will continue as usual. There is no need to bring them into them."
Torikaze's words undoubtedly reassured Ōnoki and Liusha.
As long as their countries' profits would not be affected, that was fine. Who cared whether the Land of Water settled on the continent or not?
What bound countries together was not friendship, but