Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
Rinjin sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, his brows furrowed as he prepared for his departure.
At this moment, strange bulges moved continuously across his body, as if numerous small rats were scurrying beneath his skin.
From the corners of his eyes, black liquid slowly trickled down, converging toward the center of his pupils, attempting to engulf his entire gaze.
In his mental realm, a grotesque creature, pitch black and covered in writhing tentacles, was struggling desperately on the ground.
Meanwhile, Rinjin's consciousness sat steadily atop the monster, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he observed the writhing entity beneath him.
Strange!
Too strange!
He was merely preparing to visit the Land of Wind, yet this creature had started acting up without any discernible reason.
Unable to make sense of the situation, Rinjin reached out and patted the "monster" on the back of its head, asking in irritation:
"Hey, what's your problem? Why are you acting up?"
The monster ignored Rinjin's question, continuing to roar incessantly while its pitch-black tentacles stretched toward Rinjin's consciousness.
Witnessing this, Yutabi, who stood nearby, instinctively retreated a few steps. The flames on its body flared up instantly, resembling a small cat with its fur standing on end.
"Rinjin, this... this creature seems very angry, and... and extremely... extremely anxious."
Huh?
Rinjin was dumbfounded. Angry and anxious?
What could it possibly be anxious about?
Could it be...
As this thought crossed his mind, a vague idea began to take shape in Rinjin's head.
"Rebirth Technique of Self?!"
Upon hearing this, the monster began to struggle even more violently.
It seemed that this creature did not want Rinjin to travel to the Land of Wind to acquire the Rebirth Technique of Self.
What was it worried about?
Was it afraid that Rinjin would resurrect Mizuguma and further stabilize the anchor?
However, Mizuguma's physical body had long decayed, leaving behind only a portion of preserved tissue.
Using the Rebirth Technique of Self, it would be impossible to revive such a Mizuguma!
With this realization, Rinjin decided not to dwell on the matter further. He chuckled at the monster beneath him and said:
"I don't care what you're thinking. Whatever you don't want me to do, I'll make sure to do it!"
With that, Rinjin ignored its struggles and transformed his consciousness into a sturdy cage, imprisoning the creature within.
Back in the physical world, Rinjin slowly opened his distinct black-and-white eyes.
Land of Wind, Wind Shadow's Office.
Today, an uninvited guest had arrived.
Rinjin stood before the desk of the Third Kazekage, smiling as he introduced himself:
"Third Kazekage-sama, I am Rinjin Sokuhō, the Daimyō of the Land of Rain, here from afar."
The Third Kazekage, a man in his thirties or forties, sat behind the desk with his elbows resting on it, fists clenched, staring intently at Rinjin.
"Daimyō-san, what business brings you here?"
Hearing this, Rinjin nodded and smiled as he stated his request:
"Well, I heard that your village's Second Kazekage once developed a secret technique called the Rebirth Technique of Self. I wonder if I could take a look at it?"
Upon hearing this, the Third Kazekage, who had been staring at Rinjin, curled his lips into a sarcastic smile and retorted:
"Daimyō-san, do you think that's possible?"
"It's possible!" Rinjin nodded earnestly, disregarding the Third Kazekage's disdainful gaze. He continued with genuine sincerity:
"The Land of Wind and the Land of Rain have been cooperating for quite some time. The canal connecting the border directly to Sunagakure is already over halfway completed.
Before long, a river full of fresh water will reach Sunagakure.
With this in mind, I believe not just a secret technique, but even the One-Tailed Shukaku could be loaned to me for a couple of days without issue."
Watching Rinjin's self-assured demeanor, the Third Kazekage suddenly laughed, his laughter dripping with scorn.
"Rinjin Sokuhō, should I praise your naivety or call you foolish?
You're aware that the canal is almost completed, so why should I continue paying for it?
Moreover, the laborers digging the canal number no fewer than a hundred thousand!"
His implication was clear: he wanted the water from the Land of Rain, as well as the hundred thousand people working on the canal.
But as for paying any price—absolutely not!
Seeing this, Rinjin looked at the Third Kazekage helplessly and shrugged.
"Third Kazekage-sama, you remind me of the Third Raikage.
You both give off a bandit vibe, but the difference is—you're a bit stupid!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Chiyo, who had been silently observing from the side, suddenly stepped forward and reprimanded:
"Boy, watch your tone! You're just the Daimyō of a small country like the Land of Rain. Even the Daimyō of the Land of Wind wouldn't dare speak to the Kazekage-sama like that!"
"It's you who should watch your tone."
Rinjin didn't back down in the slightest, scoffing as he retorted:
"Your Daimyō at least has foresight and knows how to think. Unlike you lot, who only know how to sit idle and squander resources.
Sometimes, I really wonder—has your brain been clogged with chakra?
And tone?
I'll go back and block the canal's source; or have Hanzo of the Salamander poison the water; or simply redirect the canal to the neighboring Land of Rivers.
Now, with these hundred thousand people in front of you, can you afford to keep them alive?
Try mining with Magnet Release—let's see how much you can dig up!"
Watching Chiyo, who was about to argue further, Rinjin's smile grew even more cheerful.
"What's wrong? Planning to use force? Resorting to your so-called chakra to threaten me? Or the Land of Rain?
Go ahead! After all, you've already refused to return the people to me and are threatening me. I might as well move to Konohagakure and live next to the Daimyō of the Land of Fire.
At that point, don't blame me for handing over all of the Land of Rain's defense and diplomacy to Konoha!
Oh, and just a reminder—it's not just you who knows ninja techniques. I know them too, and right now, I'm just a shadow clone~"
Hearing this, cold sweat began to bead on the foreheads of Chiyo and Ebizō, who stood nearby.
They had already envisioned the outcome.
The painstakingly dug canal would serve no purpose, only to be refilled with wind-blown sand.
Although the people—rescued by Rinjin from various small nations where they couldn't survive—had been supported by the Land of Wind, feeding them had always been a burden.
If the anticipated river didn't reach Sunagakure, not only would the village fail to sustain these hundred thousand people, but its economy would likely face severe problems.
Realizing this, Chiyo, now middle-aged and devoid of former charm, glared fiercely at Rinjin.
She felt no remorse for threatening him. On the contrary, she believed Rinjin was at fault for not obediently succumbing to her threats.
Rinjin, however, had no intention of indulging her. With a smile, he tapped on the desk.
"My demands are simple. Once the canal is completed, all one hundred thousand people must be returned to the Land of Rain without exception!
For every person missing, I'll block a portion of the canal's source!
Oh, and three billion ryō in annual water fees.
If you don't pay, that's fine too. I'll implement water rationing—supply on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; intermittent supply on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Of course, you could also station troops at the canal's source to prevent me from blocking it! Go ahead, gamble on whether I have the ability to pull it off."
Watching Rinjin's infuriatingly smug demeanor, the Third Kazekage clenched his fists beneath the desk.
He knew a bit about Rinjin's background.
A Konohagakure jōnin, Rinjin Sokuhō was likely an alias. His real name was suspected to be Shimura Tandō, younger brother of Shimura Danzō, a high-ranking figure in Konoha.
Most likely, the two brothers were the masterminds behind the "Iron Robbery Incident."
With this in mind, the Third Kazekage lightly tapped his beads and said in a low voice:
"You can have the secret technique, but the water fee must be discounted!"
Upon hearing this, Rinjin froze for a moment before nodding in exasperation.
No wonder the Land of Wind, during the first Five Kage Summit, was the only nation to refuse a tailed beast—it was poor to the point of having a unique personality!
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