After many years, the Third Raikage once again set foot in the Land of Fire. Previously, he had only come for the Joint Chunin Exams, but this time, he had come on a goodwill visit between the two villages—though, of course, that goodwill was only a facade being maintained for the moment. The contest between Kumogakure Ninja Village and Konoha Ninja Village had yet to be decided.
The Third Raikage took a deep breath, a trace of bliss appearing on his face. Seeing this, his wife, Sora, asked, "Why do you look like you're enjoying yourself so much?"
"The air up in Kumogakure Ninja Village's peaks is certainly fresh, but the air here in the Land of Fire carries the scent of the forest. It really is different," the Third Raikage said.
The Land of Lightning had many mountains, and its scenery was beautiful, but its forest resources still fell far short of the Land of Fire's. Of course, the Third Raikage felt that such environmental differences merely made for different personal pleasures. What truly widened the gap between the countries was the Land of Fire's fertile soil.
In these feudal countries, where industry had yet to emerge and production relied primarily on agriculture, whoever possessed more and better land enjoyed an enormous advantage. This was also why the Land of Fire had always been a target.
"How long has it been since we last came here?" Sora asked, looking at the familiar scenery.
"Quite a few years. Almost five, I think." The Third Raikage shook his head slightly.
The Joint Chunin Exams had worked well at first, but as the gap between countries widened and relations grew tense, the other shinobi villages rarely held them anymore. They did not want other countries to see what their younger generation could