We Must Never Betray Lord Hokage's Trust!
Iwagakure, Tsuchikage Building.
"... Konoha permanently garrisoned the Land of Grass, monopolized key border routes, monitored the Grass Ninja, and exclusively prohibited Iwagakure from entering."
The words had barely left his mouth.
Snap!
Ōnoki slammed his hand on the corner of the stone table, sending pebbles flying.
"Useless! That piece of trash Jianyan! Those opportunists from the Land of Grass!"
Ōnoki was furious and said in a hateful voice:
"What a pity about my meticulously planned scheme!"
Ōnoki's chest heaved violently, his eyes blazing with fury, yet he forcefully suppressed his rage.
He knew very well that if they started a war now, Iwagakure would not gain any advantage.
The Jinchūriki Plan for the Four-Tails and Five-Tails is not yet truly complete, and that brat Yukari is unruly...
In contrast, Konoha is currently at the height of its power.
Leaving aside Kagami Uchiha and the others, even if we consider Mito Uzumaki, that old woman, she's still alive. She's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and she comes from the Uzumaki Clan, masters of Sealing Technique; her control over the Tailed Beast's power is extraordinary...
After a moment of contemplation, Ōnoki said in a deep voice:
"Let all the people from Blackstone Fortress withdraw. Since the Land of Grass has made its choice, sending more people will be of no use."
"Furthermore, have the troops sent to provide support stationed at the border between the Land of Grass and the Grassland to receive the ninjas returning from the Land of Grass."
Hmph! Kagami Uchiha, you won this time, but next time, I'll definitely...
Ōnoki turned his back, his eyes concealing both forbearance and ruthlessness.
The Land of Wind, Sunagakure.
The Kazekage Building is simple and rough, full of traces of wind and sand erosion.
The Second Kazekage, Shamon, sat upright, his fingertips twirling a rolled-up love letter, his gaze deep as he stared at the endless yellow sand outside the hall.
The Sand Ninja beside him reported in a low voice:
"Lord Kazekage, Konoha has achieved a great victory at the Broken Cloud Gorge, killing over a thousand Iwagakure ninjas and establishing an exclusive garrison alliance. The Land of Grass has now completely become a vassal of Konoha."
After a long silence, Shamon slowly spoke, his voice hoarse and low. "Ōnoki's scheme has only benefited Konoha."
He raised his eyes and looked at his most trusted disciple beside him— Sajie.
"Sajie, what do you think?"
A blue-haired youth named Sajie was dressed in a black robe and had deep-set eyes.
He stepped forward slowly, gazing at the endless yellow sand outside the window, and spoke softly:
"Teacher, Iwagakure suffered a crushing defeat; Konoha's rise has been too rapid."
Kazekage nodded slightly. "That's right."
"By swallowing up the Land of Grass, Konoha has essentially gained a strategic buffer along its entire Western border."
"From now on, Iwagakure's southward route is completely blocked."
Sajie said in a deep voice, "Lord Kazekage, Sunagakure must immediately adjust its stance."
"We must not antagonize Konoha for the time being, nor should we blindly follow or attach ourselves to others."
"What we need to do is observe the situation, defend our homeland, and quietly build up our fighting strength."
The Second Kazekage smiled faintly, his eyes revealing satisfaction with his disciple's understanding of the bigger picture.
"You think the same way I do."
"Tell the men below to guard the border strictly."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi is staring intently at us."
"That kid is no ordinary cannon fodder."
"Sunagakure does not interfere in the feuds between Iwagakure and Konoha."
Just as Sajie solemnly nodded and was about to turn and take his leave...
The Shamon, hoarse voice of the monk sounded behind him.
"By the way, you've been here for so long today. How's the mining going? Don't slack off; the Sunagakure's Future rests on your shoulders."
Upon hearing Sajie, Suna staggered, but did not reply. He simply fled the Kazekage's Office as quickly as possible.
"Hahaha!" Watching his disciple's retreating figure, the Shamon couldn't help but smile.
This is the future he chose for the village...
He then got up and walked to the window. The desert wind howled. This time, Sunagakure continued to choose to lie low and observe.
The Land of Rain, an old street on the outskirts of the city.
Fine rain slanted down, washing over the entire old street.
This is not the bustling main street of Amegakure, but just an ordinary old street on the outskirts of the city. The alley is narrow, and both sides are lined with low wooden houses and tin-roofed shops that are constantly soaked by rain.
The air was damp and chilly, with a faint smell of rust. There weren't many pedestrians on the street, mostly ordinary migrants wearing straw raincoats and hats, traveling vendors, and scattered wandering ninjas, hurrying along without stopping.
In the middle of the street, a two-story old-fashioned townhouse stands quietly in the rain.
A wooden plaque, darkened by rainwater, hangs above the door; the characters are steady and neat.
Black Yu Financial and Commercial Company.
The font is steady and neat, giving the impression of a legitimate professional trading Company that deals in inter-village remittances, commodity trading, fund deposits, and investment lending.
The room was quiet and slightly cool, isolating it from the pattering rain outside.
A series of crisp footsteps echoed down the wooden staircase, breaking the silence of the room.
"Company President, you wanted to see me?" Sakamoto hurried upstairs, slightly out of breath, and bowed deeply to the figure sitting behind the desk, his expression extremely respectful.
A moment of silence.
The figure behind the table slowly turned its head.
His impeccably tailored, pure black suit accentuated his composed and imposing figure, exuding the aura of a powerful figure in the upper echelons of capital. A pair of dark sunglasses perched on his nose, the black lenses tightly concealing all emotions in his eyes, making him appear unfathomable and authoritative without even trying.
A thick, heavy gold chain was wrapped around his neck, hanging heavily on the lapel of his crisp suit, its metallic sheen subtly gleaming in the dim indoor light. A thick, plain gold ring clung to his right ring Unnamed, simple and unassuming, yet it spoke volumes about his wealth and status.
"Here you are." A deep, hoarse voice slowly rang out, carrying the indifferent and oppressive aura of someone long accustomed to a position of power.
He raised his hand and took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of deep green eyes under the light.
"Company President, what can I do for you? I need to go out later to meet with business associates." Sakamoto looked up slightly, a puzzled expression on his face.
Kakuzu remained calm and spoke indifferently, "You're the Company's top salesperson, always on the go, I know that. But you shouldn't have forgotten the first rule of the Black Yu Trading Company, right?"
Sakamoto straightened up, his expression instantly becoming solemn, and replied decisively, "Your subordinate will remember this! The first rule of the Black Yu Trading Company: In all matters, the Company President's orders must be obeyed first!"
"Very good."
Kakuzu nodded slightly, a calculating glint in his eyes, and said calmly, "To make a long story short, I've finalized a huge deal— the Land of Wind. Pack your things, and come with me."
Sakamoto's expression hardened, and he subconsciously lowered his voice, pressing for an answer, "Is it an assassination mission? A hostage exchange? Or a cross-border operation?"
"Idiot!"
Kakuzu frowned slightly, his face showing impatience, and his cold rebuke carried a hint of anger.
"How many times have I told you? Avoid fighting and killing, those life-threatening situations, if you can. Constantly engaging in bloodshed will only attract the attention of ninjas from other villages, and it's not worth it."
He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his tone laced with languor and sarcasm. "We've been rooted in the Land of Rain for years, making money through interest-free lending, cross-border smuggling, and asset trusteeship, living a carefree and comfortable life."
Why turn down a sure-fire way to make money and risk your life?
"Is that something people of our status would do?" Kakuzu straightened his clothes and said indifferently.
Sakamoto instantly realized his mistake, quickly composed himself, and bowed deeply. "It was my shallow thinking and my presumption! Please, Company President, clarify the mission details of this trip!"
Looking at Sakamoto's teachable appearance, Kakuzu was secretly pleased.
Since being recruited by Kagami Uchiha, Kakuzu is no longer the crude, unsophisticated man who used to brave the wind and rain and earn bounties by killing ninjas.
Hokage often sent letters, partly out of concern for him as an unofficial member, and partly to share many novel economic ideas.
Thanks to this, he was able to establish this trading Company in the Land of Rain, no longer needing to risk his life in battle. He could accumulate wealth continuously while sitting at home, and incidentally, he could also gather various intelligence on Hanzo of the Salamander's side.
What pleased him even more was that his salary also rose accordingly, reaching a full 30 million taels a year.
Compared to the meager savings they used to painstakingly accumulate, it was a world of difference.
Really...
Whenever Kakuzu recalls these events, his respect for Kagami Uchiha deepens.
Kagami Uchiha was his great benefactor, and since he had given the order, Kakuzu naturally had no reason to refuse.
This trip to the Land of Wind must be done perfectly; we absolutely cannot let the Hokage down!