Naruto: Konoha Spring of the Uchiha Prodigies

“She’s 13 years old, but she’s still like a child who never grew up,” Iwata Sawaki said with a wry smile. “If she were more mature, we wouldn’t be in such a passive position.”

"Don't say that. A 13-year-old is still just a child," Uchiha Touko said. "Did you try out the sealing technique you brought back last time?"

"Speaking of which, we have to thank the Hokage for this. Last time, the Hokage provided us with sealing techniques, which stabilized the Seven-Tails' seal a lot and at least temporarily resolved the risk of the tailed beast going berserk," Iwata Zeki said. "But it will still take a long time before the Seven-Tails can play a role on the battlefield."

“That’s troublesome,” Uchiha Touko said. “We can help you with the logistics, but the lack of high-end combat power is a real problem. I can’t take action myself, since we have a non-aggression pact with the Land of Earth.”

Upon hearing this, Iwata Sawaki fell silent again. Yes, even with the logistical support of the Land of Fire, what could Takigakure possibly do to resist once Onoki or one of the two Jinchuriki from Iwagakure were mobilized?

"In that case, I wonder if Mr. Iwata has ever heard of an organization called Akatsuki?" Uchiha Touko then asked.

"The Akatsuki?" Iwata Sawaki shook his head blankly. Although the Land of Rain and the Land of Waterfall were very close, he knew nothing about the Akatsuki.

"This is a mercenary organization in the ninja world. There are many strong individuals among them. While it might be difficult for their strong members to defeat Onoki or the Jinchuriki of Iwagakure, I think it shouldn't be too difficult for them to hold off their high-level combatants for you."

"Really?" Iwata Sawaki exclaimed excitedly. "But, getting such a powerful expert to help must be very expensive..."

“The Land of Fire and our allies can provide you with low-interest loans,” Uchiha Touko reminded him. “After you survive this war, you can pay them back slowly.”

"This... I wonder how much our Takigakure can borrow?" Iwata Sawaki asked.

“If you are willing to offer your mineral resources as collateral, Konoha can provide you with this amount of loan.” Uchiha Touko held up five fingers.

"Five hundred million?" Iwata Sawaki asked tentatively.

“Fifty billion!” Uchiha Touko said. “We’ll only charge 3.3% interest, and you can wait two years before you start making repayments.”

Upon hearing this, Iwata Sawaki fell into deep thought, while Uchiha Touko remained silent, quietly waiting for him to make a decision.

After much deliberation, Iwata Zeki finally made up his mind. Uchiha Touko's aid was already quite sincere. As for the loan and interest? If he won, everything would be fine. If he lost, the Land of Waterfall would be gone, so there would be no need to repay it.

"Thank you, Hokage. When will the aid you mentioned arrive?" Iwata Zeki asked Uchiha Touko.

"Mr. Iwata will be able to leave with the scroll of combined ninjutsu shortly, and the aid in terms of weapons and supplies will be delivered to the front lines in Takigawa within three days after you sign the contract," Uchiha Touko said with a smile.

“Okay, I’ll sign!” Iwata Sawaki nodded.

Soon, Uchiha Tokō had someone draft the mortgage loan and aid contract, and he was the first to sign his name on it, along with the seals of the Hokage and the Grand Minister of State.

When Iwata Sawaki took the contract and picked up the pen, he found that his hand was trembling slightly, and the pen in his hand felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

"Hokage, we will win, right?" Iwata Zeki raised his head and looked at Uchiha Touko.

"Of course, this war launched by the Land of Earth is an unjust war. I believe that everyone in the Land of Waterfall will be able to persevere to the final victory, and glory will belong to the Land of Waterfall!" Uchiha Touko encouraged Iwata Sawaki.

“Yes, that’s right, the glory belongs to the Land of Taki!” Iwata Sawaki took a deep breath, signed his name on the contract, and stamped it with his own seal and the seal of the daimyo of the Land of Taki that he brought with him.

After Iwata Zeki signed, Uchiha Touko nodded to Uchiha Inahisa, who was standing to the side. Inahisa, having received the instruction, presented a scroll with both hands.

“This is the training method for combination ninjutsu. As for the Akatsuki, we can help you make connections, but you will have to negotiate with them yourself,” Uchiha Touko said.

“I understand.” Iwata Sawaki nodded.

"Furthermore, regarding your village's Jinchuriki," Uchiha Touko looked at Iwata Sawaki with sincere eyes, "in this war between you and Iwagakure, Jinchuriki will definitely be their primary target. If your village trusts us, you can temporarily send her to Konoha. While providing her with protection, we will also teach her how to use the power of the Tailed Beasts. In a maximum of two years, she should be able to master the power of the Tailed Beasts and contribute to the defense of your country's territory."

Upon hearing this, Iwata Zeki pondered for a moment and then nodded. Uchiha Touko was right. After the war began, Onoki would definitely try to kill their village's Jinchuriki directly. After all, the Tailed Beasts were their village's only trump card. Once the Jinchuriki was killed, their village would be completely hopeless. Uchiha Touko's words undoubtedly solved their immediate problem. Although this would leave them in a huge debt of gratitude to Konoha, Iwata Zeki suddenly felt a sense of indifference to the debt.

“I will send someone to bring our village’s Jinchūriki to the border of the Land of Fire tomorrow,” Iwata Sawaki said.

"No need to see me off. I'll have someone accompany you. We'll use the Flying Thunder God Technique to send you to the border between our two countries. This way, you can quickly return to your village to take charge of the overall situation. Also, we can bring your village's Jinchuriki to Konoha as quickly as possible to ensure everything goes smoothly," said Uchiha Touko.

"Thank you so much," Iwata Sawaki said.

"It's all for the peace of the ninja world." Uchiha Touko waved his hand. "Then, I wish everyone in the Land of Waterfall a victory in this war in advance. I believe that glory will surely belong to the Land of Waterfall!"

“Yes, the glory belongs to the Land of Waterfalls!” Iwata Sawaki nodded, his eyes filled with determination.

Soon, Genma Shiranui and the others prepared the Flying Thunder God Formation, and together with Kakashi and Iwata Sawaki, who were on their way to pick up the Jinchuriki of Takigakure, they took them to the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Takigakure, and then headed towards Takigakure Village.

Meanwhile, the ninja forces at the Takigakure front were already suffering repeated defeats under the Iwagakure offensive and had to cede a large amount of territory.

After everyone in the office left, Uchiha Touko stretched. Iwata Sawaki was too easy to fool, which made Uchiha Touko feel a little bored.

Meanwhile, in the office, Black Zetsu and Tobi emerged from the ground together. Black Zetsu looked at Uchiha Touko with the expression of someone looking at a monster.

Over the years, he had been plotting for so long but had not been able to capture a single tailed beast. However, Uchiha Tokō managed to get his hands on a tailed beast simply by planning and scheming.

Chapter 162 Nanao Chongming

"Salute to Lord Dou Guang! Loyalty! Sincerity!" A Fei still saluted whenever he saw him, and his salute posture became more and more standard, as if he had learned a lot in the guard unit.

"Loyalty." Uchiha Touko patiently returned the greeting, then looked at Black Zetsu: "Why has our ancestor come?"

"I was a little worried, so I came to check. But, did you really get the Seven-Tails just like that? You're not planning to return it?" Black Zetsu asked.

"Could it be fake?" Uchiha Touko laughed. "Give it back? How could the Seven-Tails be returned to them after it arrived in Konoha? Do I look like that idiot Hashirama Senju?"

"Truly amazing, Dou Guang, choosing you back then was definitely the right decision," Hei Zetsu said with delight.

“This isn’t over yet, Ancestor. We still need your help to contact the Akatsuki.” Uchiha Touko said slowly, “Will that Akatsuki member who took on the task of blowing up my factory in the Land of Lightning last time accept this mission? I heard he’s a rogue ninja from the Land of Waterfall.”

"Heh, that guy defected a few years ago. It's hard to say if anyone in the Land of Waterfall even remembers him now. Besides, that guy only cares about money. As long as the money is right, everything is negotiable," Black Zetsu said. "Moreover, the Akatsuki organization doesn't only have him as a strong member. However, wouldn't it be better for us if the Land of Waterfall were destroyed by the Land of Earth? If the Land of Waterfall is destroyed, wouldn't the Seven-Tails rightfully belong to us?"

“Ancestor, let’s think long-term. If the Land of Waterfall can’t hold out, we’ll only get the Seven-Tails. But if the Land of Waterfall holds out, we’ll be able to easily obtain all the other tailed beasts in the future,” Uchiha Touko said. “Therefore, the Akatsuki’s role is crucial. They must help the Land of Waterfall hold back the Iwagakure’s high-end forces. Also, let me hint to the Akatsuki that they should ask for a higher reward, preferably one that will allow the Land of Waterfall to quickly spend the loans they’ve taken out from us.”

"Okay, I understand." Black Zetsu could only nod upon hearing this.

After Black Zetsu and the other two left, Uchiha Tokō sent someone to summon Gato.

Not long after, Gato arrived at the Hokage's office and looked at Uchiha Touko with the utmost reverence.

These big businessmen naturally had their own information channels. Upon hearing the news of Iwagakure's invasion of Takigakure, Gato immediately became restless. The first batch of goods from their ninja tool factory had already been produced. Gato was originally worried about who would buy such a large batch of goods, but now that the war had begun, there was no need to worry about finding a buyer for these goods.

Thinking back to what Uchiha Touko had told him before, that the ninja world was about to descend into chaos, Gato now felt nothing but awe and respect for Uchiha Touko.

[Although Your Excellency the Grand Minister of State always says you're not good at business, compared to you, we are the ones who are truly bad at business. Selling goods to those who need them isn't the real skill; selling goods to those who don't need them is the real skill. But Your Excellency the Grand Minister of State has managed to get those who don't need the goods to buy them of their own volition—it's practically a miracle!]

Seeing Gato's expression, Uchiha Touko chuckled and said with a smile, "It seems you already know the news."

Kado nodded, then smiled obsequiously, "Your Excellency the Grand Minister is a man of brilliant strategy, foreseeing this war months ago. With that, we won't have to worry about selling our goods."

"It's more than just not worried about sales," Uchiha Touko laughed. "Do you know why I called you here?"

"Is this to sell these ninja tools to the Land of Waterfalls?" Gato said. "Please rest assured, Your Excellency, I will definitely get a good price for these ninja tools."

“You don’t need to bother with this. These ninja tools have already been reserved.” Uchiha Touko shook his head and said, “Just now, the leader of Takigakure signed the purchase contract.”

"Huh?" Kado was taken aback. "So fast?"

"Hehe, although I am not good at business, my years as a ninja have taught me a principle: speed is of the essence. Now that someone needs our goods, we need to finalize this deal as soon as possible. Kado, you have been in the business world for many years, do you think this is the same principle?"

“That’s absolutely right!” Kado smiled obsequiously. “That’s exactly the point. Grand Minister, you’re too modest. You clearly have a good understanding of business, yet you’re still so humble. It makes me feel ashamed.”

"Alright, enough with the nonsense." Uchiha Touko waved his hand and said seriously, "I called you here to discuss the details of this transaction. Takigakure has no choice in this transaction, but how much we can earn depends on ourselves."

"I am willing to share the burdens of Your Excellency, the Grand Minister of State," Cardo said, kneeling and bowing.

"Get up, take a look at this contract first." Uchiha Touko said, placing a series of contracts that he had just signed with Iwata Sawaki in front of Gato.

After taking the contract, Kado carefully examined it while secretly making calculations in his mind.

Seeing this, Uchiha Touko shut his mouth and made a cup of tea for Gato. To maximize the benefits of this deal, Gato was undoubtedly the best choice. Uchiha Touko understood the principle of leaving professional matters to professionals.

The first batch of goods was purchased with a loan at 80% of the market price, which isn't a big problem; the Uchiha clan can afford it. However, if subsequent transactions also require loans, even the Uchiha clan's current cash flow might not be able to withstand the pressure. Does Takigakure, during the war, really have the ability to repay this loan?

However, after Kado turned to the loan section of the contract, his pupils immediately contracted.

[The loan collateral is mineral resources within the Kingdom of Taki? That makes things easier. The value of these mineral resources far exceeds the loan amount. In this case, it would be more beneficial for us if the other party couldn't repay the loan. However…]

A cup of tea was placed in front of Kado. Lost in thought, Kado took it without thinking and drank it. Only after finishing it did he realize that he might have been a little rude, so he quickly looked up at Uchiha Touko.

"Keep watching, don't mind me." Uchiha Touko waved his hand and said. Now that Gato was one of his own, there was no need to fuss over such a small matter. Besides, wasn't Gato doing things for him now?

"Your Excellency, the Grand Minister of State, these contracts seem to be fine for the time being. However, there are some things we need to be aware of outside of the contracts," Kado said after cursing himself inwardly a few times.

"What's the problem? Tell me," Uchiha Touko asked patiently.

“First of all, the supplies for Takigakure were purchased with a loan. If they can hold off Iwagakure’s attack, that’s fine. There’s a written contract, so we don’t have to worry about them defaulting. But what if they are defeated and Iwagakure occupies Takigakure and then denies the contract?” Kado said.

“There’s no need to worry about that. If the Land of Earth dares to renege on my debt, I will naturally go to Onoki to demand it back myself,” Uchiha Touko said. “Besides, I also expect that Onoki won’t really break ties with Konoha over these minerals.”

"I understand." Kado finally realized that he had brought his usual business mindset into the situation. But who was this person in front of him? The Fifth Hokage! A powerful figure who could suppress an entire country! It was hard to say whether there was a stronger ninja than him in the current ninja world. Who in this ninja world could renege on their debt to him?

“Now, only one question remains: how long can this war last?” Kado said. “If the Land of Waterfall doesn’t hold out long enough, we can make money, but only a very limited amount.”

"Hehe, Gato, we must trust our contractual partners." Uchiha Touko chuckled as he poured Gato another cup of tea before speaking.

"Trust our contractual partners? You mean the Land of Waterfalls?" Gato asked.

“No, I’m talking about the Land of Earth,” Uchiha Touko said. “Although the quality of the lower and middle-level ninjas in the Land of Earth is better than that of Konoha now, they don’t have many high-level combatants. After the few strong ones are tied down, the remaining army, with our aid, should be able to hold out for two or three years without much trouble.”

“In that case, there’s no problem.” Kado didn’t question Uchiha Touko’s assessment of the battlefield situation. “This deal can be described as a risk-free and highly profitable one, so I must congratulate Minister Taijo on making a fortune.”

Afterwards, Gato worked all night to finalize the pricing of all the ninja tools and supplies before leaving the Hokage's office.

The next morning, Genma Shiranui and his two companions, along with Kakashi and a young girl with light green hair and somewhat dark skin, used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return directly to the Hokage's office.

The little girl had a touch of naivety on her face. After arriving at the Hokage's office, she kept looking around with curious eyes.

"You're the Hokage that Uncle Iwata said would protect me, right?" Fu asked Uchiha Touko curiously. "But you don't look much older than me."

But as soon as she finished speaking, she froze, for no other reason than the Seven-Tailed Fox sealed within her body reminding her not to be impolite.

The others in the Land of Waterfalls didn't know just how powerful the Mangekyou Sharingan was, but the Seven-Tails did, since it was Madara Uchiha who captured him and brought him back to Konoha.

Genma Shiranui frowned upon hearing Fu's words. This little girl dared to be disrespectful to the Hokage. Just as he was about to reprimand her, Touko Uchiha stopped him with a look. Then, Touko Uchiha smiled and looked at the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.

“Yes, I am the one who can protect you. As for whether I have this ability, the big guy inside you should know very well,” Uchiha Touko said.

“But I don’t think I need anyone’s protection. I want to use my own strength to protect our village,” Fu said at that moment.

“I can understand, after all, your village is in unprecedented trouble right now, but do you really have that ability?” Uchiha Touko laughed.

“Of course we are! Chongming and I are both very capable!” Fu said, somewhat unconvinced.

"Hehe." Uchiha Touko laughed, activated his Mangekyou Sharingan, and used his spiritual power to guide Fu's consciousness into the other party's sealed space.

Inside the sealed space, before Fu could even react, she found herself standing in front of a giant flying insect, and immediately froze on the spot.

"This...this...this is?" Humans' innate fear of giant creatures made Fu unconsciously take a half step back, but at this moment, the beetle actually spoke human language.

"Fu, it's me."

"Chongming?" Upon hearing the familiar voice, Fu regained her composure and looked up at Chongming through the seal.

"It seems this is your first time here." Uchiha Touko appeared behind Fu at this moment and said with a smile.