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  Minato Namikaze, having just stepped out of the Konoha Hospital, suddenly stopped, gng back with a puzzled look.

  “Strange, just now… was that an illusion?”

  As one of the most perceptively attuned individuals in the shinobi world, Minato had acutely sensed a strange fluctuation emanating from within the hospital.

  If he had to describe it, it felt like a tailed beast whimpering, pleading for its life.

  “Did the treatment work? That quickly?”

  Minato shook his head, dismissing the thought, and quickly returo his office to attend to his Hokage duties.

  However, he had barely settled down when a knock echoed on his office door.

  “Enter.”

  “Lord Fourth, Special Jonin Raidō Namiashi requests an audience!”

  “Namiashi… what is it?” Minato greeted him warmly.

  Raidō Namiashi had been discovered and reended by Gojo Kaigetsu during the skirmishes with Kirigakure. The reendation was based on Namiashi possessing the aptitude to learn the Flying Thunder God Teique. After some iigation, Minato firmed this to be true a Namiashi by his side, training him as a prospective member of the Hokage Guard.

  Namiashi, grateful for his promotion, believed that Advisojo had pulled some strings to get him the position. He had been frequently visiting the Gojo resideh gifts.

  Namiashi stepped forward, l his voice. “Sunagakure has sent someone! A secret emissary.”

  “What? Sunagakure?” Minato frowned, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

  The situation with Kirigakure had just been resolved, and now Sunagakure? The retionship between Konoha and Sunagakure was even worse than with Kirigakure.

  During the Third Shinobi World War, Konoha had been besieged by the Freat Shinobi Vilges. The catalyst for the flict was the disappearance of the Third Kazekage. Sunagakure, believing that further dey would lead to their slow demise, had fired the first shot in the siege against Konoha.

  Trag further back, it was also Sunagakure, uhe First Kazekage's military reforms and the warm fa’s rule, that had initiated the First Shinobi World War…

  Minato naturally held little goodwill towards a vilge filled with ambitious individuals who repeatedly instigated wars.

  He even held more favorable ses toward Kumogakure, Konoha’s fiercest rival.

  Minato caught the key phrase in Namiashi’s words: “You said… secret emissary? Not just emissary?”

  An emissary would officially visit Konoha, deg their vilge's political stao the entire shinobi world.

  A secret emissary, however, implied something more destihey would subtly dispy Sunagakure symbols upoering the vilge, undergoing multiple yers of unication before a secret meeting. This suggested possibilities like f covert alliances against other vilges or using Konoha to elimiernal opposition within Sunagakure.

  Minato pondered for a moment. “Bring them in.”

  A short while ter, Baki, a Jonin from Sunagakure disguised as an ordinary ninja, ehe Hokage’s office. Sihis was a destiing, Baki wasn't wearing the white head that signified his affiliation with Sunagakure.

  ‘A Jonin from Sunagakure…’ Minato narrowed his eyes, sensing that the matters discussed in this secret meeting would likely be of high importance.

  He knew of Baki, a remarkable young ninja from Sunagakure. Judging by his achievements, he had already reached the level of ae Jonin. Given time and experience, he would undoubtedly bee a member of Sunagakure's leadership.

  Minato subtly gestured to Namiashi, signaling him to fetch Gojo Kaigetsu immediately. Namiashi uood and quickly exited the Hokage Tower.

  “Lord Fourth.”

  Baki offered a simple Sunagakure greeting and then stated his purpose: “We in Sunagakure wish to form a ercial alliah Konoha, establish a trade partnership, and increase the scale of our mutual trade…”

  After he finished, Minato tapped his fingers on the desk, addressing the core issue: “A ercial alliance? Meaning you io maintain military opposition while expanding trade and eic development with Konoha?”

  “And wheime is right, Sunagakure will, as it has in the past, unother war against Konoha.”

  Baki’s heart sank.

  He hadn’t expected the Hokage to see through the loophole in his words so quickly. It was irue. The dire of a vilge wasn't swayed by individual desires. Given enough time for Sunagakure to accumute suffit strength and profit from Konoha, they would iably wage war again.

  This was driven by the i warm and greed ingrained within the people of Sunagakure. Baki uood this all too well.

  But would he abandon the pn just because the Hokage had seen through it?

  Of course not. The step was to lull Konoha into a false sense of security.

  Baki pced his right hand over his heart and bowed slightly, adopting a humble posture as Sunagakure’s secret emissary. “No, of course not.”

  “Perhaps, Lord Hokage, you are unaware that the warm fa within Sunagakure has lost its influence. Our Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, and his supporters have long grown weary of war.”

  “The current Sunagakure desires peace.”

  Minato crossed his arms, his expression unmoved by Baki’s words.

  Stereotypes weren't formed ht.

  Once a war-monger, always a war-mohere was no need for expnations; Minato wasn't ied in listening. However, remembering Gojo Kaigetsu’s usual “teags,” he patiently gave Baki room to eborate.

  “If Sunagakure were truly sincere, you wouldn’t have bee here as a secret emissary.” Minato scoffed.

  Were they afraid that Kumogakure and Iwagakure would discover their ercial alliah Konoha aaliate?

  Wanting to profit while avoiding the risks of inter-vilge flict? Such good fortune did in the harsh reality of the shinobi world.

  “No, no, my arrival as a secret emissary demonstrates Sunagakure’s genuine desire for peace.”

  “Desire for peace…?”

  “Yes, our hoy lies in… Pakura!” Baki sighed inwardly, revealing the pre-determined pn. “If you agree, Lord Hokage, we will send Pakura, hailed as a hero ae Jonin in Sunagakure, to Konoha for a secret mission.”

  “At that time, Konoha set an ambush… and kill Pakura. This is our dispy of siy.”

  “The people of Sunagakure won’t know how or where Pakura died. And Konoha focus all past grievances against Sunagakure onto Pakura. Her death will symbolize the resolution of our past flicts…”

  “This is the true Seal of Reciliation.”

  If given a choice, who would willingly send their vilge hero away, handing over their life to another vilge? After her death, Pakura’s sacrifice wouldn't even be publicly aowledged. Only after years, or even decades, when Sunagakure rose to greatness again, would this heavy history be revealed, allowing the vilgers to remember their hero.

  Fet a hero, even sacrifig a normal ninja was a loss for Sunagakure! How could they casually offer up their own people? However, a weak vilge had no diplomatic leverage. To establish deep cooperation with a stronger vilge, such sacrifices were necessary to gain reition.

  A humiliating promise!!

  Baki ched his fists behind his back, his nails digging into his flesh.

  Minato’s eyes widened in genuine shock as he listened.

  ‘Has the warm fa in Sunagakure fallen?’

  To willingly offer Pakura to Konoha, to be disposed of as they saw fit? olitical implications did this hold?!

  Minato's mind raced. Under Gojo Kaigetsu’s influence, his perspective on matters of the shinobi world had bee increasingly nuanced.

  Pakura of the Scorch Style was a renowe Jonin and hero of Sunagakure. She was also a symbol of Sunagakure’s aggressive fn policy. Regardless of her personal stance, in the eyes of other vilges, Pakura represehe warm fa of Sunagakure.

  Pakura’s death at the hands of Konoha would mean the symbolic beheading of Sunagakure’s warm fa. Their threat level would plummet, and the likelihood of them initiating war would greatly decrease. This rerequisite for establishing trust and cooperatioween vilges.

  Furthermore, handing over a vilge hero to another vilge, to be killed or spared at their whim, undoubtedly demonstrated utmost humility. A level of humility uing a vilge among the Five Great Shinobi Vilges.

  Externally, it reduced the risk of war. Internally, it appeased the lingeriment held by the eion of Konoha against Sunagakure.

  A near-perfect solution.

  Minato's expression became plex. Pakura to Konoha was akin to Gojo Kaigetsu to Kumogakure in exge for their support. Theoretically possible, but even fag annihition, Konoha wouldn't it su act.

  It could only be said that… Sunagakure had made a shrewd move, albeit a ruthless oowards their own ninja.

  Notig the subtle shift in Minato’s expression, Baki realized that the sacrifice of Pakura had achieved its intended effect. As Hokage, Minato represented Konoha’s leadership. Easing his vigiowards Sunagakure meant they were rgely successful. The will of the lower ranks couldn't alter the dire of the vilge, which was always determined by its leadership.

  Baki pressed his advantage: “Sunagakure possesses abundant strategic resources, including gold and chakra metal ore… These resources are buried deep underground. Due to being mired in war and hindered by transportation difficulties, Sunagakure has been uo effectively develop these resources.”

  “Now, with peace prevailing in the shinobi world, if Konoha fully opens up and increases trade with Sunagakure, these resources be developed.”

  “Our vilge has decided that if Konoha forms a pact with us and shares the cost of strug trade routes, we are willing to share the extracted resources with Konoha!”

  “If you agree, Lord Hokage, after sending Pakura to Konoha for the secret mission, we will publicly announce our ercial cooperation.”

  This offer was undeniably tempting.

  Gold was a universal currency, so that went without saying. Chakra metal ore… the high price of kunai and shuriken was rgely due to the scarcity of chakra metal ore.

  The Land of Fire had limited reserves of chakra metal ore, but their f teiques were highly advanced, haviablished a rge-scale ninja tool industry. Sunagakure, oher hand, was ri resources but cked the modern f teiques prevalent in the shinobi world…

  If Konoha and Sunagakure could put aside their past, their development would undoubtedly plement and be each other.

  With this uanding, the details of sharing the cost of strug trade routes and the specific distribution of resources could be discussed ter.

  Minato was geempted.

  However, despite the temptation, he didn’t immediately agree. After all, he had two minds to sider - his own and his external one.

  “Why are you hesitating, Minato? Agree to the Sunagakure emissary’s terms.”

  “Who’s there?!” Baki instinctively turned, seeing a white-haired ninja wearing a bck blindfold casually push the door open aer the Hokage’s office.

  White hair…

  A shadow of unease crossed Baki’s mind. It was the same hair color as Konoha’s White Fang.

  “Lord Hokage, is it appropriate for other ninjas to intrude upon our fidential meeting?”

  “I am Konoha’s Advisojo, not ‘other ninja’ as you put it.”

  Gojo Kaigetsu poured himself a cup of tea. “I overheard half of your versation. Although I didn’t catch everything, I guess the general gist of it~”

  “However, I have a few additions to this agreement.”

  Baki instinctively g Minato, who offered no objes. Shrugging, Baki said, “Please speak.”

  “First, Sunagakure must decre and guarahat for the hirty years, all chakra metal ore produced within the Land of Wind will be preferentially sold to Konoha aled using the currency of the Land of Fire, even for exports to other vilges.”

  “The Land of Fire’s currency? Isn’t it all cash anyway?”

  “While it's all cash, eaation has unique markings on its currency. Let's make this a ten-year agreement.”

  Baki didn’t think much of this odd request and nodded slowly. Si was all cash, it made no differeo them, so he could readily agree.

  Gojo Kaigetsu slowly presented his sed demand: “Konoha will dispatch a team of teical experts and emissaries to be stationed long-term in Sunagakure to guide chakra metal mining operations and protect our is. Even in the event of war, Sunagakure ot harm this team. Otherwise, Konoha will retaliate without hesitation.”

  “Acceptable. However, Konoha ot include ninjas above in rank in this team, nor any Hyuga members. They are also prohibited from engaging in any deliberate sabotage within Sunagakure. Otherwise, we will uniterally termihe agreement.”

  Merely stationing personnel was insequential. Within their owory, even if Konoha ninjas attempted sabotage or intelligehering, they would have to sider the vast, unfivi surrounding them.

  “Third…” Gojo Kaigetsu paused thoughtfully. “Sunagakure’s Genin and in Exams must be held jointly with Konoha. Also, Sunagakure must send no fewer than five school-aged children to study at the Konoha Ninja Academy as a symbol of cultural exge between our vilges. We will provide them with the same education as our own students.”

  “This…” Baki hesitated.

  Sunagakure’s ninja exams had always been held within their own vilge. He couldn’t quite grasp Gojo Kaigetsu’s iions. First, stationing Konoha personnel long-term in Sunagakure, and now having Sunagakure children study in Konoha… what was he pnning?

  “Why not have Konoha send children to study in Sunagakure?”

  Hearing this question, Gojo Kaigetsu feigned an exaggerated expression, his unseen eyes rolling as if looking at a fool. “Of course, it’s because Konoha has a better enviro and superior educational facilities! If they went to Sunagakure, they’d probably be g their eyes out from the sand within two days. Besides, don’t you want the children of Sunagakure to have a better childhood?”

  Baki fell silent. Gojo Kaigetsu’s words had struck a chord within him.

  Indeed… if Konoha didn’t hold bad provided the same education, perhaps the returning students could reveal the secrets of Konoha’s strength. And, the childhood of Sunagakure children was indeed harsh. Experieng a better life in Konoha wouldn’t be a bad thing.

  “I ’t agree to this immediately. I o sult with the Fourth Kazekage. And, even for an exge at the academy student level, what would be the time frame?”

  “Three months or lojo Kaigetsu answered instantly. “Sunagakure sider it a ‘summer camp,’ a vivid outdoor practical exge css for students of the Sunagakure Ninja Academy. Let them e to Konoha and experiehe harsh realities of the shinobi world firsthand, and witness what true ninja genius looks like.”

  “Alright, I’ll return as quickly as possible. If Lord Kazekage agrees, the academy students will apany the official Sunagakure envoy to Konoha.”

  Baki believed the Kazekage would agree to this dition.

  The main topic of discussion in the Elder cil had been strengthening “ercial and cultural” exge with Konoha. The tter was undoubtedly an excellent way to uhe secrets of Konoha’s enduring strength.

  “Lastly…”

  Gojo Kaigetsu raised his fourth finger. “Regarding the stru of the trade route between Sunagakure and Konoha.”

  “What about it? Is Konoha unwilling to tribute funds? That wouldn’t be appropriate. Both of us will be. It would be unfair if only Sunagakure bears the cost.” Baki asked nervously.

  As for the Land of Rivers between their vilges… weaker vilges were irrelevant in the power pys between major vilges.

  “No, no, why would you think so poorly of me, Baki? What I mean to say is that Konoha will cover all expenses for the stru of the trade route! And we will be responsible for security along the route as well.”

  Baki’s expression gradually turned bnk, as if saying: I’m not very smart, don’t trick me. Do such good things actually happen in the ninja world?

  “Of course, this isn’t unditional. For the hirty years, Konoha will hold all rights to the profits from this trade route. Sunagakure ot interfere with the operation of the trade route for any reason or under any pretext.”

  “Deal!” Baki excimed, as if afraid Gojo Kaigetsu would retract his offer.

  Wasn’t the primary purpose of a trade route to transpoods? What other profits could there be? Just the measly toll fees, which wouldn't even cover the stru costs.

  It erfect that Konoha was willing to hahe troublesome task of building the road.

  “Let’s draw up the tract immediately! Lord Hokage! Advisojo!”

  …

  …

  Baki walked out of the Hokage Tower, clutg the freshly signed “Konoha-Suna prehereaty of Friendship, erce, and Mutual Assistance,” still feeling slightly surreal.

  He had secured far greater bes for Sunagakure than anticipated!

  The stru costs were pletely waived! How much could Sunagakure achieve with those saved funds?!

  ‘This Konoha… has lost the vigince a powerful shinobi vilge should possess. Relying on their wealth, they squa recklessly.’

  ‘As long as Sunagakure secures enough time for development, we will rise to greatness again, while this pt Konoha will iably fall.’

  Filled with aspirations and hope, Baki passed through the gates of Konoha’s new ercial district, eager to return to his vilge.

  However, his ninja instincts hadn’t failed him, and he had gathered siderable intel.

  For example:

  He saw a fidant of the Mizukage, Mei Terumi, stumbling out of aablishment with a distinctly shady atmosphere.

  ‘Hmph, birds of a feather flock together. Kirigakure, having formed a full alliah Konoha, has already succumbed to de such a short time. My judgment was correct.’

  He saw, at the open ter of the Taiten Ninja Tool Shop, an ordinary Genin specializing in Water Style meticulously washing a shuriken seven times with a strasu before handing it to a civilian for another seven rounds of wiping… a dispy of meticulous craftsmanship.

  ‘So, what the Elder cil mentioned about Konoha washing their shuriken seven times is true.’

  ‘Konoha’s wasteful use of resources, their reckless spending, is exactly like a nouveau riche with no substance.’

  ‘Konoha shows signs of a vilge on the dee!’

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