After exploring most of the area, the two asked a police officer patrolling the streets for directions to Uchiha Mu's office and met him there. Their eyes then turned to Keiko Uzumaki beside him. Her chakra was enormous-another existence akin to a tailed beast in human form.
The more they saw, the more terrifying the Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation's foundations seemed. After collecting himself, A took the initiative. "Lord Uchiha Mu, as the Third Raikage, I formally seek to establish friendly relations with the Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation..."
Uchiha Mu cut him off. "No, no, no. You can only cooperate with us. Although I'm in no hurry for you to repay the money, as debtors, you currently have no right to speak to us as equals."
"I understand." A clenched his fists as humiliation surged through him. But he was no longer the man he had once been. To keep his village from becoming Uchiha Mu's puppet like Sunagakure, he had to endure-endure until the day Uchiha Mu died.
No matter how much humiliation he suffered in the meantime, he would remember it all. One day, he would repay it twofold. He had to.
"Good, that settles it. Next, the trading company led by Kakuzu will head to Kumogakure. I'll take you back first." Uchiha Mu rose and approached them, taking one in each hand as before and bringing them back.
Watching them disappear, Keiko Uzumaki asked curiously, "Why go to so much trouble? And why lend them money? They haven't even paid for their previous orders yet."
"This is what's known as economic colonialism."
"Economic colonialism?" It was the first time Keiko Uzumaki had heard the term, and she motioned for Uchiha Mu to explain.
"Money is useless if it stays in our hands without circulating. It has to keep moving.