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  “Just… why?”

  A deathly silence desded upon the Raikage’s meeting room. Everyoared at the copies of the *Konoha-Kiri Treaty*, bearing the official seals of both Konohagakure and Kirigakure, bewildered and speechless.

  “This is absurd. Have those Mist lunatics lost their minds?”

  “They sighis treaty with Konoha without even sending an envoy to iate with us in Kumogakure.”

  “Are we that hated?”

  It wasn't just the alliaween Kirigakure and Konoha that stung. Attached to the treaty was Kirigakure’s official statement ning Kumogakure, deg eid cultural sans, and an iigation into the assets of Land of Lightning citizens within the Land of Water… Fortunately, the Land of Water was an isoted nation, and Kumogakure’s assets there were limited.

  But money aside, what about their pride?

  This was a resounding sp in the faogakure in front of all the shinobi vilges, a humiliating blow to their reputation.

  Had the Great Kumogakure Co-Prosperity Sphere pn crumbled before it even began? Had the Raikage’s entrepreneurial ve a premature demise? A’s breathing grew ragged as he crumpled the Konoha-Kiri Treaty in his fist.

  A felt a pang of bitterness.

  They had both toiled to establish footholds in Kumogakure. Konoha attracted all the high-quality refugees, leaving Kumogakure with the dregs who only boosted the crime rate.

  Setting that aside, if they could have swayed Kirigakure to join the Great Kumogakure Co-Prosperity Sphere, some sacrifices would have been worthwhile. A short-term loss for a long-term gain.

  But instead… Kirigakure, like a heartless lover, ran off and snuggled up with Konoha, the very vilge that had tormehem for so long.

  “Elder Advisor, what do you suggest we do?”

  Elder Advisor had kept his eyes closed since A ehe meeting room. Finally, he opehem and spoke words no one expected:

  “The alliaween Kirigakure and Konoha… may not be a bad thing for us.”

  “?”

  “Why do you say that?”

  Elder Advisor spread the Konoha-Kiri Treaty oable, pointing to the cuse about iigating the assets of Land of Lightning citizens in the Land of Water.

  “The Third Shinobi World War just ended. Every vilge’s military budget is at a historic low. For now, we don't o worry about a rge-scale war.”

  “Kirigakure issued this cuse to san us eically. Do they not know how much of our wealth is actually tied up there, how much damage they truly inflict?”

  “No, they know better than ahey issued it for superficial reasons, a meaningless gesture.”

  “Therefore, we shall respond in kind. Expel all businesses and assets from the Land of Water and Kirigakure. This strong response will, at least, preserve our vilge’s face.”

  The other elders nodded in agreement.

  Everyone was currently focused on recovery. It would take time to rebuild their forces for ane-scale war. Therefore, localized skirmishes and these “san wars” became the norm.

  Sihey couldn’t flip the table through all-out war, they would py the game strategically, accumuting their own chips while depleting the enemy’s.

  What Kirigakure could do, Kumogakure could do as well!

  Mabui, the youary the meeting, spoke up. “The Land of Water and Kirigakure have siderable business is here. If we expel them all… how will we pensate for the resulting gaps?”

  The Land of Water had numerous businesses in the Land of Lightning, such as fish farms and bcksmithing workshops. Expelling them would impact the needs of Kumogakure’s citizens.

  “Regarding that…” A wise smile curved Elder Advisor’s lips. “In my opinion, the Land of Hot Water easily repce the Land of Water. And there’s also the Land of Iron, the Land of Bears, the Land of Artisans, and the Land of Flowers along the coast… While their craftsmanship may not match that of the Land of Water, it’s not unusable.”

  “This will pletely fill the market gap, and we even leverage our position as a major vilge to secure more favorable terms.”

  “The same applies to exports. We’ll direct oods towards these smaller nations.”

  “Thus, Kirigakure’s eis, instead of harming us, will actually allow us to surpass our previous standing!”

  Elder Advisor’s words dispelled the cloud of uainty hanging over everyone. Frowns turned into expressions of relief.

  Excited discussions filled the room once more. “Brilliant! What a splendid pn!”

  “Expelling these major nations’ businesses duriime carries risks, but since Kirigakure initiated this, we ’t be bmed.”

  “Those Mist bastards would never dream that their sans would actually be us.”

  A crossed his arms, exhaling slowly.

  He was no lohe same A. Following Elder Advisor’s suggestion, he had already devised further strategies:

  “Elder Advisor, you just mentioned ‘responding in kind,’ correct?”

  “Hmm? I did. Is there a problem, Fourth Raikage?”

  “I’m thinking, since Konoha has allied with Kirigakure, we do the same. But not with those Mist bastards or the Land of Earth…”

  “You mean… Sunagakure!”

  It was well known that Kumogakure and Sunagakure, separated by the vast expanse of Konoha, didn’t share a beographically, their retionship had always beeively amicable, without major flicts.

  They had even cooperated during the siege on Konoha and against their shared neighbor, the Land of Earth.

  Due to the distance, Kumogakure hadn’t prioritized an alliah Sunagakure, but now, the timing seemed perfect.

  [Ally with Sunagakure, establish a military and eic partnership, and form a united front against our on enemies, Konoha.]

  This n!

  Although the Third Shinobi World War had ended, aioween Sunagakure and Konoha had somewhat improved, the past wounds would never fully heal. Wasn’t the current state of the shinobi world a result of “making the enemy suffer equally” and “geions of accumuted hatred”?

  With reasoned arguments aional appeals, the embers of hatred within Sunagakure could easily be rekindled.

  Elder Advisor beamed with pride. “Excellent, A. You’ve vinced me that even if I were to die tomorrow, you could govern the vilge well.”

  “Indeed! reat Kumogakure Co-Prosperity Sphere pn hasn’t failed. With the iion of those smaller nations’ erce, earning their gratitude and loyalty, we only need a powerful shinobi vilge to join us.”

  “Sunagakure is the final piece of the puzzle!”

  “While engaging with Sunagakure, we’ll also seize opportuo sabotage the retionship between Konoha and Kirigakure, ideally breaking their alliance.”

  “That will be difficult, but we’ve already pnted a valuable pie Konoha. It won’t be impossible.”

  A’s biceps twitched. In this moment, even his muscles seemed to possess the power of thought. “Elder Advisor, are you referring to Samui?!”

  “But Samui’s identity in Konoha is that of an ordinary civilian. Even positioned beside Gojo Kaigetsu, she hardly influence Konoha’s major policies.”

  “Regarding that, A, your observation cks depth.”

  Elder Advisor raised a withered finger, pointing to the line [Mei Terumi enters Konohagakure for training].

  “There’s a strategy ihirty-Six Stratagems that applies perfectly to this situation-”

  “The Horap!”

  Raikage A, fused, scratched his head. “But… hasn’t Samui already been assigo get close to Gojo Kaigetsu?”

  “Not quite~” Elder Advisor said cryptically. “What if Samui were to leverage her… assets… and cim that this ninja from Kirigakure is harassing, molesting, or sedug her?”

  “??? But Mei Terumi is recorded as a female ninja, right?”

  “A, must we be sid about gender? We only he result of Samui being ‘victimized’ by Mei Terumi. Whether it’s true or false is irrelevant. As long as Gojo Kaigetsu believes it, we succeed!”

  “The key is for Samui to subtly provoke Mei Terumi, avoiding anything too obvious that would expose the ruse. Otherwise, the effectiveness of the horap would be greatly diminished.”

  “As long as Mei Terumi loses trol of her emotions, the horap is half successful.”

  “And the other half?”

  “The other half… is, of course, Gojo Kaigetsu flying inte on Samui’s behalf, using his authority to humiliate Mei Terumi, thereby damaging the retionship between Konoha and Kirigakure. After all, having your young ninja go to another vilge for training only to be harassed is like being defecated upon!”

  “If they have even a shred of ninja pride, they will iably csh with Konoha!”

  Boom-

  A fsh of inspiration struck A like a bolt of lightning.

  Thanks to Elder Advisuidance, his mind opened, his perspective broadening.

  A muttered to himself, “Indeed, other ninja might e for the sake of their vilge, especially so soon after signing an alliareaty.”

  “But based oel Samui has sistently provided, Gojo Kaigetsu is undoubtedly a lecherous, inpetent, mid-level ninja who relies on es for his position as advisor.”

  “With the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, always there to up his messes, he acts with eveer impunity. The extent to which he humiliates the young Mist ninja depeirely on the level of anger Samui incites in him.”

  Elder Advisor’s eyes twinkled with satisfa. “Precisely. The greatest evil of human nature is to inflict maximum hardship on others within the fines of one’s limited power.”

  “Ety indigo avoid greater disasters? Such siderations are beyond Gojo Kaigetsu. He abuses any sliver of authority he possesses. Fortunately, we have no suinja in Kumogakure. Otherwise, I would personally purge them.”

  “Gojo Kaigetsu might not inflict actual harm oerumi, but knowing his character, his as will be suffitly repulsive to disgust her for quite some time.”

  Elder Advisor smacked his lips and shook his head, seemingly regretting a single fw in his perfe. “It’s a pity Mei Terumi isn’t male. Then it would have been truly fwless.”

  “Regardless of whether Gojo Kaigetsu believes it or not, he must defend Samui’s honor.”

  Enthusiastic discussion filled the meeting room once more, but this time, A remained silent.

  Mabui, clutg her file, felt a chill creep into her heart.

  While she had long accepted that ninjas were merely tools for pleting missions, the vilge elders’ words were utterly devoid of human passion… pletely disregarding the feelings of their female ninjas.

  This vilge was truly effit, but utterly g in warmth…

  Mabui lowered her gaze, a wave of disappoi washing over her.

  Due to the side effects of the Heart-to-Heart unication Jutsu, she could sense some of Samui’s experiences.

  “Sharp words,” “One-fingered Nukite”… the shame, and even a strange, indescribable emotion, she could vaguely perceive them all.

  They were living, breathing people, ioools existing solely to plete missions!

  “Mabui! Mabui!”

  Elder Advisor’s annoyed voiapped Mabui back to reality. “Eh… Yes! Elder Advisor, what is it?”

  “Spag out during su importaing? Refle your as when you return.” Elder Advisan with a reprimand. “When you tact Samui, remember to rey the mission to her immediately.”

  “She is a crucial po of the Great Kumogakure Co-Prosperity Sphere pn. The pn’s success or failure rests entirely on her shoulders!”

  “Success is the only option. Failure is uable!”

  “Upon her successful return, I will personally award her with Kumogakure’s prestigious Armbar Medal!”

  “You will vey this, won’t you?”

  “Yes! Elder Advisor.”

  Mabui’s spirit stiffened as she accepted the mission.

  However, her heart grew colder. Success hinged on Samui’s humiliation, rewarded upon her return with the Armbar Medal. But the elder advisor vely omitted the other half of the equation-

  ‘What fate awaits Samui if the mission fails?’

  ‘Will she even be able to return to Kumogakure?’

  Mabui fell silent.

  She dared not pte further. It was a forbidden thought. She feared that further p would taint her faith and waver her resolve.

  As for how to describe the mission to her close friend… which parts to omit? Which parts to embellish? Which parts to add?

  As a mere tool of the vilge, these weren’t siderations she should be making.

  But now…

  Times had ged, and so had people.

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