Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 300: Establishing a Casino Concession, the Evolution of the Dark Nine-Tailed Fox
Tsunade and Shizune stood in front of the door, their gazes fixed on the scene in the courtyard with complex expressions.

Mikoto Uchiha and Gaara also noticed the commotion at the door and looked up at the same time.

A hint of fear flashed in Gaara's large eyes, which were covered in dark circles. He instinctively and nimbly jumped onto the veranda and hid behind Mikoto. His small hands tightly gripped the hem of Mikoto's kimono, and he only peeked out with half of his head to secretly observe the unfamiliar visitor.

Upon recognizing the visitors, Mikoto smiled gently. She put down her needlework, patted Gaara's hand reassuringly, then stood up and nodded slightly to Tsunade and Shizune: "Lady Tsunade, Miss Shizune, are you here to see Kushina and Minato? They've been busy with official duties today and haven't returned yet. If you don't mind, please come in and wait a moment."

Her voice was soft and pleasant, and her demeanor was composed and unhurried, as if she were simply entertaining an ordinary visitor.

Tsunade took a deep breath and strode inside.

Shizune quickly followed behind, carrying Tonton in her arms, and politely bowed, saying, "Excuse me, Lady Mikoto."

Stepping into the courtyard, the fresh scent of grass and trees greets you.

Tsunade looked around, her gaze finally settling on Mikoto and the red-haired boy behind her.

Her furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and a multitude of clues and guesses flashed through her mind.

'As expected…' Tsunade thought to herself.

'Kushina and Minato were probably involved in the Uchiha's plan long ago, and may even have orchestrated the "defection" and used the opportunity to rescue Mikoto.'

Thinking of this, an indescribable anger and disappointment welled up in his heart, but the target was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was far away in Konoha.

The information brought back by Shizune from Konoha clearly shows that the Konoha authorities have determined that the Uchiha Fugaku couple have died tragically.

How much of the truth has the old man been hiding?

What kind of desperate situation did the Uchiha clan face that led them to choose to defect as a whole, even going so far as to join forces with a rising power like the Land of Stars?
Even a ninja as loyal to the village as Uchiha Shisui chose to leave...

What exactly did the Konoha leadership do?
In the blink of an eye, Tsunade had already walked up to Mikoto.

Looking at the other person's calm face, all her unspoken words finally turned into a complex sigh: "I never thought... I would see you here, Mikoto."

Mikoto met her gaze, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. She bowed slightly and said, "Yes, Lady Tsunade. Originally... I should have gone with Fugaku. But Kushina told me a lot. She hoped that I... could see the children grow up."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried a sense of relief and determination that came from having experienced life and death.

"Just as I thought." Tsunade nodded, her gaze shifting to the red-haired boy who was still hiding behind Mikoto, watching her with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

Tsunade had seen this child before. After the battle between Shura and the One-Tailed Beast, she brought the child back and said that he was the One-Tailed Beast's jinchūriki.

She couldn't help but ask, "Are you taking care of this child now?"

“Hmm.” Mikoto turned to the side and gently patted Gaara’s head, introducing him: “His name is Gaara. He is the jinchūriki of Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast, and also the youngest son of Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure.”

"The son of the Fourth Kazekage?" Shizune repeated subconsciously, not quite realizing what was happening.

Previously, all I knew was that this little guy was the Jinchūriki of the One-Tailed Beast.

But when she heard what came after that, her pupils suddenly contracted, and her arms holding Tun Tun tightened involuntarily, causing the little pig to make a "puff puff" protesting sound.

She gasped in shock, "The Fourth Kazekage turned his son into a Jinchūriki..."

Tsunade's expression instantly darkened, and her eyes became incredibly sharp.

"Jinchūriki..." she repeated softly, her mind involuntarily turning to Naruto Uzumaki in Konoha Village, the same child who became the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki at birth.

According to the information brought back from Konoha by Shizune, who frequently travels to and from the village, the child's life in the village is not easy. Vicious rumors such as "reincarnation of the Nine-Tailed Fox" and "killed the Fourth Hokage" have never stopped.

Tsunade knew perfectly well who was behind all this, but she couldn't understand why the Third Hokage would sit idly by, even to the point of condoning, the rumors spreading.

She suppressed her frustration and looked at Mikoto, her tone inquisitive: "So, you're taking care of him now?"

Mikoto smiled gently and explained, “Yes. Recently, Minato has been in charge of the overall situation in the Land of Stars, and Kushina is also busy coordinating war logistics and training reserve ninjas, especially the sealing technique class. They can’t spare the time. So I often come over to help look after Gaara.”

As they were talking, the courtyard gate creaked open, and a slightly tired but still energetic red figure walked in.

"I'm back! I'm exhausted today..." Kushina Uzumaki complained while rubbing her shoulders, but when she saw Tsunade and Shizune in the yard, her face immediately lit up with a delighted smile.

"Oh my! Lady Tsunade! Shizune! What brings you here? Please come in, please come in! Don't stand in the courtyard!"

"Lady Kushina, I apologize for disturbing you." Shizune quickly bowed again to greet her.

"Aunt Kushina," Gaara greeted her softly, seemingly more familiar and affectionate towards this red-haired aunt.

"Hey! Gaara's so good!" Kushina smiled and ruffled Gaara's hair.

The group moved from the courtyard to the spacious and bright living room.

Mikoto handed the mended teddy bear to Gaara. The little guy took the bear, a pure smile on his face that belonged to his age. He hugged the teddy bear tightly and whispered, "Thank you, Aunt Mikoto."

Looking at Gaara's obedient appearance, a trace of longing flashed in Mikoto's eyes. She wondered how Sasuke, far away in Konoha, was doing now...

Kushina quickly washed a plate of fruit and brought it over, then looked mischievously at Tsunade, who looked utterly bored, and asked with a wicked grin, "How is it, Lady Tsunade? After staying in our 'healthy and uplifting' Star City for these past few days, do you feel... particularly 'peaceful' and particularly 'healthy'?"

She deliberately emphasized the words "healthy and positive" and "tranquil and nourishing," clearly anticipating that Tsunade, a gambling addict, would be frustrated.

Tsunade rolled her eyes at her, picked up an apple, took a big bite, and complained, "Hmph! The Land of Stars is great in every way, except for this gambling ban, it's simply inhuman! If this continues, my hands are going to be ruined!"

Kushina laughed even harder upon hearing this. After the joke, Tsunade's expression turned serious, and she got down to business: "I came here mainly to ask about the specifics of the war in the west. I heard that both Sunagakure and Iwagakure were defeated? And... it only took seven days?"

Despite being mentally prepared, the speed still surprised her.

Kushina also stopped smiling and nodded: "Yeah, it's not a secret anymore. We should be able to make an official announcement in a few days."

She gathered her thoughts and said briefly, "As for Sunagakure, our main force was completely defeated at the Sand Ginseng Oasis. Advisor Elder Chiyo was killed in battle, and the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, was seriously injured and captured. Our army has captured Sunagakure and is gradually taking over the entire Land of Wind. The former Daimyo of the Land of Wind and some of his confidants fled to the Land of Fire under the escort of Konoha ninjas after news of the defeat reached them."

She paused, then continued, "In Iwagakure, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, personally led an army of tens of thousands to attack our eastern border, but was defeated by Uchiha Hikaru outside Tottori Castle. Onoki himself has surrendered and is currently in the Star Capital, where Minato is in charge of post-war negotiations with him."

Despite having heard the rumors, Tsunade and Shizune were still shocked to hear the news confirmed by Kushina herself.

Hikaru Uchiha, who could destroy a country in seven days and single-handedly withstand an army of ten thousand...

She thought Shura's strength was already terrifying, but then there was Uchiha Hikaru, who could single-handedly defeat tens of thousands of Iwa ninja. He was probably even more terrifying than Uchiha Madara back then!
The strength displayed by the Land of Stars has surpassed that of the Five Great Nations, and may even exceed that of Konoha...

Tsunade tapped her fingertips lightly on the table and asked the most crucial question: "So, what do you plan to do with the Land of Wind and the Hidden Sand Village? And the Land of Earth and the Hidden Stone Village?"

Just then, a gentle yet clear voice came from the doorway connecting the living room and the veranda:

"Regarding this, the preliminary plan is: the Land of Wind will be formally annexed by our country, and a new administrative division will be established in its territory. As for the Land of Earth and the Hidden Stone Village, given their size and actual situation, they will become our country's vassal states and vassal ninja villages."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Minato Namikaze had somehow appeared on the veranda, a faint smile on his face.

"Uncle Minato," Gaara greeted politely.

Minato walked into the living room, gently patted Gaara's head, and then naturally sat down next to Kushina.

“To annex the Land of Wind…to become a vassal of the Land of Earth…” Tsunade murmured to herself, her face grave.

The annexation of the Wind Kingdom means that the Star Kingdom will officially replace it as one of the five great powers, and will become a rising great power with terrifying military strength.

Transforming the Land of Earth into a vassal state is an extremely clever and far-sighted strategy.

This is far more complex and effective than direct occupation. It avoids huge governance costs, social unrest, and direct intervention from the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, while gradually and completely assimilating them through economic, political, and cultural infiltration.

The ambitions and tactics of the Star Kingdom terrified her.

Minato continued, "Furthermore, according to the treaty just signed with the Tsuchikage Onoki, the Land of Earth ceded five counties on its eastern border. We plan to lease Aomori Castle, a coastal city on the new border of the Land of Earth, to establish a 'Special Economic Zone,' focusing on the development of... the gambling and entertainment industry."

"Gambling industry? Las Vegas?" Tsunade was taken aback, looking at Minato with a puzzled expression: "Isn't gambling strictly prohibited in the Land of Stars?"

Shuimen calmly explained, "It's better to guide than to block. Absolute bans will only fuel underground black markets and bring greater security risks and social problems."

"Therefore, our strategy is to restrict gambling activities to specific, controllable areas by issuing franchise licenses, establishing strict industry standards, levying high taxes and fees, and conducting effective supervision to bring them into formal management. At the same time, establishing this gambling city within the Land of Earth will also help attract capital flows from the Land of Earth and even the entire continent, drive local economic development, and subtly spread our country's management philosophy and lifestyle."

Tsunade listened quietly, a knowing glint in her eyes.

She had heard of the successful case of the Star Kingdom establishing a special economic zone port in the Snow County in the north.

The area's unique business environment and tax rates attracted a large number of foreign merchants, leading to a booming trade.

Minato's words sounded reasonable, but her keen political sense made her realize a deeper intention.

She stared directly at Minato and asked pointedly, "Placing this 'gambling city' within the Land of Earth, which is legally part of your ceded territory... Your real purpose is probably not just to make money and regulate the area, is it? You want to use it as a forward base to do something to the Land of Earth?"

Minato and Kushina exchanged a glance, their faces breaking into appreciative smiles: "As expected, you can't hide anything from you. But please rest assured, our purpose is not invasion or destruction. Rather, we hope to smoothly introduce the Land of Stars' pursuit of fairness, justice, and development into the Land of Earth through economic cooperation and cultural exchange."

"At the same time, this city with its special legal status can also provide a relatively safe haven for those who are unjustly persecuted within the Land of Earth when necessary."

His words were gentle, yet they revealed a grand strategic vision of overcoming strength with gentleness and changing a country from within.

Tsunade remained silent for a moment, without pressing for further details.

She understood that this must involve a deeper, long-term plan from the Star Kingdom regarding the social transformation of the ninja world.

………………

Meanwhile, deep within the Death Sands, far beyond the borders of the Land of Wind.

Mianma, who was sitting cross-legged at the highest point of the Sand City ruins, slowly opened his eyes.

In the distance, the enormous Ten-Tails was already on its last legs, like a candle flickering in the wind, its last trace of primordial chakra being devoured by the dark red Nine-Tails.

At this moment, Xiao Jiu's size had not increased much, but the chakra emanating from his body had undergone a qualitative change!
Dark red chakra surged like boiling magma, and behind it, next to the original nine tails, a tenth tail suddenly appeared!
"Roar--!!!"

The little nine-tailed fox raised its head and let out a roar that shook the heavens and the earth. Wherever the sound wave passed, countless sand and dust flew up!

It successfully absorbed all of the Ten-Tails' essence and completed its ultimate evolution!
Menma frowned slightly as he felt the immense chakra within his body, which was closely connected to Xiao Jiu and was almost overflowing.

Even with the formidable physique of his Vortex clan, he felt a slight swelling and pressure at this moment.

'Xiao Jiu's chakra quantity and quality have already surpassed the scope of ordinary tailed beasts, reaching the level of the Ten-Tails... My body is beginning to find it difficult to fully bear it.' Menma realized this in his heart and pondered to himself.

"We must complete the fusion with Hashirama's cells as soon as possible, fully develop the Sage Body, and then advance the fusion with Kyuubi to its final stage! Only in this way can we bear this power and truly step into that legendary—Six Paths level!"

[PS: Guess who this long-haired Uchiha beauty is in today's picture?]

(End of this chapter)