Naruto's civilian cannon fodder starts with the three-body technique

Chapter 420 Potential Enemy
This operation was naturally planned in advance by Umino Sasuke and Kakuzu.

The Land of Waves possesses a mature and efficient arms factory and repair team. These damaged warships and equipment, once in their hands, are repaired and modified before being resold to other small countries, island powers, or the black market, often yielding profits of several times or even ten times the cost.

As the financial backer of the Land of Waves, Sasuke Umino was naturally happy to hand over these spoils of war to the Land of Waves; it's good to keep the wealth within the family.

Of course, he wouldn't let his subordinates suffer too much. The minimum purchase price he set for Kakuzu was based on the "battlefield market price" commonly used in the ninja world, ensuring that every ninja in the Iron Wall Legion could obtain tangible benefits.

Kakuzu looked at the dazzling array of spoils before him, especially the two ironclad warships. Although only one was intact and the other was severely damaged, these were still ironclad warships! His deep blue eyes almost shot out a tangible golden light.

He habitually rubbed his fingers together: "Lord Umino, look at these two ironclad warships, and all these warships of various sizes. How about we sell them all to the Land of Waves as a package deal? The price is negotiable!"

"I can sell you this severely damaged one, but that one is basically intact..."

Sasuke Umino pointed to the wrecked ironclad ship that had just been salvaged and shook his head. "I can't make the decision on my own; I need to discuss it with everyone."

Kakuzu was somewhat surprised, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm: "Oh? Isn't the entire Iron Wall Legion decided by your word, Lord Unno?"

“In wartime, centralized decision-making and unified command are naturally necessary. But now that the battle is over, and it involves the disposal of large amounts of spoils of war, especially strategic equipment like this, I am still quite ‘democratic’ and need to listen to everyone’s opinions.”

Soon, Umino Sasuke summoned a group of high-ranking members of the Iron Wall Legion, including Tekudo, Inuzuka Ryo, Nara Shikaku, Hyuga Asuka, Uchiha Shun, Shirakumo Hayama, Shiranui Ri, and Gekko Yoru, to the flagship's temporary conference room.

Sasuke Unno got straight to the point, stating Kakuzu's intention to acquire the intact ironclad warship and other warships, and asking for everyone's opinions.

Tekudo was the first to speak. He was rather impatient and said directly, "Captain, I think we should sell them! We need to march quickly to the Land of Waterfall. Carrying these big guys will not only delay our return to Konoha to rest, but may also delay our arrival at the battlefield in the Land of Waterfall! Selling them to the Land of Waves, getting cash, and traveling light is the most cost-effective!"

Ryo Inuzuka nodded in agreement: "Do is right! These warships are a huge hindrance to our journey. Keeping them would be a huge problem just in terms of maintenance and manpower, and would definitely take up a lot of time. We finally have a chance to go back to Konoha on the way, and we can't let these lumps of iron delay us!"

Some high-ranking members of the Ironwall Legion, who already found the marching with warships troublesome, immediately expressed their agreement to sell these cumbersome spoils to the Land of Waves when they heard the key point that "delaying their return to Konoha for rest and reorganization".

"Yes, yes, let's sell it!"

"It would be so much more practical to exchange them for gold notes!"

"Let's make our move. We can't let this delay our return home to rest. Some of my men haven't been home for years!"

A chorus of approval immediately erupted in the meeting room.

Umino Sasuke noticed that Nara Shikaku had been frowning slightly and remaining silent, so he asked him directly, "Shikaku, what's your opinion?"

Nara Shikaku raised his head, looked around at everyone, and slowly said, "Logically speaking, given our time constraints, we should indeed dispose of these spoils that hinder our rapid march. However..."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious, "Selling these warships, especially that intact ironclad, to the Land of Waves, I think we need to reconsider carefully."

"Oh? Why is that?" Umino Sasuke asked.

Nara Shikaku did not answer directly, but instead asked, "Everyone, please think about it. After this battle, which of the major ninja nations now has the strongest navy?"

Without hesitation, Tekudo blurted out, "Is that even a question? Of course, it's our Land of Fire that's the strongest! The Land of Water's fleet was completely wiped out, and the Land of Lightning's main naval force was also crippled in one battle. The remaining small fry are no match for us. Looking around, of course, our Land of Fire's naval strength is the most intact and the strongest!"

Many others nodded in agreement, finding it obvious.

However, Nara Shikaku shook his head, glanced at everyone, and posed another question: "So, what do you all think of the Land of Waves' naval strength...?"

The meeting room fell silent for a moment after he said that.

The group exchanged bewildered glances, realizing they had overlooked a rapidly rising "monster."

They had witnessed the strength of the Land of Waves' navy firsthand, with its elusive and deadly underwater warships; though few in number, all of them were ironclad, making them arguably the best in the ninja world; and the Land of Waves' air force was already well-organized, even more advanced than Konoha's.

Today, the Land of Waves' naval power may not be as large as the Hidden Mist or Hidden Clouds in terms of total tonnage, but its integrated sea, land, and air combat methods have demonstrated the strength to change the maritime landscape. In particular, their underwater warships are a nightmare for traditional warships.

Tekudo frowned, somewhat puzzled, and said, "Shikaku, what do you mean by that? The Land of Waves is our ally! Isn't it inappropriate for you to say that?"

Nara Shikaku shook his head again: "Wrong! The Land of Waves is not our ally. We have never signed any formal alliance. Our previous cooperation was based on a temporary action against the Land of Water. Moreover, the Land of Waves has always claimed to be a neutral country and has never shown any willingness to ally with the Land of Fire."

After Nara Shikaku's reminder, everyone suddenly realized that their relationship with the Land of Waves was far more complex and subtle than they had imagined; what appeared to be a close cooperation was actually quite different.

Nara Shikaku continued his analysis: "Think about it, everyone. The Land of Waves' navy has already demonstrated formidable strength. Given time, they are fully capable of replacing the Land of Water and becoming the new maritime hegemon. If we sell them these captured warships, representing the pinnacle of shipbuilding technology, it will undoubtedly greatly enhance their naval power and accelerate their process of dominating the oceans. In the long run, this might not be a good thing for Konoha, for a country with a long coastline like the Land of Fire." Tekudo, with his traditional ninja mindset, countered: "Shikaku, aren't you overthinking it? No matter how strong the Land of Waves' navy is, how many ninjas do they have? Their foundation is very weak. Once the Ninja War is over and the Land of Water has recovered, do you think the Land of Waves can withstand the Hidden Mist's retaliation? If you ask me, the stronger the Land of Waves, the better. I'd even prefer them to be stronger, ideally fighting the Land of Water to a standstill, depleting more Hidden Mist ninjas. This would help alleviate our coastal defense pressure, help us protect our long coastline, and allow us to focus more on the land battlefield!"

Tekudo's viewpoint represents the thinking of most of the Iron Wall Legion's high command. In their opinion, the Land of Waves is, after all, just a small country with insufficient ninja resources and war potential. No matter how much it develops, it is impossible for it to truly threaten the Five Great Nations.

Conversely, for Konoha, it would be more beneficial than harmful for a stronger Land of Waves to restrain and deplete the Land of Water at sea.

"Captain Tehisa is right!"

"Let them fight like dogs with the Hidden Mist Village!"

"The more Mist Ninja who die, the better!"

Everyone agreed, feeling that Nara Shikaku's concerns were somewhat unfounded and too far ahead of their time.

Looking at the almost one-sided public opinion, Nara Shikaku sighed inwardly at everyone's shortsightedness. Only he, with the Nara clan's excellent analytical ability, vaguely sensed the terrifying potential of the Land of Waves. The Land of Waves was definitely not as simple as it seemed on the surface.

Seeing that Nara Shikaku alone was unable to persuade everyone, Umino Sasuke spoke up at the opportune moment: "Alright, I've heard everyone's opinions."

He looked at Nara Shikaku, his tone calm yet decisive: "Shikaku's concerns are valid, but since most people believe they should be sold, and this also meets our current needs for a rapid march, then let's follow the majority's opinion and sell these warships and the hard-to-carry spoils to the Land of Waves. Let the Land of Waves help us draw the Land of Water's firepower and relieve our naval defense pressure; currently, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks."

Nara Shikaku opened his mouth, wanting to say a few more words of persuasion.

Umino Sasuke raised his hand to stop him: "Currently, the relationship between the Land of Waves and us is more than that of allies. Besides, they have taken in a large number of Uzumaki survivors and have many connections with our Konoha. If we directly reject the Land of Waves or even show any fear, it will easily damage our relationship."

“This—” Nara Shikaku finally wavered.

Sasuke Unno looked at everyone and said, "Given our current relationship with the Land of Waves, we should be able to negotiate with Kakuzu and secure a premium for our Iron Wall Army based on market prices. Besides, we're in the midst of the Ninja War, and these are all highly sought-after goods."

Upon hearing that there could be a premium, Tekudo was overjoyed and clapped his hands, saying, "That's great! Captain, you have such a close relationship with Mr. Gato from the Land of Waves, so getting a premium is definitely not a problem! It will also allow the brothers to get a bigger share of the money!"

Other senior executives also showed expressions of anticipation.

Nara Shikaku did not raise any objections, but simply offered his routine analysis: "This time, it's Mr. Kakuzu who's here to negotiate. Everyone should have seen his information. Trying to get a premium from this guy is probably..."

He didn't finish speaking, but everyone understood what he meant. Kakuzu was known for his "stinginess" and shrewdness, and he was also very powerful. Bargaining with him would put a lot of psychological pressure on you.

Sasuke Unno remained noncommittal, ended the meeting, and turned to Kakuzu to discuss the specific price.

Sure enough, when Kakuzu heard that Umino Sasuke had agreed to sell all the warships, including the intact ironclad ship, a rare and obvious look of joy appeared on his face. However, as soon as he heard that Umino Sasuke proposed to buy them at a "premium" price, the smile that had just appeared on Kakuzu's face vanished instantly, replaced by the face of a shrewd and calculating businessman who would fight for every penny.

"A premium? Lord Unno, that's not fair!" Kakuzu started counting on his fingers, "Look at that intact ironclad ship. Although the main structure is fine, the deck, sails, and many internal facilities all need maintenance, repair, and even repairs. That's a considerable expense! And those damaged warships, repairing them is a bottomless pit! Labor costs, material costs, time costs... What we in the Land of Waves earn is hard-earned money, small profits but quick turnover! And you're asking for a premium, making things very difficult for us..."

Kakuzu fully utilized his bargaining skills accumulated over decades of life, constantly emphasizing the high costs and meager profits, refusing to budge an inch.

Sasuke Unno wasn't in a hurry. He waited until Kakuzu had finished speaking before slowly playing the emotional card: "Mr. Kakuzu, we've cooperated many times, and our relationship has always been excellent. We're more than allies. You won't even give me this little bit of extra money?"

Kakuzu remained unmoved, his emerald eyes darting around before he proposed a new solution: "Lord Unno, since you insist on talking about feelings, that's fine too. Aren't you planning to land in the Land of Iron and return to the Land of Fire by land? I see that these transport ships of yours will be difficult to dispose of after landing, so why not package them up and sell them to our Land of Waves as well? If you sell these transport ships along with them, then I might consider the warships, and give you a slight... premium."

Upon hearing this, Sasuke Unno looked at Shikaku Nara, who had come to participate in the negotiations with him.

Nara Shikaku pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly. Although these transport ships were not as valuable as warships, their sheer number made them a burden to keep. It would be better to take this opportunity to dispose of them all and exchange them for some funds. The Land of Waves would likely use these transport ships as merchant vessels, rather than significantly enhancing its naval strength.

Umino Sasuke readily agreed: "Alright! Let's do it your way. All the captured warships, along with this batch of transport ships, will be sold to your Land of Waves! But the price must be satisfactory!"

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Kakuzu finally smiled again on his stiff, stitched-up face: "Don't worry, Lord Unno, I, Kakuzu, have always been fair in business!"

The subsequent price negotiations, however, remained meticulous and even haggled over every penny.

Kakuzu fully utilized his expertise in the market prices of various materials to keep costs to a minimum, while Umino Sasuke had the assistance of Nara Shikaku, a strategist with exceptional intelligence, who was able to argue his case logically at crucial moments.

Finally, after a heated debate, the two parties reached an agreement and signed a transfer contract.

When Nara Shikaku presented the final contract terms to the senior executives who were waiting for news, everyone was very satisfied with the acquisition price. Although the premium was not particularly large, it was a miracle that they were able to squeeze money out of Kakuzu, who was notoriously stingy.

(End of this chapter)