"This doesn't seem quite right, Sarutobi-san."
Lend a hand?
When exactly will Konoha be able to spare the manpower?
In three years?
Counting the Nine-Tails' attack, it'll be five years at least.
Is it really okay to sugarcoat freeloading like this?
He rolled his eyes inwardly.
Yagura looked troubled. "According to standard trade agreements, the supplier is responsible for ensuring the safe and timely delivery of goods to the buyer, correct?"
"Mizukage-sama, Elder Genshi, under normal circumstances, that would indeed be the case. However, due to the ongoing war, Konoha sincerely hopes that Kirigakure can offer its assistance."
Since he was here to ask for a favor, Sarutobi carefully observed the expressions of the two decision-makers in Kirigakure.
Yagura seemed distracted and said nothing, while Elder Genshi shook his head.
In Kirigakure, deploying shinobi was ultimately up to the Mizukage.
Since he was frequently assigned to Kirigakure, Sarutobi was well aware of their political structure. The one he needed to persuade was Mizukage Yagura.
And this one... was both easy and difficult to deal with.
So young, yet so cunning.
"Sarutobi-san, you know Kirigakure isn't at war, but we aren't exactly sitting around doing nothing either."
Yagura interrupted his thoughts. Sarutobi quickly acknowledged and waited for Yagura to state his stance.
"A one-time emergency deployment is fine. But if you expect us to continuously commit a team of shinobi, then Kirigakure will be the one suffering losses. As the Mizukage, I cannot make such a decision lightly."
Yagura twirled a pen in his fingers lazily, his tone flat, almost disinterested.
"However, Sarutobi-san~ if we don't help you, and Konoha's ships get intercepted by the Kumo shinobi, that would be a loss for both of us."
In truth, Yagura disliked the idea of being taken advantage of by Konoha, but he loathed the idea of Kumo getting free loot even more.
Every piece of Kirigakure's infrastructure, every business venture, every investment had just started taking root. Resources had been poured into construction materials, pastures leased to investors, and even technological industries in their infancy were demanding significant funds.
A Mizukage must provide for his people.
If Kumo plundered these goods and profited, what would Kirigakure be left with? How would they sustain their growth?
Of course, this particular concern couldn't be shared with Konoha—or any other village.
From the moment Sarutobi disembarked, he had been under the watchful eye of Kirigakure's ANBU. They escorted him from the docks to the inn designated for foreign envoys, ensuring a level of surveillance so thorough that he had no privacy whatsoever.
"Yes, you are right."
Difficult to decide. Hesitant.
Sarutobi could read that expression on Yagura's face.
Whether real or feigned, the fact that Yagura let him see this hesitation meant there was room for negotiation.
They were open to discussion.
Suppressing his excitement, Sarutobi's mind worked quickly.
"Mizukage-sama, please rest assured. As an ally, Konoha would never allow Kirigakure to suffer a loss."
Hook, line, and sinker.
Yagura signaled to his diplomatic team to take over.
A guest from afar?
If you've come, you might as well stay.
His job was done. From here on, the specifics would be handled by the professionals.
A Kirigakure diplomat sat across from Sarutobi, signaling that the discussions had moved into the formal negotiation phase.
"Konoha's envoy, this is our proposal. Please review it. If you have any questions, we will provide clarification."
The diplomat produced a thick, neatly bound document as if from thin air and pushed it across the table. Sarutobi twitched involuntarily.
Kirigakure, you're not even trying to be subtle about this, are you?
Most people at least put bait on the hook before casting the line. You're just dropping an empty hook and waiting for someone to bite.
"Thank you."
Fine. Since he was going to take the bait anyway, this at least saved time and effort.
Sarutobi picked up the document and started reading.
He remembered the instructions given before he left.
The Hokage and the higher-ups in Konoha understood that this war wouldn't be over quickly. A prolonged conflict would test not just military strength but also logistics and national resources.
The main suppliers of military equipment and iron were problematic. The Land of Lightning was an enemy, the Land of Craftsmen was effectively out of commission, and while the Land of Iron had the resources, competition for them was fierce.
Only Kirigakure had a large, steady supply at relatively lower costs.
Their only competition? Sunagakure, whose resources were pitiful compared to Kirigakure's.
The cost of purchasing iron directly and crafting it into weapons in Konoha was nearly the same as importing finished weapons from Kirigakure—sometimes even cheaper.
Konoha could only sustain an armed force of around 20,000 on its own. In the long run, losing its trade route with Kirigakure would be disastrous.
Even if Kumo only targeted Konoha's shipments, it would still be unsustainable.
Without exports, Konoha's treasury would eventually run dry.
Since Konoha lacked the manpower to protect its cargo ships, the only solution was to hire Kirigakure's shinobi for the job.
Of course, Kirigakure wouldn't do it for free. Yagura was practically obsessed with money—there was no chance of him offering charity.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had made it clear: Konoha was willing to pay commission fees and hiring costs.
And, as it turned out, the bait Kirigakure dangled was exactly what Konoha wanted to bite.
Sarutobi spent a few minutes going through the document. It mostly aligned with Konoha's expectations.
He then began discussing the finer details with the Kirigakure diplomat, focusing primarily on pricing.
"Our pricing is based on the distance and weight of the transported goods," the diplomat explained patiently. "Rest assured, our rates are calculated according to D-rank and C-rank mission fees—very reasonable."
"D-rank, C-rank?"
Sarutobi paused, the term triggering a realization. He glanced at the price table in the document and suddenly understood.
"I see."
By basing their pricing on long-established mission rates, there was little room for Konoha to argue.
However, there was one part that puzzled him.
Essentially, Konoha was hiring Kirigakure's shinobi for a job. But instead of going through the village itself, the contracts were being handled by private enterprises, which then assigned the tasks to Kirigakure's shinobi.
What was the point of this extra step? Why not hire them directly through the village?
When he asked, the diplomat explained that this was a new system implemented by the Mizukage, unique to Kirigakure.
From Konoha's perspective, it made no real difference—either way, they were hiring Kirigakure's shinobi.
Accepting this explanation, Sarutobi gathered the documents.
"Alright. I have no further issues. I will take this proposal back for the Hokage's review."
"Of course."
Yagura grinned. "Send my regards to the Hokage. Konoha has always been our most valued friend!"
And he meant it.
Compared to Sunagakure, which had no money and plenty of demands, Konoha was an ideal trade partner—wealthy, resourceful, and relatively low-maintenance.
The more money they spent, the closer the bond.
"Until your village makes a decision, Kirigakure will continue providing assistance."
Free trials are the most expensive in the long run.
"Let's finalize everything before the end of the year. Don't waste Kirigakure's goodwill."
A limited-time offer.
Sarutobi was elated. "Absolutely."
From Konoha's perspective, Mizukage Yagura was now their best ally!
Yagura hopped down from his chair and extended a hand, flashing a toothy grin.
"Pleasure doing business with you, friend."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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