Chapter 594: 594.Only the Leaf Village Is Making a Fortune While Lying Down

—Shahzaam, Jacob Mooe, kevin Williams, Jose Sierra, Pasang Sherpa, Acedia, kurtis newman, Nhoxious, Little Sand, sediaz, Targaryen, King Scales, Kurgarraz.

(just replace the “@” with “a”)

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“Agreed. We can discuss the specifics further once your negotiations are concluded.” Someone eagerly coming to hand over money – Kazuki certainly wouldn’t refuse such a good thing!

Of course, selling at fair market prices was out of the question. The prices of war materiel at this stage… to put it bluntly, had more than doubled. If Onoki was hoping for a bargain, he could forget it. Besides, the Stone Village couldn’t even produce the funds upfront. At best, they would follow Rasa’s example and accrue debt, repaying it slowly over time. The Land of Wind’s environment was poor, but so was the Land of Earth’s. The mineral resources the Land of Wind possessed, the Land of Earth had as well. Barring any surprises, Onoki would have no choice but to repay the debt using various ores.

“Good.” With Kazuki’s agreement, Onoki’s tense, weathered face finally relaxed into a slight smile. “In that case, Kazekage, Mizukage, shall we step outside to continue our discussion?”

“Very well.” Kazuki couldn’t be bothered to pry into the negotiations between the three of them. Whatever terms they agreed upon was their own affair.

“Once the Stone Village acquires sufficient war materiel, how long do you think it will take the Cloud Village to win this war?”

Mabui, who had been reviewing documents, paused. She closed the file and replied thoughtfully,

“It would be extremely difficult. The strength disparity between the two villages isn’t that significant. With adequate war materiel, both sides would be locked into a prolonged war of attrition. However, the Stone Village shouldn’t be able to afford sufficient war materiel.” She offered a small reminder to Kazuki. As for how to proceed, that wasn’t her call. At this point, she could only consider these issues from the Leaf Village’s perspective, not the Cloud Village’s. After all, she was no longer a member of the Cloud Village.

“The Stone Village indeed has no money. But the Land of Earth has things the Leaf Village needs,” Kazuki said, not bothering to hide anything. He tossed a scroll to Mabui. She caught it and opened it, her eyes widening in shock.

“Th-three times the price?!” The Sand Village had truly paid through the nose for a bit of war materiel. After the initial shock, Mabui felt the Cloud Village was in deep trouble. An entire war fought, and what had they gained? Nothing but reputation. In contrast, the Leaf Village had profited enormously at every turn. The other villages had been thoroughly taken advantage of, while only the Leaf Village lay back and made a fortune.

No wonder the Leaf’s finances strengthened year after year. At this rate, catching up to the Cloud Village was only a matter of time. In the past, the Cloud Village’s finances were beyond compare. But the current Cloud Village… was mired in the vortex of war. Even after the war ended, it would take a long, slow period for their finances to recover. Full recovery within three to five years was impossible. The Cloud Village needed three to five years – would the Leaf Village give them that time? Unthinkable.

“The upcoming negotiation is yours to handle. How you conduct it, I don’t care. The only requirement is that the price cannot be lower than three times what the Sand Village paid. This is the first task I’m entrusting to you. Good luck.” Kazuki had no interest in haggling with Onoki. Better to leave such matters to his secretary. After all, wasn’t this precisely what secretaries were for? As for whether Onoki would feel disrespected…

The people of your village are starving, and you’re worried about respect? The fact that the Leaf Village is willing to sell you war materiel at all is the greatest respect we can offer.

The Stone Village would essentially have to mortgage its future, just like the Sand Village. But this was their final option; there was no alternative. Mortgaging the future was still preferable to paying war reparations and apologizing with their tails between their legs – that would be losing both the future and their dignity. The negotiation itself wasn’t a particularly arduous task. It was merely a matter of squeezing out a bit more or a bit less profit. As long as she held the line at three times the price, Mabui would have completed her mission.

With the task delegated, Kazuki clasped his hands behind his back and strolled out of the cave. Several hundred meters away, behind a large boulder, Onoki, Rasa, and Mei Terumi were engaged in heated discussion. Kazuki didn’t disturb them. He departed directly with Itachi. “Kisame, stay behind and ensure Mabui’s safety. Also, when the Tsuchikage returns, inform him that I have delegated the task of supply sales to my secretary. He can negotiate directly with her.”

“Yes, Lord Hokage.” Kisame grinned, resting his hand on Samehada’s hilt. He positioned himself dutifully at the cave entrance, vigilantly monitoring the surroundings to protect Mabui.

“Find us a place to rest. And go hunt something suitable for dinner.” Itachi departed in silence. Kazuki surveyed the area and spotted a large, slanted boulder. The angle would block the falling rain. A bit of tidying beneath it would create a decent resting spot. Building a fire inside the cave was too smoky; outside was far more comfortable. With a casual, small-scale Wind Style technique, Kazuki cleared the area. He retrieved a table and chairs from a sealing scroll and sat down, waiting for Itachi’s return.

“Seems our luck is good.” In under ten minutes, Itachi returned carrying a wild goat over his shoulder. Kazuki’s eyes lit up. Encountering wild goat in a place like the Land of Rain was no easy feat. Compared to other game, goat meat was far more flavorful.

Finally done. After much back-and-forth, Onoki had successfully persuaded Mei Terumi and Rasa. Just as he was preparing to return to the cave to discuss the supply purchase with Kazuki, he looked up and saw a plume of black smoke rising into the air, accompanied by the tantalizing aroma of roasting meat. He seemed to guess what was happening, and Onoki’s already dark face turned the color of a burnt pot bottom.

Here I am, frantic with anxiety, and you are out here with the leisure to barbecue?! Utterly inhuman!

“Looks like there’s food to be had.” Mei Terumi sniffed the air, catching the scent of grilling meat. She smiled at Onoki and Rasa. “Kazekage, Tsuchikage, since our business is settled, I’ll head over first. I’m feeling rather hungry.”

“Let’s go together,” Onoki grumbled, his face dark, falling into step. Rasa slowly nodded. He could do with a bite as well. They’d gnawed on dry rations the entire journey. Now that everything was settled and there was no longer any risk of mishaps – even if the Cloud Village discovered them, it mattered not – why deprive themselves? Enjoying a good meal was entirely reasonable. Not being picky didn’t mean not appreciating delicious food.

“The Hokage certainly knows how to enjoy himself,” Mei Terumi remarked, the first to arrive. She clicked over on her high heels, flicking rainwater from her hair, pulled up a chair, and sat down, her gaze sweeping over the goat meat already turning a crisp golden brown.

“Hardly. I simply see no reason to make myself suffer while traveling,” Kazuki replied casually, handing the task of rotating the spit to Itachi. He addressed Onoki, who had arrived a moment later. “Tsuchikage, I have delegated the matter of purchasing supplies to my secretary. I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to make another trip.”

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