Discussion, Uchiha Kin's Goal!

"To not yield when it's your turn to act" is truly a rare quality. Minato chuckled, drawing sideways glances from the ninja resting around the campfire. They couldn't help but wonder, "What is Lord Minato discussing with Lord Kin to be so happy?"

One of them said, "We repelled the Rock Ninja, isn't that cause for celebration? And... it's unbelievable, we had less than forty casualties!"

"The Rock Ninja side lost nearly four thousand... I've never fought such a surreal battle in my life!" His tone was filled with emotion.

This ninja wasn't young. He had a stubble and some wrinkles around his eyes. He was fifty-two years old this year, one of the "founding village elders" who had watched the village being built in his teens and participated in the First and Second Great Ninja Wars.

He had participated in countless battles. Therefore, today's battle seemed even more incredible!

What was his own strength? What was the strength of the wounded around him? It was all clear as day.

Although the Rock Ninja have always been of questionable quality, emphasizing a "buy now, pay later" approach – once you join Iwagakure, you're a Genin, and only then do you start learning ninjutsu... Many were so poor they could only throw shuriken and kunai, and were considered "qualified" if they could hit a stationary target.

However, the sheer number of Rock Ninja... was truly immense!

Their vast number of "Genin" was enough to compensate for the lack of individual quality with numerical superiority.

The Land of Earth is a country with scarce resources, even arable land is extremely scarce, let alone commerce – a clever cook can't make a meal without ingredients. Located in the northwest, without grain, the only option left was to export the country's labor force.

Iwagakure essentially served as the window for this "export," provoking localized wars to hire out this massive number of Genin at low prices.

After skirmishes and battles, some would be tempered and become elites among the Rock Ninja Genin – these were also the main force on the battlefield during the Ninja Wars. Although the quality of these individuals was still at the bottom among the Five Great Ninja Villages, a Konoha Genin could take on ten of them – but during large-scale army battles, it wasn't like that.

The army combat model developed by the Rock Ninja based on their own disadvantages was enough to control the casualty ratio to the extent of three Rock Ninja for one Konoha Genin!

Don't assume that three for one means Konoha has the "advantage," it's not like that.

The Rock Ninja... there were too many of them.

In this war, the Rock Ninja deployed twenty thousand troops on the western front alone. Konoha's ninja numbers on the western front were twelve hundred.

And Uchiha Kin, using the more than three hundred wounded who hadn't retreated from these twelve hundred, achieved a record of 37 friendly casualties and 3677 enemy casualties with an extremely unequal foundation of combat power. This was purely the ultimate manifestation of battlefield command, coordination, and his own medical capabilities. Calling him a "God of Command" would not be an exaggeration.

"Yeah, it's truly incredible. A bunch of us wounded..." someone chimed in.

Several Uchiha remained silent, not saying a word.

Their feelings were far more complex than others... Listening to the surrounding praises for Uchiha Kin, they felt both proud and ashamed. Their faces, whether from the heat of the fire or from shame, were flushed.

Uchiha Kin stood up and shouted, "Nonō, Dai, Qingshan Yi, come here for a moment."

The three flashed and instantly appeared. Uchiha Kin pointed to the ground, "Sit, we have things to discuss."

"Yes." The three formed a hand seal, performing a ninja's gesture of respect to a superior, then sat down.

"In this battle at Kannagi Bridge, my unit, with three hundred weak soldiers, repelled the Rock Ninja's vanguard, forcing them to retreat. The Cloud Ninja should also have received intelligence and will likely attack from the Rock Ninja's rear. The Rock Ninja's desire to return will be strong.

"Negotiating and signing a treaty with my unit is an inevitable trend. However, how this peace agreement is signed has great significance. Before that, we cannot let our guard down--"

Minato said, "Kin, you speak."

"Kin, what are you going to do?" Yakushi Nonō asked.

Dai and Qingshan Yi also stated, "Whatever Kin says, we'll do."

"First, for now, let everyone rest. After dawn, each unit will organize exchanges to summarize today's battle. What are the shortcomings, what needs improvement, analyze it, analyze it, only then can we improve...

"You summarize, and I'll summarize too. Let's put our heads together. I'll give you one hour. After everyone finishes summarizing, we'll eat. After eating, we'll compile everything.

"Then, we'll hold a meeting based on these summaries.

"Second, each unit must maintain vigilance. The war is not over yet. The negotiation period is the most dangerous. My unit could engage with the Rock Ninja at any time – whether they want to gain the initiative in negotiations, or I want to gain the initiative, you are all bargaining chips.

"There's a simple principle: what you can't get on the battlefield, don't expect to get at the negotiating table!"

Uchiha Kin took out a map from his bag and unfolded it, pointing with his hand to a circle within the Land of Earth!

Qingshi Town.

Including Minato, everyone was confused, looking at Uchiha Kin with bewilderment.

"This, this is the target we will secure in this negotiation. Northwest of Qingshi Town, there's a sinkhole created by Dust Release, here there's a lake shaped like a cat's eye, and here's a salt lake..."

Minato Namikaze, Yakushi Nonō, Dai, and Qingshan Yi still didn't understand why Uchiha Kin was saying these things.

Seeing their expressions, Uchiha Kin took a deep breath and stated directly, "This place can be developed into a tourist area, providing tourism resources for some nobles and wealthy merchants. Additionally, regarding Qingshi Town, my idea is this – the jurisdiction of Qingshi Town belongs to me. One-tenth of the revenue will go to Konoha, and the remainder will be distributed proportionally among all members of my unit, including those who have fallen.

"The fallen will likely receive a slightly higher proportion. I believe everyone can understand this. Also, if the families of the fallen are willing, I will prioritize offering them some jobs here.

"This, I suppose, is the greatest effort I can make."

He did not hide his determination to acquire this place, nor his intention to control it.

He had previously researched the history of this world specifically – there was nothing like this in history, allowing him to act freely. And based on his understanding of Konoha's historical finances, this one-tenth would be enough for them to agree.

"Living day by day," "lack of ambition," "content with poverty" could be considered an objective description of Konoha.

Its geographical location was too good. Whether it was natural conditions, the prosperity of agriculture and commerce in the Land of Fire, or the development of technology, the resulting comfort made people in Konoha, from top to bottom, have no desire for advancement!

They just wanted to be ninja steadily and complete missions step by step!

If they had money, they spent it; if they didn't, they'd go do a mission, perfectly "moonlight clan" members.

Externally, there was not the slightest covetousness.