After interacting warmly with the people of Rock District for quite a while, Uchiha finally decided to end the commotion.
He turned to Ōnoki and commanded in an unquestionable tone, "Go and disperse the crowd. The Lord Hokage's time is extremely valuable; we can't waste too much time here."
Upon hearing this, Ōnoki's expression changed drastically, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.
He cursed inwardly, "So you're the minister? You have it so easy, just by talking and you've so effortlessly pushed this thankless task that offends the people onto me."
Ōnoki stood there, his mind racing, trying to figure out how to deal with the situation.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck him. His eyes lit up, and he turned to Kitsuchi, saying seriously, "Son, now is the time to test you. Look, the Lord Hokage is surrounded by so many people. Go and bring the Lord Hokage over!"
Kitsuchi was stunned when he heard his father's words. He stared wide-eyed at Ōnoki, as if he couldn't believe his ears.
He inwardly groaned, "Good heavens, you really are my father! Pushing me out as a shield at a time like this. And don't you have Deidara? Why didn't you send him?"
His eyes revealed obvious reluctance, as if he was full of resistance to what was about to happen.
Then, he slowly raised his finger and pointed it directly at Deidara.
Upon seeing this, Ōnoki's expression suddenly stiffened, and his previously relaxed face instantly turned gloomy, revealing displeasure.
You know, Deidara is Ōnoki's darling!
Although he may not be able to defeat a powerful opponent of Kage Level like Uchiha, his ability to deal area-of-effect damage is absolutely not to be underestimated, and can even be compared to the legendary Susanoo!
Such an important figure was naturally favored and protected by Ōnoki. Now, someone was trying to damage Deidara's reputation, which was something Ōnoki simply could not tolerate!
Then, Ōnoki glared at the person who had aroused his displeasure, exuding an aura of authority.
Seeing Ōnoki's reaction, Kitsuchi Tu's lips twitched slightly.
He knew very well how much Ōnoki valued Deidara, so he could only helplessly accept his fate.
Immediately afterward, Kitsuchi quickly picked up the microphone from the broadcasting station and shouted loudly into the crowd, "Attention everyone! Attention everyone! The Lord Hokage is here to visit Rock District, but time is limited. Please make way for the Lord Hokage to come out."
Upon hearing the broadcast, everyone sighed. They understood the priorities and knew what was most important.
So everyone tactfully made way for Uchiha Kō to pass through smoothly.
With a smile, Uchiha Kō waved to everyone in a friendly manner and said, "See you next time, everyone!" After saying that, he walked towards Uchiha without hesitation.
Before long, Uchiha Kō and Uchiha walked side by side toward the Tsuchikage Building, gradually disappearing into the distance.
The Konoha Anbu members followed not far behind Uchiha Kō. Close behind them was the Rock District Anbu led by Kitsuchi, their steps slightly heavy, a stark contrast to the lightness of the Konoha Anbu.
The members of the Rock District Anbu stared intently at the equipment and technological ninja tools worn by the Konoha Anbu, their eyes filled with envy and longing.
These advanced equipment and ninja tools undoubtedly aroused their longing, after all, in this competitive ninja world, having better equipment meant greater strength.
Kitsuchi noticed the gazes of the members of the Rock District Anbu, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
He knew very well that the craftsmanship of these technological ninja tools and that new ninja suit originated from Konoha, and that Konoha had left all the skilled craftsmen there.
This left him feeling quite helpless, as he simply couldn't provide these advanced equipment to the members of the Rock District Anbu.
The number of technological ninja tools distributed by Konoha was very limited, totaling no more than ten sets.
One set was naturally given to the department head, while the rest were distributed to other important personnel. For the Rock District Anbu, obtaining extra technological ninja tools was virtually impossible.
Kitsuchi turned his head away helplessly, knowing that he could not meet the expectations of the members of the Rock District Anbu.
The people of the Anbu of the Rock District could only sigh helplessly at the reaction of the Kitsuchi.
They knew in their hearts that it wasn't Kitsuchi's fault, but rather because they weren't from Konoha headquarters.
At the very front of the group, Uchiha and Uchiha Kō Earth Flow, chatting and laughing, seemingly oblivious to everything around them.
Ōnoki would occasionally chime in with a few words, engaging in conversation with them. Nara Rokumei, on the other hand, would quietly follow behind, taking notes and observing the surroundings.
Everything proceeded smoothly as planned, without any obstacles or unexpected events.
When Uchiha Kō arrived at the Tsuchikage Building, he noticed that the seat that originally belonged to Uchiha was now empty.
This seemed to be a silent invitation, so Uchiha smiled and guided Uchiha Kō to the main seat.
Uchiha Kō accepted the arrangement without hesitation, sitting firmly in the main seat, displaying confidence and authority.
Uchiha sat in the first seat to his right, right next to him.
Next, the people from Konoha took their seats one after another, and their seats were arranged in order of status and importance.
To the left of Uchiha Kō, in the first seat, sat Ōnoki, representing Rock District's side.
Once everyone was seated, a tense yet expectant atmosphere filled the conference room.
Both sides simultaneously focused their attention on Uchiha Kō, as if he were the central figure in the meeting.
Uchiha Kō felt everyone's gaze. His eyes slowly swept over everyone present, finally settling on Nara Rokumei.
Nara Rokumei nodded slightly, indicating that everything was ready.
Upon receiving the signal, Uchiha Kō took a notebook from Nara Rokumei and gently placed it on the table in front of him. He took a deep breath, adjusted his posture, and made himself appear more authoritative.
Then, Uchiha Kō's gaze swept across the entire room once more, meeting everyone's eyes, before he spoke, "The main task we have gathered here today is to observe the living conditions of the people in Rock District."
Everyone knows that for a village to truly become strong, it must prioritize the people...
Uchiha Kō rattled on and on, and apart from Ōnoki and Hatake Sakumo, whose eyes lit up and who were constantly taking notes, everyone else, including Uchiha Madara, was getting drowsy.
There's really no other way! Look at them, they fight like madmen. But if you ask them to talk politics, well, sorry, they definitely can't win!
However, Uchiha Kō didn't push too hard. After all, the most important task of the people he brought was to ensure his personal safety.
The reason he was speaking so eloquently here was simply to instill his ideas into Ōnoki and, incidentally, to impart some experience in governing the village, so that the living standards of the Rock District villagers could be improved.
At that very moment, Ōnoki was sitting below, listening intently to Uchiha Kō's words. He not only listened very carefully, but also wrote them down word by word.
Clearly, Ōnoki took what Uchiha Kō said very seriously and was determined to immediately start improving people's livelihoods after the Konoha inspection team left, to learn from and summarize Konoha's experience in order to improve the living standards of people in Rock District.
About two hours later, Uchiha Kō finally finished his serious and economically oriented speech.
He slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping across his surroundings, his sharp eyes seemingly able to pierce through the hearts of everyone present.
"Now," his voice was deep and firm, "You can raise any questions or requests you may have. I will consider them as appropriate, based on the actual situation."
Just then, a slight commotion arose from the crowd. A figure slowly stepped out and knelt on the ground; it was Kitsuchi.
Kitsuchi clenched his teeth, seemingly having made a great decision. Then he raised his head, looked directly at Uchiha Kō, and said, "Lord Hokage, I have a request. I wonder if you could open up trade in technological ninja tools and new ninja suits, or perhaps distribute more suits to us?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire scene fell into complete silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone stared at Kitsuchi in astonishment, and the ninjas of the Rock District Anbu looked at him with eyes full of gratitude. At that moment, Kitsuchi was like a god in their eyes.
It's important to understand that this issue has always been a taboo subject for everyone; no one dares to bring it up easily, and even Ōnoki has remained silent on it.
However, Kitsuchi stepped forward without hesitation, bringing to the forefront this issue that everyone knew but no one dared to speak about. Kitsuchi's lack of understanding of the situation and his rash words made Ōnoki feel flustered.
"Shut up! You unfilial son! Don't you know that the Lord Hokage controls all the Genin? The reason why the world is at peace today is entirely due to the Lord Hokage's wise decisions! And you, how dare you make such an absurd suggestion!" Ōnoki trembled with anger and rebuked him with heartache.
He knew in his heart that his son had indeed made a grave mistake this time.
If he is not severely criticized, the son may not only lose his life, but also bring ruin to the entire family.
Despite the immense pain he felt as a father, he had no choice but to make the painful sacrifice to protect his son's safety.