The sky was getting brighter, and the fierce battle last night finally came to an end.
The villagers of Land of Whirlpools walked out of the underground shelter and saw the devastated village. Many people couldn't help crying. Several houses were completely destroyed in the battle, and the streets were full of ruins and ice debris.
"Uncle Yamada is still unconscious." Karin checked the condition of the injured, "Although it is not life-threatening, the concussion is serious."
Naruto squatted next to Yamada, his face heavy. The uncle who always brought him ramen with a smile was now lying on a stretcher, his face as pale as paper.
"It's all my fault." Naruto clenched his fists, "If I had discovered the enemy earlier..."
"It's not your fault." Nagato came over and patted Naruto on the shoulder, "No one expected Shadow Organization's sneak attack. The important thing is that we protected most of the villagers."
Sasuke walked to the prisoner of war Ichiro Tanaka. The former Shadow Demon King, who had regained his human form, was sitting in the ruins in a daze.
"Did you remember anything?" Sasuke asked.
"I remember the day I was captured." Ichiro Tanaka looked up at Sasuke, his eyes full of pain, "On the way to a C-level mission, several men in black suddenly appeared, and then I lost consciousness. When I woke up again, I had turned into that monster."
"What impressions did you have during the renovation process?"
"It's very vague, but I remember a voice kept saying: 'Give up resistance and accept new power.'" Tanaka covered his head, "The feeling was so painful that I couldn't even die."
Sasuke frowned, this kind of forced transformation technology is really scary. If Shadow Organization mass-produced such warriors...
"Sasuke." Nagato called him, "Kisame wants to talk to us."
In Land of Whirlpools's temporary conference tent, Kisame sat opposite Nagato, his expression much more serious than before.
"First of all, I want to apologize for Kirigakure being late last night." Kisame said, "If you hadn't eliminated the enemy by yourselves, the consequences would have been disastrous."
"Mr. Kisame, you're very polite." Nagato waved his hand, "It's rare to be able to arrive at a critical moment."
"No, this incident made me realize a problem." Kisame's expression became serious, "The threat of Shadow Organization is greater than we imagined. The fact that they can produce Cyborg to that extent shows that the technology is quite mature."
Naruto interjected. "That Ichiro Tanaka said he was caught while performing a mission. Shadow Organization may have strongholds in various countries."
"That's right." Kisame nodded, "It is difficult for a village alone to fight against such an organization."
He took out a scroll from his arms and placed it solemnly on the table.
"This is a covenant personally drafted by the new Mizukage. After last night's battle, Kirigakure officially recognized the independent status of Land of Whirlpools and is willing to form a strategic alliance with you."
Nagato was stunned for a moment, he didn't expect things to progress so fast.
"What are the specific contents of the covenant?" Sasuke asked cautiously.
"First of all, Kirigakure promises to assist Land of Whirlpools in rebuilding and provide material and technical support." Kisame explained one by one. "Second, both parties will assist each other in the face of invasion by foreign enemies. Finally, establish an intelligence sharing mechanism to jointly fight against threats such as Shadow Organization."
"Sounds good." Naruto said excitedly, "With the support of Kirigakure, we don't have to worry about reconstruction funds!"
But Nagato noticed that Kisame's expression was still a little hesitant.
"Are there any other conditions?" Nagato asked directly.
Kisame was silent for a while before speaking, "Mizukage hopes... Land of Whirlpools can share some information about biological modification. After all, this battle has allowed us to see the horror of this technology."
The tent instantly became quiet. This is indeed a sensitive topic, and the information Land of Whirlpools possesses may be related to future strategic advantages.
"What level of information do you want?" Nagato asked tentatively.
"Mainly Cyborg's weaknesses and countermeasures." Kisame explained, "We don't need manufacturing technology, we just want to know how to defend."
Sasuke and Naruto both looked at Nagato. Only he could make this decision.
Nagato thought for a moment and made a decision, "Yes, but in exchange, I hope Kirigakure will use the intelligence network to fully trace the source of Shadow Organization's funds in Land of Water."
"Deal." Kisame immediately agreed, "This kind of mutual benefit is the true alliance."
After both parties signed the covenant, Kisame's expression became obviously much more relaxed.
"By the way, there's one more thing." He looked at Yuki-onna who was assisting in the reconstruction outside the tent, "That Miss Yuki-onna's Absolute Zero reminds me of a legend."
"What legend?" Karin asked curiously.
"Land of Water In ancient times, there was a blood family that was said to be able to control Absolute Zero's ice." Kisame said thoughtfully, "But that family disappeared decades ago, and the whereabouts of its members are unknown."
Yuki-onna's hand trembled slightly, but quickly returned to normal.
"Maybe it's just a coincidence." She said lightly, "It's not unusual for Ice Release ninjas to master extreme low temperatures."
"Maybe I'm overthinking it." Kisame smiled without delving into it.
In the next few days, Kirigakure fulfilled its promise and sent a large number of engineering teams and supplies.
The reconstruction of Land of Whirlpools is progressing rapidly and is even more modern than before.
Naruto is excitedly practicing Five Element Rasenshuriken on the newly built Training Ground. Although it is not yet perfectly controlled, its power is indeed amazing.
"How do you feel?" Sasuke came over.
"It's harder than expected." Naruto wiped his sweat, "The balance of the five attributes is very complicated, and it will get out of control if you are not careful."
"Take your time, you have mastered the basics." Sasuke comforted, "Once you are fully proficient, this trick will be enough to become your trump card."
On the other side, Nagato is discussing the village's development plan with Konan.
"With Kirigakure's support, we can speed up infrastructure construction." Konan pointed at the drawings and said, "The medical center, Ninja Academy, and defense fortifications can all be put on the agenda."
"Yeah, but what's more important is to train local ninjas." Nagato nodded, "It's not enough just to rely on a few of us. Land of Whirlpools needs its own ninja army."
Uncle Yamada finally woke up. Although he was still a little weak, he was in good spirits.
"I heard that the village has formed an alliance with Kirigakure?" He lay on the bed with a relieved smile on his face, "Great, so that the children can grow up in a peaceful environment."
"Uncle Yamada, have a good rest." Naruto sat beside the bed, "When you fully recover, I will treat you to the most delicious ramen!"
"Haha, I'll look forward to it then." Yamada said with a smile.
As the sun set, Kisame was preparing to leave Land of Whirlpools. Before leaving, he found Nagato again.
"This cooperation makes me look at Land of Whirlpools with admiration." Kisame said sincerely, "To be honest, at the beginning we just regarded you as a buffer zone. But now it seems that Land of Whirlpools has the potential to become a powerful country."
"Excellent." Nagato responded humbly, "We just want to protect our homeland."
"Don't be too modest. The battle last night proved your strength."