After hearing Chiyo's words, Shuji merely poured himself a cup of tea.
"I have visited Sunagakure twice and witnessed some aspects of Sunagakure shinobi's lives."
"Indeed, compared to shinobi from other nations, even small merchants traveling between countries seem to live more comfortably than many Sunagakure shinobi."
The taut muscles on Chiyo's wrinkled face seemed to relax for an instant, believing the young man before her was finally beginning to understand their predicament.
However, Shuji's next statement froze that briefly softened atmosphere.
"Since that is the case, why not consider changing territories?"
"What if Sunagakure abandoned the Land of Wind and negotiated with the Land of Tea's daimyo to relocate there?"
"The Land of Tea is excellent. Pleasant climate, abundant resources, facing the sea. If Sunagakure were willing to relocate entirely and negotiate with the Land of Tea's daimyo, you would surely obtain far superior treatment and respect than at present."
"As for the Land of Wind, that vast yet barren homeland, there should not be many troubles to address. If the Land of Wind's daimyo has needs, Konoha would be pleased to provide necessary assistance."
Chiyo's fingers trembled. She nearly could not restrain herself from attacking. She laughed bitterly in extreme anger. "Boy, do you know what nonsense you are speaking?"
Shuji met her gaze without the slightest retreat. "Perhaps I should ask you, Elder Chiyo. Do you know what you just said?"
"Since Sunagakure finds the Land of Wind's support unbearable, I am providing you with a superior option. Is that not acceptable?"
"Or do you also recognize that however barren the Land of Wind may be, it remains one of the Five Great Nations? That vast desert is the strategic depth that Sunagakure shinobi can call home and rely upon for survival."
During the Warring States period, did ninja clans choosing to live in the Land of Wind naturally love hardship? When the shinobi village era began, did Sunagakure not know the Land of Wind's conditions?
If they could have competed successfully against other ninja clans in other nations, why did those shinobi ultimately choose to establish roots in the Land of Wind?
Chiyo's lips moved. For a moment, she was speechless.
Shuji smiled. "Since you dislike hearing jokes, let us return to reality."
He stood, his posture remaining composed. "If Sunagakure genuinely seeks allied assistance, the first consideration should not be how to threaten, but rather what tangible things you can offer in exchange."
"Pure threats will not bring Sunagakure a single grain or bolt of cloth."
"I will not disturb you further today. Farewell, Elder Chiyo."
Leaving the ashen-faced Sunagakure advisor alone to stew in anger, Shuji returned to the Hokage Tower to report the conversation's contents.
After hearing the account, Tsunade laughed quite happily. Previously, when Sunagakure acted like thugs, especially when an advisor elder personally did such things, Konoha truly had no one capable of responding.
"Well done, Shuji!" She forcefully patted Shuji's back. "Someone should have choked that old hag like this long ago!"
"Enough, Tsunade. Sunagakure remains our important ally after all."
After having his student show appropriate restraint, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to look at Shuji. "Regarding Sunagakure, what are your thoughts?"
Shuji straightened the clothes Tsunade had wrinkled with her patting, then spoke after brief consideration. "I believe that among the current four great shinobi villages, Sunagakure is theoretically the most suitable choice and should become Konoha's long-term, steadfast ally."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. This aligned with the advisory council's view, but he still asked, "Your reasoning?"
"Minimal conflicting interests. Geographically, complementary benefits outweigh competition."
"After experiencing multiple defeats, Sunagakure's expansionist ambitions have been substantially eroded by reality."
"A Sunagakure facing internal difficulties and focused on self-preservation has relatively low alliance costs, yet potential benefits are high."
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly nodded, indicating he should continue.
"However, the problem lies in Sunagakure's upper echelon, especially Elder Chiyo's generation. Their confrontational consciousness and distrust toward us are deeply ingrained. Expecting them to completely change their attitudes through a single contract or several negotiations is unrealistic."
"So?" Tsunade also restrained her smile, crossing her arms as she asked, entering a serious state.
Shuji said, "We need to step outside this immediate transaction's framework."
"This negotiation should not focus on immediately obtaining material goods or mission quotas from Konoha. They cannot afford these anyway, and even if they provided them, they would inevitably harbor resentment. What we should truly demand is the future."
Tsunade looked thoughtful. "The future?"
"Yes, the future." Shuji affirmed. "Using this negotiation, propose to Sunagakure that joint Chūnin Selection between our villages become regularized, held periodically."
Sarutobi Hiruzen indicated Shuji should continue.
"Current alliance relations remain mostly at the level of high-level dialogue and paper agreements. For Sunagakure's vast middle and lower-ranking shinobi, especially the younger generation, Konoha remains merely a formerly hostile, vague symbol existing only on paper."
"Regularized joint Chūnin Exams can forcibly construct a platform. Let Sunagakure's young shinobi genuinely step onto Konoha's soil, living, cooperating, and competing alongside our shinobi."
"We can even lead efforts to adjust exam content, appropriately reducing purely confrontational elements while increasing components requiring team cooperation for completion."
"Let them personally experience the actual benefits maintaining alliances brings, even establishing personal friendships with Konoha peers of similar age."
"Given shinobi generational turnover speed, within just five or ten years, this cohort of Sunagakure shinobi growing up in exchange environments will gradually become Sunagakure's core strength."
"At that time, relations between our villages will truly become resilient and stable. I believe this represents the most valuable long-term investment."
Brief silence fell over the office. Sarutobi Hiruzen's face showed a gratified smile.
"An excellent approach. Attempt to proceed according to your thinking, Shuji. Even if ultimately we can only advance a small step, it will be worthwhile."
He paused, adding, "Additionally, there is something to inform you. Hidden Cloud has formally proposed that the next Chūnin Exam be held in their village, conducted as a joint examination. We have already agreed."
Shuji was slightly startled. This news he had just learned. He instinctively looked toward Tsunade beside him.
The blonde Sannin immediately glared back.
Shuji withdrew his gaze.
"Go, Shuji." The Third Hokage's voice became gentle, carrying certain expectations. "Perhaps the peaceful vision Lord Hashirama hoped for can truly find new paths in your generation's hands."
Shuji bowed respectfully and withdrew from the Hokage's office.
Over the following days, the tug-of-war between Shuji and Chiyo continued.
The initial hardline threatening approach was completely blocked, and with Sarutobi Hiruzen clearly stating he had transferred negotiation leadership to Shuji, Chiyo could only extremely reluctantly change strategies, devoting energy to repeated entanglement over specific terms and inch-by-inch bargaining.
Regarding the card Konoha truly wanted, "regularized exchanges," Shuji did not immediately play it. He merely patiently engaged with Chiyo in back-and-forth pulling over specific issues like grain prices, supply varieties, and border joint defense.
Provide grain and supplies? Konoha could manage to procure them, but prices could only offer extremely limited discounts based on market rates. Alternatively, Konoha could dispatch elite squads to assist Sunagakure in defending certain northern border fortresses, jointly resisting Iwagakure's pressure.
The former remained too expensive for Sunagakure. The latter presented that same problem. If Konoha's people went there, they likely would not go for support purposes but rather to intensify the war between Iwagakure and Sunagakure.
These clearly were not the results Sunagakure truly wanted.
Shuji was not anxious. The Chūnin Exam had not yet begun, much less concluded.
He had plenty of time. At worst, if negotiations failed this year, they could continue next year or the year after.
Sunagakure was not only poor this year. Advancing steadily, pushing forward gradually would suffice.
Especially that message the Third had finally revealed about the Fourth Raikage A proactively proposing to host the next joint Chūnin Exam.
Though he did not know why, nothing like this appeared in the original work, and he had no idea whether Hidden Cloud planned to trick Konoha's people into coming to steal secret techniques or something.
Regardless, this was a signal.
Hidden Cloud Village had proactively proposed a more peace-oriented, long-term exchange initiative.
This meant the shinobi world's situation, if one did not consider the Akatsuki organization, Uchiha Obito, the Ōtsutsuki...
Hmm, thinking this way, the shinobi world still showed no signs of improvement whatsoever.
"What? Gone?"
Kakuzu, wearing his black cloak with red clouds, could hardly believe what he was hearing.
"Yes, recently many people have been hunting rogue ninja. For the time being, there are no new targets."
The bounty station personnel said this.
Kakuzu snatched the thick bounty registry and flipped through it page by page.
Indeed, those previously numerous, moderately difficult targets had mostly been crossed off. What remained were either troublesome individuals or high-risk figures under strict protection within major shinobi villages.
Ordinary wandering shinobi had nearly vanished. Even targets with slightly lower bounties mostly required infiltrating major villages to eliminate.
What is happening? Who is competing with me? Their actions are even faster than mine?!
"The Land of Grass, Land of Fire, even the Land of Waterfalls vicinity... cleaned so thoroughly." Kakuzu's voice was grim. "Who did this?"
The bounty station person answered, "Konoha's people. Though they concealed it well, most likely the Root." Those people also counted as their bounty station's regular customers.
"Why?"
"Who can fathom these major shinobi villages' thoughts? However, I heard that initially Kusagakure began unusual large-scale capture operations, then Konoha immediately followed up, sweeping even more thoroughly..."
Kakuzu irritably closed the registry.
He had minimal interest in directly targeting major shinobi villages' important personnel. The risk was too high, subsequent troubles endless, and it violated Pain's current orders to maintain low profiles and not actively provoke the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Ultimately, he could only take his money and dejectedly leave this suddenly desolate exchange location.
"Looks like I need to report to Pain that activity range must expand to more distant locations."
Truly... this plainly increased his workload considerably. His mood grew increasingly foul.
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild