CHAPTER 209: CHAPTER 209: LET’S MAKE IT BIGGER AND STRONGER, AND CREATE MORE GLORY!

Tsunade took a deep breath. Shukaku! Even she couldn’t help but be tempted. But after a brief moment of temptation, Ryoho Kyohiko kicked the leg of her stool, and Tsunade calmed down, regaining her rationality.

A Tailed Beast... it was indeed very alluring. For Konoha, it would be great to add another Tailed Beast, but firstly, a Tailed Beast was not a panacea. Konoha already had enough of a headache with one Nine-Tails.

She placed her hand on the table.

"Shukaku? What would we do with Shukaku? While a Tailed Beast is powerful, we would need to expend energy to seal it. For our Konoha, it’s also a burden."

"What’s more,"

"This is only for us to keep, not a trade. Who will seal it? Will you provide the manpower and resources?"

Tsunade brought up a very practical problem. A Jinchuriki! If Konoha were to seal Shukaku, wouldn’t that be taking it for themselves? Without a Jinchuriki, what would Konoha use to seal Shukaku? Wouldn’t that truly just be helping them look after it? In the end, once Sunagakure had a candidate for a Jinchuriki, they would just ask for Shukaku back. Konoha would have been played for a fool. If they didn’t return it, Konoha would be at a moral disadvantage. At that time... the small ninja villages surrounding Konoha would all have a crisis of trust.

Taking Shukaku would put Konoha in a dilemma.

Rasa was helpless in his heart. Konoha’s composure is really unusually strong! If it were any other ninja village, they probably wouldn’t be able to walk straight after hearing the words "Tailed Beast." But Konoha was completely unmoved, and even felt that they were getting the short end of the stick. Of course, this was based on the premise that Konoha had no intention of taking their Tailed Beast. If Konoha had intended to seize the Tailed Beast, they would have agreed without hesitation. Or—if it were Sarutobi Hiruzen or Danzo, they probably would have agreed as well.

Rasa inwardly cursed, what a pity. He was willing to hand over the Tailed Beast because, on one hand, he believed that the current Sunagakure had no ability to compete with Konoha and instead needed Konoha’s support and help in many areas. On the other hand, since Konoha was powerful, it would surely be viewed with hostility by others. At that time, whether Sunagakure helped Konoha or helped the other ninja villages, they could certainly get a certain price.

Regrettably, Konoha wasn’t falling for it at all, and even turned the tables, throwing the difficult problem back at him. Rasa knew very well that if he didn’t raise the stakes, it would mean he had no sincerity and was just using the Tailed Beast as a gimmick or a trap, which would be even more detrimental to future cooperation. He took a deep breath, suppressing the chaos in his heart. Konoha... cannot be underestimated!

Rasa’s tone was calm.

"I can send the Jinchuriki to Konoha as well."

He was silent for a while after saying this.

"The Jinchuriki candidate will be my daughter, who was born not long ago. I have absolutely no reason to joke about her. But I hope you can give my daughter a few more years."

As Rasa spoke, his tone carried a hint of pleading.

Tsunade was stunned for a moment, then nodded lightly.

"Of course, you can."

Ryoho Kyohiko spoke up.

"How many more years is ’a few years’?"

Rasa said, "Five years. When my daughter is five years old, I will send her to Konoha."

Tsunade raised her hand, stopping the two from continuing the discussion.

"Let’s talk about your cooperation projects first."

"If the cooperation itself cannot be reached, then there is no need to talk about the follow-up."

Rasa replied.

"Indeed. The cooperation project is actually very simple. First, I hope your side can assist us in capturing or killing Sasori of the Red Sand."

"Second, the old trade route between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, I hope it can be reopened."

"Third, we hope to work with Konoha to jointly develop more areas that can earn commissions, no longer limited to the current fighting and killing."

Rasa said "sincerely."

Ryoho Kyohiko smiled.

"For example, mining?"

Rasa’s pupils shrank. As expected! With his intelligence, how could he not have thought of the benefits of mining? My choice was right! Since Sunagakure had no ability to oppose Konoha, it was better to fully side with Konoha. By following them, they might still be able to get a sip of the soup.

He hesitated for two seconds before sighing with emotion.

"As expected of Kyohiko-kun. In you, I can feel how powerful the combination of the First and Second Hokage was back then!"

The Senju brothers were one civil and one martial, and... Senju Hashirama was easier to get along with back then, so the other ninja villages gained a lot of benefits from him, and even Senju Tobirama was helpless about it. In comparison, Ryoho Kyohiko combined the two, making him even more difficult to deal with than their combination.

Ryoho Kyohiko smiled.

"Kazekage-sama, you flatter me. Everyone wants to make money."

Why did the current Konoha have the confidence to accommodate so many new families? It was because they had earned a lot of reparations from the last ninja war, and their losses were not very large. With this ebb and flow, they had accumulated a large amount of wealth. There was not much meaning in hoarding this money. Spending it to make Konoha stronger, and then finding ways to open up new sources of income and earn more money, this was the kingly way now.

As for the ways to make money, one was to develop construction-type commissions, and the other was to set up commissions for permanently stationed mercenary ninjas, just like Kirigakure. Neither had been put on the agenda, but the reason was not that Kyohiko and Tsunade didn’t want to make this money, nor that no one had asked them for such commissions, but that the current Konoha indeed did not have the ability to expand. Too few people! Even though Konoha’s losses in the Third Great War were not large, the successive wars before had still caused a large number of elite casualties, and the threats from Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure were still present... Konoha’s expansion would inevitably trigger a series of chain reactions.

Tsunade’s tone paused.

"The mining industry, our Konoha is certainly interested. And we are also very sure that this industry can make a lot of money."

"Actually, we also have better options."

"Better options?"

Rasa was stunned for a moment, unable to figure it out. Besides Konoha and Sunagakure, who else mastered Magnet Release right now?

"You’re not going to cooperate with the Cloud Village, are you?"

That was the only village he could think of that might possibly master Magnet Release. Rasa couldn’t help but want to laugh.

"Hokage-sama, this joke is not funny. Although you and the Cloud Village seem to be getting along peacefully, there will be a war between you sooner or later. The Cloud Village will not surrender obediently."

"In comparison, our Sunagakure is much less of a threat!"

Although he really didn’t want to say it, Rasa had to admit that the current Sunagakure was not on the same level as the Cloud Village and could not pose a threat to Konoha.

Although Tsunade didn’t agree, she was already tempted in her heart. The mining business definitely couldn’t be done by Konoha alone. Only by cooperating with Sunagakure could they truly make the business big. She thought for a moment.

"How do we cooperate?"

Rasa replied.

"Apart from our own commissions, for the commissions provided by Konoha, we can give you twenty percent of the profits."

He had calculated that under such circumstances, Sunagakure could definitely earn a lot, and the large amount of income could also restore the Land of Wind’s confidence in Sunagakure. Only when Sunagakure had enough money could they further expand and become stronger, bringing the village back to its former glory.

Ryoho Kyohiko interjected.

"That’s too little. If it’s only twenty percent, our Konoha can do it ourselves. Our Konoha Village can also provide free environmental transformation services, turning the mined areas into habitable places."

Rasa was sullen, but had to admit that what the other said was not wrong.

"How much do you want?"

Konoha also has Magnet Release! Although he guessed that Konoha’s Magnet Release might not be perfect, unlike theirs which could be controlled freely, the other party also had Wood Style and powerful Earth Style... This was the most fatal thing.

"Fifty-fifty split, but we don’t get involved in the mining business. And we can provide personnel to help you mine and provide protection. In addition, for the contracts to restore the environment and transform the mining areas, you can take thirty percent of the profits."

Rasa’s brow furrowed.

"Only thirty percent?"

Tsunade snorted coldly.

"If you knew Wood Style, you could also take fifty percent!"

"..."

Rasa was instantly silent. Wood Style, how could Sunagakure possibly know it? Fifty-fifty split. He thought for a moment.

"Alright, I agree."

Ryoho Kyohiko said.

"The matter of Sasori of the Red Sand can be taken as our Konoha’s sincerity. We can provide assistance for free."

"The trade route, the section from the Land of Wind to the Land of Rivers, we have already reached an agreement with the other party. What is your side’s attitude?"

Tsunade smiled.

"Our Konoha will not refuse peaceful trade."

Rasa nodded lightly and slowly let out a breath. He was about to stand up when he heard Ryoho Kyohiko say.

"Wait, Kazekage. Don’t you want to transform the desert and create more oases?"

Rasa, who was getting up, immediately froze. How could he not want to! Seeing the forest that had appeared out of thin air before, he dreamed of having more oases and trees, so that Sunagakure could truly become prosperous. But he couldn’t do it!

Rasa gave a bitter smile.

"Even if Konoha is willing to help, we don’t have that kind of wealth."

Ryoho Kyohiko smiled.

"It’s fine, the money can be paid back slowly later. Anyway, our two families are cooperating. Of course, all of this must wait until your Jinchuriki and the profits have been settled before we can proceed."

Rasa was stunned. A loan? He licked his lips, then shook his head.

"I can’t make the decision on this matter."

Ryoho Kyohiko took a step back.

"Alright. If you’re interested, you can contact us. Anyway, we will definitely provide a very perfect plan."

Rasa nodded lightly.

"I will."

If they really created oases... he would definitely choose to build them in the middle of the trade route to maximize the role of the route. Once the road and supplies along the way were good, more outside residents and merchants would come. However, this would definitely require consulting the Land of Wind’s Daimyo.

He took out a scroll. It was the alliance scroll he had prepared in advance.

"Since your side has agreed to in-depth cooperation, our alliance can also be changed. If our Sunagakure goes back on our word, Konoha can sanction us with this."

Rasa added the few points they had just agreed upon in the blank space. Tsunade also added the agreed-upon points to Konoha’s previous alliance treaty. The two sides re-signed their names.

"Pleasure working with you."

After the two shook hands, Rasa asked.

"Can the matter of Sasori of the Red Sand be resolved as soon as possible?"

In the past, he still held a glimmer of illusion about Sasori, thinking that the other party might have a change of heart, or do something beneficial for Sunagakure and the Land of Wind. The result was that every move of Sasori’s made Sunagakure’s already limited reputation questioned again. Many people even thought that Sunagakure was deliberately sheltering Sasori. At this point, he could no longer have any illusions.

"As long as you gather enough intelligence and then inform us, we can act at any time."

***

"Kazekage-sama, this, isn’t this giving away too much profit?"

Rasa spoke.

"No. I’ve thought about it carefully. After this industry is established, there will surely be many who want a piece of it. If the Cloud and Stone Villages unite, our commissions will be much fewer, and our people might even be attacked."

"Ryoho Kyohiko’s every statement hits the nail on the head, making me have to agree with heartfelt admiration. He is truly formidable!"

A guard hesitated.

"Then the oases?"

"In the entire shinobi world, probably only Konoha can do it. Their fees will surely be very expensive. Won’t all our profits go to Konoha then?"

Rasa smiled.

"So, I need to discuss it with Daimyo-sama. Don’t worry, I have a plan."

He then walked towards the Land of Wind. However, when he returned to that forest from before, he was shocked to see a tree with a kunai pinning another tree to it. Rasa immediately went up to it. On the pinned bark was carved a line of words: "Uchiha Madara is suspected to still be alive in the world and has taken control of Kirigakure."

What? Rasa was startled. Uchiha Madara is still alive? How is that possible! Didn’t he die at the Valley of the End? And even if Madara hadn’t died, even Senju Hashirama was already dead. Why could he still be in the world? Rasa’s first reaction was... false news, intimidation!

But looking around, the strange situation in Kirigakure came to his mind. The Village of the Bloody Mist, and the ridiculous intelligence they had gathered a while ago about Kirigakure attacking Konoha. For a moment, he felt—if Kirigakure was indeed controlled, then everything could be explained! For an existence like Madara, why would he care about a mere ninja village? That wasn’t Konoha.

Rasa licked his lips, feeling his mouth go dry. If that were the case, the current Sunagakure would be another very suitable target for Madara. Besides, these words... he felt they were vaguely familiar.

Rasa shattered the piece of bark.

"Kazekage-sama, what’s wrong?"

"A provocation from Sasori of the Red Sand. Pay it no mind. I’ll send a shadow clone to check it out. The main force will just go around it."

"Yes!"

Rasa sent out a shadow clone, while his main body led his subordinates around the forest and towards the Land of Wind. But in his heart, he was thinking about the scene just now. If Madara is really alive... then cooperating with Konoha is the best choice for Sunagakure. After all, Konoha had Ryoho Kyohiko. A supreme genius whose talent and ability were comparable to that of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara back then. With Konoha, if the sky fell, there would be tall people to hold it up. Otherwise, if he was controlled by Madara and caused some disaster, Sunagakure would really be finished!

Although this cooperation gave up a lot, at least Sunagakure could maintain its current status, and in the future, there was even hope of becoming stronger! That was enough.

To their north, Pakura ran all the way, heading north of the Land of Wind. She had done her utmost. How Sunagakure chose to proceed next had nothing to do with her.