Konoha: Rebuild the glory of the Uchiha!

In the Land of Iron, ninjas are not the mainstream; samurai dominate. The remnants of the previous era cling to their old ways, hiding in the Land of Iron and content with their own little world, unwilling to embrace the mainstream—to become ninjas, refine chakra, and practice ninjutsu.

Samurai who don't cultivate chakra or practice ninjutsu, no matter how arduous their training, are nothing more than slightly stronger ordinary people in front of ninjas. Chakra is the key to unlocking the extraordinary in this world.

Of course, recently, they have opened their eyes to the world. Even Hanzo, the leader of Amegakure, did not personally take action. Instead, he sent his underlings in small groups to the Land of Iron to gather information and plunder some money. Unexpectedly, the samurai of the Land of Iron were utterly incompetent and were defeated.

Calls for reform and change began to circulate among the samurai class of the Land of Iron. It was clear that one was truly incapable without cultivating chakra. Even a genin who had mastered chakra could easily defeat the samurai of the Land of Iron. However, it was all too late now; the enemy had already come knocking on their door.

They need to find a powerful backer to let the Land of Iron catch its breath. Coming to Konoha today was the right decision. But the envoy from Amegakure seemed uneasy. Konoha was still the powerful Konoha, but Amegakure had developed some inappropriate thoughts.

The Land of Rain is turbulent, plagued by civil war and division. This chaotic environment has ultimately produced a powerful strategist—Hanzo. He possesses the deadly Salamander, capable of releasing large-scale poison gas that kills anyone who inhales within seconds. On the battlefield, he's a force to be reckoned with, making him perfect for team battles.

With his formidable strength, lofty ambitions, and charismatic personality, Hanzo attracted a group of ninjas who followed him, and gave a speech at an izakaya (Japanese pub).

"What have the nobles of the Rain Kingdom been doing? They're selling a pound of grain for money."

"We must unite and build our own ninja village!"

"."

His deep, magnetic voice, rising in pitch, excited and inspired all the ninjas present, who raised their arms and shouted, "Long live Lord Hanzo!"

Rain Village was established on the spot!

Later, Hanzo carried out a series of assassinations and suppressions within the country, supported the current Daimyo of the Land of Rain, quelled the rebellion, and wiped out all the villains within the Land of Rain. He also actively expanded his living space externally, going out to rob people to support his family!

Hanzo was extremely efficient, and the situation in the Land of Rain quickly stabilized. The nobles and merchants who had hoarded food, bought low and sold high, and dabbled in usury during the chaos all became honest. Hanzo did kill people, and his head rolled around, but it didn't matter. The daimyo supported him. The daimyo needed a ninja village to help him quell the rebellion, and Hanzo wasn't exactly refusing to share his money.

The more of these trashy things that die, the better!

Grain prices were driven down to a level that ordinary people could afford. The daimyo's political enemies and nobles were assassinated by ninjas from Amegakure, their entire families wiped out. Their property was confiscated, and their land was distributed to the common people. Hanzo had been elevated to a god-like status in the Land of Rain!

Hanzo was young and ambitious. He wanted to create a more prosperous living space for the Land of Rain and the Hidden Rain Village. Taking advantage of the opportunity of the First Shinobi World War, he lay low for several years and then purged the country!

The First Shinobi World War severely damaged the five great ninja villages; it was time for Amegakure to rise to the occasion!

Hanzo plans to establish a new and unified ninja village – the sixth largest ninja village in the ninja world. He'll start by attacking smaller ninja villages and countries to test the waters!

Everything went extremely smoothly until today. The envoy from Amegakure witnessed the prosperity of Konoha. The foundation of the five great ninja villages was terrifyingly strong. They were able to recover in such a short time. Was it just Konoha that was like this, or were all five great ninja villages like this?

The envoy from Amegakure was deeply worried, and he greatly admired Hanzo's foresight in targeting smaller ninja villages and countries first, without attacking larger ones. Otherwise, Amegakure's ambition to dominate the ninja world and become the sixth largest ninja village might have been thwarted!

"Emissary of the Iron Kingdom, please come in first."

Nara Shikagawa entered the reception room and had the envoy from the Land of Iron follow him to the office next door.

Upon arriving at the next office, the envoy from the Land of Iron exchanged a brief greeting with Nara Shikagami and then handed him a red envelope.

"It's my first time visiting Konoha, I'm truly sorry for being so presumptuous!" "The Land of Iron is barren and doesn't have any particularly noteworthy specialties, except for some tea leaves, which are of decent quality. Please accept them!"

Nara Shikato weighed it in his hand, a smile spreading across his face. "So sensible!"

As the assistant to the Hokage of Konoha and a capable helper to the Hokage, being treated to meals and gifts was commonplace for him.

Of course, Nara Shikahara knew very well which money he could accept and which he couldn't. The great Hokage only cared about efficiency and whether things could be done. If things couldn't be done, he would send them to the Anbu for torture and mental manipulation.

"Tea is good! Drinking tea can prolong life!"

Nara Shikahara accepted the envelope and put it in his pocket. The two exchanged a smile.

Just take the money, just take the money!

"Lord Shikamaru, the Rain Village has invaded my Land of Iron without cause. Konoha, as the number one ninja village in the ninja world, is a model of pursuing peace. Please have mercy and save my Land of Iron from this disaster!"

The envoy from the Land of Iron finished speaking with tears in his eyes, looking as if he had been bullied.

"Of course, Konoha has always pursued peace."

"However, Konoha has only recently ended a war, and its finances are under immense pressure, resulting in significant losses of ninja. I'm afraid... sigh."

"Konoha is now...a scene of desolation, with everything being rebuilt...cough cough"

The envoy from the Land of Iron stared wide-eyed at Nara Shikato in disbelief. "You call the current Konoha a desolate place?"

Nara Shikahara's story started to falter, but he remained adamant: more money, more money!!

You want Konoha to do things for you when you have no money?

Even if you offer money, they might not do it!

"Of course. The Land of Iron understands Konoha's difficulties. The Land of Iron is willing to pay the price... Please, Konoha, lend a hand!"

The envoy from the Land of Iron gritted his teeth. He knew Konoha wouldn't help the Land of Iron for free, but couldn't Konoha at least find a better excuse? If Konoha could utter such a thing as being utterly desolate, then what was the Land of Iron? Was it already teetering on the brink of destruction? Hmm... it seemed it truly was on the brink of destruction.

Pay up to avoid trouble.

"Konoha needs high-quality iron ore and coal mines. Joining Konoha's futures trading system and offering tax breaks for Konoha's products are crucial."

Nara Shikamaru took out the agreement and read through its main contents. The envoy from the Land of Iron took the agreement, which covered a series of terms from economics to politics. Konoha was to import the Land of Iron's low-priced raw materials and then export them as industrial products.

The conditions are very harsh!

After reading the terms, the envoy from the Land of Iron looked embarrassed. Such conditions were tantamount to treason. Konoha had specifically requested some of the country's important large iron and coal mines, which were vital sources of revenue for the Land of Iron.

but.

"If there are no objections, we can sign it now. According to intelligence, Amegakure is about to amass a large force to attack the Land of Iron. If you don't sign, the Land of Iron will lose much more than just this."

Nara Shikawara saw through the hesitation of the envoy from the Land of Iron and fabricated false information. The Amegakure actually planned to plunder and run away, then retreat back to the village to focus on economic development. Moreover, the conditions offered by Konoha were indeed very harsh.

Anyway, the intelligence network in the Land of Iron is outdated. What kind of powerful intelligence network could a group of samurai, a backward military force, possibly have? They're just remnants of the old era.

"Can your Konoha guarantee that Amegakure will withdraw its troops?"

The envoy from the Land of Iron felt as if a knife was held to his throat, unable to advance or retreat. Konoha only wanted money, while Amegakure wanted not only money but also land and their lives. Comparing the two, it was clear that Konoha's offer was more acceptable.

But Konoha is actually a ruthless tiger that devours people without spitting out the bones. Can Konoha really make Amegakure retreat?

"Hmph, what do you think?"

Nara Shika opened the window, revealing the lush and vibrant scene of Konoha.

"OK then"

The envoy from the Land of Iron remembered the instructions given to him by the daimyo of the Land of Iron: to obtain Konoha's aid at all costs. The ninjas from Amegakure were still raiding homes in the Land of Iron, killing entire families and taking all their wealth.

In order to protect their homeland, the Land of Iron even broke existing rules, abandoning the practice of hiring samurai and choosing to hire ninjas as guards.

The envoy from the Land of Iron finished speaking weakly. This time he was really unlucky. After signing the document and returning home, he would become a criminal against the country. The daimyo would definitely use him as a scapegoat and he would have to retire to his hometown.

Reform and innovation are necessary. The Land of Iron cannot continue like this. Samurai are truly a thing of the past. Chakra training and ninjutsu are essential.

"Then sign it!"

Nara Shikahara smiled with satisfaction. After watching the envoy from the Land of Iron sign the document, he cheerfully saw him off, then solemnly called in the envoy from the Rain Village.

"Does the Hidden Rain Village want to become enemies with the Hidden Leaf Village and start a war?!"

Nara Shikamaru didn't give the Amegakure ninja a friendly look. As soon as he entered, he shouted angrily, and the Amegakure envoy's expression immediately changed.

The authority of those in power, and the strength and prosperity of Konoha, silenced the envoy from Amegakure.

The Amegakure envoy, who was originally ambitious, had his ambition to follow Lord Hanzo and make Amegakure the sixth greatest ninja village extinguished after witnessing the prosperity of Konoha.

A dilapidated and weakened Konoha could still give Amegakure an opportunity to take advantage of, but the current Konoha is more prosperous than they could have imagined. Konoha, which can stand against the four great ninja villages on its own, shows no signs of decline. Such a Konoha is not something Amegakure can contend with.

We must lie low and develop quietly; Konoha is invincible now!

"Lord Shikanobu, believe me. My Amegakure Village has absolutely no such intention. There must be a misunderstanding."

"The Land of Iron is Konoha's neighbor, and Konoha will never allow any ill-intentioned ninja village to wage war against the Land of Iron."

"According to intelligence, your Rain Village intends to wage war against the Land of Iron! This is intolerable!"

"Misunderstandings are all misunderstandings!"

The Amegakure envoy gave a bitter smile. As expected, the Land of Iron had latched onto Konoha's coattails. The raiding plan would have to be temporarily halted. They hadn't originally intended to wage war against the Land of Iron; Amegakure wasn't fully developed yet, and their plan was simply to rob the village.

Chapter 137 Uchiha Madara: Ten years of drinking ice cannot cool the burning passion; it's ignited, time to dance!

"Konoha needs an explanation. This is absolutely intolerable for a terrorist organization that deliberately instigated conflict in the ninja world."

"Could it be that the Rain Village is provoking Konoha?!"

Nara Shikamaru sat in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table, making a ticking sound. He stared at the Amegakure envoy with a gloomy expression, uttering threatening words.

The ANBU intelligence agents have already thoroughly investigated the true situation of Amegakure. This attack on the Land of Iron was just a quick raid, with no intention of waging war against it. Faced with the threat from Konoha, as long as Hanzo, the leader of Amegakure, is of sound mind, he will definitely take the opportunity to leave the Land of Iron.

Don't let Konoha's current business ventures and ties fool you; his feat of taking on four opponents single-handedly during the First Shinobi World War still resonates throughout the entire shinobi world, and the blood on his sword hasn't even dried yet.

"It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding, Lord Shikagami, please don't be angry. Amegakure has absolutely no intention of provoking Konoha."

Faced with Nara Shikamaru's intimidation, the Amegakure envoy could only repeatedly admit his mistake, for a weak nation has no diplomacy. Amegakure was merely a newly emerging ninja village, not yet qualified to be an enemy of Konoha.

In particular, the envoy from Amegakure witnessed the prosperity of Konoha and had to do everything in his power to avoid becoming an enemy of Konoha.

Even if Amegakure wants to become the sixth great ninja village in the future, it will need to find one of the five great ninja villages that is easy to control, such as Sunagakure, to establish its authority in the ninja world.

"Misunderstand?"

"I hope so. You've had your fill of ninjas sent to the Land of Iron, haven't you? Let's leave it at that!"

Nara Shikamaru knew when to stop and didn't push too far, as long as he forced the Amegakure ninjas to retreat. As for sending ninjas to help the Land of Iron wipe out the Amegakure ninjas, that was impossible.

Wealth can be accumulated in a short time, but ninjas require time to train. During the First Shinobi World War, Konoha suffered too many losses in ninja numbers. Small ninja clans were almost wiped out, and Konoha is still living off its past glory to recover.

It will take at least three to five years for Konoha's ninja numbers to explode. Focusing on development is the development strategy that Uchiha Nan has set for the present.

"Definitely, definitely. I will immediately convey Konoha's stance to the leader upon my return. I can guarantee that all the ninja from Amegakure will withdraw from the Land of Iron within a month."

The Amegakure envoy made a guarantee. Before Hanzo arrived, he had been given a great deal of diplomatic authority. At the same time, he was also tasked with finding out the true strength of Konoha. Konoha was still the unassailable number one ninja village in the ninja world. Amegakure could not be an enemy of Konoha. During this period of burning, killing, and looting in the Land of Iron, they had already made a fortune. They should know when to stop.

"Very well, I hope you can keep your word. Otherwise, Konoha will definitely make Amegakure pay a heavy price!"

"Of course. Please rest assured, Lord Lu Yuan."

The Amegakure envoy nodded repeatedly, showing no doubt about Nara Shikato's words. With Konoha's current strength, dealing with Amegakure would definitely bring about its annihilation!

Nara Shikagawa smiled with satisfaction, inwardly marveling at how smoothly everything had gone. Nara Shikagawa and the Amegakure envoy then walked out of the meeting room and met the Iron Country envoy who was anxiously waiting outside.

"The Hidden Rain Village has agreed to Konoha's request that all Hidden Rain Village ninjas within the Land of Iron's territory be withdrawn to the Hidden Rain Village within a month."

"What, another month?"

The envoy from the Land of Iron looked miserable. He had paid such a high price, signed a treasonous agreement, and was still allowed to let the Rain Ninja burn, kill, and plunder in the Land of Iron for a month!

The Rain Ninja were skilled in their methods, chasing after and killing the nobles and merchants of the Land of Iron. The raiding skills they had practiced in the Land of Rain were used without restraint in the Land of Iron. They had no intention of ripping off the poor. Time was tight and the mission was heavy. How much money could they possibly make from the poor?