Sanshouo Hanzo's request for a meeting still received no response, as if his words had sunk into the sea without a trace.
Whether it was Ebizo, the Advisory Elder, or the Third Kazekage, Sunagakure completely ignored the Rain ninja envoy's proactive proposal for a meeting. Even after the Rain ninja formally submitted an official document requesting the meeting, they didn't even receive a half-hearted reply like "we'll meet when we have time." Instead, they were immediately turned away with clear dismissal.
The Rain ninja envoy, having failed in their mission and with nothing to show, had no choice but to report this humiliating treatment back to the Rain Ninja Village Headquarters.
When Sanshouo Hanzo received the report from his subordinates, he wasn't particularly surprised.
After all, Sunagakure was currently preoccupied with its ongoing rivalry against Iwagakure in the direction of Bird Country and simply had no time to spare for the relatively insignificant Land of Rain.
Moreover, what the Rain Ninja Village wanted most was to obtain essential supplies like food from the Land of Wind—but the problem was that while the Land of Wind possessed abundant rare metals, food supply remained one of its own weaknesses. Naturally, then, there was little interest in entering trade agreements with the Rain Ninja Village.
Additionally, Rain Ninjutsu and fighting styles were unsuitable for desert or arid terrain. Thus, they could neither launch attacks on the wind-dominated desert regions nor serve as hired ninja forces in Sunagakure's protracted conflict against Iwagakure in Bird Country. Therefore, even the possibility of earning blood money through sacrifice was nonexistent.
Ninja who aren't needed are merely worthless idlers.
This was the biggest problem currently facing the Rain ninja trapped within the Land of Rain, unable to move forward.
"The Rain of the Land of Rain"
Gazing at the gray skies beyond the Tower, Sanshouo Hanzo sighed bitterly toward the heavens.
The rain that fell on the Land of Rain served as both its shield and its curse.
The constant rainfall made it inconvenient for great nations or powerful villages to develop much interest in invading this strategically insignificant land; yet sustained rains caused serious environmental challenges like soil erosion, severely impeding Rain's developmental progress and trapping it in an ever-worsening cycle of poverty and decline.
To break free from this vicious cycle, Sanshouo Hanzo launched external wars, hoping to grab resources by conquering smaller nations and fast-forwarding the Rain Ninja Village's growth. However, this action sparked the ignition of the Second Great Ninja World War, turning the Land of Rain into the central battleground of a three-village tug-of-war.
As for the Land of Rain, which had finally begun to show signs of recovery, the war brought total devastation, leaving it in complete ruin.
And the Rain Ninja Village, which had painstakingly accumulated a core group of skilled ninjas after decades of rebuilding, was crushed permanently, losing its backbone forever.
It could be said that if not for the presence of someone like Sanshouo Hanzo—a semi-god figure—the Rain Ninja Village would have collapsed long ago.
That's precisely why Sanshouo Hanzo couldn't understand how the Sage of Six Paths could be so unfair—why must so many hardships be imposed upon the already impoverished Rain ninja?
"It's not me who's wrong. It's this unreasonable ninja world."
After dismissing his subordinates, Sanshouo Hanzo sat alone in his office, drowning in self-pity and lamentation.
Not until the afternoon did someone knock on Sanshouo Hanzo's office door once again.
"Come in!"
As his subordinates arrived, Sanshouo Hanzo naturally needed to maintain a composed and calm expression.
"Creak"
Thus, when his trusted Jonin entered the room pushing the door open, what he saw was still the half-god-like figure of Sanshouo Hanzo, sitting there with eyes closed, seemingly resting.
"My Lord"
The trusted Jonin saluted respectfully as always.
"Speak! What is it?"
Sanshouo Hanzo's voice remained as powerful and loud as ever.
"A formal letter signed jointly by the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan has been received at the village."
The trusted Jonin swallowed hard, reporting in a low voice: "Moreover, the Standing Ninja Army of the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation has appeared in the northeastern border area where it meets Herb Country. All soldiers are fully armed, leaving our border patrol ninjas unable to investigate their true intentions."
"I see."
Sanshouo Hanzo remained unmoved, accepting the letter handed over by his subordinate in a rather indifferent manner.
In his mind, this was likely just another attempt at intimidation—nothing particularly alarming.
After all, even at full strength, the Hidden Leaf Village couldn't hold off a detachment from any major power without his personal protection.
Therefore, since the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan had chosen to send a letter rather than launch an immediate attack, it suggested—at least for now—that war was not imminent.
However, the moment Sanshouo Hanzo finished reading the letter, his earlier indifference vanished entirely—he was genuinely stunned.
"To blast open mountain passes and alter the terrain in order to redirect rainwater flow toward the south..."
Needless to say, the request in the letter genuinely surprised even this half-god.
Such a move was unheard of in the history of the Ninja World!
Yet upon further thought, such an idea did seem somewhat feasible.
For instance, the most difficult part—blasting through mountain passes—might be an extremely tough task for Rain ninjas whose primary technique was Water Release, but for the Uchiha Clan, known for its mastery of Fire Release, this would only be a matter of how much time they were willing to invest. After all, Fire Release held supremacy among the Five Chakra Natures in explosive destructive power, making it especially effective for mountain blasting operations.
Additionally, the Uchiha Clan was abundant in high-yield [Explosive Tags] (a chakra-infused paper tag that detonates on command), giving them natural advantages regarding costs and materials.
Hence, after deep consideration, Sanshouo Hanzo found this plan increasingly practical.
Also, the letter clearly outlined the potential impacts this project would bring to the Land of Rain.
What the Land of Rain currently faced was absolutely not a shortage of water; rather, it was soil erosion caused by excessive rainfall. Thus, the letter promised that following the blasting of the mountain pass, they would construct a north-to-south irrigation canal for the Land of Water, allowing rain clouds to shift their path southward, bringing more rainfall to the northern part of the Land of Rivers while also transporting massive amounts of floodwater through the canal, alleviating the flooding disasters plaguing the Land of Rain.
Furthermore, alluvial farmland (fertile land formed by river deposits) could be built along the banks at both ends of the canal, enabling relatively sufficient food production through cultivation.
At first glance, this did seem like a mutually beneficial arrangement.
"Could there really be such a good deal in the Ninja World?"
Hanzo Sanshouo, who had always adhered to zero-sum thinking and fought relentlessly throughout his life, read through the official letter repeatedly, yet a sense of unease lingered in his heart.
Could the Rain Ninja Village truly be so lucky to reap such unexpected benefits?
Frankly speaking, it felt just like a dream—unbelievable.
Of course, this wasn't due to any naturally weak disposition on Sanshouo Hanzo's part; rather, it was the result of countless setbacks he had endured over the years that had shaped his instinctive skepticism toward everything.
"Not like we can't work something out."
After thinking it over for a while, Sanshouo Hanzo slowly handed the official document back to his trusted Jonin and said, "But on one condition—the Standing Ninja Army of the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation must not enter the Land of Rain."
He had originally intended to demand the complete withdrawal of the Standing Ninja Army, but upon second thought, he realized that might come across as too forceful. Instead, he chose the much milder restriction of prohibiting entry into the country. If the corporation couldn't even meet this simple request, then Hanzo Sanshouo would have every reason to suspect what intentions these two powerful clans actually harbored.
"As you command!"
The loyal Jonin immediately accepted the order and departed.
Just as Hanzo Sanshouo had spent another sleepless night tossing and turning in bed, he received a joint reply from the two great noble families.
In the response, Hyuga Soushu, representing the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation, and Uchiha Shikata, head of the Uchiha Clan, both emphasized that the movement of the Standing Ninja Army was merely routine training previously arranged by the company, with no plans whatsoever to invade the Land of Rain. They warmly commended Sanshouo Hanzo's cooperative spirit and primarily invited him to meet in person for detailed discussions.
After reading the content of the reply, Hanzo Sanshouo felt as if something had just fallen out of the blue—completely stunning him.
But after a short daze, Hanzo quickly collected himself. He personally wrote a reply, expressing his willingness to work with them and contribute to the development of the Ninja World on behalf of the Rain Ninja Village.
"Go—deliver this personally to Hakone Prefecture city!"
Before long, Sanshouo Hanzo composed an eloquent and emotionally rich reply, sealed it himself, and handed it over to his trusted Jonin.
"As you command!"
The loyal Jonin immediately vanished using the Body Flicker technique.
The next day, Hyuga Soushu in Hakone Prefecture city received Hanzo Sanshouo's personal letter. After reading it, he felt certain that matters had essentially settled in their favor.
The enthusiastic attitude displayed by Hanzo clearly indicated that the demands and rewards offered were sufficient to satisfy him; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken such an active stance.
Therefore, Hyuga Soushu no longer held back and directly said to the Rain Ninja messenger, "If Sanshouo Hanzo is agreeable, perhaps he could pay a visit to Hakone Prefecture city. Of course, if he finds the journey inconvenient, the Herb Country border is also perfectly acceptable."
"This matter is of utmost importance. I humbly ask Lord Soushu to grant me time to report this back for instructions."
The Rain Ninja messenger dared not make decisions on his own and requested permission from Sanshouo Hanzo.
Naturally, Hyuga Soushu raised no objection.
As the messenger's ninja hawk reached the Rain Ninja Village, Hanzo Sanshouo wasted no time making a decision after reading the secret message.
He would personally set off for Hakone Prefecture city to meet face-to-face with Hyuga Soushu and Uchiha Clan Leader for detailed discussions.
Back in the day, he would've never dared take such a risk.
But let's face it—when you're broke, your pride doesn't last long.
Now, both the Land of Rain and its ninja village were on the brink of collapse. Continuing to cling to dignity would bring nothing but harm, with absolutely no benefit to show for it.
Of course, Sanshouo Hanzo wasn't entirely unprepared either.
Though he had only brought six attendants with him, he had also made sure word of his journey spread throughout the village, hinting that he would return bearing a bright future.
Although the Rain Ninja Village was impoverished and weak, due to the impact of the Second Great Ninja War, it had always remained a key focal point within the Ninja World, causing numerous spies to be hidden inside. As a result, this information quickly and widely reached various factions, becoming part of their strategic calculations.
And that was exactly what Sanshouo Hanzo wanted.
Beyond himself, there were very few capable figures left in the Rain Ninja Village now. If an unexpected attack occurred while he was away, the entire village wouldn't have much power left to retaliate. By intentionally spreading ambiguous intelligence like this, at least some people would hesitate before making reckless moves.
Plus, Sanshouo Hanzo was also gambling that Hyuga Soushu and Uchiha Shikata still had some sense of decorum. After all, once the news was out, public opinion within the wider Ninja World would at least prevent either side from rashly breaking off negotiations and coming to blows—even if they ultimately failed to reach an agreement.
That alone was enough.
When the anxious Sanshouo Hanzo finally crossed mountains and rivers to arrive at Hakone Prefecture city, he was greeted with open arms.
Hyuga Soushu and Uchiha Shikata personally came out five kilometers beyond the city walls to meet him, showing Sanshouo Hanzo tremendous respect.
Then, the two invited Sanshouo Hanzo to visit the military camp outside the city to conduct an inspection of the Ninja Force, subtly displaying the company's overwhelming martial strength.
Immediately afterward, the group hurriedly visited production facilities such as the Casting Workshops and Centralized Farms, leaving Sanshouo Hanzo—who had known only poverty for so long—utterly stunned by the staggering contrast.
By now, the sheer might and prosperity of the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation had already deeply impressed Sanshouo Hanzo.
So by the time they entered the final negotiation stage, whatever little bargaining spirit remained within Sanshouo Hanzo had completely vanished.
"I've already reviewed your company's requirements. There are no major issues. The only thing needing clarification is what the Rain Ninja Village stands to gain in return."
Once everyone had settled down, Sanshouo Hanzo wasted no time asking directly, "Opening up the mountain pass isn't a problem, but constructing a canal should come with appropriate compensation."
"Mr. Hanzo truly lives up to his reputation as our elder in the Ninja World! Truly wise and upright!"
Hyuga Soushu didn't hold back his praise.
Uchiha Shikata immediately followed up with: "The Uchiha Clan can provide the Rain Ninja Village with adequate military supplies as compensation."
Since Sanshouo Hanzo clearly had no intention of beating around the bush, the straightforward Uchiha Clan Leader naturally saw no reason to be vague either.
"We don't need military supplies!"
Sanshouo Hanzo surprised them again with equal bluntness. "Food—what the Rain Ninja Village needs is food!"
"That's easy enough to handle," Uchiha Shikata said, finding the request somewhat odd but accepting it nonetheless. "So, Mr. Hanzo, how much grain do you think would be appropriate?"
"Eight hundred tons!"
Sanshouo Hanzo gave a number he considered astronomical.
Without hesitation, Uchiha Shikata replied, "I'll give you one thousand tons, but in return, you must dispatch laborers from the Land of Rain to clear the mountain passes. Also, you must provide manpower during the subsequent canal excavation!"
"And we'll also need provisions supplied!" Sanshouo Hanzo was inwardly startled but composedly added another demand, pretending he had planned it all along.
"All workers will receive ten Golden Certificates per day upon completing their assigned tasks!" Uchiha Shikata smoothly adjusted the wage standard downward, slashing the original rate of thirty Golden Certificates per person per day down to ten.
"Deal!"
Sanshouo Hanzo eagerly agreed without delay.
And just like that, both parties reached a consensus amid what seemed to be a cheerful and mutually satisfying atmosphere, each side walking away convinced they had pulled off the best deal possible.
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