Chou nodded lightly, then changed the subject, his tone turning meaningful.
"Have you ever really thought about it?"
"Why did Konoha choose this particular moment to offer aid to your Land of Rain?"
"It rains here all year, transportation is poor, and the conditions are harsh."
"Honestly, this place is utterly unsuited to building factories or conducting trade. It doesn't serve Konoha's interests at all."
Sarada fell silent for a few seconds.
It wasn't that she had never considered that question.
She had simply chosen not to dwell on it.
She raised her eyes and answered frankly, "I don't need to think that far ahead."
"For the Land of Rain right now, having enough to eat and staying alive matter more than anything else."
"As for Konoha's motives and the dangers down the road, I'll consider those once we've truly found our footing."
Chou looked at Sarada, whose maturity far exceeded that of her peers, and nodded slightly without pressing further.
"Fair enough. As long as you know where you stand."
Then Chou's expression grew serious, and he spoke solemnly.
"I was only passing through on a mission, so I thought I'd give you a warning."
"The Shinobi World is about to undergo a major upheaval."
"Your Land of Rain should lie low as much as possible. Don't get involved."
Sarada froze for a moment, her gaze turning grave. "An upheaval in the Shinobi World? What kind of upheaval?"
Chou looked toward distant Konoha, his voice mild but carrying a turbulent undercurrent.
"Konoha has grown more and more overbearing over the years, squeezing the entire Shinobi World dry."
"Do you really think those shinobi, once so unruly, their hands drenched in blood from countless killings, will meekly put up with it for the rest of their lives?"
Those words instantly