Good Guy Danzo

"Lord Raikage, the strategy we settled on before is no longer suitable."

Dodai's expression grew even more grave. The strategic objectives they had set for the coming Great Ninja War would inevitably come at a heavy cost. But now, the emergence of those firearms gave them a far better option.

"Indeed, it's no longer suitable!" The Third Raikage understood this as well. Changes had to be made.

"Moreover, those firearms have very low usage requirements—anyone who can refine even a little Chakra can use them, and with enough resources and manpower, they can be mass-produced. I'm afraid the Daimyo's administration will start to have some ideas..."

Dodai trailed off there. This was not something he could decide on his own; it required the Lord Raikage's judgment.

At this, the Third Raikage's expression grew heavier. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind before finally speaking.

"Back then, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha established Konohagakure with absolute power, ushering in the Shinobi village era. The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning was forced into supporting the founding of Kumogakure, and his attitude toward us shinobi villages has always been one of wariness..."

As he recounted those past events, the Third Raikage's expression was complicated. He had lived through the Warring States period and witnessed the dawn of the Shinobi village era. He also understood the many tensions between the shinobi villages and the Daimyo's administration.

To be honest, he could never quite figure out why the First Hokage had created such an awkward system—one that left both the Daimyo's administration and the shinobi villages in an uncomfortable position. And back then, both the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha possessed godlike power. The First Hokage was even called the God of Shinobi. With the two of them working together, they could have swept the entire world and unified the whole shinobi realm, putting an end to war forever.

The Four Great Shinobi Villages only dared to launch the First Great Ninja War after the First Hokage's death, and the outbreak of that war proved the flaws in the shinobi village system. Now, the seeds of a Second Great Ninja War were already sprouting, and there would surely be more to come. This endless cycle of war brought suffering that, in some ways, surpassed even the Warring States period, and the scale of conflict kept expanding.

While part of this stemmed from the conflicts between shinobi villages, it was also fueled by the Daimyo's administration's covert instigation and manipulation. If they could, That Person and the many nobles would be more than happy to see the shinobi and their villages vanish entirely.

He knew this well. In the past, the Daimyo's administration had been tight-fisted with village funding, deliberately keeping the shinobi villages from growing too strong. Both sides were caught in an awkward standoff, each wary of the other.

But the shinobi village system had already taken shape, with each village checking the others. They had no power to change it—until now. They had glimpsed an opportunity, one they could not afford to miss.

"If it comes down to a choice between the Daimyo's administration and the village, This Old Man hopes the village will be the one and only jewel." By the end, the Third Raikage's expression had hardened with resolve.

He was the Raikage of Kumogakure, standing on the side of the village. That was his most fundamental stance, and it would never change!

Dodai was not surprised by the Third Raikage's decision. This was the Third Raikage he knew.

"Then the development of those firearms needs even tighter secrecy. Keeping it in the village won't do—we'll have to move it to Turtle Island. The personnel must be absolutely trustworthy, and we'd rather have too few than risk a leak." Dodai brought up the security measures for developing the firearms, suggesting they be relocated to Turtle Island.

Turtle Island was a giant sea turtle that could move freely across the ocean and even submerge itself. It was extremely secluded, perfect for this kind of top-secret research.

"You handle the arrangements!" The Third Raikage approved the proposal. This matter required absolute secrecy—not a single hint could leak out.

"Also, the ideas he proposed won't be easy to realize, and they will definitely require comprehensive Sealing Techniques as support." Dodai brought up the development of the firearms. With Kumogakure's current foundation alone, it wouldn't be enough—they simply lacked the necessary expertise.

"Then increase our investment in the Land of Whirlpools operation. This Old Man will lead the team personally." The Third Raikage agreed, understanding that Dodai was referring to the Uzumaki clan of the Land of Whirlpools.

They had already been planning to attack the Land of Whirlpools, aiming to acquire high-level Sealing Techniques to complete their Tailed Beast Jinchuriki project. The end of the First Great Ninja War had come about because of the First Hokage's wife, who had displayed destructive power on par with the First Hokage himself in her Tailed Beast Jinchuriki form.

After witnessing the power of a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki, every major shinobi village had become interested. Although they had purchased tailed beasts from Konoha at the first Five Kage Summit, the beasts were impossible to tame, let alone use effectively. On the contrary, they had to divert a significant portion of their strength to guard them, and if a tailed beast went berserk, it would cause tremendous losses.

They had been struggling with this problem until the First Hokage's wife showed them a new path. So that's how tailed beasts could be used!

But sealing a tailed beast stably for a long time was no easy task. It required top-tier Sealing Techniques to assist, and in the shinobi world, only the Uzumaki clan possessed the strongest Sealing Techniques. The First Hokage's wife was a member of the Uzumaki clan and its strongest—she could even control and utilize the Nine-Tails, the most powerful of them all. That alone spoke to the strength of her Sealing Techniques.

"According to our intelligence, the Third Hokage of Konoha has already sent three invitations to the Uzumaki clan to join Konoha. The First Hokage's wife is advanced in years, and she must be struggling to suppress the Nine-Tails by now. His patience has likely run out." Dodai revealed a piece of intelligence, offering a new angle on their plan to conquer the Land of Whirlpools.

The Third Raikage said nothing, waiting for Dodai to continue.

Dodai did not keep him in suspense. "Sealing Techniques are hard to learn and hard to apply. Moreover, most of the Uzumaki clan's high-level Sealing Techniques were developed based on their own unique traits, and they consume an astonishing amount of Chakra. If we want to make better use of Sealing Techniques, we need to obtain the Uzumaki clan. And to obtain the Uzumaki clan, we must find an opportunity to sever their ties with Konoha. Perhaps we can use the identity of the Lord Raikage's Disciple to get Konoha to cooperate."

Originally, they had only sought a Sealing Technique capable of perfectly sealing the Eight-Tails and Two-Tails, but now with higher and more numerous demands, their objectives naturally had to expand.

"You handle the arrangements!"

The Third Raikage understood and entrusted this matter to Dodai.

Though Dodai was young, he was exceptionally shrewd and resourceful, and as his trusted confidant, he was the most suitable person for these tasks.

"Do you think these firearm concepts are connected to Shimura Danzō and Konoha?"

He suddenly asked; some things required caution. If all this were a Konoha conspiracy, and Konoha already possessed a large number of firearms—more advanced and powerful—then the coming war would be a disaster for Kumogakure.

"Unlikely. Neither Hiruzen Sarutobi nor Shimura Danzō would have that kind of boldness. Besides, we only need to monitor the flow of steel across the lands to confirm it."

Dodai shook his head slightly. He had reviewed the intelligence on Konoha's higher-ups; aside from Shimura Danzō's more radical mindset, the others were conservative types.

Moreover, Konoha's internal situation was far from peaceful.

"Then Kumogakure has struck gold!"

The Third Raikage laughed again, a hearty laugh.

Shimura Danzō was truly a great benefactor!