Inside the main hall of the Tenshu Castle.
Outside the hall was the observation platform, and below it the rushing waters of the Yosui River. Even while sitting in the hall, one could clearly hear the roar of the flowing current.
Ida Hatano spoke first:
"When the Land of Fire learned that the Land of Rivers was using the river for hydroelectric power generation, the Fire Daimyō and the Imperial Council were deeply interested. We immediately replicated the blueprint from the Land of Rivers.
Our craftsmen have tested it. Hydropower generation is fully feasible.
Keishi, here is the official state document of the the Land of Fire.
The Land of Earth must no longer sabotage Land of Rivers's power station, nor may you sabotage the Land of Fire's hydroelectric station."
Yoru picked up the scroll from Ida Hatano and walked toward Keishi.
A Stone shinobi intercepted it and placed it on Keishi's desk.
Keishi didn't even look at it.
"Hydropower threatens the coal sales of the Land of Earth. Such a facility will never be tolerated."
Ida Hatano chuckled coldly.
"Konoha's ninja have already pushed the frontlines into the Land of Earth's borders, and you still dare speak like that?
Konoha shinobi are far too merciful. Koharu Utatane keeps restricting them, she won't allow them to slaughter too many nobles from the Land of Earth.
They say a founder's ideology gets carved into the organization forever. Even if the founder dies, the group still inherits that 'gene.'
Konoha is fine in every way, except it is too influenced by the First Hokage. Too idealistic, too gentle, too soft, too bright.
The war between Konoha and the Hidden Stone is restricted to ninja only.
Keishi, it's because the Land of Earth doesn't feel pain that you dare talk to me like this. I'll give you three seconds. If you don't lower your head, I will demand that Konoha escalates the war. Nobles, civilians, all will be valid targets.
Look at those pathetic stone shinobi standing behind you. Do you really think they can protect you?"
Yoru secretly thought:
No wonder Danzō and Ida Hatano work together so perfectly. He looks round and harmless, but his heart is jet black.
He thinks that Konoha is too "sunny"?
Yoru had been in the Anbu long enough to know exactly how "sunny" the Hidden Leaf actually was.
Ida Hatano's attitude was equivalent to a conservative faction calling the radical faction "too soft."
Yoru always thought Konoha was the militaristic side, but in reality, even the Fire Daimyō and nobles complained that Konoha followed too many rules on foreign soil.
Maybe even the first Fire Daimyō once complained to the First Hokage:
With that overwhelming strength, why didn't you help the Land of Fire conquer every land?
Fear slowly filled Keishi's eyes. He lowered his head and opened the scroll.
The document clearly declared:
The hydroelectric station was regarded as an important facility of the the Land of Fire. Any attack by the Hidden Stone was equivalent to declaring war.
The Land of Fire would immediately commission Konoha to wage a nation-level conflict.
And it said "Land of Earth," not "the Hidden Stone."
Keishi recognized the Daimyō's signature and seal. He realized the Land of Fire wasn't bluffing.
He slowly lowered the heavy scroll and glanced at the River Daimyō, then at Ida Hatano, and finally at the Fox-masked Anbu who had just slaughtered countless stone shinobi.
"I understand. Hatano-sama, I will return to the Land of Earth immediately and deliver this document."
Ida Hatano smiled.
"Good. Just focus on supporting the Hidden Stone to handle Konoha and the Hidden Cloud.
Konoha still maintains a bit of morality. But the shinobi of the Hidden Cloud? They're far more brutal.
Anyway, your business is finished. I still have matters to discuss with the Daimyō."
Keishi grabbed the scroll and hurriedly left with the Stone shinobi.
With all outsiders gone, Hatano relaxed.
"Daimyō-dono, allow me to officially discuss the hydropower partnership."
The Land of Rivers was a vassal to the Land of Fire. "Discussion" was basically just delivering the Daimyō's decision.
"We have the blueprint, and the Land of Fire will send craftsmen to examine your power station.
As stated in the document, if any hydroelectric station from either the Land of Fire or the Land of Rivers is attacked, we will commission Konoha to launch a nation-level war.
Although we took the blueprint, we are also protecting the stations of the Land of Rivers.
We will build our hydroelectric station on the Naka River."
"The profit from the first Land of Rivers station belongs entirely to the River Daimyō.
After that, all the Land of Rivers power stations will be a 60-40 split. Land of Rivers takes sixty. the Land of Fire takes forty. Agreed?"
The Daimyō waited, but Hatano never mentioned the profit split of the Land of Fire's station, meaning Land of Rivers had no share there.
The Daimyō nodded.
"The Land of Fire is generous."
Yoru was slightly stunned. The nobles of the Land of Fire were that dominant even in front of a Daimyō. The weak have no diplomacy, same in every world.
Ida Hatano, seeing no objections, was very satisfied.
"Next, we will send the Land of Fire engineers to your station to study the blueprint together.
And speaking of the blueprint, whoever drew it is a genius. It is precise, clearly labeled, with full calculations. A master craftsman definitely made it.
Not only do they understand architecture, they understand electricity."
Yoru, in his previous life, was a civil engineer who worked on construction sites. Drawing and reading blueprints was his specialty. Hearing the praise, his former life felt finally validated.
The negotiation went far smoother than Ida expected. The Daimyō didn't even bargain.
Ida rose to leave. He had no intention of staying in a country at war.
But suddenly
"Wait! Ida Hatano-sama!"
Ida looked at the Daimyō's younger sister. Did she think the profit split was unfair?
His face darkened.
But Chisa Koii spoke rapidly:
"Ida-sama, I request that the Konoha Anbu stay here temporarily.
That Fox Anbu defeated so many stone shinobi today. I wish to commission him to guard the hydroelectric station."
Ida Hatano instantly changed from hard to pleasant:
"No need for your commission. I will issue the task myself. The costs will be paid by the Fire Treasury."
He turned to Yellow Dog.
Yellow Dog nodded.
"Yes, sir. Fox Squad will guard the power station until the Land of Earth officially abandons sabotage. It will be counted as an A-Rank mission."
While Konoha and Suna were fighting bitterly elsewhere, Fox Squad stayed in the Capital of the Land of Rivers.
They rotated in three shifts to guard the station.
As for Yoru, being captain had its perks.
He had to deal with someone far more troublesome:
Lady Chisa of the Treasury.