Mission Complete, Return Journey

Both sides ultimately avoided armed conflict, successfully completing the transaction in a manner acceptable to one another.

With the Cloud Village taking the initiative to release him, Fuyukaze Dotō, the imprisoned younger brother, regained his freedom and set out on his journey home.

Meanwhile, after careful selection, the envoy from the Land of Snow identified fifty talented individuals to serve as the bargaining chips for the trade.

For those not chosen, emotions were complex and varied.

Some felt fortunate to remain on familiar soil, enjoying a stable life.

Others secretly lamented, believing they had missed a precious opportunity that might have led to a broader world.

Coincidentally, the brothers Kazama Takuya and Kazama Yuki happened not to be among the fifty lucky ones.

With all preparations complete, the group set out once more, heading toward the pre-arranged location to conduct this crucial exchange.

"Gentlemen, do you truly believe the other side will trade honestly this time?"

The envoy from the Land of Snow could not hide a trace of anxiety, secretly wondering if the other side's previous concession was merely a stalling tactic to secretly mobilize troops. Such a suspicion was not entirely groundless.

Sakumo, perceiving the unease in the man's heart, softly reassured him: "Rest assured, they cannot contact their main base in such a short time."

If they hadn't known the true identity of the other party beforehand, such a risk would indeed exist.

But now that they were essentially looking at an open book, knowing the others were from the Cloud Village, that amount of time was nowhere near enough for a round trip.

Hearing this, the heavy stone in the envoy's heart settled slightly, and he whispered: "That is good."

He was also afraid of any further accidents; he had been quite bold when haggling with them earlier, and if they held a grudge against him, he would certainly be in over his head.

Time flowed away like fine sand, and the group finally arrived at the location of the transaction—Land Heart Valley.

Here, two suspension bridges spanned a deep abyss, with both sides guarding their respective ends, the atmosphere tense and subtle.

"Begin," the Cloud ninja captain ordered in a low voice.

The envoy from the Land of Snow first handed a large scroll to Sakumo.

Sakumo gave it a gentle toss, and the scroll traced a graceful arc through the air before landing.

Just as a Cloud ninja moved to retrieve it, Hayato suddenly drew a sharp kunai from his ninja tool pouch and threw it with pinpoint accuracy.

Clang! The kunai embedded itself firmly between the scroll and the Cloud ninja, forming an invisible barrier.

The Cloud ninja captain furrowed his brows and demanded: "What is the meaning of this?"

Hayato remained calm, speaking bluntly: "You may retrieve it after we have departed."

At this moment, someone from the Cloud ninja ranks stepped forward and questioned them.

"How can we be certain you aren't passing off fakes?"

Seeing this, the envoy from the Land of Snow decided to leverage the momentum, stepping forward with an air of unquestionable authority: "You have no choice but to trust us."

The Cloud ninja captain raised a hand to stop his companion's argument, shaking his head with a profound look: "We value living individuals more than dead objects. The situation is stronger than the people; we have no choice but to compromise."

It was all Konoha's fault for playing their trump card right out of the gate.

As time continued to pass, the hostages from both sides walked slowly across the suspension bridges. A gentle breeze blew, and a fallen leaf drifted down, adding a touch of tranquility to the tense exchange.

The personnel from both sides began to pass each other on the bridges. The envoy from the Land of Snow, still anxious from the earlier incident involving the imposters, felt fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead, silently praying: I hope everything goes smoothly.

Waiting always feels like it takes an eternity.

Hayato, on the other hand, was relaxed and at ease, yawning as he felt confident in the impending outcome.

The bottomless abyss beneath the suspension bridges served as a natural barrier that neither side dared to challenge; after all, no one wanted to take action at the risk of the hostages losing their lives.

Just as Hayato had anticipated, the transaction proceeded smoothly without any ripples.

The envoy from the Land of Snow hurried forward to untie Fuyukaze Sosetsu, saying with concern: "You have suffered."

Sosetsu shook his head gently, comforting the envoy in turn: "Everything is in the past."

This man's first impression on Hayato was that he was a relatively gentle person; at least, he did not appear to be a spoiled aristocrat.

It was a stark contrast to Fuyukaze Dotō, who had been released earlier.

Hayato still remembered the day Dotō returned to their camp.

He had immediately launched into a tirade against the envoy from the Land of Snow, complaining that it had taken them so long to come and rescue him.

"This is not a good place to talk; let us leave first," Sakumo said, stepping forward.

Sosetsu and the envoy both nodded, then followed Sakumo as they departed.

Once the transaction was complete, the group prepared to withdraw. Only after the Land of Snow party had moved far away did the Cloud ninjas step forward to pick up the scroll, checking it for errors before storing it away properly.

As for whether the scroll contained the true core technology, that would require careful study back at the village.

They then cast their gaze toward the researchers from the Land of Snow present at the scene.

On their faces, there was either anticipation or sorrow.

For them, the future held far too many uncertainties.

"Come with us," the Cloud Village captain commanded. The surrounding Cloud ninja fanned out, encircling the group of researchers.

Regardless, they had completed their mission perfectly. Though the profit was modest, they hadn't suffered a loss.

On the other side, Hayato and his team returned to the temporary camp to regroup with those left behind, preparing to depart from the Land of Arc.

Hayato and his companions did not spend much time considering the future diplomatic relations between the Land of Snow and the Land of Arc.

They had successfully fulfilled their mission of ensuring the safety of the hostages.

On the long journey back, a silent and profound night descended quietly.

The moonlight was like a wash, silver radiance spilling across the earth, adding a touch of mystery and tranquility to the journey.

It was on this quiet night that the Kazama brothers—Takuya and Shota—approached Hayato.

"It seems you have reached a decision?" A hint of an intriguing curve tugged at the corner of Hayato's mouth, his eyes flashing with the light of someone who saw through everything.

The two brothers exchanged a smile, their eyes filled with both determination and anticipation.

"We have thought it over. If there is a chance, we hope to live in Konoha."

Over this period, the brothers had experienced too much; those unbearable memories haunted them like nightmares.

In the Land of Snow, they were merely pawns to be manipulated, liable to be traded as cargo at any moment and sent to some unknown, distant corner to struggle for survival.

By comparison, the olive branch Hayato extended was undoubtedly a beam of light illuminating the darkness.

Rather than being manipulated, it was better to join Konoha.

The Land of Fire not only possessed a superior living environment but was also a place filled with freedom and hope.

They no longer wished to be at the mercy of fate, so they decided to seize this rare opportunity to join Konoha and pursue a future of their own.

Of course, they still harbored a sliver of concern—whether Hayato truly had the ability to grant them their freedom.

Facing the brothers' doubts, Hayato nodded gently, his eyes gleaming with confidence.

"I understand. Leave the rest to me."

After finishing his conversation with the Kazama brothers, Hayato strode directly toward the residence of the Land of Snow's envoy.

"What did you say? You want to take my people?" Upon hearing this, the envoy's face was instantly filled with astonishment, his tone tinged with displeasure.

"Hey, don't put it so harshly," Hayato said, spreading his hands with a relaxed smile. "This is merely a bridge for friendship between our two nations, letting them go to Konoha for a period of exchange and study."

"A period of time"—this phrase was highly elastic; it could be as brief as morning dew or as long as a lifetime.

To increase his persuasiveness, Hayato tossed out an enticing bargaining chip: "Furthermore, as a return gesture, the Uchiha Clan will dispatch elite talent here to provide targeted training for your ninja, jointly promoting friendly exchanges between our two countries."

In any case, he would spirit them away first; besides, who knew if the true purpose of coming here would be mere training later on?

As soon as these words were spoken, a flicker of temptation crossed the envoy's eyes.

He looked at Hayato, his voice laced with hesitation. "Are you certain you can do this?"

Hayato smiled slightly and slowly revealed his trump card: "My grandfather is an elder of the Uchiha Clan. You should be able to trust my word, right?"

The envoy pondered for a moment after hearing this, then said slowly, "This matter is of great importance. I need to consult with the Daimyo before making a decision."

Hayato nodded slightly, indicating his understanding. From the envoy's attitude, he could already see a glimmer of success.

After all, the conditions he proposed did not involve all of Konoha, but were exchanged in the name of the Uchiha Clan, which undoubtedly lowered the other party's guard.

After some back-and-forth, the Daimyo of the Land of Snow finally agreed to Hayato's request.

After all, for a Daimyo who could easily discard a hundred talents, what were a mere two people?

Moreover, this support from Konoha had saved them the cost of dozens of other talents.

To him, it was already a profit, not to mention the training chip Hayato had added at the end.

Upon learning the good news, Hayato couldn't wait to share it with the Kazama brothers.

The two were so excited they nearly jumped for joy, their eyes sparkling with infinite longing for the future.

After briefly explaining the situation to Sakumo, the four of them set out on the journey home.

Sakumo was also quite surprised that Hayato had managed to poach two talents.

Although he wasn't clear on what Hayato had traded to achieve it, it was ultimately beneficial and harmless to Konoha.

He believed that even if the Hokage learned of this, he would approve of Hayato's actions.

There were no trains to take on the road back to Konoha, so it took the four of them quite some time to return.

Hayato first took the Kazama brothers to the relevant department for simple registration, then accompanied Sakumo to the Hokage's office to report on the mission.

"Well done, Sakumo, Hayato." The Third Hokage, Hiruzen, looked at them with appreciation, his eyes full of gratification and satisfaction.

He was particularly pleased that the two had properly handled the relationship with the Cloud Village, avoiding an unnecessary conflict.

When he learned that Hayato had actually brought two scientific researchers from the Land of Snow back to Konoha, Hiruzen couldn't help but slowly puff on his pipe, his eyes flashing with deep thought.

He was silently calculating how to use this opportunity to bring more benefits and development to Konoha.

This might be an excellent opportunity to deepen technological exchanges with the Land of Snow and progress together.

Without asking too much about Hayato's specific methods, Hiruzen let him leave, keeping only Sakumo behind.