The Kazekage thought about it and decided it was acceptable—something he could agree to.
Sunagakure had become a place of good weather and fertile land. With the environment now suitable for living, population growth had become a pressing concern.
Sunagakure's population had continued to rise in recent years, so the amount of goods they cooperated on would increase each year.
The same was true of the other villages. Konoha's factories had been expanded time and again, and now they could no longer grow any larger.
"There's one more thing. We'd like to buy another batch of trees from Konoha to plant a new oasis."
Selling trees to Sunagakure had been a longstanding arrangement with Konoha, though the orders had always been small and nothing like a major deal.
"Sure. How many does Lord Kazekage need? I'll have to make preparations in advance."
"Hmm... about twenty thousand."
Minato nodded. Twenty thousand trees were nothing to Konoha. The tree farms under Konoha's control produced plenty of saplings and lumber every year.
It would be more than enough for Sunagakure.
"That's no problem, Lord Kazekage. The trees should arrive in Sunagakure in about a month."
Rasa nodded. "Good. We don't need them urgently, so within a month is fine."
The trees had only been a spur-of-the-moment purchase for Rasa. They weren't the reason he had come.
What he really wanted was to ask about the changes in Konoha over the past few months.
"Lord Hokage, forgive my impertinence, but I'd like to ask: have the people of Sunagakure committed some offense in Konoha? Why has Konoha stopped accepting visitors from Sunagakure?"
Minato had been waiting a long time for the Kazekage to ask that.
"Lord Kazekage, that isn't the case. Konoha has been preparing a project for the past few months, and that's