Naruto: From Capturing the Main Clan to Becoming the Mastermind

Chapter 68 The Beginning of Change

"We will return your village's Jonin Terumi Mei and the Third Mizukage when you withdraw your troops."

"it is good."

Standing before the forest, Minato watched Yagura and Kisame depart, then turned to Yu beside him and asked, "His target wasn't the Tailed Beasts at all, but Mei Terumi, wasn't it?"

"That's right." Hyuga Yu nodded. "The compensation that Kirigakure needs to pay is something that Kirigakure simply cannot afford to repay in a short period of time, and the Daimyo of the Land of Water is unlikely to pay it on Kirigakure's behalf."

"While still developing the village, they've prepared to temporarily house the Tailed Beasts in Konoha. Mei Terumi, a ninja with two Kekkei Genkai, is their target."

"The Hidden Mist Village is isolated overseas. During the numerous Shinobi World Wars, there has never been a case of other countries attacking the Hidden Mist Village's homeland. As long as it does not attack other countries, whether or not it has a Tailed Beast is actually the same for the Hidden Mist Village."

After all, it's an enclave, and once it's taken over, it can't be managed. If the goal is just to seize some benefits, the Land of Water isn't a good choice.

Minato sighed, "I should have known that it would have been more suitable to have the Third Hokage come."

"You are now the Hokage."

Hinata Yu glanced at the document and agreement in his hand, his eyes flashing slightly.

"Moreover, in terms of compensation, Kirigakure has already offered very generous terms. The tailed beasts have a price tag, but the losses suffered by Konoha are up to us to decide."

Upon hearing this, Minato seemed thoughtful. "It can't be too much, can it?"

He understood what Hinata Yu meant.

The extent of Konoha's losses is entirely up to him; whether the final repayment is double, quadruple, or even more is entirely up to him.

"The Hidden Mist Village can estimate the Hidden Leaf Village's losses based on their own losses, but their losses are definitely higher than ours. We'll calculate an upper limit based on the Hidden Mist Village's losses, and as long as it doesn't exceed that limit by too much, the Hidden Mist Village will accept it."

Upon hearing this answer, Minato felt like he had learned some strange new knowledge and shook his head.

"It's within the upper limit, Kirigakure is very sincere. We do need an ally, Fugaku has already restored the Third Mizukage to his senses... We can cooperate on dealing with that person."

Speaking of this, Minato, remembering the scroll still at the command post and Konoha's current allies, looked at Hyuga Yu and frowned, saying:

"Over in Sunagakure..."

Hyuga Yu took over and said in a deep voice, "Leave it to me. The Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure is no good. He is capable of betraying his comrades, and it's only a matter of time before he betrays the alliance. There's no need to feel burdened."

"I don't mind offending him, it's just..."

After a pause, Minato didn't continue, but smiled and changed the subject.

"Once the Hidden Mist troops withdraw, we will also be returning to Konoha. We will need your and everyone's support then... Thank you for your help all this time. Please continue to assist me in the future, Hokage."

Hinata Yu looked at him and gently agreed.

……

With Konoha's permission, the Hidden Mist troops gradually departed by boat.

Before Genji and Yagura left, they received Mei Terumi and the Third Mizukage.

The two didn't look at the Third Mizukage, but only at Mei Terumi, the genius ninja of Kirigakure. She looked somewhat haggard, but overall she was fine, indicating that Konoha hadn't used any harsh methods against her.

"Lord Mizukage, Elder Genji," Mei Terumi said sincerely, "Thank you for saving me."

"It's good that you're alright." Yuan Shi waved his hand and turned to walk towards the ship. "Third Generation, there are some things I'd like to discuss with you."

"I also have something to tell you."

The Third Mizukage glanced at Yagura with a complicated expression before following Genji onto the ship.

After the two left, Yagura waved for the hidden ANBU to retreat, set up a small barrier, and said:

What do you think of that person?

"It's very dangerous!"

Thinking of the ninja who had visited her alone before she was released, carrying Yagura's keepsake, Mei Terumi's expression turned solemn. She took out a document and handed it to Yagura, waiting for him to finish reading it before saying:

"Lord Mizukage, cooperating with him is like asking a tiger for its skin. The one-country-one-village system has been in place for so many years, there's no need..."

Yagura didn't take back the document. Looking at its contents, he softly interrupted her, "Do you know why the successive Mizukage waged wars?"

Seeing the confused look on her face, Yagura said in a low voice:

"To divert attention from internal conflicts! The Land of Water is isolated overseas, which has prevented our homeland from being affected by several Shinobi World Wars, but it has also prevented us from feeling any sense of crisis."

For other countries, the Land of Water is an exclave. But if they occupy a piece of land on the mainland, wouldn't that also be an exclave?

The Hidden Mist Village gains very limited benefits from each war, but if they don't fight...

External pressure is necessary for unity against external threats; without it, internal strife is inevitable!

The geographical advantages of the Water Country make it the perfect environment for internal strife.

Perhaps it's internal turmoil in Kirigakure, or perhaps... it's a civil war between Kirigakure and the Daimyo.

Thinking of this, Yagura sighed, "In the eyes of some high-ranking officials in the Land of Water, Kirigakure doesn't actually have much value right now."

Mei Terumi's expression froze, and she exclaimed in shock, "How is this possible? How could they think that? If it weren't for Kirigakure, the Land of Water would definitely have been invaded!"

"Of course they wouldn't disband Mist Village."

Yagura explained, "But a military ninja village can't bring any benefits to the Land of Water externally, and the military protection it provides internally seems somewhat dispensable. Wouldn't providing only the bare minimum maintenance funding be enough?"

This was a question that Terumi Mei couldn't refute.

Without sufficient funding, Kirigakure's development will stagnate, its strength will gradually decline, and the gap between it and Konoha will widen further, leaving it even less power to resist.

Such an approach is undoubtedly a recipe for disaster. Instead of improving their strength, they are constantly regressing. Do they want to become like those small countries that rely on the Land of Fire for survival?

But there must have been some high-ranking officials in the Land of Water who considered cutting funding.

After all... there's a similar example right there!

"It seems you've already figured it out. After Sunagakure's defeat in the Second Shinobi World War, the funding the Land of Wind provided to Sunagakure decreased year by year, and even our previous attack didn't change the Land of Wind's mind. The Fourth Kazekage even had to personally supplement the funding."

Noticing Mei Terumi's complex expression, Yagura closed his eyes. "For the Land of Wind, Sunagakure is enough to provide the country with the means to protect itself. The Land of Wind no longer expects Sunagakure to bring them any benefits. And our Land of Water's terrain is even more advantageous than the Land of Wind's, making it easier to defend and harder to attack."

If the village suffered heavy losses in the war and could not expand its territory, but it was not difficult to defend itself, then why give the ninja village too much funding for development?

"We lost this time, which gave them an excuse to cut funding."

"But if they actually do that, we'll have a civil war."

Mei Terumi couldn't help but speak up: "In the next few years, we will have to compensate Konoha for its losses. If we face further budget cuts, the ninja below will definitely be dissatisfied with the current situation. Those who are unwilling to stop the war before it ends will definitely take the opportunity to cause trouble."

"Konoha is at its peak, making it unlikely that the Fourth Shinobi World War will break out. If they want to avoid internal strife and divert attention from other issues, they might even target... the Daimyo."

Mei Terumi's voice trailed off as she stared blankly at Yagura's calm expression and the document in his hand, murmuring:

"Did he turn the situation into this?"

(End of this chapter)