Pakura's Hint

"???" ×2

The two Sand Village guards stared at the caravan before them, looking rather bewildered.

The caravan had more than a dozen camels and looked, no matter how one viewed it, like the most common sight in the deserts of the Land of Wind.

But this was the border of the Land of Wind. It was also a battlefield! Why would there be a caravan here?

Something was wrong?

The two guards exchanged glances, and one of them stepped forward to block the caravan's path.

"Friend, this is a battlefield. Did you take a wrong turn?"

After the kind Sand Village ninja spoke, the caravan leader walked toward him.

"Friend of the Sand Village, I am Keiichi Gojiro! We came from the Land of Demons to do business with you!"

The caravan leader waved his hands, appearing exceptionally enthusiastic.

Of course, it was all an act. Otherwise, Uchiha Makoto would never have been so enthusiastic.

"Huh?"

This Sand Village ninja was even more confused!

Of all places to do business, they had come to a battlefield!

"We are from the Umbrella Consortium, and we wish to make a deal with Elder Chiyo!"

"Please inform her!"

As Uchiha Makoto spoke, he discreetly slipped the man a thousand-ryo banknote, then conveniently turned him around toward the Sand Village encampment.

Before long, Chiyo hurried over with several Sand Village higher-ups and warmly welcomed everyone into the Sand Village's main tent.

There was a rare hint of joy on Chiyo's face.

She had been troubled lately. Because the war involved so many parties, news of the Sand Village's defeat had quickly reached the Land of Wind's daimyo.

When the daimyo of the Land of Wind learned that the Sand Village had lost three thousand ninja in just a few days and had nearly been wiped out by Konoha—

No matter how mild-tempered he was, he could not help but berate Chiyo.

In a fit of anger, he had even cut the Sand Village's budget for the following year, leaving Chiyo in an even more difficult position.

Now, the Umbrella Consortium, one of the three great consortiums alongside the Golden Consortium, had arrived at their doorstep. If they could borrow some funds like they had from the Golden Consortium, perhaps they could make up for the budget shortfall!

With that in mind, Chiyo looked at Uchiha Makoto far more favorably.

This was all money for our Sand Village!

"Mr. Keiichi, I heard that your Umbrella Consortium wishes to discuss business with us. What sort of business might that be?"

After exchanging pleasantries, Chiyo immediately asked the question she could no longer hold back.

She was truly getting impatient.

It was not just her. The other Sand Village higher-ups also watched intently. After all, this was wartime. The Umbrella Consortium coming here to do business at a time like this surely meant they were up to no good!

"As a friendly nation of the Sand Village, we have quite a few businesses within the Land of Wind."

"To ensure our businesses can operate normally, your friendship is indispensable."

At that point, Uchiha Makoto paused and took a sip of tea before continuing beneath the expectant gazes of the Sand Village representatives.

"We believe that what is good for the Sand Village is good for us."

"Therefore, our superiors asked me to bring a batch of ninja tools to support the Sand Village."

"In return, we need the Sand Village to strongly support our commercial activities in the Land of Wind and grant us the best possible treatment!"

At that, Uchiha Makoto ignored the excited Sand Village higher-ups and turned to Chiyo. "Elder Chiyo, what do you think of this deal?"

Chiyo frowned, her expression somewhat hesitant.

"We appreciate your goodwill, but I fear the materials you are offering are not equivalent to your demands, are they?"

When she had welcomed Uchiha Makoto inside, Chiyo had already noticed the sealing scrolls carried by the dozen or so camels in the caravan. There were more than a hundred of them, large and small.

But even so, unless they were all extremely precious medical supplies, the Umbrella Consortium's contribution would be far from commensurate with its demands.

"This is not the only batch. There will be many more in the future."

Uchiha Makoto smiled lightly, having anticipated Chiyo's reaction.

The ninja tools contained within those hundred-plus sealing scrolls were merely what Miroku had collected over the past few months. Their total value did not even exceed two hundred million ryo.

At most, they could sustain ten thousand fully equipped ninja through one month of continuous ninja warfare.

Compared with the "best possible treatment" he demanded, the gap was enormous.

No normal person would agree under normal circumstances. If Chiyo had accepted immediately, that would have been the real problem.

As soon as Uchiha Makoto finished speaking, Chiyo's previously troubled expression instantly turned to delight.

"May I ask how often the material aid Mr. Keiichi mentioned will be delivered?"

As soon as she asked this question, everyone present focused their eyes on Uchiha Makoto.

Facing their gazes, Uchiha Makoto calmly raised one finger.

"Once a year? That is still acceptable."

Chiyo nodded. Although the interval differed somewhat from what she had expected, it was still rare enough that she could accept it.

"No, no, no!"

Hearing Chiyo's words, Uchiha Makoto let out a mocking laugh and rose to his feet.

"Please do not misunderstand! I mean we will keep delivering them!"

Gasp—

Before Uchiha Makoto had even finished speaking, all the Sand Village higher-ups drew sharp breaths.

The Umbrella Consortium was going this far?

If they kept delivering supplies, the annual cost would be at least over a billion ryo!

That was nearly equivalent to the Sand Village's annual budget after the cuts!

At that thought, the Sand Village higher-ups suddenly became somewhat uneasy.

In the ninja world, risk and reward were often directly proportional.

Now that the Umbrella Consortium was offering so much, their demands surely would not be limited to what they had mentioned earlier, right?

"Please do not be nervous, everyone. Our future material aid will not be free. However, we will offer you certain discounts, and the prices will absolutely be below market rates!"

As Uchiha Makoto explained, several Sand Village higher-ups visibly relaxed.

Only Chiyo still appeared somewhat uneasy.

"We have felt Umbrella's sincerity, but the Sand Village's budget is truly unable to bear it!"

Chiyo gritted her teeth, cast aside her pride, and spoke with a face full of difficulty.

Uchiha Makoto smiled knowingly and took out two contracts.

"No matter. We also offer installment loans here. Borrow ten billion ryo, repay it over ten years, for a total principal and interest of fifteen billion ryo."

"Come! Please sign here."

As Uchiha Makoto spoke, Fearful Reverence activated silently, and Chiyo unknowingly signed her name.

Looking at the two copies of the contract in his hands, Uchiha Makoto could not help but laugh.

What the hell was a win-win situation!

This was what the hell a win-win situation was!

Not only had he supplied the Sand Village and the Rock Ninja with equipment under a legitimate pretext, allowing them to resist Konoha and achieve his own objective.

He had also strengthened the Allied Ninja Forces' trust in Umbrella and tightened his control over the Four Great Ninja Villages!

I fucking won twice!

At that moment, Pakura entered the Sand Village's main tent.

"A caravan?"

Pakura frowned and muttered to herself.

Ever since she had encountered Uchiha Makoto in the desert last time, she had become extremely sensitive to caravans like these.

Pakura glanced ahead, and in an instant, she felt as if she had plunged into an icy abyss. It was him!

The bastard who had planted the restriction on her!

Though his appearance was different, Pakura felt the restriction being stirred and recognized him immediately!

Watching the harmonious scene between both sides, Pakura discreetly made a small gesture toward Uchiha Makoto.

This surprised Uchiha Makoto, who had been watching Pakura all along.

Hmm?

Pakura was hinting that she wanted to see me?