Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

After calming down a bit, Sunagawa remembered that the Senju clan's prince, who had made a fortune for Sunagakure last time, was back again. Sunagawa's eyes darted around as he looked at Ebizo, his meaning clear without a word.

The supplies that Shinto looted from the Land of Earth just before the true end of the war were almost used up. This was precisely why Sunagakure hadn't been able to develop for decades; lacking resources to begin with, even more loot was a drop in the ocean. This made him reminisce about that old trade...

495. Ebizo: This matter has great potential!

To be fair, this Senju prince was brought by Shinto, so he's a guest. They shouldn't have any designs on him. As the saying goes, even in war, one shouldn't kill the messenger. Besides, it's not the time for war yet. If they were to attack this Senju prince, it would push Shinto to the edge of morality, and it might even escalate to the point where Konoha goes to war with them. There's no doubt about it; just based on the value of this Senju prince in their past dealings, you can see that this kid holds a higher place in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart than his own son.

Moreover, this kid's identity is so special. But when he thought about how the supplies that Shinto brought back from the Land of Earth were about to be exhausted, and how the people of Sunagakure were living in "deep water and scorching heat", Sunagakure's originally calm heart began to stir again.

Actually, they wouldn't really do anything to this brat. As long as Konoha obediently pays the ransom, they won't actually kill him unless absolutely necessary. This brat's value as a living person is far greater than his value as a dead one, and he can be reused repeatedly—how wonderful!

"...This needs to be thought about carefully..."

Ebizo's eyes lit up as well.

However, taking that brat away in front of Tsunade and Masato is no easy feat. The most crucial thing is finding a way to divert attention, and the more likely something seems, the less likely it is. If the brat disappears and is taken away by someone from Sunagakure, it might appear to be Sunagakure's doing, but clever people are always prone to overthinking and filling in the blanks. They'll definitely suspect someone is using this as an excuse to ambush Sunagakure. The more obvious the suspicion, the less likely anyone will believe it was Sunagakure...

Therefore, Ebizo felt that this matter had great potential, but the only difficulty was how to get rid of this brat in front of Shinto and Tsunade, then to figure out who to blame so that everyone would believe that it wasn't Sunagakure, and then how to make a deal with Konoha. These detailed steps still needed to be carefully planned.

First of all, it's not easy to choose someone to carry out this operation. With Masato and Tsunade protecting them, to be honest, he hasn't thought of anyone in the ninja world who could break through their combined defense. Tsunade's iron fist is incredibly powerful, and Masato's strength goes without saying. So just deciding who to do this task is a big problem. He's thought of everyone in the village, but it seems like no one has the ability!

So if the first problem can't be solved, it's pointless to try and find someone else to blame.

.....

"His body is fine, but due to long-term overtraining, it's inevitable that he has some hidden injuries, even though he often takes expensive medicinal herbs. I never expected that there would be such a genius in Sunagakure besides Sasori. It's quite an eye-opener for me."

In the Sunagakure Hospital, Tsunade, holding Kudo Yusaku's medical examination report, said to Masato with some surprise, "I saw those kids before in Konoha. Back then, because they were his disciples, I was able to take a closer look at them. Apart from one of the wheelchair-bound boys who seemed a little different, to be honest, with my years of experience judging people, I really couldn't see anything special about those three kids. In fact, they were quite ordinary."

However, only a little over a year had passed since their last meeting, and when she saw this kid again, she sensed a significant change in him. After examining him, she was astonished to find that his muscles were incredibly elastic and dense, clearly indicating that he had been diligently training in taijutsu. She also noticed the weight he was carrying—a weight that most people couldn't bear. Even Minato, Konoha's undisputed genius of this generation, couldn't have endured that weight to train to this point. This wasn't something that could be achieved with just perseverance and determination; one also needed exceptional physical talent. Minato was the opposite. Although he possessed remarkable ninjutsu talent, and was the only one to have mastered her great-grandfather's Flying Thunder God Technique, Orochimaru had also been interested in it and even studied it. However, even a genius like Orochimaru couldn't understand her great-grandfather's Flying Thunder God Technique, and he didn't possess any spatial abilities. Minato, on the other hand, not only understood the Flying Thunder God Technique but also possessed spatial abilities like her great-grandfather, and he had even taught himself it.

If her great-grandfather hadn't died young, and if Minato hadn't shown no trace of the Senju clan's genes, she would have suspected that Minato was the result of her great-grandfather's mistake. However, Minato's physical talent was only average; aside from his quick reflexes, he was practically no different from an ordinary person. If Minato were to wear the same weighted gear and undergo excessive training, even if he were given the Nara clan's deer blood pills every day, his body would collapse from excessive blood loss. Yet, this seemingly ordinary kid managed to withstand it, and his body remained in good condition, with only some minor internal injuries that had little impact on him.

This is a physical prodigy!

"It's so-so. Will those hidden injuries accumulate and then erupt like those ninjas when their bodies decline?"

Hearing Tsunade say that, Zhen Dou didn't show his usual smugness. After all, the two green-skinned people in Konoha were still developing in a low-key manner. It was estimated that only White Fang knew some of the green-skinned people's background. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't know that this person existed, let alone Tsunade, who was always either saving people in the hospital or having fun at the casino and then coming home to beat up Nawaki. If she knew that there was a man in Konoha who almost kicked the end of the story and could perfectly display the power of the Eight Gates, she wouldn't be so surprised.

Kudo Yusaku's physical talent is undeniable, but in his opinion, he's at best on par with Green Skin Dai. However, Green Skin Dai was a pioneer in modern Eight Gates training, and due to limited conditions, his body was repeatedly injured during his attempts to master the Eight Gates, which is why he couldn't even last seven gates before dying. Green Skin Guy, on the other hand, was able to perfectly match the forbidden technique of Eight Gates due to the experience of his predecessors, his own excellent physique, and the needs of the plot. It's like how Sakumo Hatake perfectly matched the Hatake clan's swordsmanship, maximizing its power, while others couldn't.

Without the support of a storyline, Kudo Yusaku's limits are probably similar to those of Green Dai. He can open the Sixth Gate at will, but the Seventh Gate is dangerous. If Green Dai was the pioneer of Konoha's Eight Gates, then Kudo Yusaku is the pioneer of Sunagakure's Eight Gates. This is why he still doesn't dare to let Sasori try to learn the Eight Gates. Sasori's physical talent is not much different from that of an ordinary person. If he hurts himself while practicing, he will be out of action before he even gets a chance to play a role. What the hell would that be like?

(Thanks again to all the dads for the monthly votes!!!)

496. The rope tree has truly suffered many misfortunes!

"Teacher, something terrible has happened! Rope Tree... Rope Tree is gone!!! Σ(?д?lll)"

Just as Masato and Tsunade were discussing Yusaku Kudo's physical condition, Yusaku Kudo and Yotsuke Hakura rushed in and shouted.

"What?! What's going on? Wasn't he playing house with Handsome Scorpion? (⊙_⊙)?"

Masato looked completely bewildered, while Tsunade beside him had already jumped to her feet. Anyone with a modicum of sensory ability could sense a powerful force brewing within them...

Nawaki is, to put it nicely, cheerful, enthusiastic, and easygoing, as innocent as a blank sheet of paper, able to get along with anyone. To put it bluntly, he's a bit of a chuunibyou (a person with delusions of grandeur) and thick-skinned. It's precisely this kind of personality that allows him to get along with a brat like Sasori, whose sharp tongue is naturally at its peak. He can even withstand his older sister's iron fists, and Sasori's sharp tongue can't hurt him at all. In addition, the two are good friends. Although they haven't seen each other for two years, it hasn't affected Nawaki's friendship with Sasori at all. In the few days since arriving in Sunagakure, besides eating and sleeping, he has been going to see Sasori all day long. Because Orochimaru taught him some basic chemistry, although his practical skills are not very strong, his theoretical knowledge is quite rich. At least he can talk to Sasori at length. Even Tsunade, his older sister, was quite surprised that this was her brother.

Seeing that Nawaki was getting along well with the other person's super genius, and thinking that this super genius could further influence her younger brother, Tsunade stopped paying attention to him. This was the Miyake clan of Sunagakure, how could something happen here?

Shindou absolutely agreed with this view. Anyone who dared to cause trouble at their house would be in big trouble just because of the giant beetle in Sasori's girlfriend's belly. So he felt at ease pulling Tsunade out for some "private time together".

This is so incredibly frustrating! Nawaki disappeared after only half a day. Masato is completely baffled. Logically speaking, Chiyo didn't go out today, and Shuri was at home. Even if it were Sunagawa, it's impossible for him to take Nawaki away from the Miyate family, right?

This rope tree has truly suffered many misfortunes!

And yet, something still happens here....-_-||

"We don't know the specifics either. When we went to the Gong Lie clan to look for Rope Tree, we found that Rope Tree was missing. Scorpion said that Rope Tree went to the toilet and then disappeared. We searched the entire Gong Lie clan but couldn't find him..."

Ye Cang spoke up.

"boom!!!"

"You bastard! Don't let me find you! (-"-Angry)"

Before Yekura could finish speaking, Tsunade, whose momentum had already reached its limit, unleashed her power, punching a large crater that startled Kudo Yusaku and Yekura. They had never seen a punch with such power before; to cause such destructive force with a single blow truly lived up to her reputation as the fearsome female tyrant. If that punch had landed on a person, the consequences would have been dire...

Meanwhile, Tsunade's eyes were blazing with fury. Why did she take Nawaki away from Konoha? Wasn't it simply to keep Nawaki away from danger? But now that they were in Sunagakure, something had happened even within the Miyazaki clan. How could she not be furious? She didn't suspect that it was the Sunagakure people who did it. Anyone with a brain wouldn't think that way. The Miyazaki clan was a rather special existence in Sunagakure. It was the family of the First Kazekage and the husband's family of Chiyo. Moreover, it could almost be said that they were a family of three outstanding talents. Just like the Senju clan's status in Konoha, they were the most representative family in Sunagakure. If the Sunagakure people took Nawaki away from the Miyazaki clan, wouldn't that be a slap in their own face? Even Chiyo wouldn't do that.

"Don't rush, let me look. I also want to see which bastard is so disrespectful to me... (▼へ▼メ)"

Seeing Tsunade preparing her second punch, Masato quickly stopped her, and while talking, he activated his Observation Haki to cover the entire village and begin searching.

Are you kidding me? What will happen to their hospital after that second punch? Chiyo will just have to deduct it from his allowance. His wallet's been practically emptied by Tsunade these past few days, and he even got an advance on his allowance for the next year from Chiyo...

"Huh? What are the Iwa ninja doing in our village? (⊙_⊙)?"

"Holy crap! It was the Iwa ninja who did it! (▼he▼メ)"

Under his Observation Haki scan, two figures appeared. They wore Iwa ninja headbands on their foreheads, and one of the slightly more burly figures was carrying a large sack on his back. Judging from its size and dimensions, the sack could easily hold Nawaki. However, upon closer inspection of their faces, he realized... these were Sunagawa's two bodyguards! When did they become Iwa ninja and even show up at his house as strangers?

In an instant, all sorts of possibilities flashed through his mind. After eliminating a bunch of unreliable answers and then a bunch of impossible answers, the figures of Sunagawa and Ebizo clearly appeared in his mind. Then he started to fill in the blanks automatically. Could it be that Sunagawa and Ebizo were planning to write and direct another drama and make a quick buck from Konoha?

What a clever little devil! ヾ(^Д^*)/

By having Sunagawa's two bodyguards disguise themselves as Iwa ninja and steal Nawaki, and then going to Konoha to make a deal, they could not only make a fortune but also shift the blame to Onoki. After all, everyone knows Onoki's relationship with Konoha. Although many people don't know why Onoki hates Konoha so much, this kind of thing does fit the character of Onoki as a cunning old fox.

After gaining a general understanding of Sunagawa and Ebizo's tactics, Masato feigned surprise, then looked furious as if he was certain that Iwa ninja had kidnapped Kannagi.

While doing this might be a bit unethical, considering the value of the rope tree, compared to those other supplies, the unethical aspect is negligible...

"..(⊙_⊙)?"

"Sogatari! I know! It must be those Iwa ninja who knew Nawaki was coming to our village, and they wanted to kidnap him and frame us, making Konoha think it was Sunagakure who did it and start a war against us! How despicable! Teacher, what do we do now? (▼he▼メ)"

Kudo Yusaku immediately understood and realized the key point on the other side. He worked with Masato with a furious expression, but he was still very curious about how his teacher could know who did it with his eyes closed, as if he had seen it with his own eyes.

"What do you mean, what to do? Of course, we chase after them! You guys go find the Kazekage, Tsunade and I will go after them. Damn it, I didn't expect Onoki to be such a sneaky guy, I didn't even know when he sent someone infiltrated! (▼he▼メ)"

Shinto gave Yusaku Kudo an approving look before leading Tsunade in the opposite direction of the two imposters pretending to be Iwa ninja. As expected of the man who could create someone who's forever a primary school student, his brain is damn sharp...ヾ(^?^)?

497. The sign-in gift pack has been completed as part of the newbie gift pack.

"Damn Iwa ninja, I'm going to tear them in two today! (╰_╯)#"

After Tsunade finished speaking angrily, she immediately followed behind Masato. She thought the kid's analysis was correct. Taking away her brother and framing Sunagakure to make Konoha fight Sunagakure was in the best interest of Iwagakure. Onoki had been hostile to Konoha for a long time. In every major battle, Iwagakure had mobilized its entire army.

Thinking of this, Tsunade became even angrier. They had all left Konoha, yet Onoki still wanted to use her brother. Last time in the Land of Rain, her brother was almost taken away, and now he was trying to pull this trick again!

.......

"How's it going? Has anyone noticed?"

"No, we acted quickly. This kid was weak; we took him down in less than a second, without making a sound..."

While Tsunade, furious and determined to tear the two Iwa ninja apart, was chasing after the "culprit" in the opposite direction, Sunagawa's two bodyguards had already arrived at the Kazekage Tower carrying the captured Nawaki.

Unable to contain their excitement, Ebizo and Sunagawa looked at the unconscious Prince Senju, who had been eating and drinking well and gradually become plump during this time, as if he were a priceless treasure. Without turning their heads, they asked the two bodyguards disguised as Iwa ninja.

In order to successfully get their hands on this precious gem, they had been so preoccupied with their work that they hadn't been able to eat or sleep for the past few days. In the few days since Tsunade arrived in Konoha, the village hadn't experienced the turmoil they had imagined, and the villagers whose family members had died at the hands of Konoha ninjas hadn't come out to protest as they had expected. This allowed them to focus on planning how to bring this kid over under the top-notch defense system of Shinto and Tsunade. A direct assault was definitely not an option, so they abandoned that unrealistic idea from the beginning. Therefore, they could only rely on strategy.

As for how to outsmart them, after drinking dozens of bottles of Brain Gold at Fengying Tower these past few days, the two finally came up with a very perfect plan with a high success rate.

First, based on their observations over the past few days, it's clear that although Prince Senju has Tsunade or Shinto by his side, they aren't always present. Prince Senju seems to be quite familiar with Sasori, as he's been going to Sasori's toy house almost every day. At this time, neither Tsunade nor Shinto is with them, since everyone knows that the safest place in Sunagakure is the Miyako clan, a place even the Tailed Beasts can't penetrate.

Moreover, based on their observations of the kid's habits over the past few days, the kid goes to the toilet every day between 11:00 and 11:30 in the morning, and each time it lasts for five minutes. So, during those five minutes, the kid is alone, which is the best time for them to make their move.

The crown prince of the Senju clan doesn't possess Hashirama Senju's formidable Wood Release, nor Tobirama Senju's phenomenal speed, and certainly doesn't have Tsunade's domineering and sharp strength. He's a complete weakling, and taking him down would be incredibly easy. However, to prevent any unforeseen circumstances, Sunagawa sent someone from his guard unit to carry out the mission. Anyone who could serve as his bodyguard not only needs connections but also must be strong and loyal to Sunagawa. Therefore, sending his bodyguard would be the safest option.

I never expected that they would bring the person back on the very first day they were sent out. What a pleasant surprise!

"Hmm... Sasago, you disguise yourself as an Iwa ninja and deliver a message to Konoha."

After receiving the answer, Sunakawa nodded in satisfaction, then gave orders to his underlings lurking in the shadows. He could almost see a huge wave of supplies beckoning to them...ヾ(^Д^*)/

"Wait! Lord Kazekage, we can't be in such a hurry. This brat has gone missing, and Tsunade and Masato are definitely searching the world for him. Let's wait until things calm down a bit before we go. Masato's abilities are so strange; if he finds out, things will get complicated..."

Seeing his ANBU underlings preparing to leave, Ebizo felt a sudden tightness in his chest and quickly called out to Sunakawa.

He suddenly realized that while Masato might not be very educated, he wasn't unintelligent. Coupled with his strange abilities, sending someone to Konoha now would likely go unnoticed, making it difficult to explain. Therefore, it was better to find a place to hide the brat and wait until things calmed down, ideally after Tsunade left the village, before sending someone to Konoha. Besides, if Konoha received news of the brat's disappearance, the longer it was in their hands, the more valuable the brat might become! ヾ(^?^)?

"boom!"

"...This is already a very difficult situation. What are you two doing? This is a slap in the face! I just assured you that this kid wouldn't get into trouble in our village, and it's only been a few days, and you've already made your move. Do you even know what 'slow and steady wins the race' means? He's only been in the village for a few days, and you've already killed him. Will this kid ever come back to our village again?! You two idiots have turned our nice daily sign-in gift pack into a newbie gift pack! (?へ?╬)"

While the two were still excited, Shinto's clone burst through the door, his face dark with rage, and launched into a tirade of profanities at the two cunning individuals, showering them with contempt. Although Nawaki had suffered many misfortunes and hardships, his value was undeniable. He was practically Hiruzen Sarutobi's, or rather, Konoha's, Achilles' heel, their cash cow. Now, these two old bastards had taken advantage of him right here in their own backyard. Even if they managed to give the man to Onoki, this kind of deal would probably only happen once. Being taken from the Miyako clan, who the hell would dare come to Sunagakure again? And if they fell on hard times, would they still think they could take advantage of Konoha?

"This...this is too agitated. The supplies you brought from the Land of Earth are almost gone. It's hard to go back to frugality after all this. If we don't find a solution soon, the villagers will go back to their old ways. Now that things are like this, what else can we do? Release him?"

Sunagawa and Ebizo exchanged a glance. Although it was embarrassing to be sprayed in the face by this bastard in front of their underlings, what the bastard said wasn't entirely unreasonable. If they waited until this brat left their village before trying to bring him back, they could still shift the blame to Onoki, and their village's security system wouldn't arouse suspicion. After this trip, they could try to lure the brat back in a year or two and make another fortune. If they could cycle like this, they would never have to worry about shortages again. They could just kidnap the brat and have everything they needed!

Why the hell didn't they think of that!

While one-off transactions can involve exorbitant demands, those supplies are consumables and will eventually run out. They're nowhere near as reliable as a steady, long-term approach!

Sunagawa and Ebizo were filled with regret!

498. Sunagawa: Can you cover it up by brushing it twice at once?

"What nonsense! You've already ravaged him, and now you want to let it go? Isn't that like taking off your pants to fart?"

"...Since we've already arrested him, there's no point in letting him go back. So, let's do something big! If we're going to shift the blame, let's make it convincing. Find two Iwagakure spies in the village and dump this brat on them. They'll definitely take him back to Onoki to claim credit. We'll then stage a chase, letting Onoki know that his people kidnapped the brat and are being hunted. Onoki will definitely come to the border to pick him up. Then, prepare another group to sneak around and raid the Land of Earth while Onoki is away. I'll bring Tsunade to the border at the exact moment Onoki meets those two. You guys can also send a message to Konoha. And then, prepare another group to sneak around when Hiruzen Sarutobi sends his men out..."

"Did you... understand?"

Releasing them is out of the question. He has already led Tsunade in another direction, so releasing them now doesn't make any sense.

After pondering for a few minutes while stroking his chin, Masato's clone suddenly lit up. He picked up a pen from Sunakawa's table, took out a piece of white paper, and started writing and drawing on it as he spoke. Halfway through his sentence, he saw Ebizo and Sunakawa looking bewildered and stopped to ask a question.

His plan was simple: he could deal with the possibility of signing Nawaki into a daily gift pack later. But things had already been messed up by these two, so he might as well pull off a bigger heist. Since he was going to shift the blame to Onoki, he might as well do it thoroughly. He'd just hand the brat over to the Iwagakure spies lurking in their village, turning the "wanting to sing" into a real performance. As long as he kept an eye on them, there shouldn't be any major problems. Besides, Nawaki was a treasure; knowing Nawaki's identity, the two wouldn't dare to harm the very thing that could propel them to the pinnacle of life. He'd take advantage of Onoki's absence... While waiting for the right moment, one group of them went to the Land of Earth to farm some jungle monsters, while simultaneously informing Hiruzen Sarutobi in Konoha that Nawaki had been defeated by Onoki. This would create a major scene in Konoha as well, and the two sides might even clash. If Konoha really did go to war with Iwagakure, given Onoki's temperamental nature, the scale of the conflict would be enormous. Meanwhile, their other group could farm jungle monsters in Konoha at the same time. Farming on both sides simultaneously, if their leader was quick-witted, they could easily make a fortune. While it wouldn't be as much as the daily login rewards, it was better than nothing!

Σ(⊙▽⊙a...!

"We understand what you're saying, but if we apply it to both sides at once, will it be enough to cover everything...?"

Sunagawa and Ebizo were stunned by this guy's incredibly audacious plan. They weren't idiots; they understood what he meant. However, they wondered if his plan was a bit too arrogant.

My fat grandma!

This guy is planning to have his cake and eat it too, Konoha and Iwagakure. It sounds tempting to try to do both at the same time, but if it gets out and the two villages find out, the wrath of both sides is something Sunagakure can't handle. Just Iwagakure alone would be a 40/60 split between them, 40% and 60% between them.