The envoy took the scroll and examined it carefully. The very first clause read: From the date both parties agree to these terms, Konoha and Kirigakure shall open their ports and coastlines to each other and abolish tariffs on each other's imported goods.
The second clause stated that Konoha must commit to importing at least three thousand kilograms of seafood caught by Kirigakure each year.
The third clause: If Kirigakure needed to purchase raw iron, Kunai, Shuriken, or other ninja tools or goods, Konoha must not charge Kirigakure an extra premium. Prices had to match those offered in Konoha, and Kirigakure would cover the transportation costs.
The fourth clause...
The fifth clause...
The sixth clause...
The envoy skimmed the document and found that among all twenty-six clauses, not one said Kirigakure had to withdraw from this war or support Konoha in any way.
The entire document had just one point: the two sides would do business.
And many of the clauses benefited Kirigakure.
Take the first clause, for example. If both sides abolished tariffs on each other's goods, Kirigakure would make a fortune!
Konoha barely had any merchant ships going to the Land of Water or Kirigakure, while Kirigakure had plenty of cargo ships that needed to come to Konoha.
The envoy was dumbfounded. What kind of terms were these?
He eyed Yuya suspiciously. Yuya smiled amiably. "This is the sincerity we're offering. I believe your side can see that we've already made considerable concessions."
The envoy fell silent. That was certainly true. The terms could even be called generous.
After speaking, Yuya added, "By the way, the Land of Water has extensive waterways and many large cargo ships. Konoha has a need for those as well. I imagine you can't decide on the price yourself, so please pass this message on to your Mizukage."
The envoy could only nod blankly.
Yuya continued smiling. "Also, Konoha can select a site in the Land of Water and build a steel-processing plant there. The Land of Water has abundant mineral resources, too. Konoha would only need one tenth of the plant's raw iron output over three years. Please pass this message on to your Mizukage as well."
The envoy continued nodding, still dazed.
By the time he was escorted out of the tent, the Kirigakure envoy's mind was still reeling.
Was Konoha running a charity?!
Why were they offering them so many benefits?
Kagami Uchiha escorted the envoy's party for a while. When he returned, he saw Yuya had dispelled the Transformation Technique. Frowning, he asked, "I know you want Konoha to pay a price so we can get through this period, but aren't you giving Kirigakure too many benefits?"
Yuya looked puzzled. "Why do you say that?"
Kagami Uchiha said, "Didn't all those terms seem to benefit Kirigakure?"
Yuya immediately laughed. "That's great if you think so, too. I'm sure the Mizukage of Kirigakure will feel the same way."
Kagami Uchiha was a little confused. Somehow, that didn't sound quite right.
Yuya didn't explain his reasoning to Kagami Uchiha. He merely said, "I wouldn't hand Konoha's resources over for no reason. If I'm offering Kirigakure so many benefits today, it's because I'll get even more back from them in the future, with interest."
To the shinobi of this world, who didn't even understand the concept of economics and spent all day fighting, every condition Yuya had proposed looked like a benefit for Kirigakure.
But they had overlooked one hidden condition.
If these terms were actually implemented, Konoha's merchants would enjoy the same tax exemptions.
Yuya was always saying that Konoha was just a small village and not much of a place, but it depended on who you compared it to.
The other four great nations' shinobi villages weren't even as developed as Konoha was now.
In Yuya's previous life, one country's Pengcheng had gone from a small fishing village to an international metropolis in just over a decade.
And that was without any supernatural powers.
With shinobi who had supernatural powers in this life, Yuya felt he might not even need ten years to develop Konoha fully.
You all think these terms benefit Kirigakure. Sorry, but they benefit us, too.
Let Kirigakure experience a little taste of the shock of dumping.
After Yuya finished speaking with the envoy from the Land of Water, things went exactly as he expected: Kirigakure's leadership didn't even consider that there might be a trap in the terms.
After carefully reading every clause, the Second Mizukage Gengetsu had only one thought.
Those terms proposed by that disciple of someone-or-other Senju Hashirama were surely meant to delay the Land of Water and keep it from siding with the Land of Lightning.
The Second Mizukage sneered repeatedly. Did they really think he would agree to the conditions Konoha had proposed?
How laughable.
The Second Mizukage Gengetsu summoned the major clans of Kirigakure.
Gengetsu said he had no intention of signing and would fight Konoha to the bitter end, making Senju Tobirama taste his Steaming Danger Tyranny.
But the major clans of Kirigakure wouldn't have it.
They couldn't care less about ordinary people in Kirigakure, but if these terms were implemented, their clans would surely gain a great deal.
Take the promise to buy three thousand jin of seafood every year. That alone meant a net profit of at least a million ryo—and it was only one of the twenty-six clauses!
You might be the Second Mizukage, but you can't make decisions unilaterally. Everyone has to vote. We'll give you the Mizukage's due respect and count you as one and a half votes, at most.
The Second Mizukage's face twisted with rage.
What did these people know?!
This was Konoha's delaying tactic!
Konoha didn't want them to take part in that war!
The Second Mizukage Gengetsu was furious. He summoned an elder from the Yuki clan, the person he trusted most.
The elder took a pragmatic view and asked the Second Mizukage Gengetsu, "If Kirigakure joins the war, even if we win, can we destroy Konoha? Will our losses be great? And what's our ultimate goal?"
The Second Mizukage Gengetsu replied, "Kirigakure should be able to win if it attacks alongside Iwagakure and Kumogakure, but we'll have to pay a price. Many shinobi will die, and we certainly won't be able to destroy Konoha. After all, the Land of Fire has shinobi forces outside Konoha, and they'll certainly help if Konoha is in danger of being destroyed.
"Our ultimate goal, of course, is to gain benefits from this war."
As he said those words, the Second Mizukage Gengetsu understood.
That's right! Why was he joining the war? To gain benefits!
Now Konoha had already prepared benefits for them, and they wouldn't have to risk losing shinobi from their village on the battlefield. They could just stay home and count their money. Wasn't that better than fighting to the death on the battlefield, only to end up working for Kumogakure and Iwagakure?
Kumogakure had promised them that Kirigakure would get the biggest share of the spoils if they won.
But promises like that were only worth listening to, not believing. Did anyone really trust those muscle-brained fools from Kumogakure?
They hadn't even given Kirigakure a deposit. Just look at Konoha, though—now that was a generous offer!
So the Second Mizukage hurriedly sent people to Konoha to sign the agreement.
In the summer of Year 17 of Konoha, Kirigakure, which had previously promised to send troops to help Kumogakure, sent an envoy to Konoha to sign an agreement opening both sides' markets to each other.
Naturally, Kirigakure couldn't sign an agreement to cooperate and do business, then immediately send troops to attack Konoha.
That left Konoha's eastern front free of worries.
Senju Tobirama was happy, but also concerned. Although Yuya had said the terms would benefit Konoha, Tobirama couldn't see how.
Still, Tobirama felt he should trust Yuya a little more.
If things went badly, he could always send that fellow prospecting for gold. A single gold mine would yield dozens of tons of gold, enough to cover any losses.
Thinking that, Tobirama cheered up again.
No matter how many benefits it seemed Konoha was giving away on the surface, the fact was that Yuya had kept Kirigakure out of this war.
Yuya felt a little helpless about it. He really wasn't lying. In less than three years, they'd see just how beneficial these terms were.
If things had stopped there, that would have been that.
What neither Yuya nor Tobirama had expected was...
Seeing the terms Kirigakure had signed with Konoha, Sunagakure couldn't sit still. They sent someone to Konoha with one goal:
You've worked out all those terms with Kirigakure. How about working out a similar deal between our two sides?
Yuya was completely dumbfounded. There was another expert among them?
Before you continue