Naruto: I'm really not an evil scientist!

He tilted his head back and burst into laughter, the sound echoing in the air, unrestrained and arrogant.

"Hahahaha, now let's see who can stop me from producing Coca-Cola, hahahahaha!"

Thinking of the wonderful idea, the king of the Tea Kingdom couldn't help but burst into laughter again. His laughter was full of pride and arrogance, as if the whole world was at his feet, and he could trample on it at will.

He even took out a small bag of gold coins from his pocket and tossed it to Uchiha Shisui: "Go back and tell the Fifth Hokage, Lady Tsunade, that I know her feelings."

Once I've somewhat reorganized things back home, I'll go and fulfill my promise to her, so she doesn't need to worry!

Gold coins are essentially the same as gold coins in the Naruto world. In this era, precious metals like gold and silver are rarely used directly, so they are more often used as important rewards, symbolizing honor and status, and representing the ruler's recognition of Shisui.

Shisui didn't know what important agreement had been reached between the two sides, but since the king had said so, he could only nod in agreement, but he secretly wondered: what kind of secret is hidden behind this agreement?

His eyes revealed a kind of curiosity, like a keen cheetah, always alert to the dangers around him.

Having beheaded all his enemies, the ruler of the Tea Country was extremely excited, as if the victory on the battlefield was the most glorious and dazzling moment of his life.

Ignoring his still bleeding wounds, he had a television set brought in. At that time, television sets were rare items, only owned by the wealthy and powerful. Its screen shimmered, as if telling the story of the vast and mysterious world outside.

"How exhilarating today's events are! The whole world will surely praise my martial prowess!"

"Open it for me quickly, I want to see how the world judges me!"

...This king seems even more unreliable than Shisui imagined. Even at this point, he is still thinking about what others think of him, as if other people's opinions are more important than anything else, more crucial than the lives and deaths of countless people and the fate of the country.

But the subordinates dared not disobey the king's orders. They hurriedly and carefully turned on the television and began to change the channel for the king. Their movements were very careful, for fear of angering the capricious king. Their faces were tense, and fine beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads.

Although television currently has the highest penetration rate in the Land of Fire, while it is relatively less common in other countries, the rulers and nobles can still watch it if they want to, although the signal may not be very good and the picture may be blurry, as if looking at something through a thin veil.

Logically speaking, if a civil war breaks out in the Land of Tea and the ruler of the Land of Tea wins a great victory, it should be headline news.

Even if, due to the timeliness of news, people are unaware that the ruler of the Tea Kingdom has achieved a great victory, at the very least, the news should broadcast that the two sides are engaged in fierce fighting, letting the world know that the Tea Kingdom is experiencing a dramatic and thrilling event.

But in reality, most television stations were broadcasting the same thing—under the wise leadership of the Fire Country Daimyo, Konoha mobilized hundreds of elite troops and finally found a country dog ​​for a poor little girl.

On the screen, the daimyo of the Land of Fire has a warm smile and looks kind and approachable, like a benevolent elder, with a loving look in his eyes.

The little girl and the puppy standing nearby both had blank expressions, a mixture of surprise and bewilderment...

That's normal. After all, any child would be stunned when they first come into close contact with a head of state... Normal my foot!

We're at war!

"Why is everyone reporting on that dog! Our Tea Country is at war!"

"Is a dog more important than the countless lives here?!"

"Is he more important than me?!" Faced with the king's roar, no one could answer. They were all stunned by this absurd reality. Their eyes revealed helplessness and confusion, and they could only silently endure it all.

of course there are exceptions.

The exception is the Fire Kingdom's capital television station, which is the only one broadcasting a food program. The screen is filled with a dazzling array of delicious food, making one's mouth water and as if one can smell the tempting aroma, making one's stomach rumble.

Upon realizing this, the ruler of the Tea Country became even angrier, his face turning bright red, like a volcano about to erupt, ready to spew forth furious lava at any moment, his body trembling slightly with rage.

"This is an insult to me! How dare they disregard my victory like this!"

Then... he fainted, his body falling straight down like a felled tree, making a dull thud.

After all, his injuries were no mere decorations. After this ordeal, he was already at his limit, his body had reached its limit, and he could no longer withstand the immense anger and exhaustion.

Because of the king's sudden fainting and the inevitable chaos that follows war, the whole scene was in complete disarray. People were running around and shouting, like headless flies, bewildered and bumping into things.

But as Uchiha Shisui stood on high ground, gazing at everything before him, he suddenly felt a pulse of the times, a pulse like surging waves crashing against his soul, leaving him unable to find peace for a long time.

He seemed to see the changing times and the future of the world, a world full of opportunities and challenges, unknowns and variables.

"Things are different now than during the Warring States period. Every year now brings more changes than in the previous hundred years! The world is undergoing an unprecedented transformation!"

History and heroes come crashing in like waves, and only the strong who strive forward can seize that fleeting opportunity.

And what should I do?

Uchiha Shisui grasped the gohei given to him by Hiruko. The gohei seemed to convey some kind of mysterious power, gradually giving him an answer. That answer was like a beacon in the darkness, illuminating his path forward, and his eyes revealed a firmness and determination.

...The war in the Land of Tea has ended, and Shisui has returned with a reply from the ruler of the Land of Tea.

In the letter, the ruler of the Land of Tea praised the historical friendship between Konoha and the Land of Tea—although in the previous Millet War, the ruler of the Land of Tea wished he could kill Hiruko's horse, and that hatred seemed still vivid in his mind, his eyes were once filled with anger and resentment.

His Highness promised that he would come to Konoha as agreed and use various means to sow discord between the Land of Water and the Hidden Mist Village, forcing Yagura to come to the Konoha Arena, making the already tense relationship even worse, as if to trigger an even bigger storm and make the whole situation even more chaotic.

Even though he's still on an IV drip, he'll definitely come, as if that promise is the most important mission in his life. His tone is firm and resolute, without the slightest hesitation.

The ruler of the Land of Tea doesn't care what Konoha wants to do, nor does he care what will happen after the Land of Water and Kirigakure part ways.

It only wants to feed itself and find a place to survive in this chaotic world, like a small boat looking for a safe harbor in a storm, hoping to get through this turbulent world safely.

If all else fails... then just defect to the Land of Fire.

Once they abandon their principles, small countries are always very firm in their lack of stance, like grass on a wall, swaying with the wind, without their own opinions, only knowing how to go with the flow.

That way... that's fine.

Although some of the things that happened during this war seemed absurd even to Hiruko himself, like a bizarre dream, it was hard to believe.

For example, the foolish and audacious ruler of the Tea Country actually chose to turn against his ministers as soon as he received the money. He should at least have taken some time to calm down. He has endured so many years, so what's a little more? His behavior was so impulsive that it was hard to understand, as if he had been blinded by some inexplicable force.

For example, the retainers, whose overall strength far surpasses that of the ruler of the Tea Country, were defeated in a single battle and failed to recover. This cannot be explained by any legitimate reason; it seems as if some mysterious force is manipulating things behind the scenes, making it impossible to understand and leaving one feeling as if they are in a fog.

The entire war lasted less than two days, and the retainers' men displayed an inexplicably low level of fighting ability... Perhaps they themselves had long been fed up with this endless fighting?

Apart from a few trusted subordinates, they had long wanted to start a new life. After all, war brings only pain and destruction, and no one wants to live under the shadow of war forever. They yearned for peace and a tranquil life.

Because of the great distance and the fact that it was never a primary objective, Hiruko was not really clear about this. The Land of Tea seemed to be a forgotten corner, hiding countless secrets, waiting for people to discover and unveil its mysterious veil.

As for that mysterious master who had no contact with Shisui... Hiruko actually knew who it was.

It was one of Nagato's clones, a clone as mysterious and unpredictable as a ghost, whose whereabouts were elusive, like a gust of wind, appearing and disappearing without a trace.

Before Shisui returned, Hiruko had already received messages from Orochimaru and Kakuzu respectively.

Although the message contained no direct clues, there were only a few people who could cause trouble for Konoha at this time, and Hiruko already knew who they were.

One of Nagato's clones did indeed leave for a while, seemingly to carry out some kind of secret mission. His purpose was unfathomable, like a mystery hidden in the darkness.

As for what he really wanted to do, even Orochimaru and Kakuzu didn't know. It was as if it were a mystery buried deep underground, one that no one could solve.

Chapter 397 Survival

Perhaps Konan knew, after all, she was one of Nagato's most trusted people, and she might know some of Nagato's plans.

However, it is almost impossible to win back this senior sister. Konan's loyalty to Nagato is as firm and unshakable as a rock. Her heart belongs only to Nagato. For Nagato, she is willing to give everything, even her own life.

Hiruko secretly speculated that Nagato probably didn't want to fight him. Given Nagato's personality, he wouldn't act so impulsively; he was a shrewd and meticulous person.

More likely, they wanted to cause him some trouble, keeping him busy so that he could... capture the Tailed Beasts. The Tailed Beasts were the power that Nagato had always dreamed of. He had always longed to obtain the power of the Tailed Beasts to achieve his goal, which was a grand and mysterious one.

He had been planning this for almost a year, and it was time to make his move. Like a hunter lurking in the darkness, he was finally about to strike. His eyes revealed a greedy and eager look, like a hungry wolf spotting its prey.

He probably doesn't know that Konoha wants to swallow Kirigakure, otherwise he wouldn't have let Shisui off so easily this time. With Nagato's wisdom, he would definitely have made a fuss about it, causing an even bigger upheaval and making the whole situation even more chaotic.

But Nagato wouldn't stop there. He wouldn't stop until he had Hiruko completely overwhelmed and ensured that Hiruko couldn't make a move. It was as if it were a never-ending battle, and he wanted to keep Hiruko trapped in a predicament from which he couldn't extricate himself.

"This is not the end, just the beginning of a new beginning... But for now, let's leave it at that."

Hiru sighed and temporarily archived the huge stack of documents detailing his conquest of the Tea Country. The documents seemed to be the culmination of his efforts over the past few days, but now he could only put them aside for the time being. He felt somewhat helpless and had no other choice.

The matter of the Tea Country can be considered closed now.

Although things went wrong at one point, Konoha accomplished all its strategic goals in a way that even Hiruko himself found baffling. It was as if the scales of fate always tipped in Konoha's favor, making one marvel at the wonder of destiny.

Of course, everything comes at a price... In gaming terms, diplomatic relations are maxed out and have expanded to a very dangerous level, like a volcano about to erupt, which could bring a huge crisis to Konoha at any time, plunging Konoha into a predicament from which there is no hope.

"But the temptation to directly control Kirigakure is just too great. Even as the assistant to the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, I am very clear that the huge benefits hidden behind it are as tempting as the stars, while the risks are as terrifying as the abyss."

"This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity..." Reality is always so cruel, as if an invisible and cold hand is ruthlessly manipulating everything.

The situation here is a complete mess, with constant internal strife and a series of external troubles.

There were also troubles and setbacks on the other side. All sorts of thorny problems came like a tide, and things never went as planned. It seemed like a distant dream that everything would go smoothly.

Hiruko sighed softly, his sigh filled with deep helplessness and resolute determination. After a moment's thought, he decided to stick to the original plan.

Even if it means overstretching my body and pushing my strength to the limit, like a balloon about to burst, I will still swallow Kirigakure.

After all, from a strategic perspective, three against two is much easier than two against three. It's like playing chess; having an extra piece increases your chances of winning and gives you more control over the game.

As long as the Hidden Mist Village isn't blown up directly, there's still room for maneuver... Hiruko thought to himself, but just then, another ANBU rushed over, his steps hurried, as if a raging flood was chasing him, bringing him bad news.

"what?"

Hiruko's already tense brows instantly furrowed together like two suddenly rising hills, as if he were about to unleash his boundless rage.

His eyes widened suddenly, a hint of displeasure flashing within them. That displeasure was like a cold, piercing blade of ice, carrying a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine with just a glance, as if one were in an ice cellar.

The ANBU member lowered his head, his body trembling slightly, his voice tense, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth: "The King of the Sea Kingdom is temporarily unable to travel due to domestic economic problems..."

The voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, as if afraid that if it raised its voice even slightly, Hiruko's rage would overwhelm it like a raging tide.

You guys were all patting your chests and swearing there would be no problem, patting your chests so hard they were practically pounding them to pieces, but when it really came down to it, you all let me down, didn't you!

Those African rebel groups are far more professional than you!

Hiruko inwardly cursed, his anger churning and surging wildly within him like a volcano about to erupt.

In the Land of Tea, the king and his subordinates are fighting fiercely, creating chaos.

What kind of nonsense is this, you sea kingdom?

"Bring me all the scrolls and intelligence about the Sea Kingdom... Ha, their scallops ran away?"

Hiruko said irritably, his tone full of impatience, as if every word was barbed.

In a prison in the Land of Water, Mei Terumi was tightly bound by thick chains. The chains were cold and hard, like evil giant pythons, exuding a chilling aura, binding her tightly and rendering her unable to move.

The heavy seals, like an invisible mountain, pressed down on her, not only constantly draining her chakra like a vampire with extreme greed, frantically sucking her energy, but also restricting her movements, making her feel as if she were trapped in an invisible cage, unable to break free.

Mei Terumi is very strong. Even among the younger generation of ninjas, she is considered one of the best. Like a bright and dazzling star in the night sky, she stands out among many young ninjas and radiates a unique light.

However, even faced with this severe seal, Mei Terumi still found it difficult to cope.

She knew very well that the Water Shadow who placed this seal on her wanted her dead; the malice in his eyes was like a cold wind, piercing straight into her heart.

Chakra is the energy of the body and mind. With a large amount of chakra being ruthlessly extracted, not only is her body gradually collapsing, like a building about to collapse, but her consciousness is also becoming blurred, as if she is in a fog, unable to find her way.

Even so, Mei Terumi gritted her teeth, refusing to give in. Her teeth chattered as if she wanted to crush all the pain and resentment.