The Land of Wind had an extremely harsh environment. At least seventy percent of its territory was covered by desert, and Sunagakure's ninja had to endure windblown sand for half the year, making head wraps and face veils practically essential.
The First Kazekage's stance had been clear: he would rather have money and land than a tailed beast, because Sunagakure really was no place for ordinary people to live.
Their own country lacked resources, so successive Kazekage had been very welcoming toward merchants from other countries.
But being welcoming did no good. This miserable place alone put eighty percent of the Shinobi World's merchants off doing business there. Petroleum had yet to see widespread use, and other countries sold iron ore too. Sunagakure's poverty was notorious throughout the Shinobi World.
So when the Third Kazekage learned why Karn had come, he took considerable interest and even received him personally, unlike the ignorant Third Mizukage.
"Mr. Karn, what sort of trade were you planning to conduct with Sunagakure?"
Inside the Kazekage's Office, besides the Third Kazekage, there was a young ninja with short brown hair who looked like his right-hand man.
"This is a list of supplies the Karn Chamber of Commerce can trade. As for the efficacy of the medicines in the final section, Sunagakure needn't worry. Our medicines have already gone on sale in parts of the Land of Fire, and their effectiveness is guaranteed."
As Karn spoke, he handed the Third Kazekage a trade list containing grain, canned seafood, medicines, and medical supplies such as gauze and bandages. Almost everything on it was something Sunagakure currently needed.
The first few items could ensure the village's supply of provisions, while the later ones could be stockpiled for war.
Some time earlier, someone had posted a bounty at an Underground