Aoba himself had no interest in things like unifying the ninja world.
That was too exhausting.
Even when playing Hearts of Iron, he had to open the console, what did he know about managing a country?
But seeing Tsunade distressed about it, and then remembering that Terumi Mei and Kurotsuchi were people from other ninja villages...
Looking at it that way, it did seem like it would be better if everyone became one family.
At worst, just let someone else manage it.
When Tsunade heard Aoba's reply, she widened her eyes, but then quickly seemed to remember something.
Her expression turned astonished, "You've already set your sights on that Temari from Sunagakure?"
"Cough! Cough! Cough!", Aoba choked with a dry cough, he never imagined Tsunade's thoughts would jump to this.
"Sensei, we're talking about serious matters here!"
"I am talking seriously. If you could marry that Temari, maybe you really could avoid this war."
Looking at Tsunade's serious expression... It was as if she was genuinely considering marrying Aoba to Temari.
Aoba had to shatter her daydream, "Sensei, even if this war could be avoided, what about the next one?"
"What?"
"Sunagakure's resources are limited. In the end, they'll expand again due to resource issues. A single marriage alliance won't stop that."
"Then what do you mean?", Tsunade furrowed her brows.
Aoba became serious, "If we want to completely end the war between Konoha and Sunagakure, we must place both in the same camp. As long as Sunagakure becomes part of Konoha, war will naturally end."
"You want Konoha to annex Sunagakure?", Tsunade's eyes widened. For a ninja, this was almost a heretical thought.
In the ninja world, no country's village had ever annexed another nation's ninja village.
Aoba patiently explained, "Sunagakure's resource scarcity is precisely because it's located in the desert zone of the Land of Wind, which is totally unfit for survival. But if Sunagakure becomes part of Konoha..."
"Then people from Sunagakure could live in Konoha, and Konoha could help transform Sunagakure's environment. Do you think there would still be war between them?"
After Tsunade heard this, her mouth hung open, and she couldn't snap out of it for a long time.
In the end, she looked at Aoba with complicated eyes, "Sunagakure truly belongs to the Land of Wind. The daimyo of the Land of Wind would never agree to this."
Aoba could guess Tsunade's reply without her saying it, but then he brought up an even more outrageously rebellious idea.
"Then what if we let the Land of Wind become part of the Land of Fire?"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?", Tsunade was so shocked she stood up from her seat.
Turning one great nation into a part of another great nation, that was something no one in the ninja world had ever imagined.
She glared at Aoba, then sat back down.
"Aoba, you can say this kind of thing to me, but once you walk out that door, you better forget it."
Aoba just calmly looked at Tsunade, "Sensei, you should understand as well. In these past few decades, or even this near millennium of the ninja world, the root cause of so many wars is nothing more than the difference between nations and the unequal distribution of resources. If we truly desire peace, then having one country coordinate all resource distribution is actually the best method."
Tsunade clenched her fists and fell silent.
She actually felt that this brat made some sense, but the traditional beliefs she'd held all these years instinctively made her resist the idea.
Aoba didn't expect Tsunade to accept this idea so quickly either.
After all, rice has to be eaten one bite at a time.
"I'm just offering a small perspective on your question. Whether you accept or oppose it, no matter what you think, I will support you unconditionally."
Looking at Aoba's sincere gaze, and hearing his words of unconditional support, there was no doubt that Tsunade's heart was touched.
Her slightly round face flushed with a hint of red as she turned her head aside.
But then she remembered her identity as his teacher, and felt a bit of shame and indignation, 'Isn't it supposed to be this brat who should be blushing?'
She turned back, "This idea of yours, I need to think more on it. Is there any way to temporarily stabilize the situation?"
Seeing Tsunade's shy and cute reaction, Aoba felt delighted and continued speaking.
"Then how about making Sunagakure a subordinate village of Konoha? Not an ally, but a subordinate."
"Tell me more," Tsunade had the appearance of a well-behaved elementary school student attentively listening in class.
"Sunagakure can still maintain its sovereignty, but in military, administration, economy, all aspects must be open and transparent to Konoha. Konoha can build factories in Sunagakure, and Konoha's ninjas can enter Sunagakure without needing permits."
"At the same time, Konoha can provide economic aid and technological support to Sunagakure. But if Konoha has a need, like a war with another ninja village, Sunagakure must follow Konoha's commands."
"This... would Sunagakure agree to that?"
After listening to Aoba's words, Tsunade felt that a village like Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, shouldn't be willing to accept such a humiliating and sovereignty-diminishing deal.
Aoba revealed a meaningful smile, "But haven't they already handed us the chips on the negotiating table?"
"You mean Rasa and them…", Tsunade suddenly realized.
This move by Sunagakure was under the pretense of participating in the Chunin Exams.
This also meant they couldn't possibly bring a large force of ninja.
But at the same time, in order to ensure Konoha's defeat, Rasa would surely bring all the elite forces Sunagakure could muster.
And by then, Konoha would be fighting on home turf, and now they even had the intelligence advantage, they could completely take down all of Rasa's elite forces.
By then, if Sunagakure refused their terms and lost this batch of elites...
The other three great villages, being idle and with nothing better to do, would surely go "visit" Sunagakure for a bit.
Still, by that time, in order to ensure Sunagakure's obedience, a marriage alliance wasn't off the table either…
"Very well!", Tsunade also showed a rather meaningful smile, "Brat, after this matter passes, if you perform well, I'll directly promote you to jonin."
Aoba had a bad premonition in his heart, "Sensei... you're not planning to make me Hokage ahead of schedule, are you?"
"What? You're not willing now? Didn't you swear back then that you were the man who would become Hokage…?"
"Hmm?"
Tsunade's brows suddenly furrowed. After all these years, she was only now realizing something strange about that line.
"The man… who would become Hokage?"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, her gaze becoming extremely dangerous.
"Uh… Sensei, actually I have something important to report."
Aoba didn't expect Tsunade to remember even a line from so many years ago so clearly, and hurriedly changed the subject.
"Hmph!", Tsunade's face darkened. She didn't expect this rebellious disciple to have set his eyes on her so early.
"Speak!"
"I met someone from Kumogakure today. Among them is a dangerous individual, it's very likely she's the jinchuriki of the Two-Tails."
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