"Sorry to keep you waiting. I had just finished dealing with the factory matters, then ran into the newcomer Lord Torikaze arranged and chatted with him for a while, so I arrived a little late."
Minato waved it off. "It's fine. Since you had matters to handle, they naturally took priority."
As for Torikaze arranging a newcomer, he did not ask further. Hiruzen was still here, making it inconvenient to discuss private matters.
"We're holding a small meeting this time mainly to discuss Laying Railroad Tracks, starting from Konoha Station and running directly to the Royal Capital of the Land of Wind."
Kato Hisashi nodded. "The required rail length has already been calculated. It's about ten kilometers more than originally estimated, so we can begin laying them now."
"The final batch of rails is still being manufactured at the factory."
The estimated amount and the actual amount required had been completely different, which was why preparations for laying the tracks had only begun now.
An extra ten kilometers sounded like a lot, but it would be good enough as long as they did not come up short.
"Didn't the Land of Wind say they would send people to help? They should at least send some Earth Release ninja, right?"
Minato nodded. "Sunagakure will send people to assist, but they will only begin helping after we enter the Land of Wind. We'll still have to lay the tracks within the Land of Fire ourselves."
Hiruzen did not particularly mind. "Honestly, whether they help or not doesn't matter. It's just going through the motions. It would actually be better if they didn't help, since I can recruit more villagers to assist."
Money was money no matter who earned it, but would it not be better for Konoha's own ninja to earn it?