Chapter 265: Naruto Ambushed
"Speaking of which, that is indeed the case," Senju Tobirama nodded after pondering for a moment.
Uchiha Douhuan was right. When Konoha was founded, the Senju and Uchiha shook hands and made peace, and then sent invitations to the ninja clans that were close to them.
Originally, he and his big brother thought that it would take some effort to persuade the clan heads of those ninja clans. After all, among these ninja clans in Konoha at that time, quite a few had ancestral grudges.
But at that time, Senju Hashirama only visited them one by one and received affirmative replies from all of them.
Although this was partly due to the strength of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, which pressed down on the ninja world, Senju Tobirama now thought that what Uchiha Douhuan said might be more reasonable. After the long battles of the Warring States period, the major ninja clans were also in urgent need of a period of peace to rest and recuperate.
And this was probably the "moral high ground" that Uchiha Douhuan spoke of.
"With the moral high ground in hand, the great trend of the times will naturally be on our side. I have once heard a saying: 'When the time is right, heaven and earth lend their strength; when luck runs out, even heroes are not free.' The so-called war is a struggle for this great trend," Uchiha Douhuan poured water into the teacup, and the aroma of tea spread throughout the war council room.
"So, what you mean, Fifth, is that even if we do nothing now, we, who occupy the moral high ground, will have a natural advantage in a future war with the Land of Lightning, is that right?" Senju Tobirama looked at the cup of tea placed before him, then raised his head to look at the ninja world map hanging in the war council room, which was densely covered with fine lines, and asked.
It could be seen that although he had been in the war council for some time, Senju Tobirama had still not accepted the fact that an Uchiha had become the Hokage. When communicating with Uchiha Douhuan, he preferred to call him "Fifth" instead of his name like Senju Hashirama and Sarutobi Hiruzen did, as if this could make him feel a little better.
"That's both right and wrong," Uchiha Douhuan said. "If our Konoha is no match for the Cloud at all, then the existence of the moral high ground is useless. However, not to mention that we can gain the upper hand, even if we just enter a stalemate with the Cloud, this moral high ground will turn into a sharp blade that stabs straight into the heart of the Land of Lightning."
"And their Raikage is not my match. This is destined. They cannot gain an advantage in this war," Uchiha Douhuan said. "At that time, this sharp blade of moral high ground is destined to be plunged into the chest of the Land of Lightning at a critical moment. And now, Konoha is in a critical period of reform. Developing ourselves first is the top priority at present."
Senju Tobirama took a deep look at Uchiha Douhuan and was silent for a moment before showing a relieved smile.
He was now very glad that this naturally evil Uchiha brat was born in the present era. If he had been born in the Warring States period, with his intelligence plus Uchiha Madara's power, their Senju clan would probably have become history in the Warring States period.
"It's good that you have a plan. However, that disciple of yours who is wandering outside, when do you plan to bring him back?" Senju Tobirama said. "The Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, the son of the Fourth Hokage, the direct disciple of the Fifth Hokage, bearing the name of a rogue ninja. Doesn't that sound a bit bad?"
"That doesn't seem to be a big problem, right?" Uchiha Douhuan shrugged. This was a matter of perspective. For an older generation ninja like Senju Tobirama, defecting from the village and becoming a rogue ninja was a very serious matter. But after the three disciples of the Third Hokage set a good example, this matter seemed to be not so serious anymore.
After all, among the three disciples of the Third Hokage back then, one had openly defected from the village. Although the other two had not scratched their forehead protectors, in reality, it was not much different from defecting from the village. And one of them was the First Hokage's own granddaughter.
Compared to the Third Hokage, he, the Fifth Hokage, only had one disciple who had run away. This could already be considered as him having taught well.
"That's the Nine-Tails! The strongest of the Tailed Beasts!" Senju Tobirama frowned. Although in his prime, he also had full confidence in defeating and sealing the Nine-Tails, the Nine-Tails was, after all, the strongest of the Tailed Beasts. If Naruto were to accidentally fall into the hands of the enemy, it would also cause them considerable trouble.
"In the ninja world right now, besides the person hiding in the shadows who stole the Impure World Reincarnation, those who have the guts to attack him can't beat him, and those who can slightly threaten him, as long as their minds are normal, won't attack him," Uchiha Douhuan said. "However, just in case, I have already sent a message to Jiraiya, asking him to keep an eye on that kid and not to go towards the Land of Lightning. And he also has a backup plan I left on him, so there's no need to worry about his safety."
"Alright," Senju Tobirama sighed longly, picked up the teacup on the table, and shook his head. "I really don't understand the rules of ninjas nowadays. I've only been dead for less than 50 years."
"That's natural," Uchiha Douhuan said with a smile. "The great trend of the times is always accelerating. The ninjas of the Warring States period might have followed the same rules for thousands of years. But now, after all, it is the era of ninja villages. In this era, everything develops too quickly. A slight carelessness will lead to falling behind."
"I see that in this process of acceleration, you, the Fifth, have also pushed it quite a bit," Senju Tobirama said.
"Perhaps," Uchiha Douhuan said with a smiling shake of his head, not answering this question directly.
...
"So this is the Land of Rain!" Naruto, Gaara, and Jiraiya, after crossing a large mountain range, looked up at the lingering dark clouds in the sky and sighed.
"Yes. Because the mountain range we just crossed wraps around the entire Land of Rain like a pocket, the water vapor from the north can't pass through, which is why it rains here all year round. And the Land of Wind on the other side of the mountain has a climate of continuous desert," Jiraiya gave Naruto a geography lesson.
"The common people here must have a hard life," Naruto couldn't help but sigh, looking at the dense rainforest around him.
The climate here made it very difficult to plant grain on a large scale. And the miasma and poisonous insects bred by the humid climate would make the lives of the common people here extremely difficult.
"It was indeed like that before," Jiraiya said. "Among the few small countries between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, the Land of Rain was the poorest. During the Second Great Ninja War, the three great nations used this place as a battlefield, which greatly damaged their vitality. Coupled with the fact that the land was not suitable for farming, they hadn't recovered until a few years ago."
"However, the situation has improved a lot in recent years. After your teacher reached a cooperation with the current leader of the Hidden Rain Village, he also began to provide aid to the Land of Rain. A large amount of grain is transported into the Land of Rain at extremely low prices every year. And the Land of Rain, in cooperation with the Land of Fire, has also begun to plant a large number of cash crops that like rain. All in all, the lives of the common people in the current Land of Rain can be said to be much better than before," Jiraiya said.
"Naruto, are we still helping the common people build houses and repair roads here?" Gaara asked at this time.
The two who had been wandering outside for half a year, because they had no place to cut their hair, their originally short hair had grown much longer. To not affect their vision, both had tied their hair up behind their heads. And because they were working and training every day, although their clothes were clean, they had also become tattered.
However, compared to when he left the Sand Village, Gaara's whole temperament could be said to be like a different person. Not only had the dark circles under his eyes completely disappeared, but the icy killing intent on his body had also melted away. He looked just like an ordinary youth. If Temari were here, it would probably be difficult for her to recognize that this was Gaara.
"That's right," Naruto nodded. "Although the living environment of the common people here has improved a lot with Teacher's help, there are still many details that need our help. And, the leader of the Hidden Rain Village is my clansman. It's only right for me, the clan head, to help them."
...
Hidden Rain Village.
"Nagato, the scouts in the south have sent back intelligence that Jiraiya-sensei and two children are active in the southern villages," inside the high tower of the Hidden Rain Village, at the regular meeting of the Akatsuki, Konan handed a piece of intelligence to Pain.
"Jiraiya-sensei and two children?" Pain took the intelligence and glanced at it, then shook his head helplessly. "It should be that Jinchuriki clan head of our Uzumaki clan and the One-Tail Jinchuriki he abducted some time ago. They are helping the civilians in the south build houses and bridges? Let them be. It's beneficial to the Land of Rain anyway."
"But those are two Jinchuriki. Are we really not going to do anything about them?" Hidan, who had just joined the Akatsuki some time ago and became Kakuzu's long-term teammate, asked.
As Hidan spoke, a strange light also lit up in Kakuzu's eyes.
Although the bounties on Naruto and Gaara were only symbolic ones from Konoha and the Sand, not even a tenth of an Asuma, the fact was that they both had a Tailed Beast with them! If they caught them and took them to a major ninja village, they could probably exchange them for a large sum of money.
"Kakuzu, put away your little thoughts!" Konan, who had been extorting money from Kakuzu for years, knew what this fellow was up to just by looking at his eyes, and thus warned him. "They are allies of the Land of Rain. Forget it, you and Hidan should not go on missions for this period. Stay in the village properly."
"Big Sister Nan!" at this time, in the corner, Deidara suddenly raised his hand. "Can I go see my little brother?"
"No!" Konan glared at Deidara and directly refused. "Without my and Pain's permission, if you dare to go near the south of the Land of Rain again, I will send you back to Iwagakure right now!"
"Don't be like that. It's been a long time since I've seen my little brother," Deidara said innocently.
"Are you sure you're going to the south to see your friend, and not to blow up the Wind-Rain Mountain Range?" at this time, Sasori, Deidara's mission partner in the Akatsuki, but the two, one a mechanical dog and the other a chemical dog, did not get along very well, said in a tone without any fluctuation.
"I just don't understand! It's clearly a good thing for both our Land of Rain and the Land of Wind if we blow up that mountain. Why won't you let me try? Give me two months to survey the blasting points, and another half a year to make the bombs. I have an 80% confidence in uprooting that mountain range that is hindering the development of the Land of Rain!" Deidara argued reasonably.
"And, I even heard you, leader, and Uncle Hokage discussing blowing up the mountain! Why not let me try?" Deidara argued reasonably.
To be honest, if any other Akatsuki member had spoken to Nagato and Konan like this, Nagato would have already used Almighty Push. But Deidara was, after all, personally entrusted to them by Uchiha Douhuan. Nagato could only patiently explain to him, "Now is not the time to blow up the mountain. If we make too much noise in the Wind-Rain Mountain Range, it will easily touch the nerves of the Land of Wind and make them think we are declaring war on them."
"But blowing up this mountain is a good thing for them too!" Deidara said, puzzled.
"Deidara, things don't work like that," Konan also joined in哄小孩 (hǒng xiǎohái - coaxing a child) at this point. "Although everyone knows that the disappearance of the Wind-Rain Mountain Range would be of great benefit to both our countries, you can't be sure what the Sand Village thinks. And the Akatsuki is not yet at the point of exposing its strength. If you show the ability to blow up a mountain range at this time, the Akatsuki will attract the attention of the entire ninja world in the next moment."
"How troublesome!" Deidara said with a pout.
"If you want to blow something up, it just so happens that in a few days, Konoha's Yamato Construction Group will come to our Land of Rain to develop an industrial area. You can be in charge of the demolition of that area," Konan said, then looked at Pain with a helpless expression. The two of them were really starting to regret bringing Deidara back now.
Originally, they thought, what kind of trouble could a teenager cause? Who knew this kid's mind was full of big projects!
After the meeting was over, and the attitude towards Naruto's group active in the south of the Land of Rain was determined, and the less disciplined members of the organization were warned, Pain also ended the meeting.
After the meeting ended, Konan also brought food to the high tower where Nagato's real body was.
After a simple meal, Nagato glanced at Konan, then said with a smile:
"Konan, how about we go to the south and have a look? After all, since Jiraiya-sensei has come, it would be unreasonable for us, his disciples, not to go and see."
"If you want to go, then let's make a trip," Konan smiled and nodded. Ever since the full cooperation with Uchiha Douhuan, Nagato, who no longer had to worry about the plan to capture the Tailed Beasts all day, had also improved his complexion a lot over the years.
"Heh heh, speaking of which, this is the first time I'm meeting the clan head of our Uzumaki clan. What kind of gift do you think I should bring?" Nagato looked at the smiling Konan before him, a smile also appearing on his face involuntarily.
...
Two days later, Naruto, using the Shadow Clone Technique, helped a village in the Land of Rain build a large bridge over a river, and also left the mark of Ninshū here.
After finishing all this, the three began to head for another village upstream of the river.
Halfway there, the Nine-Tails' voice suddenly came to Naruto's ear.
"Brat, be careful. There's malice."
(End of chapter)
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