Want to Learn Sage Arts? Why Travel All the Way to Mount Myoboku?

"Infinite Tsukuyomi?" Tsunade and Jiraiya were extraordinarily shocked after hearing Jing Hang's description.

"That's what they called it. And in several recent wars, their shadow has been present. It seemed many things happening behind the scenes were stirred up by them," Jing Hang said firmly.

"Could Uchiha be involved? Tell me, what do you usually call your boss?" Tsunade gripped a White Zetsu by the neck. Under that immense force, White Zetsu's neck instantly twisted into a bizarre shape, making both Jing Hang and Jiraiya feel a chill down their spines.

"I... will not... betray... Lord Madara..."

Everyone in the room was shocked, except Jing Hang. Everyone understood how terrifying that name was.

"Could some schemer be using Madara's name to cause trouble? Let's not even bring up the battle at the Valley of the End. Even if Madara had lived until now, wouldn't he be over seventy?" Jiraiya counted on his fingers.

"Whether it is or not, I don't think we can take this lightly," Jing Hang said.

"Should we report this to the Hokage?" Tsunade asked.

"Report it? How? Take these freaks to make the report? We don't even fully understand the actual situation ourselves. If one of my subordinates reported something like this to me, I'd kick him straight out." Jing Hang shook his head. Indeed, it was unrealistic to expect Hiruzen Sarutobi to spare the time to investigate the elusive Madara. Besides, the entire ninja world was at war. Who had the mind to care about such matters?

"Then what do you think we should do?" Jiraiya scratched his head.

After thinking for a moment, Jing Hang said, "This matter is known only to the three of us for now. Don't spread it around and cause unnecessary panic. Once I return to Sunagakure, I'll arrange for people to gather information on this organization. As for these four, Tsunade, you can continue interrogating them or researching them as you see fit. Sunagakure will provide you with everything you need." Of course, there would be no investigation. He had the entire manga in his head—why waste the effort? He only needed to give them updates now and then.

"Mm." Jiraiya and Tsunade agreed.

"We must thank Lord Fukasaku and Lady Shima again."

Jing Hang turned and bowed to the two sages.

"You are too polite, Kazekage-sama." Fukasaku and Shima returned the bow.

"Honored sages, I wish to learn sage arts. Would it be possible for me to form a contract with Mount Myoboku?" He still needed to learn sage arts. Otherwise, he would never feel at ease.

"My apologies, but we Toad Clan truly cannot adapt to the dryness of the Hidden Sand Village. And we generally do not form contracts with ninja outside the Hidden Leaf Village, lest a tragedy of clansmen killing one another occur," Fukasaku said with a trace of regret.

"That is truly a pity." Jing Hang was slightly disappointed.

"However, your Hidden Sand Village also has summoning clans skilled in sage arts. Why travel thousands of miles to seek out Mount Myoboku? What? Didn't your village elders tell you?" Shima asked.

"They really didn't. I've only been Kazekage for a few days. I've been busy fighting wars and handling diplomacy." Jing Hang scratched his head.

"You deserve a beating. The Weasel Clan's Weasel Mound and the Lizard Clan's Komodo Island are places no less significant than the Three Great Sage Regions, yet you're a Kazekage and don't even know that. Don't you deserve a beating?" Fukasaku was clearly dissatisfied with Jing Hang's ignorance. Jing Hang's eyes, however, lit up.

"Clang! Clang! Clang! Sizzle!" Accompanied by a piercing quenching sound, a Rambo Dagger bearing beautiful patterns appeared before everyone's eyes.

"So beautiful." Pakura could not help but sigh in admiration as she looked at the dagger.

Jing Hang's hands did not stop moving. He first ground the blade, starting with a grinding wheel and then a whetstone. Next, he picked up a file and sharpened each serration on the spine one by one. Finally, he fitted the dagger with a handle and installed a small compass at the end of it. The entire process flowed as smoothly as water, leaving the watching craftsmen clicking their tongues in amazement.

"Clang!"

Jing Hang suddenly swung the blade at a kunai resting on a nearby rack. The kunai instantly broke into two pieces. The crowd burst into astonished exclamations once more, and soon the workshop was filled with applause.

"Did everyone understand? Good. Now follow what I did and make a dagger of the same specifications. Whoever finishes within three hours can sign this employment contract for a monthly salary of six thousand ryo." Upon hearing Jing Hang's instructions, everyone found their workbenches and began working.

"The White Fang I gave you last time was broken by the Hokage. This one is to compensate you." Jing Hang sheathed the knife and handed it to Pakura.

Pakura fondly played with the dagger, her eyes full of delight.

Nearly all ninja knew some blacksmithing to one extent or another. Before ninja villages had even been established, kunai, shuriken, and the like were forged by ninja themselves or by their clans.

First, only the user knew their own habits. Second, people felt more at ease using weapons they had made themselves. Later, after the various ninja villages were established, ordinary ninja tools were forged by specialized clans and sold centrally through ninja tool shops.

Later still, dedicated weapon manufacturers such as the Land of Crafts appeared and handled everything from production to sales. Their quality and prices were both acceptable. During wartime, the clans responsible for weapon manufacturing in the ninja villages simply could not keep up, so they had no choice but to import some Land of Crafts products. Even so, many traditional ninja still retained the habit of making their own ninja tools. Jing Hang was one such traditional ninja. When it came to blacksmithing, he was a true expert.

Originally, Jing Hang had only intended to use factory construction as a pretext to secure the upper reaches of the Shule River. But then he thought, since the factory had already been built, would it not be a waste if it did not make money? What was most profitable during wartime? Naturally, the arms trade. Thus, Jing Hang developed the idea of truly expanding both the ninja tool factory and the cannery.

Canned food was simple. Using Napoleonic-era methods, after more than half a month of tinkering, they had produced three flagship products: braised pork, black bean dace, and yellow peaches. They all came in small, thin stainless-steel cans, marked respectively with simple images of a pig, fish, and peach for distinction, with the Hourglass trademark affixed on top.

At several dinners where Danzo and Hanzo of the Salamander hosted Jing Hang, he eagerly brought out his products to promote them. Both men praised them highly after tasting them. When they learned the shelf life was as long as two years, Danzo immediately placed an order for six thousand cans of each kind, while Hanzo symbolically ordered one thousand cans of each.

This first batch was quickly distributed as consolation supplies to ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village and Hidden Rain. Hidden Leaf ninja who had spent nearly half a year fighting abroad and chewing flavorless Soldier Rations Pills every day were deeply shaken after tasting the various canned foods. They promptly placed more orders. Looking at the price list, pork cans cost thirty ryo each, fish cans fifteen ryo each, and yellow peach cans ten ryo each.

The prices were extremely affordable, so canned food immediately became a huge hit. As word spread and the buzz grew, major merchants from Earth Country and Lightning Country also placed sizable orders. Yura, the cannery director, became so busy his feet barely touched the ground. He led his team in acquiring five nearby pig farms, ten fishponds, and four peach orchards in succession. Only then could they ensure the orders were completed smoothly.

Ninja tools were more troublesome by comparison. The market for traditional, commonly used ninja tools had already been almost monopolized by the Land of Crafts, so Jing Hang decided to go the opposite way and take the premium route. The first product he introduced was a multifunctional dagger like the Rambo Dagger. Furthermore, Jing Hang adopted the most troublesome Damascus Steel forging method!

Damascus Steel was originally a high-quality steel made by ancient people from Indian wootz steel through cold forging, possessing natural patterns resembling wood grain. Blades forged from Damascus Steel were renowned for cutting through iron as though it were mud while remaining tough and unbending. Unfortunately, the forging method for this steel had been lost.

Fortunately, before transmigrating, Jing Hang had loved watching an American reality competition show—Forged in Fire! That show featured a method for making a high-quality imitation Damascus Steel. Both its appearance and strength were nearly indistinguishable from true Damascus Steel, and almost without exception, contestants who used Damascus Steel went on to win.

"Director Rasa, please send someone to invite Danzo and Hanzo of the Salamander to dinner tomorrow evening. We need to promote our knives as well."