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Relying on existing oases, combined with Yamato Wood Style, the plan to expand the oases' range was entirely feasible. It was just that Yamato would suffer a bit, as such work tended to be rather exhausting.
The Leaf Village had kept Yamato hidden for so long; Kazuki felt it was time to bring him out and put him to work. He didn't expect Yamato to achieve great things in other areas, but when it came to afforestation, he could certainly be deployed. And it so happened that the Sand Village was in dire need of such high-end talent. Once the two sides reached an agreement, perhaps one day the Sand Village could transform from bare, rocky valleys into lush, green oasis basins.
"Cooperation..." Seeing that Kazuki had no intention of revealing further details, Rasa decided to leave the matter for now. He trusted that Kazuki would bring it up at the right time, as cooperation between the two parties would benefit everyone. However, while Rasa could let it go, Mei Terumi couldn't. In her view, Kazuki was preparing to cooperate with Rasa while leaving the Mist Village out in the cold. If there were opportunities for cooperation with the Sand Village, why not the Mist Village?
Glancing at Mei Terumi, who was practically bursting to speak, Kazuki said with exasperation, "Don't even start. This particular cooperation genuinely can't be extended to your Mist Village." Afforestation work was suitable for the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, but the Land of Water... while it had limited landmass, consisting entirely of islands, it certainly didn't lack vegetation. It was merely lacking in resources.
"Is that so?" Mei Terumi replied with a smile. "I was worried the Hokage was planning to sideline the Mist Village. But what kind of cooperation is suitable for the Sand Village yet impossible for the Mist?"
"Take a guess."
Guess your ass!
Kazuki's flippant two-word response left Mei Terumi fuming. Since he'd already opened his mouth, why couldn't he just explain a bit more? He'd started the topic, given Rasa a measure of reassurance, and left her dangling in anxious uncertainty. A classic case of stirring the pot without putting out the fire.
"Lord Hokage." The young secretary, still adapting to her new role, offered him the grilled meat. "Mm." Kazuki nodded in thanks, accepting the barbecue from Mabui and beginning his own lunch. This gesture, however, prompted Mei Terumi and Rasa to glance down at the dry rations in their own hands, which suddenly seemed utterly unappetizing. Both were village leaders, on the same journey, yet here they sat gnawing on dried provisions while watching someone else enjoy fresh meat.
Under Kazuki's guidance, the group successfully entered the Land of Rivers before turning north and finally stopping only after crossing into the Land of Rain. "I never expected the Land of Rain to become so peaceful once it no longer had a ninja village."
After the battle at the Rain Village, the Five Great Shinobi Villages had unanimously decreed that the Land of Rain was forbidden from establishing another ninja village – even a minor one. The Daimyo of the Land of Rain had complied, even going so far as to hire his personal guards. Many had assumed the country would descend into chaos without a ninja village. Contrary to expectations, the Land of Rain was remarkably tranquil.
"That's the Akatsuki's doing. Though I hold no fondness for that organization, the Land of Rain's current state is a result of their efforts," Kazuki remarked, leading the group into a cave. He handed his damp raincoat to Mabui and signaled Itachi to gather firewood. If there was no dry wood, cutting down a tree would do; a Fire Style technique would ensure it lit regardless.
"In the past, the Land of Rain was plagued by rogue and wandering ninja, a consequence of war and Hanzo's inaction. The Akatsuki spent considerable time cleaning it up. With the Land of Rain being impoverished, and with no ninja village after the battle, it naturally became a peaceful little country."
Rasa nodded slightly, agreeing with Kazuki's assessment. He added, "Ultimately, it comes down to the Land of Rain being too poor. Without resources worth fighting over, it won't attract unsavory characters."
Could the Land of Rain possibly be poorer than your Land of Wind? The Land of Wind had desert bandits running rampant all the time. Mei Terumi found Rasa's remark somewhat laughable, but given the atmosphere, she refrained from retorting and simply swallowed her words. Onoki would likely arrive soon; there was no need for pointless arguments now. Although Mei Terumi and Rasa had no overt conflicts, Rasa's impression in Mei Terumi's mind was rather poor, given his numerous "glorious" deeds in the past.
Kazuki noticed the disdain flickering in Mei Terumi's eyes but chose not to comment. He continued, "Without sufficient profit, it's difficult to attract shady characters. However, there should be quite a few rogue ninja within the Land of Rain. Those unwilling to show their faces, fearing pursuit, tend to favor places like this."
"Perhaps we should send someone to sweep the area," Mei Terumi said, taking the notion to heart. The Mist Village had far too many rogue ninja... those still in hiding, constantly evading pursuit. No one was more invested in hunting them down than she was.
After their rest, the guards brought by Kazuki, Mei Terumi, and Rasa dispersed to conduct reconnaissance in the surrounding area. Mabui, however, remained in the cave. Her workload was still immense; many documents requiring her attention had been packed into sealing scrolls. Watching Mabui continue reading files and scrolls even inside the cave left Rasa and Mei Terumi unsure of what to say.
That very night, the main player, Onoki, arrived at the designated meeting point. Compared to Kazuki, Mei Terumi, and Rasa, Onoki had brought considerably more guards. The guards were left outside, and Onoki entered the cave alone.
"Hmm?" Stepping into the cave, before he could even offer a greeting, the first thing Onoki saw was Mabui, seated to the side, poring over documents. Instantly, every fiber of his being went on high alert. Mabui, the Raikage's secretary – what was she doing here?! And wearing a Leaf Village forehead protector, no less! Was he seeing things, or had the Leaf and Cloud Villages joined forces to set a trap for him? The atmosphere within the cave turned distinctly tense as Onoki's wariness skyrocketed.
Seeing the old man with his defenses cranked to maximum, Kazuki couldn't help but laugh. "It seems our Tsuchikage hasn't been resting well lately – a bit jumpy, I see."
"Lord Hokage, what is the meaning of this?" Onoki didn't lower his guard. He remained at the cave entrance, showing no intention of stepping further inside. His dark, piercing gaze swept repeatedly over Kazuki, Rasa, and Mei Terumi. He feared the Leaf Village had allied with the Cloud Village and, along with the Sand and Mist Villages, was planning a decapitation strike against him. Onoki was, by nature, a deeply suspicious man. The moment he laid eyes on Mabui, his thoughts inevitably began to spiral toward the worst-case scenario.