Ida nodded. "Although we don't have as many Anbu ninja as great nations like Konoha, all the factions in the streets and alleys are under our control."
"So whenever an outsider enters, Lord Kiba knows immediately."
Xia Le smiled, then asked, "What about Orochimaru?"
"Lord Orochimaru secretly established a laboratory. No outsiders are allowed inside."
Ida explained.
Their brief exchange left everyone present wide-eyed.
Wait, whose name had they just heard?
Orochimaru?!
What was one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin doing here?
Fugaku and the others instinctively turned their eyes toward Xia Le, waiting for an explanation. But he merely chuckled, showing no intention of explaining anything.
"With all of you joining us, the Land of Rain will become much stronger."
"Although our territory currently limits us, and resources are scarce, things will certainly keep improving."
"Konoha started as a small village, too."
Ida spoke with a smile, ambition gleaming in his eyes.
His words made Fugaku look up at him.
Clearly, this ninja serving at Kiba's side had considerable aspirations.
"You want to build the Land of Rain into a nation comparable to the Five Great Nations?"
He asked in a deep voice.
Ida paused, then smiled. "I simply hope that every civilian in this nation can live a happy, peaceful life."
"And only with sufficient strength will peace be within our reach."
His words stunned Fugaku, but he quickly recovered and gave Ida another lingering look.
Strength was the first line of defense for peace!
The weak could only endure the blows dealt to them.
That was an eternal truth of the world.
What he had not expected was that even one of Kiba's trusted subordinates understood this truth so deeply, and harbored the ambition to turn the Hidden Rain Village into a great village on par with those